Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment – to LOVE ONE ANOTHER – is the same message you heard before. Yet it is also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining. – 1 John 2:7-8

God’s message from generation to generation, from the Old Testament to the New, is consistent – we are to LOVE ONE ANOTHER. In fact, God teaches us that the best way for us to show our love for Him is by loving others. He does not let us get by with saying – I love you, God, but I don’t love…

If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves another brother or sister is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates another brother or sister is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness. – 1 John 2:9-11

Then why do we hear so often of quarrels and arguments in the church or within Christian families? Why do we hear that someone isn’t talking with someone else or that two people do not get along so they avoid each other? Why do we ignore scriptures such as John’s letter or the words of Jesus that say, “So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” – Matthew 5:23-24

Now, it is okay for us to hate sin but we must do so in a way that we do not hate the sinner. We can and should be appalled by the things that happen in the world around us, but hating the person involved does nothing to change the situation or bring that person to an understanding of God’s love for them. We may really hate the way someone has treated us or words they have used to wound us, but God’s commandment does not change – we must LOVE ONE ANOTHER.

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. – 1 John 2:15-17

Here’s the great part: God has equipped us for this commandment. He has given us a way to love people while hating sin, to love the world while hating the things of this world.

1. He has given us the Holy Spirit.

But you have received the Holy Spirit and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true – it is not a lie. So, just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. – 1 John 2:26-27

2. He has given us the opportunity to remain in fellowship with Christ.

And now, dear children, remain in fellowship with Christ so that when he returns, you will be full of courage and not shrink back from him in shame. Since we know that Christ is righteous, we also know that all who do what is right are God’s children. – 1 John 2:28-29

In fellowship with Christ, sitting at His feet and listening to Him as I share my morning coffee with Him What a great way to start my day. What a great way to end my week! Lord, fill me with your Spirit and with your love! Reveal in me any hard feelings or hate I may have in my heart towards someone else. Show me any areas in which I need to make things right. Thank you for your fellowship and for the gift of your Spirit this Christmas Season. Amen.

We are down to our last few NT letters – all written by the apostle John, who often described himself as the disciple Jesus loved. He felt the love of Jesus so strongly and it comes out in his writings. John is believed to have been the only one of Jesus’ disciples still alive at this point and the only one to die of old age or natural causes.

The Bible does not tell us how each disciple died but information has been pieced together from other historical documents and legends. Like Paul, Peter was martyred in Rome during the reign of Nero – Paul was beheaded and Peter was crucified (upside down by his request). Andrew took the gospel to what is now the Soviet Union, Turkey, Asia Minor and Greece, where he was crucified. Thomas took the gospel to Syria and India, where the spears of four soldiers took his life. Philip took the gospel to North Africa and Asia Minor, where he was cruelly put to death by a Roman proconsul who was angry that Philip had converted his wife to Christianity.

Some say Matthew was not martyred while others say he was stabbed in Ethiopia. There are varying accounts of how Bartholomew died, all stories of his martyrdom for the gospel. James is believed to have been stoned and clubbed to death, while Simon the Zealot was killed when he refused to worship the sun god. Matthias, the disciple who replaced Judas, was burned to death. [http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1-300/whatever-happened-to-the-twelve-apostles-11629558.html]

All of these men gave their lives for the sake of spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ. They were just common men who knew what it was to be loved by Jesus and were passionate about spreading Jesus’ message of salvation.

This morning I read through John’s first letter. His message, like the messages of Paul and Peter, speaks strongly of salvation and holiness.

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. – 1 John 1:5-10

John is saying that God is holy – He is light and there is no darkness in Him at all. God does not sin and cannot sin because He is the definition of holy. So, we cannot say that we have fellowship with God if we willfully keep sinning because sin separates us from God. Sin in our lives is spiritual darkness and God is light.

We are all sinners. But, here’s the good news – the message the disciples were willing to die in order to spread. We do not have to continue living in sin. We have a choice. God not only forgives us of our sins, He also cleanses us from all wickedness. He does a work in our lives and in our hearts, making us into a new creation. We are no longer slaves to sin but have been given the Spirit. Instead of giving into our sinful urgings, we can give into the urgings of the Spirit. It is then that we are able to experience fellowship with God – living in the light, as God is in the light.

