Prayer Works Bible Study: April 12, 2026

Understanding The Book Of Hebrews

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The book of Hebrews, we say it was written to people who were starting to doubt that Jesus was long gone now. So now this is many decades later.

So they are having a struggle that, well, if Jesus was the Messiah and he came, and why is it now what was promised by him and the scriptures it seems like things are getting worse.

So they were starting to doubt their faith and they were starting to look sideways that's why you hear the language in the book of Hebrews is about holding on to your faith, to not fall away that Jesus Christ is the Messiah that was promised.

And he's still and there is nothing better than him and you gotta hold on to your faith and in fact he cites the examples of so many people who lived by faith and some of them didn't even see the things they were waiting for but yet they hold on and they hold on to their faith.

So the writer of Hebrews is kind of giving us that overview so that we are never so and you can understand too why God made it so important that this book was captured and canonized and put in the scriptures.

Because it's going to, it addressed and it is still going to address believers because we turn sometimes to fall away or to turn away from our faith.

And there are so many people that we know that we're on fire on for God, but slowly but surely. There are so many people that used to preach this gospel. And I'm telling you, it's so easy to get tired, so easy to get weary.

And it's so easy to say, God, where we at? What's going on? But if you understand this, guys, that we have to continue building treasure for ourselves in heaven. While we are here, we gotta build pleasure in heaven.

So I'm waiting for this computer to work with me, but so we finished in five, right? Five? I don't know. I have a chapter six, so it's possible that that was the next one. Yeah, six. Okay. Well, let's start with six.

So you're going to see again that every chapter starts with this therefore, therefore, therefore, because everything is kind of connected.

So in verse number one, chapter six, therefore, let us move beyond. So 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Christ is better. Hold on to your faith right? And then five was you have to teach.

Now, number six, says now it starts off this therefore let us move beyond Elementary teaching about Christ, so remember we started teaching in five encouraging everybody to teach.

Because it's going to help you to hold on to your faith but then not only were we encouraged to teach but now we are being told to teach differently therefore let us move beyond elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity.

Not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, instruction about cleansing rights, the laying on hands, the resurrection of the dead, eternal judgment, and God permitting we will do so.

So these things that I mentioned here, that's supposed to be elementary teaching. Laying again the foundation of repentance, elementary teaching from acts of death.

End of faith, teaching of faith, go on to your faith, elementary teaching. Instruction about cleansing rights, elementary teaching. The laying on of the hands, elementary teaching. The resurrection of the dead, elementary teaching.

And eternal judgment, elementary teaching. God permitting will do so. It is impossible for those who have been once enlightened, who have tested the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit.

Who have tested the goodness of the Word of God and the powers of the coming age, and who have fallen away to be brought back to repentance. He says, once you tested these things, it's impossible.

Because brothers and sisters, remember a few years ago, we talked about the three stages of surrender. The first one is, Oh my God, I didn't know I needed it. This is good. Then the second one is like, man, I can't live without this.

Then the third one is, I just want to do what the Lord is telling me to do. Everything else does not matter anymore. I just want to do what the Lord is telling me to do.

So as we grow on that trajectory, The Scripture is saying once you get to that level, you're going to realize that it's just impossible for those who have once been enlightened.

If you have been enlightened and tested the heavenly gift, we have shared in the Holy Spirit and the goodness of the Word of God, the powers of coming and we have fallen away to be brought back.

He says, it's impossible for you to go back. You will not go back. So in other words, we can all say this. If we see somebody going back, that means they didn't test that. They didn't test that.

And I'm sure this can answer some of the questions. I'm like, man, what happened to him? Well, they didn't test that. Because once you test that, you realize that there's nothing else to live for.

How? Can you imagine right now, guys, if we are to live without Christ, without scriptures, without waking up every morning. I mean, sometimes when I talk to Calv and he explains his journey, it's like, man, I don't know what I was doing back then.

I lived without this, without the yearning of the Holy Spirit saying, hey, take left over here. And then the amazing part is that when the Holy Spirit has a relationship with you and is so pronounced.

I mean, you hear in stuff that does not, that you're like, that does not make sense. That doesn't matter. I was downstairs trying to make cornbread.

And I'm walking down there and I hear the Holy Spirit say, pay attention, because if you don't hold the container, it's gonna fall because the lid is not.

And I'm like, I'm the only one who uses that. and surely the lead was not closed and boom on the ground. I just started laughing because in simple things you hear him so loud.

Because you're so in tune to him now that he is a friend and the scripture is saying once you get to that it's impossible for you to turn back. To their loss, that's the people who have gone back.

So they are crucifying the Son of God all over again, subjecting him to public disgrace. Land that drinks in the rain, often falling on it, and that produces a crop useful to those of whom it's farmed, receives the blessing of God.

