friendly connection

Moses faced a personal decision about his trust in God. As an adopted son of the Egyptian king’s daughter, he could have distanced himself from the suffering of the Israelites; this indicates that Moses fully embraced his Jewish heritage, opting for it over a life of luxury in the palace.

Main Text: Hebrews 11:23-28 (ESV)

True godly “faith” involves having trust in God, grounded in previous knowledge, even when we struggle to comprehend (Hebrews 11:1). The author of Hebrews aims to show that God’s evaluation of an individual is connected to their faith, rather than just their deeds (Hebrews 11:6).

Main Text: Hebrews 11:17-22 (ESV)

What does it really mean to be meek? After all, our Western culture often discourages meekness. Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of “Jesus and John Wayne,” explores how the Western Christian Church has been influenced by cultural ideas of militant masculinity, which sometimes seem to clash with the teachings of Jesus, like “the meek shall inherit the earth.” In her work, she contrasts the ideal of tough, militant masculinity often found in certain parts of evangelical culture with traditional Christian values, such as those in the Sermon on the Mount. Du Mez’s research shows how some parts of the Western Church have embraced a “warrior Christ” or a militancy focused on defending faith and country, which conflicts with a “servant Christ” who promotes love and forgiveness, revealing a tension within the church itself.

Key points

1. Meekness wasn’t popular in Jesus’ Day either:  1st Century Rome, emphasis valor, courage, manliness, discipline, training, and a focus on military prowess. Meekness was associated with weakness.

2. Meekness isn’t poor self-esteem: Poor self-esteem is a byproduct of selfishness. Poor self-esteem stems from the same root as conceit and vanity.  

3. Meekness holds a future inheritance: The assurance linked to this examination is “they will inherit the earth.”

Main Text 

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)

True godly “faith” involves having trust in God, grounded in previous knowledge, even when we struggle to comprehend (Hebrews 11:1). The author of Hebrews aims to show that God’s evaluation of an individual is connected to their faith, rather than just their deeds (Hebrews 11:6).

Main Text: Hebrews 11:17-22 (ESV)

Life on Earth is a short journey. As the hymnist expresses, this world is not our true home, as referenced in Hebrews, where we are described as “strangers and exiles.”.

Main Text: Hebrews 11:13-16 (ESV)

One of the most famous examples of trusting faith in the Bible is Abraham. The writer refers to the moment when God called Abraham, named initially Abram, to leave his homeland (Genesis 12:1–4).

Main Text: Hebrews 11:8-12 (ESV)

This passage shows examples of faithful obedience in the Old Testament to illustrate that God favors those who obey Him. Abel, the second son of Adam and Eve, is the first murder victim recorded in the Bible.

Main Text: Hebrews 11:4-7 (ESV)

Faith, according to the Bible, is not blind. Over half of the verses in Hebrews focus on reasons and evidence for accepting the new covenant through Jesus Christ. Faith is not naive or irrational. Instead, true faith involves trust.

Main Text: Hebrews 11:1-3 (ESV)

What does it really mean to be meek? After all, our Western culture often discourages meekness. Kristin Kobes Du Mez, author of “Jesus and John Wayne,” explores how the Western Christian Church has been influenced by cultural ideas of militant masculinity, which sometimes seem to clash with the teachings of Jesus, like “the meek shall inherit the earth.” In her work, she contrasts the ideal of tough, militant masculinity often found in certain parts of evangelical culture with traditional Christian values, such as those in the Sermon on the Mount. Du Mez’s research shows how some parts of the Western Church have embraced a “warrior Christ” or a militancy focused on defending faith and country, which conflicts with a “servant Christ” who promotes love and forgiveness, revealing a tension within the church itself.

Key points

1. Meekness wasn’t popular in Jesus’ Day either:  1st Century Rome, emphasis valor, courage, manliness, discipline, training, and a focus on military prowess. Meekness was associated with weakness.

2. Meekness isn’t poor self-esteem: Poor self-esteem is a byproduct of selfishness. Poor self-esteem stems from the same root as conceit and vanity.  

3. Meekness holds a future inheritance: The assurance linked to this examination is “they will inherit the earth.”

Main Text 

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)

The mention of “the coming one” and the claim that He “will not delay” serve as a source of encouragement for the reader. Past persecutions have concluded, and the ongoing persecution is not eternal. At some future time, Christ will return and restore all things to their rightful order.

Main Text: Hebrews 10:36-39 (ESV)