The WORTHSHIP of Jesus in Hebrews
DISCIPLESHIP CONTENT
Higher
Hebrews 1-2
" ...who for a little while was made lower..."
- Hebrews 2:9
- Hebrews 2:9
Summary
- Jesus is the Word and the Light — God has spoken through Him, and His radiance outshines every other voice.
- Jesus is Higher — exalted above angels, enthroned in glory, the exact imprint of God’s nature.
- Jesus was made Low — He took on flesh, suffered with us, defeated death, and now sings in our midst.
Passages used in this sermon:
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Discipleship Questions
God's Heart
Who is God? What has He done?
- Read Hebrews 1:1–3. What does it mean that Jesus is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact imprint of His nature?
- Read Hebrews 1:4–14. What does the author say about Jesus being “higher than the angels”? Why does that matter for our worship?
- Read Hebrews 2:9–10. How does Jesus’ willingness to suffer death reveal the heart of God toward us?
INSIGHT: Jesus is worthy of our worship — not just because He is higher, but because He was willing to be made low. The same radiant Word who upholds the universe by His power stepped into our weakness to rescue us by His grace.
Our Heart
Who Am I & Who Are We in Light of Christ?
- When you consider God’s glory - the radiance of Christ, the One higher than angels - who are you in comparison? Dust? Failing? Finite? How does that frame your need for a Saviour?
- Read Isaiah 6:5 and reflect on your own response to God’s holiness. Have you ever felt “undone” by how far above you He is?
- If we were made to worship something higher, how does our community reflect that calling? Do we live as those drawn upward by glory - or dragged downward by distraction?
INSIGHT: We were separated by sin — dust, failing, and far from God — but Jesus dared to draw near. He stepped down from the heavens and entered the fight. He tasted death for us so we could live in awe and worship again.
Repent & Believe
Old Self & New Heart
- Where have you lost sight of Jesus’ radiance and treated Him like just another voice instead of the exact imprint of God’s nature?
- What pride or self-reliance do you need to turn from - the kind that forgets you’re dust - and instead cling to the one who came low for you?
- Where is your worship half-hearted? Where have you lost sight of the true worth of Christ?
ACTION: Turn from low thoughts of Jesus and high thoughts of self. Repent of pride and forgetfulness — and believe again that Christ, higher than all, came lower than you could ever imagine to bring you home.
Live it Out
What Flows Out of My New Heart?
- What is one way you can lift your eyes this week - in Scripture, song, or prayer - to worship Jesus for who He really is?
- When suffering or weakness comes, how can you remind yourself (or someone else) that Jesus entered that place too, and is not far off?
- What would it look like to reorient your weekly rhythms so that worship isn’t just part of Sunday, but the posture of your whole life?
PRAY: Jesus, You are higher than all, and yet You stooped lower than I can comprehend. Lift my eyes to You again this week. Let me not forget Your worth. Let me not be casual with Your glory. Help me worship You with awe — and help me lead others there too. Amen.
Deeper
Hebrews 3-4
"Let us therefore be zealous to enter that rest"
- Hebrews 4:11
- Hebrews 4:11
Summary
- Jesus is worthy of our worship in the wilderness.
- Jesus passed the test and trusted in the wilderness perfectly on our behalf
- Jesus is our garden-rest in the wilderness
Primary Passage: Hebrews 3-4
Other Passages: Psalm 95:7–11, Luke 4:1–13, Psalm 23:4, Isaiah 40:31, Genesis 2:1–3, Matthew 11:28–29, Hebrews 1:1–2
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Discipleship Questions
God's Heart
Who is God? What has He done?
- Read Hebrews 3:7–11. What does it show us about God’s response to unbelief and disobedience in the wilderness?
- Read Hebrews 3:15–19. How does God’s call to listen and trust reveal His desire for relationship, not just rule-following?
- Read Hebrews 4:14–16. What does it reveal about God’s heart that Jesus, our great high priest, has passed through the heavens and invites us to draw near with confidence?
INSIGHT: God is a good Father who calls us to come to Him and trust Him - even when the wilderness feels dry and He feels distant. He speaks. He offers rest. And He sent His Son to walk through the wilderness for us, to pass through the heavens for us, and to bring us boldly into His presence.
Our Heart
Who Am I & Who Are We in Light of Christ?
- What we love, we worship. What do you love and give your allegiance to that reveals something about your identity as a worshipper?
- If we don't listen and trust God's voice in the wilderness, our hearts will harden and go astray. Why?
- Do you remember a season of wilderness where you were tested, and it's only after that you realise God was teaching you something about him or yourself?
