Maranatha Grace Church

Today we start the Book of Hebrews Challenge in the New Testament -1 Chapter a day.  While you are reading the book of Hebrews please keep in mind what we've learned from the Book of Leviticus. The Old Testament sacrificial system foreshadowed Jesus offering himself to atone for the sin of the world. ^" The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)"

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 15 – Hebrews 1 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

“In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. ³ The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. ⁴ So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.” (Hebrews 1:1-4)

The story of the Transfiguration of Jesus is one of the most intriguing stories of the New Testament. It shows us that heaven and earth are connected, and that connection between heaven and earth is made through the Lord Jesus. So, we must listen to Jesus. We need to pay close attention to his instructions. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him (Matthew 17:5)!”

Jesus tells us to live by the Word of God. ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). This statement of Jesus is for all times and for all generations. Hebrews 1:2 tells us that the Universe was made by God, through the Son.  We are living in God’s universe, we need his blueprint for our lives.

The universe is sustained by the powerful word of God. The planets, the stars, and all life owe their continual existence to God (Hebrews 1:3). His word is powerful enough to keep the universe going, it is powerful enough to solve all the issues of our lives. The words of God “are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh (Proverbs 4:22).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 16 – Hebrews 2 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. ² For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, ³ how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, ⁴ while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. (Hebrews 2:1-4)

The message of salvation in Jesus’ name which moves God to act is available to all of us. This message that brought the conversion to Christianity of a great part of the Roman Empire was accomplished mostly through words of mouth, friends sharing the message of salvation with friends. Because of severe persecutions of the Christian in those days, the message of salvation in most instances could not be transmitted openly. However, in spite of a hostile environment Christianity grew. Why?

When the message of salvation is preached you can expect the great power of God to be manifested. God always bears witness to the message of salvation by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will (Hebrews 2:4). That is why Christians need to desire that the message of the great salvation be preached; not psychology, not philosophy but salvation. It is powerful.

Preach that message of salvation to your own family, and you can wait to see a great move of God into your family. Preach that great message of salvation to yourself, and you will see signs that God is really with us. God will perform wonders in our sight because of the message of salvation. It is a wonder to see a disobedient child comes back to his father.  We should all encourage our pastors to preach the message of the great salvation. Our churches would never be the same.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 17 – Hebrews 3 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
¹² See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. ¹³ But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. ¹⁴ We have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original conviction firmly to the very end. ¹⁵ As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,
 do not harden your hearts
 as you did in the rebellion.”(Hebrews 3:12-15)

How many times should we reach out to a brother or a sister who seems to be drifting away from the faith? In a world that is becoming more and more individualistic where the prevalent attitude is “mind your own business,” why should we care at all?  We  should care because God is not happy with an “I don’t care” attitude. Then the LORD said to Cain, Where is your brother Abel?" "I don't know," he replied. "Am I my brother's keeper?" The LORD said, "What have you done? Listen! Your brother's blood cries out to me from the ground. (Genesis 4:9-10)

We are our brother’s keeper. The greatest prayer in the Bible starts with “Our Father”, thus affirming our relationship with God and with each other. Brothers must care for brothers, and the most important caring is manifested in spiritual matters. Because sin is so deceitful, we need a whole team to detect it and to protect us against it. It is too much for one person to figure out alone. There is no long ranger Christian. We need other Christians’ help.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness (Hebrews 3:13). How many times should we reach out to one another? Daily, the world of God tells us. And we cannot postpone the daily requirement for tomorrow. It must be done “Today.” We should never get tired of doing good, Jesus tells us to forgive our brothers seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). Maybe we need to encourage a brother who is drifting away seventy times seven.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 18 – Hebrews 4 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)
¹² For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. ¹³ Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Hebrews 4:12-13)

“The word of God” here is the word of God found in the Bible, all of them from Genesis to Revelation. There was no other word like it. Speaking of his words found in the Bible, Jesus told his disciples, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life (John 6:63).” We are here encouraged to constantly stay in the word of God. Read it, meditate it, think about, and memorize it.

One of the best habits that we can develop is the habit of reading the word of God on a consistent basis. Day in day out. We need food to live physically, we need the word of God much more for our total existence, spirit, soul, and body. The Lord Jesus tells us that “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4).’”

