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Hebrews

I’m not sure we should think of “The Letter to the Hebrews” as a letter at all. It lacks the usual opening greetings and thanksgivings of a letter. In fact, it doesn’t even identify its recipients. The designation “Hebrews” was added later, though most would agree it rightly identifies its original audience as Jewish Christians. While we cannot be sure of their location, there is evidence that suggests Rome. The author, also unidentified in the text, calls his work “a word of exhortation.” Though it does not open like a letter, it does end like one. What we have is like a sermon in written form.

The author encourages faith in and faithfulness to Jesus by holding him up as High Priest and mediator of a better covenant. Using many Old Testament texts to prove the superiority of Jesus and his new covenant, the author encourages early Jewish believers to remain steadfast in their Christian faith in spite of the dangers and pressures that might tempt them to return to Judaism. Readers today are still moved to worship Jesus, God’s Son and our High Priest, and to persevere even in the face of hardships as they read about Jesus fulfilling the Old Covenant’s promises and how the New Covenant supersedes the Old.

Please join us as we study Hebrews together, Sunday mornings at 10 AM, that your faith in Jesus might be strengthened and that you would be encouraged to walk faithfully in this world.

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Amos

The prophet Amos was used of God during a time of prosperity to call people to repent of their injustice and apostasy. Worldly wealth and success can undermine faith when people put their trust in it rather than in the God who gives it. This in turn can lead to a forsaking of God honoring ethical behavior, without fear of consequence. God uses Amos to denounce sin, call people to repentance, and even to encourage the faithful with hope beyond the destruction transgression requires. Join us Sundays at 10 AM as we gather to worship God and to learn from his word how we can live lives that please him.

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Growth Groups

We have just finished up our mid-week study of the Letter of James and are getting ready to announce more small group opportunities, which we are calling Growth Groups. I want to encourage your participation by reminding you of why we believe this is an essential part of our discipleship plan. When we were studying the book of Acts we saw in chapter 2 that the early church was not only devoted to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer, but that their devotion to these things found expression in the large group gathering in the temple and in smaller groups meeting in homes as well (Acts 2:37-47). Later in Acts chapter 17 the Bereans are commended for daily searching the scripture together (vv.10-12). We recognize that we need more than just our Sunday morning gathering if we are to be growing as disciples like we ought to be. Growth Groups are the primary opportunity our church is providing to meet that need.

I also want to share with you an encouragement from Scott Hubbard at Desiring God. In addition to the argument above from Scripture for small group ministry, there is also an argument from church history that commends the practice. But more importantly there are practical benefits to small groups that are not as easily achieved in the large group, which he calls “Four Marks of Daring Community.” Click the link and find out what you have been missing, and be sure to join a Growth Group.