A Call to Persevere
Hebrews 10:19-39
The Full Assurance of Faith
19 Therefore,
brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the
blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he
opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and
since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let
us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our
hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our
bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the
confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let
us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not
neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one
another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
26 For if we go on
sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the
truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but
a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume
the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses
dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. 29 How
much worse punishment, do you think, will be deserved by the one who has
trampled underfoot the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the
covenant by which he was sanctified, and has outraged the Spirit of
grace? 30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I
will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” 31 It
is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But recall the former
days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle
with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to
reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you
had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the
plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a
better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not
throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you
have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you
may receive what is promised. 37 For,
“Yet a little while,
and the coming one will come and will not
delay;
38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,
and if he shrinks back,
my soul has no pleasure in him.”
39 But we are not of those
who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve
their souls.
The Challenge (10:19–39):
This challenge is a fourfold exhortation.
A. Approach the throne of God (10:19–22): Christ’s sacrifice allows us to boldly petition God’s
throne.
B. Advance the people of God (10:23–25): Believers are to be kind and helpful to each other.
C. Avoid the judgment of God (10:26–31).
1. The contrast (10:26–29)
a. A reminder of how God once punished those who
rejected the law of Moses (10:26–28)
b. A reminder of how God will punish those who reject
the Lamb of God (10:29)
2. The certainty (10:30–31):
We are assured God will judge his people.
D. Acknowledge the faithfulness of God (10:32–39).
1. His past faithfulness (10:32–34): The author urges believers not to forget God’s care for
them during a former period of suffering.
2. His permanent faithfulness (10:35–39): Whatever the present and future holds, they can depend on
his continuous care.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- Based on Christ’s sacrifice (vv. 19-20; 9:1-10:18) and priesthood (v. 21; 7:1—8:13), what attitudes and actions follow? Note the four “let us” statements in verses 22-25. What does each one mean? What incentives are given?
- How do verses 19-25 parallel 4:14-16? Why does the author need to stress this to these readers?
- If they habitually reject Christ in favor of sin, what do they forfeit (v. 26; also 3:14; 6:4-6)? What can they expect instead (vv. 27, 30-31)? Why is this fate not so unexpected (vv. 28-29; also Deuteronomy 17:2-7)?
- In rejecting Christ, of what three grievous sins would they be guilty (v. 29)? With what consequence (v. 31)? What false security would make such a warning necessary (see 4:12-13; 6:8)?
- After such a dire warning, how does the author appeal to previous testing, present action and future events—all to encourage the Hebrews (vv.32-39)? Which appeal do you find persuasive?
- In what specific ways can you spur another Christian on toward love and good deeds? How have you been spurred on by others in your group? Whose exhortation, example or encouragement means the most to you?
- How have you seen the difference between someone assured of their salvation (vv. 19-25) and someone presumptuous about it (vv. 26-31)? How can you develop confidence without presumption?
- How does the promise of the second coming help you to “keep on keeping on”?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
3 Ways Hope Brings a Miracle
“There’s hope–a miracle happened to me.” – Duane Chapman
A Mother’s Hope
I remember more than one story where a godly mother had been praying for decades for her son, who was in prison, to be saved. Year after year, the woman prayed with no visible results. I’m sure most people would have given up long ago, but this mother never did when everyone else had. This particular woman prayed, and after 22 years, she got a letter from her son that said he heard a prison minister tell him that unless a person believes in Christ, they will be separated from all their loved ones who have trusted in Christ, for all eternity. For some reason, what this minister said made him cry. The prisoner had remembered all those years of prayers and letters that his mother had sent him, never giving up on him. He thought about the fact that unless he was saved, he would never see his mother again. Today, this man leads his own Bible study in prison. The hope of a mother’s heart brought a miracle to a prisoner and set him free.
The Barren’s Hope
When Hannah saw that all the rest of her family and friends had been blessed with children, “Hannah wept and would not eat” (1 Sam. 1:8), being grieved over her childlessness. In fact, “she was deeply distressed and prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly” (1 Sam. 1:10), and so she prayed, “O Lord of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head” (1 Sam. 1:11). Finally, “… the Lord remembered her. And in due time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked for him from the Lord’” (1 Sam. 1:19b-20). Hannah kept on praying to God, and He made the barren womb fruitful. “Indeed the Lord visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters” (1 Sam. 2:21).
Hope in Christ
When we share the Gospel, we have the only message of true hope in this world, and that is the hope that is found in Christ alone (Acts 4:12). In fact, “we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:12). Our hope is not in this world, as Paul writes, “If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied” (1 Cor. 15:19), but we have the hope of Christ after death and in the kingdom. So “let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23).
Conclusion
Never give up on God because the hope of the praying mother, the barren, and the believer is not hopeless but has promises bound up in God’s precious promises. He is ever faithful and will never disappoint. It is true–there’s hope. A miracle happened to me, and if you are saved, one happened to you, too!
Read more: http://www.christianquotes.info/images/3-ways-hope-brings-a-miracle/#ixzz3lqZmmQt3
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