Pastor Leon’s SOAP: Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer

December 13: Hebrews 9-11

Scripture: Hebrews (NIV) 11:35 Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be releases so that they might gain an even better resurrection…37 They were put to death by stoning…they went about in sheepskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—38 the world was not worthy of them…39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised. 40 God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.

Observation: In a chapter that has a long list of people who overcame great hardships and won victory by their faith, we come to verse 35 and the following verses that give those who lived by faith but did not gain their desired victory. They too lived by faith. They are described as “the world was not worthy of them.”

Application: In reading that verse, I recalled that I had heard about four children earlier this week who refused to renounce Jesus and were beheaded. How sad for the families left behind, but I cannot help but thinking that there was a great welcoming into heaven—those for whom the world was not worthy! They were not too young to die for Jesus; may I not be too old to live for Him!

Prayer: Jesus, you are worthy of the years, many or few, I live on earth. You are worthy of my life in eternity. Amen

Pastor Leon

Making friends for time and eternity!