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Hebrews 11:1-12:29<\/strong><\/span> Today we read Hebrews Chapter 11, which is a great reflection of the faith of our spiritual ancestors in the Old Testament! Some call this chapter the \u201cHall of Faith\u201d \u2013 as in the Hall of Fame.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 I would encourage you to read this chapter entirely today \u2013 and again tomorrow in its entirety. Chapter 11 opens with this critically important verse for us to memorize and take to heart: \u201cNow faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.\u201d<\/em> Are you sure of what you hope for? Are you certain of what you do not see? As you read through this chapter, do you see the value in the faith of our spiritual ancestors? In what area of your life might God be calling you to step forward in faith?<\/span> Enoch in verse 5 is an intriguing example of faith coming from Genesis chapter 5\u2019s genealogy from Adam to Noah (<\/span>see Genesis 5:24 at this link<\/span>): \u201cIt was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying\u2014\u201dhe disappeared, because God took him.\u201d For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Below is a painting of Enoch being taken up to heaven by the Italian painter Sebastiano Ricci (1659-1734):<\/span> Verses 13 through 16 I think are four of the most amazing verses we\u2019ve read in Hebrews and I think each of us should really meditate on what these verses might mean in our lives today:\u00a0 \u201cAll these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back.\u00a0 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 What do you think of these verses?\u00a0 If these heroes of our faith died still believing what God promised them \u2013 even though they did not receive what was promised here on earth \u2013 do you think that perhaps you and I should always be faithful in our lives to God no matter what we may think we\u2019re not \u201creceiving\u201d here on earth?\u00a0 If we\u2019re not receiving perfect health.\u00a0 If we\u2019re not receiving a perfect job.\u00a0 If we\u2019re not receiving a perfect family.\u00a0 If we\u2019re not receiving a perfect mental state.\u00a0 If not, if not, if not\u2026.\u00a0 will we still believe what God promised us?\u00a0 Will we still believe that God is not ashamed to be called our God?\u00a0 Will we still believe that God has prepared a heavenly city for us?\u00a0 Let us believe!<\/span> Hebrews 11 verses 25 & 26 today tell us so much about the character and faith of Moses! \u201cHe chose to share the oppression of God\u2019s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it was better to suffer for the sake of the Messiah than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to the great reward that God would give him.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Do these verses speak to us today as well?\u00a0 Will we share in the oppression of God\u2019s people?\u00a0 Or do we enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin?\u00a0 Do we suffer for the sake of Jesus?\u00a0 Or would we prefer to chill out and hang out with our luxuries in life?\u00a0 Do we look ahead to the great reward that God promises?\u00a0 Will we pursue the character and faith of Moses in our own lives today?<\/span><\/p>\n Hebrews chapter 11 verses today finish out this chapter on \u201cfaith\u201d strongly!\u00a0 Please take a minute to re-read this entire chapter 11 if you can.\u00a0 It is an amazing chapter of our spiritual ancestor\u2019s faith.\u00a0 How does reading about our spiritual ancestor\u2019s faith speak into your life today?\u00a0 Are their areas of your life where you can better live with faith?\u00a0 \u00a0Can you turn over your fears and anxieties to God, in faith?\u00a0 Knowing, in faith, God will ultimately provide and thus there is nothing to fear or worry about today?<\/span><\/p>\n Hebrews 11 verse 38 stands out to me today: \u201cThey were too good for this world.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I think it is helpful to remember that this current world is not our ultimate eternal home.\u00a0 It is temporary.\u00a0 We\u2019re called to be saints and love others in this world.\u00a0 But, we should not become too attached to it or what it offers.\u00a0 God has a better home for us in mind at the end of our race \u2013 our journey through this life.\u00a0 \u00a0This verse says that our spiritual ancestors were too good for this world \u2013 and hence, many of them suffered.\u00a0 But they suffered knowing it was temporary.\u00a0 Impermanent.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think that this verse should make us conceited or arrogant in any way \u2013 being \u201ctoo good\u201d for this world \u2013 but hopefully it helps us realize that this life is not necessarily going to be easy in this world if we are truly living in faith\u2026.