WEBVTT 00:00:00.520 --> 00:00:03.700 Hello, this is Father Paul, and I'm glad we're 00:00:03.700 --> 00:00:05.740 taking this journey together to read the Bible 00:00:05.740 --> 00:00:08.919 in a year. Today's reading is from the Epistle 00:00:08.919 --> 00:00:11.699 of St. Paul to the Hebrews, chapters 1 through 00:00:11.699 --> 00:00:16.320 4. Chapter 1 God, who at various times and in 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:19.620 various ways spoke in time past to the fathers 00:00:19.620 --> 00:00:23.140 by the prophets, has in these last days spoken 00:00:23.140 --> 00:00:27.070 to us by his Son. whom he has appointed heir 00:00:27.070 --> 00:00:30.750 of all things through whom also he made the worlds 00:00:30.750 --> 00:00:33.369 who being the brightness of his glory and the 00:00:33.369 --> 00:00:36.509 express image of his person and upholding all 00:00:36.509 --> 00:00:39.070 things by the word of his power when he had by 00:00:39.070 --> 00:00:42.369 himself purged our sins sat down at the right 00:00:42.369 --> 00:00:45.210 hand of the majesty on high having become so 00:00:45.210 --> 00:00:48.390 much better than the angels as he has by inheritance 00:00:48.390 --> 00:00:51.609 obtained a more excellent name than they for 00:00:51.609 --> 00:00:54.229 to which of the angels did he ever say you are 00:00:54.229 --> 00:00:57.770 my son Today I have begotten you, and again I 00:00:57.770 --> 00:01:00.149 will be to him a father, and he shall be to me 00:01:00.149 --> 00:01:03.549 a son. But when he again brings the firstborn 00:01:03.549 --> 00:01:06.230 into the world, he says, Let all the angels of 00:01:06.230 --> 00:01:09.209 God worship him. And of the angels he says, Who 00:01:09.209 --> 00:01:12.049 makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a 00:01:12.049 --> 00:01:15.209 flame of fire. But to the son he says, Your throne, 00:01:15.209 --> 00:01:18.090 O God, is forever and ever. A scepter of righteousness 00:01:18.090 --> 00:01:21.010 is the scepter of your kingdom. You have loved 00:01:21.010 --> 00:01:23.650 righteousness and hated lawlessness. Therefore 00:01:23.650 --> 00:01:26.549 God, your God, has anointed you with the oil 00:01:26.549 --> 00:01:30.170 of gladness more than your companions. And you, 00:01:30.250 --> 00:01:32.329 Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of 00:01:32.329 --> 00:01:34.590 the earth, and the heavens are the work of your 00:01:34.590 --> 00:01:37.530 hands. They will perish, but you remain, and 00:01:37.530 --> 00:01:40.310 they will all grow old like a garment. Like a 00:01:40.310 --> 00:01:42.950 cloak, you will fold them up, and they will be 00:01:42.950 --> 00:01:45.849 changed. But you are the same, and your years 00:01:45.849 --> 00:01:48.969 will not fail. but to which of the angels has 00:01:48.969 --> 00:01:52.090 he ever said sit at my right hand till i make 00:01:52.090 --> 00:01:54.750 your enemies your footstool are they not all 00:01:54.750 --> 00:01:57.870 ministering spirits sent forth to minister for 00:01:57.870 --> 00:02:02.849 those who will inherit salvation chapter two 00:02:02.849 --> 00:02:06.209 therefore we must give the more earnest heed 00:02:06.209 --> 00:02:08.969 to the things we have heard lest we drift away 00:02:08.969 --> 00:02:12.030 for if the word spoken through angels proved 00:02:12.030 --> 00:02:15.430 steadfast and every transgression and disobedience 00:02:15.430 --> 00:02:18.750 received a just reward how shall we escape if 00:02:18.750 --> 00:02:21.310 we neglect so great a salvation which at the 00:02:21.310 --> 00:02:24.330 first began to be spoken by the lord and was 00:02:24.330 --> 00:02:27.469 confirmed to us by those who heard him god also 00:02:27.469 --> 00:02:31.229 bearing witness both with signs and wonders with 00:02:31.229 --> 00:02:33.270 various miracles and gifts of the holy spirit 00:02:33.270 --> 00:02:36.389 according to his will For he has not put the 00:02:36.389 --> 00:02:39.550 world to come of which we speak in subjection 00:02:39.550 --> 00:02:42.650 to angels, but one testified in a certain place, 00:02:42.750 --> 00:02:45.810 saying, What is man that you are mindful of him, 00:02:45.849 --> 00:02:48.030 or the son of man that you take care of him? 00:02:48.129 --> 00:02:50.530 You have made him a little lower than the angels, 00:02:50.710 --> 00:02:53.069 you have crowned him with glory and honor, and 00:02:53.069 --> 00:02:55.689 set him over the works of your hands. You have 00:02:55.689 --> 00:02:58.310 put all things in subjection under his feet. 00:02:58.629 --> 00:03:01.530 For in that he put all in subjection under him, 00:03:01.590 --> 00:03:04.560 he left nothing that is not put under him. But 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:07.400 now we do not yet see all things put under him, 00:03:07.479 --> 00:03:10.319 but we see Jesus, who was made a little lower 00:03:10.319 --> 00:03:12.479 than the angels, for the suffering of death, 00:03:12.599 --> 00:03:15.340 crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the 00:03:15.340 --> 00:03:18.000 grace of God, might taste death for everyone. 