Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. – Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Greek
ὑπόστασις/hypostasis: a setting under, i.e. concretely; support, steadiness

Why It Matters
In 1834, cabinet maker turned pastor Edward Mote wrote the Hymn “The Solid Rock.” The hymn is well known for its simple but profound refrain “On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Mote first published this hymn under the title “The Immutable Basis for a Sinner’s Hope,” a phrase that may be theologically accurate but doesn’t roll off the tongue very easily!
Mote’s hymn and our verse today both take a cue from Jesus’ Parable of the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7. The writer of Hebrews here gives us a great definition of faith from a Christian perspective – the hypostasis (setting under; support, steadiness) of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. This indicates that faith gives a solid foundation to our hope, like building a home on rock instead of sinking sand. But does the hypostasis of things hoped for derive from the amount of our faith? Definitely not! Thankfully, the hypostasis, or support of things hoped for, is derived from the object that our faith is directed toward. When our faith is placed in the finished work of Jesus, it’s like pouring a concrete foundation on which to build our lives. We don’t need to worry about our faith being robust enough to withstand the storms of life, because our hypostasis is the gospel of Jesus! This is indeed good news, because when Jesus becomes our foundation, we no longer have to be consumed with the question of whether we have enough hope. Jesus is our solid rock, and all other ground is sinking sand.

Prayer
God, my days belong to you, so please help me to trust that you are orchestrating a redemptive story with them. Although I may not be able to understand all that you’re doing today, I have faith that you can and will use it for your glory and my joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Application
What will I do this week to seek God more diligently?

Music Response
To “diligently” seek God carries with it the implications of being persistent, attentive, constant, and persevering. Very often songs can be the repeated reminder we need to hear as we create new habits or set out to keep a certain truth in front of us. Consider listening to songs – like the ones from the new series playlist – as you commute, work, study, fall asleep, exercise, etc. As the song I Will Exalt You (Hillsong) declares, God is our hiding place, safe refuge, treasure, friend, king, anointed, holy. A God like that is worth seeking, and he will be found! To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. – Hebrews 11:3 ESV

Greek
ῥήματι/rhēmati: a dynamic word made by God’s living voice

Why It Matters
What does it look like to live faithfully in a faithless world? For the writer of Hebrews, it can mean trusting the rhēmati(dynamic & life-giving word) of God above any other voices that claim to speak truth. When our writer wants to open the conversation on faith, he or she begins at the beginning – the creation of the universe. In Genesis 1, God speaks a rhēmati, and everything we see came into existence ex nihilo, or out of nothing. To the original audience living in the midst of the Greco-Roman world, this Biblical truth was contrary to their culture’s understanding of creation. Plato and other philosophers argued that the gods stepped into the chaos of the elements and worked to create order out of it.
For the Hebrews, faith in the Biblical understanding of creation didn’t just mean having a different point of view on past events. It meant trusting that the rhēmati of God was living, creative, powerful and still able to be heard! So when their culture told them what to think and how to live, it took faith to stop and listen for a rhēmati from God. Can you think of any place in our culture where this still rings true? If not, when was the last time you set aside a part of your day or week to actively listen for his voice and diligently seek him? Don’t let the volume of the world we live in drown out the creative voice of our creative God.

Prayer
God, my days belong to you, so please help me to trust that you are orchestrating a redemptive story with them. Although I may not be able to understand all that you’re doing today, I have faith that you can and will use it for your glory and my joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Application
What will I do this week to seek God more diligently?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. – Hebrews 11:6 ESV

