Lectionary Calendar

Wednesday, December 4th, 2024
the First Week of Advent

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HebrewsHeb 11 HebrewsHeb HebrewsHeb 13

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Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of Faith

¹ Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, ^(C1)laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us ^(C2)run with ^(C3)endurance the race that is set before us,² ^(F1)fixing our eyes on Jesus, the ^(F2)^(C1)author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him ^(C2)endured the cross, ^(C3)despising the shame, and has ^(C4)sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

³ For ^(C1)consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary, ^(C2)fainting ^(F1)in heart.

The Father's Discipline

⁴ You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin.⁵ And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,

"^(C1)MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE ^(F1)LORD,
NOR ^(C2)FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM;

⁶ ^(C1)FOR THOSE ^(C2)WHOM THE ^(F1)LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES,
AND HE FLOGS EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES."

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them. Shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live?¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our benefit, so that we may share His holiness.¹¹ And all discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful, but to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

¹² Therefore, ^(F1)^(C1)STRENGTHEN THE HANDS THAT ARE WEAK AND THE KNEES THAT ARE FEEBLE,¹³ and ^(C1)make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather ^(C2)be healed.

¹⁴ ^(C1)Pursue peace with all men, and the ^(C2)sanctification without which no one will ^(C3)see the Lord,¹⁵ seeing to it that no one ^(C1)falls short of the grace of God; that no ^(C2)ROOT OF BITTERNESS SPRINGING UP CAUSES TROUBLE, and by it many be ^(C3)defiled;¹⁶ that also there be no ^(C1)sexually immoral or ^(C2)godless person like Esau, ^(C3)who sold his own birthright for a single meal.¹⁷ For you know that even afterwards, ^(C1)when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance, though he sought for it with tears.

Contrast of Sinai and Zion

¹⁸ ^(C1)For you have not come to ^(C2)a mountain that can be touched and to a blazing fire, and to darkness and gloom and whirlwind,¹⁹ and to the ^(C1)blast of a trumpet and the ^(C2)sound of words which was such that those who heard ^(C3)begged that no further word be spoken to them.²⁰ For they could not bear what was being commanded, "^(C1)IF EVEN A BEAST TOUCHES THE MOUNTAIN, IT WILL BE STONED."²¹ And so terrible was what appeared, that Moses said, "^(C1)I AM FULL OF FEAR and trembling."²² But ^(C1)you have come to Mount Zion and to ^(C2)the city of ^(C3)the living God, ^(C4)the heavenly Jerusalem, and to ^(C5)myriads of ^(F1)angels,²³ to the festal gathering and ^(C1)assembly of the firstborn who ^(C2)are enrolled in heaven, and to God, ^(C3)the Judge of all, and to the ^(C4)spirits of the righteous made perfect,²⁴ and to Jesus, the ^(C1)mediator of a new covenant, and to the ^(C2)sprinkled blood, which speaks better than ^(C3)the blood of Abel.

An Unshakable Kingdom

²⁵ ^(C1)See to it that you do not refuse Him who is ^(C2)speaking. For ^(C3)if those did not escape when they ^(C4)refused him who ^(C5)warned them on earth, ^(F1)much less will we escape who turn away from Him who ^(C5)warns from heaven.²⁶ And ^(C1)His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "^(C2)YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN."²⁷ Now this expression, "Yet once more," indicates ^(C1)the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.²⁸ Therefore, since we are receiving a ^(C1)kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us ^(F1)show gratitude, by which we may ^(C2)offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe;²⁹ for ^(C1)OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE.