👉️ Hebrews 4:12 | The Word Points to THE Word

📧 In today’s email…

• 📘 A quick review of what we’ve learned this week

• 🧠 Simple ideas for pointing people to Jesus

• 🧐 In case you missed it..

 🧠 Memorize

_{see if you know what words go in the blanks}

For ___ ____ __ ___ __ ______ ___ _______, sharper ____ ___ ___-_____ _____, piercing __ ___ ________ __ ____ ___ __ ______,

of ______ ___ __ marrow, ___ discerning ___ ________ ___ __________ of the _____.

Hebrews 4:12

A review of what we’ve learned 🤔 

Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve learned this week:

Background Context

• Much of the book of Hebrews emphasizes Christianity in relationship to Jewish teachings and had at least 2 purposes:

  • To elevate Jesus as superior to everything and everyone else

  • To encourage its readers and hearers to persevere in the faith the midst of persecution

Passage Context: Rest

The book of Hebrews was written to saved Christians.

The context of this passage is that the Israelites failed to enter the rest and inheritance God had for them (the Promised Land) because of their disobedience (Numbers 13-14), which led to 40 years of wandering.

Hebrews 4 saying that the “rest” the Israelites missed out on in the past is now freely on offer through Jesus.

In Hebrews 4:11, the author is encouraging Christians to be obedient to God, not to earn salvation —

— but rather to enter the rest won by Jesus and obtain their heavenly inheritance (Revelation 2:26–27).

Scripture: The Surgical Tool 🔪 

The word of God is so sharp that it can separate things which seem completely intertwined or indistinguishable to our finite minds, like:

• soul and spirit ❤️ 

• joints and marrow 🦴 

Scripture: The Swiss-Army Knife 🔪 

We also saw the many roles Scripture can play in the believer’s life.

Among other things, it can:

• Heal, guide, build faith, bring nourishment, and be a spiritual weapon for us to wield against the enemy

Do What Scripture Does: Point People to Jesus 👉️ ✝️

When God created the world, he used his word to speak everything into existence.

When Jesus was tested in the desert, his weapon of choice was God’s word.

And when God wanted to reconcile us to himself and heal all that was lost in the Fall, he sent the Word.

And as it turns out, God’s word points us to THE Word.

Eternal life is only found in Jesus.

People need to know this, and it’s up to us to tell them!

Practice: Share 🗣️

We can’t control if someone puts their faith in Jesus.

But we can point them to Jesus.

And one of the places they can find him is in Scripture, especially in the gospels. A few ideas:

• 📖 Offer to read through the gospel of John together with a non-believer and discuss it

• 🗣️ Share your testimony of what your life was like before and after Jesus

• 👐 Invite them to serve the community with you, your small group or your church

The more time you spend with people, the more opportunities there will be to talk about Jesus!

🤔 Challenge: Find one opportunity this weekend to point a non-Christian to Jesus!

Recommended Resources 🎙️ 

In case you missed it, here’s this week’s round-up of recommended resources:

• 📹️ Bible Project: Overview of Hebrews (link)

• 📕 The Bible (ESV | KJV | NIV)

• ☕️ The Culture Translator newsletter by Axis (a faith-based non-profit) equips parents to help their teens view the world and surrounding culture through a biblical lens (Subscribe here in one click)

• 🎵 Hebrews 4:12 in song by Abby Houston (Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Music)

Answer key ✅ 

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit,

of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Hebrews 4:12

How did you do? 💡