Hebrews 11: Abraham

Dear TVCC Students,

We hope that you are enjoying the great fall weather and getting to spend some time enjoying the creation of the Lord. We love getting to worship with you all and dive into the Word together! This week we studied the life of Abraham who was an ordinary man who lived a life of faith in the Lord. Here is a recap...

Hebrews 11:8 Abraham

11:8: Abraham was called... then he obeyed. He was a real person who had a real job who was called by the real God to follow Him into an unknown land. His call from God was very challenging. Abram obeyed. Abraham was not super righteous or heroic. He was an ordinary man whom God set His love on. Abraham listened to the Lord who was reaching down to Him. The Lord is reaching down to us through His Son. Christ died to bring us to God.

Q: Are you someone who is seeking to listen to the Lord by reading His Word or have you hardened your heart to His calling to know Him? 

~Genesis 15: THe Lord blesses Abraham because of his belief in the Lord. Belief led to action for Abraham as well. He followed the Lord because he believed the Lord. The Lord tells Abraham not to fear because the Lord is his shield and the LORD is Abraham’s great reward. Jesus inherits everything and Jesus is our prize! Abraham had to leave all of the comforts of his life in order to be able to fully trust in the Lord and let the Lord be his great reward.

Q: What does it look like for you to enjoy Jesus as your great reward, Has He recently called you to leave anything, or change anything in your life? Have you listened? Do you believe that He is your great reward?

~Genesis 15:2:  What did Abraham do to become righteous? He believed God. Belief was what made him righteous. Abram then wanted to know who he was going to pass on the great reward to since he had no heirs. The Lord comforts Abram and promises him an heir that would one day lead to the Messiah. 

~Hebrews 11: God called Abraham away so that he could really experience the Lord as His great reward. When the Lord calls believers, He makes them a NEW CREATION (2 Corinthians 5:17). The old has gone and He is making all things new!! He wants us to believe Him and from that belief, follow Him!

~Hebrews 11:9: Abraham lived as an alien in the land he was called to. 1 Peter 2:11 reminds us that  believers, as aliens in this world, are to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against their soul. We are in a spiritual war. The enemy is real and he is out to destroy our faith and keep us from enjoying the presence of the Lord. Aliens are offensive by their nature and not welcome in the land that that isn't their home. We are aliens in this world. We are outsiders and the world will not embrace us. We need to be aware of this battle so that it does not destroy our souls. All who desire to live godly in Christ will be persecuted!

Q: Read 2 Corinthians 5:21 with 2 Timothy 3:12. Have you experienced any sort of rejection from the world? How do you deal with that rejection/ persecution in light of the truth that you are son or daughter of the Lord of Creation through faith in the death and resurrection of Christ?

Dear students,

We are so thankful to get to worship alongside of you every week. We pray that you would enjoy sweet times in the presence of Jesus this week. Remember... He is our great reward. Nothing else will satisfy us fully and eternally than being in right relations with the Lord God through Jesus, Let us walk with Him this week and obey Him out of a heart of love and thankfulness. We love you!

With hope,

~Sonny & Casi

Hebrews 11: Noah

Dear TVCC Students,
We hope you are enjoying the fall weather these days! We are so encouraged to see you all coming out on Wednesday evenings to worship and divide the Word of God. It has been such a blessing to go through Hebrews along with you all and see all that the Lord wants to share with us through His Word. Last night we studied the life of Noah from Hebrews 11 and Genesis 6. Here is a recap...

Before jumping into the story of Noah, we must remember Hebrews 11:1.  Faith is the assurance of things hoped for and the conviction of things unseen. Faith is unique in that it cannot literally be seen (as in someone "holding" faith) but it can be "seen" in the way one lives. The people he was writing to thought that works (following the law) were what made them righteous but it was faith all along. Works reveal faith. What really pleased the Lord under the law was those that obeyed the law out of a heart of faith and love towards Him (remember Abel and how his faith led to him giving sacrifices to the Lord). Faith has attributes that we can identify through our lives. 

