Lesson 28 – Strengthen and pursue
Read Hebrews 12 - www.bible.com/bible/59/heb.12.esv

We studied how our faith grows in hard times in the last lesson. In this lesson we look at what that faith is meant to do through us while we’re still here on earth. Beginning in verse 12, we take note of our responsibility to ourselves – lift up drooping hands and strengthen weak knees. Drooping hands can carry no weight, and shaking knees cannot keep us standing very long. Making a straight path for our feet means we head directly to that place where God wants us to serve, no detours.

We must also mind our mental attitudes. We cannot serve grudgingly because then we begin to allow bitterness and anger into our lives. We cannot serve out of our own desires because then we are in danger of immorality. And immorality is not just a misguided idea of what true love is, it’s about allowing our wants and desires to direct our choices. The example of Esau is that for want of something to eat he gave away the greatest blessings of his entire future.


Our view of God and His kingdom must be based on His truth rather than the things we are able to understand. The example given in verses 18-21 is the view of someone who seeks God from only a religious perspective. To do so is to play with fire that we cannot control, that we cannot endure. Our view of Him is not religious, but relationship. Religion seeks to taste of the power of God for one’s own purposes – and the result is always judgment. But relationship seeks the God of power for His purposes – and the result is always that glorious assembly with His angels before His throne in joy because we know we have been made acceptable through the blood of Jesus.

Yes, the God we serve, who is our loving Father, has the power to shake the very foundations of this earth. And verse 26 says this will happen one more time. We find this time recorded in Revelation 20 and 21 where God will destroy this present creation and created a new one where sin and all its effects have no place. This new creation will be ours to enjoy with Him for all eternity.

 When we understand the power of this hope God wants to give us, we can be the ambassadors of this hope to those around us. Hopelessness is all around us – where can someone find a job, how can this individual be healed, when will we have enough so we’re not constantly worrying about the future, why is this group of people trying to destroy that group? Fear is powerful in our world today. Those who have much are afraid of losing it. Those who have little are afraid they’ll never have more. Our hope in Christ, by faith, lets us walk confidently through the trials that abound, because we know what waits for us ahead. We can worship Him with that reverence and awe He deserves, and yet know He loves us beyond comprehension.