Hebrews 13:1-8 How are we to live, in light of Who Jesus Christ Is, and in light of His fiery glory? How may we serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear (12:28)? I’m glad you asked! The writer of Hebrews has provided a mini-handbook of ways in which we should live, knowing that we are in the Presence of Jesus Christ, the King of Glory, who the writer of Hebrews has been revealing to us for 12 chapters. There... Read more
Hebrews 12:18-29 The passage from Hebrews today is one of my all-time favorite passages of Scripture. Of course, I have a lot of all-time favorite passages! Verses 22-24 may be my favorite description of the world we Christians live in – my favorite description of the Church – though it may not seem so at first. I believe that, as with St. John and Revelation, the writer of Hebrews is saying something even more wonderful than that one day we... Read more
Hebrews 12:1-17 Hebrews Chapter 12 is the crescendo of the majestic and glorious symphony of themes that the writer of Hebrews has been conducting. I wish the lectionary divided it up into smaller movements because there is so much to meditate on. Chapter 11 is the astounding Hall of Faith, an amphitheater filled with our heroes, those saints and martyrs who obeyed God in faith and have become our examples. But Chapter 12 takes them out of the arena itself... Read more
Hebrews 11:32-40 Behold! how great a cloud of witnesses surrounds us! Behold what God accomplished through the faith and faithfulness of these saints and heroes and martyrs! On the one hand, through the faith of these saints, God worked mighty miracles so that kingdoms were subdued, righteousness was worked, the mouths of lions were stopped, the violence of fire was quenched, the edge of the sword was escaped, women received their dead raised to life again, and the weak were... Read more
Hebrews 11:17-31 There is a “secret” to faith. There is something that can help us guard this mystery of faith and continue to have faith in the midst of God’s sometimes difficult call on our lives. Would you like to know what it is? It’s to consider the reward of faith. “He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). How was it that Moses... Read more
Hebrews 11:1-16 Faith is a mysterious thing. It wasn’t always so, when I was a kid. Back then (I’m still a big kid in some ways), like so many things, it just was. Growing up in a strong Christian home, believing in God was like believing in the air. I didn’t always give a lot of thought to God, but I always knew He was there, even if I couldn’t see Him. Back then, it took more faith to... Read more
Hebrews 10:26-39 This morning’s passage, Hebrews 10:26-39 is both one of the most frightening passages of Scripture and one of the most comforting. I guess that means that the writer of Hebrews has done a good job of portraying the gospel, that is, who God is and what He has done, because there are two extreme responses to God that are possible: absolute terror or absolute comfort and joy. First, let me tell you the scariest story ever told. It... Read more
Hebrews 10:15-25 Having boldness to enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, and having a High Priest over the house of God (verses 19 and 21), the writer of Hebrews exhorts: “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope.” “Let us consider one another in order to stir... Read more
Hebrews 10:1-14 “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God” (verse 7, quoting Psalm 40.) “By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (verse 10.) Did you know that you were saved by obedience, by good works? NO, not your own, but those of Jesus Christ. It is by the will of the Father that you are saved. But what if the Father had willed to save... Read more
Give Us This Day
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In
Friday of 4th Sunday after Easter – Hebrews 13:9-16
Hebrews 13:9-16 Ask the average American kid what his favorite food is, and he’s likely to say, “pizza.” Ask Fr. Charles what his favorite food is, and he’s likely to say the same. Actually, I do have other favorite foods. I love sautéed mushrooms, which, providentially, I discovered while consuming a pizza topped with mushrooms. And, under the tutelage of my wife I’ve learned the pleasures of garlic (which is often served as garlic bread – along with pizza). But... Read more