We have all sinned and, because we are human, we are imperfect. But, when we live by the Spirit, the Spirit speaks to us when attitudes are creeping in or when our words are not pleasing to God. We have a choice in that moment to listen to the Spirit and yield to the urgings not to continue with that attitude, or to stop speaking or apologize for what has already been said. Or we can ignore the Spirit and give into our sinful urgings. That is when we sin and that is when we choose spiritual darkness that separates us from God. God is holy and He is calling us to be holy, just as He is equipping us with His Spirit in order to live a holy life.

My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous. He himself is the sacrifice that atones for our sins—and not only our sins but the sins of all the world.

And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. – 1 John 2:1-6

To live as Jesus did – that’s a tall order. That is what the disciples did. They lived as Jesus lived and they died as Jesus died, willingly giving their lives for the sake of the advancement of God’s Kingdom. And we are all called to live for God in obedience – whatever He asks us to do. I’m so thankful that I am not given this assignment to complete on my own.

Thank you, Jesus, for being my advocate – my truly righteous sacrifice. I love you, Jesus. My desire today is that my love for You will show in my obedience to the Spirit. My desire is to live IN You instead of living FOR me. Amen.

Our next New Testament letter to look at is Jude’s letter to the Church. In this letter we hear from another sibling of Jesus who struggled to believe in who Jesus was, until after Jesus resurrected from the dead. Jude humbly introduces himself as a slave of Jesus Christ and a brother of James. He is now a devoted brother and follower of Jesus, and is concerned about the direction the Church is headed.

False teaching was making its way into the Church and Jude writes a short letter to point them back to the basics of their faith and back to holy living. He reminds them in his introduction that they have been called by God, who loves them and keeps them safe in the care of Jesus Christ. He encourages them to be there for each other during this difficult time, to be concerned about their brother in Christ and encourage them to stay true to their faith.

But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love. – Jude v.20-21

This was Jude’s advice for the church in the midst of false teachers and those who were trying to destroy those who have faith. The followers of Christ had been warned that there would be scoffers whose purpose in life was to satisfy their own ungodly desires, creating divisions among those in the Church (v.18). In the midst of those who were trying to make their life difficult, the believers were encouraged to build each other up, pray in the power of the Spirit and wait for the mercy of Jesus to bring them to their eternal home.

Jude also urged them to defend the faith God had entrusted to his holy people. There were people in the Church saying that God’s marvelous grace allows us to live immoral lives (v.4), but Jude was warning them not to believe this false teaching. He used several examples of how God’s people were punished for their sins:

1. After rescuing the nation of Israel from Egypt, Jesus later destroyed those who did no remain faithful (v.5).

2. The angels who did not stay within the limits of authority God had given them are being kept securely chained in prisons of darkness, waiting for the great day of judgment (v.6).

3. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire for their immorality and sexual perversion (v.7).

Jude describes these people as following their own natural instincts instead of following God’s Spirit within them (v.10,19). He warns us that those among us who are remaining in sin are like “dangerous reefs” that can shipwreck us or like “shameless shepherds” who care only for themselves. They are like “clouds blowing…trees in autumn…wild waves of the sea…wandering stars.”

John had a similar warning for the Church in his third letter:
Dear friend, don’t let this bad example influence you. Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. – 3 John 11

But do not just write off nominal Christians and those who have completely turned away from the faith. Let your heart respond to their weakness and reach out to rescue them from the path they are headed down. In other words, love the sinner even while hating the sin they are living in.

And you must show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by snatching them from the flames of judgment. Show mercy to still others, but do so with great caution, hating the sins that contaminate their lives. – Jude 22-23

Lord Jesus, thank you for loving me and keeping me safe in your care. You have called me, you love me and you have given me your Spirit to keep me from falling away. Today I will follow Jude’s words of guidance and build others up, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit and await your mercy.

All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. – Jude 25

And let us run with ENDURANCE the race God has set before us. – Hebrews 12:1b

ENDURE God’s discipline and don’t give up when He corrects you because he loves you as a Father loves His child.

For our earthly fathers disciplined us for a few years, doing the best they knew how. But God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening – it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong (Hebrews 12:10-13).

ENDURE the discipline so that we might share in His holiness, which looks like this:

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many (Hebrews 12:14-15).

Be careful that you do not refuse to listen to the One who is speaking…Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe. For our God is a devouring fire (Hebrews 12:25a, 28-29).

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison…also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:1-8).

For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come.