INSIGHT: In Christ, we are worshippers shaped by what we love, tested in the wilderness, and sustained by God’s voice - not just as individuals, but as a people learning to trust him together.
Repent & Believe
Old Self & New Heart
- What is your biggest 'test' at the moment. Does it feel like a trap - if so, what are you believing about God that is not true?
- Does your heart feel numb, dull or affectionless toward God in any areas of your life? How is this inhibiting your worship of Jesus?
- Are there areas of your life you are 'forgetting God' because it's going well? How can you involve him more in the blessing?
ACTION: Repent of the lies you’ve believed about God in the wilderness - that He is absent, that He doesn’t care, or that your heart is too hard to change. Believe that Christ has gone before you, that your new heart is alive to Him, and that His voice is still speaking, softening, and sustaining you today.
Live it Out
What Flows Out of My New Heart?
- Create space this week to hear God’s voice - set aside a specific time and place to slowly read Hebrews 3–4 and respond in prayer.
- Be honest about your heart - tell Jesus where you’re feeling dry, doubtful, or distracted, and ask Him to soften your heart again.
- Invite gospel exhortation - reach out to a trusted friend and ask them to speak God’s truth into your life, especially in the areas you’re struggling to believe.
🙏🏻 PRAY: Lord Jesus, thank You that You were tested in the wilderness and passed every trial with perfect trust and obedience. Where I fail, You were faithful. Where I grumble, You trusted. Where I wander, You stayed the course. Teach me to see You not just as my example but as my substitute—the One who faced the wilderness for me and invites me now to walk with You through mine. Help me to trust Your voice, remember Your grace, and follow You with a soft heart. Amen.
Nearer
Hebrews 5-6
We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,
where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
- Hebrews 6:19–20.
where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
- Hebrews 6:19–20.
Summary
We can draw near to God in worship because Jesus is;
Primary Passage: Hebrews 5-6
Other Passages: Exodus 33 : 20 · Hebrews 4 : 15 · Hebrews 5 : 7-10 · Hebrews 7 : 11 · Psalm 34 : 8 · Romans 5 : 8 · Matthew 11 : 28-30 · Matthew 27 : 51 · Hebrews 1 : 3 · Hebrews 6 : 19-20 · Hebrews 13 : 12 · 1 Corinthians 6 : 17 · 1 Peter 2 : 9 · 2 Peter 2 : 9 · Genesis 14
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- the Perfect Priest, holy enough to stand in our place and make proximity with God possible.
- the Gentle Priest, dealing tenderly with our weakness and inviting us to grow in His likeness.
- the Forever Royal Priest, securing eternal access to God’s presence for all who draw near through Him.
Primary Passage: Hebrews 5-6
Other Passages: Exodus 33 : 20 · Hebrews 4 : 15 · Hebrews 5 : 7-10 · Hebrews 7 : 11 · Psalm 34 : 8 · Romans 5 : 8 · Matthew 11 : 28-30 · Matthew 27 : 51 · Hebrews 1 : 3 · Hebrews 6 : 19-20 · Hebrews 13 : 12 · 1 Corinthians 6 : 17 · 1 Peter 2 : 9 · 2 Peter 2 : 9 · Genesis 14
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Discipleship Questions
God's Heart
Who is God? What has He done?
Read Hebrews 5:1-10 and Hebrews 6:13-19
Read Hebrews 5:1-10 and Hebrews 6:13-19
- Who is God revealed to be in this passage?
- What has God done to make a way for sinners to draw near to His holiness?
- How has Jesus, our Great High Priest, perfectly fulfilled what every earthly priest could never achieve?
INSIGHT: God’s holiness once made His presence unreachable, yet His heart has always been toward nearness. In sending His Son, the Father stepped through the curtain Himself. Jesus’ obedient suffering and perfect righteousness open a relationship that no effort or ritual ever could.
Our Heart
Who Am I & Who Are We in Light of Christ?
Read Hebrews 5:11-6:12
Read Hebrews 5:11-6:12
- Who am I in light of Jesus’ perfection and gentleness?
- Where have I become “dull of hearing,” preferring a comfortable distance instead of deeper intimacy with Him?
- What are we called to grow together in, in Christ?
INSIGHT: The nearness of Jesus softens hard hearts. When we taste His goodness, worship shifts from duty to delight. Together we become a community marked not by distance or dullness but by appetite - a people who feast on His presence and mirror His gentleness.
Repent & Believe
Old Self & New Heart
- Where have I believed that my record or performance earns me access to God?
- Where have I imagined that Jesus’ gentleness excuses immaturity instead of inviting transformation?
- Where have I believed that His presence is limited or temporary — that I could somehow lose His nearness?
