Conclusion
“For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.”
Hebrews 10:10
The purpose of this study has been to learn who Jesus is and who we are meant to be. If we are to be like Christ, we must know who Christ is. Hebrews has reminded us that Jesus is God’s Son. Though he is fully God, Jesus Christ willingly forfeited his royal privileges to come to earth as a human, to die for our sins.
Jesus trusted the Father’s plan and fulfilled his purpose here on earth. He became our high priest, opening the door for us to have a personal relationship with God. He goes before us, even now, interceding on our behalf with the Father.
Jesus trusted the Father’s plan, fulfilled his purpose here on earth by becoming our high priest, and in love, offered himself as the perfect sacrifice. Through his death on the cross, he paid the price for our sins and through his resurrection he defeated death. When he ascended into Heaven, he did not leave us alone but sent the Holy Spirit to live in us, guiding us and equipping us to live in a way that pleases God.
Hebrews is chock full of difficult stuff about a system of worship that is unfamiliar to most of us, and that’s kind of the beauty of the whole thing. Because of Jesus, we don’t have to worry about the law, the temple, priests or the sacrifice of blood and goats. Jesus fulfilled all of the requirements. He met every need. He did the work for us, and we get to reap the benefits. He also left us with a perfect example of how to live in this new relationship with the Father. His life teaches us the importance of trusting and obeying God. His example reminds us of the importance of loving Him and each other well.
Because of Jesus, we are MADE for a relationship with God, to follow Christ, and to be God’s dwelling place.
Because of Jesus, we are MADE to believe, to learn and grow, to hope, and to be confident.
Because of Jesus, we are MADE experience better things, to be free, and to be perfect.
Because of Jesus, we are MADE to be women of faith, to endure, and to love.
While the original manuscript may have been written to Jewish Christians, the message is just as relevant today as it was then. Our faith is not based on a religious system, traditional constructs, or the way we feel. Our faith springs from a relationship with God through his son. True belief is rooted in a commitment to follow Christ and grows as we learn to imitate him by living a life of sacrifice. Because of this, we can believe that God is good even when our circumstances are bad. We can believe God loves us even when we don’t feel loved. We can be hopeful and confident because we know that better things are on the horizon. We can live in freedom knowing that because of Christ we are already MADE perfect in the eyes of God. By understanding who Christ is—God in flesh—we can concentrate on the truth of his life and his words and become the women of faith that God has called us to be, enduring whatever trials this world throws at us, and responding, as Jesus did, in love. This, my dear friends, is what it means to be MADE holy.
My Prayer As I Concluded My Study of Hebrews
Dear Lord,
I thank you for the book of Hebrews. I thank you for the reminder of how You have worked throughout history to draw people to yourself. It amazes me, God, that You—a holy, righteous, perfect God—wants to have a relationship with us—such a wicked, unrighteous, imperfect people. Thank You, God.
Thank You for the history lesson, for the reminder of how You called out the Israelite people, how, despite their unfaithfulness, You continually remained faithful. Thank You even more for not limiting Yourself to that one group. Thank You for choosing to reveal Yourself to all mankind. Thank You for making salvation possible for the Gentiles, for me. Thank You, God, for sending Your Son.
In Hebrews, the author tried to make the Jewish Christians understand how much better the New Covenant is, how much greater Christ is. He is better than the angels, the prophets, Moses, or the priests. He is so much better than the old sacrificial system of worship. I am so thankful that form of worship is foreign to me. I praise You God for providing the perfect sacrifice so that I don’t have to participate in the bloody slaughter of animals in order to have my sins temporarily washed away. I praise You that through Your Son I have been cleansed forever. The price has been paid, and I am free from the bondage of sin and death.
Please, Lord, help me to live in that freedom. Help me not to be like the Israelites who complained and wanted to go back to Egypt, who refused to obey and forfeited their reward. Forgive me when I follow in their footsteps, when I trust in myself more than I trust in You, when I rely upon what I think I know instead of what You say is true, for when I dig my heals in and cling to tradition rather than following You into the unknown. Help me not to become so consumed with rest and peace that I fail to do the work that is necessary to accomplish my purpose in this world.
Please remind me of all the lessons I learned from Hebrews. When I can’t see clearly the road ahead, I want to remember that You seldom reveal all Your plans in one full sweep. When I am afraid, I want to remember that my security is in You. When I need help, let me turn to the Great Helper, the lover of my soul, and the discerner of my heart. Help me to know that You are sufficient for all my needs. You are enough.
God, help me not to turn back in times of trouble or to grow complacent in times of ease. Help me to stretch farther, to learn more, to never look back but always press forward. I want to be more than just a babe in Christ. I want to be a mature believer who knows God’s word and puts it into practice. Like the saints of the Bible, all those listed in the great Hebrews Hall of Faith, I sincerely desire to live out my faith even in difficult circumstances.
Faith is more than a feeling. Faith has feet. The saints aren’t the only ones who have stories. We should too. Please, God, help me to live a life of faith so that I have a story worth sharing because I know that it’s not so much what I say that matters. It’s what I do that will live on, how I live that will make a difference.
But when I fail, and I will, because I am human, please forgive me, God. Discipline me if you must, but then pick me up. Push me forward with the understanding that my Hope is not based on what I do or don’t do or how well I do it. My hope is in the work of Christ Who sacrificed Himself for me and Who is, even now, making intercession on my behalf. Help me to remember that sin is not a series of actions or inactions. It is a disease of the soul, and that Jesus is the cure. Help me to understand that faith is not about the rules; it’s about the relationship that I have with You and with others. Strengthen me with Your love and help me to love those around me like You do.
Please give me what I need to train hard, run fast, and finish well because I know that that the best of this world is but a shadow of the things to come. When I falter, when I fall, when I want to give up, let me see all those in Heaven cheering me on, but most of all let me see You—the One Who ran this race before me, Who coaches me from the sidelines, and Who is standing at the Finish Line waiting for me. Help me, Lord, to run well and to see my life i as one great adventure on the way to You, my Perfect Prize.
In the precious name of Jesus,
Amen