Hebrews
Hebrews 1
February 11, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 1
"It is Safe to Trust Jesus" - Hebrews 1 We begin our journey through the book of Hebrews, and in doing so we will consider if we can feel and be safe in trusting Jesus! There are a few "unknowns" about the book of Hebrews. Who wrote it? Who was the original intended audience? In what year was it written? But what we do know is that the author and the audience were believers with a strong grasp on the OT scriptures and practices. There are a lot of things that will appear as "common knowledge" to the original readers that might take a little explanation for us. So, it is assumed the audience were Jewish believers in Jesus. The challenge they faced is that, in the hard times they were facing, they were losing faith in Jesus and going back to putting their trust back in some of their old ways. After all....God had given them these things to begin with, right? Hebrews is an utterly compelling argument that it is safe -- safer than anything else -- to trust Jesus. And tomorrow we will see why we can trust what He says! So... ...VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 2:1-9
February 18, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 2:1–9
"In Danger of Drifting" - Hebrews 2:1-9 Having been reminded just who Jesus is, and just how much His word should matter to them [and to us], the first of five warnings in the book of Hebrews is given. I think you will understand the warning if you think about the phrase, "out of sight, out of mind". It can be hard to mentally keep track of people and things with which we don't interact regularly. It's hard when it is a person. And it's really hard when that person is you! You wonder why no one has called or checked in with you. And then you begin to imagine that no one cares, and no one has noticed. Well, things...and people...can slip our minds if we don't pay careful attention to them. They seem to slip away unnoticed when our attention has been directed to other things. This is precisely the warning that we get in Hebrews 2. But the warning is not about people in general, but salvation! Wait....are you saying that I can lose my salvation like I would lose track of that person who used to sit near me? That sounds a little scary. Remember, Hebrews is not directed to unbelievers, but to believers -- Jewish believers in Jesus who are now in danger of turning back to trusting their religious system to save them. These are the issues we will be discussing, if you... ...VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 2:9-18
February 25, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 2:9–18
"Jesus, Disappointment, & Trust" - Hebrews 2:9-18 After the first of the five warnings of Hebrews, we are seeing that our author is desperate for his audience to keep trusting Jesus. There is no doubt that Jesus is confusing. He heals, he raises the dead, he sets the captives free, and there is great hope in Him. But inevitably there is an unmet expectation or an unfortunate suffering that leads to doubt. "Can I really trust Jesus?" I can assure you that this is nothing new in church history. That same savior couldn't save Himself? The one who promises glory experiences humiliation? The Jews were expecting a powerful ruler, and they got a crucified servant.....or did they? Join me as our author and preacher tries to clear up some understanding about painful experiences and glory and the "bigger picture". If He is the Son of God, why not just save people from that position? Why become like us? Maybe, if you understand Jesus a little more, you might be able to trust him a little more. And, there is one particular area that we, in all of our advances and technology, have been unable to conquer. What is that area and how does Jesus help? ....VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 3:1-15
March 3, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 3:1–15
"Why Do I Feel Stuck?" - Hebrews 3:1-15 It is true that the theme of Hebrews is often stated as "Jesus is Better". That is true and supported, but why is it important? Why do we and they need to know that? In Chapter 3, we get the second of the five warnings in the letter. The warning comes after our author compares Jesus to Moses. If you know anything about the Jews, you know how much weight they put on the people in their history like Abraham and, yes, Moses! These men played huge roles and carry a lot of weight. But what about Jesus? Using Psalm 95 as a platform, our author is hoping they will give more weight to Jesus than Moses. He hopes they will realize that they have a history of distrust with God, even under Moses leadership. If you ever feel like you are spiritually "stuck", like you keep making the same mistakes, treading the same water, or circling the same path, then this lesson will hold some valuable truth for you. The way to get "unstuck" is surprisingly easy and yet also can be "so hard". The answer is not somewhere "out there"...out of your control! If you listen, you will hear it, so... ..VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 3:16-4:13
March 10, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 3:16–19, Hebrews 4:1–13