ACTION: Repent of believing you must earn God’s nearness, and trust instead that Jesus’ perfection is your qualification.
Repent of treating grace as permission for distance, and receive His gentleness as an invitation to grow closer.
Repent of doubting His permanence, and believe that His resurrection keeps the curtain open forever.
Repent of treating grace as permission for distance, and receive His gentleness as an invitation to grow closer.
Repent of doubting His permanence, and believe that His resurrection keeps the curtain open forever.
Live it Out
What Flows Out of My New Heart?
- Draw near daily in worship - not as obligation but as response to the One who first drew near to you.
- Remember Jesus' gentleness with you and let it flow out to others, reflecting the Priest who deals tenderly with weakness.
- Hold fast to hope when trials press, remembering that your soul is anchored in Christ behind the curtain.
🙏🏻 PRAY: Father, thank You that through Jesus, our Perfect, Gentle, and Forever Priest, the curtain is torn and access is open.
Lord Jesus, You drew near first - teach us to live near You, growing in hunger for Your presence and confidence in Your mercy.
Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with faith and fruit, that our worship would overflow in gentleness, hope, and joy.
Keep us anchored to Christ, and let every breath of our lives declare that He is worthy. Amen.
Lord Jesus, You drew near first - teach us to live near You, growing in hunger for Your presence and confidence in Your mercy.
Holy Spirit, fill our hearts with faith and fruit, that our worship would overflow in gentleness, hope, and joy.
Keep us anchored to Christ, and let every breath of our lives declare that He is worthy. Amen.
Better
Hebrews 7-8
"Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old — as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.”
- Hebrews 8:6
- Hebrews 8:6
Summary
Christ is worthy of our worship because He is the Mediator of a better covenant — one built not on human effort but on God’s faithfulness. Through Jesus, the shadow has given way to reality. We can now draw near to God, not with fear or distance, but with confidence and joy, because the covenant has been sealed by His blood and written on our hearts.
Primary Passage: Hebrews 7-8
Other Passages: Hebrews 7:22–27, Hebrews 7:23–27, Hebrews 8:10–12, Hebrews 8:10–13, 2 Timothy 2:13, Psalm 36:5–7, Psalm 103:17–18, Romans 8:38–39
Covenant Passages:
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Primary Passage: Hebrews 7-8
Other Passages: Hebrews 7:22–27, Hebrews 7:23–27, Hebrews 8:10–12, Hebrews 8:10–13, 2 Timothy 2:13, Psalm 36:5–7, Psalm 103:17–18, Romans 8:38–39
Covenant Passages:
- Genesis 1-3 — Adam and the covenant of life.
- Genesis 9 — Noahic covenant, the rainbow as a sign.
- Genesis 12 & 15 — Abrahamic covenant of promise and blessing.
- Exodus 19–24 — Mosaic covenant of law, mediated through priests and sacrifice.
- 2 Samuel 7 — Davidic covenant of eternal kingship.
- Jeremiah 31:31–34 — Promise of the new covenant written on hearts.
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Discipleship Questions
God's Heart
Who is God? What has He done?
Read Hebrews 8:1–6, Jeremiah 31:31–34
Read Hebrews 8:1–6, Jeremiah 31:31–34
- According to Hebrews 8:6, what makes Christ’s ministry and the new covenant “much more excellent” than the old?
- How does God reveal His relational heart in the promise “I will be their God, and they shall be my people”?
- In what ways do you see the “shadow vs. reality” pattern reflected in how God relates to His people across the story of Scripture?
- How do these passages show that God’s desire has always been to dwell with His people, not merely to rule over them?
INSIGHT: God’s holiness once made His presence unreachable, yet His heart has always been toward nearness. In sending His Son, the Father stepped through the curtain Himself. Jesus’ obedient suffering and perfect righteousness open a relationship that no effort or ritual ever could.
Our Heart
Who Am I & Who Are We in Light of Christ?
Read Hebrews 7:22-27
Read Hebrews 7:22-27
- What do these verses teach us about Jesus’ ongoing role as our Mediator and High Priest?
- How does knowing that Jesus “always lives to make intercession” for you shape the way you view your failures or moments of distance from God?
- The old covenant required continual sacrifices; the new covenant rests on Christ’s finished work. How might your worship or daily walk change if you truly lived from that place of rest?
- How does this new covenant deepen your sense of belonging — to God and to His people?
INSIGHT: God’s holiness once made His presence unreachable, yet His heart has always been toward nearness. In sending His Son, the Father stepped through the curtain Himself. Jesus’ obedient suffering and perfect righteousness open a better relationship than any effort or ritual ever could.
