Who was Melchizedek?

Who was Melchizedek?

Dave Riddle - 2/4/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 7:1-10

Abram meets Melchizedek

- Genesis 14:12-20

Other Mentions

- Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 5:6, 6:20

The Hebrew priesthood

- Tribe of Levi

- Descendants of Aaron

- Made non-permanent sacrifices

- The role was hereditary not necessarily due to their righteousness.

* None of these things applied to Melchizedek

Melchizedek’s Priesthood

- A Royal priesthood

- A universal priesthood

- He received a tithe from chosen people, not the other way around.

- Not a descendant of Levi/Aaron

- Righteous and peaceful

- Without genealogy?

- What!?

The mystery of Melchizedek

- Hotly debated

- An Angel taking human form?

- Unlikely. The priesthood is a human function.

- An actual historical human being who acted as a priest before the order that would come later?

- A type/foreshadowing of Jesus?

- Christophany? A pre-incarnate Jesus?

- Maybe, but Jesus does have a father/mother. The author says Melchizedek is like the Son of God, but that he is the son…

We can put complete faith, hope, and trust in Jesus alone

Are You Spiritually Lazy?

Are You Spiritually Lazy?

Dave Riddle - 1/21/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 5:11-6:12

Laziness

- Hebrews 5:11

- Dullness to the word. Stupidity.

Unready to Share

- Hebrews 5:12

- You ought to be teachers, but you still need basic instruction.

We live on baby food

- Hebrews 5:12-14

- Solid food = Teaching that goes beyond the basics.

- Baby food is great for babies, but it’s not great for adults.

Advance towards Maturity

- Hebrews 6:1-3

- Move beyond these elementary teachings and allow ourselves to be challenged.

A Tricky Passage

- Hebrews 6:4-6a

- parapito: to slip aside, fall beside, deviate from the right path, turn aside or wander

- Many views on what this passage means depending on how the words are translated and who the intended audience is.

What kind of fruit are you producing?

- Hebrews 6:7-8

- Are we advancing in fruitfulness?

How are you serving?

- Hebrews 6:9-10

- Our lives should be marked by service

Diligence not Laziness

- Hebrews 6:11-12

- Speedy, diligent, passionate, looking for opportunities.

Imitators

- Hebrews 6:12

- Imitators of those who have faith and perseverance.

- Worthy of being imitated by someone else.

Our Great High Priest

Our Great High Priest

Dave Riddle - 1/14/2024

Key Passage: Hebrews 4:14-5:10

The Great High Priest

- Hebrews 4:14

- Enthroned in Heaven

- The Son of God

Appointed by God

- Hebrews 5:1

- An act of God’s grace to restore broken relationships.

- Hebrews 5:6 (and 6 other places in Hebrews)

- A permanent priesthood

- A different kind of priest

- Hebrews 5:6

- A priest and a king.

Sympathetic to the People

- Hebrews 4:15-16

- A High Priest who understands our weakness

- Hebrews 5:2, 7-8

- Jesus did what the priests did not.

- Hebrews 3, 9

- He offered himself as a sacrifice

Hold Fast

- Hebrews 4:14

- Let us hold tightly to the confession of our faith. What Jesus did for us.

Approach the throne of grace

- Hebrews 4:16

- So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.