August 10, 2020
For the next 13 days we will be spending time together walking through the book of Hebrews! Hebrews is written to Jewish Christians who were undergoing persecution for their faith and considering running back to Judaism. The author of Hebrews takes an in-depth look at the practices and regulations of the Old Testament as articulated in the Torah and argues for how Jesus is both superior to each of them and supreme over all of them! The author also warns his audience of the grave danger facing them should they choose to now reject Jesus and return to their former way of life. These warnings can and should make us feel uncomfortable as we read through the book together; allow the Spirit to do what He wants to do in your heart through them! Overall, the message of Hebrews is that Jesus, the Son of God as well as our Savior and Messiah, is infinitely superior to anything or anyone else we could give our lives to, and He is worthy of all our devotion and worship. Jesus is greater!
In this chapter of Hebrews the author encourages his audience, as he has time and time again throughout the letter, to persevere in the faith through all the difficulty they are facing. He points them to the examples of the Old Testament saints which he outlined in chapter 11 and, ultimately, to the example of Jesus Himself, and tells them that they must follow these examples of endurance and perseverance in the face of hostility and opposition.
This chapter is a call to wake up and be strong in the Lord! He reminds his readers that everything they are suffering is a refining tool of discipline in the hands of the Lord, that God is indeed treating them as His children by using these hardships and persecutions to shape their hearts and their character after His own!
We don’t like suffering or difficulty, but it is perhaps thedefinitive tool that God uses in our lives to make us more like Jesus, and because of this fact the author says that we must “lift your dropping hands and strengthen your weak knees” (v.12). We persevere by faith through the suffering because we know that the end result is us being more like Jesus!
The author then makes an Old Testament comparison to give his readers a final word of warning, this time between the voice of God which spoke out of the cloud of glory at Mt. Sinai and the voice which is speaking to his audience. God warned the people of Israel from earth, but through Christ God warns His people now from heaven itself. If they didn’t escape judgment when they refused to submit to Him, how could we possibly think that we will if we do the same?
Through all of the suffering, difficulty, and hardship that we face in this life we can know that God is accomplishing His purposes in us and for us, and we can know that in the end we will receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken. This ought to lead us to thanksgiving and joyful worship!
Hebrews 12
Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith
12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Do Not Grow Weary
3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 4 In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons?
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,
nor be weary when reproved by him.
6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and chastises every son whom he receives.”
7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. 14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
A Kingdom That Cannot Be Shaken
18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven. 26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” 27 This phrase, “Yet once more,” indicates the removal of things that are shaken—that is, things that have been made—in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain. 28 Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, 29 for our God is a consuming fire.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Family Discussion Question:
- How does knowing that God uses the suffering and difficulty we face to shape and to mold our hearts according to His purposes give us the encouragement and strength we need to face them?
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for another day and for loving me as a child of Yours. I know, just as a child is disciplined, You are disciplining me to become more like You. There will be hardships along the way and things that I will have to endure. However, I have faith that I will come away from them a better person. I put my trust in You, Lord. Lead me in the paths You would gave me to go. In Jesus’ precious and holy name, Amen.
Dear Lord I know you put trials and tribulations in front of us. This is where our faith to the test. We have to keep our faith strong to get through whatever is happening in our lives. As I said before we have to live by faith not by sight. Amen
thank you for the blog it is awesome!
Thank You, Father, for sending your Word to me everyday to help me “do this march” without Ernest. Thank You, Father, that now he is not hurting every hour of every day, and is one of the great cloud of witnesses surrounding me. Help me lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares me, and let me run with endurance the race set before me, looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith. Today, I head out to my clients to begin their bookkeeping again and putting their figures for July together. I ask for strength to do this. Help me focus on the task set before me. Supply what I need. I thank You for your mercy and grace and the strength You give me. Amen.
Dear Lord – we ask that you surround Pat with encouraging words. Bless the work of her hands. Thank you for her continuing service and testimony to your Greatness and the blessing of her marriage to Ernest. Blessed are those who mourn –
Perspective of struggle changes when we keep our eyes on the joy of the victory in Christ through the trials, just like Jesus did.
I love that we are an unshakeable kingdom, and sometimes we must be shaken to rid us of the things which can be shaken.
His truths are absolute. Hallelujah!❤
I will pursue peace with all men. And not fall short of the grace of God.
Jesus is greater!
Father, thank you for caring for and loving me. I bow in reverence before your throne. You are my God and I surrender all. The earth is filled with evil and too many just do what is right in their own eyes. May your Holy Spirit speak through me. Guide my story arc to educate and encourage those who hear and to motivate them to action in serving you, and only you. Father, I will be careful to give you the glory and honor for ever and ever. Amen
Thank you father for the discipline you give me, it is through this I have learned that I have to listen to what you want to do not me.
Thank you dear Lord for blessing us with a Kingdom that cannot be shaken! Thank you for your reassuring words and encouragement. May our knees not grow weak – may we stay strong in our faith and work for your kingdom. Please Lord use us to quail the unrest in our community and nation. You are the unshakeable answer – the foundation for our life!
Psalm 86:8-13
8 There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.
9 All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.
10 For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God.
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.
12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
Thank you Lord for your presence, provision, protection and promises to those who love you & are called according to your purposes. In the name above all names, Jesus, Amen!
Father, I pray your Holy Spirit fills me today, so that what I do is a “God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,” (v. 28) that would reflect your glory, in Jesus’ name.
Thank you Father for these precious prayers lifted up to You in Your Precious Son Jesus Name. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen