Welcome to CALLED Men’s Group!  If you're looking to move forward in your faith, then this is the place for you!  We are a group of men, called by God to understand who He is, who we are, and what we are CALLED to do for Him!  We study the Bible & discuss together, find projects where we can give back, and encourage each other in spiritual growth! 

INTRODUCTION: Welcome everyone, this is the seventh meeting of the Spring 2026 Semester for the Called Men’s
Growth Group. We meet tonight and next week on Wednesday. The semester ends next week on June 24, 2026.

We are continuing our SOAP Bible study - Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer and Questions, of the book of
Hebrews. Reminder: there are no specific prerequisites or formal “membership” required to attend, and you do not
have to have been at a previous meeting to attend tonight. Our purpose is to come together, read and study God’s
word, develop an understanding, grow in our faith and have a friendly discussion. Please keep in mind that we are all
in different places of our faith journey; we all come from various backgrounds and have different points of view. It
doesn’t matter if you’ve been a believer for 10 seconds, 10-years, or an entire lifetime; everyone is welcome; everyone
has value; everyone has a voice. If there are different points of view, we should not be hostile to one another, or feel
attacked; it is our different points of view that add to tonight’s discussion. We came together tonight as friends and
brothers in Christ, and we should leave the same (as friends and brothers in Christ).

Often there is no right or wrong answer; just interpretation of scripture and Biblical scholars don’t always agree either;
ultimately, JESUS IS THE ANSWER.

/// Go around the room and have people introduce themselves. ///

BACKGROUND, HISTORY AND AUDIENCE:

The book of Hebrews is often called a masterpiece of New Testament theology. It is less like a standard letter and more
like notes for a powerful sermon. The author dives straight into deep theology, without the typical introductory
greetings of a letter or identification of the author.

1. The Mystery of Authorship
For centuries, the church debated who wrote Hebrews. While the King James Version traditionally attributed it to Paul,
most modern scholars agree that the writing style, vocabulary, and theological focus differ significantly from Paul’s
known letters (like Romans or Galatians).

For more information regarding the author of Hebrews see: https://www.gotquestions.org/author-Hebrews.html

• Suggested authors include Barnabas, Apollos (known for his eloquence and knowledge of the Old Testament),

Luke, or even Priscilla.

• Ultimately, even though today, the author remains unknown and anonymous. Regardless, we can use the

message of the Book of Hebrews to further and deepen our faith.

2. Date and Audience

• The Date: Biblical scholars believe the book was written before AD 70. The author speaks of the Jewish

sacrificial system and Temple rituals in the present tense. If the Romans had already destroyed the Temple
(which happened in AD 70), the author almost certainly would have mentioned it to prove that the old system
had ended.

• The Audience: The NLT translation does not include a heading, but some Bible translations, like the KJV include

a title "To the Hebrews" which was added to the text; it accurately reflects the target of Jewish Christians.
These believers were facing intense persecution and under pressure. Many believers were bullied and
tempted into abandoning their faith in Christ and return to the "safety" of traditional Judaism and the Mosaic
Law, in order to avoid Roman and Jewish hostility.

KEY THEMES, HISTORICAL IMPACT AND PURPOSE OF THE BOOK:

3. The Core Message: "Jesus is Better"
The book of Hebrews is a sustained argument for the supremacy of Jesus Christ. The author systematically proves that
Jesus is greater than every pillar of the Jewish faith:

• Greater than Angels: Jesus is the divine Son of God.
• Greater than Moses: Moses was a servant in God's house; Jesus is the Son of God, over the house.
• Greater than the Priesthood: Jesus is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek.
• Greater than the Old Covenant: Jesus offers us a better promise than the old covenant and was THE FINAL sacrifice – which ended the Jewish sacrificial system to atone for sins and salvation. Jesus served as the final and perfect sacrifice for sin once and for all. Jesus’ sacrifice, replaced the need for repeated animal sacrifices and established a new covenant that offers complete forgiveness and atonement for salvation. While the theological end occurred with Jesus’ death, the actual Jewish end of animal sacrifices took place with the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 AD, which some Christians view as divine confirmation of the new covenant.

