Hebrews Chapter 11 (ESV) 1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. 2 For by it the people of old received their commendation. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible…
32 And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— 33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— 38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
REFLECTION:
Chapter at a Glance: Faith is more clearly expressed in the way people live than in what they claim to believe. The nature and value of faith are revealed and illustrated in this honor roll of Old Testament saints. (If time allows, read all Hebrews 11, recall the stories as each name comes up.)
To many today, faith seems insubstantial for it is persistently holding on to notions that can’t be proven. In Scripture, the reverse is true. Faith is confident expectation that what we cannot see is more solid and real than the material universe. The root of this kind of faith is our conviction that “the universe was created by the word of God”. God has priority over things we can taste, touch, see and feel. God is more real than they are, because God is the source of their existence.
Faith does not guarantee anyone a life free of stress or pain. Many have suffered and even died for their faith. Yet faith won for each the commendation of God. Faith wins even more for us. The Old Testament saints looked forward to a salvation they could not understand. We look back to a salvation assured by the cross on Calvary. And through the Spirit of God we enjoy a relationship with the Lord which can be more real to us than to the Old Testament saints.
Pray for the faith you need in your life right now to do God’s will and that God will find you faithful.
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
Hebrews Chapter 10 (ESV) 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
26 For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses.29 How much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
REFLECTION:
Chapter at a Glance: Repeated Old Testament sacrifices could not make worshipers perfect. But we are made holy by the sacrifice of Jesus. We must hold firmly to our hope in Christ, resist to sin deliberately and persevere in doing good till Jesus comes.
V23 mentions: “hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering”. Many Christians feel the tension of being Christians in this secular society and find it difficult to share (confess) their faith with others. When was the last time you felt free to express your faith in Jesus Christ and the hope that this faith gives you?
Christians don’t achieve holiness alone. We achieve holiness as we share our lives with others, give and receive encouragement, spurring one another on to love and to good deeds. God has given us Christ’s church for support and assistance. Christian fellowship and gatherings provide opportunities for believers to care for one another, encourage one another, etc.
This week, share in your cell the difficulty you have in sharing your faith with others. Ask the other members to pray for you and to encourage each other.
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
Hebrews Chapter 9 (ESV) 6 These preparations having thus been made, the priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7 but into the second only the high priest goes, and he but once a year, and not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8 By this the Holy Spirit indicates that the way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9 (which is symbolic for the present age). According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10 but deal only with food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation…
23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own,26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
REFLECTION:
Chapter at a Glance: The focus of Old Testament worship was the blood sacrifice offered on the Day of Atonement. However that repeated sacrifice was unable to cleanse worshipers. Christ’s blood, on the other hand, cleanses us and brings us forgiveness. His one sacrifice brings full salvation.
There was a kidney patient, whose dialysis machine kept him alive. Yet he dreaded the process. The kidney dialysis machine that kept him alive also reminded him of his illness. He was not free, but bound to return to the machine to have his blood purified again and again. Away from it, his sickness quickly took hold on his body, and sapped all his strength.
That’s just what this chapter says about the Old Testament system (vv 6-10). The repeated sacrifices of the Old Testament system reminded worshipers of their continuing desperate condition. But, the one sacrifice of Christ reminds us of His total victory (vv24-25). The blood of Christ has cleansed us from all sin! By the once for all sacrifice of Jesus, we are forgiven, made well, and have the assurance that the victory we need in life has already been won!
Does the fact that Christ died to take away your sins free you to serve Him more? Or make you spiritually “lazy”? Why?
PRAYER:
Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse with God and listen to what He wants to tell you. Then write down any thought and/or prayer in your spiritual journal.
