The House You're Building

KeyVerse:  Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:15 Opening Reflection: Who in life do you admire so much that you imitate their qualities and choices?  Study Questions: This section speaks about the role of leaders in the faith.  What are their responsibilities to us? What are our responsibilities to them?  Consider letting them know how much they encourage you.   What warnings are in this chapter?  What truths and safeguards does God provide to protect the believer from being led astray?  Verses 10-12 describe the Levitical system.  Read Leviticus 7: 15-18 and Exodus 29:14 for more about the sacrifices the readers of this letter would be familiar with.  What is the writer saying in these verses about the sacrifice of Christ that he spoke previously about in Hebrews 10:1-18?  What commands are given in vers...

Key Verse: Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for He has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” Hebrews 12:5-6 Reflection:  Did your parents or someone else teach you about managing money?  If so or if not, how has that impacted your management of money today? Study: ·          Read Hebrews 13:5-6 out loud multiple times.  As you do so, try to emphasize each key word or phrase once each time.  For example, “KEEP your life free from love of money…” then “Keep YOUR LIFE free from love of money…”  What stands out to you in this passage? ·          Hebrews 13:5-6 contains two commands, a reason, and a result.  How would you put each of them in your own words? ·          What is the ...

Key Verse Let brotherly love continue Hebrews 13:1 Opening reflection:  Have you ever loved a friend like a family member?  What caused the closeness of that relationship?  Study Questions: 1.  What is brotherly love?  To further your study, read these cross references: Romans 12:10, 1 Thessalonians 4:9, 1 Peter 1:22, 3:8.  What seems to be easy for you in loving other Christians?  What is difficult? 2.  This passage contains 3 commands in verses 2-4.  List the commands and the corresponding reasons given for obedience.  Of the three given, which have you participated in?  In what ways are you challenged?  3.  Read Matthew 25:35-40.  How does Jesus teaching on serving others compare to what the writer is commanding in the verses we are studying this week?  Does it change how you look at meeting other's needs? 4.  We know from Hebrews 10:34 that the recipients of the letter were...

Key Verse Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.  Hebrews 12:28 Opening Reflection:  What are you most looking forward to when you get to heaven? Study: ·          Read through Hebrews 12:18-29.  How does this passage sum up all the points that the author has made in writing this letter to the Hebrews?  ·          Take time to compare the two mountains described in verses 18-21 and 22-25.  What are the key differences between the two?  What point is the author trying to make in this comparison?  It may be helpful to fill in the chart below either by yourself or with your Life Group.  Mount Sinai Mount Zion ...

Key Verse: Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord Hebrews 12:14 1.  Verse 12 starts with a "therefore."  Look back to the preceding verses.  What thought was the author connecting to his exhortation to strengthen what remains?  2.  In verses 12 and 13, the writer returns to the running analogy of Hebrews 12:1-3.  What advice does he give the runner in these verses?  What would being  lame spiritually look like?  What is the danger of continuing to follow Christ with a lame limb? 3. What are the commands the writer gives in verses 14 and 15?   4. Why does the writer exhort the Hebrews to pursue peace and holiness?  Do you think by the way you live people can see Christ in your life?  5.  In verse 15 the writer returns to a warning he gave in Hebrews chapter 4, the importance of making sure that none fail to enter God's rest.  This time, who ...

Key Verse: Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against Himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.  Hebrews 12:3 ·          Read Hebrews 12: 3-11 several times, preferably out loud.  How is this passage meant to encourage and strengthen the Hebrew believers?  What encouragement do you find in the passage? ·          Verses 3 and 4 reference sin.  Whose sin is the author talking about?  What in the text supports your conclusion? ·          How can the sin of others affect your faith endurance?  Why can we look to Jesus as a source of encouragement to endure in this “race” against sin? ·          Note each use of the word “discipline” in this passage.  What do you learn about God’s discipline of believers and of non-believers?  Is the autho...

Key Verse: 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 Opening Reflection:  Have you ever competed in a race?  What things were part of your preparation?  What lessons from this experience parallel your spiritual life? Study Questions: 1.  As this weeks study is only two verses, read it repeatedly and practice biblical meditation;  this practice involves repeated readings.  You may want to stop at each verb/noun and journal synonyms as you read to draw deeper meaning from the passage.  Consider reading in other translations through a website like biblegateway.com.  After meditation, what initially strikes you or encourages you about this verse? 2.  Verse 1 starts with a therefore.  How is the author using this word and "the great cloud of witnesses" mention...