I recently read about Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who opposed the Nazi regime during World War 2. It’s a gripping testimony: he was eventually arrested and taken into custody, and spent two years in prison. Whilst incarcerated, he continued to write letters which reflected his concern that Christians should keep their eyes fixed on Jesus even in the hardest of times. His own circumstances were incomprehensibly hard; to use a Paulism: he was “hard-pressed on every side” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).
For a church that may feel hard-pressed, the New Testament book of Hebrews presents a fitting message. It is a letter written to Christians who knew what it meant to live under strain. They had already endured suffering and public reproach. They had shown costly love and faithfulness, and yet despite all this, they were tired. The passing of time had brought spiritual fatigue, and the danger before them was spiritual drift: this is where a slow loss of confidence creeps in. It’s the kind of drift where there is a weakening of resolve and a heart that no longer holds firm to Christ. I wonder whether this sounds familiar to some of us?
Hebrews opens up the greatness of Christ
Well, Hebrews lifts our eyes to Jesus again and again… and, yes, you guessed it… again! Across the letter, we are continually shown Jesus’ supremacy and his sufficiency. We see that he is God’s final word; he is greater than angels and greater than Moses; his sacrifice is total, and his victory is complete; his priestly work lasts forever, and his promises are secure.
And so Hebrews opens up the greatness of Christ, doing so for pastoral reasons: so that believers will keep going.
That means this series offers encouragement, but it also carries a warning. Yes, Hebrews is full of comfort for tired Christians, but it is also full of loving seriousness. Over the coming months, we will hear calls to listen carefully, to draw near with confidence, to hold fast to our confession, and to run with endurance. We will be reminded that perseverance is the daily work of trusting Jesus and continuing in our faith.
That is why Hebrews is especially relevant for us as a church. I am sure we all know the pressures of distraction, disappointment, disharmony, busyness, and spiritual weariness. How easy is it for our confidence to fade? Hebrews calls us to look steadily at Jesus, to take heart from his finished work, and, of course, to keep pressing on together.
As we begin this new series, we can expect challenge and deep encouragement. But my real prayer is that through these next few weeks, we see Christ more clearly because when Christ is seen clearly, his people are strengthened to endure.