We cannot get discouraged to read the Bible because we don’t understand everything. 1 Corinthians 13 tells us this is going to be so until the return of the Lord, “Now we know in part”.  We use a lot of things in life that we don’t fully understand, such as our cellphones, and our GPSes. We love without fully understanding love. The word of God heals our body, but we don’t know how (Proverbs 4:20-22).

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 19 – Hebrews 5 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ² He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. ³ Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. ⁴ And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. (Hebrews 5:1-4)

Jesus tells us in Luke 6:42 to take the plank out of our own eye first, before we can help our brother in removing the speck from his eyes. I always think about this recommendation of Jesus when I am on an airplane about to take off. The Flight Attendant always says something similar to the following: “In case of depressurization put your oxygen mask first before helping other people to put their masks.” This is also true for our spiritual situations. The change needs to come from us first.  

The Old Testament makes it very clear that the priest is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins before he does for the sins of the people. There was no question of spiritual superiority of the priest vis-à-vis of the people, they were on the same boat. This is true for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We sing all the times, “Toi seul est saint Seigneur”, but we don’t seem to mean it when we treat our brothers and sisters without compassion.

We need to recognize that Jesus is our high priest in heaven now, and that our salvation is by God’s grace alone. We can easily forgive anyone who offends us when we know that if it were not for the grace of God we could have gone living a sinful and selfish life. Thank you Lord for your salvation.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 20 – Hebrews 6 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁴ For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, ⁵ and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, ⁶ and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

¹⁰ For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.(Hebrews 6:10)

It seems confusing to find two truths that seem to be opposite in Hebrews chapter 6. We don’t have to be confused, both truths put together give us the complete truth. The warning to persevere till the end is very true, “God doesn’t pay for the beginning but only for the end,” as we love to say. But both our beginning and our end belong to God. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (Philippians 2:13).”

We can count on the justice of God to sustain us in our spiritual walk, “God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do ( Hebrews 6:10).” We rejoice knowing that God is just, nothing can erase our good deeds of serving our brothers and sisters.

We can count on the mercy of God to pick us up over and over on our spiritual journey. God is a compassionate God. “Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. (Psalm 103:13-14).” We don’t have to live with the worry of disappointing God, our Father in heaven already knows our weaknesses.  

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 21 – Hebrews 7 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹² For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. (Hebrews 7:12)

²³ Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; ²⁴ but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. ²⁵ Therefore he is able to save completely^[c] those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:23-25)

In our previous Bible reading challenge, the Book of Leviticus Challenge, we saw the exigence of the Law: ^“Fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; whatever injury he has given a person shall be given to him (Leviticus 24:20).” That was the old Law with the old priesthood. With the new priesthood, the old Law has been changed to the law of faith and love - Grace.

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’^{[a] 39} But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor^[b] and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Matthew 5:38-45)

The sacrifice of the Lord Jesus on our behalf makes us brand new creation with tremendous possibilities, children of our Father in heaven. Resistance has passed from the physical realm to the spiritual realm. Love and faith in the heart of the believer, activated by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, create a spiritual shield of protection around him. With love and faith in the Lord Jesus we are able to overcome even unseen physical foes such as harmful viruses, bacteria, germs, sickness and diseases.  Jesus always live to intercede for us. Awesome!  

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 22 – Hebrews 8 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

This is the covenant I will establish with the people of Israel
 after that time, declares the Lord.
I will put my laws in their minds
 and write them on their hearts.
I will be their God,
 and they will be my people.
¹¹ No longer will they teach their neighbor,
 or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know me,
 from the least of them to the greatest.
¹² For I will forgive their wickedness
 and will remember their sins no more. (Hebrews 8:10-12)

When I was growing up, the education was mostly centered on memorization, “Pa kè man” we used to call each other. How we wished there were an easy way to remember those pages upon pages of materials to study. The worst was that severe punishments awaited those who did not know their “lessons.” Children would then do silly things such as putting books under their pillows as if the information could jump from the written pages to their brain while they were sleeping. It never worked.