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:21.099 For it was fitting for him, for whom are all 00:03:21.099 --> 00:03:23.740 things and by whom are all things, in bringing 00:03:23.740 --> 00:03:26.650 many sons to glory, to make the captain of their 00:03:26.650 --> 00:03:29.629 salvation perfect through sufferings. For both 00:03:29.629 --> 00:03:32.370 he who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified 00:03:32.370 --> 00:03:35.789 are all of one, for which reason he is not ashamed 00:03:35.789 --> 00:03:38.650 to call them brethren, saying, I will declare 00:03:38.650 --> 00:03:40.849 your name to my brethren in the midst of the 00:03:40.849 --> 00:03:43.569 assembly, I will sing praise to you. And again, 00:03:43.689 --> 00:03:47.389 I will put my trust in him. And again, here am 00:03:47.389 --> 00:03:50.759 I and the children whom God has given me. inasmuch 00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:53.460 then as the children have partaken of flesh and 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:56.740 blood he himself likewise shared in the same 00:03:56.740 --> 00:03:59.560 that through death he might destroy him who had 00:03:59.560 --> 00:04:02.800 the power of death that is the devil and release 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:05.439 those who through fear of death were all their 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:08.879 lifetime subject to bondage for indeed he does 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:11.759 not give aid to angels but he does give aid to 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:14.770 the seed of abraham therefore in all things he 00:04:14.770 --> 00:04:17.649 had to be made like his brethren that he might 00:04:17.649 --> 00:04:20.569 be a merciful and faithful high priest in things 00:04:20.569 --> 00:04:23.610 pertaining to god to make propitiation for the 00:04:23.610 --> 00:04:26.709 sins of the people for in that he himself has 00:04:26.709 --> 00:04:29.589 suffered being tempted he is able to aid those 00:04:29.589 --> 00:04:35.709 who are tempted chapter three therefore holy 00:04:35.709 --> 00:04:38.709 brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider 00:04:38.709 --> 00:04:41.050 the apostle and high priest of our confession 00:04:41.629 --> 00:04:44.610 Christ Jesus, who was faithful to him who appointed 00:04:44.610 --> 00:04:47.709 him, as Moses also was faithful in all his house. 00:04:48.009 --> 00:04:50.810 For this one has been counted worthy of more 00:04:50.810 --> 00:04:54.050 glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who built the 00:04:54.050 --> 00:04:56.569 house has more honor than the house. For every 00:04:56.569 --> 00:04:59.370 house is built by someone, but he who built all 00:04:59.370 --> 00:05:02.389 things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful 00:05:02.389 --> 00:05:05.310 in all his house as a servant, for a testimony 00:05:05.310 --> 00:05:07.930 of those things which would be spoken afterward. 00:05:08.519 --> 00:05:11.560 but Christ as a son over his own house, whose 00:05:11.560 --> 00:05:15.060 house we are if we hold fast the confidence and 00:05:15.060 --> 00:05:18.879 the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end. Therefore, 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:21.680 as the Holy Spirit says, Today, if you will hear 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:24.620 his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the 00:05:24.620 --> 00:05:27.220 rebellion, in the day of trial in the wilderness, 00:05:27.480 --> 00:05:30.379 where your fathers tested me, tried me, and saw 00:05:30.379 --> 00:05:33.639 my works forty years. Therefore I was angry with 00:05:33.639 --> 00:05:36.720 that generation, and said, They always go astray 00:05:36.720 --> 00:05:39.120 in their heart, and they have not known my ways. 00:05:39.300 --> 00:05:42.160 So I swore in my wrath, they shall not enter 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:45.759 my rest. Beware, brethren, lest there be in any 00:05:45.759 --> 00:05:48.680 of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:51.480 from the living God. But exhort one another daily, 00:05:51.620 --> 00:05:54.620 while it is called today, lest any of you be 00:05:54.620 --> 00:05:57.399 hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For 00:05:57.399 --> 00:06:00.000 we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.019 the beginning of our confidence steadfast to 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:06.100 the end. While it is said, Today, if you will 00:06:06.100 --> 00:06:08.399 hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:11.639 in the rebellion. For who, having heard, rebelled? 