Hebrews defines faith as “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1, NIV). Then it provides a list of faithful people from the history of Israel who exemplify what faith is, and it shows how they manifested that faith by their deeds.

Read Hebrews 11:1-19. What did these “heroes” of faith do that exemplified their faith? How are their actions related to hope of things not seen?

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Abraham is probably the most important character in this chapter. Abraham’s last act of faith is especially instructive regarding the true nature of faith.

Hebrews notes that God’s instruction to Abraham that he offer Isaac as a sacrifice seemed to imply a contradiction on God’s part (Hebrews 11:17-18). Isaac was not the only son of Abraham. Ishmael was the firstborn of Abraham, but God had told Abraham that it was all right for him to accept Sarah’s request and cast Ishmael and his mother out because God would take care of them, and also because Abraham’s offspring would be named through Isaac (Genesis 21:12-13). In the next chapter, however, God asks Abraham to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. God’s instruction in Genesis 22 seemed to flatly contradict God’s promises in Genesis chapters 12-21.

Hebrews concludes that Abraham amazingly solved the conundrum by arriving at the conclusion that God would resurrect Isaac after he had offered him. This is amazing because no one had yet been resurrected. It seems, however, that Abraham’s previous experience with God led him to that conclusion. Hebrews 11:12 notes that Isaac was conceived by the power of God from one who was “as good as dead.” Paul also noted that, despite Abraham’s being “as good as dead” and Sarah barren, Abraham believed “in hope … against hope, that he should become the father of many nations” because he believed that God “gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:17-20, ESV). Thus, Abraham must have assumed that if God in some sense had already given life to Isaac out of the dead, He could do it again. In God’s leading in the past, Abraham saw an intimation of what He could do in the future.

<–Sunday Tuesday–>

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Read Hebrews 10:35-39. What is God saying to us in these verses?

Endurance is a characteristic of God’s end-time people, without which they will not be able to receive the promises (Revelation 13:10, Revelation 14:12). In order to endure, however, believers need to “hold fast” their faith (Hebrews 10:23, Hebrews 4:14).

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Paul has shown that the desert generation was not able to receive the promise because they lacked faith (Hebrews 3:19). Hebrews portrays believers as also at the threshold of the fulfillment of the promises (Hebrews 9:28; Hebrews 10:25, Hebrews 10:36-38) and need to exercise faith if they want to receive the promises (Hebrews 10:39).

Paul introduces his exposition on faith with a quotation from Habakkuk 2:2-4. Habakkuk had asked God why He tolerated the treacherous people who oppressed the righteous (Habakkuk 1:12-17). The prophet and his people were suffering; thus, they wanted God to act. God answered, however, that there was an appointed time for the fulfillment of His promise, and they needed to wait (Habakkuk 2:2-4). Habakkuk and his people lived, like us, between the time of the promise and the time of its fulfillment. God’s message continued in Hebrews, “He who is coming will come and will not delay” (Hebrews 10:37, NIV; see also Habakkuk 2:3).

The message refers to Jesus. He is the righteous one, the embodiment of faith who pleases God and provides life (Hebrews 10:5-10).

Why, then, would He “delay”? He won’t. He has already come to die for us (Hebrews 9:15-26), and He will surely come again at the appointed time (Hebrews 9:27-28; Hebrews 10:25).

God’s message continued: “my righteous one shall live by faith” (Hebrews 10:38, ESV). Paul states the same in Romans 1:17 and Galatians 3:11. Romans 1:16-17,  is especially enlightening because it explains that the righteousness of God is “revealed from faith to faith.” What Paul means is that God’s faithfulness to His promises comes first, and His faithfulness produces, as its result, our faith and/or faithfulness.

Thus, because God remains faithful to His promises (2 Timothy 2:13), the righteous, in response to God’s faithfulness, will remain faithful, as well.

<–Sabbath Monday–>

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/sunday-the-righteous-will-live-by-faith/

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Sabbath Afternoon

Read for This Week’s Study: Hebrews 10:35–39, Romans 1:17, Hebrews 11:1–40, Josh.2:9–11, Hebrews 12:1–3.

Memory Text: “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2, NKJV).

Hebrews 11:1–40 and Hebrews 12:1–29 are probably the most-loved chapters of the book. They describe the Christian life as a race in which we all participate and in which all who stay faithful will receive the reward. They also describe the drama of redemption as a race in which people of faith from the past persevered, despite sufferings, but have not yet received the reward.

And that’s because the story ends with us, as well, not just them. We are the concluding act. The drama culminates with our entering and running the last part of the race, and with Jesus seated at the goal line at the right hand of God. He provides inspiration as well as the ultimate example of how the race is run. He is the ultimate witness that the reward is true and that He is the forerunner who opens the way for us (Hebrews 6:19-20; Hebrews 10:19-23).

Hebrews 11:1–40 explains that faith is confidence in God’s promises, even if we cannot see them yet. This lesson will explore what faith is and how it is obtained through the examples of the past but, especially and centrally, through the example of Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV).

Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 12.

Sunday–>

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Support for the mission activities of the Seventh-day Adventist church has always been part of the Sabbath School program. This video is Mission Spotlight for this week.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Sp857g_KEM&w=560&h=315]

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/mission-spotlight-for-march-5/

God Is the Best Witness

By Anna Likholet

At the age of 18, I longed to share Jesus with others. But I was afraid.

“I’m scared,” I prayed often. “I don’t know how to share You.”

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Then I learned that I needed surgery, and I was hospitalized in Tula, a city located about 2 ½ hours by car from Russia’s capital, Moscow. Three of the six beds in my hospital room were occupied when I arrived. The other female patients were reading or watching television. My operation was scheduled for the next day.

“What should I do?” I thought. “What does someone do before an operation?”

I opened my Bible.

The woman across from me immediate spoke up.

“Are you a Christian?” she asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“Which church do you go to?” she said.

I didn’t want to be mocked for being a Seventh-day Adventist. Many Russians belong to another Christian denomination and dismiss Adventists as members of a sect.

“I’m a Protestant,” I said.

The woman wasn’t satisfied. “Which Protestant church do you belong to?” she said.

What could I say? “I’m a Seventh-day Adventist,” I said.

A big smile lighted up the woman’s face.

“Wow, a Seventh-day Adventist!” she exclaimed. “I know Adventists! They are the best people!”

The woman spoke enthusiastically about the church, its work, and Zaoksky Adventist University located outside Tula. The two other patients listened silently. They had never heard about the Adventist Church.

“Adventists are good Christians!” the woman said. “My father knows some nice Adventists.”

As she spoke, the physician entered the room. He was surprised to see her.

“What are you doing here?” he said.

“What do you mean?” she replied.

“I ordered you to be discharged yesterday,” he said. “You should already be at home.”

Her husband picked her up within 30 minutes.

Looking at her empty bed, I realized that God had answered my prayers in an unexpected way. God had revealed Himself on His own in my hospital room. I hadn’t done anything. God had done everything. As a result, the other patients knew that I was an Adventist and that Adventists love Jesus with all their hearts.

Before the hospital stay, I went to church and believed in Jesus. But being a Christian is more than that. Being a Christian is also telling others about Jesus. If you long to share Him, He can arrange it. He will do everything for you.

This mission story illustrates Mission Objective No. 1 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s “I Will Go” strategic plan: “To revive the concept of worldwide mission and sacrifice for mission as a way of life involving not only pastors but every church member, young and old, in the joy of witnessing for Christ and making disciples.”

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Source: https://ssnet.org/blog/inside-story-god-is-the-best-witness/