etb sampler students

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Hebrews David Jeremiah, General Editor

P RE VI E W GUIDE


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Let the word of Christdwell in you richly,

teaching and admonishingone another in all wisdom

Col. 3:16a


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We are excited to announce the release of Explore the Bible: Students, a curriculum designed to helpstudents engage in Gods Word in such a way that His truth begins to dwell in them. D. L. Moody once

said, The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible. When students struggle toknow God well and live for Him, it is because they simply dont know His Word. Our desire is to beginchanging this one verse at a time. We believe students lives will be transformed as they study the textin its context and begin to obey the text in their context.

Each group session will be built around two major promises: Study the text in its context: Our study will be driven by books of the Bible, not topical studies.

Students will explore on their own and be equipped to read and study Gods Word personally. Obey the text in your context: The goal of each session is to help students understand what

the Bible says and how it should impact their daily lives. Each week, students will examinehow the truths from that session apply and decide action steps necessary for them to put intopractice what they learned.

Some key features that set Explore the Bible: Students apart are: Book-by-book studies A focused, easy-to-follow teaching plan built around one central truth Group times are built around an Explore time designed to help students dig into the

Scripture personally Students will be equipped to read and understand the Bible on their own Leader guide designed to equip leaders for each session Weekly training videos to help leaders prepare and catch the vision of each weeks session Leader pack providing relevant posters, maps, and other content to drive home the context

of each lesson Aligned content across age groups A weekly tool included called One Conversation to help equip parents to have spiritual

conversations with their students

The Bible is Gods living Word given to us so that we may know Him. Knowing Him brings us joy andliving for Him gives us purpose. Explore the Bible: Students will help you lead students to explore andunderstand the Bible in ways that will call them into a deeper walk with God. As the Word dwells inthem, their lives will be transformed.

If you have any questions, please email me: [email protected].

Jeff PrattDirector, Student Ministry Publishing

STUDENT MINISTRY LEADER,


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HebrewsPersonal Study Guide > Fall 2014 DavidJeremiah,GeneralEditor

Personal Study Guide A resource for students which walks through each session andprovides the tools they need to explore Gods Word personallyand as a group.Print: HCSBDigital: HCSB, NIV, ESV, and KJV (in PDF format)

Leader Guide A resource for leaders that helps them prepare personally foreach session and gives them the tools they need to lead theirstudents into a transformative encounter with Gods Word.Print: HCSBDigital: HCSB, NIV, ESV, and KJV (in PDF format)

Leader PackEnhances the group experience by providing relevant posters,maps, and other content to drive home the context of eachlesson. Weekly leader help videos are also included in the pack.Print and digital: Use with any translation

Annual Digital BundlePersonal Study Guide and Leader Guide together (in PDFformat) along with Digital Leader PackDigital: HCSB, NIV, ESV, and KJV (in PDF format)

Personal Study Guide AppSame content as Personal Study Guide (phone based)HCSB, NIV, ESV, and KJV

Leader Guide AppSame content as Leader Guide (phone based)HCSB, NIV, ESV, and KJV

AVAILABLE PRODUCTS


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HebrewsPersonal Study Guide > Fall 2014David Jeremiah, General Editor


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Hebrews 1:1-4

1

2 Explore the Bible | Students


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Session 1 3

H e br e w s 1:1- 41 Long ag o God spok e t o t he f at her s by t he pr ophet s at diff er ent t imes and in diff er ent w ay s. 2 I n t hese last day s, He has spok en t o us by His Son . God has appoint ed Him heir of all t h ing s and m ade t he un iv er se t h r oug h Him . 3 T e Son is t he r adiance of God s g lor y and t he ex act ex pr ession of His n at ur e, sust ain ing all t h ing s by His pow er f u l w or d. A f t er m ak ing pur icat ion f or sin s, He sat dow n at t he r ig ht hand of t he Ma jest y on h

ig h . 4

So He became h ig her in r an k t han t he ang els, just as t he n ame He in her it ed is super ior t o t heir s.

