Faithful
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”
(Hebrews 11:1-2, NIV)
Flip through the pages of the Book of Hebrews and you’ll find mention of many Old Testament heroes. Prominent characters such as Noah, Abraham and Sarah, Jacob, and Moses are all referenced, in addition to lesser-known figures like Enoch, Deborah, and Jephthah. While the entirety of Hebrews is littered with Old Testament callbacks, perhaps the greatest concentration is found in chapter 11, labeled by some as the “Hall of Faith”. In Hebrews 11, the author highlights the faithful lives of God’s people throughout history and encourages his readers to imitate them. We are, like our spiritual ancestors, to persevere in our pursuit of faithful living in spite of any hurdles or opposition.
This year, we will use Hebrews 11 as our primary text in our exploration of the theme, “Faithful”. The breadth of this word will allow us to examine at least three topics. First, we can explore what it looks like for the FRCS community to live faithful lives. How can we be a people of steadfast faith, as the author of Hebrews urges? What are specific challenges that members of our community face and how can we overcome these things? Secondly, we will study the lives of the faithful men and women outlined in Hebrews 11. There is much to learn from the biblical narratives concerning Joseph, Gideon, Rahab, Samuel, and the many other figures mentioned in these verses. Lastly, we will remember God’s faithfulness. Our intent as followers of Christ is to be faithful people, but scripture reminds us that even when we are faithless, God “remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13, CSB). God’s faithfulness is the bedrock of our perseverance; we cling to hope because of his steadfast, trustworthy character (Hebrews 10:23).
We pray that God uses this theme to shape and form us this year. May we grow to be people of even deeper faith as we serve our faithful God.