"Rest and Relaxation...at Last!" - Hebrews 3:16-4:13 I love the diversity that we experience at CCFluvanna. You all have come from such a variety of religious backgrounds, or maybe CCF is your first church experience! For many religious people, spiritual life and upbringing were connected to obligations and duties of the faith. The underlying message is that you are saved by Jesus, and maintaining religious duties such as sacraments, food laws, or a dress code. If this person is asked, "Will you go to heaven?", the answer might be, "I don't know", or "as long as I do x, y, and z." This person will not feel a sense of deep assurance, always wondering if they have done something to jeopardize their eternal salvation. In this section, the word "rest" occurs 10 times! Clearly, God wants His children to rest! But from what? And how? What would it feel like to experience religious relaxation? Is it possible to just relax about my spiritual life? What a dream that would be! If legalism, traditionalism, or superstition have been your experience, then you need to hear what the Spirit says about "resting" in Jesus. And maybe you even hear the voice of an old cartoon character in my sermon title saying to you .. "west and weewaxation at wast". Steve
Hebrews 4:11-16
March 17, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 4:11–16
"Vulnerability & Compassion - Hebrews 4:11-16 "Never let them see you sweat." That was the motto for Dry Idea deodorant. Sweat being that product of nervousness that accompanies stress, it would expose weakness. When a turtle feels endangered, it conveniently pulls all the weak fleshy parts into its hard shell to wait until danger passes. Let's face it. Our world is a dangerous, dog-eat-dog world full of predators and threats. People are just waiting to expose and capitalize on our weaknesses, so we have to stay hidden, right? Is God another potential threat? Is he looking to expose our weaknesses so He can deliver punishment? In our short passage, we will see just why many people avoid the Bible and why the Word of God makes many people uncomfortable! We will also see why this does not need to be the case! And for all of you "I-was-just-trying-to-help-the- turtle-get-across-the-road" people, you will understand that compassion isn't always understood by those afraid of being hurt. What does Hebrews 4 have to do with vulnerability, compassion, turtles, and more? This is a powerful, important passage for you to... ...VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 5:1-11
March 24, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 5:1–11
"And the Award for Best Teacher goes to..." - Hebrews 5:1-11 Our author has returned to the role of Jesus as High Priest, and will address the question of how Jesus gets to be a High Priest, since High priests come from a specific family within Israel -- a family Jesus was not part of! While we will be introduced a fascinating but somewhat obscure Biblical figure named Melchizadek, he will not be the focus of our time together tomorrow. Instead, we will talk about learning -- are you learning anything, what are you learning, and how do you learn it? Did you know Jesus, even though He was fully God, had to learn during His time on earth? What did Jesus have to learn? How did He learn it? What can I learn from the way Jesus learned? And how does this play out in the Garden of Gethsemane? If you want to know who [what] gets the award for best teacher, and if you want to learn what you can learn from Jesus learning.....then... ...VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 5:12-6:8
April 7, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 5:12–14, Hebrews 6:1–8
Hebrews 5:12-6:8 At the end of Chapter 5, our author challenges his audience to grow up. He compares their stubborn unwillingness to a person who learns to person who refuses to eat solid foods. A baby starts with milk but then parents offer to them foods that take more skill to process and swallow. To resist solid food is to stay immature. He also slips in the example of building a house. Once the foundation is laid -- you build on it, right? The foundation exists to be built on and something is wrong if the builder never moves past working laying the foundation. Trust me when I tell you that the passage we will get to in Chapter 6 is one of the most -- if not the most -- challenging in the whole Bible! I can't explain the details now, but that is what tomorrow is for! If you thought that with God, all things were possible, then you were wrong. There is something that is impossible! The listeners are at an important crossroads from which there seems to be no return. Oh boy.....what's this all about??? ....COME and SEE Steve
Hebrews 6:9-20
April 14, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 6:9–20
"God's Plan to Anchor You" - Hebrews 6:9-20 If you were asked, "What image symbolizes Christianity more than any other", what would you say? I am fairly certain you would boldly declare, "silly pastor, everyone knows...the cross...obviously"! And you would be right, in our day and age. But, did you know that was not always the case? Some suggest that the cross did not emerge as a dominant Christian symbol until about 300AD... So what were the symbols of faith and hope in Christ prior to that? Well, you are likely familiar with the "fish" symbol. That was a biggie, as was an anchor! Really? Yes, really! And as we look over our next section of Hebrews, verses 9-20 in chapter 6, you will see why! Think about it. If you were being persecuted, and friends were being killed for believing in Jesus, what symbol would encourage to stay put and to hang on in the stormy seas of anti-Christ attitudes and policies? Maybe an anchor? The author Hebrews is confident that his audience is not going to drift away. God already knew that humans tend to drift, so He has provided everything He can to anchor our souls. What is God's plan and method for helping us stay anchored? That, my dear friends, will be our topic of discussion for Sunday morning, if you will...... ....VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 7:1-28
May 12, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 7