V e r s e 3 u s e s t h e w or d r a dia nce t o de s cr ibe Je s u s . W h a t do y ou t h ink t h a t w or d me a ns ?

W h a t is one t h ou g h t t h e s e v e r s e s s a y a bou t Je s u s ?

B e g i n b y r e a d i n g t h e p a s s a g e t h r o u g h t w o t i m e s .

P E R S O N A L S T U D Y

G U I D E


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4 w a y s G o d s p o k e o r r e v e a l e d

H i m s e l f i n t h e O l d T e s t a m e n t

1. B u r n i n g B u s h, E x o d u s 3 : 1 - 4

2. T h e W r e s t l e r, G e n e s i s 3 2 : 2 4 - 3 0

3. A C l o u d, E x o d u s 1 3 : 2 1 - 2 2

4. G a r d e n C o m p a n i o n, G e n e s i s 3 : 8



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Session 1 5


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C ent r a l T r ut hJe sus C h ris t is G od and re ig ns supre me ove r al l t h ing s in t h e unive rse .

N o w W h a t ?

W h y d o y o u t h i n k t h e w r i t e r s p e n t t h es e v e rs es e x pl a i n i n g t h e g r e a t n ess a n d s u p e r io r it y o f J es us?

D o y o u p e rs o n all y b el ie v e t h es e t h in gs t o b e t r u e?

D o y o u r a c t i o ns a g r e e w i t h t h a t a ns w e r?

I f J es us is s u p e r i o r, i f H e is t r ul y G o d s S o n, w h a t k e e ps us f r o m t r us t i n g H im c o m pl e t el y w i t h o u r l iv es?

L is t 3 a r e as o f y o u r l if e w h e r e y o u a r e n t t r us t i n g J es us

c o m pl e t el y a n d h o w y o u c a n b e g i n m o v i n g in t h a t d ir e c t io n.


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Session 1 7

Pe rs onal Cha lle ngeDwell: Je sus isn t s im ply anot he r good m an , good te ach er, orrel igio us gu re. He is God in esh . He is also our R edeemer. Spend t im e t h is w eek t h in kin g abou t t h at one th ought J esus is both God and R ed eem er.

Memorize: He bre w s 1:2a

Pra y: A sk God to re v eal Him se lf to you t h is w eek. A s y ou see k Him daily, ask f or ea rs t o list en an d st ren gt h to ob ey. Tru stt h at His way t r uly is t he best w ay.

Keep o n D ig gi ngR ead th e follow in g v erse s and not e ho w J esus is de scr ibe d:

Matt hew 22:41-45 Mark 9:2-8

Luke 5 :17 -26 J oh n 1 :1-18


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1

Who isJesus?

Hebrews 1:1-4

Hebrews 1:1-41 Long ago God spoke to the fathers by the prophets at different times and in differentways. 2 In these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son. God has appointed Him heir ofall things and made the universe through Him. 3 The Son is the radiance of Gods glory andthe exact expression of His nature, sustaining all things by His powerful word. After makingpurification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. 4 So He becamehigher in rank than the angels, just as the name He inherited is superior to theirs.



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Exploration (10-15 MINUTES)Using the following contextual information, begin your group time by setting the stage for this studyof the book of Hebrews. Help your group understand why it is important to know about the book, theauthor, the original audience, and other historical and cultural information before you begin to study.

Historical ContextWhen was it written? The exact date is not mentioned, but the use of Hebrews in 1 Clement (36:1-6), adocument usually dated around A.D. 95 or 96, shows that it was written before that time. Because theauthor and his readers belonged to the second generation of Christians, it had to have been writtenafter A.D. 60. So, the book could have been written anytime between A.D. 60 and A.D. 95. Mostscholars agree on a date before A.D. 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem.

Who wrote it? The author is unknown. What we do know is that the author was well known to hisoriginal recipients. Origen, an early church father said it best, Only God knows who wrote Hebrews.To whom was it written? Throughout the book, the author makes reference to the Old Testament

and assumed his readers knew Jewish sacrificial rituals and the priesthood of the Old Testament. Thiswould show the original audience to be Jewish Christians.

