A Study on the Book of Hebrews

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

“The Bible Knowledge Commentary agrees noting that witnesses “This does not mean that they watch believers today. Witnesses who are former participants have just been presented. The witnesses are like a coach who exhorts his team onward crying out… Others have done it, and so can you! (Bible Knowledge Commentary) They overcame and gained the victory, so there can be no excuse for us who have far more light (the complete revelation of God’s Word) and greater advantages (the indwelling Spirit of Christ), to fail or fall by the way to “suffer loss,” and be “saved so as by fire.” 

Warren Wiersbe comments that the men and women of Hebrews 11 “are the “cloud” that witnesses to us, “God can be trusted! Put your faith in His Word and keep running the race!” When you read the Old Testament, your faith should grow, for the account shows what God did in and through people who dared to trust His promises. (Wiersbe, W: With the Word: Chapter by Chapter Bible Handbook. Nelson)

For we are surrounded by such a great crowd of witnesses. This is what keeps me going often – knowing that people who have experienced greater problems and troubles than I will ever encounter, have been sustained in their faith, and have continued to believe. We need to constantly remember that our foremothers and forefathers fought the good fight of faith. But their strength, their ways and their accomplishments are not ones to freeze us to only maintain the ways of the past. Instead we are to honor them, and then to continue into the future. Nothing remains the same. Everyone and everything changes. We no longer sacrifice animals to assuage our sins – instead we are saved by faith, through Grace. We put our trust and faith into the words and the actions of Christ – not in the practices of those who died a century ago. They are watching us and shouting – “keep going; we did it; we found our way; so can you.” 

It is upon us as believers to find our way in Christ and to establish our worship and ministry and witness that fits our community today.

Pastor Dave

A Study on the Book of Hebrews

^“And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground. These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:32-40

“Faith does not exempt us from overwhelming problems, but rather it often leads us into such problems. Moses had not led them to the dire situation that they were in; God had led them there and He had hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would chase after them. So by God’s direct actions, this defenseless bunch of slaves had the Red Sea in front of them and Pharaoh’s army charging at them from behind. They were doomed unless God intervened, which He planned to do. But they had to learn that salvation is completely from Him. God led them into this desperate situation to teach them to trust Him as their only option. That’s how God grows our faith. We know in our heads that we must trust Him totally, but we don’t believe it in practice until He throws us into situations where there is no way out if He does not act. We need to learn in experience that “salvation belongs to the Lord” (A note from Charles Spurgeon, Ps 3:8).

It is the most difficult aspect of our faith to understand – that faith does not only lead us from trouble (which often it does) but can and will often lead us into trouble. Just because we have strong faith does not mean our lives will be a rose garden. Just ask anyone who has lived a life of faith – they will share their blessing stories with you – but they will also share their desert stories as well. As we hear often, faith is not believing only in what we can see – but believing in what we cannot see – and yet trust with our whole heart.

Pastor Dave