HEBREWS HEB11
The call to perseverance Hebrews
10:19-39
Introduction:
The rest of this letter deals, not so much with Jesus Christ who has
dominated the preceding section, but with the readers who now are exhorted,
encouraged and warned about the Christian lives they are called to live.
This section emphasises the need to persevere:
1.
Hold on to what you believe (19-25)
Pick out
the key phrases which apply to these believers:
a.
‘We have confidence …’ (19).
From what is it derived? (12-18)
b.
‘We have a great high priest…’ (21).
What has He achieved for them? (20)
c.
What should they do? (22). What
right have they got to do so? (22)
On the basis of these verses how would you try to help someone who
said, ‘I don’t feel good enough to come to God’?
d.
What should their attitude be? (23). On what basis?…their self
confidence?
See the last part of the verse.
Think about God’s promises and His faithfulness: ‘promise’ is a
favourite word in Hebrews – see 4:1; 6:12, 15, 17; 8:6; 9:15; 11:9, 13, 17, 33,
39, 40. What were these various
promises about? What was required of
those to whom the promises were given?
Why could they trust God or ‘hold unswervingly’
(1 Thess. 5:24).
e.
What should we think about? (24).
What practical steps can be taken to achieve this?
f.
What should we maintain? (24).
Why is this important? What
circumstances make it all the more important to encourage one another to
continue meeting together? (25b). Why
should this be so?
2.
Be sure that you do believe (26-31)
This
‘warning’ section has a similar emphasis to 6:4-8, i.e. Jews attracted to
Christ but not yet trusting Him as Saviour were in danger of turning away and
returning to Judaism. Persecution might
well have been a precipitating factor, first, discouraging them from meeting with
Christians, them turning their backs on Christ. Rejecting light received has serious repercussions. Think about them:
a.
Preferring a life of sin to salvation and obedience to truth. That’s the kind of person under
consideration (26), not the one who for some reason yields to temptation, sins
and is sorry.
b.
Even the person referred to can repent, but as long as he prefers his
life of sin, what are the consequences? (26b, 27). Notice the two points made.
c.
Why is this judgement deserved? (28,29). What three points are made in v. 29?
d.
Who will execute judgement? (30, 31).
How is this picture of God compatible with one who is love? Think about God as a whole person: loving,
true, righteous, holy, etc. What, in
the last analysis, can you always rely on God to do? In a similarly difficult situation what did Abraham discover?
(Genesis 18:25). How far is the person
who chooses a life of sin in preference to the truth condemning himself?
3.
Persevere in spite of suffering (32-39)
As in
6:9-12 the writer is sure that his readers don’t fall into the previous
category.
a.
In addition to working hard for God and loving Him (6:10), what
characterised them?
b.
What makes public abuse hard to take?
What are you tempted to do when Christian friends are persecuted but you
are not? (33b, 34a). Think about the
example of Onesiphorus (2 Tim 1:15-18).
c.
Why could they experience joy in persecution? (34). To what extent does running away from
problems rob us of joy? Why? How would you define joy? Think about such statements as John 16:21,
22; 2 Cor 7:4; James 1:2-4.
d.
What effect should knowing that we have ‘better and lasting
possessions’ (34) have on us?
Negatively? (35). Positively?
(36).
e.
Why is the Second Coming of Christ important in this context? (37)
f.
What is the alternative to ‘shrinking back’? (38, 39) Notice how this ties in with 6:12.
Mention those you know of locally or further away, suffering problems
and opposition. Discuss in the light of
this passage what could and should be done for them, and take action.