Greek
ἐκζητοῦσιν/ekzētousin: to seek out, to seek after, or require

Why It Matters
The discipline of neuroscience has discovered that the act of seeking is one of the core instincts of the human brain. We derive pleasure from looking outside of what we possess toward something else. In fact, all mammals release varied amounts of dopamine when coordinating plans to seek something out. Neuroscientist Jaak Panksepp argues that this explains why achieving major goals or even winning the lottery doesn’t cause long term changes in a person’s happiness. It seems as if we are designed with the sense that something outside of ourselves is required for fulfillment.
The Bible is full of commands to seek the Lord, and at first glance it seems obvious as to why this seeking requires faith. But the Greek word ekzētousinmeans more than simply looking around. The tense of this verb appears only here, and it means to seek out something that is required for life! This is why some of our english translations add the word “diligently” or “earnestly” to the verb seek. So we can search for our lost set of keys, but we don’t ekzētousinthem because we won’t die without them. When we ekzētousin God we are living out our faith in a counter-cultural way, since every human is wired to seek something. But rather than seeking a more exciting career or even a soul mate, our seeking comes with the confession that God is a requirement for life. Without Him we aren’t just missing something, we’re missing everything! And the beauty of this verse is that faith demands that we recognize that God rewards those of us who ekzētousin, with himself. God has allowed himself to be found in the person and work of Jesus, and as we trust him with our lives we discover that everything we need can be found in him.

Prayer
God, my days belong to you, so please help me to trust that you are orchestrating a redemptive story with them. Although I may not be able to understand all that you’re doing today, I have faith that you can and will use it for your glory and my joy. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Application
What will I do this week to seek God more diligently?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore. – Hebrews 11:12 ESV

Greek
νενεκρωμένου/nenekrōmenou: to regard as dead, deprive of life or energizing power; to subdue

Why It Matters
One of our most quoted Because and Therefore statements at Centerway reads like this: “Because God sees what we can’t, we value GOD-RISKS therefore we respond when God speaks, pursue efforts that require supernatural intervention to succeed, and – while we aren’t irresponsible – we resist the comfort zone and don’t maintain or play it safe out of fear.” We believe it requires faith to work toward what God is asking us to give our lives to in Victor and beyond. However without a proper understanding of faith (and how God is asking us to live by that faith), we might be tempted to think that it is simply a matter of putting more effort into our work. Abraham saw the beginning of God fulfilling his promise to create a nation from his offspring, but only after he was physically incapable of contributing to that promise himself. In other words, he needed supernatural intervention for God’s promise to succeed because his body was nenekrōmenou (deprived of life or energizing power, regarded as dead). And herein lies a key component of authentic faith: it’s not based on what we believe we can muster up in our strength, but on what we believe God can do with our impossible circumstances. The Greek word nenekrōmenou carries the image of something alive that has been subdued by an enemy. This thing isn’t dead, but might as well be because it has been deprived of the power that indicates vitality. The encouraging thing about this truth is that it is in the darkest moments of our lives that faith is activated! So when there is nothing in ourselves to rely on, our faith is sparked and God can show himself faithful. When we understand this truth and live a life of faith, it turns out that – no matter how impossible it may seem – the God-risk is always worth it.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for the way you constantly support me with your faithfulness. I have experienced your grace and I want to cling to your promises. I admit that I sometimes need help in doing this, so I pray for your Spirit to remind me of your promises at just the right time.

Application
What promise do I need to write down this week?

Music Response
As you consider the promise you need to hold onto this week, what better songs to be singing than those from this week’s set? From declaring the goodness of God to recognizing our capacity to worship in any season because of his goodness, there are so many great lyrics. But it’s a new song we introduced that literally sings about the Promise Keeper. Way Maker (Osinachi Kalu Okoro Egbu, as recorded by Leeland) will encourage you and give you truth to declare about who God is and what he is actively doing, even when we don’t see it. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. – Hebrews 11:14 ESV

Greek
ἐμφανίζουσιν/emphanizousin: to make visible, or report against

Why It Matters
This past Sunday Claude mentioned that Hebrews was written in part to show its readers how to properly understand the Old Testament. Our verse today is just one example. When the Israelites were led out of Egypt through a series of miraculous events, it didn’t take long before they began to grumble about their lack of supplies. They had at one time put their trust in the Lord, but soon after the Red Sea parted their complaints emphanizousin (made visible) that their faith was lacking. Derived from the same word as our english word “emphasize,” emphanizousin expresses the reality of those actions that betray our true feelings and thoughts. We can say we trust God, but there are times when our complaints emphanizousin that we really don’t. On the positive side of things, declaring the promises of God like these heroes of faith will also emphanizousin the things unseen that we are certain of (Hebrews 11:1). What would those closest to you say you are seeking with your life? Often these inner-circle people are in the best position to answer this question, because they can see what our lives emphanizousin better than we can. They can call us out on what we prioritize and remind us of God’s promises in difficult circumstances. And one of the benefits of clinging to the promises of God is that our heart conforms to his image, thus shaping the space that makes clear what we authentically believe.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for the way you constantly support me with your faithfulness. I have experienced your grace and I want to cling to your promises. I admit that I sometimes need help in doing this, so I pray for your Spirit to remind me of your promises at just the right time.

