Study Passage: Hebrews 6:9-20

Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of
better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so
as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one
greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will
bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.

19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that
enters into the inner place behind the curtain, 20 where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Study Passage: Luke 24:13-35

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus,
about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other
about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and
discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But
their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding
with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one
of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know the things that have happened there in these
days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning
Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and
word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers
delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we
had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it
is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women
of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning,
23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they
had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of
those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women
had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones,
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it
not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his
glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to
them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted
as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay
with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went
in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the
bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were
opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32
They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked
to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” 33 And they rose
that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and
those who were with them gathered together, 34 saying, “The Lord has risen
indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened
on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Study Passage: Hebrews 6:4-12

4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened,who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt.

7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned.

9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of
better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Study Passage: Matthew 9:35-38

35 And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Study Passage: Hebrews 5:11-6:3

About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have
become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers,
you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles
of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is
unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is
for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by
constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

6:1Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to
maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and
of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of
hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will
do if God permits..

Study Passage: Hebrews 5:1-10

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on
behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was
appointed by him who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
6 as he says also in another place,
“You are a priest forever,
after the order of Melchizedek.”
7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications,
with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Study Passage: Hebrews 4:11-16

[11] Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. [12] 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. [13] And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

[14] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Study Passage: Hebrews 4:1-11

Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,
“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest,’”
although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For
he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way: “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this passage he said, “They shall not enter my rest.”
6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly
received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”
8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on.
9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.
11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience.

Study Passage: Hebrews 3:7-19

7 Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
8 do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
on the day of testing in the wilderness,
9 where your fathers put me to the test
and saw my works for forty years.
10 Therefore I was provoked with that generation,
and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart;
they have not known my ways.’
11 As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall not enter my rest.’”

12 Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart,
leading you to fall away from the living God. 13 But exhort one another
every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened
by the deceitfulness of sin. 14 For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed
we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
15 As it is said,
“Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

16 For who were those who heard and yet rebelled? Was it not all those
who left Egypt led by Moses? 17 And with whom was he provoked for forty
years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness?
18 And to whom did he swear that they would not enter his rest, but
to those who were disobedient? 19 So we see that they were unable to
enter because of unbelief

Study Passage: Hebrews 3:1-6

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider
Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was
faithful in all God's house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory
than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor
than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder
of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant,
to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful
over God's house as a son.

And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our
boasting in our hope.