4. Historical Impact: The "Hall of Faith"
One of the most famous historical summaries in the Bible is found in Hebrews 11. The author recounts the history of Israel—from Abel and Abraham to Moses and Rahab—to show that faith has always been the requirement for pleasing God.

5. Purpose of the Book
The history of Hebrews is rooted in exhortation; that is an earnest appeal, urge, or encouraging advice aimed at persuading someone to take action or follow a specific course of conduct. The author uses five "warning passages" to tell the readers: Do not drift away. Because Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God, turning back to the old shadows is not just a mistake—it is a spiritual disaster.
The book concludes with a call to run with endurance, looking past the immediate suffering toward the city that is to
come.

PRAYER: This Week’s Prayer: Father God, we thank you for allowing us to come together tonight and study your word. Lord thank you for sending your Son, Jesus. Father, your love made a way for us to be in right relationship with you. Help us; help me Lord, to fully receive your forgiveness. Lord, strengthen our relationship with you, so that we know you, and more importantly, that YOU know us. In Jesus’ name – Amen

Scripture - Read: Hebrews 11 (40 verses)

Observation, Application & Questions: (Identify/Discuss Among the Group)
Key verses and topics for discussion, Hebrews Chapters 10:
Hebrews 11 is famously known as the "Hall of Faith." After urging the readers to endure trials at the end of chapter
10, the author dedicates this entire chapter to defining true faith and providing a sweeping historical gallery of Old
Testament heroes.
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1. The Definition of True Faith (Hebrews 11:1–3) The chapter opens with a foundational definition: "Faith is the
confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see." Verse 3 adds
that by faith, we understand the entire universe was formed at God’s command.

• Question: The NLT uses the words "confidence" and "assurance." How does this biblical definition of faith

differ from the world's version of "wishful thinking" or blind optimization? How does anchoring our faith in
God as the Creator of the universe help us trust Him with our invisible futures?

2. Abel and Enoch: Pleasing God (Hebrews 11:4–6) We are introduced to Abel, who offered a better sacrifice, and
Enoch, who was taken to heaven without dying. Verse 6 states a non-negotiable truth: "And it is impossible to please
God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who
sincerely seek him."

• Question: Why do you think simply acknowledging that God exists is not enough to please Him? What does it

practically look like in your daily routine to live with the active conviction that God rewards those who
sincerely seek Him?

3. Noah: Blind Obedience to Warnings (Hebrews 11:7) Noah was warned about things that had never happened
before (a global flood). In "holy fear," he built a large boat to save his family, condemning the world and receiving the
righteousness that comes by faith.

• Question: Noah spent decades building an ark based on a warning about an unseen future event. When has

God asked you to step out in obedience based purely on His Word, even when it made no sense to the culture
or people around you?

4. Abraham and Sarah: Strangers in a Foreign Land (Hebrews 11:8–12) Abraham left his homeland without knowing
where he was going, living in tents as a foreigner. Sarah was able to have a child long past the normal age because she
"considered God to be faithful to his promise."

• Question: Verse 10 says Abraham was looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, designed and built by

God. How does keeping an "eternal perspective" keep us from getting too comfortable or easily devastated by
the temporary changes in our current earthly lives?

5. Dying in Faith Without the Final Prize (Hebrews 11:13–16) A striking reality is stated in verse 13: "All these people
died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it from a
distance and welcomed it." They openly confessed they were foreigners and nomads on earth.

• Question: If these heroes died without seeing the final fulfillment of the earthly promises, how did they still

die "in faith"? How does this challenge the false idea that faith is a magical formula to get whatever comfort or
blessing we want right now?

