July 26, 2026
Our Cheat Sheet
Hebrews 2:14-18
In life, just like in school, we all face tests. One professor allowed a handwritten “cheat sheet” on an index card, a valuable tool during an exam. The preacher explains that for the Christian, the Bible is our cheat sheet for every test life throws at us. The writer of Hebrews, though anonymous, was deeply versed in the Old Testament, quoting it frequently to show its value. He understood that scripture wasn’t just words on a page, but a powerful, life-giving guide. We too should see the scriptures as our invaluable cheat sheet, equipping us to face any struggle.
The central passage in Hebrews 2 reveals why Jesus is the ultimate answer on our cheat sheet. He shared in our "flesh and blood" so that through His own death, He could destroy the devil and free us from the fear of death. Jesus didn’t come to rescue angels, but to help humanity—the offspring of Abraham. He had to be made like us in every way, experiencing suffering and testing Himself. Because He has been through it, He is now the perfect, merciful, and faithful high priest who is fully able to help us when we are being tested.
The sermon outlines three specific tests where we need our cheat sheet. First, when our emotions are tested, Jesus helps us see through the chaos and find His peace. Second, when our faith is tested, especially during trials, worshiping God realigns our perspective and strengthens our trust. Finally, when our knowledge is tested by worldly wisdom or skepticism, the core truth of the gospel—that Christ died on a cross for our sins and rose again—is the unshakable foundation we can stand on. In every test, Jesus and His Word are the answer.
Key takeaways
- God's Word is our divine 'cheat sheet' for navigating the tests of life.
- Jesus became fully human to experience our struggles, defeat death, and serve as our merciful high priest.
- When your emotions are tested, lean on Jesus to keep you from being led astray.
- When your faith is tested, the act of worshiping God can restore your strength and perspective.
- The simple, powerful truth of the gospel is the ultimate answer when your knowledge is challenged.
- Day 1Psalm 119:11
You Have a Cheat Sheet
In college, the preacher was allowed a handwritten index card to help with a test. He reflects that in life, God has given us a far greater tool: His Word. The Bible is our cheat sheet for every trial and temptation. The psalmist says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” When we take the time to read, study, and even memorize scripture, we are preparing for the tests ahead. We are loading our hearts and minds with the answers we will desperately need. Don’t wait for the test to start; begin studying your cheat sheet today.
- Reflect
- What is one verse you can memorize this week to have ready for a future test?
- Prayer
- Lord, thank you for the gift of Your Word. Help me to see it not as a dusty book of rules, but as a life-giving guide and a powerful weapon for the struggles I face. Give me the discipline to hide Your Word in my heart. Amen.
- Day 2Hebrews 2:17-18
He Was Tested Like You
It’s easy to feel like nobody understands what you’re going through. We face sickness, rejection, fear, and loss. But the writer of Hebrews gives us this incredible comfort: Jesus had to be made like us in every way. He experienced humanity fully, with all its pains and sorrows. He was tested. He suffered. And because of that, He is able to help us when we are tested. He isn’t a distant God who can’t relate to our weakness; He is a merciful and faithful high priest who meets us in our suffering with perfect understanding and powerful help.
- Reflect
- In what specific struggle do you need to remember that Jesus understands and is able to help?
- Prayer
- Jesus, thank you for being willing to become human and suffer as I do. I am so grateful that you understand my weaknesses and struggles. Help me to turn to You in my time of testing, knowing that You are able to help. Amen.
- Day 3Philippians 4:7
When Emotions Run High
Satan is not the father of emotions—they are part of how God made us—but he is the abuser of them. He uses fear, loneliness, anger, and jealousy to wreak havoc in our lives. The preacher reminds us that when our emotions are tested, Jesus is there to help. When we feel overwhelmed, tempted to make foolish decisions based on a feeling, we can turn to our cheat sheet. God’s Word promises a peace that “passeth all understanding” and will “guard your heart and your mind in Christ Jesus.” This peace is the anchor that keeps our emotional storms from capsizing us.
- Reflect
- What emotion is threatening to overwhelm you, and how can you apply the peace of Christ to it today?