But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed and in the end, it will be burned. Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are convinced of better things in your case.

Woo! The things that have to do with salvation. God is not unjust. He will not forget your work. and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized. We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who, through faith and patience, inherit what has been promised.

And I'll say this, Christianity is not for lazy people. This is not, because sometimes the Holy Spirit demands of you to do things even when you are tired. When you're like, yeah, I'm ready to go home and put my legs up.

And here he comes, say, hey, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, we got to do this here. And it's so amazing that sometimes when you put your hand to do something, certain things that you're like, the other day somebody will put on the side of the road.

I stopped to help, and you get more than you bargain for. Because it goes from the wheel, now you hear all this, now it extends to. Then you realize, well, it had nothing to do with this wheel.

It had something to do what the Lord already says, hey, you got to get to her. And if you are lazy, you do have a job. And then we never get to what was promised. So we cannot be lazy as believers.

We cannot be. It's just it does not work together. Verse 13, when God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by. He swore by Himself, saying, I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.

And so, after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised. People who swear by some greater than themselves and the oath confirms that it is said and puts an end to all argument.

Because God wanted to make this unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, He confirmed it with an oath.

God did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible, impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.

It enters the inner sanctuary, behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become the high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus has run the rest and now he has entered on behalf of you.

That's why the Bible says we are seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. Because while you are here, he has you over there. I want you to really kind of think about this guys.

That while we are here on earth dealing with Iran and Trump and all this, he has us with him, sitting on the right hand of the Father, reconciled everything, holding you in his hands while you are here.

This is why the Bible says, it's hard for the devil to get to you because you've been marked for Christ. You belong to him. Let's go to chapter seven, alright.

This Melchizedek was a king of Salem and the priest of God Most High so this is the time Abraham is leaving he's on a journey that the Lord has pulled him out of by the way present day Iran.

So when you think about these are all the same descendants that's where he comes from present day Iran that's where he's coming from. And He met Abraham, the king met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him.

And Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name of Melchizedek means the king of righteousness. So he's the king of righteousness. Then also the king of Salem means king of peace.

So he's the king of righteousness and the king of peace without father or a mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the son of God, he remains a priest forever.

This is who Abraham met. Somebody that's just not just was there, was not born by anybody, he was just right there and he's a king of priests, he's a king of peace, and a king of righteousness.

He meets Abraham. Just think how great he was. Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder. Now, the law requires the descendants of Levi, who became priests, to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their fellow Israelites, even though they also are descendants of Abraham.

This man, however, did not trust his descendants from Levi. Yet he collected the tenth from Abraham and blessed him who had the promises. And without doubt, the lesser is blessed by the greater.

In the one case, the tenth is collected by people who die, but in the other case, by him who is declared to believing. One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham.

Because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestors. This is way before Levi is even born. I mean, you can see, when the Bible says, I formed you in your mother's womb, I want you to think about that, guys.

This is stuff that hasn't happened yet. And then he's explained fully who Melchizedek and who Levi is going to be and how much he's going to get, he's going to collect, because the Levitical priesthood system comes further down the road.

And the Lord is explaining things that are going to come. So which means that all this was already set up. In other words, if you are to look at your life, everything that's going on, especially when you become a believer, is already set up.

It's already set up. Because there's a victory that is guaranteed. Verse 11, if perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood, and indeed the law given to the people established.

Who people established that priesthood, why was there still a need for another priest to come? One in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron. Now, let's fast forward a little bit.

Remember Moses, goes up Mount Sinai. He speaks to God and God gives him the Ten Commandments. He comes down, everybody's partying. They build a golden calf. Moses get angry, throws the tablet down and it breaks apart.

He crushes it into powder, put it in water and ask everybody to drink. Then God had to ask him to write another one. Now, when Moses, when God was done with this little situation, he then asked the children of Israel, he says, who is for me?

The Levitical priesthood system, the Levites stood up and says, we are for the Lord. And God says, Everybody, arm yourself with a sword. Go in the camp and kill everybody who was worshiping this golden calf.

Over 3,000 people died at the hands of Levi in order to bring order and perfection in the camp. And the Levites comes through Aaron, who was Moses' brother.

So now these people, they bring to order a nation that is rambunctious so that perfection can be attained, so that serving God the right way is done. But then the writer of Hebrews says, well, if those people were supposed to establish perfection.

Why would they, why was there then a need of Melchizedek? Who was the king of righteous? Because whatever they established through the order of Levi, that was not perfection of Christ.

