A community of believers in the first century are wondering if they should return to Judaism because Christianity was just too tough and some have done this. They receive this letter to say ‘don’t do it’ and one of the main reasons is because of those who went before them.
It is an encouragement to us all today.
“These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.” (Hebrews 11 v 39-40)
- We are experiencing right now God’s plan.
- The Forgiveness of the cross; The assurance of the resurrection; The power of the Spirit’s outpouring is His plan for our lives which we have right now.
- We have more than the Old Testament heroes of the faith.
- Can you imagine their stories if they had been given what we have? Can you imagine what our stories could become with some of their faith now that we have ‘something better’?
- We have the fulfilment of all the promises of these heroes.
- If ‘they’ could speak to us and how we have and are experiencing daily what they were only promised, what do you think they would say?
- We are the final chapter that their life was unable to write but only point to.
- How that final chapter is written is up to us. We waste it or use it. God is either glorified or grieved. The book ends in victory so let us act on that.
- We have no excuse in limiting our trust that God can do the impossible!
- We trust in the death of Christ in line with Abel’s faith.
- We trust in the desire of God to walk with us in line with Enoch’s faith.
- We trust in the ark of salvation that we are saved and will be saved in line with Noah’s faith.
- We trust in the mission of God and know we are sent by Him in line with Abraham’s faith.
- We trust that there is more for our lives than what we have experienced in line with Sarah’s faith.
- We trust in the sovereignty of God even if it doesn’t look fair in line with Isaac’s faith.
- We trust in the fact that God has chosen us in line with Joseph’s faith.
- We trust our futures to God no matter if it appears insecure in line with Moses’ faith.
- We trust that God will fight for us in line with the faith of the Hebrews who crossed the Red Sea.
- We trust in the supernatural God in line with the Joshua generation’s faith seeing the walls come tumbling down.
- We trust in the power of the blood of Christ in line with Rahab’s faith and her scarlet cord.
- We trust to move away from inadequacy in line with Gideon’s faith.
- We trust even if our faith needs developing in line with Barak’s faith.
- We trust in the grace of God when we have nothing left in line with Samson’s faith.
- We trust in the complete surrender to God in line with Jephthah’s faith.
- We trust in the fact that God always wins in line with David’s faith.
- We trust in the vast superiority of our God in line with Samuel’s faith.
- We have no excuse!
Missions Paul 