By Jeremy Hor
Photograph of Grace BPC session meeting taken in 2019.
Deferring study plans mid-term. Changing jobs. Recruiting colleagues we’ve never met in person. Taking exams from home. Conducting orientation over Zoom.
These were just some of the challenges faced by the young adults and youth in our Bible Class this year. It has been a challenging 2020—plans disrupted, work frustrated, life impaired—all due to COVID.
Looking forward to 2021, we can’t say for sure that things will get better. While conditions in Singapore are more promising than they have been all year—with phase 3 awaiting us at the end of the year—the number of cases globally are at all-time highs. The vaccines are no panacea, since it will take months or even years to administer them before we can resume our normal lives—if in fact we can return to “normal”.
But yet as the year comes to a close, the tone in our Bible Class was optimistic. Many shared the sentiment that the study on Hebrews was very appropriate for the circumstances this year. And as a class, we have been encouraged by the message of Hebrews to look up, sing and meet!
Look up
Our struggles this year give us a glimpse into the trials facing the Hebrew believers. But we are reminded to look up to the eternal reality, to fix our eyes on Jesus, who secured our position before God despite whatever may face us in this life (Heb 12:2).
May we all be encouraged by the words of some of our bible class members:
“Persevere despite daily struggles, keep your eyes on Jesus cos he’s the same yesterday, today and FOREVER.” - Bianca
“A very good reminder that we have a reality that’s so much better. That Jesus’ death on the cross is not some event that we can just know about but it’s a really life changing one—where we can know God personally and be renewed” - Nathanael
“Always keep in mind Jesus Christ’s superiority and stay focused with eyes fixed on Jesus no matter how hard or long the hardship is!” - Alex
“Jesus superiority compared to the angels, prophets and the high priests remind me of how He is truly far greater” - Ruei E
“Jesus went through the same human life we did and overcame the same temptations and struggles we face, making him so much easier to confide in!” - Joshua
So as we face the new year and the uncertainty it brings, we can hold onto these truths remembering that our eternal reality is certain.
Sing
What better way to remember these truths than through singing? To help us remember the truths of Hebrews as a Bible class, we prepared a playlist covering the key lessons of Hebrews. The playlist is aptly called “The SUPERIOR playlist”, to remind us of the key message of Hebrews that Jesus is superior.
Here are a few of the songs in the playlist that echo the key truths in Hebrews:
Before the throne of God above
Jesus is our great high priest, who represents us before God (Heb 5-10)
By Faith
Let us keep the faith, by following the example of the great forefathers of faith (Heb 11)
Christ the sure and steady anchor
Christ is our sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, our hope of access to God through the veil (Heb 6)
Consider Christ
Focus on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12)
Turn your eyes
Fix our eyes on Jesus, remembering He is our prize at the end of our earthly lives (Heb 12)
Meet
Although many of our plans this year were disrupted, our weekly gathering (online and offline) for bible class has been one of the few constants through the year. And as we reflected on the year, many of the young adults shared that they are thankful for how God has used the weekly meeting to encourage us to press on and remain faithful.
“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
Hebrews encourages us to press on—by meeting together. So while we may not be able to meet in big groups, we can encourage one another by meeting in small groups, online, or even via a simple text message.
Come 2021, let’s live out the truths we’ve learned in Hebrews: to look up, sing and meet!