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a CONTINUAL sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God (Hebrews 13:14-16).

How do we do this?
How do we live this kind of holy life?
It seems impossible to ENDURE and meet this high mark.
Well, it is impossible…without God’s help.
God, who is unshakable.
Jesus, who is the same yesterday, today and forever.
HE will equip you.
HE will produce in you every good thing that is please to him.

Now may the God of peace –
Who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus,
The great Shepherd of the sheep,
And ratified an eternal covenant with his blood –
May he equip you with all you need for doing his will.
May he produce in you,
Through the power of Jesus Christ,
Every good thing that is pleasing to him.
All glory to him forever and ever! Amen. – Hebrews 13:20-21

It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. AND SO a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead – a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them (Hebrews 11:11-12).

Oh, I’m so glad Sarah is in my cloud of witnesses! I relate to Sarah. I relate to God’s gift of faith helping me through a time when my body would not cooperate with the desires of my heart. A fertility specialist said there was nothing he could do to keep me from miscarrying every pregnancy. Today my heart overflows with thankfulness for the three beautiful girls God has given us. Sarah had faith AND SO… Sarah believed God keeps his promises AND SO…

By faith, Isaac blessed the future of his sons, Jacob and Esau. By faith, Jacob blessed the future of his grandsons (Joseph’s sons). By faith Joseph spoke confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt one day. Each of these men could not see into the future of their descendants but they knew the God who keeps His promises would be there watching over them.

Therefore, 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 trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race marked out for us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2a).

When Pharoah was killing all the Hebrew baby boys, Moses’ parents did not cower in fear. No, they ran with endurance, hiding their son for three months. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s commands (Hebrews 11:23b).

Moses stripped off every weight that would slow him down and the sin that would so easily trip him up:
It was by faith that Moses, when he grew up, refused to be called the son of Pharoah’s daughter. He chose to share the oppression of God’s people instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin. He thought it better to suffer for the sake of Christ than to own the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking ahead to his great reward. It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. HE kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible (Hebrews 11:24-27).

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith (Hebrews 12:2a).

By faith, the people of Israel ran with endurance the race marked out for them – first when they crossed the Red Sea as though they were on dry ground and then when they marched around Jericho for seven days causing the walls to fall down. The race marked out for them resulted in victory and triumph over their enemies.

By faith, Rahab walked away from her people who refused to obey God because she had a champion who had initiated and perfected her faith in Him. This same faith can be found in the lives of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. God did great things through them and they received what God had promised. Consider this huge crowd of witnesses to our life of faith.

They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.

All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us (Hebrews 11:33b-40).

Okay, no more feeling sorry for ourselves. I don’t think any of us have a testimony quite has harsh as this crowd of witnesses. Yet, they ran the race with endurance. We also have something they did not have, the new covenant relationship with God made possible through the cross.

We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not given your lives in your struggle against sin (Hebrews 12:2-4).

THEREFORE, since we have this incredible crowd of witnesses surrounding us as we live this life of faith, let’s strip off every weight that slows us down (whether it can be called sin or not) and let’s get rid of the sin that so easily causes us to trip. Let’s run this race with passion, with endurance, with faith – knowing that God keeps His promises and keeping our eyes fixed on our Champion who is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne! He has initiated our faith (we did not come up with it on our own) and He daily perfects our faith. Thank you, God, for these examples. Thank you, Jesus, for enduring the cross for me. And thank you for this growing gift of faith. Amen!

Enoch was known as a person who pleased God. Wow, that is a powerful statement! A person can be known for so many different things, good and bad, but Enoch was known as a person who pleased God and that came from his faith in God.

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

Genesis describes Enoch as living in close fellowship with God for more than 300 years. “Then one day he disappeared, because God took him” (Genesis 5:24). Something incredible…something extraordinary happened in Enoch’s life, simply because God chose to do it. That’s the kind of God we serve – the kind of God that just does because He can.

Enoch remained in close fellowship with God and God spared him death. I could just be done for today because that alone is more powerful than any of the caffeine in my morning coffee! But Enoch is not the only person in the crowd of witnesses we are surrounded by as we live this life of faith. There are more. Right by Enoch stands Noah, a man whose faith in God produced righteousness.

It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes from faith (Hebrews11:7).

