How to be an Exhortation Fountain
Hebrews 13
Second Corinthians 5:14 says, “For the love of Christ compels us…”
Can you honestly say that the life that you lead you do not lead for yourself? Can you say that you lead your life so that others may benefit? Can you look back over your day, your week, your life, and seriously answer the question, “Have I kept all of the faith?”
Hebrews 13 has lots of exhortations in it to help us keep all of the faith. What does that include?
Have YOU loved others as your brothers and sisters?
Did YOU reach out to strangers?
Did YOU remember in prayer those either in prison or less fortunate than yourself?
Has your marriage honored God?
Are YOU content with what YOU have?
Do YOU pray for your country’s leaders, your company’s boss, and your supervisors, and your fellow workers?
Do YOU pray for your pastor, the church leadership, and its direction and vision?
Those things that we just mentioned may or may not be new to you, but, nevertheless, they are things for which we will be held accountable by God. You see, the life of Christ was many things. We could call it a life of service, a life of love, a life of ministry, or we could even call it a life of exhortation.
Whatever you want to call His life, the purpose was always the same. You see, when Jesus walked on this earth, He was led forward by a heart that was always bent on pleasing God. He was led forward by a heart that was always in close fellowship with God.
Philippians 2:1-18 (KJV)
1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14 Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 17 Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Let this mind, this thought, this attitude be in you which was also in Christ Jesus. Let this idea, this way of life be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
The wonderful sculpted words of Philippians 2 exhort us to a way of life, an attitude that we, through the Spirit of God, need to maintain.
And just what is attitude, anyway? Well, on an airplane, we would say that attitude is the position of the aircraft relative to a frame of reference. An example would be: its attitude in relation to the earth.
What about you? What’s your attitude? What’s your position in relation to your friends or your relatives? What’s your attitude, your position in relation God?
Hebrews 13 is designed as an attitude adjustment tool. It’s filled full of exhortation of one form or another. With each one pointing out problems that not only the Hebrew Jews had 2000 years ago, but problems that we have today.
Look at verse 1,
13:1 Keep on loving each other as brothers.
The verse does not simply say “love each other…,” but it says “Keep on…as brothers” The author is telling us that sometimes the opposite member in a relationship is going to be difficult, that you’re going to be difficult, but the attitude that we are exhorted to have is one of abiding perseverance.
In our relationships love is considered a given. That means that it’s expected, because, without it, it wouldn’t be a relationship, would it? We can also say that kind words, simple acts of kindness and service are also expected. But, all of that would only be included in the statement Love each other.
In order to stretch out and include the “Keep on” part, with the “loving each other as brothers,” part, requires an abiding perseverance as a matter of course. Meaning: love that is maintained, not as an afterthought or even forethought, but as an indwelling, enduring, and abiding state that can only be attained by the Spirit of God Himself working in and through us.
The next few verses point out some areas of our lives that everyone should look at:
2 Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
Jesus mentioned something very similar to this is
Matthew 25
32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, ’Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 "Then the righteous will answer him, ’Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 "The King will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
I’ve seen the difference in treatment that some people receive versus those that are less fortunate financially. I’ve seen the difference between the services and benefits that the educated world receives verses those that were unable to complete their education.
I’ve seen the difference between the arrogant, English-speaking world as opposed to the rest of the world. Tribes that struggle with their own languages yet have known peace for hundreds of years, and quickly we ask “who is considered the savage, the barbarian?”
I’ve even seen the difference in treatment that those that are considered outwardly beautiful receive as opposed to those that are considered, by the world’s standards, ugly.
Before God, everyone is the same. Rich, poor, tall and short, it doesn’t matter.
What matters is that which we see before us in verse two, “Don’t forget to entertain…”
What matters is, with all those differences aside, throwing away all those sins that so easily entangle, “Don’t forget to entertain…”
“Don’t forget to be hospitable.”
And, when you show hospitality to others…we are doing it for Jesus.
"The King will reply, ’I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Unless we have love that is sustained by an abiding perseverance of faith in Christ Jesus, we won’t be hospitable; we won’t keep on loving each as brothers and sisters. And, even though we do have that abiding perseverance, there are some particulars, there are some special things that can silently creep in can drag us down and the author of Hebrews tells us:
5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." 6 So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
It tells us in Philippians 1:6,
“6 …that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
So often that which was begun as a good work, ends up being a power struggle. So often we see a ministry that begins in love and unity, end in turmoil and confusion. Why, because the words previous to Philippians 1:6, verse 5, were not taken to heart. Verse five says, “…because of your partnership in the Gospel.”
For Hebrews 13:5, the King James Version says:
5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
That word, conversation, was translated as ‘lives’ in the NIV. But, I think it would be better translated as ‘deportment’ or ‘character.’ The reason I say that is because it’s simpler to keep your outward life free from the love of money than it is to keep your inward character “covetousness-free.”
The life we lead before others needs to be a reflection of the Christ-like character that He is working in us to perfect. We’re exhorted to keep our deportment, our character, our lives, free from the pursuit of power and money. We’re exhorted to have a stain-free character. We’re exhorted to be content in the riches of Jesus rather than the riches of this world.
Verses 7-15
7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by ceremonial foods, which are of no value to those who eat them. 10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name.