"Do I Need A Priest to get me to God?" - Heb 7:1-28 I love the diversity of life and background we enjoy at CCFluvanna. That means that some of us have come from little or no church background while others may have come from a much more "liturgical" background, with priests and rituals and formalities. I think we can agree that tradition is powerful and what we are accustomed to is what feels "right". So, CCF may feel strange if you are accustomed to the presence of priests and rituals. In fact, you may even feel like we have a deficient experience because we don't have priests leading people through rituals. Are we missing something? Do we need the ministry of a priest to bring us into the presence of God? Hebrews 7 may help us to clear up some religious confusion. Do we need a priest? Yes, but not a human one! Jesus does for us what no religious or traditional priesthood could do, and Melchizadek will prove it! ...VIEW and SEE. Steve
Hebrews 7:20-8:1
May 19, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 7:20—8:1
"To the Uttermost" - Heb 7:20-8:1 We pick back up in Hebrews 7, but with a little less emphasis on Melchizadek and a little more emphasis on Jesus. But, now that we have made the connection, our author continues to drive home to his Jewish audience the need for and existence of a better high priest. It is as if the author knew the future as he spoke of these issues only a short time before Jerusalem would be destroyed by the Romans in 70ad. Interestingly, there has not been a high priest according to geneology since then! The precise issue spoke of in this chapter came true! All the while, Jesus remains, and will remain a high priest forever! As we finish chapter 7, there will be some wonderful little nuggets to chew on, including the quote that gives rise to the sermon title. Jesus saves, "from the guttermost to the uttermost!" If you know someone who has been in the "guttermost", then maybe you want to pick up the phone and invite them to.... ....VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 8:1-13
May 26, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 8
"Out with the old...." - Heb 8:1-13 Is it hard for you to throw things out? Are you a bit of a hoarder? Are there broken things around because you just can't let go of them? Or do you love garbage day? That feeling of getting rid of old, broken stuff and watching it disappear. Then you can make room for something new that functions better, is updated, or more useful. On this memorial day weekend, we will look into Hebrews 8 and "the new covenant". This is what Jesus spoke of during the last supper when He said, "This is My blood of the New Covenant." Our author gets his theology from Jeremiah 31. At the time when the Jews were experiencing the covenant breaking consequences of Babylonian exile, God tells them what His long range plan to be merciful and forgive them. But he doesn't mention how he will do it. What is the New Covenant? What was wrong with the old one? Why does it matter? How does God work it out to bless His people? Great truth awaits those who choose to.... ....COME and SEE Steve
Hebrews 9:1-14
June 2, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 9:1–14
"Deep Cleaning" - Heb. 9:1-14 In our last message we talked about hoarding -- saving things that are outdated, broken, or useless. This week we will discuss deep cleaning. Fact. Things get dirty. Our houses, cars, clothes, teeth, bodies, streets, and dishes, and neighborhoods! So we buy products and roll up our sleeves and get to work. It feels good to get something clean, but how long does it stay clean? That is the frustrating thing about it all. Despite our effort, the things we clean just get dirty again. Cleanliness is a never ending battle. Hebrews 9 addresses the human need for cleanliness. In fact, I will argue that the greatest human need is not better schools or more technology or greener energy or better healthcare. It is deep cleaning. If you are scratching your head and wondering how Heb. 9 can help address cleanliness, and how in the world cleanliness can be the greatest human need, then my plan is working! I hope you are curious enough to come out or tune in to see how this all works together. In fact, tomorrow could be the most important sermon I will ever preach, so please pray for me. And then, call or text a friend, co worker, neighbor, or relative and invite them with you to...... ....VIEW and SEE Steve
Hebrews 9:15-28
June 9, 2024 • Pastor Steve Feden • Hebrews 9:15–28
"The Currency of Heaven" - Hebrews 9:15-28 If you have done any traveling overseas, you have had to ask the questions, "What currency is used there? and "Do I need to exchange any money?" If you want to do business in a foreign country, then you need the right currency. In Italy, the currency is the Euro dollar. Before we go, we have to exchange dollars for Euros. Why? Because I could not buy a cup of coffee with $100 US dollars because that is the wrong currency. Our US Dollars are absolutely useless - or valueless - in Europe. What is the currency of Heaven? What if someone wants to buy something from God? Does He do business in Euros or Yuan? Maybe He is into Bitcoin? I know....surely it's gold, right? If someone wanted to pay a debt to God, could I work off my debt? Could I exchange good deeds for freedom? Many people operate with this unfortunate expectation. But God is clear as to the currency of Heaven and what He is willing to accept for repayment of debt. It's not gold, or silver, or anything else we might see as precious or valuable. I guess the real question is, "What does God value? What does He accept as payment?" The Hebrews 9:15-28 text will give us the answer's to these questions....and more. If you want to know the exchange rate in Heaven, then you will need to..... ....VIEW and SEE Steve