There had never been a flood; there had never been a boat so big. Yet Noah obeyed God, which required a great deal of faith. But Noah’s faith had grown over the years because he, too, had remained in close fellowship with God. He lived a life that was pleasing to God and so God considered Noah a righteous man – more righteous than anyone else.

Noah had the faith he needed when the moment of decision came. When faced with the choice to obey God and do something never done before, Noah had a faith strong enough to say “yes”. He did not have to immediately produce this strong faith because his faith had been growing over time as he walked with God. I’m so glad Noah is in my crowd of witnesses as I run the race set before me. His example encourages me.

Standing out in this crowd of witnesses is Abraham:
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith – for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God (Hebrews 11:8-10).

Abraham was looking forward, eyes fixed on God. Where do you want me to go? Okay, I’m on it. Leave home, leave everything I know? Yes, I’ll obey you, God. What do you want me to do? Okay, I’ll do it. Sacrifice my son through whom I expect your promises to be fulfilled? Yes Lord, I’ll do it if that’s what you ask.

Abraham could have looked back from where he came but he continued to look forward to the promise. When looking for a wife for Isaac, he insisted that his servant NOT go back to the land from which they had come to find her. When walking up the mountain to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham did not continually look back and remind God that He had promised Abraham would be the father of many nations. No, he pressed forward, eyes fixed on God, believing that God could do anything – including raising Isaac from the dead (Hebrews 11:17-19).

This is why the writer of Hebrews pointed out the crowd of witnesses. He knew we would need the reminder of Abraham’s faith when we heard these words:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith…(Hebrews 12:1-2a).

Oh, how I needed this today. When I look ahead, I sometimes get overwhelmed. I remind myself of God’s promises and I remind myself of Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.”

I was reminded of God’s faithfulness on Wednesday at a staff meeting. The last few months have been brutal for our Administrative Team – one obstacle after another, one difficult decision waiting while we make another difficult decision. Nate reminded me while he was praying that God’s promise for Living Alternatives at the beginning of the year is still His promise today. I needed that reminder.

Sometimes starting a new pregnancy center in Tazewell County feels like building an ark in the middle of a desert. Sometimes raising the funds to build a residential facility and buy a mobile medical unit so that we can go where God is leading us feels like walking out of the comfort zone of our homeland into the unknown promised land.

Daily I have to lay all God’s promises on the altar and trust Him to provide. Daily I have to remain in close fellowship with my God, from my morning coffee to my bedtime prayers – pressing forward, eyes fixed on God, believing that God can do anything; having the faith I need when a moment of decision comes, a faith strong enough to say “yes”.

The message of faith and endurance that can be found throughout the book of Hebrews hits a climax in the first few verses of chapter 12.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses to the life of faith…(12:1a).

Let’s stop there before going on. Remember, whenever you see a “therefore”, you need to stop and see what it is there for. Chapter 12 starts with a “therefore” that is referring back to chapter 11. The “cloud of witnesses” in verse 12:1 is referring to the list of the faithful in chapter 11. Let’s look at this chapter full of examples of faith and endurance.

Abel (11:4): Abel offered his VERY BEST to God when he prepared his sacrifice. He did not see it as a waste to gather together the best of what he had and give it to God, but He gave in faith – trusting and considering it a privilege to give his best to God.

Abel was the second son born to Adam and Eve, born after his brother Cain. Abel became a shepherd while his brother, Cain, became a farmer. When it was time for the harvest, Cain gathered together some of his crops and gave them to the Lord as a gift. Now, Cain’s labor produced crops – that’s what he did and so that’s what he had to give to God. That wasn’t the problem. The Lord rejected Cain’s gift because Cain did not offer his best to God, which is what God required.

Second, celebrate the Festival of Harvest, when you bring me the first crops of your harvest…As you harvest your crops, bring the VERY BEST of the first harvest to the house of the Lord your God (Exodus 23:16,19a).

But Abel, who was a shepherd, gathered together all of his firstborn lambs from his flock. Imagine taking special care to know what sheep have given birth for the very first time and setting these lambs aside in order to recognize them as special. Abel then selected the VERY BEST of his firstborn lambs from his flock and gave his offering to the Lord, who accepted Abel’s gift because it was his VERY BEST.

Cain reacted poorly. In jealousy, he became angry and “looked dejected.” In other words, he was pouting. God saw that Cain was angry and feeling sorry for himself. He gave Cain a very stern warning, a warning that if heeded would have changed the course of Cain’s life forever. Instead, he remained self-serving and angry, bringing a curse upon himself. But he had a choice, just as we do.

