Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

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.  5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,  “You are my Son;  today I have become your Father.” (See Psalm 2:7)  6 And he says in another place,  “You are a priest forever  in the order of Melchizedek.” (See Psalm 110:4) As I mentioned yesterday, a priest is a mediator between "God and man". Like all priests, he was required to be descended from Aaron (the first biblical priest). B...

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.[a] 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.’”[b] 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.”[c] 5 And again in the passage above he says, “They shall never enter my rest.” Resting on the Sabbath is at the heart of the Jewish faith, and it is the 3rd of Ten Commandments given to Israel by Moses. This rest was a foreshadowing of the rest they would enter...

Click Here to Listen To Or Read 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. The author of Hebrews now compares the ministry of Jesus to the ministry of Moses. Moses was a faithful servant of God's house, which was the temple. It was Moses who faithfully gave the Law to the Isra...

Click Here to Listen to or Read 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. Most believe that the message spoken through the angels is the Old Testament revelation of God's Word given to Moses with the Ten Commandments.  This describes the Mosaic Law, which was received…by the direction of angels (Acts 7:53). The idea is that the law was delivered in some way to Moses by the hands of angels. - Guzik The idea that angels had a role in bringing the Law to Moses is found in ...

Click Here to Read Introduction to the Book of Hebrews Click Here to Read or Listen to Hebrews 1 God’s Final Word: His Son 1 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. The book of Hebrews focuses on the person, work, and all-suffiency of  Jesus Christ. It is written to Jewish Christians who were tempted to go back to the Mosaic law. Yahweh had spoken through the prophets in the Old Testament, but this was all leading to how he would reveal himself in the person of His Son, ...

Click Here To Read or Listen to Philemon Click To Read Commentary on Philemon 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. You can read in the commentary, but Philemon was a slave owner, who came to Christ through Paul's missionary journey at Colossae. Apphia and Archippus were probably Philemon's wife and son. Philemon had a group of Christians from Colossae that met in his home. It was not until the 3rd century that Christians met in buildings. The norm for the churches in the first century was house churches in the city overseen by a bishop.  Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This was the greeting Paul used in a lot of Paul's letters.  The expression, combining both Greek (“grace”) and Jewish...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Titus 3 Saved in Order to Do Good 3 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. Once again Paul reminds Titus that the believers should submit to the government. This is a consistent theme in the bible. Even Jesus said, "Give to Caesar's that which is Caesar's, and give to God what is God's" .  Though there have been times in history where Christians have been called to resist a dictatorial or murderous government, Paul's teaching applies to us with very few exceptions. Some people reason they shouldn't have to pay taxes because they don't believe in what the government is doing, but this is still against the law and you can get jail time for it. The bottom line is that as Christians, we need to be good citizens of the country we live in. It brings a stain on ou...

Click Here to Listen to or Read Titus 2   Doing Good for the Sake of the Gospel 2 You, however, must teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine. 2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.  3 Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4 Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5 to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similar to what taught Timothy about the practical issues of pastoring in Ephesus, Paul instructs Titus in like manner. He recognizes that at different life stages people deal with different issues, and men and women deal with different issues. Generally speaking he wants the older men to be role models for the young men, and likewise for the older wome...

Click Here to Read or Listen to Titus 1 Introduction to the Book of Titus 1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ to further the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— 2 in the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, 3 and which now at his appointed season he has brought to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, 4 To Titus, my true son in our common faith:  Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. Paul wrote this letter to Titus, who accompanied Paul on his third missionary trip. Paul trusted Titus to help out at the church in Corinth, and he also became a pastoral leader for the church on the island of Crete. This letter focuses on the importance of sound doctrine and specifically the incarnation of Jesus. Paul calls it " knowledge of truth " which leads to " godliness ".  Sometimes people think doc...

Click To Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 4 \ 4 In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2 Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Paul summarizes Timothy's calling by saying, "Preach the word, and be prepared in season and out of season." There would be times people would be receptive to Timothy's teaching, and times people would resist and oppose it. The the...

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 3 3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. Many times over the last 20 centuries people have tried to predict when the end times will come. When Jesus will return to raise the dead and bring those on earth to heaven with him. The one thing all these predictions have in common is that they were all wrong. Jesus has not returned yet, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't to be prepared for him to return.  Jesus gives some of the conditions in the world that will be a present during the last days. When you look at the condition of m...

Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 2 The Appeal Renewed 2 You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. 3 Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 4 No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer. 5 Similarly, anyone who competes as an athlete does not receive the victor’s crown except by competing according to the rules. 6 The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. 7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this. Paul tells Timothy to be " strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus ". Though grace is a gift we receive by faith and it saves us, it doesn't end there. We cling to God's grace in Christ, and "live in it" . Our strength comes...

Insight for Living Commentary Introduction to 2 Timothy Click Here to Read or Listen to 2 Timothy 1 1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus.  To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. This is Paul's second letter to young Timothy, who has been the pastor in Ephesus for 4 years now. Ephesus was the largest and most influential church in the early 1st century. As you can read in the commentary by Chuck Swindoll, Paul was still in prison and would be beheaded for faith not too long after he wrote this letter. Timothy and the believers in the church were starting to be persecuted more by the Roman Emperor Nero.  Thanksgiving 3 I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4 Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your ...