Proclaimer Blog
BETTER (a.k.a. Hebrews)
I'm just doing some thinking on planning a sermon series on Hebrews. There are two main ways to do this:
- a slow(ish) work through this incredibly rich and deep book. I reckon that would take at least 20 weeks, possibly much more. That is my natural inclination for a sermon series. It could quickly become John Owen-esque, though!
- However, in the case of Hebrews, I'm not sure that does justice to what the author is trying to convey. Essentially, this is a letter which exalts Jesus as the supreme one, superior in every way to what has gone before. As you read through, there are some key ideas which the writer argues (sometimes from different viewpoints). So an alternative is to take these key ideas. I've put down where I've got to so far (though these are unlikely to be the finished article). This is not my natural inclination!
Following the latter will mean that some really purple passages are given little time – but in this case, as we try to convey the meaning of the book and what God means by it, I think that is OK. Any series would do this to some extent (unless, for example, you were to take each faith character in chapter 11 as a one week sermon).
But what about those long passages. My own inclination, for what it is worth, is that it will tough for a congregation if I decided to preach, say 4.14-5.10 & 7.28 as a whole sermon. I think, though I'm not yet sure and haven't done all the study yet, that I would be inclined to take a part of that and make it my sermon on that theme. It seems to me that, on the whole, congregatations struggle with very long passages as texts for sermons. I may be wrong, of course.
So, here is my work in progress. By the way, the word "better" comes from a facsimile of Frances Ridley Havergal's Bible (she of hymn writing fame). On the page containing Hebrews 1 she has crossed out the word Hebrews and replaced it with the word BETTER. I like it. Good name for a good book.
- A better name (1.1-4)
- A better status (1.5-2.18)
- A better builder (3.1-19)
- A better rest (4.1-13)
- A better priest (4.14-5.10 & 7.1-28)
- A better hope (5.11-6.20)
- A better covenant (8.1-13)
- A better sacrifice (9.1-10.18)
- A better confidence (10.19-39)
- A better faith (11.1-12.3)
- A better kingdom (12.3-29)
- A better mission (13.1-25)