Hillcrest Student Ministry: Recent Episodes
Jack Hickey
Hillcrest Student Ministry podcast is designed to educate, equip, and encourage students in the word of God to carry out the mission of God by spreading His glory throughout all the world.
It’s important to understand the discipline of the Lord. God disciplines those He loves, and His discipline is always for our good. God disciplines us to produce greater holiness in our lives. As we experience God’s discipline in our lives, we must always remember it is for His glory and our good.
Chapter 12 transitions to some practical application for the present. Building off the momentum from chapter 11, the author encourages his readers to consider those who have run the race of faith before them and to run well. God does not call Christians to simply “get by” in this life. He calls us to run with endurance and to run well.
The author concludes this chapter of faith examples by mentioning a few more names, and then by telling how some people have experienced great victories as well as great suffering for their faith. The point of Hebrews 11 is to show us that God’s people have always lived by faith. No matter the situation in life, God works to produce in us a greater faith in Jesus.
Everyone has to make decisions in life. But what guides our decision making? Looking at the examples of Moses, Joshua, and Rahab, we see that Christians are to make decisions based on their faith in God. Although we may know know exactly what our lives will look like, we have faith in God and make decisions in life that honor Him.
Hebrews 11:6 defines faith as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” In these verses, the author considers the faith of the patriarchs of Israel. From Abraham through Joseph, God’s promises were hoped for, and although they died without receiving the promises, they knew they were coming. They lived as strangers and exiles on the earth as they looked forward to their heavenly homeland. We as Christians must understand that earth is not our home. God has promised an eternal home for those whose faith is in Him. We are to keep our eyes fixed on heaven as we live as pilgrims on this earth.
The author of Hebrews has shown up to this point that everything about the Old Covenant pointed to and found its fulfillment in Jesus. We obtain righteousness not through works of the law, but through faith. After quoting Habakkuk, that the righteous live by faith, the author defines faith and begins to give Old Testament examples of those who had faith that pleased God.
In this warning passage, the author of Hebrews warns those who know the full truth of the gospel and are on the verge of receiving Christ to not reject Christ. Those who reject Christ after knowing the whole truth will receive a greater judgment from God. Those who know the truth know the promises in store for those who trust Christ. This is the hope we have, and we are able to endure through faith in Christ.
Christ has made a way for believers to confidently approach God. Because we can approach God, there are some things we are to do. We come to God with a clean heart. We are to hold fast to the confession of our hope. And we are to stir up one another in gospel community. Because Christ has given us access to God, let us commit ourselves to Him.
The author of Hebrews has compared the Old Covenant God made with Israel at Sinai to the New Covenant He has made in Jesus. One of the key differences between the two covenants is that the sacrifice Christ made was made only once and cannot nor does it need to be repeated. What makes Christ’s sacrifice so unique, and how was Jesus able to make His sacrifice once and for all? Hebrews 10 helps us to understand Christ’s sacrifice even more.
If you were to ask any Christian, they could probably give you a summary of what Christ has done for us — died for our sins, rose on the third day, gave us eternal life, etc. But do we truly understand the depths of what Jesus’ sacrifice means and has really done for us? Hebrews 9:11-28 helps us to understand what the blood of Christ has really done for us.
The temple (the worship of God) was the center of the life of Israel. God gave Israel instructions as to how they were to worship Him. Worship according to the old covenant, however, was incomplete. Everything about the temple, sacrificial system, etc. was a symbol pointing to our need for a Redeemer - Jesus Christ. God established a new covenant in Jesus, and we no longer focus on a place but a person for worship. Whereas access to God was extremely limited in the old covenant, Jesus has given us direct access to God through Him. Now all people are able to approach God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Most often when we think about Christmas, we immediately think of the birth narratives found in the Gospels, as we should. Have you ever thought of Hebrews 8 as a Christmas passage? You certainly should! Hebrews 8 tells us the reason Jesus came to earth — God established a new covenant with His people in Jesus Christ. As you think about Christmas, deepen your understanding of why we celebrate Christmas. We rejoice in the Savior’s birth because He has come and God has established a new covenant with His people so that we might be saved from our sins.
2 key characteristics make Jesus the superior priest to all others: His permanence and His perfection. Jesus is superior to all priests before Him because he continues forever. His sinlessness sets Him apart from those priests who had to first offer sacrifices for their own sins before doing so for the people. Because Jesus is the perfect and permanent priest, He is able to save us — and He saves us completely. Jesus is the superior priest, and He alone is worthy of all worship.