Recap from Hebrews 11:1-6:

~Abel worshipped God through faith and offered to God a sacrifice because he loved the Lord. Worship filled sacrifice flowed from a heart of love. (Romans 12:2). 

~Enoch walked with the Lord and God took him! Again, this is what the Lord wants for us- for us to walk with the Lord daily.

Hebrews 11:7: Noah believed the Lord and his life revealed his belief through him building the ark and entering into the ark. Faith led to action!

~Genesis 6:5-22: Noah walked with God as Enoch did. The things that the Lord was asking of Noah were things that were not in Noah’s daily "vocabulary" (he lived in the desert and had probably not even heard of a flood). Yet Noah obeyed. It took over 100 years for him to build this ark. Noah's faith had led him to set his heart to obey God and he followed through with it. 

Q: Have there been things in your life that have not totally made sense to you that you have been asked to obey? How did you respond to His calling? What did you learn from that situation?

~Genesis 6:11: Why did the Lord not just completely destroy the human race? God had made a covenant with Adam and Eve that through their descendants a Savior would come. The Lord’s faithfulness was what kept the Lord from completely destroying the whole earth. God had made a promise and He went to elaborate measures to keep His word. He still goes to elaborate measures to keep His promises. Let us find those promises in His Word and cling to them because He who promised is faithful!! 

Q: Read Philippians 1:6. The Lord will complete what He has began . Read Romans 8:1. There is no condemnation for those that are in Christ! Let us cling to these promises of God. What promises of the Lord have you seen lately that we can cling to?

~Genesis 6:18: God called Noah to enter the ark after he had built it. God had seen Noah’s works which revealed his faith. Noah believed God and his life showed that belief. He spent years building the ark and then continued to act in faith as he boarded the ark and prepared for the flood.

~Genesis 7:16: God closed the door behind the ark, not Noah. Other people could have responded to the Lord’s warning of the coming flood but no one else wanted to come. Then the Lord closed the door! From this we can see that the Lord is patient and not quick to anger. It would have taken around 100 years for Noah to build the ark, giving people time to hear of the Lord's coming wrath and respond in faith.

~2 Peter 3:10-16: Just as in the days of Noah, The Day of the Lord is coming. We are told that it will come like a thief in the night and that we must be ready. Since these things are coming, how ought we to live? Each day that we live is another day of the Lord’s patience where He is waiting to destroy this world until all of His children have come to faith in Him. We are called to be His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20) and warn people of His wrath that is coming. 

Q: Read Revelation 21. Are we sharing His truth with others that they might escape that wrath? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to since you know that the day of the Lord is coming soon? Remember that we are called to be displaying His name to those around us.

~James 2:14: From the life of Noah we can see some great truths. What use is it if someone says that he has faith but has no works? Faith without works is dead! If Noah would have just said he believed and did not obey- would he have been saved? Actions reveal faith! Faith without works is DEAD and will not save. Yes, faith is what saves but faith is not just a mental exercise. Faith is expressed through action. 

Q: If people just looked at how you live, not what you say, would they say that you are living for an eternal kingdom or for this life only?

~Genesis 9: It is also encouraging for us to remember that even though Noah had great faith in the Lord, he still struggled. He did not always behave righteously. We all still struggle (which is why Paul says that he has not already obtained perfection- Philippians 3:12) with acting foolishly at times but the Lord still calls us righteous once and for all if we have faith in the blood of Christ on our behalf. Jesus saves us! Let us live lives of faith knowing His great love for us!

Q: Think about a few ways that you have acted in rebellion to the Lord in the past month. Now, think about the FACT that if you have trusted in Christ there is NO condemnation for you because Christ took the condemnation that you deserved. How does this make you feel? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to make so that you do not return to that rebellion?

