Sabbath School Class Week 10

Sabbath School Class Week 10

INTRODUCTION:  Happy Sabbath!  Chris and I will not be worshiping with you tomorrow because we are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary.  It is a huge transitional year for us.  As we sat talking and reminiscing this week we realized that the first 25 years of our marriage was all about the kids.  Now as we start the next 25 we will be without kids, since this year they will all be completely on their own and moved out.  This time of reminiscing and reflecting has been a lot of fun.  We have love our 25 years together.  We are not at all what we were when we married, but we are just better and more!  We understand each other better, we know each other more, we have a history that says a lot about our love and devotion to each other.  As much as we cherish the memories and the journey that we have had together we can't go back, and we wouldn't want to.  If I tried to go back to the first kiss, the honeymoon (which was fantastic), I would have to give up the assurance I have of Chris's love and devotion for me that only time brings.  I wouldn't want that! Our honeymoon was fantastic, but our 25th wedding anniversary is even better!  It is deeper, richer, and I look forward to continuing this journey and at our 50th looking back and being thankful that we are no longer at the same place we were at our 25th!  So what does this have to do with our lesson.  Well everything.  I hope you all have a happy Sabbath.  

Read Hebrews 6: 1-3

1.  Remember this was written to a group who were trying to let go of Christianity all together and returning to Judaism.  They were often sitting around and arguing the points of both.  Just like in a marriage, the author is saying that this thing called Christianity is something that calls us to go deeper.  It is not just a beginning. Not just a confession, or a profession of faith but a relationship that we continue to grow in.  How has your relationship with Christ grown since the beginning?  __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.  What was a special moment you remember at the very beginning of your relationship with Jesus Christ? What were you doing, feeling, how old were you?  

3.  What have you learned in the years since, about Jesus, about you?

This passage can be a bit confusing.  It is written in a way that could be hard for us to understand.  If it will help read it in several different versions.  In my study bible it says that we need to move beyond but not away from the beginning.  

The beginning is never to be lost, it is just the foundation.  Our honeymoon is still very much a part of our marriage.  It is the beginning, a part of who we are but we didn't just stay there.  We moved beyond it without moving away from it.  

Read Hebrews 6: 4-8

1. This passage, clearly says that it is impossible if you have fallen away to be brought back to repentance if...

a)  you have once been enlightened

b) who have tasted the heavenly gift

c) who have shared in the Holy Spirit

d) who have tasted the goodness of the word

e) and the powers of the coming age

This passage is a feast for theologians.  It is an important text for sure.  The focus is always on the word "impossible". Impossible is not a word we like associated with God.  So what do we take away from this passage.  If you continue reading in verse 9 you see that this is a warning.  It is a warning that clearly lets us know that as the relationship with Jesus grows as we experience Him, understand the depth of His grace for us and our sinfulness, the deeper it grows the more we reject if we turn away from him.  If we turn away from all that, we can't come back and pick up where we left off.  We can't even start over it is impossible. You are different, you have not only experienced so much but you have also rejected much.  

I THINK WE HAVE MISSED SOMETHING HUGE!!!!  I have always read this passage as the "impossible warning"  the  doomsday warning, BUT there is something amazing in this passage.  Something that I am so excited to see....

I could give you an example of how if after this beautiful 25 years of marriage I chose to leave Chris, what would happen.  I could talk about the pain, and how it would be impossible to go back to where we were before rejecting him.  But instead I want you to see the marriage.... Instead of focusing on the "impossible" I want you to see the marriage in this passage.  In this passage the author gives us an incredible description of a relationship with Jesus Christ that is like none other.  Can you imagine this relationship?  Look back at the list a-e.  

When I look at the list above, it describes an incredible vibrate growing maturing relationship with Christ.  It is not about perfection, but about this relationship that we taste and experience.  Do you have a relationship with Christ where you can say you have been enlightened? Can you say you have tasted the heavenly gift? What is the heavenly gift? Jesus Christ? Have you tasted Him? Have you shared in the Holy spirit? Have you tasted the goodness of the word? Do you know the powers of the coming age?  Have you? Do you? 

Do you long for a relationship that includes all of that.  I know that what Jesus Christ wants, what he died for, was the opportunity to have this growing vibrant relationship with you.  When I read this passage I see what He longs for us to have.  I see the strong marriage, the faithfulness, the depth that comes with time and meat.  

If you can look back and reflect on your relationship with Jesus Christ will you today commit to keep looking forward, to growing in that relationship.  Praising God for where you have been, where you are, and where you are going?

If you have not had a relationship with Jesus Christ that comes close to this list, will you today commit to start an incredible journey that I promise you will never regret.  Will you say yes to Him asking for your hand as he walks with you?