Application
What promise do I need to write down this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. – Hebrews 11:21

Greek
προσεκύνησεν/prosekynēsen: to prostrate oneself in worship

Why It Matters
There are so many beautiful things about the promises of God, and the life of Jacob illustrates a few of them. Isn’t it great to be reminded that God’s faithfulness doesn’t have an expiration date and that God gives promises to really imperfect people? Jacob makes the list of heroes in the hall of faith, despite the first part of his life being filled with deceptive acts designed to place himself in a position of honor. Even his name means “to supplant,” which defined means to supercede or replace. Jacob worked hard to win what rightfully belonged to others.
Yet here in Hebrews we see him celebrated for his faith, and at the end of his life prosekynēsen (getting in a low position as an act of worship) toward his Creator. You can read the entire Jacob narrative beginning in Genesis 25, but his is a story of fully obtaining God’s promises for his life only after years of missing the mark. For us today, this is a reminder that our legacy doesn’t have to be defined by our past! God is able to guide us through seasons of failure into generation-changing promises. As Jacob prosekynēsen, he put himself in a proper posture toward God. He didn’t try to supplant God or deceive others in order to receive a promised blessing. And when this kind of faith is at the heart of what we do, we can trust that the decisions of our past won’t determine our legacy nearly as much as our position in relationship to God will.

Prayer
Thank you Lord for the way you constantly support me with your faithfulness. I have experienced your grace and I want to cling to your promises. I admit that I sometimes need help in doing this, so I pray for your Spirit to remind me of your promises at just the right time.

Application
What promise do I need to write down this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. – Hebrews 11:23 ESV

Greek
ἀστεῖον/asteion: beautiful, elegant, unique

Why It Matters
Italian restaurateur Massimo Bottura is widely accepted to be the best chef in the world. His three Michelin-starred Osteria Francescana restaurant is known for its high end reimagined Italian food, and people have been known to travel across the globe solely for a meal there. However, their signature dessert, “Oops! I Dropped The Lemon Tart” was (as you could probably guess) born from an accident. It was Bottura’s Sous Chef who once dumped the dessert in the kitchen, but instead of getting angry or causing heads to roll, Bottura saw the result of the spill and found beauty in it. From then on, his restaurant has served the tart broken and fragmented on the plate. Culinary experts and food critics universally praise the dish as even more aesthetically pleasing, providing a unique experience for the senses.
When Moses’ parents decided to defy the edict of the Egyptian government and hide their baby, they did so fearlessly. Hebrews says that this is because they saw that Moses was asteion (beautiful and unique; out of the ordinary). Today, it’s culturally understood that all babies are beautiful and hopefully every parent sees their child as unique. But for his parents, there was something about Moses that made risking their lives and standing up to an oppressive regime a no-brainer. Their dreams for their family must have been shattered, but they knew there was asteion where others just saw the ordinary.
It takes real faith to hold fast to the hope that God will bring beauty from brokenness. In the middle of it, there’s often a sense of confusion and pain that the vision of your preferred future has been fractured. But the faith that sees through this reality to the asteion of God’s creative potential is a gift that is given by God in the brokenness. It goes against the grain of the world around us. Through the lens of faith we see asteion where others see a broken dessert, a broken dream, or a broken life. Thank God for this gift that helps us navigate this imperfect world.

Prayer
God, I pray for the kind of faith that lets me see life from a unique point of view. I’m certainly not satisfied with a commonplace vision for the world you’ve placed me in, but I also recognize the pull that this world has on me at times. I offer you my life in faith, knowing that I’m both safe in your arms and in a position to experience a remarkable journey.

Application
What will I act on this week because God is leading me?

