GROUP STUDY QUESTIONS Hebrews: The Supremacy of Christ
GROUP STUDY QUESTIONS Hebrews: The Supremacy of Christ The Death of Doubt – Hebrews 1:1-4 The Book of Hebrews is written to a group of Jewish believers who are facing a second intense wave of persecution. They stood fast through the first wave, but now as they face another one they are wavering in their faith. They are wondering if it's worth it to continue the journey of following Christ. They are teetering on the edge of going back to their former way of life in Judaism. The author is writing this book to warn them of the judgment they will face if they turn away and to encourage them that Jesus is Supreme over all men, over the angels and over every religious system. He is God's final answer! How can the author's warning to them as well as his encouragement that Jesus is supreme help you and I in dark seasons of life, when we too may waver in our faith? Have you ever been in a dark, painful season in your life in which you have wondered why God is allowing it or wondered why God seemed to be so silent? Have you ever wondered why He wouldn't just speak to you in hard seasons? This group of Christians is wondering those very things, so the author begins his letter by telling them God has spoken in v1. How does the author say God has spoken? What do you think are some of the "various" ways in which God has spoken to us? Read Romans 1:20 and Psalm 19:1. Do you feel God has spoken clearly through creation? Why or why not? It is also says God has spoken through the prophets. Why is His message through the prophets sometimes hard to understand? Finally the author says in these last days God has spoken to us in His Son. What do you think he means by this? Why is this so significant? The author lists several things God has spoken to us in His Son. The first thing he says is that Jesus has been appointed heir of all things. What do you think this means and how can it help us in the hard times of life? The second thing he says is that Jesus is the One through whom the universe has been made. What does he mean by this and how can this help us through difficult times? The third thing he says is that Jesus is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation on His being. What does this mean, and why is this so powerful for us to understand? Read John 14:19. In Jesus we know exactly who God is. Why is it so hard for us at times to believe that what we see in Christ is the fullness of the character of God?
The fourth thing he says is that Jesus is the sustainer of all things. That means Jesus is the one who carries everything in the universe along by His powerful Word. It also means He will bring everything that exists to His desired conclusion. How does this help us make sense of our lives? Why is it hard for us to sometimes believe that He is carrying our lives along by His powerful Word and will bring our lives to His desired end? The fifth and final thing he says is that Jesus is the one who has made purification for our sins. It's past tense. It means purification for all our sins past, present and future have been made. It means we are and will ever be completely pure in the eyes of a holy God because of the obedient life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If our faith and trust is in His sacrifice, we are completely pure! How can this revelation free of us of shame, guilt and condemnation and cause us to live as innocent children before God? Why is it so hard for some of us to walk in the reality of this truth? Why is it significant that Jesus sat down after He made purification for our sins?
The fourth thing he says is that Jesus is the sustainer of all things. That means Jesus is the one who carries everything in the universe along by His powerful Word. It also means He will bring everything that exists to His desired conclusion. How does this help us make sense of our lives? Why is it hard for us to sometimes believe that He is carrying our lives along by His powerful Word and will bring our lives to His desired end? The fifth and final thing he says is that Jesus is the one who has made purification for our sins. It's past tense. It means purification for all our sins past, present and future have been made. It means we are and will ever be completely pure in the eyes of a holy God because of the obedient life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. If our faith and trust is in His sacrifice, we are completely pure! How can this revelation free of us of shame, guilt and condemnation and cause us to live as innocent children before God? Why is it so hard for some of us to walk in the reality of this truth? Why is it significant that Jesus sat down after He made purification for our sins?