We are here asked to remember our leaders. And the leaders we are asked to remember are the ones that spoke the word of God to us. These people that are being talked about here were not necessarily the presidents, the governors, or the kings. These people were Christians. Some of them could have been presidents, governors or kings, but it’s important that they have that one thing, that one trait: they spoke the Word of God to the people.
In contemporary language we could say: Remember your pastors, elders, deacons, and other church leaders…and the Word of God that they spoke to you. Consider the impact of their life and faith upon the people, and imitate that life and faith.
And, though leaders, pastors, elders, deacons, and Bible study teachers may all certainly come and go, the message is still and must remain the same. Jesus never changes; the gospel never changes, and when it appears to be changing in the church, then maybe we need to change churches.
So he gives us a word of caution in verse nine, because we are all human. And, sometimes humans, as they climb the ladder of success tend to believe that it is all of themselves that have made themselves into themselves, and they have made the church and the way it is. Therefore, the author adds the statement to not be carried away by false doctrine.
Then, at the end of verse 9, he adds something that we all should do well to remember…it is not the church service, the communion, the agape feast, the sermon, the study, or the people that strengthen our hearts, but it is the grace of God that strengthens our hearts.
Just recently I read an article, which was originally printed in the early part of 2006 that talked about how Jesus could have accomplished the miracle of walking on the water of the Sea of Galilee. It seems that a scientist thinks he discovered how Jesus did this: He walked over on an ice-phenomenon called “springs ice.”
Professor Doron Nof, a professor of oceanography at Florida State University, says his study found an unusual combination of water and atmospheric conditions could have led to ice formation on the Sea of Galilee. A drop in temperature below freezing could have caused ice thick enough to support a human form on the surface of the freshwater lake near the western shore, Nof says.
This doesn’t strengthen my heart. I know by the grace of God that that study is a study in futility. I know because my own personal relationship with God is based on God’s grace and His Spirit working in me and through me and it tells me that it’s false.
Earlier I mentioned,
Unless we have abiding, indwelling perseverance in our love, we won’t be hospitable; we won’t keep on loving each as brothers.
That abiding, indwelling perseverance in our love is based on us putting our faith in Him. And, in verse 15, it says it a little different, but it means the same thing: confess his name.
But, there’s more. You see…We know that we are to put our faith in Jesus. We know that He loves others through us. We know that we are to continually work out our salvation with fear and trembling. And, what fruit does that bear? It bears a sacrifice of praise offering to God.
Last week we talked about John 15: God being the gardener, Jesus the vine, and we being the branches, and our whole focus of life is to bear fruit. Again, we see it here, but we see a distinct message coming across: those that confess His name produce through Him a sacrifice of praise as an offering to God.
That’s not all:
16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17 Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.
Remember, we started out by saying that the writer of Hebrews is given us exhortations. He’s telling us what we need to do, or not do, to be better Christians before God. And if we’re better Christians before God, we’ll be better Christians before others.
In verse 16 and 17, he is imploring us to do good service before men and God. It is one thing to know what is right while it’s another to actually do what is right. And, one of those things is sharing. We’re not talking just about your blessing of money, your wealth and your belongings. We are also talking about sharing yourself. Yes, you need to selflessly share your spiritual gift(s) among the people of the church, of the community and where you work. That is what pleases God, and you will be a source of joy for those that you work with.
18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. 20 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Just because prayer is included as one of the last things in this chapter doesn’t mean it is the last thing we should employ in our Christian walk. Prayer is needed before all things considered and after all things considered.
In Sylvia Nasar’s 1998 biography, titled A Beautiful Mind, and later a movie with the same name and starring Russell Crowe, John Forbes Nash, Jr. claims that he reasoned his way out of his schizophrenia, by enforcing a “diet of the mind.” His paranoid delusions did not disappear, he says, he just chose to ignore them.
Christians need to borrow that line, a “diet of the mind.” We need to be careful how we maintain and what we feed our minds. If we have too much of the wrong mental or spiritual nutrition, we’ll become overweight with useless information and really useless images.
Our "diet of the mind" needs to consist of prayer, Bible reading, and scripture memorization. Then, whenever something comes our way, we can’t help but answer according to scripture, which was brought back to our memory by the Spirit of God that lives within us.
Additionally, all diets require lots of rest [which I’m happy with] and lots of good exercise. Your “diet of the mind” exercise needs to include putting that Bible reading, study, and scripture memorization to good work. Yes, good work would include evangelism.
Don’t worry about the outcome. Verse 21 says that through Jesus, you’ll be equipped with everything good for doing his will, and He’ll work in you what is pleasing to Him.
These last four verses don’t really need anything than just reading them onto our hearts:
22 Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all God’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. 25 Grace be with you all.
In summary:
The title of today’s message, How to be an Exhortation Fountain, is aimed at right at you, the Christian. We can always expect that Praise, Love, and Exhortation at most any church is always going to be at a high level. And, with God’s grace it will continue to be high. But, let’s don’t depend upon ourselves; let’s depend upon God’s grace to bring it out, to purify it, to refine it, and to spread it abundantly over all the sheep of His flock.
I encourage you to think about your mind’s diet. What are you putting in there? What kind of nutrition is sustaining your mind? Are you putting Godly things in there? Or, are those things that are going in best left in the gutter, or, the trashcan?
