“Seeing the Unseen Christ” (Week 4)
by Eric Rajaniemi
Welcome back!
It has been a couple of weeks since the last blog entry,
but let’s get back into it, shall we?
This week I want you to open your Bible up to Hebrews
chapter 13 and read verses 15-17. This chapter is all
about making sacrifices that are pleasing to God/Jesus.
Do not think, however, that sacrifices replace obedience
to Christ. Christ never says in scripture that it is okay for
us to be disobedient to what He has commanded us to do
and to be.
If you are not a believer in Christ and are visiting this
blog, I hope that you will find some signposts that point
you in the direction of Jesus. We all need Jesus, for we all
have experienced brokenness, grief, and loss.
So here are some questions for you to ponder in relation
to this text in Hebrews. Write down your thoughts to each
question, perhaps something new will enter your mind,
something that you may have almost forgotten about.
#1 This passage emphasizes praising God with both our
lips and our lives. Which comes more easily to you?
Why is that?
#2 Some people praise God on Sundays but are very
poor examples of a Christian the other six days of
the week. How about you? What actions/behaviors in
your life might need to change so that others know
that you follow Christ every day?
#3 The idea of sacrifice is becoming more and more
foreign in today’s culture. What more would you add
to the following: “Sacrifice costs you something,”
“sacrifice is unnatural”, “sacrifice is rare,” “sacrifice is
a sign of weakness.”
#4 In your own words, write down the types of sacrifices
which please God.
#5 Verse 17 tells the reader to obey your leaders and to
submit to them. This speaks about your spiritual
leaders, not political leaders. Verse 18 tells the
reader to pray for your leader/s and to do so
earnestly. How could your worship be enhanced if
you took this seriously? How might it impact your
leader/s?
As James tells us in his epistle, we must talk the talk
and walk the walk. We need to pray for our friends,
family, and neighbors to find Jesus. Just because they
smile all of the time does not mean that deep down inside
they are crying and afraid. All people need Jesus.
Eric
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