and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace. – Hebrews 7:2 ESV

Greek
εἰρήνης/eirēnēs: of peace

Why It Matters
A well-loved Christmas Carol begins:
It came upon the midnight clear, That glorious song of old, From angels bending near the earth to touch their harps of gold: “Peace on the earth, good will to men from heav’n’s all-gracious King”…
We sing this song of the account in Luke 2 where an angel of the Lord brings the good news of Jesus’ birth to the shepherds and is suddenly joined by a multitude of angels who are singing of the glory of God and peace come to earth. Of all the lyrics that could have gotten stuck in those shepherds’ heads… peace is what their heavenly Father wants them singing about on their way to see this newborn King.
In Hebrews 7:2 we pick up on a description of Melchizedeck, who we know from previous and future verses is a foreshadowing of Jesus. He is priest of God, king of righteousness, and king of peace. The order here is significant, first righteousness then peace… there is work done on our behalf that produces peace. Notice that peace follows the work of Jesus. It doesn’t follow a full bank account or health or success. And not only do we have peace, but the right standing we have with God, as a result of the sacrifice Jesus made for us as high priest, makes a way for us to be people eirēnēs (of peace).
So if you find yourself “beneath life’s crushing load…with painful steps and slow,” there is peace for you and you can be a person eirēnēs to those around you. If you find yourself on a mountain top, same thing. Praise God that there is coming a day “When the new heav’n and earth shall own The Prince of Peace their King, and the whole world send back the song which now the angels sing.” Until then, what may be God calling you to do to be a person eirēnēs in this world?

Prayer
I am so grateful, God, for your gift of peace in my life. Christmas reminds me that if you left the majesty of Heaven for my sake, I can trust that you’ll be with me no matter where life takes me. Thank you that you were pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel!

Application
Who will I talk to this week about what God may be calling me to do?

Music Response
This Christmas Sunday we sang songs that pointed to Jesus, God with us, our rescue and redemption. And we closed the set with New Wine (Hillsong), asking this glorious and kind God to make us his vessel, an offering to do whatever he may be calling us to do. As you consider that this week, we pray that songs like these will frame your prayers and worship to God. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

But this man who does not have his descent from them received tithes from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. – Hebrews 7:6 ESV

Greek
ἐπαγγελίας/ĕpaggĕlias: promise, a divine assurance of good

Why It Matters
Merry Christmas from Centerway Church! Our prayer for you today is that you will experience the peace of God and the joy of resting in his ĕpaggĕlias(promises). Abraham received these ĕpaggĕlias from God, and as he believed by faith, it was counted to him as righteousness. On Christmas, we celebrate Jesus entering our story and fulfilling several Messianic ĕpaggĕlias given through the prophets of old. Promises such as God would dwell with man, peace would be established by the Davidic king, and forgiveness would be made possible by the one who would take our place. As you reflect on the divine assurance of good fulfilled in Jesus, today is a great reminder that ĕpaggĕlias can start small, but are capable of changing the world. Christ the Savior is born!

Prayer
I am so grateful, God, for your gift of peace in my life. Christmas reminds me that if you left the majesty of Heaven for my sake, I can trust that you’ll be with me no matter where life takes me. Thank you that you were pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel!

Application
Who will I talk to this week about what God may be calling me to do?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

It is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior. – Hebrews 7:7 ESV

Greek
εὐλογεῖται./eulogeitai: is blessed

Why It Matters
Coming off of verse 6, the author’s focus is less about “being blessed” and more about reinforcing that Melchizedek was superior to Abraham. It’s significant because Melchizedek was God’s representative and the foreshadowing of Christ. None of his/her readers would have questioned that the inferior eulogeitai by the superior, a common principle for the Hebrew readers. And so the author is once again reminding us of the prominence of Jesus.
Often times – certainly during the holidays and in anticipation of a new year – we pray for the blessing of God in our lives. And there’s nothing wrong with that. But regrettably we can adopt a worldly belief that the proof that someone eulogeitai is revealed by material things, good health, safety, etc. However, we need to take our cues from the word of God; the greatest blessing – the greatest peace and good news – comes when we acknowledge the superiority of Jesus in our lives, and submit to his authority.
Being blessed by Melchizedek revealed Abraham’s position and Melchizedek God-given authority to bless him. It did NOT reduce Abraham as a human being, diminish the calling on his life, or negate his specific promises from God. On the contrary, coming under this authority fortified these things.
As we continue to celebrate the birth of Jesus – this season and beyond – may we be people who acknowledge and celebrate the superiority of Jesus in our lives, and allow it to position and propel us into all God may be calling us to this coming year.

Prayer
I am so grateful, God, for your gift of peace in my life. Christmas reminds me that if you left the majesty of Heaven for my sake, I can trust that you’ll be with me no matter where life takes me. Thank you that you were pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel!

