Hebrews on Acceptance

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Grace is the Secret to Self-Forgiveness

Author

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 1:18, Hebrews 4:15-16, Psalm 130:3-4, 1 John 1:7, Isaiah 43:25

We all have shadows and skeletons in our backgrounds. But listen, there is something bigger in this world than we are, and that something bigger is full of grace and mercy, patience and ingenuity. The...

lectionary

22nd Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Justin Amsler

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 7:23-28, Hebrews 10:2-3, Hebrews 10:11, Exodus 32:1-5, Exodus 34:30-32, Psalm 110:null, Psalm 110:4, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 10:21

Preaching Commentary Opening Illustration A friend of mine has a slate roof business that has been passed down in his family. He is a true artisan in copper and slate, and has completed custom wor...

lectionary

24th Sunday after Pentecost

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Mark 12:28-34, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Matthew 22:35–40, Mark 12:28–34, Luke 10:27, Leviticus 19:17-18, Ruth 1:1-18, Psalm 146:, Deuteronomy 6:1-9, Psalm 119:1-8, Hebrews 9:11-14

Ancient Lens What's the historical context? An Honest Inquiry from the Religious Leaders It is easy—perhaps tempting—to read this passage with built-in sarcasm because we know the general ton...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Hebrews 7:23-28

Author

Justin Amsler

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 7:23-28, Exodus 32:null, Exodus 34:30-32, Hebrews 7:26, Psalm 110:null, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 10:2-3, Hebrews 10:11, Exodus 32:1-5, Exodus 34:30-32, Psalm 110:, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 8:1, Hebrews 10:21

Opening Illustration A friend of mine has a slate roof business that has been passed down in his family. He is a true artisan in copper and slate, and has completed custom work on buildings as famou...

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A Rescue Religion

Author

John Stott

Keywords

Scripture

Titus 3:5, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 5:8, John 3:17, 1 John 4:14, 1 Timothy 1:15, Luke 19:10

Christianity is a rescue religion. It declares that God has taken the initiative in Jesus Christ to rescue us from our sins. This is the main theme of the Bible. You are to give him the name Jesus, be...

Quote

Author

Lesslie Newbigin

Keywords

Scripture

John 13:1-17, Ephesians 2:8-9, Galatians 2:21, Hebrews 9:14, Mark 10:45, Romans 5:8

To accept this [Jesus' self-humiliation in washing the disciples' feet] is to be converted. And nothing can be added to this. If you imagine that you can add something to what is given in the ...

Quote

Author

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 11:1, Psalm 42:11, Jeremiah 29:11, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Romans 8:24-25, Isaiah 40:31

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.

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Author

Gail R. O’Day

Keywords

Scripture

John 20:19-31, Matthew 17:20, James 1:6, Mark 9:24, Hebrews 11:6

At the heart of this story is Jesus’ generous offer of himself to Thomas... Thomas had established the conditions for his faith: He must be allowed to touch Jesus’ wounds…. Jesus does not censure Thom...

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Two Ways to Reject Jesus as Savior

Author

Timothy Keller

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 4:16, Luke 18:9-14, James 4:6, 1 John 4:10, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:23-24

…there are two ways to fail to let Jesus be your Savior. One is by being too proud, having a superiority complex—not to accept his challenge [to accept what the gospel says about our unworthiness]. Bu...

Quote

Author

Heraclitus

Keywords

Scripture

Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8, Genesis 8:22, Philippians 1:6, Romans 12:2

Change is the only constant in life.

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Grace for the Long Road of Obedience

Author

Jen Pollock Michel

Keywords

Scripture

Titus 2:11-12, Hebrews 12:1-2, Philippians 1:6, John 21:15-19, Exodus 16:, 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, John 15:1-8

Grace is not only needed for the occasion of conversion, the moment we suddenly (or slowly) come to our senses and realize that we are spiritually bankrupt, having nothing to bring to God and everythi...

Quote

Author

Dick Ryan

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 4:16, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Lamentations 3:22-23, Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 147:3, James 4:10

Healing begins when, in the face of our own darkness, we recognize our helplessness and surrender our need for control… we face what is, and we ask for mercy.

Quote

Author

Richard Lovelace

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 5:1, Romans 8:1, Galatians 2:16, Titus 3:5, 1 John 4:15, Isaiah 61:10, Hebrews 10:14

Much that we have interpreted as a defect of sanctification in church people is really an outgrowth of their loss of bearing with respect to justification. Christians who are no longer sure that God l...

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Defining a Sacrifice

Author

Ronald Rohlheiser

Keywords

Scripture

Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 13:15-16, Matthew 5:23-24, Mark 10:17-22, Luke 9:21-27, John 15:13, 1 John 3:16-18, Genesis 32:22-31

From what is common in all these expressions, we can extract the dictionary definition of sacrifice: “the surrender of something of value for the sake of something else.” That is a good definition, bu...

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Agreeing with God’s Words

Author

Richella J. Parham

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 1:9, Romans 10:9-10, Hebrews 4:14, Matthew 10:32, 2 Samuel 12:

I missed that confession is not just a commandment, not just one of the “steps to salvation”—it is a means of God’s grace. The word confess, which means to assent or agree, is the English translation ...

