A very good morning to you my precious family in Christ

Hebrews 12 verse 3 says “Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.”

When the movie, “The Passion of the Christ” came out there was much controversy about “Who crucified Jesus?”  Some said it was the Romans because they actually drove the nails.  Some say it was the Jews because they plotted to see it carried out.  Yes, they all had their parts to play, but ultimately it was God who crucified Christ.  It was Jesus’ mission to come to earth and die for the sins of His people. God the Father, God the Son, Pilate, Herod, the Romans, and the Jews all worked to carry out the plan of Providence.

Hebrews is a book that focuses on faith, which is simply believing God's Word: - faith in God and faith in His Son - a faith that holds firm through all the changing scenes of life, whether we face trouble or joy. We are called to live by faith in the Word of God, for without faith it is impossible to please Him and we are encouraged to remember His faithfulness towards us and to avoid the unfaithfulness exhibited by the nation of Israel and the unbelief they demonstrated in the wilderness.

We are also encouraged to think about the great men and women of faith, who maintained their trust in God despite the suffering and pain they had to face in their lifetimes; to look to the Lord Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of our faith and to consider Him and the hostility that He endured from the hands of sinful man. We are to consider Jesus, and all He is and all He has done for us, in order that we will not grow weary or lose heart, but continue to trust Him in all things and at all times.

Though the Lord Jesus was fully God He lived His life from beginning to end as God intended man to live - by faith in God. Jesus lived His life in the way that God expects us all to live - in full dependence upon Himself. Jesus set aside His own glory during His time on earth and lived his life by faith in God, for the joy that was set before Him - and we are to consider HIM.

We are called to consider Jesus, who endured the cross for us and was made sin for our sake. We are challenged to consider Him who lived in humble obedience to the Father and walked in spirit and truth - we are to consider Jesus, who endured grievous opposition and bitter hostility against Himself, and to draw strength and encouragement from His example- so that like Him we will not grow weary but seek to follow His example, of a life lived in utter dependence upon God - for the joy that is set before us.

Verse 2 mentions the Lord Jesus and His attitude towards suffering. His persecution is meaningful. However, as used here, the more crucial point is that Jesus saw those hardships as part of God's plan, and a plan for His own benefit!

We should take the same approach when faced with trials of our own. Jesus endured terrible hardships at the hands of His enemies. Even though Jesus was God incarnate, He was still subjected to "hostility" and struggle. Jesus lived the only perfectly sinless life, and still experienced pain and suffering.

When we face challenges in our lives, we should not see it as a sign that God has abandoned us.

The writer reminds us of Christ’s suffering and concludes that we should be inspired by it. We are told to consider Christ and the hostility He experienced on earth. This should cause us to not grow weary and lose heart, but rather to remember how greatly Christ was rewarded for His suffering. He sits at the right hand of God, having inherited the earth to rule as King. The writer points that, although the Hebrews had suffered in the past, they hadn’t suffered to the point of shedding blood, meaning they had not been killed. The sufferings that come in a sinful world had not destroyed them. Christ endured, even to the point of death, and was rewarded; this should encourage the Hebrew readers and us today.

So remember His example as One who suffered to the point of death, showing His perfect endurance until the end. Be encouraged friends, for we are called to mature as Sons/daughters of God, who receive parental discipline from our loving Father.

Prayer:

How I praise You Father for the Lord Jesus Christ, my glorious Saviour and for His wonderful example. He was the only man who ever lived His life in total dependence and willing obedience upon You, despite the grievous opposition and bitter hostility He faced. As I look to You Lord Jesus, I pray that I will not grow weary or lose heart in the difficult circumstances that I face, but may I look to You in utter dependence and willing obedience for the joy that is set before me, this I ask in Your precious name Lord Jesus. AMEN.

Much love from Maurice and Margaret