Benediction (Hebrews 13:20-25)

First Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 34:1-31

Second Scripture Reading: John 10:1-18

Sermon Text: Hebrews 13:20-25

This morning we conclude our sermon series through the letter of Hebrews, a series that I pray has caused us to better understand God’s eternal plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The letter of Hebrews clearly reveals that Christ is the Sum and Substance of all of God’s Old Covenant promises, and that there is no salvation apart from him. If we have Christ, we have everything. This is the main thing I pray that you retain from this series.

In the first sermon I preached from Hebrews, I concluded with Peter’s words from John 6. In that passage, Jesus spoke one of his “I am” sayings, which was an implicit revelation of his deity, and then taught about God’s sovereign election, declaring “no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father” (John 6:65). Not everyone in the crowd agreed with Jesus. In fact, we read that many of Jesus’ disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. At that point Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Do you want to go away as well?” (John 6:67). What would you have said? May God grant us grace to always answer as Peter did, who in a moment of Spirit-wrought clarity, said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69).