Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 11 In chapter 11, ,the writer changes gears. He has spent a lot of time talking about how Jesus is a superior high priest and has offered a superior sacrifice. Jesus was the once and for all sacrifice, which eliminated the whole sacrificial system. Now the believers could all know God personally because God had written the law on their hearts. But the writer had warned the church for using God's grace in vain. He encouraged them not to go back to their legalistic but to keep on encouraging each other all the more as the Day of the Lord approached.   In chapter 11, the author turns to the subject of faith, which was not new to the Israelites. He virtually goes through the whole Old Testament to illustrate the many examples of faith. He starts with Creation, Abel's sacrifice, Enoch's supernatural ascension to heaven, and Noah's faith to the build the Ark. Then, the writer goes through the key patriarchs God made the promises to whic...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 10 In chapter 10, the author continues the theme of Jesus' once and for all sacrifice, which is far superior to the daily sacrifices the priests in the temple offered. God even became frustrated with those sacrifices because they did not change the people's hearts, they just keep on sinning and not trusting in Him.  In this chapter, he also writes of the suffering these early Christians went through and encouraged them to keep on persevering. Apparently these Christians were tempted to go back to the Law, after they had received the promises of Christ's grace. They were taking grace lightly and returning to sin. The writer shows how outlandish this is having received grace only to return to sin. We call this " cheap grace " today. Finally, he encourages them to not neglect meeting together, as some are doing, but to encourage each other all the more as the day of the Lord comes near. The author realized that their return to...

Click Here To Read or Listen to Hebrews 9 Worship in the Earthly Tabernacle 9 Now the first covenant had regulations for worship and also an earthly sanctuary. 2 A tabernacle was set up. In its first room were the lampstand and the table with its consecrated bread; this was called the Holy Place. 3 Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, 4 which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. 5 Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover. But we cannot discuss these things in detail now. The writer of Hebrews describes the details of the tabernacle, which God gave instructions through Moses to make as a way for people to receive forgiveness for their sins. Notice the progression of rooms. As the people and then priests moved through each room, they moved closer to God. For instance, you hav...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 8 The High Priest of a New Covenant 8 Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. The author continues to show the superiority of Jesus as high priest. As soon as Jesus provided the once and for all sacrifice for our sin, He sat down at the right hand of the Father. Jesus serves in a different tabernacle not made by human hands.  The tabernacle and the temple of the Old Covenant had beautiful furnishings, but no place for the priests to sit down because their work was never finished. The work of Jesus is finished, therefore He is seated in heaven. 3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for ...

  Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 7 Melchizedek the Priest 7 This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.” 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. The name Melchizedek has a lot of significance. "Zedek" is the Hebrew word for "righteousness", and "melch" is a word which means "king". So the word would mean "king of righteousness".  Salem, is ancient for the city of Jerusalem. Melchizedek was an unusual person who was both a "priest" and a "king". He reconciled and he ruled.   The order is subtle but important. First, Melchizedek in his very name was called “king of r...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 6 6 Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, 2 instruction about cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And God permitting, we will do so. The author once again picks up with the theme of moving on to Christian maturity.  He teaches them to move on from the "elementary" teachings about Christ. What does he mean by that?  He gives clues by citing repentance, faith, cleansing rites, the laying on of hands, and teaching on the judgment and resurrection from the dead. We might call these the basics of the Christian faith. If you read through the Apostle's Creed, which our church confesses in our 8am service, it contains many of these core doctrines.  Click here to see the Apostle's Creed Written Around “When we consider the...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 5   5 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He is able to deal gently with those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is subject to weakness. 3 This is why he has to offer sacrifices for his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was. We talked about this yesterday, but the most high priest was selected out of all the priests to be the mediator for the people. He represented the people by offering gifts and sacrifices for their sins, though he had his own sins to deal with too. For that reason he could be compassionate to those who were in the same condition he was. As a result the sacrifices he offered were for himself too. This was special honor to be the priest, who is called to the priesthood in...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 4 A Sabbath-Rest for the People of God 4 Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. 2 For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. 3 Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,  “So I declared on oath in my anger,  ‘They shall never enter my rest.’”  And yet his works have been finished since the creation of the world. 4 For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “On the seventh day God rested from all his works.” 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” As you probably know the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day is of paramount importance in the Jewish faith. It always has been that way. After the first three commandments regardi...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 3 Jesus Greater Than Moses 3 Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest. 2 He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. 3 Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself. 4 For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. 5 “Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house,” bearing witness to what would be spoken by God in the future. 6 But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory. It is unusual to see Jesus called an "apostle", but the word "apostle" means ambassador. Jesus was and is the greatest ambassador of God the Father. Jesus brought the greatest message ev...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 2 Warning to Pay Attention 2 We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2 For since the message spoken through angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4 God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. The preaching and teaching of the Gospel is the primary way we hear God's plan for us. The writer of Hebrews says the believers needed to " pay the most careful attention to what you have heard! " The angels spoke through the prophets and in other ways in scripture, but the message of salvation came through Jesus Christ. The message came first through Christ, when he walked this earth for three...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 1 Today, we start our journey through the book of Hebrews. The author of this book is not mentioned in the opening verses. While some think it was the apostle Paul, most do not think it was him. The style of writing is very different than Paul's though many of the themes are similar to his other letters.  The book of Hebrews was definitely written to Jewish Christians, but the apologetic nature of the book proving Jesus is the Messiah would also be relevant to the Gentiles. The book is probably written before A.D. 70, because it makes no mention of the destruction of Rome, which happened in A.D. 70. The primary purpose of the letter is to show that Jesus is a superior priest to the priests of Aaronic priesthood. Jesus is the " once and for all sacrifice ", which fulfilled the Law and thus ended the sacrificial system. The superiority of the priesthood of Jesus would have been great comfort to the Christians at Rome who were being pe...

Philemon 1 1 Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,  To Philemon our dear friend and fellow worker— 2 also to Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier—and to the church that meets in your home:  3 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Though Paul was literally a prisoner, he is a prisoner of Jesus Christ metaphorically. Paul used different words like "bondservant", "slave", and "servant" of Jesus. The basic meaning of that Greek word "doulos" is to give up one's own rights to serve our true master Jesus Christ. In our culture, we are always talking about "our rights", but as Christians we are called to "give up our rights" and serve Christ and others before ourselves.  Paul wrote this short letter to Philemon, who lived in Colossae. This letter is the only reference to him in the bible, but it most have been important enough to be included in the New Testament c...