Part 15, Maintaining the Course of Faith Series, Heb. 13:10-25
1. Start your day with God’s promises.
“10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God… 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.” Hebrews 13:10-14.
· Hebrews showed us, that Jesus is our life.
Jesus is the Son of God (Heb. 1), Captain of our Salvation (Heb.2), the Apostle (Heb.3), High Priest (beginning Heb.4), the Everlasting Priest (Heb.5), the Forerunner for heavenly rest (Heb.6), the Mediator (Heb.9), the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb.12), and the Great Shepherd of God’s people (Heb.13).
· All those things about Jesus would bring us to God’s new city.
· Revelation 21-22 described this city as God-made and everlasting.
· City dwellers will live in harmony with God and with His people.
· We are to keep the image of this everlasting city as it will help us go through challenges in our faith.
· Start your day by focusing on who Jesus is, and what God promised to do in Christ.
2. Live each day in deep gratitude to God.
15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” Hebrews 13:15-16.
· Gratitude is more than saying, “Thank God” or “Praise the Lord!”
· Someone said, “Gratitude refers to the positive emotion when one feels thankful for those tangible and intangible things received or promised.”
· Starting each day in deep gratitude to God is important because it helps build the habit of obedience.
· Obedience to God leads us to godly actions according to vv-15-16.
Stages of learning gratitude towards God:
· Recognition of our shortfalls.“Through Jesus” gives us the idea that in the Old Testament, no one can come to God without a sacrificial offering, and in the New Testament, Jesus became our sacrificial offering to God.
· Recognizing that goodness originates from God. vv.16, 21. God commanded us to be good to others, because we are His beneficiaries of His own goodness.
3. Love the church Jesus died for.
“17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.” Hebrews 13:17.
· Jesus loves His church that He called some to leadership.
· Spiritual leaders are the ones whose lives have been shaped by God’s Word, and by the Holy Spirit.
· Examine their lives and if you see them living in Christ, and they have solid doctrinal beliefs, then you must be confident in them.
· Support them through prayer, and by your tangible actions.
· Never criticize them in public, but talk to them in private, if you need to resolve any differences.
· Give your leaders time to grow, because like you, God is not yet done with them.
4. Do not worry about the present life.
“20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” Hebrews 13:20-21
· This is a priestly style blessing echoed from Numbers 6:22-27, written by Moses sometime in the 1400 B.C.
· Understanding the story behind the priestly blessing from Numbers 6, calms the human spirit.
· During the time of Moses, God promised to provide for Israel as they travel to the Promised Land.
· Echoing the priestly blessing in Hebrews means God has not changed a bit. He is the same, yesterday, today, and tomorrow.
· God will always lead His people providentially, and this gives us inner peace.
· Worrying denies the power of God to direct and guide us.
Be at peace, knowing that we have Jesus as our great Shepherd who never leaves us nor forsake us.
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