Music Response
We introduced a new song last week called God So Loved (We the Kingdom). As we consider what we will act on this week because God is leading us – especially if our world is turned upside-down – it’s important to remember that “Jesus is waiting…with open arms.” And he’s not waiting for our cleaned up, perfect selves. No, he says to “bring all your failures, bring your addictions” and we will find his mercy, his goodness, and find ourselves satisfied. Praise God! To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. – Hebrews 11:25

Greek
πρόσκαιρον/proskairon: temporary; lit. moving out of a season of time

Why It Matters
If there was ever a case study on the benefit of farsighted faith, our verse today would be it. The author of Hebrews relays the story of Moses, who grew up having access to the luxuries of the palace in Egypt. However, he chose to walk away from that life of comfort and be mistreated with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the proskairon (temporary and quick moving) pleasures of sin. Literally translated, this Greek word means to quickly move out of a season of time. This highlights the truth that as much as we long to hold onto our sin and allow its enjoyment to linger, its pleasure is always fleeting away from us. Sin’s elusive nature and our pursuit of its thrill consumes our energy, our attention and ultimately our loves.
This unique word is one that Jesus used in order to compare people who hear the truth of God in the midst of persecution to seed that falls on rocky ground. Even though these people receive the word with joy, the tribulation and persecution they experience causes them to proskairon fall away from faith in Jesus. This imagery would not have been lost on the original audience of Hebrews. Our author was speaking to a group of people who received the gospel with joy while regularly facing persecution. They were likely very tempted to focus on the temporary and renounce their faith in order to escape mistreatment with the people of God. But the antidote to this temptation isn’t simply to remember that “good things come to those who wait.” Only the gospel of Jesus has an adequate response to the questions that brokenness and disappointment cause us to ask. Faith like Moses displayed reveals our vision to allow the gospel to change our today, our future and our forever!

Prayer
God, I pray for the kind of faith that lets me see life from a unique point of view. I’m certainly not satisfied with a commonplace vision for the world you’ve placed me in, but I also recognize the pull that this world has on me at times. I offer you my life in faith, knowing that I’m both safe in your arms and in a position to experience a remarkable journey.

Application
What will I act on this week because God is leading me?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward. – Hebrews 11:26

Greek
ὀνειδισμὸν/oneidismon: stigma from undeserved condemnation

Why It Matters
The season of Lent is designed to be a 40 day period before Easter when Christians identify with Jesus’ sacrifice. It’s traditionally observed by abstaining from meat, praying more often and “completing acts of penance.” But if we’re honest with ourselves, these sacrifices don’t hold a candle to what Jesus experienced on earth. A closer illustration can be found in our passage today, with the choice Moses makes to leave the palace and live among the lowest class of Israelites in Egypt. As Jesus chose to leave the glory of Heaven to live among those enslaved to sin, Moses foreshadowed this choice with his own life. The writer of Hebrews connects the farsighted faith of Moses with the oneidismon (stigma from undeserved condemnation) of Christ. Rather than simply focusing on the inconvenience and difficulty of leaving His heavenly throne, it’s important to draw our attention to the spiritual sacrifice Jesus made. He knew his obedience would lead to a severing of relationship with his father, an oneidismon and an ache far worse than the physical or emotional stigma this world can dole out. This kind of ache is far different than simply giving up access to the palace and all its riches. Moses’ story reminds us that Jesus said yes to his father’s plan even though he knew it would lead to undeserved condemnation by the world he loved. And in so doing, Jesus’ response wasn’t to condemn a world deserving of punishment, but to save the world through his sacrifice (John 3:17). With this reality motivating my actions – during Lent or throughout the year – what will I act on this week because God is leading me?

Prayer
God, I pray for the kind of faith that lets me see life from a unique point of view. I’m certainly not satisfied with a commonplace vision for the world you’ve placed me in, but I also recognize the pull that this world has on me at times. I offer you my life in faith, knowing that I’m both safe in your arms and in a position to experience a remarkable journey.

