AG Leaders Bible Study: Reflections on a year in Hebrews

By Mr Danny Chua

What does it mean to relate to God our Father through Jesus our Great High Priest? How important is it for the saints to gather together and run the Christian race as one – is it not possible for us to ‘commune with God’ individually, on our own? Why do we always speak of Jesus and only of Jesus alone as our center and focus in the Christian life?

Those were some of the questions we encountered as about 40 or so Action Group (AG) Leaders journeyed through the epistle to the Hebrews this past year. Praise God for speaking to us His final and better Word through Jesus His Son as we live in these last days! We want to also thank our Father for working in the hearts and lives of our AG Leaders, who committed yet again to another year not only of studying and teaching Hebrews, but also of loving and shepherding the flock under their care. 

Through the precious time we spent together, it was perhaps the AG Leaders who benefited the most as we learnt how to fix our eyes on our Lord Jesus (Hebrews 12:1-2) and endure the Christian race of faith together as brothers and sisters in Christ. We learnt that knowing our Lord Jesus as our Great High Priest is so crucial to a Christian life filled with “the full assurance of hope until the end” (6:11). We began understand a little bit more than seeing Jesus as our sympathetic Brother, praying for us before God even now (7:25) is what we need to combat “unbelieving hearts, leading us to fall away from the living God” (3:12). Indeed, our prayer and hope for each AG Leader is not that they fulfil their role or serve well as leaders per se though that is certainly important! Instead, we yearn for every single one of them to be fueled by the spiritual food they share with their AGs, and that their confidence in Christ keeps each of them going all the way to cross the finish line at the end of their lives or when He returns. 

Here are some reflections from a few of these AG Leaders: 

Wilbur Koh (AG2): What has been most encouraging from our year in the book of Hebrews has been seeing how in Jesus we have a brother/mediator who can deal with us in our weakness gently because he has gone through and understands our suffering but is himself without sin (Heb. 4:14-16). 

Eld Reginald Tan: Thankful for this season of listening together to God speaking to us about the perfect sacrifice and perfect kingdom of his Son. I’m learning to look to Jesus, our high priest and victorious forerunner, and to ask him to transform my life, faith and worship.

Esther Tan (AG13): I learnt that I am meant to endure in this life under God’s discipline (hardship, suffering etc.), because we are the Father’s children. Together with the assurance of the coming, Promised Rest, these have been sobering truths that have brought hope. Lord, help me not to run away from hardship in the Christian life, but press on together in obedience, while cherishing the mercy I have been granted to draw near to God only through Christ.

Dn Peter Wang, AG75, 4.30pm Congregation: Our time in Hebrews has allowed me to spend much more time thinking about who Jesus is, and has greatly encouraged me to want to listen to Him. It’s very tempting for me to float through life on “survivor mode” just dealing with life’s situations as they come, but Hebrews speaks of an unseen future reality that motivates and encourages me to endure in the faith, listening to Jesus our brother and high priest. Even if that comes at the expense of the current realities and circumstance. To know and remember that I live for the hope of something that is sure and solid, and not for things that will pass away has been immensely encouraging.

Please continue praying for the team of trainers including our pastors and ministry staff as we begin another year of SPUR (Saints Persevering Until Return – of Christ) [previously known as Leaders Prep – LP] seeking Jesus through His word, that the Lord will grow each leader in joy and maturity in Him, and equip many more to join in the ever-increasing ministry of under-shepherding and AG leading in Zion Bishan!