Application
Who will I talk to this week about what God may be calling me to do?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Now if perfection had been attainable through the Levitical priesthood (for under it the people received the law), what further need would there have been for another priest to arise after the order of Melchizedek, rather than one named after the order of Aaron? – Hebrews 7:11 ESV

Greek
τελείωσις/teleiosis: fulfillment, perfection

Why It Matters
To the Israelites, the law was like a bridge connecting Earth with Heaven. When a person would break that law, the bridge would be broken, rendered impassable, and a sacrifice would need to be made if there was any hope of its repair. The author of Hebrews even goes so far as to say that the levitical system itself could never achieve teleiosis (perfection or fulfillment). So people could never achieve teleiosis in keeping the law, but there could never be teleiosis from the law in achieving its purpose! Think of it this way: even though the law was supposed to be a bridge connecting Earth with Heaven, it was an unfinished bridge at best, pointing people toward a destination but unable to get them there. Thankfully, Hebrews sees a better hope to link us to God, and it comes through a better priestly system. Instead of keeping rules and making sacrifices, there would be One who would come from outside of culture and be known as the Priest-King. This Messiah, from the kingly tribe of Judah, would uphold holiness and righteousness while demanding justice among the people. But He would also be a priest in the order of Melchizedek, whose perfect sacrifice would satisfy that call for justice. This sacrificial system would achieve teleiosis as the bridge to God, because God was the One to bridge that cosmic gap Himself! Now it’s no longer necessary for us to achieve perfection because that work has been accomplished by a loving God on our behalf.

Prayer
God, as I reflect on the past year and prepare for the next, I want you to know that I place all my hope in you. Thank you that yours is a better hope than anything else could offer. I trust you and look for your guiding hand in this new season.

Application
Who needs to hear me celebrate the hope of the gospel this week?

Music Response
Our final song of 2019 was Praise Him Forever (Chris Tomlin). We chose to close out the set – and the year – celebrating all God has done in 2019, as well as praising him for who he is and what he will do. Not only is it a great way to launch us into 2020, but it’s a fitting reminder as we consider who need to hear us celebrate the hope of the gospel this week. “Let all that is within me magnify his name” – in every sphere of influence, in every situation, mountain top and valley alike. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. – Hebrews 7:16 ESV

Greek
ἀκαταλύτου/akatalytou: indestructible, something that cannot be broken up, permanent

Why It Matters
Happy New Year! According to a study produced by the University of Scranton, only 8% of people who make New Year’s resolutions will actually achieve their goals. This illustrates what so many of us know intuitively: human effort doesn’t always get us very far. What if instead of basing our goals on personal effort and motivation, we rest in the power of Christ’s akatalytou (indestructible) life? May our year be marked by a power beyond ourselves, and the work of Jesus, whose life became a permanent sacrifice and our eternal hope.

Prayer
God, as I reflect on the past year and prepare for the next, I want you to know that I place all my hope in you. Thank you that yours is a better hope than anything else could offer. I trust you and look for your guiding hand in this new season.

Application
Who needs to hear me celebrate the hope of the gospel this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

(for the law made nothing perfect); but on the other hand, a better hope is introduced, through which we draw near to God. – Hebrews 7:19 ESV

Greek
κρείττονος/kreittonos: stronger, more excellent

Why It Matters
The New Year often brings with it a huge amount of potential. We are all believing that 2020 will turn out to be a better year than 2019 was. This hope doesn’t have to stem from feeling that the past year wasn’t great, however. Even if we have just experienced our best year ever, we still want the next one to be kreittonos (stronger, more excellent). But what makes one year better than another? What’s the criteria and where’s the proof? Sometimes better is simply arbitrary preference, but many times there is evidence to support that claim.
The writer of Hebrews is arguing that the hope we have in Jesus is kreittonosthan the hope found in the law. The proof of this is the evidence that results: the hope of the law results in condemnation while this better hope results in drawing near to God. Borrowing from a bigger narrative that the law falls short of bringing us reconciliation with the Father, our writer reminds us that the work of Christ succeeds where the Levitical system could not. We can trust Jesus because when we place our hope in him, our sins are forgiven and access to our Heavenly Father is granted. With that truth in the center of their lives, the original readers of this book would have a sure hope that despite struggles and challenges, God could be their refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1). In a time when people are looking for hope, the kreittonoshope that Jesus provides has been tested and proven beyond mere preference. Here’s to a kreittonos New Year with Jesus more firmly placed in the center of it!

Prayer
God, as I reflect on the past year and prepare for the next, I want you to know that I place all my hope in you. Thank you that yours is a better hope than anything else could offer. I trust you and look for your guiding hand in this new season.

