In Hebrews 11, the author of the book tells stories of heroes of the faith. He talks about people like Noah, Abraham, and Moses. People you would hear about in your Sunday School class. The author also mentions those unnamed saints who endured major persecution, some being brutally murdered for their faith.
When you look at the purpose of the book of Hebrews, it was to show to persecuted Jews who were considering going to Judaism that Jesus is better in all things and worth sacrificing yourself for. The purpose of Hebrews 11 was to show that even the heroes of the Old Testament who were under the Covenant of the Law lived by faith of what was to come through the ministry of Jesus. It shows that their faith became a conviction of life that was exercised in many forms. How much more should we who know Jesus be living by faith even through suffering. So don’t you dare turn your back on Jesus. This would have been a great encouragement to the persecuted readers!
In the same way that the author of Hebrews wrote Hebrews 11 to encourage the faith of the readers to grow, the purpose of the missionary biographies is to encourage you to grow in maturity and faith as a believer. Another purpose of these biographies is to inspire you to consider praying for laborers or becoming a missionary yourself. Jesus’ only prayer request to His followers was to pray for laborers. The harvest is truly big, but the laborers are small indeed. Look at China and India. China has over 1.4 BILLION people in their country. India has over 1.3 BILLION people. Yet, I can count on my hand the amount of Churches in both countries that actually preach the Gospel and don’t water down Bible doctrine. Instead, what you will find is Jesus being added as simply another god in their pantheon. Last week, I went to a Mexican Restaurant that had a shrine to Mary on the outside and three mini statues of Jesus, a Mayan sun god, and Mary with her dress being held up by an angel on the counter right behind my table. It gave me shivers just looking at it. This was in the middle of Georgia where Churches abound. Imagine how much worse the idolatry is in a place where the light of the Gospel isn’t shining on the people. Please pray for laborers, and as you pray, I will pray that God will work in your heart to go be an answer to Jesus’ prayer.
Matthew 9:35-38
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
36 But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.
37 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;
38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.