Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living "More Than We Care To Admit" from Wordaction/The Global Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 1 May 2016 with Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-31

Reflecting God - Embrace Holy Living "More Than We Care To Admit" from Wordaction/The Global Church of the Nazarene in Lenexa, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 1 May 2016 with Scripture: Hebrews 10:19-31
"More Than We Care To Admit" by Jay Richard Akkerman
Hebrews 10: Don’t Throw It All Away
19-21 So, friends, we can now—without hesitation—walk right up to God, into “the Holy Place.” Jesus has cleared the way by the blood of his sacrifice, acting as our priest before God. The “curtain” into God’s presence is his body.
22-25 So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.
26-31 If we give up and turn our backs on all we’ve learned, all we’ve been given, all the truth we now know, we repudiate Christ’s sacrifice and are left on our own to face the Judgment—and a mighty fierce judgment it will be! If the penalty for breaking the law of Moses is physical death, what do you think will happen if you turn on God’s Son, spit on the sacrifice that made you whole, and insult this most gracious Spirit? This is no light matter. God has warned us that he’ll hold us to account and make us pay. He was quite explicit: “Vengeance is mine, and I won’t overlook a thing” and “God will judge his people.” Nobody’s getting by with anything, believe me.
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Unlike many other New Testament writings, the Book of Hebrews is not lnked to any particular writer by name. The early Christian father Origen is credited with saying that "God Only Knows" who wrote it. Regardless, Hebrews really reads more like a written sermon than a first-century letter. For instance, the writer fails to follow common writing conventions. Instead, the book focuses more on encouraging persecuted Jewish Christians [Messianic Jews] not to abandon the church to return to their  family ties in Judaism.
Probably written during the Roman emperor Domitian's reign, apparently a number of church members were feeling dejected and defeated about their faith. The writer's admonitions to these believers to persevere and renew their commitments continue to inspire us today. Hebrews frames the solution personally by centering first-century challenges in the solution offered through the person of Jesus the Christ [Yeshua the Messiah], giving them confidence to "draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith" (10:22).
Sometimes we're tempted to idealize the ancient church. Instead, Hebrews reveals an imperfect church comprised of vulnerable followers in need of assurance. Perhaps we're more like those first-century Hebrew Christians [Messianic Jews] than we care to admit!
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Hymn for Today: "How Firm A Foundation" from John Rippon's Selection of Hymns, 1787
1. How firm a foundation you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
2. "Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed,
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
3. "When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow,
for I will be with you in trouble to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.
4. "When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace all-sufficient shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.
5. "The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I'll never, no, never, no never forsake!"
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Thought for Today:
Ephesians 3:11-13 All this is proceeding along lines planned all along by God and then executed in Christ Jesus. When we trust in him, we’re free to say whatever needs to be said, bold to go wherever we need to go. So don’t let my present trouble on your behalf get you down. Be proud!
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Please pray:
For the development of Christian leaders in Bolivia.
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