OUR FATHER WHO WAS NOT ASHAMED TO BE CALLED THE GOD OF THE PATRIARCHS

The writer of the book of Hebrews chapter 11 verses 13 - 22 lists the articles of faith that the patriarchs exercised while they lived and that this faith was the same faith that we in our time adopt to become members of the family of God.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland. 15 And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.

20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.

21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.

22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHO PROMISES ARE THE BASIS OF FAITH

The book of Hebrews chapter 11 verses 8 - 12 says this;

8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she[d] bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude—innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. 

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHO IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE WITHOUT FAITH

The book of Hebrews chapter 11 verses 1 - 7 says this;

1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.

3 By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.

4 By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

5 By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not see death, “and was not found, because God had taken him”; for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

7 By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHO WILL JUDGE HIS PEOPLE

The writer of the book of Hebrews chapter 10 verses 26 - 39 explains why it is so important to gather together to encourage one another in the faith. He declares that wilfull sining after having gained the knowledge of the truth, there would no longer be provision for sins and all that is left is the expectation of the same fiery judgement that would consume the enemies of God. 

The temporary covenant had provision to end the life of a person with merely the testimony of two or three witness and so how much more would judgement be visited upon those who had gained knowledge of the perfection of Christ's sacrifice and yet decided to trample it underfoot and insult the Spirit of grace.

The writer recommends that the reader think back to all the sufferings that they had endured to sustain their testimony against persecution and even to associate with those who were being made a spectacle of and then as well were compassionate to the writer while he was imprisoned and withstood the ransacking of their provisions. 

The writer encourages them to remain in the faith and not cast down the hope that they had received in the face of the hardships because there was a great reward for those who were steadfast and had endurance for it is by this that they would receive the promises of God.

26 For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries. 28 Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:

37 “For yet a little while,

And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.

38 Now the just shall live by faith;

But if anyone draws back,

My soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Amen.

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OUR FATHER WHOSE SON IS THE HIGH PRIEST OVER HIS HOUSE

The book of Hebrews chapter 10 verses 19 - 25 declares that because of the perfection of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus, we can be bold in entering the Holiest part of the presence of God that was previously kept hiden by a veil in the temple. 

The blood of that perfect sacrifice, when in faith is sprinkled on us, cleans our conscience and our bodies are washed with the pure water. 

Because of the totality and the profundity of this provision of leansing from sin,, the writer of the book of Hebrews urges the reader to cleave steadfastly to the confession of hope for the one who made the promise and underwrote the new covenant is faithful. As well, the reader is encouraged to think of others who share the confession of hope by caring for them to stir up their faith and by gathering together to exhort and to encourage one another even as the great Day of the Lord approaches.

19 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, 21 and having a High Priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE SON PERFECTED THOSE WHO ARE BEING SANCTIFIED

The book of Hebrews chapter 10 verses 11 - 18 says this;

 11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

15 But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before,

16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them,” 17 then He adds, “Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.

The daily sacrifices, being shadows of the actual requirements to clean men from sin, did not have the power to take sin away but the One Man from heaven who appeared on eath to be the perfect sacrifice by which those who were to be sanctified were going to be perfected.

Going further, the writer of Hebrews explains that the Spirit of God, through the writers of the old testament, described the nature of the coming new covenant which would not be carved into the stones like the ten commandments but rather would be spiritually written into the hearts and minds of men and their sins would be erased. Thus the new covenant was one where santification is undertaken on the hearts and minds of those who were under the covenant of faith.

The passage ends with a caution that points to the finality of the offering that was made and for those whose have the remission of sins, have no other method by which they can be saved from their sins if they abandon the process of sanctification.

Amen.

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 OUR FATHER WHOSE SON'S MISSION WAS WRITTEN OF IN THE SCROLL

The writer of the book of Hebrews chapter 10 verses 1 -  10, continues the discussion of the relationship between the shadows that the law represented and the actual things of heaven.

The law, having provided for sacrifices needed also to provide for repeated sacrifies because the sacrifices did not make those being sacrificed for perfect and the proof of this was that they needed to repeat the sacrices. The blood of bulls and goats, being shadows of an ultimate sacrifice, could not take away sins from men.

The writer points to Psalm 40 verses 6 - 8 which fortells of the arrival of the Son of God who would say that God did not take pleasure in the sacrifices but that He (Jesus) found Himself written of in the scroll and that He was ready to do the will of God with the body that was prepared for Him.

This revealed the intention of God to displace the original animal sacrifices  provided for under the law with a sacrifice of the Son of God whose sacrifice would be eternal and based on this, a santified  people would be established under a new eternal covenant.

 1 For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices, which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. 2 For then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. 3 But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.

5 Therefore, when He came into the world, He said:

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire,

But a body You have prepared for Me.

6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin

You had no pleasure.

7 Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—

  In the volume of the book it is written of Me - To do Your will, O God.’ ”

8 Previously saying, “Sacrifice and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor had pleasure in them” (which are offered according to the law), 9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God.” He takes away the first that He may establish the second. 10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Amen.

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