WORSHIP TIMES:

Grace Worship - Sunday at 8:30am and 10:30am
NEXT COMBINED SERVICE THIS SUNDAY, January 19th at 10:30am
Children's Sunday School - 10:30am (3yrs to 5th grade) 
Child Care - 10:30am (Birth to 2 years) 
Adult Sunday School - 10am Room 103 - resumes 1/12/20
Worship on Wednesday - 11:00am   
Vietnamese Bible Study/ Worship - 10am Room 207
Spanish Christian Worship - 2pm Room 207                       

This weekend we start a new section in the book of Hebrews. The book of Hebrews could be divided into three sections. The first section in the book of Hebrews describes who Jesus is.
 
This letter or possibly, this sermon, starts off with some lofty language about the utter superiority of Jesus. Jesus is greater than any human prophet. He embodied the message He brings. Jesus is greater than any heavenly angel. He is no divine creature; He is the Son of God. Jesus is greater than Moses. He doesn’t just lead through the wilderness; Jesus is the One who builds the house of our salvation – our home away from home with God.
 
And as we heard last week, Jesus is greater than Joshua. While Joshua once led the people of God into the Promised Land, Jesus leads us into the promise of our ultimate rest. Jesus is our everlasting Sabbath – the assurance and security that our identity and worth derive not from our work by from His work on our behalf.  
 
Now, with verse 14 of chapter 4, we transition to the second section of the book of Hebrews. It is a topic, a theme that will occupy us all the way through to the end of chapter 11. While the first part of Hebrews outlined who Jesus is, this second part of the book will describe what Jesus did, what Jesus continues to do for us all. 
 
This new focus will begin by using the theme of the prior section as it will explain how Jesus is greater than Aaron. The brother of Moses, Aaron is another important figure in the history of the people of God. Aaron was the first high priest of Israel. All of the priests thereafter were to come from Aaron’s line. What Jesus did for us will be described through the work that Aaron pioneered, the work of the high priest of Israel.
 
Explaining the work of Christ through the work of the Levitical priesthood made sense at the time this book was written. After all, the writer is framing the supremacy of Jesus through what He has done for the world by using an institution which was still in existance, visible and accessible to those who lived at that time. The readers of this letter could still daily see for themselves the priests fulfilling their priestly role of offering sacrifices at the Temple. They were raised to understand the necessity of the role of the high priest in their life as a community.
 
But what about us? What need do we have for a priest in today’s world? If we grew up in or have friends who worship in either the Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox tradition, there is some familiarity with the function of priests. But then again, part of being a Protestant is to protest the idea that we, as Christians, need designated priests as a part of the Church.
 
So, do we need a priest or don’t we? Join us this Sunday to learn why the answer is both “Yes” and “No.” Come and hear why all of us need a great high priest – someone to stand between who we were created to be and where we find ourselves today. At the same time, let us marvel and rejoice as we discover why and how the great high priest we need is only and always, Jesus. Together, on the other side of this revelation, may we find ourselves filled with the confidence and boldness to enter more purposefully and more deeply into our relationship with Christ.

Grace to you!
Pastor Chris