Date: April 21, 2024
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 7:20-28

Facilitator Questions: 
 Start thinking:  Ask a question to get your group thinking.

• Read verses 20-21 and 26. Why did God take the unusual step of swearing with an oath?
• Read verses 22-24. How is the New Covenant better than the Old Covenant?
• Read verses 26-28. What do these verses tell us about Jesus, our High Priest?
• Could Melchizedek have been a theophany, or pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus? Bible scholars are divided about this. What do you believe? o A theophany (from Greek theophaneia, “appearance of God”) was a physical manifestation of God before Jesus’ incarnation. The Encyclopedia Britannica says, “In the Old Testament, God is depicted as appearing in human form, in natural cataclysms, in a burning bush, a cloud, or a gentle breeze—forms often associated with the divine “name” or “glory”. . . . The mark of biblical theophanies is the temporariness and suddenness of the appearance of God. . . in a certain place or object.”
• Read chapter 7:1-7. What hints do these verses give about the possibility? Why would Abraham, who knew God intimately and had an exalted position, recognize and honor Melchizedek’s superiority?
• Read chapter 7:14-17. What hints are there?
• Read chapter 7:18-19. Could God have been revealing from the time of Abraham that the future Old Testament priesthood would be temporary and imperfect, and that a perfect priesthood would ultimately come?
• Why would the author of Hebrews go into such detail about such an obscure Old Testament figure? What are we supposed to learn?

Start sharing:  Choose a question to create openness.

• What deeper truths about Jesus have you been learning over the past weeks?
• How certain are you of your ultimate salvation? What doubts, worries or fears do you have about your salvation? How do you manage them?
• What does it mean to you that Jesus always lives to make intercession for those who draw near to God through Him (verse 25)?

Start praying:  Be bold and pray with power.

• Praise and thank Jesus for being our eternal High Priest, who makes us presentable to the Father and always lives to intercede for us.
• Confess any doubts, worries and fears, and ask for grace to believe the Word.
• Pray to know Jesus better and to glorify Him more in your life.
• Pray that many people in our community will come to worship the true God and Savior of the world.

 Start doing:  Commit to a step and live it out this week.

• Memorize Hebrews 7:25.
• Pray every day for the opportunity to share the gospel with someone, and be on the alert

for when it comes.