Friday 30 January 2009
- Bible Book:
- Hebrews
"Do not, therefore, abandon that confidence of yours; it brings a great reward. For you need endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet 'in a very little while, the one who is coming will come and will not delay; but my righteous one will live by faith. My soul takes no pleasure in anyone who shrinks back.' But we are not among those who shrink back and so are lost, but among those who have faith and so are saved." (v.35-39)
Background
Here we see the suffering of the community of the Hebrews infull view. Physical abuse, persecution and the looting of propertyare all identified. The writer speaks into the context of thatsuffering. Even though the Hebrews' possessions are beingplundered, they possessomething now that will last and beinherited in full in the age to come. Although the evil present ageis still here, faith has been stirred in them. They have respondedto the news that Jesus is Lord and they have received God's Spirit- a down payment that would be realised in full when "the one whois coming" comes.
Hundreds of years later, as we reflect on these verses, it can bedifficult to identify fully with the sacrificial lives of theseearly Christians. They were encouraged to live patient and faithfullives and wait for their reward - and so are we today. For many ofus, this can be heard as 'pie in the sky when you die'. If theChurch speaks the message of 'Don't worry about your suffering now,everything will be fine in heaven' then modern ears are hearingwell and accurately. There is some precedence for the message ofthe gospel (good news of Jesus) being used to hold people inoppression ready for their reward in heaven.
But we pray "your kingdom come ... on earth as in heaven". It has amandate to work, with God's help, towards justice that is typifiedin the kingdom teaching given by Jesus. In
To Ponder
In what ways do people suffer injustice as aresult of following Jesus in a modern, western context?
What is an encouragement to you when things aredifficult?