Melchizedek is a representation of Christ. That's why it says he has the appearance of whose son of God is going to be. So in other words, this righteousness that's being talked about is straight from Christ who makes us right with the Father, not good deeds.

For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also, he of whom these things are said to belong to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the order.

For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah. And in regard to that tribe of Moses, said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clearer if another priest like Melchizedek appears.

One who has become a priest, not on the basis of a regulation as to his ancestors, but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life, for it is declared for a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.

The former regulator is set aside because it was weak and useless, for the law made nothing perfect. And a better hope is introduced by which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath.

Others became priests without an oath. But he became a priest with an oath when God said to him, the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind. You are a priest forever.

Because of this oath, Jesus has become a guarantor of a better covenant, guaranteed, guaranteed. Now, there have been many of these priests since death prevented them from continuing in office.

But because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him because He always lives. He always lives.

He always lives to intercede for them, always. It's so comforting to know that we have Jesus, even when you are in doubt, even when you can pray, even when you are struggling with opening your mouth to pray for whatever reason.

That we have a priest who has guaranteed salvation, and is constantly, always interceding on your behalf, on your behalf. I mean, that's remarkable.

And if we really understood this as believers, right, we should never, ever, ever think that, man, nobody's praying for me. Sometimes these thoughts come to our head, but when you realize that Jesus Himself He's never stopped interceding on our behalf.

Always, every day. Sarge, every day Jesus is praying for you, every day. Even when you forget sometimes to pray, He got you. When you get busy with your life, He's got you. That's His job, pretty much.

He doesn't have an office that He gets up to go and says, where is my schedule? No. He's constantly always praying for you, Monica. Even when you're like, Eh, today, Lord, let me just do a two little minute prayer and get going.

He's like, I got you. Ah, for the Lord, such a high priest truly meets. Now listen to the verse number 26, Such a high priest truly meets Our one needs one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once and for all, when he offered himself.

For the law appoints as high priest men in all their weakness. But the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.

Let's look at chapter 8 it's one of my favorite, now so here's the summation of all this it says now the main point of what we are saying is this here's the main point. We do have a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven that's the point.

All this stuff that has been said, the point is this, that you and I, we have a high priest who's sitting right on the right hand of the Father, on the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves, is serving in the sanctuary.

The true tabernacle set up by Lord, not by human hands. This is a temple that God builds, build himself in heaven. And Jesus is serving in that temple, sitting on the right hand of the Father.

Every high priest is appointed to offer both what? Gifts and sacrifices. And so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. If you were on earth, you would not be a priest, for they are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law.

They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what it is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle. God warned him, see to it that you make everything according to the pardon I show you on the mountain.

But in fact, the ministry Jesus has received is superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is the mediator, is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on a much better promise.

For if there had been nothing wrong with the first covenant, no place would have been sought for another. But God found fault with the people and said, this is God speaking, the days are coming declares the Lord.

When I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah, it will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt because they did not remain faithful to my covenant and I turned away from them, declares the Lord.

This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel after that time declares the Lord. Listen to this guys this is the beauty of serving God and the beauty of having Christ as your priest.

Because it leads to this here. This is God speaking because of Jesus I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their heart. So your heart. God has written his laws on your heart.

This is why it's difficult for you to do whatever you just desire to do. Because you are carrying in you a law that is now being transcribed in your heart. It's no longer had knowledge.

What is heart? The intent of a thing. This is why your intentions are constantly pure. It's not because you are pure. It's because God has written his laws on your heart.

This is why if somebody shows up right now and say, hey, do this and I'll do that, and then you can get that, you say, No, I'm not doing that. It's not because you have the strength to say no.

Is because the law has now been written in your heart as part of your moral being, your conscience. You carry something inside of you that automatically says you can't do that.

And you are not doing it because of law now, because it's in your heart. Because law, right, everybody, if you meet somebody who understands the law, we have to use what? Logic in order to interpret it.

But if it's in your heart, it moves from logic to morality. To where you just not, there's just certain things that don't exist in your orbit anymore.

I will not be like the covenant I met with the ancestors when I took them by the hand to lead them out of you because they did not remain faithful. This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel.

After that time, declares the Lord, I'll put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.

No longer will they teach their neighbor or say to another, know the Lord because they will know me from the least of them to the greatest, for I will forgive their wickedness, not sins, wickedness, and will remember their sins no more.

By calling this covenant new, he has made the first one absolute. And what is absolute and outdated will soon disappear. Now, let me ask you guys a question.

You know the laws that we have, right, as a nation that govern us, right, that govern the world, the things that we put on place, from Geneva Conventions to all these things that we subscribe to, have you ever wondered why we no longer subscribe to them?

That we can't enforce them anymore. Even the people that wrote them don't seem to care about it. That this era has violated so many laws that we put in place to govern ourselves. You know why that is?

