LESSON ONE: BETTER THAN ANGELS

LESSON ONE: BETTER THAN ANGELS
HEBREWS 2:1-18
INTRODUCTION
The book of Hebrews has a lot to tell us about the relationship between the Old Testament and the New. It helps us to see Jesus as the fulfillment of all the expectations, all the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people. Jesus met their expectations and so much more. Many of us would love to have heard the angels who greeted the birth of Jesus. Today’s lesson helps us to see how Jesus is so much more than even the angels.
PART ONE: WHAT DID WE READ?
1) What does verse two tell us that the angels revealed?
2) Has God given the world to come to be under the authority of angels?
3) For whom did Jesus taste death?
4) What relationship do we have with Jesus?
5) In what ways was Jesus like us?
PART TWO: WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
1) What does it mean to ignore the great salvation offered us in Jesus Christ?
2) Why is it so important to know that Jesus was just like one of us?
3) Why is it important to know that Jesus is more than the angels?
4) What does it mean to call Jesus brother?
5) Jesus came to help us, not angels. Why is that an important fact?
PART THREE: HOW DOES IT APPLY TO US?
1) What does this passage have to tell you about the importance of the Old Testament? Is the Old Testament important to you?
2) Jesus is unique. What does the fact that He is more than the angels mean to you?
3) What does it mean to you to know that Jesus was fully human?
4) Do you think of Jesus as your brother? Why or why not?
5) Is it important to you to know that Jesus was tempted? Why?
PRAYER
Father God, we praise You
for Your mysterious wisdom
in sending Jesus, Your eternally begotten Son,
as our incarnate Messiah.
Jesus the Son, we are in awe of You,
the perfect human who restored our fractured glory
by taking the destructive way of the Cross
and making it the way that brings life.
Thank You for sharing the humility of our flesh and blood
by entering into human temptation and suffering.
Thank You for bringing divine balm for sin’s pain
and freedom from death by breaking the power of the devil.
Holy Spirit, we need Your presence and power
more than we understand within every moment of every day.
Strengthen us to receive divine grace through Christ’s sacrificial gift
and empower us to live our daily lives yielded to You.
All this we pray in the name
of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit-
One God, from eternity past to eternity future-
to whom belongs all honor and glory both now and forever.
Amen.
(by Matt Erickson)