Category: Hebrews

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

All these heroes of faith are mentioned for you and me to find out about. The stories of their faithfulness will help your faithfulness. Find out about one of them. Look up a name in a concordance to the Bible.

SJA Notes

* Father God in Heaven, Your word to us is life! Please feed us today.

“He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”

Here is a passage to make our hearts sing!

A most excellent list of people walking “by faith”.

What a conviction for us to take on, to be reminded of, to be encouraged with – That we would do as Moses did and consider the mocking of the world at Jesus in us to be far better than what the world might provide.

We see here examples of those who looked forward to Jesus, born as the Son of Man.

This is a difference in perspective from us today.

They looked _forward_ to Jesus arriving on earth as Messiah.

We look _backward_ to that time through the scriptures.

How good it is though that all of us, whether before or after Jesus walked this earth, we all look forward to that better country, our great hope, the new heavens and the new earth!

* Great God Above,

Thank You for this wonderful list of faithful people who point to You.

Thank You that we are able to see Jesus through Your word.

Please grow our faith in You, the evidence of things unseen, the substance of things hoped for.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Verse 6 is a verse I was encouraged to learn off by heart as a young person. Saving faith is when we trust God and His promises in both Testaments. Such faith is evidenced by our practice of that faith – when we conduct ourselves and our relationships according to God’s ways.

SJA Notes

* Loving God, please teach us from Your word today.

“For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”

Here is the substance of our hope, the evidence of what is not yet seen.

“But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one.”

Here is an exhortation to us, that we would desire this city that God is preparing, this better country.

Our faith rests in the all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing God.

This our God is building His kingdom in the _now_ on this broken earth (the temporary, the shadowy things).

And this our God is preparing for us a better country, a city not made by hands (the eternal, the heavenly reality).

As we read in Revelation 21,

“And I saw a holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bridge adorned for her husband.”

This is our hope!

Steady and sure, founded on the Rock of ages, the King of glory.

* Lord God,

Thank You for Your word.

Thank You for this passage in Hebrews that shines a light on Your gift of faith, helping us to see it a little more clearly.

Please help us be loving as You are loving. Please help us be merciful and full of grace, as You are.

Please grow Your word in us, that we would be good soil and bear much fruit.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Faithfulness to Christ leads inexorably to your responsibility to your neighbour. Verses 23-25 should be learnt by heart. Verse 24 is a good motto for any family or church!

SJA Notes

* Dear God, please help us take each opportunity to know You better that You bring to us.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

How we act, our behaviour, our _obedience_, is very important.

Are we trampling underfoot the Son of God?

Are we profaning the blood of this new covenant?

Are we outraging the Spirit of grace?

If we shrink back the soul of God has no pleasure in us.

Regardless of how the world around us perceives God, we must remember that it is a _fearful thing_ to fall into His hands – He is the LIVING GOD.

And so we hold to this – that in Christ we are _not_ of those who shrink back and are destroyed!

Let us be those who have faith, those who preserve their souls.

* Gracious God,

Thank You for the confidence we have in You.

Pleas grow endurance in us, ready us for each day.

Thank You for Jesus!

Amen.