Greetings! Below you will find questions which reference the sermon preached on Sunday, April 5th, 2015 at The Park. This week we studied Chapter 1 of Hebrews. Have someone in your group read this section of scripture.
Each week new questions are posted to track along with the sermons. Work hard to facilitate discussion. Listen to the hearts around the room and close with prayer.
Intro to Hebrews:
The theme of Hebrews is the absolute supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as revealer and as mediator of God’s grace. The prologue (1:1–4) presents Christ as God’s full and final revelation, far surpassing the revelation given in the OT. The prophecies and promises of the OT are fulfilled in the “new covenant” (or “new testament”), of which Christ is the mediator. From the OT itself, Christ is shown to be superior to the ancient prophets, to angels, to Moses (the mediator of the former covenant) and to Aaron and the priestly succession descended from him. Hebrews could be called “the book of better things” since the two Greek words for “better” and “superior” occur 15 times in the letter. (www.biblica.com)
Questions for this week:
- Examine Hebrews 1:1 and how God revealed His plan in part to many in the past but now had revealed in full. Discuss the significance of each partial revelation listed below via this commentator- “All was not revealed to each one prophet; but one received one portion of revelation, and another another. To Noah the quarter of the world to which Messiah should belong was revealed; to Abraham, the nation; to Jacob, the tribe; to David and Isaiah, the family; to Micah, the town of nativity; to Daniel, the exact time; to Malachi, the coming of His forerunner, and His second advent; through Jonah, His burial and resurrection; through Isaiah and Hosea, His resurrection. Each only knew in part; but when that which was perfect came in Messiah, that which was in part was done away.”
- From the time of the last prophet Malachi to the coming of Jesus, there was a gap of 400 years. Why do you think God intentionally did that? What purpose did His “silence” fulfill in His people’s expectation?
- Read Psalm 46:6-8 and draw similarities between God’s anointing of Solomon as king and then Jesus as the True King.
- Why might the author of Hebrew have use numerous references to other passages of scripture to describe Jesus?
- Verse 3 says that Jesus is “the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature.” Talk about this and what this means to you, and what implications it may have for followers of Christ.
- What does this chapter say about angels and what their role is? What does it mean that they are “sent out to serve for the sake of those who inherit salvation”?