Sabbath School Class Week 11

Sabbath School Class Week 11

Introduction:  At our son's recent wedding he and his bride chose to skip the traditional written vows and write their own.  Alright I have to confess I was doubtful that my goofy, prankster of a son could adequately write vows fitting of such a momentous occasion.  I can't tell you how many times I wanted to know what he was writing.  I was starting to worry, when the day before the wedding he still had not written his vows .  I kept trying to figure out how I could get him to let me help him, without looking like a ridiculous mom.  It never came to me so I just quietly wondered.  The morning of the wedding, he came down the stairs and I suggested we find him a quiet place where he could write his vows and he said, "Oh I already wrote them, it's done."  I couldn't contain myself at that point and so yes... I asked the question, "would you like to read them to me?"  As soon as I said it I regretted it, but thankfully he just quickly made a face and said, "Uhh NO!"  Then he sat down and we talked about when he wanted breakfast.  Hours later, in front of the minister, her family, his family and their friends, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and reads his vows to his bride.  As tears streamed down my face I realized I was worried about my boy being able to write his vows and what I had failed to realize was that he was not the little boy anymore but a man of God who had all the tools needed to write his vows to his bride.  He didn't need his mom, his dad, or a minister, he could do this all by himself. Yet this vow was made binding because it was made in front of witnesses.  The most beautiful words still as a human needed the backing of the witnesses.  For the vows to be recognized the minister and witnesses have to sign that they heard these beautiful words.  The words without the signatures afterwords are just some nice words.  This tradition of using others to validate our vows has been going on since biblical times.  In this passage we read about God making a vow to us.  That doesn't seem like that big a deal, but let's study it together and I hope you will see it is a huge deal.  

Read Hebrews 6:13-20

Once again the author is using Abraham as an example.  He is taking what or whom his audience knows about and using it to help them better understand Jesus, whom they don't know as well.

Now for all of this to make sense I want you to go back and re read Hebrews 6: 1-12, especially verses 9-12.  Remember the first part of this is a warning for these new believers to not stop believing.  He expresses how they can't go back if once they have experienced Christ and all he has to offer, they reject Him.  He then says that he has hope for them though.  He has seen the good things they have been doing and the progress they have been making, but that they need to just keep it going to the end.  

He is calling them to persevere.

Now read verses 13-15

What did Abraham do? 

How soon were the promises of God realized by Abraham?

How well did the readers know about the faith Abraham had despite the waiting?

The Hebrews were wanting to go back to their Jewish faith which had ritual after ritual where they recited, tasted and were reminded of Abraham's faith and now the author uses what they know and what they are wanting to return to, as motivation to not go back to the ritual but to live it. To be as Abraham, to be in it for the long hall.

Do you sometimes lack faith?  Run ahead of God's promises?  Do you ever try to make his promises happen, instead of waiting to see his promises revealed?

What in your life is God calling you to let him have?  What has he already promised you, yet you won't fully believe, or let go of?

Are you ready to once again be an Abraham?  Are you willing to have faith for the long hall?

Maybe you aren't ready?  Maybe not sure?

Let's ready verses 16-20

Andrew may have written beautiful vows for his bride, but they meant nothing unless in front of someone with a greater authority, a minister or judge etc.  God, didn't need to make a vow or to swear because he is the ultimate authority, but just as swearing or making a vow in front of someone more important than ourselves dispels any question, God was willing to swear or make a vow so that there was no question of his word. He is God, he can't lie.  This whole passage is wrapped up in verse 18-19.  "God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. 19 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. "

Chapter 6 is really just a beautiful plea.  Jesus Christ came so that he can have a personal and beautiful relationship with you not just someday in heaven but here and now!  It is something that you are enlightened and where you can taste him (v.4&5).  He wants to keep moving you forward, not backwards.(v. 1-3) He wants you to keep growing in him. Remember that he has vowed, that he is your Savior, he is coming again to take you home with him.  

Last week I challenged us to look at our relationship with Christ, the journey.  To reflect on the good times and dry times. 

This week I would suggest that we read chapter 6 each day, and at the end of each day would you be so kind as to post a favorite promise here on the blog.  If you don't know how to do that let me know and we will walk you through the process.  Jesus has promised so much to us, yet we too often forget.  Let's practice this week letting it go, trusting him, moving forward, letting Him help us grow up. 

I will start by leaving you with one of my favorite promises, 

Numbers 23:19 God is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good?