Portraits of Jesus A Lent Course at Aldridge Parish Church 6 Wednesday evenings 7.45pm – 9.30pm 14th Feb Jesus - the Trailblazer (Letter to Hebrews) 21st Feb Jesus - the History Maker (Luke and Acts) 28th Feb Jesus - the Hidden King (Mark’s Gospel) 7th Mar Jesus - the new Moses (Matthew’s Gospel) 14thMar Jesus - the Lord who Reigns Now (Paul’s letters) 21st Mar Jesus - the Meaning of Life (John’s Gospel)

Creating a Portrait A Portrait is ‘the Remembrance of a Friend’ Portraits attend to the inner life, character and importance of the subject and the artist builds that into how the ‘appearance’ is re-presented. The artist ‘plays’ with the tension between the visual (literal) and the ‘significant’ - which is less tangible, harder to express and usually more important.

A Portrait of Jesus

The Tools of the Literary Portrait Painter The shape of the Text – ‘editor at work’ The Interactions between different characters The selection of language – ‘playing with words’ The adoption of a ‘Point of View’ in the text The invitation to the Reader to be a detective The Scriptural ‘Trinity’ – Text, Readers, Holy Spirit

Jesus - the Trailblazer a portrait of Jesus in the Letter to Hebrews Portraits of Jesus Jesus - the Trailblazer a portrait of Jesus in the Letter to Hebrews

The ‘Shape’ of the Letter to the Hebrews J Jesus God’s son Jesus angels men women Jesus and Judaism Moses High Priest New Covenant Jesus and faith Run looking to Jesus Come to Mt Zion Jesus Jesus has blazed a way to heaven Jewish faith foreshadows Jesus Jesus is ‘better than the best’ of Jewish faith Let us run the race Let us run in faith Do not miss out Live for Jesus 1 v.1 – 10.18 10.19-12.29 13.1-25

The ‘Shape’ of the Letter to the Hebrews J Jesus God’s son Jesus angels men women Jesus and Judaism Moses High Priest New Covenant Jesus and faith Run looking to Jesus Come to Mt Zion Jesus Jesus has blazed a way to heaven Jewish faith foreshadows Jesus Jesus is ‘better than the best’ of Jewish faith Let us run the race Let us run in faith Do not miss out Live for Jesus 1 v.1 – 10.18 10.19-12.29 13.1-25 J Jesus is God’s son, and is better than the Prophets Jesus is higher than angels and also human Judaism was limited,now obsolete Jesus is better than Judaism Moses High Priest New Covenant People lived by faith, looking forward Let us also run the race, looking to Jesus The Finish Welcome to Mount Zion Until we arrive, let us Live for Jesus 1.1- 4 1.5 - 2.18 3.1 - 10.18 10.19-11.40 12.1-17 12.18-29 13.1-25

The ‘Shape’ of the Letter to the Hebrews Do not drift away No hard hearts Hold firmly to faith Care no way back Need to keep going Do not fall short Do not refuse him Do not forget good J Jesus is God’s son, and is better than the Prophets Jesus is higher than angels and mankind Judaism was limited,now obsolete Jesus is better than Judaism Moses High Priest New Covenant People lived by faith, looking forward Let us also run the race, looking to Jesus The Finish Welcome to Mount Zion Until we arrive, let us Live for Jesus 1.1- 4 1.5 - 2.18 3.1 - 10.18 10.19-11.40 12.1-17 12.18-29 13.1-25 Warnings to the Readers

in the Letter to the Hebrews 1. Jesus and the Prophets in the Letter to the Hebrews In the past God spoke through the prophets… In these last days, he has spoken by his Son 1v.1 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory, The exact representation of his being who sat down at the right hand of the Majesty So he became superior to angels 1v.3-4 Where is the clearest picture of what God is like? Better than the Old Testament history… Better than the visions of the prophets… It is Jesus the Son of God Let Jesus improve your picture of God

Jesus is made fully human in every way 2.17 2. Jesus and Humanity in the Letter to the Hebrews Jesus is not ashamed to make people holy… and calls them brothers and sisters 2.11 Jesus is made fully human in every way 2.17 Because he suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted 2.18 We have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are – yet he did not sin. Let us approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we might receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need 4.16

in the Letter to the Hebrews 3. Jesus and Jewish Faith in the Letter to the Hebrews Moses was faithful… (yet) Jesus has been found of greater honour than Moses 3.3 Jesus was a priest like Melchizedek… (the Levitical priesthood) is set aside because it was weak and useless… and a better hope is introduced 7.19 There have been many priests…. But because Jesus lives for ever… he is able to save completely those who come to God through him 7.25 Jesus establishes the New Covenant which Jeremiah foretold (31.31-34)… by calling it ‘new’, God has made the first covenant obsolete 8.13 Jesus the High Priest offered his blood in the Heavenly Holy Place (once) to cleanse our conscience… so that we may serve the living God 9.14

4. Jesus and the Marathon of Faith in the Letter to the Hebrews Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance faith brings…. 10.22 The ancients were still living by faith when they died… they saw them and welcomed from a distance 11.13 Surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. Let us run with perseverance the race marked for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith 12.1-2 Fix your eyes upon Jesus Throw off everything which hinders and the sin that entangles Run with perseverance Do not grow weary and lose heart

5. Jesus and God’s Wonderful Future in the Letter to the Hebrews You (will) have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly to the church of the first born whose names are written in heaven You have come to God, Judge of all to the spirits of the righteous made perfect to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant…. 12.22-24 So….. Fix your eyes on Jesus who sits at the Father’s side in heaven with countless sisters and brothers and waits to welcome you Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that openly profess his name 13.15

Jesus - the Trailblazer Portraits of Jesus A Lent Course at Aldridge Parish Church 6 Wednesday evenings 7.45pm – 9.30pm Jesus - the Trailblazer a portrait of Jesus in the Letter to Hebrews