Application
Who needs to hear me celebrate the hope of the gospel this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. – Hebrews 7:22 ESV

Greek
ἔγγυος/engyos: surety, a person who would guarantee legal obligations

Why It Matters
In 1931 as the world was facing a global financial crisis, England still owed the U.S. over $4 Billion they had borrowed for the cost of WWI. That year, President Herbert Hoover announced a 1-year moratorium on the need for countries to repay their loans, but even with that reprieve it still took until 2015 for England to pay off their outstanding war bonds! It essentially took 98 years for this powerful country to pay off its debt, but the U.S. wasn’t too concerned about whether it would “make its money back.” Why? Among other reasons, the strength and scope of the British Empire served as its own engyos (surety, guarantor). England was in no danger of falling apart, and so long as relations with the U.S. were good, America trusted she would be repaid.
This is the traditional understanding of an engyos. In classical literature, this word always identified a person who guaranteed that a legal obligation would be carried out. So when the writer of Hebrews calls Jesus our engyos of a better covenant (the only time in the NT this word is used), it was a reminder to them of just how good Jesus is. Because He lives forever, Jesus will personally see to it that the terms of this better covenant are executed by the party who initiated it. And herein lies the Good News – God himself did the initiating! In a world that often makes little sense, seems unfair and is chaotic, we never have to worry whether God will keep His covenant promise or not. Jesus is the guarantee that God loves us and has himself achieved the terms of salvation on our behalf. But unlike a human engyos, Jesus has an unchanging nature and will live forever. So if the accuser ever calls on us to pay the spiritual debt we’ve accrued, our hope can rest on an eternally effective guarantor.

Prayer
Thank you Lord that I don’t have to wait for the specifics of my life to change before I find the hope that I’m searching for. Help me to let go of any created thing that I once believed would bring me the qualities that you promise are found solely in you. In Jesus’ name!

Application
When this week will I lay down my past in order to pursue my future?

Music Response
The bridge of “God You’re So Good” (Passion) declares:

I am blessed, I am called, I am healed, I am whole, I am saved in Jesus’ name
Highly favored, anointed, filled with Your pow’r, for the glory of Jesus’ name

As we lay down our past and pursue our future, it’s important to sing the truth of what God says about us and what he’s done on our behalf. We pray the songs from this week’s set will remind you of how good God is, our need for him, and Jesus who makes our future possible! To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. – Hebrews 7:25 ESV

Greek
eἰς τὸ παντελὲς/eis to panteles: fully, completely; for all time

Why It Matters
What if I told you that someone wanted to pay off your debt fully? After a season of processing your shock and skepticism, you would probably ask a series of questions to better understand the context. Who is it? What’s the catch? How do I access these funds, and the list goes on. But then, the astute among us might charge into a more nuanced question: What do you mean by the word “fully”? Are we talking school loans and credit cards or is my mortgage included? And is this payoff limited to past debt, or can I buy a snowmobile and hand you the bill? In other words, it’s critical to know what the word “fully” means to the wealthy payee. 
None of us speak Greek as our primary language, so it’s critical to understand the context of our passage today. The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus is able to save eis to panteles those who draw near to God through him. That phrase could be translated either as “for all time” or “completely and to the uttermost.” So Hebrews is showing us that when Jesus paid our spiritual debt, he did so not expecting that we add anything to his work! Drawing near to God through Jesus isn’t the work we must do to achieve salvation; rather it’s the response to the work already accomplished by Jesus on the cross and through the empty tomb. We don’t draw near to God in order to pay off our debt or to work at earning God’s forgiving love. Jesus is able to save eis to panteles and now because we are spiritually debt-free, we draw near to the God who held nothing back to bridge the chasm between us and Him. The phrase eis to panteles shows both the power of God and the love of God at work in Jesus.

Prayer
Thank you Lord that I don’t have to wait for the specifics of my life to change before I find the hope that I’m searching for. Help me to let go of any created thing that I once believed would bring me the qualities that you promise are found solely in you. In Jesus’ name!

Application
When this week will I lay down my past in order to pursue my future?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. – Hebrews 7:22 ESV

Greek
κεχωρισμένος/kechōrismenos: to place room between, separate

Why It Matters
Dietrich Bonhoeffer is best known as a German theologian who resisted the Nazi movement of the 1930’s & 40’s. He founded an underground seminary, wrote two important works on the Christian life and was involved in military intelligence. These activities landed him in a concentration camp. He was held there for nearly two years and was hanged by the Nazis just one week before the Allies liberated it. Although Bonhoeffer’s life on earth didn’t end the way he hoped, he never wavered in his faith that God was near to him. In fact, on New Year’s Eve 1944, Bonhoeffer penned a hymn from his cell that began with these words:

By gracious powers so wonderfully sheltered,
and confidently waiting come what may,
we know that God is with us night and morning,
and never fails to greet us each new day.

The Greek word kechōrismenos (to place room between, separate) may at first glance seem to contradict Bonhoeffer’s lyrics. How can this man of faith attest to the knowledge that “God is with us night and morning” when Hebrews 7:26 tells us Jesus is kechōrismenos from sinners? This word literally means to place room between. However, what Bonhoeffer and our Hebrew author are implying with their words is that this separation is actually what allows us to draw near to God. The concept behind kechōrismenos is not a physical separation but a spiritual distinction. Jesus is not just another face in the crowd of humanity; there is space between his perfection and our guilt. But rather than allowing that distinction to repel each other, Jesus does something about our sin by being the perfect high priest and the perfect sacrifice. Now, when we’re faced with unimaginable fear, heartbreak or despair, we can sing of the closeness of the God who is loving enough to identify with our weaknesses, yet is powerful enough to do something about them. This is the hope that Hebrews recounts, Dietrich Bonhoeffer sung about and that you and I can count on today!