Dear students,

We are always so encouraged to see what the Lord is doing in your lives. We love seeing how you all love one another and strive together for the glory of the Lord. We pray that this week you would believe in the Lord Jesus and that His ways are better. We hope that your lives will shout to this world that Jesus is Lord and that we are living for an eternal kingdom that will never be shaken. We love you all. Remember the life of Noah this week. Faith led to action! Let us follow his example in this.

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi 

Hebrews 11: Enoch

Dear TVCC Students,
Last night was so encouraging! We were able to witness Spencer getting baptized and able to dive more into Hebrews 11. As always, our hearts are so encouraged to worship the Lord with you all and see you soaking up the truths in His Word. Sonny spent time looking into the life of Enoch last night. Here is a recap...

Hebrews 11: Hall of Faith. People listed in Hebrews 11 were by no means perfect but were those who trusted the Lord and lived lives of faith despite their shortcomings.

~11:1-4: Men of old gained approval by their faith, not by their works! Works reveal faith but faith is what makes one righteous before the Lord. Remember though that once we have faith in Christ, we are called to have our lives be living sacrifices (Romans 12).  Pouring out your life for Him is the most wonderful thing that you can do- it is ETERNAL. Again, works do NOT save you but after you have received grace to believe in Christ, works will follow (Ephesians 2:8-10)

Q: Read Ephesians 2:8-10 and James 2:14-26. Do you see the correlation between works and faith? Genuine faith will have works following it. Belief will have an effect on your life. If someone looked JUST at your life, not at what you SAID, would they see someone who is living a life of faith in Christ? Are there any changes you feel the Lord calling you to in order to have your life aligned with His desires for you?

~1:5-6: Enoch was taken up. Enoch did not taste death. Wow... Let that sink in! Genesis 5:21-24. Enoch walked with God and “was not” for God took Him! "Walking with God" is what the Lord wants for us just as He did for Enoch. This is what Jesus died for (1 Peter 3:18). Even though we are completely undeserving of "walking" with Him, He still desires this for us. If we look at 2 Corinthians 6:14 we see that we are not to be bound together with unbelievers. Believers and unbelievers are different beings and it is dangerous for us to surround ourselves with those that are not like minded. How wonderful for us that even though we are so different from the Lord, He still wants us to walk with Him. There is such a great chasm between us and the Lord; He bridged that gap through Christ so that we could “walk” with Him. 

Q: Read 1 Peter 3:18. What does it look like for you to "walk" with the Lord on a daily basis? Others noticed that Enoch walked with the Lord by the way that He lived. Who in your life have you seen "walking with the Lord?" The Word tells us to imitate the FAITH of those that encourage us (Hebrews 13:7). What things do you think contribute to their "walk" with the Lord that can be emulated in the lives of others? 

~2 Peter 1:3-10: He has granted to us all we need for life and godliness just as He did with Enoch. The Lord has made a way for us to be partakers of the divine nature through the death and resurrection of Christ so that we can now relate to Him. He has restored what was lost.

Q: Which of the things listed in 1 Peter 1:3-10 do you feel that the Lord wants you to work on (by His power)? What steps do you want to take to grow in that area this week?

~1 Corinthians 6:9-11: The unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. All of us were unrighteous before our redemption in Christ (Romans 3). The Lord has made us righteous in Christ. We have been washed by the blood of Christ and are now different. Because we are now washed, let us live differently. Let us press into the Lord. Let us walk with Him out of love as Enoch did. Walking with Him involves us listening to the Lord and speaking to Him. Enjoy time with Him! As long as we are still taking in breath, we still have an opportunity to walk with the Lord!

Q: Have you been walking with the Lord this week? What has that looked like? In what areas do you feel the Lord calling you to change so that your walk with Him will be more intimate?

~Romans 3: How was Enoch pleasing to the Lord? He was not justified by his works. That was not even possible. Enoch was justified by his faith just as we are justified by faith. Faith in the work of Christ is what makes us righteous before the Lord. Without faith it is impossible to please God! We must believe that He is God and that He has made us clean through Jesus. Our works will follow genuine faith.

Q: Are you believing in the Lord Jesus this week? Have you spent time in His Word this week knowing that He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it?

