near to the heart of god: a study of the book of hebrews lesson 12 hebrews 5:11- 6:3 melchizedek and...

Near to the Heart of God:Near to the Heart of God:A Study of the Book of HebrewsA Study of the Book of Hebrews

Lesson 12Lesson 12Hebrews 5:11- 6:3Hebrews 5:11- 6:3

Melchizedek and MaturityMelchizedek and Maturity

I. Introduction

A. Two lines of thought have converged thus far in the Book of Hebrews.1. The supremacy of Christ

a. God’s final word (1:1-4)b. Vastly superior to angels (1:4-14)c. Greater than Moses (3:1-6)d. Greater priest than Aaron (4:14ff.)

2. The deficiency of mena. Paradise lost (2:5-8)b. Enslaved by fear of death (2:14-

15)c. Israel’s failure in wilderness (3:7-

f:10)

The sufficiency of Christ

The deficiency of men

High Priestly Ministry:

AtonementHelp in need

The Incarnation

I. Introduction

B. Christ as the superior high priest (4:14ff.)1. Hold fast our confession(4:14-15)2. Draw near for help (4:16)3. Christ has superior qualifications to

Aaronic priesthood (5:1-9).4. Christ’s priesthood is of the order of

Melchizedek (5:6, 10).C. Parenthetical Pause: A message of motivation

(5:11-6:20)1. 5:11-6:3 – A cure for sluggish saints2. 6:4-8 – Those beyond repentance3. 6:9-12 – Convinced of better things4. 6:13-20 – Standing on the promises

I. Introduction

D.The structure of our text1. The author’s assessment (5:11-14)2. The author’s approach (6:1-3)

E. The importance of our text1. It assesses our maturity2. It prefaces a problem passage (6:4-8)

F. My approach in this lesson1. Answer several crucial questions

concerning our text2. Suggest areas of contemporary

application

II. Answering the crucial questionsA. To whom is the author speaking?

1. Earlier exhortations are to believers (see 4:11-16)

2. These are Jewish / Hebrew believers.3. Three tests

a. Hearing = dull /sluggish in hearing (vs. 11; see 2:1-4)

b. Time = should be teachers by now, but aren’t (vs. 12a)

c. Diet = milk, not meat (vss. 12b-14; see also 1 Cor. 3:1-3; 1 Peter 2:1-3)

4. The author’s follow-up in 6:9-12 (note repetition of “sluggish” in 6:12)

II. Answering the crucial questionsB. What is the malady of these believers?

4. Known Jewish problemsa. In 1 & 2 Corinthiansb. In Colossians 2c. In 1 Timothy 1:4-11; Titus 1:10-16d. In Galatians

5. Conclusion: Many of the Hebrew believers were lingering in the “shadows” of the Old Testament, rather than walking in the light of the substance of the New.

a. It did not require any dramatic change in behavior or application or association.

b. It avoided persecution.c. It seemed to retain a Jewish superiority

II. Answering the crucial questionsC. Why “Therefore” in 6:1, instead of

“Nevertheless”? (Why does the author press ahead with meat, when they live on milk?”)1. Part of the answer will come in 6:4ff.2. Because of what the author has already

said in chapters 1 and 2. a. God has spoken fully and finally in His

Son (1:1-4)b. We must listen more carefully (2:1-4).

3. We should understand the shadows in terms of the substance (see Ephesians 3).

4. People are not challenged to grow by “lowering the bar.”

5. Melchizedek is the meat they need to grow.

III. Conclusion and ApplicationA. The test of true maturity: not just what we

know, but what we do with what we know. (This is also true of judgment – Luke 12:44-48)

B. How mature am I, according to God’s standard?

C. What needs to change?1. Realize that we need maturity 2. Teaching should have more meat.3. Maturity means growing less dependent on

teachers, and being able to teach.4. Beware of the “safe zone.” Maturity means

greater discernment, and the courage to be different.

III. Conclusion and ApplicationD. Application for Jewish believers

1. Pressing Gentile believers into Jewish mold

2. Living in the past, as though it is better3. Failure to see the New Covenant as better4. The temptation to go “back to Egypt”5. The example of Matthew’s Gospel

E. Application for Gentile believers1. The gospel means dramatic change (for

example, the Book of Ephesians)2. Do we mix patriotism with piety, glorify the

past, and strive to go back?3. Don’t confuse culture with Christianity.4. Watch out in the coming election.