Cultural ContextThese Jewish believers had been persecuted for their new religion. They were now however,considering giving up on Christianity and returning to Judaism, which was legally recognized, unlikeChristianity. The author composed his letter about the superiority of Christ and Christianity and thedanger of turning away to something that was clearly inferior because he knew their situation well.

Literary ContextThe genre of this book is a long, formal letter. It was written in excellent Koine Greek. The letter hassermon-like features, including a rhetorical statement of thesis (1:1-3) and develops step-by-steparguments. The farewell shows that in its present form, it was sent as a letter.

TRANSITION TO INDIVIDUAL STUDY After you have shared with your students the context of Hebrews in the group setting, allow yourstudents 10-15 minutes to explore the Scriptures individually using their study guides. Have themwork through pages 3-5 and then come back together as a group to discuss what they found asthey explored.

Session 1 3

L E A D E R G U I D E


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Conversation (20-25 MINUTES) After your group has had enough time to work its way through the Explore section of the study, bring

your students back together as a group. Now is the time to talk about what they discovered as theyexplored the Scriptures.

Begin by reading the passage together as a group. Allow your students to share some of their thoughtsabout the passage they recorded on page 3 of their study guides. heir quick response questions were:

Verse 3 uses the word radiance to describe Jesus. What do you think that word means?

What is one thought these verses say about Jesus?

hese are thoughts you have at a first glance, so dont spend too much time, but begin teaching yourstudents what types of things to be looking for and picking up on as they study a new passage. heseanswers may alert you to specific areas to focus on later as you dig into those particular verses.

HEBREWS 1:1Call on a volunteer to read Hebrews 1:1. At the top of the Explore Section on page 4, there is a list ofdifferent ways God revealed Himself in the Old estament. he prophets are directly mentioned inthis passage, but help your students think through other ways God communicated and possibly whyGod used that method for that person. You can even call on different students to read the storieslisted. Ask if anyone can recall any other ways God revealed Himself.

Ask for a student to share their answer to the Explore questions about the three people

and how they communicate with them.

he point here is to help your group understand and process why we communicate differently withdifferent people. Generally speaking, we know which method will work best because we know thepeople we are communicating with. Allow this to move into the next question:

What does it say about God that He chooses different ways to speak to different people?

One thought we want students taking away from these verses is that God is a personal God. Not onlydoes He reveal Himself, He knows us better than we know ourselves and He always chooses the bestway to communicate to us.



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While the author of this book isnot named, the evidence pointsto the fact that he was known

by the original recipients ofhis letter. Te evidence alsopoints to the fact that theoriginal audience was JewishChristians. Troughout thebook references are made tothe Old estament, Jewishsacricial rituals, and warningsagainst relying on rituals thatonly point to Christ but are notChrist Himself.

No other book in the Newestament so masterfully

combines teaching from boththe old and new covenant. Tisshows the original audiencewould have been knowledgeablewith both covenants.

Leader Explore

HEBREWS 1:1-2AThe book of Hebrews begins with these words: In many times andin many ways, God spoke. By saying this, the writer refers to thetimes of the Old Testament when God spoke to his people throughthe prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah. They faithfully spoke Godswords to Israel. Now the Messiah has come and filled in the blanks leftby the prophets as Gods perfect spokesman. Jesus is the Prophettheone who declares the Word of God like none other (Deut 18:15).

Our God is the God who speaks. This concept is carried throughoutScripture. God created by speaking. Genesis tells us that the world wasmade from nothing by His word (Gen. 1:1). God delivered to Mosesthe Ten Commandments or the Ten Words. His voice thunderedat Sinai (Heb. 12:19-20), and it calls to the ends of the earth (Is. 41:1-4;Ps. 50:1-6). It is Gods Word that we hide in our hearts and is a lampunto our feet (Ps. 119). He has saved us, proclaimed His holy Word(Is. 43:11-12), and declares the end from the beginning (Is. 46:10).

The New Testament teaches that Jesus is the Word who explains theFather (Jn. 1:1, 18). In Acts 1, we see that Jesus has given His disciplesthe authority to speak and teach the word of Gods kingdom, which is

seen in the tongues of fire and inspired speech at Pentecost. The Godof the Bible speaks; false gods do not speak.

