What place do words like rigorous and demanding have in church life these days? By some accounts, not much. Sometimes the concern seems to be simply to make church as attractive—meaning undemanding—as possible so more people will come or come back. On the other hand, sometimes when we do talk about God’s demands, it starts sounding a lot like Pharisaism. It’s a quandary. How can we proclaim the gospel of God’s grace and at the same time point out God’s demands? Or should we any longer say much about God’s demands? The Book of Hebrews finds ways to talk about both God’s grace and God’s demands. It contains wonderful expressions of God’s grace. It speaks of Jesus as “a merciful and faithful high priest” who “is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:17–18).1 This same Jesus can “sympathize with our weaknesses,” for he “has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15). Hebrews encourages us to “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (4:16).