Perfect is a word we overuse in our world, and we have lessened the meaning of the word. The author of Hebrews uses the word in its true sense to describe the priesthood of Jesus. Jesus is a perfect priest who has a perfect priesthood. He came to replace the Levitical priesthood of Israel and to fulfill what was lacking in it. Because Jesus is a perfect priest of the order of a perfect priesthood, He has done what no other priest could ever do: give us access to God.
In order to understand more fully the salvation Jesus gives, we need to have an understanding of His priesthood. Jesus as our high priest has offered Himself as the sacrifice for our sins. For us to understand this better, we need to know who Melchizedek is. Without a grasp of Melchizedek, we cannot fully comprehend or appreciate the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross.
After a harsh warning to those on the fence, having received the full revelation of God, yet still not committing to Christ, the author of Hebrews provides assurance to those believers who have truly believed and trusted in Christ. Believers can be certain of God’s promises to us. God has proven Himself faithful, and He will keep every promise He has made.
This section of verses is one of the most difficult and troubling passages in the New Testament. A person can hear the truth again and again, yet without ever making a commitment to Christ, and through rejecting the truth, that person develops a hard heart towards God. Through persistent refusal to listen to God, a person can reach a point where they no longer can repent — whether that be through their eventual death or through their debased mind that refuses to acknowledge God (Rom. 1:21-28). A serious passage like this calls for us to examine our lives and to evaluate whether we are growing love for Christ or dullness toward Him.
The writer to the Hebrews addresses the problem of spiritual immaturity. Trying to explain the priestly ministry of Jesus after the order of Melchizedek, he has to pause before going any further because these Jews were too immature to understand the deeper teachings of God. Christians are not to remain as spiritual babies, only focusing on the basic principles of the faith, but we are to grow up. God calls us to spiritual maturity, and we have the responsibility to pursue growth in Christ.
Jesus is our perfect high priest. He has met all the qualifications necessary in order to be our high priest. We no longer need anyone to act on our behalf before God because Jesus is the perfect high priest forever. He alone is the way people can have atonement for their sins. Because of the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, those who trust in Him can have eternal salvation. As we walk through this life, we can trust in our perfect high priest, Jesus Christ, being confident that He remains our high priest forevermore.
The end of Hebrews 4 begins to get at the heart of what one of the main themes of Hebrews is — the perfect priesthood of Jesus. These familiar verses are rich and encouraging to the believer. Jesus Christ has made a way for sinners to confidently approach the throne of God. Jesus is our Great High Priest indeed.
After warning not to follow the example of Israel’s disobedience and unbelief, the author focuses on the rest God provides for His people. The opportunity to enter God’s rest still remains, so we must be diligent to seek that rest. Don’t ignore the voice of God, but listen to Him, and trust in the promises He makes to His people.
After examining how Jesus is greater than Moses, the author of Hebrews refers to one of the most significant items in Israel’s history — their wandering in the wilderness. Israel wandered for 40 years and the unbelieving generation did not enter the Promised Land because of their unbelief. The challenge from this passage of Scripture is for us not to harden our hearts toward God as the Israelites did so that we may enter into the eternal rest God promises for His people who trust in Him.
Moses was one of the most significant people in the Old Testament. God used Moses to deliver the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, to establish a covenant with His people at Mt. Sinai, and to lead His people to the Promised Land. Although Moses was a righteous man and had a great ministry, he pointed to someone far greater than himself — Jesus. How is Jesus greater than Moses, and why does it matter for us? Hebrews 3:1-6 compares Jesus to Moses and shows the absolute superiority Jesus has even over Moses.
Christians believe that Jesus is the Savior of the world, and we believe Jesus is perfect. But how do we know that Jesus is our perfect Savior? Are those just comforting words for Christians, or is Jesus actually the perfect Savior for mankind? What qualifies Jesus to be our Savior? This section of verses explains how Jesus is able to be our perfect Savior.
God’s intended destiny for mankind was for them to rule over creation. However, as a result of sin, this destiny was lost. The only way man’s destiny can be recovered is by Jesus Christ. Jesus came to recover man’s destiny, and one day mankind will rule with Jesus in the new creation.
The greatest tragedy a person can experience is neglecting God’s offer of salvation, drifting through life and into an eternity in hell. Our tendency is to drift, and therefore, we need to pay close attention to the message of salvation given to us through God’s superior revelation in Jesus Christ. You can know all the facts about Jesus. You can even believe them to be true. Yet if the gospel message of salvation does not change your life, you’re heading towards God’s eternal punishment for sin. Let it not be said of you that you neglected salvation.