When we study “Pa kè” we tend to forget very rapidly. So, in the new covenant God said, “I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people (Hebrews 8:10).” Easy! No more forgetfulness, the new laws are infused into our innermost beings. It is God, the Holy Spirit living in us, who gives us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

In the new covenant God forgives our wickedness and will remember our sins no more. Our forgiveness is on the basis of the new covenant in the blood of Jesus that was shed for us on the cross. “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you (Luke 22:20). We are free indeed, we enjoy complete freedom given to us by the Lord Jesus Christ. We are forgiven and loved by God.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 24 – Hebrews 10 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, ²⁵ not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:19-25)

We may think that the decline in church attendance is a new phenomenon created by modernity. However, the failure of meeting together has always been a problem as shown by Hebrews 10:25. Why? The tactic of the adversary may have changed throughout the years, but we still have the same adversary with the same goal, to keep mankind from enjoying a true relationship with God.

The blood of Jesus makes it possible for us to enter the Most Holy Place, the very presence of God. We often hear about children who have not talked to their parents in years, and those stories make us sad. What about God’s children who either by ignorance or willful disobedience just neglect to enter into the presence of their Father in heaven. How does God feel about those situations?

God is love, and his love endures forever. We get together to spur one another on toward love and good deeds (v.24). We get together to learn how to imitate God. We learn to become compassionate and generous. As we grow into the virtues of love and charitable acts, we collectively receive God’s blessing.  “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore (Psalms 133:1, 3).”

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 25 – Hebrews 11 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ² This is what the ancients were commended for. ³ By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. ⁴ By faith Abel brought God a better offering than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.⁵ By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”^[a] For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. ⁶ And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:1-6)

One day the universe as we know it, with everything in it will pass away, but three things will stay: Faith, Hope, and Love. The Bible tells us that the greatest of the three is love (1 Corinthians 13:13). If everything in life will pass away except three things, the intelligent approach to life is to seek out for those three eternal things.

All three - Faith, Hope, and Love - must come into play in order for us to get our breakthrough from God. First, we must know that the universe is God’s universe, he is omnipotent, nothing is impossible to God. Second, we must have hope, the certitude that God is helping us in our present situation. And lastly, we must know God loves us deeply, that is why he is helping us. His love assures us of  his help.

God enjoys giving rewards, and he needs good receivers to receive them. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. Our faith has two parts: “Believe in the reality of God, and believe that there is a reward for us who seek earnestly after him.

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 26 – Hebrews 12 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

¹⁸ You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; ¹⁹ to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them, ²⁰ because they could not bear what was commanded: “If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death.”^{[c] 21} The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, “I am trembling with fear.” (Hebrews 12:18-21)

Have you ever been in a boring church service? Can there really be boring church services when the Lord himself had promised to be in such services whenever two or three are gathered in his name (Matthew 18:20)? Imagine for a moment a church service held in a primitive church. Most likely it is a house church, with no music, with no great lead singers, none of the stuff that we find in our modern church services. Boring?

But, how were they able to change the world with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus in such a short time? It is because they were never bored. They were outwardly focused, they knew that the Lord was in their midst and that they had something great to accomplish for his glory. Fortunately we can have the same experience.  Every church service can be a moment when we experience the coming together of heaven and earth, a deeply spiritual experience.

If you ever find yourself in a boring church service, try to remember Hebrews 12.  It may boring to your senses, “But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, ²³ to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, ²⁴ to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel (Hebrews 12:22-24).” Wonderful!

May the Lord richly bless you!

Hello:

We have now completed the Books of Hebrews Challenge. Tomorrow April 28, we will start the Book of Titus Challenge, a three chapter book. And on May 1st, we will start the Books of 1-2 Corinthians Challenge.

Book of Hebrews Challenge – Day 27 – Hebrews 13 (Please click on the blue links to be directed to the Readings)

⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. (Hebrews 13:7)

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)

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)

How we cooperate with the leaders of our church has a great spiritual impact on our lives. Christ, because of his great love for his church has given her great gifts of anointed leaders who work as under-shepherd of His sheep, Christ being the great Shepherd. It is then necessary that we show ourselves as good receivers who appreciate with a grateful heart his gifts to us.

The word of God tells us that when Christ ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people (Ephesians 4:8).  “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Ephesians 4:11-12).”

It is very important that we resist the temptation to adopt the attitude that anyone can Pastor a church, this is not scriptural.  Pastors are gifts from the Lord, working together with the other leaders to build up the body of Christ. So, for our own benefits, we need to listen to the exhortation of Hebrews 13:20, “Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account.”

May the Lord richly bless you!