There are two distinct eras of God speaking: the Old and NewTestaments. The first pointed to what would come in the second.Consider 1 Peter 1:10-12: In the Old Testament, believers were givenGods Word little by little. The revelation from God was progressive.Little by little is what the very first term in Hebrews means. Littleby little, and in many ways (such as through direct revelation, dreams,etc.), God spoke long ago. Now God has spoken in the person and

work of Jesus.

Session 1 5


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Conversation

HEBREWS 1:2Read verse 2 and begin your conversation by explaining the words last days. Jesus inaugurated thelast days, which stretches from His first coming to His second coming. his is to make sure studentsarent confused thinking last days is referring to Revelation and the end times.

Ask your group to list ways God communicates to us today. his entire passage teaches us about thesuperiority of Christ. Ask your students how they responded to:

How is Christ a better form of revelation than a prophet or a burning bush?

oday, God has revealed Himself through His Son. Jesus is a better form of revelation because He is God.Where the prophets were given a message and then shared that message, Jesus reveals so much more.No longer do we rely on messengers or signs, we have Jesus, Gods Son and creator of the universe.

he second part of this verse moves from God speaking to His people to God revealing Himself to theworld through His Son.

Ask your group to identify a couple of famous young people that are heirs to a wealthy family. hereare many culturally popular people whose claim to fame is they were born into a wealthy family.Spend a few minutes talking about the differences in the way those people live and the way most of uslive. Carrying a last name or being from a certain family carries weight. here is often a responsibility

that comes with it, whether or not the heir lives up to it is another story.

What does being an heir mean? Why is this significant?

Often times in our culture, an heir benefits off the work done before they were born. his isnt thecase with Christ. Not only is He the appointed heir of all things, He is also the creator of all things.

HEBREWS 1:3-4Call on a volunteer to read the last two verses, 3 and 4. Begin your conversation with the first Explore

question from verse 3.

Write down your understanding of the process described here as making purificationfor sins.

Use the commentary provided to explain how that process was performed by a priest on behalf of thepeople of Israel. While a priest performed the sacrifice, he was never the actual sacrifice. his statementdescribes the what and the why Christ died on the cross. His life wasnt taken from Him by Romansoldiers; it was offered on behalf of His people. His crucifixion was payment for mans sin, our sin. Nolonger would blood sacrifices be required; Christs blood was spilled once and forever paid for sin.



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Tere may not be anothersingle verse that says so muchabout both the person andthe work of Christ than verse3. In just 30 Greek words,we learn more about Christsnature, deity, sustaining powerover the universe, what Heaccomplished as the perfectsacrice, and the fact that Heis seated in glory, ruling overallall in one verse.

Exact representation of Godsnature and being. In ancienttimes, coins were made bypressing a die onto softened,heated metal to make a coin. As the die for a coin pressesinto metal, it leaves the exactrepresentation of the imageon the die, so also the Son isthe exact representation of the

Father. Tey are identical, butthey are not the same thing.Te die is not the same thing asthe coin just as the Son is notthe same person as the Father.

o see the coin is to see the die.

Leader Explore

HEBREWS 1:2B-4In these next 3 verses, the writer of Hebrews tells us seven things aboutthe Son that explain His greatness and superiority.

First, Christ is the appointed heir of all things. This alludes toPsalm 2:8 where the psalmist writes that the Son of David will be giventhe ends of the earth. Christ is the Davidic king whose inheritance isall things, which was a common way of saying everything that is.He is seated at the right hand of God, ruling and reigning as the onewho bears the divine name as the heir of all that exists!

Second, Christ is the one through whom He (God) made the world.He is the divine agent of both revelation (1:2a) and creation (1:2b).In other words, Jesus is the one through whom God the Father hasspoken, as well as the one through whom God the Father has created.

Third, the Son is the radiance of Gods glory. This means that to seeChrist is to see the glory of God. Radiance is not the same thing as thelight (think of the suns light versus the sun itself). Yet through Christ,God is known. Just as the sun illuminates the earth, so also Christradiates the glory of God.

