Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

-Hebrews 10:23-25

Our class is finishing up our study of Hebrews today, and I have truly enjoyed examining it with them this week. Hebrews is such a rich book, full of insights into the way that Christ fulfilled the Old Testament expectations for the Messiah. Today I realized that many of my students have really begun to understand the reason why Christ had to die on the cross. They saw that all of those Old Testament sacrifices were simply pointing forward to the sacrifice Christ would make, and that the blood of Christ was offered once for all time, to redeem all who belong to the Lord. We also talked a lot about the fact that it is up to us to encourage one another in faith. This is not something the world can or will do; it is something only Christians can do for one another. That makes me all the more conscious that I need to be seeking out ways to encourage my brothers and sisters of all ages, including the 11-13 year-old ones who I see every day in class.