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Contentment Defined

Author

Richard Swenson

Keywords

Contentment

Scripture

Matthew 6:33, Hebrews 13:5, 1 Timothy 6:6-8, Philippians 4:11-13, Psalm 23:1

Contentment is when we tell the Shepherd that His provision is enough for all our physical and material needs. If our old car gimps down the road, that is fine. If we get a shiny newer auto with less ...

liturgy

Opening Prayer – You Cannot Love Me More

Author

Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia

Keywords

Scripture

1 John 4:, Hebrews 13:5, Isaiah 43:1, John 15:9, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 136:26, Ephesians 3:17-19

You cannot love me more You will not love me less You love me fully Now and always Help me accept the gift of your love Help me trust it Help me accept it fully There’s no need to earn your love...

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Grace Means We Are Already Victors

Author

Donald W. McCullough

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 2:8-9, Hebrews 10:10-14, John 16:33, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, 1 John 5:4

Grace means that in the middle of our struggle the referee blows the whistle and announces the end of the game. We are declared winners and sent to the showers. It’s over for all huffing, puffing piet...

liturgy

Overcoming Fear with God's Love

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Isaiah 43:1-3, Lamentations 3:22-23, Hebrews 10:22-23, 2 Timothy 1:7, Psalm 27:1-3

Heavenly Father, we have forgotten your generosity and kindness. Believing you hold back from us, we have held back from others and from you. Gracious God, hear our confessions , and make us mindfu...

Quote

Author

Clement of Alexandria

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 11:8-10, Luke 1:38, Matthew 21:22 , Isaiah 40:31, Philippians 1:6, James 1:2-4

Faith is a voluntary anticipation.

liturgy

Embracing God's Goodness and Joy

Author

Laura B. Murray

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 32:1-5, Hebrews 12:5-7, Proverbs 3:11-12 , James 4:8 , 1 John 1:9, Psalm 51:10-12, John 3:20-21

Gracious God, you call us to draw near but we keep our distance. We are afraid of your direction and discipline, so we avoid honesty and confession. Father, help us trust in your goodness and your gra...

liturgy

Receive Mercy, Find Grace

Author

Trinity Lutheran Church, Lisle, Illinois

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 4:12-16, Luke 1:79, Jeremiah 23:29, Deuteronomy 30:11-14, Psalm 51:10

Reader: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the h...

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Fear & Growth, Risk & Comfort

Author

John Ortberg

Keywords

Scripture

Matthew 8:20, Philippians 3:8, Hebrews 12:11, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Romans 5:3-4, James 1:2-4, Luke 9:23

Fear and growth go together like macaroni and cheese. It’s a package deal. The decision to grow always involves a choice between risk and comfort. This means that to be a follower of Jesus you must re...

liturgy

Generous Lord Jesus, We confess that we

Author

Jacob Traeger

Keywords

Scripture

Ephesians 4:32, Hebrews 11:1, Luke 6:38, James 1:18-20, Matthew 9:36

Generous Lord Jesus We confess that we do not receive others with compassion. We object to being interrupted And respond with anger or frustration. We confess that we do not share generously Not trus...

Quote

Author

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Keywords

Scripture

Colossians 3:23-24, Hebrews 12:11, Isaiah 40:31, Proverbs 24:16, 2 Timothy 1:7

These periods of struggling to overcome challenges are what people find to be the most enjoyable times of their lives. A person who has achieved control over psychic energy and has invested it in cons...

scripture guide

Scripture Guide, Hebrews 9:24-28

Author

Bud Thoreen

Keywords

Scripture

Hebrews 9:24-28, Hebrews 1:1-4

Jesus, Not Nero, is Supreme To understand any written document one must understand the purpose for which it was written. Sometimes this is stated overtly, as in the Preamble to The Constitution; som...

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Joining the Human Race

Author

Parker J. Palmer

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 34:18, Isaiah 42:3, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Romans 8:22-23, Ecclesiastes 3:11, Hebrews 4:15

As the darkness began to descend on me in my early twenties, I thought I had developed a unique and terminal case of failure. I did not realize that I had merely embarked on a journey toward joining t...

Quote

Author

Margaret Atwood

Keywords

Scripture

John 5:44, Hebrews 13:5, Jeremiah 17:5-7, Proverbs 29:25, John 12:42-43, Galatians 1:10

The desire to feel loved is the last illusion: let it go and you will be free

liturgy

Thank you Lord God for the opportunity

Author

John Birch

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 27:4, 1 Chronicles 16:29, Philippians 4:6-7, John 4:23-24, Matthew 11:28, Psalm 100:4, Hebrews 10:24-25

Thank you Lord God for the opportunity of worship, for the freedom to be amongst your family meeting together in your house, and in the warmth of your embrace Thank you that in worship we can put asid...

liturgy

Heavenly Father, we come to you acknowledging

Author

Allen Thompson

Keywords

Scripture

Psalm 32:5, Philippians 2:3-4, 9-11, Hebrews 10:12, 1 John 1:9, Isaiah 53:5

Heavenly Father, we come to you acknowledging our own unrighteousness. We know that we fall short of your glory and your desires for us. Still, we know that you love us with the love, humility, an...

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