Therefore,

let us offer through Jesus

a continual sacrifice of praise to God,

proclaiming our allegiance to his name. 

Hebrews 13:15

…God has said,

“I will never fail you.

I will never abandon you.”

So we can say with confidence,

“The LORD is my helper,

so I will have no fear.

What can mere people do to me?”

Hebrews 13:5-6

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen

to the One who is speaking.

…we will certainly not escape

if we reject the One who speaks to us from heaven!

“Once again I will shake not only the earth

but the heavens also.”

This means that all of creation will be shaken and removed,

so that only unshakeable things will remain. 

Hebrews 12:25, 26, 27

You have not come to a physical mountain,

to a place of flaming fire, 

darkness,

gloom,

and whirlwind,

as the Israelites did at Mount Sinai.

No, 

you have come to Mount Zion,

to the city of the living God,

the heavenly Jerusalem,

and to countless thousands of angels in a joyful gathering.

…You have come to God himself…

You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven

who have now been made perfect.

You have come to Jesus…

Hebrews 12:18, 22, 23, 24

Therefore,

since we are surrounded 

by such a huge crowd of witnesses

to the life of faith,

let us strip off every weight that slows us down,

especially the sin that so easily trips us up.

And let us run with endurance

the race God has set before us.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus,

the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…

Hebrews 12:1-2

(Big Bend National Park)

Abel…Enoch…Noah…Abraham…Sarah…

All these people died still believing 

what God had promised them.

They did not receive what was promised,

but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it.

They agreed that they were foreigners

and nomads here on earth.

Obviously people who say such things 

are looking forward to a country they can call their own.

…a heavenly homeland.

Hebrews 11:4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 13-14, 16

And since we have a great High Priest

who rules over God’s house,

let us go right into the presence of God

with sincere hearts fully trusting him.

For our guilty consciences

have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean…

Dear friends,

if we deliberately continue sinning 

after we have received knowledge of the truth,

there is no longer any sacrifice

that will cover these sins.

There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment…

It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 10:21-22, 26, 31

…we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place

because of the blood of Jesus.

By his death,

Jesus opened a new and life-giving way

through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.

Hebrews 10:19-20

But because Jesus lives forever,

his priesthood lasts forever.

Therefore he is able,

once and forever,

to save those who come to God through him.

He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

Hebrews 7:24-25

…it is impossible for God to lie.

Therefore,

we who have fled to him for refuge

can have great confidence

as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.

It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

Jesus has already gone in there for us…

Hebrews 6:18-19