Repent & Believe
Old Self & New Heart
- Where are you still living as though your nearness to God depends on your performance rather than His promise?
- What shadows (habits, fears, or false securities) do you still hold on to instead of resting in the reality of Christ’s finished work?
- How can you respond this week in worship and trust, rather than anxiety or self-reliance?
ACTION: Turn from the shadow of self-effort and believe the reality of grace. Jesus has done what the law could never do — He has brought you near. Trust the Mediator who not only stood in your place but lives within you.
Live it Out
What Flows Out of My New Heart?
- What does it practically look like for you to “draw near” to God in this season — in prayer, community, or worship?
- How can your life display the better promises of this covenant in your relationships or your witness to others?
- What might change in your family or community group if everyone began to live from the security of being loved, rather than the pressure to perform?
🙏🏻 PRAY:
Father, thank You for Your steadfast love and faithfulness that never fail.
Jesus, our Mediator, thank You for opening the way into Your presence and writing Your law on our hearts.
Holy Spirit, help us rest in the reality of what Christ has done and live out the beauty of this better covenant — with joy, gratitude, and peace. Amen.
Father, thank You for Your steadfast love and faithfulness that never fail.
Jesus, our Mediator, thank You for opening the way into Your presence and writing Your law on our hearts.
Holy Spirit, help us rest in the reality of what Christ has done and live out the beauty of this better covenant — with joy, gratitude, and peace. Amen.
Fuller
Hebrews 9-10
"But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God”
- Hebrews 10:12
- Hebrews 10:12
Summary
Christ is worthy of our worship because His sacrifice is fuller - not partial, not repeated, but complete. The old system was a shadow, a recurring reminder that our sin-debt was still outstanding. But Jesus, through one final offering, has paid it in full. We are now made clean and called to live a life of worship - not to earn our place, but because we already have one.
Primary Passage: Hebrews 9-10
Other Passages: Leviticus 16, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 12:1, Psalm 51:16–17, Hebrews 3:13, Matthew 26:28, John 19:30
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Primary Passage: Hebrews 9-10
Other Passages: Leviticus 16, Hebrews 1:3, Hebrews 2:17, Hebrews 4:15, Hebrews 7:25, Romans 12:1, Psalm 51:16–17, Hebrews 3:13, Matthew 26:28, John 19:30
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Discipleship Questions
God's Heart
Who is God? What has He done?
Read Hebrews 9:11–14, Hebrews 10:10–14
Read Hebrews 9:11–14, Hebrews 10:10–14
- What does this passage reveal about who God is in contrast to how the old system functioned?
- What does scripture tell us about who God is if he both requires payment for sin, but then is willing to pay it himself?
- What has God done through Christ to completely cleanse us, not only outwardly but inwardly?
INSIGHT: God is not a cruel accountant, tallying up our failures. He is a gracious Redeemer who steps in to pay our debt — in full. The cross is not a partial payment or a deposit — it’s the receipt that says, “PAID IN FULL".
Our Heart
Who Am I & Who Are We in Light of Christ?
Read Hebrews 10:19–25
Read Hebrews 10:19–25
- If your debt has been paid in full, why do you we sometimes live as though we are earning our way back?
- How does knowing I am free from a sin-debt change my approach toward "going on sinning"?
- Why does the author care that we continue to meet together?
INSIGHT: We are not people trying to earn God’s approval — we are people living in response to a sacrifice already made. Our worship is not payment - it’s participation in a new life.
Repent & Believe
Old Self & New Heart
- Where are you still believing you have to “top up” the work of Jesus with your own effort?
- Where have you grown casual toward sin, forgetting the cost of your forgiveness?
- Where are you withholding worship - whether in endurance, obedience, or gathering - because you’ve lost sight of how full Christ’s sacrifice is?
ACTION: Repent of trying to earn what Christ has already bought, and believe again that His sacrifice is enough. Worship not to get closer to God, but because He has already drawn near.
Live it Out
What Flows Out of My New Heart?
- Put sin to death by bringing your temptations into the light with a trusted friend. Remember: grace isn’t permission to sin - it’s power to fight.
- Endure hardship with joy, asking how your trials can become offerings of trust to God.
- Commit to worship with others, knowing the weekly gathering is not just routine - it’s a sacrifice of praise that forms your faith.
🙏🏻 PRAY:
Jesus, thank You that You didn’t offer an animal - You offered Yourself. Thank You that when You said, “It is finished,” You weren’t exaggerating. You paid what I could never repay. You opened what I could never enter. Let my life be a response - not of guilt, but of gratitude. Holy Spirit, help me offer my obedience, endurance, and worship as a living sacrifice - not to earn Your love, but because I already have it. Amen.
