Read Hebrews 12.
1. What does this text tell you about the character of God?
2. What does it say about God’s nature?
3. Where do you see God’s love at work in the midst of these verses?
4. What section or verses in the text speak most personally to you?
Read Hebrews 12.25-29; Revelation 3.19-20 and answer the following questions:
5. What is the warning noted in these verses and the consequence of not heeding the author’s warning?
6. How do these passage of Scripture complement each other?
7. Describe a season in your life where you indifferent, or lukewarm to the things of God? What was the outcome of that season?
Read Hebrews 12.4-13 and answer the following questions:
8. How do you view God’s discipline? How have you experienced His discipline? Would He be loving if He chose not to discipline?
9. What is the outcome of His discipline?
Read Hebrews 12.14, and 10.14 and answer the following questions:
10. In your own words define holiness.
11. Who in your sphere of influence lives a life of holiness? What specific fruit of the Spirit or character traits does this person exhibit?
Read Hebrews 12.1-3 and answer the following questions:
12. Who are the people in your cloud of witnesses?
13. What was it about that person that made such an impact on you?
14. What is the legacy that you hope to leave behind for those who come after you?
15. Is the life you’re living now in line with the legacy you hope to leave behind?
Read and reflect on the words of Casey Culbreth
The cloud of witnesses is this joyous, exuberant crowd of spectators; they are the faithful who have gone before us, who are now witnessing our race of faith, and are compassionately cheering us on. They are our fathers and mothers in the faith who are calling to us from their place of victory, encouraging us to keep moving forward and to keep trusting God, even on desert days when our throats are dry and our feet are weary.
The writer says, “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles.”
16. Is is possible that something could be in the way of your life in Christ that is not necessarily sin? If so, how would you know what it is?
17. What is your sin that so easily entangles?
18. How do you invite others to join you in your race?
19. How do you “fix your eyes on Jesus?”
Read and reflect on the words of J.D. Walt
Beholding the frailty of his humanity washing feet, bowing at the majesty of his divinity raising the dead, following closer, closer, closer until our eyes develop the capacity to see him in the hungry and the stranger and the prisoner and the homeless. . . . . and until our lives begin to take on the Holy Spirit infused skill of imitating him, improvising on his ways, taking on his mindset, losing ourselves in his mercy and finding our lives through his faith. He is the pioneer, the perfecter. He will do it.
Take some time to “consider Him.”
Give Him praise for His prevailing love.