“Why are you so angry?” the Lord asked Cain.
“Why do you look so dejected? You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

But the Lord said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.” – Genesis 4:6-12

God’s warning is also for us – sin, jealousy, anger, self-pity. Watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and become its master before it becomes yours!

Now let’s go back to Hebrews 12:1 and consider the person of Abel, who was one who made up the cloud of witnesses to the life of faith:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by…

Abel, who “gave evidence that he was a righteous man” by giving his VERY BEST to God, who “showed his approval of his gifts”

…let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith… (Hebrews 12:1-2a, 11:4).

Let’s give our VERY BEST to God today, letting go of it all and running this life of faith God has set before us with endurance. When we give our best to God, we are not left holding on to something that keeps our focus. Instead, we can focus on Jesus, who now has the VERY BEST we have to offer. He then takes our VERY BEST and perfects our faith – the faith He himself initiated in us. Praise God for this gift of faith and for the opportunity to give it back to Him – to give Him our VERY BEST.

God’s plan is for those of us who are working for Him and showing our love for Him to KEEP ON LOVING others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what we hope for will come true. His plan is that we would not become spiritually dull or indifferent but that we would follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their FAITH and ENDURANCE (6:10-12).

That was a paragraph from yesterday’s morning coffee that prepared our hearts for Hebrews 11 today. The writer of Hebrews is calling us to hold on to our faith and endure through the difficult times, just as those who came before us have done. They set an incredible example for us of what it means to have faith in any circumstance and to endure through the circumstances of life – holding on tight to the God who loves us and never leaves us!

Before we move to Hebrews 11 and its examples, let’s consider the powerful words of the writer of Hebrews in chapter 10. This passage emphasizes the importance of living a holy life as part of our covenant relationship with God – that continuing in sin is the same as trampling on the Son of God who shed His blood for the sake of this new covenant.

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him…

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us (Hebrews 10:20-29).

Wow. Those have to be some of the strongest words written in any New Testament letter. It puts a new perspective on our decision of whether to live life for ourselves or to live life for God. How can we live that kind of life of faith? We do not have to reach perfection by human strength; we do not have to produce an earthly attempt at holiness. If we try to do that, we have missed out on the role of our perfect High Priest.

But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool for his feet. For by that one offering HE FOREVER MADE PERFECT those who are BEING MADE HOLY. – Hebrews 10:12-14

So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised (10:35-36).

How do we do this? How do we continue trusting in the Lord, holding tightly to the hope we have. It requires faith. Just like holiness, faith is not something we can muster up on our own, it is a gift God gives us when we ask Him for it. He will give us the faith we need to persevere, to endure patiently, to step into His presence with sincere hearts fully trusting Him.

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation (Hebrews 11:1-2).

By faith, we believe God created the entire universe simply by commanding their existence.

By faith, Abel…by faith, Enoch…by faith, Noah…by faith, Abraham…by faith, Sarah…
The list goes on and on. Chapter 11 of Hebrews is one of my favorite chapters and I encourage you to take time today to simply soak in the strong examples of faith provided for us. Then consider what story can be told of you. By faith, _____….

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him (Hebrews 11:6).

But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is FAR superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a FAR better covenant with God, based on better promises. – Hebrew 8:6

Wow! That’s exciting! I know this isn’t new information, I’ve read through Hebrews before, but this morning this verse gave my heart a jumpstart. I mean, this is great news! Jesus negotiated a new agreement or a new covenant with God on our behalf – a far better covenant with far better promises.

God keeps His promises so “better promises” does not say He did not keep His original promises. The problem was that the old covenant written on stones was broken by God’s people, not by Him. Now there is a new covenant, written not on stones but in our minds and on our hearts – declaring that we are God’s people, that He is our God (8:7-10). This new covenant was made possible by the blood of Jesus Christ, our High Priest.

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. With his own blood – not the blood of goats and calves – he entered the Most Holy Place ONCE FOR ALL TIME and secured our redemption forever.

Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a PERFECT sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant (Hebrews 9:11-15).

For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness (9:22b).

