Staying On Track Member

STAYING ON TRACK

STAYING ON TRACK The text for today’s lesson is Hebrews 12:1-13

I.

Introduction

Living a Christian life in the twentieth-first century can be tough. True participation in the Christian faith always carries a price. We need to keep going in order keep growing. The audience in Hebrew 12 may be tired not because of their sins or Christian walk. They may be tired because of the constant warfare and struggles in trying to be faithful. Obviously, Christians then were paying some kind of a price for their faith that was increasingly taking its toll on their hope and endurance.

YOUNG ADULT CELLS JULY 2005

Member’s Notes Learning Outcomes: Understanding, Attitude Objective: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to: • Understand 3 ways in which you can find strength in your Christian walk. • Desire to stay on track in your walk with God.

Discussion: 1) What do you think were some of the prices Christians in the book of Hebrews have to pay for their faith? 2)

Putting yourself in their shoes, do you think you are able to stand firm in your faith?

3)

What do you think are some of the struggles or price you have to pay as a Christian in this present time and age?

4)

Do you know of any friends who have strayed from the faith because of the requirements of Christian life? Share with your group what happened to him or her.

I believe that we can stay on track with new energy and fervor in our daily Christian walk. In today’s lesson, we will study Hebrew 12:1-13 and learn 3 ways in which we can find strength in our Christian walk.

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STAYING ON TRACK

YOUNG ADULT CELLS JULY 2005

i. F i n d S t r e n g t h f r o m

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Heb 12:1

T r a v e ll i n g L i g h t ( v 1 ) B. The Christian Life is Liken to A Race i)

In a race, there are spectators. Who do you think are the people in this “great cloud of witnesses”?

ii)

In a race, weight attached to us will feel heavier the longer we run. What do you think are the weight that hinders us in our Christian race?

iii)

In a race, sin can easier bring us down. List down 5 sins that you think will entangle a Christian in running this race.

iv)

From this verse, do you think the Christian life is liken to a short sprint or a marathon. Why?

C. How Have I Been Running? i)

Have I been travelling light? Is there any weight that I need

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STAYING ON TRACK

YOUNG ADULT CELLS JULY 2005

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STAYING ON TRACK

YOUNG ADULT CELLS JULY 2005

i. F i n d S t r e n g t h f r o m

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Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. 4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. Heb 12:2-4

R e f l e c t i n g o n J e s u s ( v 2 4 ) D. Jesus Is The Prefect Example for Us to Follow i) In Heb 11, the author list down great heroes of faith for us to emulate. Why then is this sudden reference to fix our eyes on Jesus and not on those heroes of faith? ii) How can “considering Jesus” help us in our walk of faith?

E. How Can I Reflect on Jesus? i)

Reflecting on Jesus requires time of intimacy and communion with the Lord.

ii)

Reflecting on Jesus requires us to consider our present

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STAYING ON TRACK

YOUNG ADULT CELLS JULY 2005

i. F i n d S t r e n g t h f r o m E m b r a c i n g G o d ’ s D i s c i p li n e ( v 5 ACTION TIME!! 1 Take a few minutes to go through the whole lesson and note the responses 3 you have jotted down. )

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And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, 6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” 7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Heb 12:5-13

Write on the spaces on the right, your reflections on the following: Is my faith to undergo F. 1)Discipline isstrong God’senough Training Ground testing? For Us. 2) 3) 4)

Is there God any sin in my life I need renounce? Is i) addresses us that as sons andto daughters. It there is a any great relationship that isto weighing downdiscipline in my race in Christ? privilege undergome God’s because it shows that Have I grow Godweary loves in us.my walk lately? Have I taken time to reflect on Christ lately? How have I accept God’s discipline in my life? Have I always run from God’s discipline and want to assert my own authority for my own life? Or am I sincerely able to relinquish my rights to Jesus?

Share these thoughts with two or three friends and pray for each other.

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STAYING ON TRACK

YOUNG ADULT CELLS JULY 2005

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