From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - Becoming an Outsider (Hebrews 13:1-14)
As we conclude this series, we spend time on the author's last remarks in this letter with some practical instructions to give faith a tangible outworking. As disciples of Jesus, there is a challenge for us to step out of our comfort zone as we do this.
Paul Rogers 04.06.23
From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - The Pursuit of Godliness (Hebrews 12:12-29)
As followers of Jesus we are called to walk by faith and walk in holiness, and this can only take place once we recapture the salience, the grandeur, the utter awesomeness of God. These verses are designed to do just that, to re-introduce the Christian to a God who is utterly other. Too often we like to think of the Lord, not as God all mighty, but God all matey and we start ascribing awesomeness to all and everyone and anything that we choose. What does this mean for us in our discipleship?
Chris Burgess 21.05.23
From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - Growing Through the Trial (Hebrews 12:4-13)
The question of suffering and making attempts to make sense of some of these issues is one of the great challenges to the Christian faith. However, scripture may not give us a neatly packaged answer, but instead offers us glimpses from time to time as to the Lord’s purposes in times of trial.
In these verse the writer to these Christians pulls back the curtain on suffering, just a little, and offers a glimpse as how the Lord take what is painful and brings something beautiful from it. It is not the whole picture, because much remains a mystery, but still offers purpose and meaning into what could otherwise be just a dark void.
Mark Gibson 14/05/23
From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - How to Please God (Hebrews 11:32-12:3)
Faith under pressure often produces diamonds and Hebrews 11 offers a glimpse into lives who, by faith, offer their whole lives up to the Lord of all the earth as what Paul says in Romans 12: 1 but what do we do though when things get difficult? How do we keep going and 'run the race with perseverance'?
Paul Rogers (07/05/23)
From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - How to Please God (Hebrews 11:1-40)
Here we are at the Hebrews ‘hall of fame’ with this Great Cloud of Witnesses (Heb. 12:1) and faced with a question 'What does biblical faith look like?' Often when we talk about faith in our pluralistic society, we are often are left with a rather fuzzy definition of what faith actually looks like, and many think that faith is just a blind leap, which it is most certainly not.
Erica Richmond (30/04/23)
From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - In the Eye of the Storm (Hebrews 10:19-39)
As Christians, we may not (yet) face the outward persecution in the same way others do around the world, but the battle for the mind can be just as vicious and often harder to resist, but resist we must. These verses call the Christian to persevere (10:36) in all areas of life. How do we live in the eye of the storm?
Paul Rogers (23/04/23)
From the series 'The Real Deal - Part 2' - New Life, Not More Effort (Hebrews 10:1-18)
We are starting a new series by finishing an old one! We are finishing the book of Hebrews and we are starting by digging into what Jesus' sacrifice means for us as believers. Do we struggle with the temptation for ongoing religious activity as a means to earn God’s approval? Our thinking may drift towards other churches, but even as evangelicals we have a propensity to do this, even in ways we may not have even considered.
Mark Gibson (16.04.23)