Hebrews 12: Leaving Tracks

Dear TVCC Students,

We are always blessed to worship with you guys on Wednesday nights. We hope that every Wednesday encourages your faith and strengthens your intimacy with the Lord. Here is a recap from last night...

Hebrews 12:12-17

vs 12:

~ The verses leading up to this verse were talking about the discipline of the Lord and how we should respond well to it. The implication here is that once we have been discipline, we are called as believers to strengthen and heal others.

~There are times when each of us will be the weak ones he is talking about here and we will need others in the body of Christ to strengthen us. The body of Christ should be building each other up constantly so that when each of us are weak, we can be strengthened.

~One thing we MUST remember that is so clearly seen in this passage is that the Christian life is not one of passive laziness. How we all live makes a difference in the lives of others. Our lives are meant to lead others to know Jesus. The Christian faith is active- us pursuing Jesus and diligently loving and strengthening others.

Q: Is your Christian faith ACTIVE? Are you diligently pursuing Jesus with all of your strength? Can others see that you are pursuing Him?

vs 13:

~ "put out of joint"- this phrase means "pulled out of socket" or "dislocated." The writer is calling us here to make straight paths (with our lives) so that the (faith of the) weaker people will not "pulled out of socket."

~Again we see that the way we live matters. When it says that we are to make "straight paths" that was a terms used for wagon tracks. People would see the wagon tracks in the dirt and know which way they should be going to get to the next city.

~It should be this way with our lives of faith. People should be able to look at our lives and be led to seeing the glory of Jesus. Are lives DO leave tracks but are we leading others to Jesus or to the world?

Q: Where are the "wagon tracks" of YOUR life leading others? THE WAY YOU LIVE DOES MATTER!

vs. 14

~ When the writer says "pursue peace" it was a very active statement. He was telling them to basically chase down peace. Run after it. Don't just sit around hoping things get better. Be active and make it happen. Matthew 5:23 says that we should leave a worship service to reconcile with our brothers if we know that there is discord between us and them.

~Be active in pursuing peace with others in the body of Christ. Do not let disunity or bitterness be present in your group of believers or in your family (as much as YOU can help it). Satan would love to use that to divide your group and family so that you are ineffective for the kingdom of the Lord.

~He also calls us to pursue sanctification. Sanctification is a term that means becoming more like Christ. We are to actively pursue becoming more like Christ. We cannot just sit back and hope that we become more godly. We must be diligent to pursue Him and He will change us as we are with Him more and more. The Christian life is not passive; It is ACTIVE!

~One way to make sure that we are active in our pursuing Christ is to talk about and write down goals we have for our walks with God. Share them with other believers that you trust and ask them to help you achieve them.

Q: What does your walk with Jesus look like? Is it passive or active? Are you really pursuing Him?

vs. 15:

~ "see to it" is a phrase that means "watch out." He is calling us to "watch out" that no one falls short of God's grace by how we live. Again, the writer is encouraging us that we have an active role in the faith of others. We are called to encourage others and to make sure that our lives represent Christ well.

~It is not good enough just to be moral. We all know that this "bible belt" area is known for its cultural moralism. This is not what Jesus is calling us to. So many of you have been raised in the Christian faith. That is WONDERFUL... BUT just because your parents are believers or because you go to church does not mean your are a believer. Jesus wants us to love Him with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength. He does not want us to be just good rule followers.

Q: Are you someone who is just a "good kid" or are you really living a life that shows that you intimately LOVE Jesus with all that you are? Are you just a cultural Christian or a lover of Jesus?

vs. 16:

~We are given the example of Esau to show us what not to do. Esau was so shortsighted that he sold all that he was to inherit from his father for ONE meal.

~We can be so much like Esau when we trade the riches that Jesus has to offer us for the momentary pleasures of sin. Let us not be this way! Let us realize the greatness of the Kingdom that we are a part of and live for eternal pleasures, not fleeting ones that are experienced shortly here.

We love you all very much. It is an honor to do ministry with you guys. We pray that this week you will meditate on Jesus- spending so much time with Him so see His glory. We pray that your lives will leave good "wagon tracks" and that when others see you, they will be led to Jesus! We love you!

~Sonny and Casi