Hebrews 9:11–22 “Faith Based on the Promise”

Hebrews 9:11-22 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• Jehovah (feat. Chris Brown) | Elevation Worship
• Kristene DiMarco – It Is Well
• Even When It Hurts (Praise Song) – Hillsong UNITED

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• God Is Always with You | A Sunday School Lesson for Kids – Lesson for Kids
• Never Let Go Of Me | Shipwrecked VBS | Outback Rock VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Do Lord | Everest VBS | Outback Rock VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• God Loves Us So | Pets Unleashed VBS | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

The “good things that are now already here” (v.11) refers to the work of redemption that Jesus accomplished on the cross. The “tabernacle not made with human hands,” that is, “not a part of this creation,” points to God’s created order. While the high priests of Aaron’s line offered sacrifices in a man-made tabernacle, Christ offered His sacrifice in the realm of God’s creation. The high priests of Aaron’s line had to enter the Most Holy Place “once a year,” repeatedly. But Jesus, the eternal High Priest, accomplished “eternal redemption” (v.12) “once for all.” He did so not with the blood of animals, but with his own blood.

According to the Law, when the blood and ashes of sacrificed animals are sprinkled, whatever they touch is made clean (v.13). If the blood of animals has such effect, how much more powerful must the blood of the Son of God be? Christ “offered himself unblemished to God through the eternal Spirit” (v.14). His blood “cleanses our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.” This is why Christ is called “the mediator of a new covenant” (v.15). When we enter into this covenant, we— “those who are called”—receive “the promised eternal inheritance” after having been cleansed from sin (v.15).

The author, who has been using the Greek word diatheke to mean “covenant,” now begins in verse 16 to use it in the sense of “will” or “testament.” Since the new covenant was established through the death of Jesus, it can also be seen as a will, because a will only takes effect after the one who made it dies (vv.16–17). This is why, when Moses established the first covenant, he sprinkled the blood of animals on the book of the covenant, the tabernacle, its furnishings, and all the people (vv.18–21). In the same way, Jesus shed his blood on the cross to cleanse humanity from sin (v.22).

Meditation:

The sacrificial system was burdensome and costly. Yet, it also had a certain convenience. The priest would place his hands on the head of the animal brought by the individual and pray, “This animal sheds its blood in place of this person—please forgive this person’s sin.” Then, right before the person’s eyes, the animal would be slaughtered, its blood poured out, its body cut into pieces, placed on the altar, and burned. Witnessing this, a person could genuinely feel that their sins had been forgiven. If offering up one animal could bring freedom of conscience, it might seem like a reasonable exchange.

Those who regularly experienced freedom of conscience through the sacrificial system in the past likely continued to think about those offerings even after coming to believe in Jesus Christ. They may have missed the sense of relief they felt in their conscience after presenting a sacrifice. This was because the truth—that the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ is eternally effective—had not yet become real to them.

Here, we discover why faith based on feelings can be dangerous. Emotions and feelings are a vital part of human life. When our emotions are numb, we may feel as though we are alive but dead inside. However, living based on feelings and emotions is very risky. They constantly change and can easily deceive us. Our faith must be grounded not in emotions or feelings, but in God’s promise. Instead of pursuing the relief they once felt through sacrifice, they needed to believe in the promise of the new covenant given through Jesus Christ—and build their lives upon that promise.

It’s the same when we seek the fullness of the Holy Spirit. We should not focus on the emotional changes that may result from the Spirit’s indwelling, but rather on the Lord’s promise to pour out the grace of the Holy Spirit on those who believe. Whether we feel something or not, when we consistently seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit based on God’s promise, there will be times when we can sincerely confess, “Yes, this is truly so!”—and give thanks.

Prayer:

Lord, please keep our emotions alive. Have mercy on those who, because of the sickness of the heart, live as though dead while still alive, and let them at times experience the overflowing joy of life. Yet help us not to live by emotion, but by holding on to Your promise. Keep us from being swayed by the tides of our feelings, and help us live grounded in the Word of Your promise. We pray in Your name. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: God’s promise is stronger than our feelings.Even when we don’t feel anything, Jesus’ sacrifice and the Holy Spirit’s presence are still real. We can trust God’s promise more than our emotions.

• For Preschool-Lower Elementary
  • Have you ever felt happy or sad? How did you respond to those feelings?
  • What helps you remember that Jesus loves you always, whether you feel happy or sad?
• For Upper Elementary-Middle School
  • Can you think of a time when you didn’t feel God but knew He was still there?
  • Why do you think God wants us to trust His promise instead of our feelings?
• For High School
  • What are some feelings that make it hard to trust God’s promise?
  • How can you practice trusting in Jesus even when your emotions say otherwise?