This new covenant just keeps getting better. The old covenant involved the shedding of animals’ blood and had to be repeated on certain days and at certain ceremonies. Even then, the cleansing from those sacrifices was not perfect, not permanent and not capable of taking away feelings of guilt (10:1-2). Jesus’ blood was SO sufficient that He only had to die ONCE. His blood was so pure and His sacrifice so perfect, that it took care of the need for blood to be shed ONCE AND FOR ALL!

If that had been necessary, Christ would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But now, once for all time, he has appeared at the end of the age to remove sin by his own death as a sacrifice.

And just as each person is destined to die once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. – Hebrews 9:26-28

One more point comes out of these chapters of Hebrews – a point that speaks so loudly to me this morning and is consistent with Paul’s teachings.

For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, ONCE FOR ALL TIME (10:10).

So, if God’s plan is for us to be holy, which is possible because of the blood of Jesus, what happens if we choose to continue in sin rather than walk in holiness? What happens if we continue to give in to the urgings of the sinful nature instead of giving in to the urgings of the Spirit God has given us?

The writer of Hebrews talks about those who have repented of their sins, experienced all of the wonderful things a relationship with God has to offer, including the Holy Spirit, but then reject the Son of God. The writer says, “by rejecting the Son of God, they themselves are nailing him to the cross once again and holding him up to public shame” (Hebrews 6:6). How heartbreaking! Jesus died for our sins – why would we want to reject this salvation by continuing in sin?!!!

God’s plan is for those of us who are working for Him and showing our love for Him to KEEP on loving others as long as life lasts, in order to make certain that what we hope for will come true. His plan is that we would not become spiritually dull or indifferent but that we would follow the example of those who are going to inherit God’s promises because of their FAITH and ENDURANCE (6:10-12).

Oh God, we hold tight to the hope that lies before us – the hope given through this new covenant made possible by the death of Your Son, the perfect sacrifice. Lord, we desire to let go of our own plans and all this world offers and cling to You and You only. Thank you for this hope that we have in You. It is a trustworthy anchor for our souls, giving us faith and endurance to keep on loving – to keep on serving (6:18-19). Amen.

Jesus is my High Priest. I must admit I don’t think of that description or role very often. I think of him as my Savior and my Lord, my Creator and my Provider. Yet, how wonderful this morning to just stop and soak in how Jesus has become the source of eternal salvation for all those who believe and obey him – that He goes to His Father on my behalf. Yes, Jesus is my High Priest!

What is a high priest?

Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. And he is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because he himself is subject to the same weaknesses. That is why he must offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as theirs (Hebrews 5:1-3).

How does a person become a high priest?

And no one can become a high priest simply because he wants such an honor. He must be CALLED BY GOD for this work, just as Aaron was. This is why Christ did not honor himself by assuming he could become High Priest. No, HE WAS CHOSEN BY GOD, who said to him,

“You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.” – Hebrews 5:4-5

Why is Jesus the perfect High Priest for us?

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. – Hebrews 5:7-8

What does Jesus do for us in his role as High Priest?

Jesus became our source of eternal salvation. Through His birth, He came to understand our weaknesses for He faced the same testing we do, yet He did not sin (4:15). Through His blood, we are offered the elimination of our sins. Through His resurrection, we have hope that we can overcome the death we deserve and spend eternity in Heaven.

In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. And God designated him to be a High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:9-10).

Jesus gives us hope as he leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. In the ancient Temple, there was a curtain that hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place – the inner sanctuary that only the high priest could enter once a year to atone for the sins of the entire nation. No one else could step inside or even glimpse into this inner sanctuary. Because of Jesus, who is always in God’s presence, we can follow Him and enter into God’s presence.

Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our ETERNAL HIGH PRIEST in the order of Melchizedek. – Hebrews 6:18b-20

Jesus is able to save those who come to God through Him, interceding with God on our behalf.

There were many priests under the old system, for death prevented them from remaining in office. But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. Therefore he is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf.

He is the kind of high priest we need because he is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest place of honor in heaven. Unlike those other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when he offered himself as the sacrifice for the people’s sins. The law appointed high priests who were limited by human weakness. But after the law was given, God appointed his Son with an oath, and his Son has been made THE PERFECT HIGH PRIEST forever. – Hebrews 7:23-28

Jesus, my Lord and my Savior, thank you for being my High Priest. Thank you for becoming the sacrifice for my sins and then stepping before me to present me to Your Father. Lord, thank you for dying for me and for interceding for me. To you be all praise and glory forever, Amen!