6. Abraham's Supreme Test (Hebrews 11:17–19) When tested, Abraham was ready to sacrifice his unique son, Isaac,
through whom God had promised a massive lineage. He did this because he believed that "God was powerful enough
to raise Isaac from the dead."

• Question: Abraham trusted God’s character so much that he believed God could undo death itself to keep His

word. What is the "Isaac" in your life—something precious God has given or promised you—that He might be
asking you to release back to Him in complete trust?

7. Moses: Choosing Suffering Over Luxury (Hebrews 11:23–28) Moses' parents hid him by faith, and when Moses
grew up, he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He "chose to share the oppression of God’s people
instead of enjoying the fleeting pleasures of sin."

• Question: Verse 26 says Moses thought it was better to suffer for Christ than to own all the treasures of Egypt,

because he was looking ahead to his great reward. What are some of the "fleeting pleasures" or safety nets of
our modern culture that compete with our willingness to suffer for what is right?

8. Shaking Walls and Sudden Victories (Hebrews 11:29–35a) The author accelerates through history, mentioning the
parting of the Red Sea, the fall of Jericho's walls, Rahab’s survival, and judges like Gideon, Samson, and David. By faith,
these people overthrew kingdoms, shut the mouths of lions, and quenched raging fires.

• Question: Looking at these dramatic victories, we see that faith often requires taking a highly visible action

(like marching around a wall or facing a giant). When you look at the obstacles or "walls" in your life right now,
what is the next step of active faith God is calling you to take?

9. The Faith of the Tortured and Forgotten (Hebrews 11:35b–40) The tone shifts radically at the end of the chapter.
Other heroes of faith were tortured, mocked, whipped, stoned, sawed in half, and killed with the sword. They went
hungry and wore animal skins. Verse 38 drops a powerful line: "Too good for this world."

• Question: The people who were miraculously delivered had faith, but the people who were sawed in half also

had faith. How does this reality reframe our understanding of successful faith? How does verse 40—stating
that God had something even better in store for us alongside them—encourage you to keep going?

================================================
Supporting Scripture to review: -
Hebrews 11 discusses that faith is not a vague emotional feeling, but a forward-looking, active trust in God’s character
that dictates how we live today.

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."
— Hebrews 11:1

1. On Faith as an Active, Living Conviction; Habakkuk 2:4
"Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their
faithfulness."
Connection to Hebrews: This is the historic prophetic declaration that forms the backbone of the author’s argument
leading directly into chapter 11. It establishes that true biblical faith is not a one-time emotional decision, but a
continuous, active lifestyle of loyalty to God.

2. On Pleasing God and Faith Being Credited as Righteousness; Genesis 15:6
"And Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith."
Connection to Hebrews: Hebrews 11 highlights Abraham extensively as the premier example of faith. This baseline
verse from Genesis proves that long before Abraham performed any outward works or rituals, it was his internal,
absolute trust in God’s word that justified him.

3. On Seeing the Invisible God; Exodus 33:20
"But you may not look directly at my face, for no one may see me and live."
Connection to Hebrews: Hebrews 11:27 states that Moses persevered because he "kept his eyes on the one who is
invisible." This passage from Exodus highlights the intense tension of the Old Testament—God cannot be physically
seen by mortal eyes, meaning a relationship with Him has always required spiritual vision.

4. On Choosing Spiritual Rewards Over Temporal Wealth; Psalm 84:10
"A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of
my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked."
Connection to Hebrews: This aligns perfectly with the mindset of Moses in Hebrews 11:25–26, who chose oppression
with God's people over the "fleeting pleasures of sin" in Pharaoh's palace. Both passages capture the conscious
calculation that God's presence is worth losing earthly luxury.

5. On Recognizing That Earth is Not Our Permanent Home; 1 Chronicles 29:15
"We are here for only a moment, visitors and strangers in the land as our ancestors were before us. Our days on earth
are like a passing shadow, gone so soon without a trace."
Connection to Hebrews: Hebrews 11:13 states that the ancient patriarchs openly confessed they were "foreigners and
nomads on earth." King David repeats this exact perspective in Chronicles, demonstrating that mature believers treat
the present world as a temporary campground rather than a permanent home.

