Bible League: Living His Word . . . though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus is the "author and finisher of our faith." That is, from first to last He is the perfect example of how we should live our lives by faith. If we have any question as to how we should live our lives in this dispensation, then we should look to Jesus first of all as an example of what to do. Interestingly enough, if we look to Jesus as revealed in our verse for today, what we learn from His example is that the model of our faith had to suffer. Jesus' life was a life that included suffering and His suffering was not gratuitous. It had a purpose. Through His suffering Jesus learned obedience. He learned how to remain obedient to God even though He was suffering. He learned not to use suffering as an excuse to disobey God's plan for His life. He learned how to stand fast in faith through it all and obey God. Further, we learn from Jesus' example that His obedience to God needed to be perfected. Jesus, of course, lived in sinless perfection. However, He still needed to go through the sufferings He went through in order to become ready for His great task in life. Every experience He had and every suffering He endured prepared Him for the cross. If the author and finisher of our faith needed to learn obedience through suffering, then how much more do we who are mere followers of His example need to learn obedience through suffering? Perhaps we need to look at the trials, troubles, and tribulations of life in a new light. Instead of complaining about them, perhaps we should consider them valuable experiences that qualify us for the tasks God has planned for us. If we go through these trying times in faith and obedience, then we will be ready for what God has in store for us. You are a work in progress. You are being perfected by suffering for the tasks God planned for you from all eternity. You are working on your advanced degree in the specialty God thinks you are best suited for. Stand fast in faith, then, and learn obedience from what you are going through. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingPsalm 93, 94, 95 Psalm 93 -- The Lord reigns! He is clothed with majesty! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 94 -- O Lord, you God to whom vengeance belongs, shine forth. NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Psalm 95 -- Oh come, let's sing to the Lord. Let's shout aloud to the rock of our salvation! NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Romans 11:22-36 Romans 11 -- The Remnant Chosen by Grace; Ingrafted Branches; All Israel Will Be Saved NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life.” Insight After many of Jesus' followers had deserted him, he asked the 12 disciples if they were also going to leave. Peter replied, “To whom would we go?” In his straightforward way, Peter answered for all of us— there is no other way. Though there are many philosophies and self-styled authorities, Jesus alone has the words of eternal life. Challenge People look everywhere for eternal life and miss Christ, the only source. Stay with him, especially when you are confused or feel alone. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Genesis 9:14 The bow shall be seen in the cloud.The rainbow, the symbol of the covenant with Noah, is typical of our Lord Jesus, who is the Lord's witness to the people. When may we expect to see the token of the covenant? The rainbow is only to be seen painted upon a cloud. When the sinner's conscience is dark with clouds, when he remembers his past sin, and mourneth and lamenteth before God, Jesus Christ is revealed to him as the covenant Rainbow, displaying all the glorious hues of the divine character and betokening peace. To the believer, when his trials and temptations surround him, it is sweet to behold the person of our Lord Jesus Christ--to see him bleeding, living, rising, and pleading for us. God's rainbow is hung over the cloud of our sins, our sorrows, and our woes, to prophesy deliverance. Nor does a cloud alone give a rainbow, there must be the crystal drops to reflect the light of the sun. So, our sorrows must not only threaten, but they must really fall upon us. There had been no Christ for us if the vengeance of God had been merely a threatening cloud: punishment must fall in terrible drops upon the Surety. Until there is a real anguish in the sinner's conscience, there is no Christ for him; until the chastisement which he feels becomes grievous, he cannot see Jesus. But there must also be a sun; for clouds and drops of rain make not rainbows unless the sun shineth. Beloved, our God, who is as the sun to us, always shines, but we do not always see him--clouds hide his face; but no matter what drops may be falling, or what clouds may be threatening, if he does but shine there will be a rainbow at once. It is said that when we see the rainbow the shower is over. Certain it is, that when Christ comes, our troubles remove; when we behold Jesus, our sins vanish, and our doubts and fears subside. When Jesus walks the waters of the sea, how profound the calm! Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Corinthians 1:27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong,Judges 3:15,31 But when the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them, Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man. And the sons of Israel sent tribute by him to Eglon the king of Moab. • After him came Shamgar the son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad; and he also saved Israel. Judges 7:2 The LORD said to Gideon, "The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, 'My own power has delivered me.' Zechariah 4:6 Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel saying, 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of hosts. Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
    |