Prayer
Thank you Lord that I don’t have to wait for the specifics of my life to change before I find the hope that I’m searching for. Help me to let go of any created thing that I once believed would bring me the qualities that you promise are found solely in you. In Jesus’ name!

Application
When this week will I lay down my past in order to pursue my future?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises. – Hebrews 8:6 ESV

Greek
λειτουργίας/leitourgias: a public spiritual function; ministry

Why It Matters
Fred Bauer was a chemist who invented something most of us have utilized. However, he didn’t invent a new compound or even something that could be considered an object; Bauer invented a new way to store and ship potato chips when he invented the Pringles stack! He was so proud of this accomplishment that when he died in 2008, his request was that his ashes would be stored in a Pringles can. Over the course of a 50 year career, this man’s legacy was cemented by one single accomplishment.
It’s easy for us to assume that the role of priest in the temple was simply to sacrifice for the sins of people. However, the responsibilities of their leitourgias (ministry, public function) went far beyond this one aspect. These priests also served as intercessors, gave instruction to the people, and nurtured the spiritual life of the nation. These duties had to be performed daily or the people would be perilously disconnected from God. When Jesus obtained his leitourgias he would need to fulfill the same functions, but he would turn them on their heads. Not only did his death and resurrection mean that sacrifices are completed, as one who lives forever, Jesus makes constant intercession for us! This means that what he promises he has already delivered on, and not even death itself can change that.

Prayer
I’m grateful for the reminder, God, that you have better promises in store for me. I give you the things that I once thought would provide the life I dreamed of, and eagerly wait to hear what you have to say to me.

Application
When will I spend time silent in God’s presence?

Music Response
Praying that as you purpose to be silent in God’s presence this week that the truths in these songs will encourage you to lay aside the worries of your day, become more aware of God’s presence, and open up your heart to what God would say as you wait on him. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second. – Hebrews 8:7 ESV

Greek
ἐζητεῖτο/ezēteito: to seek, search for or desire

Why It Matters
Settling into a routine has its advantages and disadvantages. It’s important to brush your teeth and exercise regularly, and when preparing for work or school, routines can ensure that important details don’t fall through the cracks of urgency. Routines can be helpful in a world of unpredictability. However, the downside to a routine is that they allow us to reduce our focus, and our minds can easily slip into autopilot mode. Simply put, we don’t need to expend as much mental energy within the framework of a routine.
It’s interesting to note that there was a pattern of sacrifice and offering connected to the Old Covenant. This pattern was designed to enhance our ezēteito (searching for or desire) for God, but instead we turned this pattern into a routine. Humanity was then able to “go through the motions” of sacrifice without pondering what the pattern was for. Thankfully, Jesus ushered in a new covenant based on His sacrifice and not ours! For centuries, people would be taught by Rabbis and prophets to ezēteito this new covenant. Now that it is available to everyone through faith in Jesus, our ezēteito is a response of worship that doesn’t diminish simply because the work is done for us. As we draw near to him, our love for Jesus grows, allowing us to keep our eyes focused on his goodness and grace.

Prayer
I’m grateful for the reminder, God, that you have better promises in store for me. I give you the things that I once thought would provide the life I dreamed of, and eagerly wait to hear what you have to say to me.

Application
When will I spend time silent in God’s presence?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

In speaking of a new covenant, he makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. – Hebrews 8:13 ESV

Greek
πεπαλαίωκεν/pepalaiōken: to render obsolete; to make old and worn out

Why It Matters
In some ways the titles “New Covenant” and “Old Covenant” can be a little confusing. Yes it’s true that the Old came before the New, but they don’t just relate to each other in terms of time. Even if you don’t know its history, it’s safe to assume that the city of New York was named after an original place called York. But it would be ridiculous to argue from this naming that Old York has no use now that New York exists. This understanding of old and new is simply chronological.
The writer of Hebrews, however, uses an interesting word to prove that the connection between Old and New Covenant runs deeper than chronology. By His work, Jesus is said to make the New Covenant pepalaiōken. This Greek word means to make old and worn out. When you use a pair of sneakers and wear them out, you have a need to purchase a new pair because they weren’t meant to last forever. This is not simply because you want a new option, but because your old sneakers don’t function the way they were designed to anymore. The Old Covenant established a system of becoming right with God, but our sin created a misuse of this means of repentance. Humanity still tried to follow this covenant, but it was becoming pepalaiōken because it wasn’t designed to last forever. As Jesus lived a spotless life and died a sacrificial death, He established a New Covenant based on his work, but this Covenant was designed to last for all time! Thankfully, when we couldn’t afford to replace a worn out system of sacrifice, Jesus paid for a permanent one Himself.