6. On God Testing Our Faith; 1 Peter 1:7
"These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire purifies gold, though your faith is far more
precious than mere gold."
Connection to Hebrews: Hebrews 11:17 notes that "it was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God
tested him." Peter provides the New Testament framework for why God allows these painful moments—not to destroy
us, but to prove and refine the structural integrity of our trust.

7. On God Being Powerless to Lie; Numbers 23:19
"God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not a human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and
failed to act? Has he ever promised and not kept his word?"
Connection to Hebrews: In Hebrews 11:11, Sarah’s ability to conceive came because she "considered God to be faithful
to his promise." Numbers reinforces that our confidence shouldn't depend on our emotional strength, but on the
absolute impossibility of God breaking His word.

8. On Supernatural Deliverance Through Faith; Daniel 6:23
"The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had
trusted in his God."
Connection to Hebrews: Hebrews 11:33 states that through faith, God's people "shut the mouths of lions." Daniel's
physical rescue is the most famous historical example of this reality, proving that active trust can result in immediate,
miraculous physical intervention.

9. On Staying Faithful Through Suffering and Martyrdom; Revelation 2:10
"Don’t be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Remain faithful even when facing death, and I will give you the
crown of life."
Connection to Hebrews: This anchors the heavy concluding section of Hebrews 11:35–38, which honors those who
were whipped, stoned, and sawed in half for their faith. Jesus’ words in Revelation provide the ultimate context for
these tragedies—losing your earthly life out of loyalty to God results in an eternal, unloseable prize.
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Other questions to explore:

• What was the context? What was going on at the time this was written?
• What and where is this happening?
  • What makes what was happening meaningful?
  • Is there anything special about the location (or locations)?
• Who is involved?
  • How do they respond to God?
  • What character traits do you notice about them?
  • What is the significance of their involvement?
• What do you think is the key message?
• Did anything that surprised or stood out to you? What was it? Share with the group and discuss.
• Are there any key verses that stand out to you? Discuss among the group.
• Were there any repetitive words or themes that stood out to you? What were they?

---

• Is there anything that left you with more questions? What were they? Share with group, discuss, and

research.

• Biggest takeaway?

Elements of today’s Bible study were referenced from:
1. NLT Courage for Life Men’s Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2023 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation
https://www.tyndale.com/sites/courageforlifebible/
2. ESV Study Bible, copyright 2008. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV); copyright 2001 by Crossway,
Wheaton, Illinois.
3. NIV Study Bible, Revolution, copyright 2011. The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV); copyright 1973,
1978, 1984, 2011 by Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan. https://www.zondervan.com/p/niv-bibles-for-teens-
true-images-revolution/
4. NLT Parallel Study Bible, New Living Translation (NLT); copyright 2011 Tyndale House Ministries
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation
5. HCSB/CSB The Apologetics Study Bible, copyright 2007. The Holy Bible, Holman Christian Standard Bible
(HCSB/CSB); copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holmon Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee.
7. https://www.jeremiahstudybible.com/Hebrews/

May 2026:
_x_ 001, 05/06 Hebrews, Introduction, Chapters 1 & 2
_x_ 002, 05/13 Hebrews, Chapters 3 & 4
_x_ 003, 05/20 Hebrews, Chapters 5 & 6
_x_ 004, 05/27 Hebrews, Chapters 7 & 8
June 2026:
_x_ 005, 06/03 Hebrews, Chapters 9_
_x_006, 06/10 Hebrews, Chapters 10
_x_ 007, 06/17 Hebrews, Chapters 11
__ 008, 06/24 Hebrews, Chapters 12 & 13*
*Last meeting, please monitor FV.church/events for more information about the next semester.