Hebrews 12:2

NASB	NLT	VOICE
2 looking only at Jesus, the originator and perfecter of the faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.	2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.	2 Now stay focused on Jesus, who designed and perfected our faith. He endured the cross and ignored the shame of that death because He focused on the joy that was set before Him; and now He is seated beside God on the throne, a place of honor.

Hebrews 11:1 is the classic definition of faith: The certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. Yet, we see a definition of faith here in Hebrews 12:2:

Faith is something that is enjoyed after a time of suffering, shame, and endurance.

Let’s see how this definition of faith is shown through the rest of today’s devotional.

Philippians 2:8

NASB	NLT	VOICE
8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death: death on a cross.	8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.	8 He humbled Himself, obedient to death – a merciless death on the cross.

A crucifixion was the primary form of capital punishment that was used by the Romans to execute the most notorious criminals. This method of death was unfathomably painful and extremely humiliating. These criminals were nailed or tied to a cross and left to die. Death wouldn’t happen immediately. It could take several days, and it would result in suffocation when the weight of the weakened body made breathing more difficult and strenuous. Jesus died as one of these criminals.

The thing that we’re often taught that we should be grateful that he would do this because he took our place on the cross as a sinner. There are some discomforts I have with that. We just read that the Romans would use this cross for the MOST NOTORIOUS criminals. Most of our sins that we commit are not NOTORIOUS in the same sense but are more commonplace. Granted, they have their own set of consequences but is not as severe was what they believed Jesus committed. This is more for murderers, blasphemers, and connected intense sins. Most of our sins are selfishness, pride, ego, anger, etc. These wouldn’t send us to death row. They could. They might not. When we step back and look at the big picture regarding our sins in this circumstance, we see a new lesson: Jesus had made us right with God by acting as the mediator between us and God to talk about our sins and talk about our path of repentance and doing right. Jesus became our only path to eternal life with God through his ultimate sacrifice – which forgives our sins and washes them away. Jesus makes us perfect through his sacrifice and grants us a right relationship with our heavenly Father to spend an eternal life with him. When we think about all this (and it may be circular reasoning), we can appreciate what this sacrifice represented.

Hebrews 2:9-10

NASB	NLT	VOICE
9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of His suffering death crowned with the glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.	9 What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone.	9 but what we do see is Jesus, born a little lower than the heavenly messengers, who is now crown with glory and honor because He willingly suffered and died. And He did that so that through God’s grace, He might taste death on behalf of everyone.
10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the originator of their salvation through sufferings.	10 God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into salvation.	10 It only makes sense that God, by whom and for whom everything exists, would choose to bring many of us to His side by using suffering to perfect Jesus, the founder of our faith, the pioneer of our salvation.

God’s grace to us led Christ to his death. Jesus didn’t come into the world to gain followers or political power, but to serve, suffer, and die so that we could have a place in the eternal kingdom of God. Let me say this: Jesus did NOT want to do this. Seriously, there were two prayers He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane that he asked God to remove this potential of suffering. However, he added this key phrase: “Not my will, but your will be done.” “God, I don’t want to do this, but if you need me to, I will.” It’s acknowledge our own discomfort, anxiety, and fear, and recognizing that if God wants us to do this, he will give us strength and courage to do the thing he knows we’re qualified to do and we can lean on our faith that God will guide our steps into a path that may hurt, but may help us out in the long term.

1 Peter 1:11

NASB	NLT	VOICE
11 seeking to know what person or time the Spirit of Christ within them was indicating as He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.	11 They wondered what time or situation the Spirit of Christ within them was talking about when he told them in advance about Christ’s suffering and his great glory afterwards.”	11 to whom and to what time was the indwelling Spirit of the Anointed referring when He told them about the suffering of the Anointed and that that would follow it?

The Spirit of Christ is another term of the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus finished his ministry on earth to ascend into heaven (Acts 1), he promised to send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to teach, help, and guide his followers (Acts 2). The Holy Spirit would tell the people all about Jesus and reveal the glory of who he is. The Old Testament prophets, writing under the Holy Spirit, described the future Messiah. The New Testament apostles, through the inspiration of the same Spirit, preached about the crucified and risen Lord.

This is the same Spirit that we’re embedded with. The same Spirit that inspired them, inspires us. The same Spirit that strengthened them, strengthens us. The same Spirit that calmed them, calms us. The Spirit is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Next slice of manna: Manna for the Mind #196