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:14.879 Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, 00:06:15.019 --> 00:06:18.519 led by Moses? Now with whom was he angry forty 00:06:18.519 --> 00:06:21.319 years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose 00:06:21.319 --> 00:06:24.269 corpses fell in the wilderness? and to whom did 00:06:24.269 --> 00:06:27.050 he swear that they would not enter his rest but 00:06:27.050 --> 00:06:30.009 to those who did not obey so we see that they 00:06:30.009 --> 00:06:35.750 could not enter in because of unbelief chapter 00:06:35.750 --> 00:06:39.029 four therefore since a promise remains of entering 00:06:39.029 --> 00:06:42.189 his rest let us fear lest any of you seem to 00:06:42.189 --> 00:06:44.990 have come short of it for indeed the gospel was 00:06:44.990 --> 00:06:47.769 preached to us as well as to them but the word 00:06:47.769 --> 00:06:50.769 which they heard did not profit them not being 00:06:50.769 --> 00:06:53.920 mixed with faith in those who heard it for we 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:57.040 who have believed do enter that rest as he has 00:06:57.040 --> 00:07:00.180 said so i swore in my wrath they shall not enter 00:07:00.180 --> 00:07:02.759 my rest although the works were finished from 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:05.199 the foundation of the world for he has spoken 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:07.899 in a certain place of the seventh day in this 00:07:07.899 --> 00:07:11.420 way and god rested on a seventh day from all 00:07:11.420 --> 00:07:14.259 his works and again in this place they shall 00:07:14.259 --> 00:07:17.439 not enter my rest Since therefore it remains 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:20.680 that some must enter it, and those to whom it 00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:23.879 was first preached did not enter because of disobedience, 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:27.220 again he designates a certain day, saying in 00:07:27.220 --> 00:07:30.819 David, Today, after such a long time as it has 00:07:30.819 --> 00:07:33.459 been said, Today, if you will hear his voice, 00:07:33.620 --> 00:07:36.740 do not harden your hearts. For if Joshua had 00:07:36.740 --> 00:07:39.220 given them rest, then he would not afterward 00:07:39.220 --> 00:07:42.720 have spoken of another day. There remains, therefore, 00:07:42.939 --> 00:07:45.579 a rest for the people of God. For he who has 00:07:45.579 --> 00:07:48.860 entered his rest has himself also ceased from 00:07:48.860 --> 00:07:52.360 his works as God did from his. Let us, therefore, 00:07:52.519 --> 00:07:55.660 be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall 00:07:55.660 --> 00:07:58.160 according to the same example of disobedience. 00:07:58.300 --> 00:08:01.279 For the word of God is living and powerful, and 00:08:01.279 --> 00:08:04.459 sharper than any two -edged sword, piercing even 00:08:04.459 --> 00:08:07.459 to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints 00:08:07.459 --> 00:08:10.269 and marrow. and is a discerner of the thoughts 00:08:10.269 --> 00:08:12.870 and intents of the heart. And there is no creature 00:08:12.870 --> 00:08:15.790 hidden from his sight, but all things are naked 00:08:15.790 --> 00:08:18.490 and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give 00:08:18.490 --> 00:08:21.829 account. Seeing then that we have a great high 00:08:21.829 --> 00:08:24.850 priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus 00:08:24.850 --> 00:08:27.529 the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 00:08:27.870 --> 00:08:30.970 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize 00:08:30.970 --> 00:08:33.909 with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted 00:08:33.909 --> 00:08:37.220 as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore 00:08:37.220 --> 00:08:40.220 come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may 00:08:40.220 --> 00:08:43.259 obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of 00:08:43.259 --> 00:08:50.879 need. I hope you enjoyed today's reading as much 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:53.139 as I did and I look forward to seeing you again 00:08:53.139 --> 00:08:55.580 tomorrow to continue on our journey. God bless 00:08:55.580 --> 00:08:56.639 you and have a great day.