“For consider Him”
Today is a special day, one we look forward to when we peer at our calendars.
No, I am not referring to this special calendar date—National Homemade Soup Day!
Yes, I am referring to this special calendar date—Weekly Sabbath Day of Worship as a Collective Body of Believers.
I will be present; will you be there at your chosen house of worship?
In the Bible, we are given this particular chapter of witnesses, “The Triumphs of Faith,” a whole set of verses filled with memorable names of those who BELIEVED, SERVED GOD, & ARE REMEMBERED FOR THE WAY THEY SERVED. These precious ones placed their faith in God, in the assurance of their sure salvation, of eternity within God’s presence, something they could not physically see but could spiritually see.
As we read through the first thirty-one verses, we read name-after-name, situation-after-situation, & faith example-after-faith-example, reading narratives that are recorded in the historical record of the Bible. Real stories of Real people who served God, walking in the path God led them to go, doing the tasks, serving the will of God.
Then we come to verse thirty-two, and suddenly, the anonymous writer of the book of Hebrews writes—
“And what more shall I say?
For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets,
who by faith
- conquered kingdoms,
- performed acts of righteousness,
- obtained promises,
- shut the mouths of lions,
- quenched the power of fire,
- escaped the edge of the sword,
- from weakness were made strong,
- became mighty in war,
- put foreign armies to flight.
- Women received back their dead by resurrection;
- and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection;
- and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes,
- also chains and imprisonment.
- They were stoned,
- they were sawn in two,
- they were tempted,
- they were put to death with the sword;
- they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated
(men of whom the world was not worthy),
- wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.”
(The Letter to the Hebrews 11: 32-40 NASB)
There is a melody, one I recently heard, by Casting Crowns titled “All Because of Mercy.” Please pause and remember why we are called to do that which God gives us to do. Dwell there today, & then tomorrow, listen again, read God’s Word, and recall ALL THAT JESUS DID FOR YOU (and for me).
Today is a special day, the day we will gather with our brothers and sisters-in-Christ. We will gather to sing hymns of praise, to study God’s Word together, to hug, to laugh, to share stories, to share concerns, to pray, to hug some more, to kneel, to lift up our hands, to collectively worship the KING of kings & the LORD of lords!
- Let us commit to go today to church, to be present, to worship our Savior Jesus.
- Let us promise to walk faithfully in the way, in the task, enduring the trial set before us.
- Let us pledge to not give up in our witness of THE ONE WHO DID SO MUCH FOR US UPON THE CROSS!
“For consider Him”
His Mercy & His Grace make everything worth enduring!
The day Jesus stands beside the throne of God will be a normal day, one where we are caught in traffic, one where we are working in our careers, one where we celebrate the birth of babies and even mourn the loss of loved ones, one where we will meet others for coffee—the day Jesus Comes Again Will Be A Day EVERYONE Sees & Hears! EVERYONE!
- Both the lost & the saved will see and hear.
The Bible says it, so we can believe the TRUTH God proclaims!
“All nations will be gathered before Him;
and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
- and He will put the sheep on His right,
- and the goats on the left.
Then the King will say to those on His right,
‘Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.”
(The Gospel According to Matthew 25: 32-34 NASB)
“For consider Him”
His Mercy & His Grace make everything worth enduring!
“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witness surrounding us,
- let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us,
- and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
- fixing our eyes on Jesus,
the author and perfector of faith,
who for the joy set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and
has set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself,
so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
(The Letter to the Hebrews 12: 1-3 NASB)