The purpose of this lesson: to emphasize the depth of God's desire to save us.
We Christians often think things should work out for our world, our society, the church in our society, our congregation, and us individually just exactly as we expect. Things rarely do. The result: when there is a significant clash between the "way things are" and our expectations, we, as Christians, commonly face a faith crisis.
We often are unfair to God because we expect Him to do for us things He never promised to do. We need to think seriously about the prices those before us paid to have faith in Christ as compared to what we expect God to do for us.
It is amazing that often our Christian expectations are based on what we feel should occur in our society--not our world, but our society. Gasoline should be plentiful and inexpensive. Food should be plentiful and inexpensive. Housing should be plentiful and affordable. Good clothing should be in everyone's grasp. Most of what we earn should be discretionary income available to spend on what we like. The central question is rarely what is happening to the rest of the world (many assume "my" situation is characteristic of the rest of the world). The central question is what is happening to me and my family right now.
Do we actually regard ourselves as being much more valuable to God than those who made great sacrifices to belong to Jesus Christ? Does the fact that our society is so blessed in our world that it gives us an exalted opinion of ourselves? Perhaps our humility begins with an understanding of how difficult life is for so many others--through no fault of their own!
It is shocking to learn that many in our world never own a vehicle, that gasoline is more than double the price we pay, that their entire daily income would not feed the family one meal a day, that they live on dirt floors and never does the entire family sleep on a bed, that their clothing is rags, that they are fortunate to have one job opportunity in a lifetime, and there is nothing they can do about any of those things because opportunity does not exist.
Sometimes we are so focused on our challenges we fail to be aware of other peoples' challenges (in other nations). While we cannot eliminate all the world's problems, we can be a mindful, compassionate people. As Christians, we need to be aware that being a people who repent, redirect behavior, and care about others (by being a people of faith in God and His Christ) contributes to the solutions in our society and our world.
A Christian living in those realities does NOT have the same expectations most of us have. The point is not the blessings of poverty or the desirability of physical need. The point is this: commonly our expectations are based on the reachable dreams of our circumstances. Often it is the unexpected that throws us for a loop and brings us to the edge of despair.
From society to society, from nation to nation, Christian expectations vary. Rarely do Christians expect what is impossible in their society.
Following is a view of Hebrews and some applications from Hebrews based on (a) what Hebrews says and (b) this view of Hebrews. The view is based on the conviction that the material of the book was written to some discouraged Jewish Christians. These people were converted to Jesus Christ some time ago. In their earlier commitment to Jesus Christ they willingly sacrificed much to the Lord Jesus Christ. They were not ashamed to recognize and assist Jesus Christ's suffering followers.
People hold different views of why the letter called Hebrews was written and to whom it was written. The view presented, for numerous reasons based on the text of Hebrews itself, represents the author's view (shared by many others). The letter was written to Christians who were discouraged and struggling.
However, the situation did not change. It got worse, not better. Whereas their suffering seemed to have a reason earlier, now it seemed pointless. When they began as Christians, the opposition to Christianity was not organized. Now it was organized, angry, and vicious. The consequences of following Jesus Christ were becoming greater and seemed increasingly useless.
When situations get worse instead of better, our discouragement tends to deepen. When that occurs, it is common for us to look for "other solutions."
At first Christianity caught many opponents by surprise. In time, Jewish opposition became better organized. As forms of idolatry lost a growing number of followers to Christianity, they also became better organized. The same thing happened in areas as Roman political opposition increased. At times there was a strange alliance between oppositions to a common "enemy." Consider the alliance between Jewish opposition and the "devout women of prominence" and "the leading men of the city" in Acts 13:50.
Solution: return to Judaism. Judaism (the religion of the Jewish people) was not popular, but it was legal (which Christianity was not). At least the monotheistic Jews would accept them back into the Jewish community. Much of the harassment they experienced as Christians would cease. The society of the Jewish people would provide them a safety net. After all, they would not be changing Gods: the God of the Christians and the God of the Jews was the same God. They would just be rejecting Jesus as the Christ (Messiah). By leaving Jesus, they would leave most of their opposition.