\u00a0 \u00a0In fact, sometimes I wonder that if our life is really easy if we are really living our faith?\u00a0 I just hope we never get complacent and chill out and relax because \u201cwe are so saved\u201d\u2026.\u00a0 There is a dying world out there that needs us!\u00a0 How are you truly living your life in faith these days?<\/span><\/p>\n Hebrews chapter 12 verse 1 is phenomenal to think about \u2013 \u201cTherefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0I think sometimes we think that we are doing this Christian walk \/ faith thing alone.\u00a0 We think we are in this alone \u2013 just us & God.\u00a0 I think this verse helps remind us that there is a huge crowd of witnesses that are in this with us.\u00a0 I like to think of this cloud of witnesses cheering us on in our walk!\u00a0 They are rooting for us!\u00a0 So \u2013 in light of knowing we have these saints rooting for us, doesn\u2019t it make sense that we should strip away sin that hinders our walk?\u00a0 Is there sin your life that is hindering your walk?\u00a0 Will you allow Jesus to strip it away so that the cloud of witnesses can continue to cheer you on toward the finish line?\u00a0 Below is an image of some of the \u201ccrowd of witnesses\u201d to our life of faith \u2013 Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Samson, and David:<\/span><\/p>\n How do we run this race toward the finish line well?\u00a0 I think verse 2 tells us how \u2013 \u201cWe do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 \u00a0Are your eyes on Jesus?\u00a0 Constantly?\u00a0 \u00a0Does your faith depend solely on Jesus?\u00a0 \u00a0Is your faith as fresh today as when you first came to faith in Jesus?\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n Verse 3 is a powerful reflection of Jesus\u2019 passion\u2026. \u201cThink about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don\u2019t become weary and give up.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Think about what Jesus endured at the hands of the Roman guards.\u00a0 Think about Jesus\u2019 resolve.\u00a0 He was running the race toward the finish line.\u00a0 Can reflecting on Jesus\u2019 passion help us resist becoming weary and giving up?\u00a0 How often do you reflect on Jesus\u2019 passion?<\/span><\/p>\n Verses 5 & 6 quote Proverbs 3:11-12 and the following verses then go into explaining this wisdom of this Proverb \u2013 \u201cMy child, don\u2019t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don\u2019t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes those he accepts as his children.\u201d<\/em> Do you believe this proverb to be true?\u00a0 Is the Lord perhaps disciplining you in some way today?\u00a0 Are you accepting or ignoring the discipline?\u00a0 Do you believe that the Lord disciplines those he loves?\u00a0 And that this \u201cdivine discipline\u201d is ultimately good for you and everyone you come in contact with in your life?<\/span><\/p>\n Hebrews chapter 12 verse 14 starts out strong with: \u201cTry to live in peace with everyone, and seek to live a clean and holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I love this!\u00a0 If we seek to live in peace with everyone and live a clean and holy life people around us will see the Lord.\u00a0 This is very powerful to think about\u2026\u00a0 You\u2019ve probably heard this said before: \u201cYou may be the only Bible anyone ever reads\u201d.\u00a0 Or \u201cyou may be the only Jesus anyone ever meets.\u201d\u00a0 (not you being Jesus of course, but Christ within you shining through you!)\u00a0 Are you living in peace with everyone?\u00a0 Are you seeking to live a clean and holy life?\u00a0 Are others seeing the Lord in you?\u00a0 Are others reading the Bible through you?<\/span><\/p>\n Verse 28 stands out to me today: \u201cSince we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be destroyed, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.\u201d <\/em>This is an interesting phrasing \u2013 worship God with holy fear and awe.\u00a0 It reminds me a lot of a lyric in Chris Tomlin\u2019s single, \u201cIndescribable.\u201d\u00a0 He sings \u2013 \u201chumbly we fall to our knees and say, \u201cyou are amazing God!\u201d\u201d\u00a0 That one word \u201chumbly\u201d jumped out at me in this song.\u00a0 It seems to me that there should be some reverence, holy fear, awe, and humility as we worship God?\u00a0 And maybe not just take worship and our relationship for God lightly?\u00a0 But be thankful for the opportunity to worship God?\u00a0 Just some questions\u2026\u00a0 Because then verse 29 tells us \u201cFor our God is a consuming fire.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 Which reminds me of a great Third Day song\u2026.\u00a0 \ud83d\ude42 <\/span><\/p>\n Worship Video:<\/strong>\u00a0 Hebrews 12:29 of course reminded me of the fantastic Third Day song \u201cConsuming Fire:\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
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