Hebrews 10:24-39, Reading Through the NT 2015

Finish chapter 10 of Hebrews, reading verses 24-39 today.

After reminding us of God’s faithfulness, and telling us to hold on to the hope we profess, the author of Hebrews moves on to talk about our responsibility to our brothers and sisters in the faith. We are to spur one another on to love and good deeds. We are to continue to meet together, in worship, in small groups and in Bible Study and prayer. As we see the end times coming near, and anticipate Jesus returning to complete our salvation, we need to hold one another up, because times are perilous! We all get discouraged and find ourselves doubting our faith and wondering why we are experiencing difficult circumstances. We need other believers to come along side and pray for us, encourage us and help us remember all God has done for us. It is easy to forget when we are in the middle of a crisis. That, my friends, is actually the time to depend on God even more! He is able to help us and keep us strong, even when times are hard. He loves us and wants the best for us. Sometimes we need Jesus with skin on through our fellow believers to boost our confidence, and to turn us back to relying on God’s power and strength to get us through. Who do you know that needs you to spur them on today?

If we have made a commitment to Christ, and then turn away from Him, denying that He is God’s Son leaving our faith behind, there are consequences for this. God’s judgment is a real thing, and He will not tolerate apostasy. If you once professed faith in Jesus and now denounce that faith, God will not forgive this rejection. Jesus went to the cross as a sacrifice for us, and when we believe this for ourselves, God’s grace is bestowed on us, and we can come before Him in repentance for forgiveness. If we turn away and deny His salvation, He will not recognize us as His children anymore and we will face His judgment. This was happening to the people this author was addressing, and He felt the need to warn them of what would happen to them if they turned away from their faith.

When we first came to know Jesus and put our faith in Him, we were full of joy and excitement as we tried to grasp the greatness of God and the wonder of His Son. We were willing to be mocked for our zeal, and we didn’t care what we had to endure, because we were full of hope and knew what our future was going to be. We often forget that fresh faith, and get bogged down in the drudgery of the hurts and suffering that occur in our earthly lives. We need to get back to our first love, Jesus, and recommit ourselves to living for Him and His purposes, no matter what else is going on in our lives and in this world.

The writer of this book encourages us to persevere, for when we have done the will of God, we have a promised reward waiting for us. Jesus will come back to take us home. As His righteous children, we can live by faith, and know that God is watching us. He sees our devotion to Him, even in the midst of hard things. He has left us with His Holy Spirit to help us, and we can be confident that we are not in this alone. Our salvation is assured when we stay on the right path, and our future is full of hope in our eternal life in His Kingdom!

2 Timothy 4, Reading Through the NT 2015

We finish up 2 Timothy today, ending with chapter 4.

Paul ended this second letter to Timothy with a charge to preach the Word and use it to correct, rebuke and encourage the believers in the church. Timothy was to be patient and careful in his instruction, so that everyone would understand the truth of the gospel message he was sharing. There are so many different ideas, philosophies, and false teachings put forth in our world today, and with information available at the click of a mouse, we can read and hear many points of view that are not supported by the sound doctrine in the Bible. Often, these ideas feed exactly what we want to hear and believe, because we are not grounded in Scripture, and are looking for value and significance anywhere we can find it. We are drawn to those worldly ways and are deceived by their appeal to our selfishness and desire for instant gratification. This was what Paul wanted to convey to Timothy as he ministered in a place where false teaching was replacing the truth of God’s Word. He went on to tell him to keep his head on straight, endure the hardships that came his way and continue to evangelize and do the work of his ministry. We must be continually going back to our Bible’s to learn and study how Jesus taught us to live. We need to know the truth and what we believe so that we can share it with others. It is so easy for someone young in their faith to turn away and follow a different path. This was the caution that Paul was issuing, because he understood people and their propensity for living for themselves.

As he concluded this letter, Paul knew his time on earth was limited. He had run the race set before him, and was ready for the finish line. Having kept his faith strong, Paul looked forward to his final reward – a crown of righteousness for eternity  This is what we will also receive when we put our faith and trust in Jesus. It is the hope we have and the strength we need to endure whatever happens in our earthly life. We are living in our temporary home, and our final destination is secure in Christ. Just as Paul did, we can long for Jesus to come again and take us home. In the meantime, we can stand strong and keep the faith!

Because Paul knew his time was short, he eagerly desired to see Timothy once again. He was lonely and felt many had deserted him with only his companion Luke left to comfort him. He asked a couple of favors from Timothy, and hoped he would be able to help him out. He wanted him to bring Mark (whom he had earlier had a conflict with, but they had reconciled) and he wanted his warm cloak and some papers he had left in Troas. What a sweet relationship these two men must have had. Paul wanted to see the one whom he had called “my beloved son,” before he died. He had taught him, given him much advice and traveled with him as he led by example in his ministry. He was now tying up loose ends, giving him advice about some of the people he would encounter, and how to treat them. He gave glory to God for standing by him in all his sufferings, and for helping him live out his calling to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. He was confident that no matter what happened to him, God would rescue him and bring him safely into His heavenly kingdom. All he did and said was for God’s glory. This is the testimony of a true servant of Christ. He was sold out to Jesus and lived every moment for Him. He was certain of his faith and the hope for his future. Paul is such a good example for all of us to follow. His zeal and passion for God and the gospel permeated everything he did. How sold out are we for God? Do we live each and every day for Him to fulfill the calling He has placed on our lives? Are we confident that no matter what happens, God is with us and will help us through the hard times? Is our hope in our eternal future and not in what we can have today? These are the tough questions that are raised by reading this passage.

The body of Christ is such a powerful thing, and as Paul closed this writing, he asked Timothy to greet some of his friends for him, and sent greetings from other mutual brothers and sisters who would read this epistle. Telling others about our faith, supporting it with God’s Word, sharing the gospel and doing everything for the glory of God is the work of each of us as we attempt to live a Christian life. This was Paul’s goal, and what he wished for Timothy and those he had the opportunity to lead and mentor. When we focus on God’s purposes for our lives and live out our calling to the best of our abilities, we bring honor to His name. We may face opposition or rejection, and even persecution. We can rest in the knowledge that this is not our final home, and we can look forward to what God has in store for us in heaven. Grace and peace to you today.