Fourth, the Son is the exact representation of Gods very nature. Wemay be tempted to compare the resemblance between ourselves andour parents to understand this passage. Yet here we see much morebetween the Father and Son than a close resemblance. The key termhere is hypostasis , an uncommon word that means God the Son hasthe same divine nature as God the Father.

Fifth, the writer says that the Son upholds all things by His powerfulword. He does not just create the universe (verse 2), He also controls

and sustains it. All planets, solar systems, stars, galaxies, and quasarsare under His sovereign command. He is not the fabled Atlas, merelyholding up the world; He is its Creator and Commander, as well as theone who will bring about its redemption.

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Conversation

Spend time making sure your group understands that while this statement may only be a half a verse,the implications are life altering. The sacrificial system was necessary in the Old Testament and wasdone continuously. The beauty of Christs sacrifice is that it was permanent. Transition here into thenext question:

Why would the writer record that Jesus sat down at the right hand of the Majesty?

Remind your group that the audience this book was originally intended, Jewish Christians, would havebeen very familiar with the sacrificial system. They would have been accustomed to the regular offeringof sacrifices. The fact that Jesus sat down is important to signify the finality of what He did. The locationof where He sat down is also of great significance. The writer is constantly teaching the supremacy ofChrist. His sacrifice was supreme over all other sacrifices and His position is supreme. The right handsignifies a position of power. Christ rules and intercedes at the right hand of the Father.

As you move into verse 4, allow your group time to share their answers to:

Look back through the entire passage and record each description of Jesus.

There are seven major descriptors listed and all seven can be found in the commentary section. Someyou have already discussed these, but work back through the list again highlighting each. As a groupthink through the implications of each descriptor. Do not just tell your students; help them process the

information on their own.

Ask your group the final question from their exploration time:

What makes the name of Jesus higher than all other names?

Using the commentary, help your group understand why His name is greater and why He is compared tothe angels. As messengers, they are created beings; Christ has always existed. Their message was given;Christ was the message. As heavenly beings, they are close to the Father; but as Son, Christ reigns besidethe Father.

GO DEEPER OPTION: Four additional passages were listed for your group to explore: Matthew 22:41-45,Mark 9:2-8, Luke 5:17-26, John 1:1-18. You can read these together as a group or divide into groups andhave them work together to see how these verses illustrate and affirm the descriptors of Christ used by thewriter of Hebrews.



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Leader Explore

Sixth, the Son has made purification for sins. This is the first mentionof a major theme in HebrewsJesus sacrifice for sins. This drawsour attention to the death of Christ for all of us. Making purificationfor sins is something that a priest does, especially on the Day ofAtonement (Lev. 16). Yet no earthly priest ever offered himself as asacrifice for sins.

Seventh, after He made purification for sins (crucifixion), He sat downat the right hand of the Father in heaven (ascension). The Son is exaltedto the right hand of the throne of God where He both rules andintercedes as King and Priest and speaks Gods word as the Prophet.Right hand of God describes the supremacy of Christ and alludesto Psalm 110:1, quoted often in Hebrews. He lives and rules with thepower of God his Father, doing so with all authority as the one whobears Gods own name (1:4).

Verse 4 concludes the opening sentence of Hebrews and with it theintroduction to this book. After listing seven things about Christ,he concludes by stating: the Son through whom God has spoken isgreater than the angels. It may seem puzzling why he suddenly bringsup angels here, but it will become clear next week when we examine

Hebrews 2:1-4. He wants us to understand two further things aboutGod the Son.

First, Christ is better than the angels. Angels are important messengersof Godthey do many things in the Bible, but mostly deliver messagesfor God to people (Gen. 18-19; Lk. 2:13; 24:4-7; Acts 1:11). Yet no angelcould ever be described by these seven things. Further, angels werecreated, while God the Son has always existed.

Second, Christ has inherited from his Father a better name than the

angels. What is this better name? Some have said that the name Heinherits is Son and that He is granted the name of Son in the senseof ascending to the position of ruler at the right hand of God.