Prayer
I’m grateful for the reminder, God, that you have better promises in store for me. I give you the things that I once thought would provide the life I dreamed of, and eagerly wait to hear what you have to say to me.

Application
When will I spend time silent in God’s presence?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness. – Hebrews 9:1 ESV

Greek
δικαιώματα/dikaiōmata: an ordinance, a sentence of acquittal or condemnation, a righteous deed

Why It Matters
One of our Because and Therefore statements goes like this: Because he first loved us we value LOVE FIRST therefore we say “come as you are” and welcome people to belong before they believe. Because we truly love people, we will speak the truth in love.
Love is celebrated in our culture, but so often that love is generated with humanity as a starting point. Leaving God out of the equation, humanity is able to define love any way we see fit. If none of us begin our definition of love at the same starting point, is it any wonder there’s so much confusion and argument over its definition? When we let God and His love for us be the impetus for the love we give to others, we are letting him set the standard. That’s what the writer of Hebrews is reminding us of in our verse today. God gets to set the dikaiōmata (regulations, ordinances) of worship, and we need to allow him to define how he wants to be worshipped. It’s a mistake to accuse other Christ followers of improper worship simply because we don’t like their liturgical format or singing style. This Greek word literally means “a judicially approved act,” so what follows is then a series of dikaiōmata that start with God rather than our preferences. When we lean in to what God has to say about a subject and give him the place he deserves, we’re well on our way to experiencing the type of authentic worship that changes our circumstances.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I repent of the attitude I have toward my worship preferences. When I start with your perspective, I begin to see that worship is all about you and not about me. Remind me of this truth daily, in Jesus’ name!

Application
How will I worship God this week?

Music Response
What a privilege to bring a sacrifice of praise to our God who is so worthy. The response set was all about ascribing worth to God, worshiping him with our lives, and bringing him praise in every season. We also introduced a new opening song (King of Glory, Passion) with a line that says “don’t forget he is Lord, he is Lord of all.” Believing all the songs from this series cause our souls to remember he is Lord of all, and worthy to be praised with our time, talent, and treasure. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail. – Hebrews 9:5 ESV

Greek
Χερουβὶν δόξης/Cheroubin doxēs: Cherubim of [the] glory

Why It Matters
The early church father Augustine was familiar with the ups and downs of life. His father died when he was just a teenager, his mother and son both died while Augustine was in his thirties, and much of his ministry was spent defending the faith from multiple significant heresies. Through it all, he became a brilliant theologian and developed an incredible perspective on life’s trials: “Certainly hope is very necessary for us in our exile. It is what consoles us on the journey. When the traveler, after all, finds it wearisome walking along, he puts up with the fatigue precisely because he hopes to arrive. Rob him of any hope of arriving, and immediately his strength for walking is broken. So the hope also which we have here is part and parcel of the justice of our exile and our journey.” (Sermon 158.8). For Augustine, any journey could be withstood so long as hope came along also.
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the Tabernacle housed the ark of the covenant, and atop the lid of the ark sat the Cheroubin doxēs (Cherubim of the glory). These angelic beings were depicted in the Old Testament as accompanying the work of God, and came to represent His glory and presence. This brought hope to the worshiper, reminding them that worship wasn’t a one-sided affair. God was present where authentic worship was happening! As Psalm 22:3 declares “Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” The only problem with this system was that only one man was allowed to enter the presence of God where the Cheroubin doxēs was housed. So the worshiper would know where to find the hope of God’s presence, but was unable to access that hope. Can you imagine how frustrating that would be? That’s why our author is so passionate about Jesus being our great high priest – his sacrifice has given us access to the same glory that the Cherubim support! And as a result we have unmitigated hope that his presence will both carry us along, and is itself the destination for all of us weary travelers who hope in him.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I repent of the attitude I have toward my worship preferences. When I start with your perspective, I begin to see that worship is all about you and not about me. Remind me of this truth daily, in Jesus’ name!

Application
How will I worship God this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation. – Hebrews 9:10 ESV

Greek
διορθώσεως/diorthōseōs: a new order, reformation; lit. to straighten thoroughly

Why It Matters
January 24th is affectionately known to many as “Macintosh Computer Day.” On this date in 1984 Apple unveiled its revolutionary personal computer. The innovations in that first iteration of the Macintosh changed the computer industry, and you could argue would lead to a change in our culture as a whole. 
But as big as that change would be, it doesn’t come close to the cosmic diorthōseōs (reformation, new order) of Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice. The writer of Hebrews shows that the old way of sacrifice with its ceremonial washings and physical regulations did much to cleanse externally, but could never “perfect the conscience of the worshiper.” Jesus’ sacrificial death, however, secured an eternal redemption (v. 12) and penetrated past our external impurities to the source of what truly needs cleansing – our heart and soul. This truth is a game changer for humanity, creating not just a new system of worship but a complete diorthōseōs in which our sin is taken care of by a sacrifice we didn’t make. Therefore we get to spend our days responding to that sacrifice with the purity of our redeemed lives. The New Testament calls this response worship (Romans 12:1), and it’s the purpose of our existence in the new order Jesus has created.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I repent of the attitude I have toward my worship preferences. When I start with your perspective, I begin to see that worship is all about you and not about me. Remind me of this truth daily, in Jesus’ name!

