Spiritual Practices: Keyword Listing
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
Keyword listing is a method of observational Bible study. It doesn’t require any special skills, tools, or training. You can read more about the process of keyword listing here. You can choose any word or short phrase to study using keyword listing. For this passage, we suggest the following keyword(s) to start your study.
Starting Points
- We/us - Explore our response to Jesus' sacrifice as our great high priest
Exploring the Text: Now what?
Paul has spent the last few chapters talking about Jesus as our great high priest. In the last chapter he has talked about how Jesus’ sacrifice was better and more complete than the sacrifices that the Old Testament high priests offered. Now in this chapter, he gets to the question of what we do with it. Now that we see how Jesus’ sacrifice is better, what is our response? What do we do in light of Jesus’ sacrifice? What is our response?
In verses 19-25, Paul lists four responses that we should have in light of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. First, we can come before God with confidence. We don’t need to suffer from shame or conviction anymore. That has been removed by Jesus’ sacrifice and we can approach God with confidence because of Jesus. Second, we can hold fast to what we believe to be truth without doubt because our relationship with God is based on Jesus, not on ourselves, and he never fails or breaks his word. Third, since we are free and confident in our relationship with God, we are free to work for him in the world around us and encourage others to do the same. Finally, we continually meet together to encourage and support one another and to help each other grow more like Jesus.
This is what the normal life of a Jesus follower should look like. We are confident in our relationship with him, we trust him because he is faithful, we continue his work in the world, and we meet together regularly with other Jesus followers. This is what the normal Christian life should be.
Paul has spent the last few chapters talking about Jesus as our great high priest. In the last chapter he has talked about how Jesus’ sacrifice was better and more complete than the sacrifices that the Old Testament high priests offered. Now in this chapter, he gets to the question of what we do with it. Now that we see how Jesus’ sacrifice is better, what is our response? What do we do in light of Jesus’ sacrifice? What is our response?
In verses 19-25, Paul lists four responses that we should have in light of Jesus’ sacrifice for us. First, we can come before God with confidence. We don’t need to suffer from shame or conviction anymore. That has been removed by Jesus’ sacrifice and we can approach God with confidence because of Jesus. Second, we can hold fast to what we believe to be truth without doubt because our relationship with God is based on Jesus, not on ourselves, and he never fails or breaks his word. Third, since we are free and confident in our relationship with God, we are free to work for him in the world around us and encourage others to do the same. Finally, we continually meet together to encourage and support one another and to help each other grow more like Jesus.
This is what the normal life of a Jesus follower should look like. We are confident in our relationship with him, we trust him because he is faithful, we continue his work in the world, and we meet together regularly with other Jesus followers. This is what the normal Christian life should be.