Application
What will I act on this week because God is leading me?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, – Hebrews 11:33 ESV

Greek
διὰ/dia: A primary preposition denoting the channel of an act; through

Why It Matters
Whether it be folklore or tall tales, historically Americans have loved to tell stories of people that can do no wrong. As children we often have this perception of a parent, a teacher, or coach. They seem superhuman…until they aren’t. Their rather human strength, misbehavior, and even poor efforts reveal that something is off. It’s a sad day when we discover our heroes are simply flawed humans that we’ve unfairly elevated. In fact if one isn’t careful, they may easily place the people listed in Hebrews 11 into a similar spiritual category.
We have heard much of the incredible faith of individuals throughout history during this journey through Hebrews. What we haven’t dug into are their incredible failures. If you seek out their individual stories revealed through scripture, you’ll find it records their brokenness. Yet it seems they had front-row seats to amazing things that God accomplished, regardless of their obvious humanity. It seems incongruent. How can broken and imperfect people accomplish such incredible things? The answer is rather simple: they aren’t the source! It isn’t dia their behavior, their strength, or even their efforts. It is diafaith. These people were simply willing to look beyond their current circumstances and have faith in the Lord. When we stop focusing on our own brokenness and instead decide to be farsighted, the possibilities are endless. It’s dia faith our current reality can be redefined.

Prayer
I’m so thankful, Lord, for the way you take the trials of my life and use them for something bigger than myself. Please allow the difficulty I face to bring me closer to you and the hope your presence brings, In Jesus’ name!

Application
When will I take time this week to redefine a current difficulty?

Music Response
The songs from this week’s set are the perfect backdrop to the time you’ll take this week to “redefine a current difficulty.” It is Well, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus, and King of My Heart contain lyrics that encourage farsighted faith and point to Jesus right in the middle of the trials of life. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—  – Hebrews 11:37 ESV

Greek
ὑστερούμενοι/hysteroumenoi: to be in lack due to missing out on what is vital

Why It Matters
Hebrews shows us that our heroes of faith are apt to have some pretty wild things happen to them. In chapter 11 the faith of these men and women has led them into circumstances that they endured because of the promises they were given. But a closer inspection of this sentence reveals one word that might instill more fear in the 21st century heart than all the others in this verse put together. Our author explains that these heroes were hysteroumenoi (in a state of lack due to missing out on what is vital). While all the other circumstances in verse 37 are terrible specific events – stoned, sawn in two, mistreated, etc. – the word hysteroumenoi indicates a continuous state of lack. What’s interesting is that both the context and the etymology of this word show that this state is caused by missing out on something important to your well-being.
Our culture has identified this fear by using the acronym “FOMO” or Fear Of Missing Out. Modern people are susceptible to anxiety, depression and a long list of physical reactions because of the nagging feeling that there is something better out there that they are not currently experiencing. Hysteroumenoi takes the pain of missing out and links it with continual lack. So their faith didn’t just buoy these people through difficult moments; their faith sustained them in the midst of life’s perpetual trials. When we think of faith as simply the stuff that pulls us through troubled times, we miss out on the richness of God’s gift to us. Faith that is centered on the hope of the gospel is strong enough to last a lifetime, regardless of how difficult life may get. Jesus said it best in John 16:33, “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Prayer
I’m so thankful, Lord, for the way you take the trials of my life and use them for something bigger than myself. Please allow the difficulty I face to bring me closer to you and the hope your presence brings, In Jesus’ name!

Application
When will I take time this week to redefine a current difficulty?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, – Hebrews 11:39 ESV

Greek
ἐκομίσαντο/ekomisanto: to carry off; to provide for

Why It Matters
In 2016 Wayne Williams kept a 50 year old promise he had made to his dad. Growing up a Cubs fan in the 1960’s, Wayne and his father made a pact that wherever they were when the Cubs finally went to the World Series, they would drop everything and listen to their favorite team together. When it finally happened, Wayne traveled from his home in North Carolina to the neighborhood where he grew up in Indiana. Sadly, Wayne’s father had passed away in 1980, never having seen the Cubs in the Fall Classic. However, wanting to keep his promise, Wayne listened to every game of that series from a lawn chair beside his father’s grave.
There are moments when life looks far different than we ever hoped or expected it would. Sickness, death, injustice, and relationship issues are all examples of broken dreams that make it feel as though God is unfair or unkind. And if we’re not careful, this disappointment could lead to the perception that you will never ekomisanto (carry off or take with you) any promises from God that he doesn’t want to keep. In fact, if our verse today is misinterpreted it could be taken as proof that God isn’t interested in being a promise keeper. But the word ekomisanto reveals that through their faith, these heroes foresaw God fulfilling His promises to them, even if they wouldn’t live to carry it off themselves. What a thought! Faith reminds us that we can trust God to keep his promises however he chooses to fulfill them, even if that’s beyond our timetable or scope of understanding. We can do this with confidence, knowing that our good God’s good promises will be worth carrying off with us in whatever form they take.

