Why Leave Jesus?

DAY 334
9-3-10
HEBREWS 1-4


Good Morning!

Jewish Christians were fed up; sick and tired; worn out; and were leaving grace and faith in Jesus to go back to law, works, and animal sacrifices. The persecutions were too much. The disappointments and discouragements were – well – disappointing and discouraging. They lost friends, family, and community over becoming Christians.

The Hebrew writer tries to convince them that Jesus is superior to everything under the Old Covenant; and salvation is worth putting up with any struggle or inconvenience. Do you think so? If your Christianity got really hard would you stay with it or bail out? The author of Hebrews has a theme going on…
• “We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” (2:1)
• “How shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?” (2:3)
• “He is able to help those who are being tempted.” (2:18)
• “Fix your thoughts on Jesus.” (3:1)
• “Hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.” (3:14)
• “Let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it.” (4:1)
• “Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest.” (4:11)
• “Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.” (4:14)
• “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (4:16)

The reoccurring theme here is to hold on and do whatever it takes to stay with Jesus and go to heaven. In times of struggle or doubt is leaving Christ; leaving his church; and going back to whatever you were before really going to make your life better? Will you be happier? Will you have a better hope? Will you really feel better about yourself and your future?

That’s enough to think about for now. More to come.

Barry