It is not unusual, if embracing the "new" is perceived as the source of the problem, for "going back" to be perceived as the solution to the problem.
The problem: The writer said if they left Jesus Christ they deserted God. Jesus was superior to Jewish roles and functions. In fact, Jesus was the fulfillment to those roles and functions. Jesus was God's intent, God's objective, and the fulfillment of God's promises. Thus, deserting Jesus Christ meant deserting the living God. Their solution immediately became their problem.
The writer said the "newness" of Christianity was not the source of the problem. Christianity was in a sense not "new" because it was the intent and plan of God for two thousand years. Christianity was God's intended way to fulfill His promise to Abraham.
To abandon God's intent and plan was to abandon God. Their problem was not solved simply by rejecting Jesus as the Christ. (Understand their intent was not to abandon God, but to reject Jesus as the Christ.)
Focus on the text. Note in verses 32-34 the prices they ALREADY had paid in being Christians. They publicly were humiliated and disgraced. They suffered. They endured harsh treatment because they refused to be ashamed of other Christians. They assisted Christians who were arrested. They had their property confiscated. (How much was expected of people who dared place their faith in Jesus Christ?)
Dwell enough on each of their past sacrifices to make your students aware of the seriousness of their former commitment. Note their motive was correct in the past: they knew they had a better, lasting possession with God in Jesus Christ.
The encouragement: Do not "throw away" your confidence. All you need is to endure. You have done God's will; you know how to do it, stay with that will and do not forfeit the promises. You have never been quitters. Do not start being quitters now!
They were not condemned for being discouraged, but encouraged to cling to their correct past assessment.
Something in this leaps out: the writer encouraged them rather than berating them. Basically the writer said, "God has not given up on you; do not give up on God's purposes." God in Jesus Christ formed their identity. "Do not be ashamed of who you are!"
Sometimes Christians add to the burdens of the discouraged when a little encouragement could rescue the spiritually discouraged. Sometimes we seek to unburden the incorrect people.
The writer did not say, "How dare you! God is ashamed of you! I cannot believe what you are considering doing! Do you have any idea of how much harm you are doing? Do you not realize how much more harm you would do? You are a disgrace to Christianity! We do not want you as a part of the Christian community!"
The writer did not "jump on" and distress those who were struggling. The key was understanding how valuable to God the discouraged were, instead of reacting to their discouragement because of human disappointment.
The discouraged often do not need to hear, "I expected better of you!"
Instead, the writer said, "You have not lost your reward, and there is no need for you to lose it. You have done too much, endured too much, and suffered too much to forfeit your confidence in Jesus Christ now. All you need to do is endure to receive God's promises. What you are considering doing does not represent who you really are."
See and emphasize God had not given up on the discouraged in spite of the fact they were seriously considering rejecting Jesus and were not assembling with the Christian community.
Please realize that you make all of God's investment in you meaningless if you forsake all God did for you in Jesus Christ. God wants to save, not destroy. Your destruction does not bring Him joy. Your salvation brings Him joy.
There is joy for God in His investment of Jesus in us only if we accept and pursue salvation in Christ. Destroying us brings God no pleasure! Consider Hosea 11:8, 9 in context (note God's internal conflict) and 2 Peter 3:9.
Never give God credit or responsibility for the agony Satan causes.
There is grave injustice in holding God accountable for Satan's acts and perversions.
For Thought and Discussion
We think things should work out exactly as we expect.
There is a significant clash between the "way things are" and our expectations.
We often hold Christian expectations that are based on what we feel should occur in our society.
He/she will not have the same expectations of Christians living in a society with good physical realities.
It is written to discouraged Jewish Christians.
The solution (they thought) was to return to Judaism. The problem was this: if they left Jesus Christ they deserted God.
They were publicly disgraced. They suffered. They endured harsh treatment. They were punished for assisting Christians who were arrested. They had their property confiscated.
They should not throw away their confidence in God and Jesus Christ. They had all they needed to endure. Quitting was not characteristic of who they were.
The writer encouraged them instead of berating them.
God's investment in Jesus Christ is meaningless if we forsake salvation in Jesus Christ.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 11