Prayer
I’m so thankful, Lord, for the way you take the trials of my life and use them for something bigger than myself. Please allow the difficulty I face to bring me closer to you and the hope your presence brings, In Jesus’ name!

Application
When will I take time this week to redefine a current difficulty?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, – Hebrews 12:1 ESV

Greek
εὐπερίστατον/euperistaton: to encircle so as to distract

Why It Matters
There’s a phenomenon that has been observed by professional psychologists, law enforcement and unsuspecting pedestrians alike. It’s called target fixation – the process in which the brain is so focused on an object to avoid that it will cause the body to casually veer toward that very object. Police dash cameras frequently reveal this. Car doors, parked motorcycles and even people get clipped by motorists who want to avoid them simply because their gaze is fixed on the hazard. Whether it’s behind the wheel or in our spiritual lives, we’ll naturally and subtly veer toward whatever we are focused on.
As the writer of Hebrews transitions from the celebration of faith to its implications in our lives, the reminder is given to lay aside sin, because it euperistaton (encircles closely so as to distract). In the metaphor of running a race, this distraction takes your eyes off of the mile marker or finish line you should have in view. And therein lies one of the many dangers of sin: once our eyes catch a glimpse of something distracting, we experience target fixation and veer toward it whether we sense it or not. Sometimes we are tempted to declare that sin is “no big deal” or that we can handle it on our own. But by the time we realize we’re distracted to the point of danger, it’s already too late! Thankfully, faith provides focus for us on the one who has overcome the sin that euperistaton. He is both our strength for the race and the prize waiting for us at the finish line.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, it’s your grace that has brought me safe thus far, and it’s your grace that will lead me home. I want to focus my attention, my gaze and my life on you. Please remind me of what can be accomplished when I lean in to the power of the gospel.

Application
When will I process how the Gospel informs my current situation?

Music Response
Though we didn’t get to worship together in person this week, there are songs on the playlist to sing in response to the message. Broken Vessels (Hillsong), I Stand in Awe (Chris Tomlin), and God So Loved (Hillsong) – along with the rest of the songs from the series – will point us to the truth of the Gospel and help us fix our eyes on Jesus. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:2 ESV

Greek
καταφρονήσας/kataphronēsas: having thought little of, shown scorn by active insult

Why It Matters
As a 22 year-old nursing her first child, Vibia Perpetua had her whole life ahead of her. She was born into a wealthy family outside of the city of Carthage in the year 182, and had recently become a Christian. The issue with this, however, was that conversion to Christianity was forbidden and Perpetua was sent to prison in Carthage. There she kept a diary in which she journaled her account of being tried and convicted for violating the Emperor’s edict. After being sentenced to die in the arena, Perpetua gave her journal to another Christian who recounted the bravery of this young Christian mom. She was attacked by wild animals and refused one final opportunity to recant her faith, ultimately dying by the sword. Perpetua’s journal shows her enduring the horrors of martyrdom with bravery and solemnity.
We as humans tend to applaud those who are willing to put up with an uncomfortable or scary situation for the greater good. We even cannonize men and women who, like Perpetua, silently stand in the face of persecution and refuse to renounce their faith. But our verse today gives us a unique and encouraging perspective on Jesus’ experience with this type of situation. It’s tempting to perceive Jesus approaching the cross with an endurance mentality, “putting up” with his crucifixion in order to accomplish his Father’s will. Isaiah prophesies that the Messiah will be silent before his oppressors like a lamb before its shearers (Isaiah 53:7). But Hebrews takes this imagery a step further when it says Jesus kataphronēsas (thought little of, shown scorn by active insult) the shame of the cross. Enduring the torture and humility of crucifixion points to Jesus’ incredible bravery; actively and glibly insulting it points to his profound love for you and me! There was only one way to reconnect humanity to the Heavenly Father, and the writer of Hebrews says Jesus joyfully withstood all he had to experience. He thought so little of (kataphronēsas) the shame he would bear that it was as if Jesus was verbally mocking it. He was silent in the public arena so as not to fight for his own rights, but was doing a little spiritual trash talking as if to say, “Death, is that all you’ve got? I’ll joyfully experience this for the sake of humanity!” So the next time you’re tempted to think of Jesus begrudgingly putting up with or simply enduring a relationship with you, this image of Jesus on the cross – your willing Savior – is great to keep in mind!

