Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Warning Against Unbelief - Hebrews 3:12-14 12  See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.   13  But encourage one another daily,  as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.   14  We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold  our original conviction firmly to the very end. The book of Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were facing persecution and being tempted to return to their old ways.  Today the writer uses the example of Moses to show how the people rebelled against God and their leader.  Moses was a faithful leader, but the people turned from him and God and did not enter the Promised Land because of it. Then the author points us out that Jesus who is greater than Moses.  Why?  Because Moses was a prophet and Jesus is the only Son of God. Then, in the verses above, the author warns the new believers against unbelief.  This is no

Jesus Made Fully Human 14  Since the children have flesh and blood,  he too shared in their humanity  so that by his death he might break the power  of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil —   15  and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear  of death.   16  For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants.   17  For this reason he had to be made like them, [ k ]  fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful  and faithful high priest  in service to God,  and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.   18  Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. In chapter 2, the author focuses on the humanity of Christ. The chapter goes on to tell the Hebrews why it was so important for Jesus to take on flesh and blood.  Jesus being fully human and still fully God is what differentiates Christianity from every other religion.  Why is Jesus becoming h

God’s Final Word: His Son Hebrews 1:1-4   In the past God spoke  to our ancestors through the prophets  at many times and in various ways,   2  but in these last days  he has spoken to us by his Son,  whom he appointed heir  of all things, and through whom  also he made the universe.   3  The Son is the radiance of God’s glory  and the exact representation of his being,  sustaining all things  by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins,  he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.   4  So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs . Today, we start the epistle/letter written to the Hebrews.  Some thought Paul was the writer, but now most think it is not Paul, due to the exquisite style of Greek writing, which is doubtful that Paul could have penned.  The book itself does not attribute itself to any author, thus it remains unknown who wrote it.  But we do know the book was probably written to Jewi

"Paul's Appeal Philemon on Behalf of Onesimus the Slave" Philemon 1:8-16 "Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do,   9  yet I prefer to appeal to you  on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner  of Christ Jesus—   10  that I appeal to you for my son  Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains.   11  Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.  12  I am sending him—who is my very heart—back to you.   13  I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains  for the gospel.   14  But I did not want to do anything without your consent, so that any favor you do would not seem forced but would be voluntary.   15  Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever—   16  no longer as a slave,  but better than a slave, as a de

Galatians 2:19-21" For through the law I died to the law  so that I might live for God.   20  I have been crucified with Christ  and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God,  who loved me  and gave himself for me.   21  I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law,  Christ died for nothing!” Paul relates today his own journey with the law to grace.  He had to die to the law, because it could not give him any life.  Though the law was good and right, it could not make him good and right with God.  But when he died to the law and put his faith in Christ, he began to REALLY live for God. Then, Paul gives a short summary of his new life in Christ.  Verses 20-21 are classic verses and worthy of memorizing.  It is Paul's creed for Christian living.  Paul uses the metaphor of crucifixion to talk about how he put to death his sinful nature.  He died to himself bein

No Other Gospel 6  I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called  you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel — 7  which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion  and are trying to pervert  the gospel of Christ.   8  But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you,  let them be under God’s curse!   9  As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted,  let them be under God’s curse!  10  Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people?  If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. We will spend the next six days in Paul's letter to the Galatians.  Galatia was located in the province of Asia Minor, or modern day Turkey.  Most agree that Paul founded the church on his first missionary journey.

2 Corinthians 13:8-10 For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9  We are glad whenever we are weak  but you are strong;  and our prayer is that you may be fully restored.   10  This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh  in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down. Paul had visited the Corinthians two times, and was going there for his third visit.  Paul's hope was that the Corinthians would resolve their own problems and discipline including those who had engaged in immoral behavior.  Though he wanted them to resolve the matter themselves, he was certainly willing to handle the issue with them himself.  Though some in the church had challenged his authority and criticized his approach, he assured them that he would not hesitate to use the full authority God had given him if necessary.   His authority was God-given as the Lord's apostle. 

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 " Because of these surpassingly great revelations.  Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh,  a messenger of Satan,  to torment me.   8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.   9  But he said to me,  “My grace  is sufficient for you, for my power  is made perfect in weakness. ”  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.   10  That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight  in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships,  in persecutions,  in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." Paul continues to defend himself "tongue in cheek" with the super apostles that appear to have bragged of their spiritual experiences to the Corinthians.  So Paul, in third person, describes a person who was caught up to the "third heaven".  He was not sure if it was an "in body" experience, or an "out of bod

2 Corinthians 11:5-9  " I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”   6  I may indeed be untrained as a speaker,  but I do have knowledge.  We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.   7  Was it a sin  for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge?   8  I robbed other churches by receiving support from them  so as to serve you.   9  And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed.  I have kept myself from being a burden to you  in any way, and will continue to do so ." If you didn't think Paul had a sarcastic side to him, you haven't read this chapter.  Paul was being criticized because he did not expect fees for sharing the gospel with them. His apostolic credentials were being challenged because he did not behave in a way some others did.  Some think he had either an unimpressive a