Friday: Further Thought ~ In These Last Days: The Message of Hebrews
Further Thought:
Despite all the good and hopeful truths in the book of Hebrews, there is also a series of warnings that reach their climax in chapters 10-12. These sections have at least two common elements. First, they all compare the desert generation with the readers of Hebrews. Second, they exhort us to have faith.
Image © Stan Myers from GoodSalt.com
The desert generation was the one that saw the amazing power of God unleashed in signs and wonders in their deliverance from Egypt. They also heard God speak, from Mount Sinai, the Ten Commandments. They saw the column of fire in the night and the protecting cloud during the day. They ate manna, bread from heaven. They also drank water that sprang from the rocks wherever they camped. But when they arrived at the border of the Promised Land, they were not able to trust God. They lacked faith, which is the core of what God requires. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).
Paul says that we, like the desert generation, are also at the border of the Promised Land (Hebrews 10:37-39). Our privileges and responsibilities are greater, however. We did not hear God speak at Mount Sinai, but we have seen through Scripture a revelation of God greater than the one at Mount Zion: God in the flesh, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 12:18-24). The question is: Will we have faith? The author encourages us to follow the example of a great list of characters, which culminates with Jesus Himself.
Discussion Questions:
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We have been getting an overview of the book of Hebrews this week and a picture is emerging of Christ, particularly against the background of the exodus and its importance in Jewish culture and religion. For many of us, the themes are familiar. Jesus, our king, mediator, high priest, champions ad so on. The question is: so, what now? Is this just a set of descriptions to file away in our heads.
The narrative of the Exodus informs us that while the Israelites had the physical evidence of God in the cloud by day and the light by night, and had heard the voice of God at Sinai, they still regarded God as an optional extra. Fundamentally, Christianity is not just a creed, a catechism, or a set of fundamentals, but rather, a way of life. It is what you do with your life, not what you argue, that is important.
It is worth jumping to the concluding remarks of Hebrews to get a realistic perspective of its theology:
Jesus is OUR king
Jesus is OUR Mediator
Jesus is OUR Champion
Jesus is OUR High Priest
It is one thing to say these things without OUR. He would still be king, mediator, champion and high priest but when I add the word OUR to the mix it changes the identity. Now I find myself in that statement: He is my King.
Do you identify yourself with/without Him?
Do you represent Him with/without your actions?
Be found in Him then the impossible becomes possible in and through Him.
Hello Newbegin,
Your thought brought to mind this idea: Including "OUR" in the description identifies "me" with the body of Christ (the church). It gives me the responsibility of looking out for the other members of the church as they and I look for OUR identity in Jesus. God is love, and those who practice God's love with brothers and sisters inside and outside of the church will be marked as God followers. (John 13:35.) This is the glory that makes us one with God and with each other, now and for eternity. (John 17:22-26.)
Reflecting back over this week's lesson, I note that Sunday stated that the main point of Hebrews is that Jesus is Ruler. At the same time, I note that the memory verse (Hebrews 8:1) states that the main point is that we have such a High Priest who is also in a position of rulership. The key point is the 'such a High Priest'. What was the "such" that was unpacked in the previous chapters? It was that we have a High Priest that authentically knows, from first-hand experience, what it is like to be human, particularly with respect to what it is like to suffer in the course of being human (eg Hebrews 2:10,18; 5:9; . How much suffering? Isaiah 53:3 gives us a window into how much suffering. We too easily miss and awareness of the scope and extent of Jesus virtually constant suffering and grief that ran right across his lifetime (Matthew 23:37).
And what we note if we stop and consider sufficiently is that Jesus's suffering fuelled Him to expression of 'overflowing compassion' toward those who suffer. This is the main point of what the writer of Hebrews is self-stating: the One who is Ruler over all is intimately acquainted with suffering - your suffering - to the extent that no one else can be. And because of this, His rulership is about Him 'bursting' with eagerness to help you in your suffering - however deep or long that suffering is. He is therefore the last person that would be the cause of suffering.
Suffering is growing - and not just because of COVID. COVID is 'merely' exacerbating the inherent issues that were already rampant in a fallen world - going back generations and beyond. Unfortunately many of you will be personally familiar with what I am talking about, others will have 'fortunately' been sheltered from such.
Humans can help to some degree when someone is suffering. But ultimately we are powerless to heal an individual - let alone a world of individuals - of their pain, sorrow and suffering. I am so glad that God is not powerless to do this and that He has a plan that has been is continuing to be put into place that is working to bring good from bad - even though it often doesn't look like it in-the-moment (Romans 8:28; Revelation 6:9-11).