Prayer
Heavenly Father, it’s your grace that has brought me safe thus far, and it’s your grace that will lead me home. I want to focus my attention, my gaze and my life on you. Please remind me of what can be accomplished when I lean in to the power of the gospel.

Application
When will I process how the gospel informs my current situation?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. – Hebrews 12:3 ESV

Greek
ἀναλογίσασθε/analogisasthe: to think upon or consider attentively; fixate on
κάμητε/kamēte: become weary to the point of sickness; ready to collapse from exhaustion

Why It Matters
For many of us, it seems like someone has pushed the pause button on life as we know it. Our schedules have changed, and our regular routines have to be adjusted. Times like these can feel unnerving and intimidating for those of us who thrive on the familiar. But Hebrews gives us a timely answer to what can change our perspective. Our writer invites us to analogisasthe (consider attentively) Jesus and how he endured incredible hostility from sinners like us. What does this have to do with social distancing? This invitation is found in the middle of a conversation about joy in the midst of difficulty! We can take heart that Jesus found joy in the journey to the cross, and as we analogisasthe him we begin to gain a proper perspective on our lives, our difficulties and our fears. Our verse today points out that we should consider Jesus this attentively so that we will not kamēte (become weary to the point of sickness). When the focus of our attention is on anything but Jesus, it will inevitably cause us to become fatigued, because nothing else we can fixate on has the ability to give us rest. Even good things like being organized and thinking ahead will tend to sap our energy if we attentively look to them for our security. So our response to kamēte isn’t to lean in to the safety of our systems but to lean in to Jesus, who not only provides farsighted perspective on our trials but also promises rest for all of us who come to him.

Prayer
Heavenly Father, it’s your grace that has brought me safe thus far, and it’s your grace that will lead me home. I want to focus my attention, my gaze and my life on you. Please remind me of what can be accomplished when I lean in to the power of the gospel.

Application
When will I process how the gospel informs my current situation?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. – Hebrews 12:5 ESV

Greek
ὀλιγώρει/oligōrei: to habitually neglect or make light of

Why It Matters
In May of 1996, eight people died while caught in a sudden blizzard near the summit of Mt. Everest. Their stories are tragic, and although climbing the tallest mountain in the world is always dangerous, experts agree the danger and high death toll could have been prevented. An analysis of the events from the climb reveal a complete disregard for the “drop dead” time to ascend the mountain. The guides from the two parties these climbers were in set a 2:00pm deadline to be at the summit. Anyone who hadn’t made the final push to the top by then would have to return to base camp IV. However, this plan was not heeded – even by the guides themselves – and some climbers were attempting their ascent after 2:30pm. At the time, the decision to neglect the safety plan was celebrated by hikers who were only 650 meters from reaching their lifelong dream, but in hindsight it’s clear their limited perspective blinded them to reality.
There are moments in our lives when we also make decisions with limited perspective. Thankfully, the Bible declares that God, who sees the big picture of our lives, has given us his word as a “safety plan” of sorts for us to adhere to. But when our vision for how life should look seems handcuffed by that safety plan, we’re tempted to oligōrei (habitually neglect or make light of) his discipline. Farsighted faith in God’s protection and care will trust that even though we might not understand it all, we should heed the safety plan of God’s commands to us. He sees when unexpected storms are approaching and when the elements will need to be weathered before moving forward. Sometimes it may not seem fair, but if our response is to oligōrei his discipline, we reveal that we trust our perspective over his love for us. May we be people who actively trust our God to navigate life’s storms on our behalf, and allow worship to be our response to his care.

