June 25, 2015 (Thursday)
On Sunday at Bethel Baptist Church, Ingleside, we will begin studying the Book of Hebrews in Sunday School. Robert Perry is our teacher for this series. Bob Moncrief is also our teacher. He recently led us in a study of men of the Bible. Last Sunday Robert led us to discover what Jesus meant when he asked his followers to take up their cross and follow him. I always enjoy Sunday School at Bethel. Just in case someone at Bethel who has missed the blessing of Sunday School is reading this, let me invite you to join us for this study of the Book of Hebrews.
The Book of Hebrews is unique because it is the only New Testament book that is anonymous in authorship. The author is no doubt a converted Jew. He is writing to Jewish Christians who have reverted to Judaism or are considering doing so.
The people to whom the Book of Hebrews was written had endured persecution and the loss of property. The author of Hebrews tried to convince them to remain true to Jesus Christ by showing them how much greater Jesus is in every way than anything Judaism has to offer them.
When writing to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul summarized the Book of Hebrews: “The Jewish laws were our teacher and guide until Christ came to give us right standing with God through our faith. But now that Christ has come, we don’t need those laws any longer to guard us and lead us to him.”
He went on: “For now we are all children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and we who have been baptized into union with Christ are enveloped by him. We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same–we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus. And now that we are Christ’s we are the true descendants of Abraham, and all of God’s promises to him belong to us” (Galatians 3:24-28 TLB).