Dear Students,

We pray that this week you will follow the example of Enoch and genuinely walk with the Lord. We pray that you will listen to Him as you read His Word and gain insight into His heart. We pray that you will speak to Him in prayer and pour out your hearts continually to Him as you would your best friend. Remember that He is in control of everything- both the good and the bad. Everything that happens is an opportunity for us to grow in our relationship with the Lord and for us to show others His power through us who believe. We love you all!

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi 

Hebrews 11:1-4

TVCC Students,
It has been so wonderful to dive into the book of Hebrews with you all and see the redemption that is ours in Christ. This Wednesday we took a look at the beginning of Hebrews 11, the "hall of faith." Here is a recap...

Hebrews 11:1-4

-11:1-2: The word “faith” is referenced 6 times before Hebrews 11 but is referenced 18 times in the next 2 chapters after this. All of Hebrews was building up to this point: the Savior would come to offer complete freedom from the bondage brought by sin and that freedom would be accomplished through faith. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things unseen. Faith is not just believing that God exists but that He is capable of doing what He says He will do. Faith is an action!

Q: Is the "faith" you claim to have in Christ just "faith" that He exists or do you really believe/trust that His Word is true and that He will accomplish His plans? If people looked at your life, not just what you say, would they see a life of faith in you? Why do you think so?

-11:3: God invented time. He is the Author of everything and is continually holding it all together... perfectly. Nothing happens that is outside of His complete control. God is worthy of placing our trust in because He holds everything in His hands (Psalm 104). Again, His Word holds everything together and we have access to this Word! Jesus is the Word of God (John 1). Let us draw near to the Lord through Christ who made peace between us and the Lord (Hebrews 10:19)! There is nothing better for us than for us to draw near to Him as He has cleansed us. As stated earlier, genuine faith leads to action (James). Let’s look back at our calling that comes from faith...

-Hebrews 10:19-24: These are the actions that come from the faith genuine believers have in Christ. This is the call of God for those that are the Lord’s through Christ.

1. Draw Near to Him.
2. Hold fast to the confession of your hope in Christ
3. Do not forsake assembling together with other believers and consider how to stir others to love and good works.

Q: Read Hebrews 10:19. Do you spend time realizing that the Lord who created light and planets is the same God who wants to have an intimate relationship with you through Jesus Christ!? Which of the previous three "works of faith" do you feel that you need the most work on (by the power of the Spirit)?

-11:4: Cain and Abel: Go back to Genesis 4 to see this situation. Cain’s offering was not accepted by the Lord. Cain believed in the existence of God but wanted to compromise with the Lord. He was not accepted! The Lord has a specific plan for how we are able to approach Him. We have access to the Lord through Christ alone (Acts 4:12). After trusting in Christ, the Lord wants our lives to be living sacrifices to Him- for us to trust in Him completely and walk in joyful obedience to Him. He will not accept anything less. We fail often but thanks be to God that we walk by grace! Christ in us is our righteousness! The Spirit continues to sanctify us as we seek to grow in Him.

Q: Is your life being lived more like Cain or Abel? Are you trying to come to God on your own terms or are you continually seeking to submit your life to the Lord and His desires- trusting in Christ completely for your salvation and sanctification?

Dear Students,

As always, we are praying for you and we love getting to see you all grow in Christ and in your love for one another. We pray that this week your faith in Christ would be lived out in a powerful way and that all of our lives would bring glory to King Jesus. We encourage you to read through some of the Psalms (especially Psalm 19 and 104) and meditate on the fact that the God of creation wants an intimate relationship with you. We love you guys and gals!!

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi 

Hebrews 10: Law fulfilled in Christ

TVCC Students,

As always we are so blessed to worship with you all on Wednesday evenings. It is so refreshing to us to worship with you all.  This past Wednesday Sonny taught us about how Christ fulfilling the law would have turned the lives of these early Hebrews completely upside down. Belief in Jesus would have cost them so much and there is much we can learn from them and the letter written to them. Here is a recap...