Application
How will I worship God this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. – Hebrews 9:12 ESV

Greek
αἰωνίαν λύτρωσιν/aiōnian lytrōsin: to ransom perpetually or for an extended age

Why It Matters
As good 21st Century consumers, most of us have been taught to seek out a good deal. We often brag about the bargains we find, and feel cheated if we pay a price that we don’t consider fair value. Saks Fifth Avenue recently ran a sale on Jimmy Choo Crystal Encrusted sneakers for $3,995. More people than you’d expect thought they were getting a bargain! The beauty of a good deal is definitely in the eye of the beholder.
Whether you feel it or not, your life is full of beauty and potential. When Hebrews talks about Jesus as our great High Priest, the author shows that he was both the one who sacrifices and the sacrifice himself. He did this in order to secure an aiōnian lytrōsin (perpetual ransom). The tense of the Greek word aiōnian means the benefit of the sacrifice goes on and on forever! And the benefit – the lytrōsin – is specific to purchasing the freedom of one in slavery or debt. In other words, Jesus paid for our sinful, destructive lives with His perfect, authentic life. Doesn’t that seem like a bad deal for the one who is doing the paying? But rather than feeling ripped off, Hebrews 12 tells us that Jesus endured the cross for the joy set before Him. You bring Jesus joy! His sacrifice on the cross was the ultimate demonstration of love, and reminds us that even in the darkest moments of our lives, there is one who declares that your life has limitless worth.

Prayer
God, I come before you so thankful that my one and only life can be leveraged for far more than my effort alone can conjure up. I want my days to be lived out as worship to you, so please help me to create with them by your power and grace. In Jesus’ name!

Application
What will I create as a way to serve God this week?

Music Response
As you consider what you will create in order to serve God this week, allow the songs from the series to remind you of the creative, beautiful God who came to serve us. Let’s be singing about the “new wine” and freedom found in partnering with the Holy Spirit in what’s he calling us to do. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, – Hebrews 9:13 ESV

Greek
κεκοινωμένους/kekoinōmenous: to defile, pollute or call common

Why It Matters
Charles Wesley was a prolific hymn writer, with over 6,000 songs to his credit. One of his obscure works, called “Blessed are the Pure in Heart” has some incredibly profound lyrics:
Let thy Spirit to me explain,
The mystery unknown,
Cleansed from every sinful stain,
To love my God alone.
What Wesley brings out in this verse is the purpose for Jesus’ purifying work. Rather than being cleansed so that we are better workers or are more easily controlled, Wesley claims that the purpose of purification from sin is to love my God alone.
The Book of Hebrews tends to agree with this hymn, laying out the process of tabernacle sacrifice. In this system, a sacrifice would cleanse a kekoinōmenous(defiled, polluted or common) person, and this cleansing would bring a temporary reconciliation between God and man. But notice that this Greek word (used only here in the New Testament) could also be rendered common. It’s our common experience as human beings to put things and people we love in the place of God. This causes us to be kekoinōmenous, polluted in our attempt to see God for who he truly is. The writer of Hebrews – and Charles Wesley – agree that we don’t have to fear that serving God will keep us from living a full life. Instead, Jesus’ sacrifice makes the way to a full life accessible to anyone! Thank God for his concern and care for kekoinōmenous people like you and me.

Prayer
God, I come before you so thankful that my one and only life can be leveraged for far more than my effort alone can conjure up. I want my days to be lived out as worship to you, so please help me to create with them by your power and grace. In Jesus’ name!

Application
What will I create as a way to serve God this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. – Hebrews 9:28 ESV

Greek
ἀπεκδεχομένοις/apekdechomenois: to eagerly await or look for

Why It Matters
It’s been said that when most people reject Jesus, they’re not rejecting the Jesus of the Bible but rather a distorted caricature of Him. At Centerway we find this to be true, and one of the most popular caricatures in our secular culture is the “Angry Jesus” parody. Angry Jesus may have died on a cross for your sins, but whenever you mess up he’s waiting with a scowl to deal severely with it. Angry Jesus only likes people who attend church regularly, look like they have it all together and never let their problems impact their relationships. Thankfully, this Jesus is nowhere to be found in the Bible!
Hebrews paints a picture of hope at the second coming of Jesus. He not only offered himself to bear the sins of many, but the reason he’s coming back again is to save those who are apekdechomenois (eagerly awaiting, looking for) his return! Jesus has already dealt with sin, but he dealt with it through his own punishment and death. Now we know his salvation and his goodness, so we apekdechomenois Jesus’ second coming. This Greek word is directional, properly meaning that we are turning away from what we were once looking toward, and actively looking in a completely different direction. We can commit our full attention to Jesus because we already have experienced his true character. Thankfully, we see through the caricature to the authentic and wonderful Christ that the Bible reveals.