- Prayer
- Father, my emotions are running high today. Guard my heart and mind with Your supernatural peace. Help me to lean not on my own feelings, but on the truth of Your Word and the presence of Your Son. Amen.
- Day 4Hebrews 12:1-2
The Test of Faith
Faith is easy when things are going well, but it’s tested in the valley. The sermon shared the powerful story of Miss Abby, a woman who faced unimaginable loss and sickness, yet was “addicted to worshiping her Lord.” Her response to tragedy wasn’t to question God, but to press into His presence. When our faith is tested by circumstances, the greatest thing we can do is worship. Praising God shifts our focus from the size of our problems to the greatness of our God. As Vestal Goodman said, a few “hallelujahs” can turn a bad day around, because praise strengthens faith.
- Reflect
- How can you intentionally make worship your first response, rather than your last resort, when your faith is tested?
- Prayer
- Lord, when my faith is weak and I am in the valley, give me a heart like Miss Abby. Teach me to find my strength not in my circumstances, but in worshiping You. I fix my eyes on You, the author and perfecter of my faith. Amen.
- Day 51 Corinthians 1:18
The Unshakeable Answer
The world will constantly test our knowledge. People will claim the Bible is made up, that Jesus didn’t really die, or that the truths we hold are outdated. The preacher faced this when his youth group was taught that the Holocaust wasn’t as bad as reported. In these moments, we need our cheat sheet. The ultimate answer to every doubt and every challenge is the cross. The preacher says, “Don’t tell me or try to test my knowledge, because I know there’s a place called Calvary.” We know Jesus died for us, was buried, and rose again. This is the truth that grounds our knowledge and can never be shaken.
- Reflect
- How does knowing “there’s a place called Calvary” provide the answer you need for a question or doubt you are facing?
- Prayer
- God, thank you that my hope is not built on shifting sand, but on the solid rock of Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. When my knowledge is challenged and doubts arise, anchor my mind in the truth of the gospel. Amen.
Open together
- 1.Have you ever had a professor who allowed a cheat sheet for a test? How did it make you feel?
- 2.What is the most difficult “test” you have faced in life?
Observation
- 1.Read Hebrews 2:14-18 aloud. According to verse 14, why did Jesus share in our “flesh and blood”?
- 2.What two groups does verse 16 contrast, and who does Jesus reach out to help?
- 3.According to verse 17, what did Jesus become, and for what purpose?
- 4.What qualification does verse 18 give for why Jesus is “able to help those who are tested”?
Interpretation
- 1.The sermon calls the Bible our “cheat sheet.” What does this metaphor teach us about how we should view and use scripture?
- 2.Verse 14 says Jesus came to “destroy the one holding the power of death.” How does Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection accomplish this?
- 3.The preacher tells the story of Miss Tims, who kept an empty chair for Jesus. What does this story illustrate about the reality of Christ’s presence in our lives?
- 4.The sermon mentions three kinds of tests: emotional, faith, and knowledge. Which one do you find to be the most difficult, and why?
Application
- 1.How can you be more intentional about “studying your cheat sheet” (reading the Bible) before you are in the middle of a test?
- 2.The preacher shared the testimony of Miss Abby, who was “addicted to worshiping her Lord” despite her immense suffering. How can her example inspire you to respond to your own trials this week?
- 3.Think of a specific test you are facing right now (emotional, relational, financial, etc.). What specific scripture from your “cheat sheet” can you apply to this situation?
- 4.Jesus is our “merciful and faithful high priest.” How does knowing He understands your suffering and is able to help change the way you pray about your struggles?
Memory verse
“For since he himself was tested and has suffered, he is able to help those who are tested.”
Hebrews 2:18
Psalm 8: What is Man? Exploring God's Care
0:47Why the God of the universe is mindful of you.
Jesus Understands: His Human Experience Connects With Us
0:48He shared in flesh and blood, so He knows our testing.
Overcoming Mind Slavery: Jesus's Strategy for Freedom
0:37Freed from the fear of death and the bondage it brings.
Satan Not Father of Emotions: Reflecting God's Image
0:35Our emotions come from being made in God's image.