Hebrews 12:14-17 (MSG)

14-17 Work at getting along with each other and with God. Otherwise you’ll never get so much as a glimpse of God. Make sure no one gets left out of God’s generosity. Keep a sharp eye out for weeds of bitter discontent. A thistle or two gone to seed can ruin a whole garden in no time. Watch out for the Esau syndrome: trading away God’s lifelong gift in order to satisfy a short-term appetite. You well know how Esau later regretted that impulsive act and wanted God’s blessing—but by then it was too late, tears or no tears.

Hebrews 12:14-17 (MSG)

General Context Questions

• Who wrote this? Who is or which groups of people are involved?
• Was this written before, during, or after Jesus’ lifetime?
• Is this a narrative, a parable, a praise, a suggestion, a command, an instruction, or something else?
• Is there anything that stands out to you?
• Did anything confuse you? Were there words or phrases that didn’t make sense?

Specific Questions

• Do you have any relationships that don’t take work? Were they always that way?
• Do you feel like you are working at getting along with God? How do you do that?
• What is “God’s generosity”? How can you make sure that “no one gets left out of God’s generosity”?
• Have you ever kept hold of “God’s lifelong gift” instead of trading it away to satisfy a short-term appetite? How did that work out for you?