Day 2241 – Hebrews-7 – Spiritual Surgery by a Sympathetic Surgeon– Daily Wisdom

Published: Nov. 16, 2023, 8 a.m.

Welcome to Day 2241 of Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom Hebrews-7 Piritual Surgery by a Sympathetic Surgeon – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 05/28/2023 “Spiritual Surgery By A Sympathetic Surgeon” Hebrews 4:12-16 Last week, we continued our extended series through the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. We learned that we need to Stop Churning and Start Resting. Today in Hebrews 4:12-16 We will learn how the Great Physician will perform Spiritual Surgery. Let’s begin by reading today’s passage on page 1866 in the Pew Bibles.    12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Jesus the Great High Priest 14 Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.   Two weeks ago, we learned the author warned the Jewish Christians who were tempted to drift from their devotion to the Messiah, about the dangers of a hard heart (Heb. 3:7–19). Last week, we learned the common symptoms of a calloused heart include the pride and panic that prevent believers from experiencing the healing rest God offers to His children (4:1–11). Therefore, the hardness of the heart continues to be an acute condition that robs believers of faith, love, and hope—the essentials of a healthy Christian life.   Unfortunately, no medication can soften a spiritually hard heart. No physical therapy can reverse a person’s pride. No high-priced physician can perform a spiritual procedure to remove the heart-stopping panic threatening true joy in the Christian life. From a strictly human perspective, there is no treatment for the tendency toward hard-heartedness inherited from our fallen, depraved ancestors.   But don’t despair! Our sympathetic, divine Surgeon, the Word of God incarnate, wields a spiritual precision scalpel—which is the written Word of God. Christ alone is able—and willing—to perform a heart transplant, to remove the “heart of stone” that has become insensitive to spiritual things and replace it with a “heart of flesh” that beats in rhythm with His (Ezek. 11:19). And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive...