Who is Jesus to You? (Hebrews Bible Study: Week 2)

Happy Hebrews Bible Study Tuesday, friends!

 

Thanks for joining me again for week 2 of our Bible Study in Hebrews. If you’re new, it’s not too late to start! You can hop in for the ride now, or go back to the beginning.

So far, here’s what we’ve done. Click the link to read last week’s post if you haven’t already, then come on back here for this week’s post.

 

// Welcome to The Hebrews Bible Study!

 

Last week, we covered a few things.

 

One, we looked at some background information. Who Hebrews was written to (Jewish believers) and why we don’t follow the Ten Commandments as the be-all-end-all of our faith (because we’re under a new covenant, and therefore under completely different laws).

 

Two, we looked at three main points.

 

*Jesus really is God.

*Through Jesus, the universe was made.

*Jesus is eternal, and therefore our only true King.

 

Got it? Great. Let’s go ahead to chapter 2.

 

Let’s Get Started!

 

If you hadn’t figured it out yet, we’re going to start by reading Hebrews 2. You can click this link here or flip open your Bible. Whichever works.

 

Go ahead and read that now, and then come back.

 

Last week we talked about Jesus’ “God-ness” being unquestionable, and contemplated the fact that Jesus being 100% God (and still in the image of man) makes complete sense.

 

This week, the tables turn a little bit.

 

After confirming the Divinity of Jesus in chapter 1, the humanity of Jesus is confirmed in chapter 2. Let’s look at the four main points of this week’s chapter.

 

Number One:

 

The sin nature is inevitable, but receiving salvation is entirely up to us. (Hebrews 2:1-4)

 

When a lot of people hear that Jesus came to pay for our sins, it’s often thought that because of that, sin doesn’t matter anymore.

 

Nothing could be further from the truth.

 

Our sins have been paid for, yes, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t responsible too.

 

Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, but we must believe in Him in order to receive His salvation. This is the core message of Hebrews: believe in Jesus, because He truly is the real deal. He’s the One that saves. He’s at the center of this new order that we’re under.

 

Salvation is now our choice; not something God forces on us, something we inherit, or something that doesn’t matter. It does matter, so incredibly much. And if it didn’t, what would be the point in Jesus coming, anyway?

 

To reject salvation is to accept eternal consequences. Why would we want that, friends?

 

Accepting Jesus’ payment and God’s forgiveness is what saves us; not the absence of bad deeds in our lives. Only Jesus can save, and He does.

 

Number Two:

 

Jesus became man. Because of His suffering (and death for us), He is declared the founder of our faith. He is the one we put our trust in. (Hebrews 2:9-10)

 

In becoming man, He tasted death for EVERYONE. What does that signify? It signifies that though we deserved death, because Jesus came to earth as God in human form, His death was enough to pay for every. single. one. of our sins.

 

All we have to do is receive it. Really.

 

Number Three:

 

Jesus is actually, literally, seriously, and legitimately our brother. (Hebrews 2:11-15)

 

It’s not figurative, people. Our life on earth lasts maybe eighty years. We are born. We live. We die.

 

Some of us have siblings, and others of us don’t. Some of us get married, others don’t. Some of us have children, and still, others don’t.

 

But when our time’s up, it’s up.

 

And eternity plays out.

 

See, our faith is an eternal one. Death is only a bridge from our brief earthy lives to either a Forever filled with splendor and glory in the presence of God, or a Forever away from God in the torments of Hell.

 

Our Forevers are determined by what we choose here on earth – do we choose to accept Jesus and become Children of God, or choose our own destructive way?

 

That’s a question we must ask ourselves and take really, really seriously.

 

What does this have to do with us being Jesus’ siblings? Good question.

 

When we accept Jesus, we are adopted into God’s spiritual family as His children. And for eternity, that familial relationship stands.

 

As much as our earthly family is our family for the time we’re here on earth, eternity is infinitely longer and more significant – so that family relationship is the most important and the most legitimate.

 

That blows my mind, honestly.

 

And lastly…

 

Number Four:

 

Jesus became man, not only to be the perfect sacrifice for us, but also to be our perfect High Priest – one that knows firsthand everything we face. (Hebrews 2:16-18)

 

The fact that He was God would not have been enough, but because He was totally man as well as totally God, He sympathizes with everything we face.

 

He became man for the sheer reason that He could know what we face – every hardship, every trial, every temptation, every piece of pain – He knows it all.

 

Let’s let go of the notion that God doesn’t know how we feel. No way. That is such a lie.

 

Jesus loves us. He is here for us to give us hope, strength, and salvation.

 

Let’s not forget who Jesus really is, friends. He’s our one and only Savior. Our Brother. Our Friend. Our High Priest. Our Lord.

Recap:

 

*Salvation is our choice. Let’s choose Jesus.

*Jesus is the One we put our trust in.

*We are Children of God, and therefore, Jesus’ siblings.

*Jesus knows everything we face – literally, everything – and therefore is our perfect High Priest. In other words, our mediator to God.

 

In short? Jesus is everything we need – He’s our perfect Savior.

 

And as I said last week, here’s a new series of questions that you can answer in your head, in a notebook, or in the comment section. Or on social media.

Questions of the Week:

 

1. Do you ever find it difficult to remember (like I do) that Jesus knows every temptation that we face? How does that change how you view your relationship with Him?

 

2. Have you ever thought about our eternal family being more permanent and significant than our earthly families?

 

3. Have you ever thought of the humanity of Jesus being just as significant as His Divinity?

 

 

 

 

Thanks for joining me, friends! I hope you’re enjoying studying Hebrews as much as I am. Come back next Tuesday for the Hebrews Bible Study on chapter 3, and next Saturday for a regular post.

 

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