Hebrews- Part 15 " Mirrors Of Our Faith" Series

Hebrews- Encouragement for a life of Faith

Part 15

“The mirrors of our faith”

Hebrews 13:1-7

This week Patti and I took the grandkids to the state fair of Texas

It has been years since we went

I am pretty sure it was Lilly’s and Xanders first time there

The smells and the sounds

Brought back memories of my childhood

When I was a kid

We never missed a year at the fair

One of my most vivid memories of the fair from my past

Is actually kind of silly

I remember how we laughed

Sometimes for quite a while

At those images in those trick mirrors

You know the ones I am talking about

They cause you to see a distorted image of ourselves

Some make us really tall and skinny

Others

Make us really short and fat

Some give us big heads

Huge faces

Others make us look like we have visited head hunters and had our head shrunken

I know

Maybe I am too easily amused

But

The thought of seeing a distorted image of myself in those mirrors still makes me laugh

Unfortunately

Seeing a distorted image of our Faith

Is not nearly as funny

As we continue our study of Hebrews this morning

We come to the final chapter and are nearing the completion of our study

In this great book

We have received encouragement

Correction

Instruction

Our writer has used the light of scripture to show us Jesus

And

To show us how we are to live like Jesus

He has used the sharp double edged sword of God’s word

To show us our weakness

And our strengths

Our commitments

And the lack of commitment

He has done this in an effort to keep us focused on what we are called to do

Keep us focused on what we have been delivered from

And though his writing

He has given us

A mirror

A true mirror

An undistorted mirror

One that shows

Us and our faith for what it is

Unfortunately

We often prefer the mirror of our minds

That like those goofy mirrors at the fair

That distort our views

Let’s read Hebrews Chapter 13

Beginning in verse 1 and reading though verse 6

We will finish up chapter 13 next week and then wrap up the whole book the following Sunday

Hebrews 13:1-6

Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters.[a] 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.

I will never abandon you.”[b]

6 So we can say with confidence,

“The LORD is my helper,

so I will have no fear.

What can mere people do to me?”[c]

In this passage of scripture we see a mirror image of what we should be

Let’s look first at what we should be

This is how we should see ourselves

If we are truly surrendered to Christ

Verse 1

“Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters”

We have discussed love many times on many occasions in many sermons

The Religious leaders asked Jesus in the book of Matthew

What the greatest commandment was

And he said

Love God—with all you have heart souls and mind

And love your neighbor as yourself

Here our writer confirms this teaching and continues it

As we look in the mirror of scripture

Do we see ourselves?

Continuing to love others as Jesus Commanded?

Are we treating all of them with love?

With respect

I want to say that every time I look in the mirror

This is what I see

But that would be a distorted image from my mind

Why

Because

I don’t always do that

Sometimes

I get grumpy

Sometimes

I get busy

Sometimes I get distracted

And sometimes I am plain just self centered

And all of these are feble excuses

The bad part is

Often I look into that scripture mirror

And like the older brother in the Parable of the prodigal son

I claim

I have always done this or always done that

But I am looking with skewed eyes

Because in reality

I am less than perfect

In reality I am as sinner

I am picking on myself here

But

I urge you to look into your own mirrors

What do you see?

Really

Do you love others as brothers and sisters?

Or is the refection distorted?