It is really, really hard to endure amid suffering - Jesus/God knows that personally. And it is understandable that we would want suffering to come to a quicker end - Jesus/God get's that too. While we unfortunately often can't know in-the-moment why suffering isn't alleviated sooner or evil averted in certain situations, we can have confidence that one day we will be shown exactly what the options were in a given situation and why God 'allowed' the particular option He did - even though such a concept seems bizarre, if not cruel, at this point to our unfortunately limited perception. And I am confident/convinced that when we see that, then and only then will we realise that it is the same option we would have chosen if given the choice and knowing what we will only then know.
If you are going through suffering at present - as many of you unfortunately will be - I hope this brief sharing both affirms your experience and also offers a reality-based hope that Jesus/God is with you now and will never leave or forsake you until your ordeal is finally over. One day you will be able to see that for yourself - but unfortunately not yet. Hold on that God may prove to you that He is sufficient to your needs within your suffering - even though it often doesn't feel like it in-the-moment (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Although I don't know you personally or your personal circumstances, I am upholding you anonymously before God each day - and you are far from anonymous to God. And there will also be many others who are likewise doing the same for you. So you are not as alone as you feel - even though it will sadly often feel like you are alone in your suffering (Psalm 22:1-2 vs Psalm 22:24).
Thank you, Phil. I needed to hear this tonight. Life is pretty dark and overwhelming right now and I really feel that no one understands. But you reminded me that Jesus understands and cares.
Hi Christina... and anyone and everyone else who can relate to what Christina is saying...
You are never as alone as you feel - even though we are capable of feeling very alone. I hear what you are saying about life being dark and overwhelming right now and feeling like no one really understands - Satan really wants to exploit our vulnerability to feeling these things. I wish I could show you how many people are experiencing exactly the same thing, each one in their own isolation so each feeling as though there is something especially wrong with them.
I do not believe it is 'disrespectful' to say that each person has Gethsemane experiences at times and I can imagine Jesus coming alongside each person individually at such times and asking, "Do you mind if I join you? Please tell me your heart or let me just sit with you if that's too hard". And knowing that Jesus had his own Gethsemane experience and therefore wants to be with us in ours - with you in yours - somehow makes His presence more real in that moment.
As hard as it is at times, hold on, knowing that there are many others also going through the same as you. I say this to affirm, not to diminish your experience. You are being upheld in prayer.
Christina - yes, like Phil, I also want to engourage you to keep your eyes steadfastly on our Savior, Christ Jesus in all things when tempted to give up hope. Stay strong in your faith and remember that the Savior elevates you in your suffering to give you comfort and solace in Him, especially when feeling alone.
Scripture shares with us the accaunt of Christ Jesus' suffering as recorded in Mark 14:32-42.
Expreriencing deepest agony, He asked the Father three times to remove the cup of the impending experience of His death from Him if still possible, and three times the Father by His 'silence' affirmed that it was within His Will that He should experience it.
God is mercyful but wise. His understanding goes beyond our understanding the circumstances of suffering and the good being produced when maintain our faith when going through it.
The Son of Man and God, our Lord and Savior, in the end accepted fully to submit His will to the Father's will, consenting to drink the cup: Mark 14:36KJV - "....: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt."
It is my hope that this example of the Son's true reliance on the from-love-born-wisdom of the Father's Will comforts all of us throughout our lifetime.
I gleaned from last week’s study that Faith is the pivotal, operational aspect of the Creator’s Plan for the salvation of mankind. Faith is extended by heaven to earth, and faith responds from the faithful on earth to reach up to heaven. Without Faith, the living soul cannot engage in walking the Path of Life. Nothing happens in the relationship with our Savior Christ Jesus unless it is based on faith.
The aspect of Faith must have been with God at the Beginning, as He decided to create creatures endowed with free will. I understand that exercising ‘free will’ and at the same time being ‘obedient’ to God’s Will can only be done through applying Faith after accepting the superiority of the Creator's Will.
Therefore, Faith exercised by man is a peculiar thing; it manifests itself only through our actions. Living one's Faith then is the evidence that the believer’s will has established a faith-relationship with the will of the Father by having accepted His will as one's own.
Last week’s study shows that some of the children of Israel that left Egypt were able to live this new faith-relationship with the God of Abraham, though it took many generations and millenia of faithful interaction between heaven and believers on earth to come to the right point in time for the Father to give the Spirit of Life, exemplified in His Son, for the salvation of all mankind.
The Father waited until His Son’s work was completed by His resurrection, return home to the Father, receiving full authority from Him to administer the future affairs of the salvation of man.
The Son of Man and God successfully removed the curtain separating man from his Creator through faithful submission to the Father's Will, and so with established for all man to have full access to the Holy of Holies – God’s Presence - at all time.
The Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Teacher given to all mankind for the purpose to hear and understand the Savior’s 'Good News’, is ready to make his home in the heart and mind of all who believe - ready and willing to manifest the Creator’s Love through righteousness and grace. They express the Glory of the Father as they live by faith, believing His Son as He carries His faith-children toward everlasting life.