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Application (10-15 MINUTES)

CENTRAL TRUTHJesus Christ is God and reigns supreme over all things in the universe. Allow your group to discuss and try to sum up the main truth coming from this passage in Hebrews.It is important to see how God is speaking to the students in your group. After they have shared theirthoughts, walk through the Central Truth and ask how that truth impacts their daily lives.

NOW WHAT?Lead students through a discussion of the following questions to help them understand theimplication of the Central Truth and how that truth applies to their lives. These questions should helpyour students examine how well their lives display their belief in the superiority of Christ. The secondquestion will likely be a yes for most of the students in your group. Spend some time helping themplace their actions beside their beliefs to see if they match up. Our actions are the true test to what webelieve. It is easy to say you believe in Jesus, or you trust Jesus, but the reality of our actions do notalways support what we say.

Why do you think the writer spent these verses explaining the greatness andsuperiority of Jesus?

Do you personally believe these things to be true?

Do your actions agree with that?

If Jesus is superior, if He is truly Gods Son, what keeps us from trusting Him completelywith our lives?

Encourage students to use the last statement to list action steps they need to take in light of the CentralTruth. Invite them to share their answers. The goal is to help students begin thinking through this on theirown so they can read and apply the Bible on their own. God speaks powerfully through His Word, and

helping your students understand that and see the implications will help them more than simply tellingthem what they should do next.

List 3 areas of your life where you arent trusting Jesus completely and how you canbegin moving in that direction.



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PERSONAL CHALLENGEFinish your group time with these thoughts and encourage your students to memorize the verse listedthis week. Memorizing Gods Word allows it to dwell in us and allows Him to speak through His Wordin our times of need. Also encourage your group to take advantage of the Keep on Digging sectionand spend some time this week studying other passages that describe Jesus.

Dwell: Jesus isnt simply another good man, good teacher, or religious figure. He is God in flesh. Heis also our Redeemer. Spend time this week thinking about that one thoughtJesus is both Godand Redeemer.

Memorize: Hebrews 1:2a

Pray: Ask God to reveal Himself to you this week. As you seek Him daily, ask for ears to listen andstrength to obey. Trust that His way truly is the best way.

Keep on Digging: Read the following verses and note how Jesus is described: Matthew 22:41-45 Mark 9:2-8 Luke 5:17-26 John 1:1-18

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STUDY PLAN

2014-2015

Hebrews

Esther, Ezra, Nehemiah

Minor Prophets

1, 2, 3 John, Revelation

2015-2016

Genesis (part 1)

Matthew (part 1)

Acts

1 Samuel

2016-2017

1, 2 Peter, Jude

Genesis (part 2)

Matthew (part 2)

Jeremiah & Lamentations

FALL

WINTER

SPRING

SUMMER

To discover more about Explore the Bibleand what is coming for all ages, go to

LifeWay.com/ExploreTheBible

Studying the Bible book-by-book may seem daunting. Tat's why Explore the Bible is designed around a three-year study plan.Every type of biblical literature will be covered to provide a balanced view of Scripture.

Book-by-book study for all ages. Each week, adults and students study the same passage of Scripturewhile kids study the same concept in the same book, incorporating related narrative from throughoutthe Bible to create a kid-friendly lesson.

Memory verse for all ages. A Bible memory verse helps everyone from babies to adults dwell togetheron each weeks concept.

EXPLORE THE BIBLEWITH GROUPS OF ALL AGES


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Pricing subject to change without notice.

Only $2.99 Multiple Bible Translations Available on all iOS and Andriod devices

STUDENT AND LEADER APPS


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Let the Word dwell in yo u.

Visit LifeWay.com/ExploreTeBible to download the rst four sessionsof the Fall 2014 resources for all ages.

PERSONAL STUDY GUIDE

HebrewsFall 2014 > HCSB

DavidJeremiah,GeneralEditor

ADULTS

HebrewsPersonal Study Guide > Fall 2014 DavidJeremiah,GeneralEditor

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HebrewsPersonal Study Guide > Fall 2014David Jeremiah, General Editor

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