June 14 – Daily Devotional

31 May June 14 – Daily Devotional

A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON THE BOOK OF HEBREWS

A WARNING

Hebrews 10:26-27 (read through verse 31)  “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left,  but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.”

Today’s devotional verses need to be carefully read and meditated upon.  If you quickly read these words, especially verse 26, you could understand the Holy writer as saying that if you keep repeating a sin over and over again there is no forgiveness of that sin.  If this were the case, few, if anyone would receive God’s forgiveness because we all sin daily and far more frequently than we care to admit.

There is a critical word in verse 26 that dare not be overlooked.  It is the word “deliberately.”  This word means to do something after thinking about it and weighing the advantages and disadvantages.  To be deliberate means to make a conscious, intentional choice.

Especially from verse 25 it appears that there were individuals being addressed in these verses who claimed to be followers of Jesus Christ who were making conscious and deliberate decision to absent themselves from worship services and reception the Lord’s Supper.  They were not absent due to illness, work schedule or other reasons beyond their control.  They simply made a personal choice to not join with their fellow Christians in worshipping the triune God.

Verse 29 says of their rejection of the sacrament and hearing the Gospel, that they “trampled the Son of God underfoot. . . treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and . . . insulted the Spirit of grace” by their behavior.  These are serious charges, are they not?  While Satan would suggest your conscious decision to not attend a worship service, or receive the Lord’s Supper, or refrain from reading/studying the Holy Scriptures is no big deal, these words boldly confront these behaviors as “willful” sins.  (Third Commandment)

These words are addressed to the spiritual condition known as “complacency.”  Complacency occurs when you are satisfied and content with things as they are.  You feel everything is as it should be.  You are content!  To this Jesus says, “Whoever is not with me is against Me. . .” (Matthew 12:30) And, He also says, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Revelation 3:15-16) These warnings are given to show you the seriousness of spiritual complacency, call you to repentance, and encourage you to pray to the Holy Spirit to strengthen your faith in Jesus Christ.

Prayer:  Lord, keep me faithful unto death that I may receive the crown of everlasting life. Amen.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Come unto Me and rest;

Lay down, thou weary one, lay down Thy head upon My breast.”

I came to Jesus as I was, So weary, worn, and sad;

I found in Him a resting place, And He has made me glad.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold, I freely give

The living water; thirsty one, Stoop down and drink and live.”

I came to Jesus, and I drank Of that lifegiving stream;

My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, And now I live in Him.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “I am this dark world’s light.

Look unto Me; thy morn shall rise And all thy day be bright.”

I looked to Jesus, and I found In Him my star my sun;

And in that light of life I’ll walk Till trav’ling days are done.

(LSB 699)