Prayer
God, I come before you so thankful that my one and only life can be leveraged for far more than my effort alone can conjure up. I want my days to be lived out as worship to you, so please help me to create with them by your power and grace. In Jesus’ name!

Application
What will I create as a way to serve God this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered every year, make perfect those who draw near. – Hebrews 10:1 ESV

Greek
Σκιὰν/skian: shade or shadow

Why It Matters
In 2017, the Puppeteers of America (a real organization) held their annual awards ceremony (a real event) in which Katie Campbell won the Jim Henson Award for Innovation (a real award). The unique thing about this accomplishment is that her work was a shadow puppet rendition of The Ugly Duckling. The Puppeteers of America said that Campbell’s performance was “pure delight – [creating] worlds where puppets, shadows, and audience members share a vibrant imaginative life.” To think – all this high praise for shadows!
Most of us understand the science behind skian (shade or shadow). Skian reveals the presence of light and gives form to the object that is casting it. When Hebrews refers to the Law as a skian, it implies that there are good things in the presence of light that we have yet to obtain. But even though we can’t see or touch those good things yet, the shadow can disclose some key truths about them. Those good things must have something to do with relationship, because the Law was a way to connect God with man. They also must involve grace, since there is no one who is righteous (Psalm 14, Romans 3) and the Law at least established that a pathway to God was possible. That’s what so great about this week’s passage – it doesn’t take long for Hebrews to reveal that the gospel of Jesus is the reality that the Law was the shadow of! Jesus fulfills the Law by living the perfect life we never could, and then Himself becomes the sacrifice that atones for the guilt of humanity. Now our waiting for the good things to come is filled with hope, knowing that we can see the skian as a reminder of the vibrant life found in the truth of the gospel.

Prayer
God, I recognize that I am good enough because Jesus is good enough! His death and resurrection mean that my sin has been dealt with and my life can be leveraged as worship for your glory. Remind me of this truth today in a unique way in Jesus’ name.

Application
Who will I share my story with this week?

Music Response
“So take my life, Lord, I’ll be your vessel, the world to see your life in me”
“Let all my life tell of who you are”
“For endless days we will sing your praise”
Lyrics like these from this week’s set can be the worshipful words and prayers we sing as we consider who we’ll share our story with this week. Praise God for the story he’s writing in each of us! To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. – Hebrews 10:10 ESV

Greek
προσφορᾶς/prosphorãs: To bear toward, present to, tender

Why It Matters
The words of the hymn “I Surrender All” have encouraged and strengthened people in their faith since J.W. Van DeVenter first penned them in 1896. Van DeVenter had been an art teacher who felt the call to ministry, but recognized it would require him to step away from the profession that he enjoyed and was comfortable in. When he finally chose to offer his one and only life to God’s call, he equated the joy and grace he felt to “a new day.” I Surrender All is his account of the moment he chose to trust God with his vocation. J. W. Van DeVenter went on to write nearly 100 hymns, joyfully spending his life as an evangelist until his death in 1939.
Of the nine times the word prosphorãs (to tender as payment, offering) is used in the New Testament, five of them occur in this week’s passage. This is significant because our writer is showing the importance of this concept in connection to Jesus. Rather than begrudgingly giving himself as a prosphorãs to cover the sins of people, Jesus offered himself, knowing that it would result in rest for both himself and humanity. True, there was a moment in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus wondered if there was another way to accomplish his Father’s will. But much like Van DeVenter expressed, Jesus’ prosphorãs produced joy in the midst of it, instead of finding joy as a result of avoiding it. It’s in the offering of our lives that we find freedom! Now we can sing along with the hymn writer, “I will ever love and trust him, in his presence daily live.”

Prayer
God, I recognize that I am good enough because Jesus is good enough! His death and resurrection mean that my sin has been dealt with and my life can be leveraged as worship for your glory. Remind me of this truth today in a unique way in Jesus’ name.

Application
Who will I share my story with this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. – Hebrews 10:10 ESV

Greek
τετελείωκεν/teteleiōken: To complete or accomplish

Why It Matters
If you’re like most Americans, it hasn’t been too long since you thought “something’s missing.” It can seem as though the more we have, the more we sense this truth in our lives. In his important book A Secular Age, Charles Taylor argues that we are all longing for a sense of fullness, but attempt to find it in some pretty unsettling ways. When we overeat after a stressful day or binge watch an entire series after an argument with a friend, what we are really doing is attempting to find fullness in things that were never meant to fill that void. No matter how many brownies we eat, we’ll be hungry again, and even if we’ve found our soulmate, that person is still human and will one day (probably sooner than you expect) let you down with their actions or inactions. But Jesus through his offering has done the work we could never do on our own, and has teteleiōken (completed or made perfect) the lives of those who are being sanctified. It’s critical to understand that this word is used in its perfect tense, because the perfect tense emphasizes the present, or ongoing result of a completed action. So our debt has been paid through Jesus’ act of obedience on the cross, and the ongoing result is teteleiōken, or completion for us! Now we get to experience the fullness that we have been longing for, because it is found in the presence of God. And his presence is available to us as a result of Jesus’ one sacrifice, not as a result of our attempt to earn it.

