(This sermon is part of Dr. Manuel's sermon series: "What is Foremost?" Links to
each of the sermons in the series will be found here as they are posted.)
When you need to make progress in a particular direction, it is often helpful to have incentive, a goal set before you.
In the mid-first century, after Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the believing Jewish community has to sort through different views about him. Is he the pivotal figure in the divine program that some claim, or does he actually fall a bit lower in the cosmic hierarchy, somewhere below angels, even below Moses and Aaron? The author of Hebrews addresses this issue by stressing the messiah's supremacy in many areas, including over angels, Moses, and Aaron. He also says to his readers that they will meet Jesus one day, and he describes their movement toward that goal as...
XIX. The Foremost Competition1
...which is how believers make...
A young lion was chasing a hunter but did not catch him, which caused the older lions to make fun of him. "Well," said the young lion, "you have to remember, I was running for my supper...he was running for his life!"When you need to make progress in a particular direction, it is often helpful to have incentive, a goal set before you. That is what the author of Hebrews does for his readers. He describes the goal before them, as he explains The Foremost Competition.
In the mid-first century, after Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the believing Jewish community has to sort through different views about him. Is he the pivotal figure in the divine program that some claim, or does he actually fall a bit lower in the cosmic hierarchy, somewhere below angels, even below Moses and Aaron? The author of Hebrews addresses this issue by stressing the messiah's supremacy in many areas, including over angels, Moses, and Aaron. He also says to his readers that they will meet Jesus one day, and he describes their movement toward that goal as...
XIX. The Foremost Competition1
...which is how believers make...
- The progress (performance, push) toward God (Heb 12:1-2)
Heb 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.