Jesus, thank You that You didn’t offer an animal - You offered Yourself. Thank You that when You said, “It is finished,” You weren’t exaggerating. You paid what I could never repay. You opened what I could never enter. Let my life be a response - not of guilt, but of gratitude. Holy Spirit, help me offer my obedience, endurance, and worship as a living sacrifice - not to earn Your love, but because I already have it. Amen.
Stronger
Hebrews 11-12:2
"Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith...”
- Hebrews 12:2
- Hebrews 12:2
Summary
Hebrews 11–12 shows that faith is not powered by our strength, but by Christ himself. The heroes — and the “others” — were ordinary, flawed people whose faith endured because God was faithful. Jesus meets us in weakness, strengthens us in suffering, and empowers us to throw off sin and run the race with endurance. We worship him because he is the strength of our faith, the strength in our weakness, and the strength to endure.
Primary Passage: Hebrews 11-12:2
Other Passages: Romans 8:24–25, Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 11:19, Hebrews 11:26, Hebrews 11:33–37, Hebrews 11:39, 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, Hebrews 6:20, Acts 7:54–60, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 2 Corinthians 3:18
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Primary Passage: Hebrews 11-12:2
Other Passages: Romans 8:24–25, Hebrews 10:22, Hebrews 11:19, Hebrews 11:26, Hebrews 11:33–37, Hebrews 11:39, 2 Corinthians 12:9–10, Hebrews 6:20, Acts 7:54–60, 1 Corinthians 13:12, 2 Corinthians 3:18
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Discipleship Questions
God's Heart
Who is God? What has He done?
Read Hebrews 11:1-3, 19, 26
Read Hebrews 11:1-3, 19, 26
- What do the stories of the heroes from Hebrews 11:1-35 tell us about who God is?
- What do the stories of the 'others' from Hebrews 11:36-40 tell us about who God is?
- What has God done in Jesus that proves he is the founder, perfecter, and strength of our faith?
INSIGHT: God is a faithful, promise-keeper who is sovereign over suffering and strong in our weakness. He acted in Christ to endure the cross, perfect our faith, and fill us with his strength so we can run the race with endurance.
Our Heart
Who Am I & Who Are We in Light of Christ?
Read Hebrews 7:22-27
Read Hebrews 7:22-27
- How does knowing your faith is strong because God is strong reshape the way you see your own inconsistencies, failures, or fears?
- If God is strong in our weakness, where in your life do you tend to see weakness as a flaw instead of a place for God’s power?
- In throwing off weights, what would it look like for your group to honestly name and help each other remove the “weights” that cling closely?
INSIGHT: In Christ, we are not performers trying to earn approval but believers held by a faithful God. We are a people shaped not by strength but by dependence - sons and daughters who run the race together with eyes fixed on Jesus.
Repent & Believe
Old Self & New Heart
- Where are you still trying to “achieve” faith instead of receiving it?
- What weakness are you resisting instead of surrendering to Jesus?
- What sin still clings closely that you need to release because you're already free?
ACTION: Repent of trusting in your own performance, and believe that Christ is the one who strengthens your faith, meets you in weakness, and frees you from sin. Let your worship be a joyful response to the One who endured the cross for you.
Live it Out
What Flows Out of My New Heart?
- Throw off the sin that clings closely. Identify one “weight” from the sermon’s list (bitterness, anger, addiction, gossip, self-pity, control) and take a concrete step to remove it this week.
- Endure joyfully in weakness. When hardship arises, instead of assuming God has abandoned you, consciously say: “This is where he strengthens me.”
- Fix your eyes on Jesus. Practise “spotting” this week - beginning and ending each day with a deliberate gaze toward Christ through prayer or Scripture.
🙏🏻 PRAY:
Jesus, thank you that you are the strength of my faith, not me. Thank you that in my weakness your power is made perfect, and that every hardship becomes a place where you grow courage, trust, and steadfastness in me. Thank you for enduring the cross, wearing the weight of my sin, and freeing me to run the race without fear. Help me throw off every weight, fix my eyes on you, and endure with joy by the power of your Spirit. You are worthy of my worship - today and always. Amen.
Jesus, thank you that you are the strength of my faith, not me. Thank you that in my weakness your power is made perfect, and that every hardship becomes a place where you grow courage, trust, and steadfastness in me. Thank you for enduring the cross, wearing the weight of my sin, and freeing me to run the race without fear. Help me throw off every weight, fix my eyes on you, and endure with joy by the power of your Spirit. You are worthy of my worship - today and always. Amen.