Hebrews 12:14-17

Summary retelling of Hebrews 12:14-17

We are to strive for peace and holiness, for without it we cannot know the Lord.  We are to make sure that we are not the reason that anyone fails to find the grace of God.  We are to prevent bitterness from coming among us and either defiling us or causing us trouble.  We are to help people refrain from sexual immorality.  We are to help people keep from becoming unholy – selling their religious inheritance for worldly acquisitions.  For when we sell our religious inheritance for the things of the world (as Esau did) we often miss the call to repentance and lose our opportunity to be in a right relationship with God.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

We are to be about peace and holiness.  If we think about why Jesus came to the earth, these two qualities should make sense.  Jesus came first of all because humanity was not at peace with God.  Because of our sinfulness, we were at war with God.  Through Jesus, our sinfulness has been dealt with and we are now at peace with God.  If Jesus came so that we can be at peace with God, it makes sense that we should strive for peace with one another.  As for holiness, remember that theologically speaking the word holy means “separate.”  Jesus came to teach us a way of living that is separate from the world.  Again, it makes sense that we should strive for this same holiness that Jesus modeled.

Are you a person of peace?  How do you see this?  Where could you be more of a person who demonstrates peace?  Are you a person of holiness?  How are you separated from the ways of the world?  In what ways could you become more holy?

Second Thought:

We are to make sure that from our example people understand God rather than stumble away from Him.  There are many reasons to stumble.  Some people stumble because of personal bitterness {envy, jealousy, hate, etc}.  Other people fall away for desire {sex, addictions, etc}.  Other people stumble because of stuff in their life that really is not of God {possessions, money, power, prestige, etc}.  There are many things that cause people to stumble.  We should try to not be one of them while encouraging others to avoid what they can.

Do people ever stumble because of you?  Have you ever led someone into a habit that really wasn’t good for them?  How does that feel?  What is the proper response when we realize that we’ve done such a thing?

Third Thought:

Finally, we are challenged to keep our sight on our heavenly inheritance.  In the end, nothing matters as much as our spirituality.  To quote DC Talk, “The things of this world are passing away.  Here tomorrow, but they’re sure not here to stay.”  There is nothing in this world that is worth selling out our relationship with God.

With what have you been tempted in the past?  What has occasionally come between you and God?  How can you learn to not allow that in the future?

Passage for Tomorrow: Hebrews 12:18-21