Hebrews 5:7-10 “Reasons to Pray”

Hebrews 5:7-10 NIV

Suggested Praise Songs:

• MercyMe – Even If
• Do It Again – Elevation Worship
• Give Me Jesus | Jeremy Camp
• THE LOVE (FIA.ver) – F.I.A. Worship (Korean Praise w/ ENG SUB)

Resources for Family Worship (with Children):

• Jesus Prays (Saddleback Kids) – Lesson for Kids
• Whisper A Prayer In The Morning (sing-along) Feat Michael Tait – Song for Kids
• I Thank God | ARISE Kids Praise | ARISE Kids JR – Song for Kids
• No Matter How I Feel | Sky VBS Music Video | Group Publishing – Song for Kids
• Discussion Questions for Children & Youth located in the section after Explanation, Meditation, and Prayer (at the end of this email/blog).

Explanation:

According to the records in the Gospels, Jesus was always devoted to prayer. The statement, “He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death” (verse 7) may refer to all the prayers Jesus offered during his public ministry, or it could point specifically to his prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane and his prayer while hanging on the cross. The phrase “to the one who could save him from death” refers to God’s omnipotence. What Jesus earnestly sought through prayer was the fulfillment of His God-given mission. That fervent prayer was answered. The term “reverent submission” is a translation of the Greek word eulabeia, which signifies a deep commitment to fulfilling God’s will.

Some people have thought that because Jesus was the Son of God, his sacrifice on the cross must have been easier for him. The author of Hebrews corrects this misunderstanding. Jesus endured all that suffering as a complete and fully human being. The statement “He learned obedience” (verse 8) does not mean that Jesus had to learn how to obey. When he came in the flesh, he had already chosen perfect obedience. The Greek word translated as “learn” is manthano, which is better translated as “master”. Thus, the meaning is that Jesus mastered obedience through his suffering and death on the cross. This is why the author continues by saying, “and once made perfect” (verse 9). Here, “perfect” refers to the completeness of his obedience to God’s will.

After fully accomplishing God’s will through his suffering on the cross, Jesus became “the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him” (verse 9). Here, the author expresses faith as “obedience”. Just as Jesus remained faithful to God’s will to the very end, believing in him means belonging to Jesus and faithfully following God’s will. By completing God’s plan of salvation through the cross, Jesus was appointed as “a high priest in the order of Melchizedek” (verse 10). Unlike the atoning sacrifices offered by the priests of Aaron’s line, Jesus’ sacrifice has eternal effectiveness.

Meditation:

Jesus held profound reverence for God the Father. This “reverence” involves two key emotions: a sense of awe at God’s majesty, which cannot be approached carelessly, and a heartfelt desire to draw closer to God. It can also be translated as “deep respect.” Because of this reverence, Jesus earnestly desired to fulfill the mission entrusted to him by the Father. His greatest joy was to please God the Father. Until he completed that mission, Jesus never ceased to pray “with loud cries and tears.” One could say that Jesus’ public ministry began with prayer and ended with prayer. It was this life of prayer that enabled him to perfect his obedience.

The author of Hebrews exhorts readers to revere Jesus and remain obedient to him, just as Jesus revered and obeyed God the Father to the very end. The path of obedience led Jesus to suffering. Likewise, following Jesus in reverence and obedience often requires enduring hardship. This is because the will of Jesus is not centered on earthly comfort and prosperity but on living a holy life according to God’s will. Obeying Jesus often requires us to go against the prevailing worldly trends and values. This can sometimes result in significant loss, rejection, or even persecution. In such times, what we need most is prayers and petitions accompanied by loud cries and tears — just as Jesus modeled for us.

If Jesus himself needed to pray to fulfill God’s will, how much more do we need prayer? We cannot achieve complete obedience without prayer, and without obedience, we cannot please God.

Prayer:

Lord, we realize how small our reverence for You truly is. Otherwise, our prayers would not feel so lifeless. Oh Lord, please ignite a fire of love for You within us. Stir within us a passionate desire to live according to Your will, so that our prayers may grow stronger and more fervent. Let following Your will become our top priority each day. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

Discussion Questions for Children & Youth:

Key Point: Following Jesus means trusting him, praying to him, and obeying him — even when it’s hard.

• For Preschool-Lower Elementary
  • What do you think it means to follow Jesus? Can you think of a time when it was hard to do the right thing?
  • Jesus prayed with loud cries and tears when he was sad or scared. When do you talk to God about your feelings?
• For Upper Elementary-Middle School
  • Have you ever been afraid to do something you knew was right? How did you handle it?
  • What is one thing you can pray about when you’re struggling to follow Jesus?
• For High School
  • Have you ever faced pressure to go along with the crowd instead of doing what you knew was right? How did you respond?
  • What are some practical ways you can build a stronger habit of prayer when life feels overwhelming or challenging?