Prayer
God, I recognize that I am good enough because Jesus is good enough! His death and resurrection mean that my sin has been dealt with and my life can be leveraged as worship for your glory. Remind me of this truth today in a unique way in Jesus’ name.

Application
Who will I share my story with this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. – Hebrews 10:22 ESV

Greek
πληροφορία/plerophoria: full assurance or conviction, to bring to full measure

Why It Matters
In 2015 NASCAR driver Kevin Harvick lost the lead at Watkins Glen in the last turn of the final lap. It wasn’t because he had a slower car – in fact he led for 29 of the 90 laps in the race. Harvick ran out of gas and had to coast to the finish line, finishing in third place. His crew decided not to call for a pit stop where he could have filled up his tank, and even though that risk almost paid off, that decision cost him an important victory.
We all have felt the pain of running on empty. We coast, not racing to our full potential. Conversely, we all know the joy of having a full tank of peace, love, etc. That’s what our writer is communicating by using the Greek word plerophoria(full assurance or conviction). When our hearts are cleansed from sin, the things that keep them from being full are removed. And when this happens, we will no longer coast through the race of life but will be able to hit the gas pedal toward the goal of drawing near to God. Jesus’ death and resurrection has done this work to experience the plerophoria of faith!

Prayer
Thank you God for your faithfulness to me. When I was at my worst you came to my rescue, showing me love by absorbing the penalty for my sin. Let the story of your finished work be the truth that guides my life in Jesus’ name.

Application
How will I keep the truth in front of me this week?

Music Response
This week, Remembrance by Hillsong was the perfect close not just to the set but to the series. Lyrics about the new covenant, our sin, Christ’s sacrifice, and choosing to live remembering the goodness and promises of God are exactly what we want to be singing about. Remind yourself of who God is and who he says you are as you keep the truth in front of you this week.  To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, – Hebrews 10:24 ESV

Greek
παροξυσμὸν/paroxysmon: stimulation, provocation, irritation

Why It Matters
It’s never a good idea to irritate someone you care about, right? It seems so obvious – it’s something we are taught in Kindergarten. But this text seems to imply that there is a place for irritation (paroxysmon) in the lives of people we believe in. In its typical sense, the word paroxysmon has an incredibly negative connotation. Traditionally it is connected to a scenario in which two people or groups disagree so intensely that they are provoked to fighting. It’s the sense you probably think of when you find someone irritating. But the idea behind considering how to paroxysmon one another here is for the purpose of love and good works! It’s the idea of allowing for your friends and you to be placed in situations that are uncomfortable for the sake of others. This is a timely word for our culture, because often we believe the ceiling for the good we can accomplish is at the top of our comfort zone. In other words, we want to leverage our lives for love and good deeds up until the point that it is inconvenient or uncomfortable. But the beauty of this passage is that it simultaneously forces the status quo in our lives to take a back seat to the work of love, while also holding us responsible for pointing out the potential in others. So there is an important difference between annoying each other and keeping each other from getting too comfortable in living out our faith. It turns out we just might be called to irritate without being irritating.

Prayer
Thank you God for your faithfulness to me. When I was at my worst you came to my rescue, showing me love by absorbing the penalty for my sin. Let the story of your finished work be the truth that guides my life in Jesus’ name.

Application
How will I keep the truth in front of me this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace?  – Hebrews 10:29 ESV

Greek
καταπατήσας/katapatēsas: to trample down, reject with disdain

Why It Matters
In 2016 the largest pearl ever discovered was found… under a bed. The family of Aileen Cynthia Amuraohad harvested the pearl from a clam ten years earlier, but had kept the pearl in their home as a good luck charm. Amuraohad told CNN in August of 2016 that a family member had forgotten about the 75 pound pearl until he packed up his house to move. Imagine, forgetting that something as priceless as the world’s largest pearl was tucked away under your bed!  As incredible as this idea seems, Hebrews tells us that there are some who make a more egregious mistake with the grace of God! Our verse today gives a stern warning to anyone who would katapatēsas (reject with disdain or trample down) the Son of God. This Greek word implies negative action, indicating the kind of opposition to something that purposely acts against it. 
In fact, Jesus uses it in His warning about not casting your pearls before swine, lest they katapatēsas them under foot (Matthew 7:6). So this warning is bigger than simply making sure you don’t forget all that Christ has done. By minimizing his work, we are actively katapatēsas something far greater than a giant pearl. So how will I keep the truth in front of me this week?

Prayer
Thank you God for your faithfulness to me. When I was at my worst you came to my rescue, showing me love by absorbing the penalty for my sin. Let the story of your finished work be the truth that guides my life in Jesus’ name.

Application
How will I keep the truth in front of me this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!