Professional Documents
Culture Documents
1. Introduction
a. Work Experience i. Back in the Philippines One of my early projects was to develop a production scheduling system for a carton plant or corrugated fibreboard box. ii. This manufacturing process is fairly complex as there is need to coordinate the paper, heat, and glue and shape them into boxes. iii. Boxes are made from giant rolls of paper that needs to be glued, and then cut into specific shapes and sizes. The cutting process creates waste. iv. Scheduling system is based on a mathematical model designed to reduce waste paper. v. Process then was manual and a middle aged person prepares the schedule. The basis of schedule or algorithm is based on interviews with this person hence he had substantial input. vi. When we completed the system, he has to be coerced to use it. He was not comfortable with the new technology that promises to deliver superior results vii. Resistance to change It is an issue we faced two decades ago when systems are transitioned from manual to automated processes. b. Mother i. My late mother was an excellent typist. She was a touch typist and can type 60 wpm. ii. My fondest memories as a child was when my father was completing his graduate school and he and my mother stay up late to finish the required term papers, reports, and theses. iii. This relationship persisted and my mother dutifully played her role as wife, mother, and secretary. iv. In the mid-90s my father discovered that personal computers are wonderful gadgets. My brother Jojo helped him with his work as a consultant after he retired. Naturally he wants my mother to upskill by learning how to use MS word. It was a very interesting conversation as my mother refused to learn or even attempt to learn. Shed rather stick it out with our Remington standard typewriter. Word processing is not her cup of tea. c. Examples of resistance to change. i. Stick to the old ways even when something better is available ii. The epistle to the Hebrews is addressed to a group of Jewish believers who want to revert to the old ways. iii. This epistle is the earliest recorded piece of apologetics, that is, defending the faith through a systematic processes.
iv. Hebrews faced head on the challenges imposed by Chrisian Jews who had the tendency to revert to the old ways. v. The writers mission is to prove logically that Christ is better through a systematic presentation of proofs within the Jewish framework. d. Possible authors i. Paul there is a strong argument that Hebrews is a Paulinian epistle. The strong theological arguments makses case. However, it is inconsistent with Pauls style of identifyimg himself in the greetings. The literary style is different. ii. Barnabas one of the first converts to Christianity (Acts 4:3637) 1. Served as Pauls primary travelling companion. 2. Levite from Cyprus was uniquely qualified to write Hebrews iii. Apollos reputed as a learned man with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. (Acts 18:34) 1. Accounts for complete understanding of the Old Testament 2. A well-educated Alexandrian 3. Letter has a philosophical tenor 4. Quotes from the Greek Septuagint
a. Moses is unique. Only man that God has spoken to face-to-face. (Exodus 3:11) b. Has a greater role in Gods house (3:1 6) Moses was a faithful servant IN Gods house. Jesus is the faithful Son OVER Gods house 4. Provides a better rest (4:1 11) 3 kinds of rest a. Rest of Canaan Joshua led them out of the wilderness into the promised land. God gave them rest from the enemies around them (Joshua 23:1) b. Spiritual rest Psalm 95 rest better than the physical rest in Canaan and could be forfeited through disobedience. Better than the one forfeited under Moses and enjoyed through Joshua c. Eternal rest to be enjoyed in the eternal presence of God. (Heb 4:9 10). Lesson for those in the Old Covenant who forfeited the rest because they resisted Gods Word 5. Application Gods graciousness cannot be more apparent when He sent His only Son. The mere fact that this Superior Being made Himself available to become a sacrificed on our behalf is overwhelming
i. The Patriarchs died as nomads but were assured that one day would own the land of Canaan. Without evidence they relied on Gods promise done ii. But in Christ, the historical Jesus, there is evidence. Hence a more solid hope that eternal life is real iii. Better Person (7:1 28) Better priesthood than Aaron 1. Belongs to a higher order (7:1-22) Abraham gave tithe to Melchizedek, priest-king without recorded ancestry, birth, or death 2. Provides salvation they only foreshadowed (7:23 28) Aaronic priests are sinful and weak, sacrifices were imperfect hence have to be repeated 2. The Sanctuary (8:1 9:11) The tabernacle/temple is highly esteemed by the Jews and Jesus is a better sanctuary a. Harbours the Heavenly Reality (8:2-5) b. Provides a Better Priesthood (8:3 6) Compare multiple gifts and sacrifices with 1-time sacrifice of Jesus on the cross
c. Offers Better Access to Gods Presence (9: 1 14) 1. High priests enter the Holy of Holies once a year 2. Forgiveness in OT came through a broken and contrite heart 3. God forgave on the basis of Christs future sacrifice 4. Inward cleansing brought by Christs sacrifice provides direct access to God
3. The Sacrifice (9:15 10:18) writer used the Greek work testament/will to emphasize that it will not be enacted until the one who wrote the testament dies. OT no shedding of blood, no remission of sin. Animal sacrifices are only ceremonial. NT Christs death offered inward cleansing a. Perfect Purification (9:23-26) 1. Animal sacrifice are ceremonial cleansing 2. Death of the Son brought purification b. Final Glorification (9:27 28) 1. Every person is destined to die once and after that face judgement 2. Christ died once but He entered the Heavenly Holy of Holies on our behalf c. Ultimate Victory (10:1 8) 1. OT sacrifices were ordained to teach the seriousness of sin. Mirror that enabled man to view and measure his sinfulness 2. Indispensability of absolute righteousness 3. Costliness of divine forgiveness 4. Application. a. Being Christ-like is more than an exhortation b. It is a choice where we seek spiritual perfection by having Jesus , not men, as a model
Having the mind of Christ is greatest respect we can bestow Christ and our fellow believers because it deals with both horizontal and vertical spiritual dimensions
a. Assurance and promise of Gods security 13:5) b. Jesus constancy (13:8) c. Exclusivity of the altar and it being apart from the Levites (13:10)
4. Application. i. James said in James 2:26 that faith without works is dead. This section is all about the appearance of faith in our lives ii. If we proclaim that we have Jesus in our lives, then there should be a change. A display that manifests itself
5. Conclusion