Prayer
I admit, Lord, that sometimes my circumstances lead me to spiritual apathy. It’s easy for me to take control of my life and navigate my own path. But I recognize just how dangerous this is, and I repent of needing things done my way. Give me your perspective I pray in Jesus’ name.

Application
How will I submit to what the Lord is convicting me of this week?

Music Response
Praying that listening to this week’s set – and the whole series playlist – throughout the week will keep you focusing on your deep need for God, continually remembering his sacrifice and promises, and declaring how loved you are by him. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? – Hebrews 12:7 ESV

Greek
παιδείαν/paideian: education or training; the rearing of a child

Why It Matters
Have you ever wondered how some of the words we use as terms of endearment found their way into our vernacular? Many words or phrases are easy to trace, such as calling a loved one sweetie or honey, but what’s so great about being referred to as a pumpkin? Today’s word forms the basis for an interesting term of endearment. In ancient Greek, when a parent or other caretaker wanted to refer to a child in affectionate terms, they would call them their “paideion.” Literally translated, the parent was saying their child was their “little child worth training up.” When the writer of Hebrews encourages us to endure for the sake of paideian (education, training, rearing), they are placing discipline in the context of a loving family relationship! Depending on how we were raised or what our view of God is like, we could be tempted to think of discipline as a painful punishment inflicted anytime we mess up. Instead, we are encouraged to see our Heavenly Father investing in our training, building us up and caring for us through proper education. A parent doesn’t show love to a child by giving them anything they want; rather they prepare the child for the future and the challenges that lie ahead. God will prepare us for the endurance necessary in this life by allowing us to undergo paideian to be ready for what’s to come. And when he does, it’s an indication that we’re valuable to him. God believes in our potential enough to consider us worth treating as a son or daughter. What a gift it is to be an active member of God’s family!

Prayer
I admit, Lord, that sometimes my circumstances lead me to spiritual apathy. It’s easy for me to take control of my life and navigate my own path. But I recognize just how dangerous this is, and I repent of needing things done my way. Give me your perspective I pray in Jesus’ name.

Application
How will I submit to what the Lord is convicting me of this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. – Hebrews 12:11 ESV

Greek
ὕστερον ἀποδίδωσιν/hysteron apodidōsin: eventually it returns or gives out

Why It Matters
One of the insights revealed by this unique time of social distancing and self-quarantine is the glaringly obvious reality that as a whole, we have become an impatient world. Whether you pin the blame on technology, drive-thru windows, our educational system or something else entirely, the fact remains just about indisputable. In a culture of instant gratification, it’s important to be reminded that there’s value in waiting for the things that matter most. When Hebrews speaks to the importance of endurance, our author reminds us that the benefit of discipline is rarely found in the here and now. However, hysteron apodidōsin(eventually it gives out or returns) the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. The word hysteron is a Greek term marking assurance of something to come later on, and apodidōsin has its roots in agriculture (and later banking) that means there will be a return on the labor you initially invested. This can be hard to hear in a generation that can have Ethiopian food delivered to their apartment in Rochester within the hour. But the text uses the image of a yield of fruit crop to convey the necessity of patient endurance. It can take up to ten years for an apple seed to grow into a tree that bears fruit. If the farmer doesn’t understand this principle it could lead to serious discouragement! We, too, like patient farmers, are in a position to benefit from God’s discipline. We just need to be willing to exercise patience, realizing that hysteron apodidōsin, and whatever God chooses to yield from his discipline will be worth the wait.

Prayer
I admit, Lord, that sometimes my circumstances lead me to spiritual apathy. It’s easy for me to take control of my life and navigate my own path. But I recognize just how dangerous this is, and I repent of needing things done my way. Give me your perspective I pray in Jesus’ name.

Application
How will I submit to what the Lord is convicting me of this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the series playlist. To listen to songs from this week’s worship set and the series on Spotify click here!