Hebrews 10

-10:26-27: As we said last week, this letter was written to a Jewish crowd (the Hebrews) that were coming out of the system of the law. They were rule followers who often found their identity in being rule keepers. The fact is (the author points out), is that the Lord is coming against sinners and the law could not/cannot completely eradicate sin completely.  This is a terrifying thing. Go back to verse 18... now that Christ has come, there no longer remains a sacrifice under the old law that will offer cleansing. Jesus has paid the price in full. The old system has been done away with-  one cannot earn righteousness on their own. Trying to find righteousness apart from Christ leads only to God's wrath as sin would still remain. We need Jesus alone!

Q: What are you really trusting in to get you to heaven? Are you depending on your own "goodness" or are you really trusting in Jesus' life, death, and resurrection? Read Isaiah 64:6. How does this verse relate to Hebrews 10?

-10:26-31: When we see how much we deserve His wrath, we really should appreciate so much more His incredible kindness through Christ. Only Jesus can save! We are under grace now and the old, incomplete law has been done away with. We are forgiven in Christ!

Q: When was the last time you spent a little while meditating and being thankful for the forgiveness that you have in Christ?

-10:32- 34: When these Hebrew people came to Christ, it cost them so much. The old system of the law had been their whole life and they had to lose and give that up in order to gain Christ. For some of them it meant isolation from family, the loss of jobs, or even physical persecution. Through everything though, a true believer will agree with Paul in Philippians 3- nothing compares to knowing Jesus. Knowing Jesus is so worth it BUT it is difficult! Christ changes your whole life!

Q: Read 2 Timothy 3:12. What are your thoughts on this verse in light of Hebrews 10? How does this correspond with your life and what the Lord is calling believers to?

-10:32-34: The prize that Christ offers is so much better than anything the law could offer. If we look ahead to Hebrews 12:26 we see the kingdom that we are offered through Christ is an everlasting one. This is seen throughout the whole scriptures. This life here is just a small speck in light of eternity. When we realize this, we can endure hardships. This life is just a vapor. It is just the beginning of eternity! Remember this!! The author of Hebrews was calling believers to be living for the kingdom that will last forever. Our calling in Christ has not changed!

Q: Read 1 Peter 1. How does this relate to Hebrews 10? How are you personally doing at remembering that this life is fading fast and that we should be living for eternity? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to make in light of the truths of Hebrews 10 and 1 Peter 1?

-10:35-38: God’s righteous ones will live by faith! This is not something that we can muster up on our own or even sustain on our own. Faith is a gift from the Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9). We must continually be depending on the Lord to sustain our faith and make us pleasing to Him. Again, we must also understand that we are inheriting an everlasting kingdom and this life is not what we should be living for. We should not care about the things of this life because this really isn’t LIFE. Let us endure this life with complete dependance on His Spirit which lives in us through faith. This life changes so rapidly let us live for what really matters by the power of the Spirit.  Let us invest in the people around us and call them to something higher- to Jesus! The song of the believer should continually be... For us to live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21).

Q: What does it look like on a daily basis to be depending on the Spirit to sustain your faith? What changes do you feel the Lord calling you to make in light of Hebrews 10 and Philippians 1:21?

-10:39: Since we have confidence through Jesus, let us draw near with assurance. Jesus has made us righteous. We are so faithless and needy but He is faithful! Again, we must remember that we cannot sustain our faith- Jesus sustains us through the Spirit. He saves us and He brings our faith to completion! 

Q: Read 1 Thessalonians 5:24. What life implications does this verse have in light of Hebrews 10?

Q: The day is drawing near when this life will be done.  How ought we to live in light of that truth and our calling in Christ?

Dear Students,

We think and pray for you so often. We are praying that this week you will be depending continually on the Spirit to sustain and grow your faith. We pray that both the good and bad times will draw you closer to Lord. We love you all and pray that you will be enjoying your Savior this week.

With hope,

~Sonny and Casi