Thursday July 2, 2015

Read Hebrews 10:19-24

Jesus has satisfied things in a spiritual world that we never consider until we read of them in the Bible and the Lord brings them to our understanding. This world is just a shadow of the world Jesus worked in for our salvation. The writer of Hebrews understood this when he wrote: “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. ¹⁴ People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. ¹⁵ If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. ¹⁶ Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.” (Hebrews 11:13-16)

Now, because Jesus has fulfilled all the requirements within this heavenly world, our relationship with God is secure and therefore certain actions and lifestyles are expected of us. Jesus has entered the most heavenly holy place and opened up the way for us to enter that place as forgiven, holy people.

This helps us be more assured in our actions and why we do what we do. These verses lean back to vs 19 which begins with “Therefore”. This means that because of particular actions there are certain consequences that follow. And that is what we have here in Hebrews 10.

The words “since we have” in verses 19 & 21 are referring to the actions that have the consequential actions to follow. These are introduced with the words “let us …” in verses 22, 23, 24 and 25, We’ll have a look at vs 25 tomorrow.

We are called on to draw near to God with sincere hearts and with full assurance of faith. We will live as men and women who are fully convinced of the work Jesus has done on our behalf. As such, we don’t have to go over these fundamental things again and again and again. Being certain of our relationship with Jesus will produce confidence to move forward in that sure and certain faith.

Therefore we will not be chopping and changing our loyalty and understanding of the foundations of our faith. But we will have confidence in God’s Word, that it is true.

The first action expected of us as followers of Jesus is seen in vs 23. “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” The foundation we build our faith upon is the faithfulness of God. What He has promised is trustworthy. Therefore, we grab hold of the Word He gives us and without a second thought we run with it.

The second action expected of us is seen in vs 24 – “ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” This one is warning us to carefully consider (to be thoughtful) how we can stimulate one another to do the deeds God wants us to do.

Love and good deeds are what we are saved by the Lord to do. Paul writes: “For by grace you have been saved, through faith ... For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10) 

So, in spurring one another on in love and good deeds we are simply encouraging each other in what we are meant to be doing as Christians. We looked at the command to love one another last week. It is how people in the world can see that we love Jesus. Our good deeds are works that demonstrate our love of Jesus.

Let us be convinced of who we are in Jesus and what our life is to be.

Prayer:

Using today’s passage and the reading notes spend time in prayer.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

· Pray for someone at your church and how you may stimulate their love and good deeds for God.

· Pray that the young people of your church will have a sure and certain security in understanding their faith.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. What are some good works God wants you to do?

2. How might you spur on someone at your church to be doing the works of God?

3. Think of someone 20 years above or below you in age. How can you encourage them?

One on One

A Pastor began his sermon saying: The text for the week was the same as yesterday’s lectionary passage. During the week Pastor Carlos Oritz had prepared a sermon to remind people of the importance of loving one another. He had spent a great deal of time praying over the message, studying and carefully recording his thoughts. He believed that God had truly guided him as he prepared each point and carefully selected each illustration, so he approached the pulpit with confidence and a certain  boldness.

But something happened halfway from his seat to the pulpit. He heard a voice.

“Juan” “Yes, Lord”

“How many times have you preached on this  passage

in this church?”

“I don’t know, maybe a dozen.”

Then just as Pastor Oritz stepped into the pulpit  and he was about to speak, he heard the same voice ask: “Did any of those sermons do any good?”

Pastor Oritz stood frozen. He looked over the congregation and saw the people whom he had led to Christ. People whom he had counselled during times of emotional turmoil. People whom he’d visited as their loved ones clung to life. He saw people who had heard the Christian message over and over again, in Sunday School lessons, Bible study groups and sat under his preaching. All thoughts evaporated from his mind. He stood frozen in time as the congregation  waited to hear his words of inspiration. Finally, he said, “Love one another.” Then walked back to his seat and sat down.

The people sat in motionless silence. They could handle fiery preaching but they did not know what to do with utter stillness.

After a few minutes a man stood up and said, “Brothers and sisters, I think I understand what Pastor Oritz is talking about. He is asking me to love you”, as he pointed to a family seated next to him. “But how can I love you when I don’t even know your name?” The man proceeded to introduce himself and then asked  the  family next  to  him questions  in  hopes  of discovering ways in which he could express his love.

Another man stood up and said, “I think I understand what Pastor Oritz is saying. He wants me to love Carlo (who was seated three pews in front of him) but how can I love Carlo when I still hold a grudge against him.” Then he went and apologized to Carlo and the two were reconciled. The floodgates were opened. People got out of their pews and began to circulate. They began to ask each other what they could do for one another. That Sunday incredible  things happened.

Loving one another moves us from living to please ourselves to interacting with others for their good. When we forgive, we are extending goodwill and peace to others. When  we serve, we putting their needs to the front and acting upon them for their benefit. When we encourage one another, we want to build up each other so that we are growing in the way Jesus wants us to be living. When we pray for one another, we are asking that God should lift up each other for living in His blessing and peace.

The whole idea of loving and caring for one another is see the other person grow into being the person that God made them to be and doing the works He planned for them to do from before the creation of the earth.

To do this we look to the Bible and encourage one another in growing in godliness and knowledge of God’s Word. We rejoice at His works that make us all complete in Christ Jesus.

Personal Questions

1.  How’s your prayer life?

2.  Describe your current thought life?

3.  How’s your relationship with your spouse or your parents?

4.  Discuss how and if you’ve struggled with sin/ temptation this week.

5.  How are you worshipping God through work, family and social networks?

Read 1 John 4:7-21

Pray

Spend time praising God for the fellowship of your church.

Pray for those who train up men and women in the work of ministry and knowledge of the Word of God.

Pray for the Church in parts of the world where Christians do not have sound teaching and pastors.

Reflection:

1.   Think of someone 20 years above or below you in age and consider how you might learn from them or encourage them to live for Jesus?

2.   If you saw two Christians constantly fighting over the way to do things and they both said they loved Jesus, what would you tell them? And how?

3.   In the past what have you done to grow in your knowledge of the Bible and its application?

4.   Someone from your church is constantly complaining. What can you do to encourage them to show Christian attitudes?