Hebrews 7 - 19
Readings for this week November 6 - 12
Click here for a pdf of this week’s readings
Day 1 – Learning from our Leaders
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Hebrews 13:7-8
The world is full of leaders: political, spiritual, business, sporting, workplace, family, and in so many other facets of life. Some are highly regarded and well looked upon for their leadership qualities and the personal characteristics they exhibit as they do so. Others are not. Some have sought positions of leadership through a desire to serve others; some have done so in pursuit of power and influence and prestige. Some lead and serve well; others begin well but fall away. Sadly, churches are not free of bad leaders. Yet the writer of Hebrews is well aware of the importance of good leadership and how in supporting good leadership the community can thrive.
To live as followers of Jesus is first and foremost to look to him as our leader and imitate him and commit ourselves to discipleship under his leadership. But it turns out one of the key ways in which we become disciples and grow into the likeness of Jesus is actually through spending time around others doing the same thing, other followers who are a little bit further along the road than we are, and imitating them too. We learn from others. Key among these others are our leaders. What do our leaders do? They speak the word of God to us, and they live in such a way that we see the way of Jesus reflected in their way of life. We see Jesus in their character and kingdom outcomes in the way they live. They shepherd and serve, pointing us to God and showing the way through their humility.
Question to Consider
What elements are necessary to have an effective mentoring/discipling relationship with someone? What is your experience of this with a leader?
Prayer
Sovereign Lord, guide us all, leaders and led, in the right way to follow you. Help us teach one another and learn from one another how to be more like you in all we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 2 – Jesus is Enough
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Hebrews 13:9-12
Not long after they had been rescued from slavery in Egypt, the Israelites began complaining to God about how hard things were now, that liberation and rescue weren’t what they’d thought they would be, and that maybe being slaves back in Egypt wasn’t so bad after all: their request was, ‘can we go back please?’ Fast forward to the early decades of the church and the same issue seems to be cropping up again: this new life isn’t quite what I thought it would be, some of those old rituals and practices still look pretty good to me, there are some people saying that for our salvation we need to bring back some of those old ways because maybe faith in Jesus isn’t quite enough…
What Jesus has done in redeeming us, bringing us back to the Father, and calling us as his people for the world, requires no added extras. His life, death, resurrection and ascension were enough. The gift of his Spirit to guide us and strengthen us to continue his work is further proof against the need for either returning to our old ways of life or searching for some new, radical teaching. If we don’t guard our hearts and minds, and turn every thought captive to Christ, the life we left behind, or the life promised by some new fresh teaching, will slowly become more and more attractive. Then one day (if we are lucky) we turn around and notice Jesus has disappeared. (If we are unlucky, we don’t even notice he’s missing.) Any return to the old way is doomed to failure, as it will always lack the one necessity for a full life: Jesus.
Question to Consider
How should we respond to someone who says they have a new revelation from God? How do we remain unmoved by false teaching?
Prayer
Almighty Lord, keep me rooted firmly in you. Keep my mind and heart pure and oriented only towards you, with all else secondary. Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 3 – Going Outside the Camp
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Hebrews 13:13-14
Here the writer makes a reference back to the previously mentioned heavenly Jerusalem, and the new heavenly reality slowly being birthed among us. He does this to remind us that until the fullness of that kingdom appears, we are to go where the king is already present and working to redeem his world. And that is outside the camp, outside the walls we build to separate ourselves from others, where the unloved and unwanted live. Because that is where Jesus is and where he calls us to join him. As one of our SWBC commentators has previously written:
“Jesus lived outside the camp. Where we understand ‘the camp’ as the safe place, the place with my people …. the place I feel at home. Jesus left the camp of heaven to come to earth. His first breath was taken in a foreign town (Bethlehem), his first steps a refugee in a foreign country (Egypt), he grew up in a foreign province (Nazareth) and his ministry was a long way from home (in Galilee, Jerusalem and Samaria), and he died and suffered outside the city walls. The ultimate scapegoat chased to the city rubbish dump bearing the sins and the blame of others… Now we are told to ‘go’ to him outside the camp. I can’t find God on my own or with my own. I need to go outside the camp, away from home to meet with Jesus through others. To meet Jesus I need the insights, experience and understanding of those outside my camp, especially those who are outsiders, refugees, the dispossessed, the homeless, the disgraced.”
Question to Consider
In what way did Jesus die “outside the gate?” What gate? How can we go to Him – and to others – outside the camp?
Prayer
Lord God, lead me outside the camp into the lives of others, where I will find you. Continue to show me that I cannot follow you alone; I cannot become the disciple you want me to be without others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 4 – Resisting the old Attractions
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Hebrews 13:15-16
Several verses ago the writer of Hebrews warned his readers about the dangers of falling back into the patterns and practices of their old lives – including any thought of turning back to the sacrificial system. Why go back to this when, as he has explained throughout the letter, Jesus has accomplished all that the sacrificial system couldn't, by being both sacrifice and great high priest? In today’s passage the writer talks about the type of sacrifice that is necessary and that followers of Jesus should be making every day of their lives. We should be offering God a sacrifice of praise – worshipping him in all we do – as well as doing good and sharing with others. Sacrifice is still required, but not like in times gone by.
This closely echoes the reply Jesus gave when he was asked what the greatest commandment was: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it, love your neighbour as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39). Notice how the writer of Hebrews has framed both parts of his wonderful summary of what it means to follow Jesus in terms of sacrifice – a sacrifice of praise to God, and caring for others as a “sacrifice that please God.” Our response to Jesus should be one of praise and thankfulness, and from this should flow our love and care for others. What we receive from God is to be shared and passed on to others in a sacrificial life lived for his glory.
Question to Consider
What old patterns and habits are you most tempted to fall back into? What stops you? How have others helped you avoid doing this?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, help me with my failings and temptations. I know the old life can’t compare to life with you, but strengthen me and keep me from the old paths upon which I stumbled. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)
Day 5 – Our Leaders as Shepherds
Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 minutes)
Scripture Reading – Hebrews 13:17-19
Jesus is the good shepherd, tending his sheep. Church leaders are also shepherds, shepherding congregations and communities the best they can in imitation of the shepherd who leads us all. For their part, if they are exhibiting the characteristics of good, Godly leadership mentioned earlier in this passage, then such shepherding is less likely to be fraught with turmoil. Equally, one thing the sheep shouldn’t want to do is make things hard for the shepherd. After all, as the writer says, if we make life hard for our leaders, all we are doing is inhibiting their ability to lead us effectively and are thereby making things more difficult for ourselves too. A leader burdened with a load of unnecessary work is a distracted, less effective leader, less able to serve effectively.
We are to have confidence in our leaders because of the one who is leading them, and through them, is leading us. Jesus is at the head, always, but there are those he has called to lead his flock at his behest, in his direction. We need to remember the call that he has on some to be leaders of his redemptive community. We’ll have disagreements about things. This, it seems, is a human tendency. It isn’t always going to be smooth sailing on still waters with a gentle breeze to move us. Issues and problems will arise, but Jesus still leads, he still guides, he still helps us work through our issues. We can be confident that Jesus is still with us all, still guiding us all – including our leaders – during this time.
Question to Consider
How should this verse motivate Christian leaders? How should it motivate those who are not leaders? What kind of actions give a leader joy? Grief?
Prayer
Gracious God, be with our leaders. Guide them, inspire them, speak to them of the path you want them to lead us on. And show us how best to follow and support them in what you have called them to. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Conclude with Silence (2 minutes)