Because the scripture says they are going to be outdated and soon they will disappear. And the only thing that is governing you and I is not those laws, is the fact that God has written something on your heart that you now carry.

And that is what is shaping your ideas, the way you think, the things that you do, that you cannot be bought anymore. In fact, people who get murdered all over this world and still hold on to Christ is because they are carrying this in their heart.

That now, when you think about why this is being written in the first place, it's to people who are like, eh, I don't know, not sure anymore. The Messiah was here. So we're going to end in seven, in eight, sorry.

But verse number 10 to 13, let that encourages one of my favorite passages of scriptures, because it tells us who we are. It defines you, how you walk, how you think.

If you want to know how you think, there it is, that was governing you now, that you don't need to read laws in order to not violate them. You just know that, you know what, I cannot drive fast.

Whether the road says 45, 35, somehow in your mind, in your spirit, you just know that this is wrong. Because there is an inscribed law that's on your heart now. That certain things just don't make sense anymore.

Because the Bible says, God himself says, I will write this on your heart. That's the beauty of serving God. I mean, you can, you know, you can, and again, right, one of the reasons we are reading.

I want you to imagine what we are studying, what we are going through in the morning devotions, right, to hear now because we experiencing how Jesus lived and how he gave up how he gave himself up and now we are seeing what he is doing in heaven for you and I in real time.

This is part of our experience so we're going to end here and my sister Vee is going to pray today. Let us pray.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your word. Thank you for using your shepherd to remind us, Heavenly Father, of the truth of the promises in your word.

Thank you for reminding us, Heavenly Father, that you have written your laws in our hearts, Heavenly Father, and on our minds, Heavenly Father.

That we need not fear anything, that we need not fear, Heavenly Father, that we don't have to stray, Heavenly Father, from what is written in your word, Heavenly Father, and that is implanted so deeply within us, Heavenly Father.

We pray, Heavenly Father, that in these final days, Lord, that we will be found faithful, Heavenly Father, standing firmly and sure-footed in your word, Heavenly Father, knowing that we are your children.

Knowing that Jesus is advocating for us, that He is interceding for us, Heavenly Father, and all things, Heavenly Father.

And what is required of us, Heavenly Father, is just to stand firm, to hold on, to believe, Heavenly Father, to not be like those who in the end times, when they stand before Christ, will fall away, Heavenly Father.

Let it not be so among us, Heavenly Father. Let our lights continue to be a life, a light, Heavenly Father, an enduring light, Heavenly Father, for all those who see, to surely know that you exist, to surely know that we are yours, to surely know that there is a better way, Heavenly Father.

Let us be representatives of you here on this earth, Heavenly Father. Let us hold fast to this mission, this great commission to go forth and to make witnesses and disciples of you Heavenly Father, help us to be effective witnesses for you, Lord.

Help us to not be deceived, Lord. Let us not be like those who in the final days will be among the many who will be deceived, Heavenly Father. Help us to keep your truth in our hearts, Heavenly Father.

Help us to stand strong, Heavenly Father, as we stay true to your testimonies, Heavenly Father, as we stay true to our beliefs, as we stand up for Jesus, Heavenly Father, as we witness for him and as we do not fear to let all who see us know that yes, we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that we are saved through our belief in him, Heavenly Father, and it is because of our belief in our faith. in Jesus Christ's sacrifice, Heavenly Father, that we are saved.

That we have all that we need to do, all that we need to accomplish here on this earth Heavenly Father, that we seek to store up not riches here on this earth, but riches in heaven through our faith, through our love, through fulfilling what it is that you have called each and every one of us to do.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for your great servant here, Heavenly Father. Thank you for the word that you put in his mouth that you delivered to us through him. I ask for your covering over Pastor Zee.

I ask for your covering over Pastor April. I ask for your covering over Zavai Jr., David, and Ava, Heavenly Father. Bless this family and their comings and goings, Heavenly Father. Help them, Lord, to achieve all that you are asking them to achieve.

Let them not be dismayed, let them not grow weary, and help them to stand strong. Help even the young ones to know that, yes, you have a testimony. You have great things in store for you if you will just believe for yourself and hold on.

Bless this family, cover their home with your peace, your grace, your presence and mercy. And I ask your blessing from each and every one of us gathered here on this call and to all in our families and our loved ones, Lord, especially those who do not know you.

Help us to continue to be light and let us not grow weary as we seek to testify them and help them be come ushered into your presence and understand their need for you, Heavenly Father.

We thank you, Father, for this day. We thank you for this word, and we pray that you will go before us this week and bless us in all that we do and it's in Jesus name we pray, Amen.