In the first chapter of Hebrews, the author establishes the superiority of Christ to all things. Using 7 Old Testament passages, the author details the relationship between Jesus Christ and angels and shows how Jesus is far superior to angels.
The letter to the Hebrews is a book rich in theology and centered on the person and work of Jesus Christ. In the prologue, the author sets the stage for the rest of the book by explaining how Jesus Christ is God’s superior and final revelation. Join us as we study the book of Hebrews and see how Jesus is greater than everything.
John mentions 3 men in his third letter who serve as examples for Christians — 2 positive and 1 negative. We should support those who are faithful servants of Christ seeking to advance the truth of the gospel. We should not get in the way of gospel advancement but support it. When facing opposition, we ought not to imitate evil but imitate good.
John addresses similar topics he did in 1 John and challenges believers to walk in truth and love. He then warns of those who have gone out into the world who are deceiving others, leading them away from the truth. It is crucially important for Christians to know the truth and live according to the truth, loving one another, and having nothing to do with false teachers.
The Apostle John wrote this letter so believers could know some things. He wanted believers to be certain of their salvation. As John concludes this letter, he gives 5 certainties that believers can have in Christ.
What is the testimony concerning Jesus? Was Jesus really the one sent from God? Is His testimony reliable? In this text, John presents the reality of the testimony, the reasons to believe it, and the results of believing the testimony of Jesus Christ.
John addresses a theme that is interwoven throughout this letter: faith, love, and obedience. These give evidence that a person truly is a Christian and belongs to God. Can you see these evidences in your life?
If you were to die today, do you have confidence before God that you would spend eternity with Him in His love? Do you have assurance that you are saved from your sins? John provides 3 evidences that give the believer assurance of salvation.
Love is a word that is over-used in our culture today. What does love even mean? What does love look like? John states that God is love (v. 8). God defines love because He is the source of love. In this text, we examine the love of God, and more importantly, the God of love.
Does it matter what you believe? Is it okay to believe whatever you want as long as you’re sincere about it? Is there truth, and how can you recognize what is true? The Apostle John instructed believers to “test the spirits to see whether they are from God” (v. 1). Christians need to use discernment as we navigate a world of unbelief and live in a culture that rejects truth.
What is a way to prove a person is truly a Christian? John describes the love that Christians ought to have for one another that is produced by God. Christians are not marked by hatred, but by love for one another.
What does it mean to be a child of God? John makes a distinction between children of God and children of the devil and explains the characteristics of each one. Children of God are prepared for the return of Christ because they live righteous lives. Children of the devil make a practice of sin and are characterized by sinfulness. Are you a child of God, and are you living a life of righteousness as evidence of that?
There are many deceivers in the world who seek to oppose truth. By adding to truth, taking away from truth, undermining it, or altogether rejecting it, truth is attacked. As God’s people, we know there is truth, and we know God is true. How do we discern truth in an age of deception? John was concerning with this same issue in his day. We can recognize false teaching from deceivers by knowing and living according to the truth.
The Apostle John gave a command for believers not to love the world. Christians cannot say they love God and at the same time have love for the world. To love the ways of the world is to make yourself an enemy of God. One of the most important questions any Christian can consider is this — what do you love?
Christians are commanded to love others, especially other believers. This is a fundamental truth believers learn upon becoming a Christian. This is an old commandment that Jesus enables us to do in a new way.
God is just. He always does what is right. We can trust God to do what is right because being just is one of His attributes. Since God always does what is right, how do we make sense of God forgiving sinners? How can God be just and at the same time allow sinners into heaven?
Have you ever had doubts about salvation? Have you ever wondered if you could really know that you are saved? The Apostle John provides a test to help each of us examine ourselves so that Christians can know they are saved.
In 1 John 1:1-4, John gave strong testimony to the fact that Jesus actually came in the flesh. He was combatting false teaching about the humanity of Jesus. But why does Jesus’ humanity matter? We explore that in this episode that provides supplementary teaching on 1 John 1:1-4.
Some people claim to have fellowship with God, yet their lives look nothing like what God expects of His people. If you claim to have fellowship with God, your life should prove it. Sin — walking in darkness — should not characterize any person who claims to belong to God. In order for a Christian to faithfully “walk in the light as he is in the light” (v. 7), that person must have an understanding of the holiness of God. This sermon challenges people to consider the holiness of God and to evaluate their own lives to see whether or not they are walking in the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ.