SLIDE #1
Introduction
• We are in some trying times right now. I know that some are searching for answers in the wake of the pandemic we now face.
• This enemy that we face is faceless, invisible to the naked eye, yet ever-present and ever-dangerous.
• We are in times which we have yet to face in our lives. Many are confused, frightened, and in a panic, as they potentially see what they have worked for all of their lives crumble before them.
• We have been traveling through the book of Hebrews these past seven weeks, and today we will wrap up this series. Hebrews, The Journey of Faith.
• The book of Hebrews written to Jewish converts to Jesus, who now were beginning to waver in the face of persecution, in the face of losing all they too had worked all their lives to obtain.
• These converts faced a great deal of hardship as a result of their decision to follow Jesus.
• I do not want to compare what we are dealing with to the persecution they faced, yet there are similarities even though the context was much different,
• Their persecutors had a face; they could be seen, our oppressor is faceless. They faced the loss of it all; we too could face the same.
• Suffice to say whether our issues are related to persecution or a virus; tough times are challenging to face.
• For many of the readers of the book of Hebrews, their persecution would not end until the capitulated and denied Christ, or they were killed for their faith.
• For us, this virus will pass, it will cost some their lives, and it will cost others what they worked for years to obtain. And for politicians in Washington, it will mean they will give themselves a raise! LOL
• Throughout this letter, the Hebrew writer has made a great effort to show that Jesus and the New Covenant are superior in every way to the Law and the Old Covenant.
• In this final chapter, the writer shows the readers how the Christian life should look. In Hebrews 13:1-8, we will see what the Christian life that the writer is trying to get the readers to hold onto should look like.
• Today we will be in Hebrews 13:1-8. My prayer is that what we deal with in this message will bring you some encouragement and hope as we face our times of difficulty.
SLIDE#2
Bible Verse
Hebrews 13:1-3 (CSB)
1Let brotherly love continue.
2Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.
3Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.
SLIDE #3
1. I. The life is marked by hospitality.
Explanation
• I have always found it interesting that with all the terrible things swirling around the lives of the readers, of all things, the writer encourages the readers with a lesson on hospitality.
• The word HOSPITALITY means A LOVER OF STRANGERS TO SHOW KINDNESS.
• Amid all the problems the readers were facing, why present this subject as an essential part of the Christian life?
• I believe the key is found in verse 1.
• In verse 1, we see the motivation for being hospitable, love!
• This verse also opens with the concept of brotherly love. One thing I love about the Scriptures is the timeless nature of the Word.
• We are in a time of crisis, as Christians, we are called to be lovers of strangers. One of the ways we do that is to be helpful to others.
• The context of this passage speaks especially of showing hospitality to our brothers and sisters in Christ.
• The Hebrew writer is fearful that people will lose their love for others because they were so focused on themselves because of the persecution they were facing.
• In the crisis we face, I have seen videos of folks who were purchasing truckloads of stuff, and then some would try to sell online or other places.
• In my view, stocking up a couple of weeks of supplies or so is a good idea in case you get put under the 14-day quarantine.
• One of the reasons at FCC we have initiated our Enhanced Shepherding Program is because our staff and elders are motivated by love for all of you.
• We are doing what we do because we love you. We need to be there for one another all of the time, but especially during this time. We have people who volunteer to shop for folks if they cannot get out of the house, we are there to take care of one another.
• Verse 2 presents a case for one to be hospitable.
• Hebrews 13:2 (CSB) — 2 Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it.
• We see times in the Old Testament with Abraham, Lot, Gideon, Manoah, Samson’s father, of when this actually happened.
• One of the marks of living THE LIFE is being hospitable to all Christians.
• When we were looking to move here, the Krebs family opened their home to us; they made us feel right at home. They did not know us, yet they opened their home to us. I will never forget that act of kindness.
• Verse three gives an example of being hospitable.
• Hebrews 13:3 (CSB) — 3 Remember those in prison, as though you were in prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering bodily.
• The word “remember” denotes more than THINKING about such a person, it includes giving assistance when needed.
• The context specifically deals with Christians when they were imprisoned, most of which were imprisoned because of their faith.
• In the time when this was written, prisoners were not taken care of by the state; the prisoner was dependant on outside help.
• The problem for the one who wanted to help support such a prisoner was the fact that a bullseye would be painted on their back for helping a criminal.
• This attention was not welcomed.
• We are told that when our brother is in prison was have to treat them the way we would want to be treated.
• With all the pandemic going on around us, we need to be more creative when seeking to be hospitable toward one another. It may not be feasible for folks to open their home to someone right now, but we can be there to help.
• We need to look out for each other. We will have folks who cannot get out during this time; we have to be there for them.
• Let’s turn to verses 4-5.
SLIDE #4
Bible Verse
Hebrews 13:4-5 (CSB)
4Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
5Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, I will never leave you or abandon you.
SLIDE #5
2. II. The life is marked by contentment.
Explanation
• The next mark of the LIFE is the issue of contentment. When you first glance at verse 4, you might have trouble fitting it into the overall context of the passage.
• However, when you know the background of the culture at the time, it makes sense. And it is incredible how little things change over time.
• Verse four is a command for purity and fidelity in the marriage relationship.
• The phrase “marriage bed” was a euphemism for physical relations.
• The Christian is to have the mindset of being faithful.
• Part of the reason this subject is covered under the issue of contentment is the fact that immorality and adultery were a widespread occurrence in the ancient world.
• At the time this letter was written, the world felt that chastity or purity in the marriage was an unreasonable demand to make, sadly some feel the same way today.
• As a Christian, I MUST be content with the wife God blessed me. If I am not content, it would be easy for me to chase other women, which would not only make my wife unhappy, it would bring God’s judgment upon me.
• Verse 4 tells us that God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
• Sexual immorality, or fornication as it is called in some versions, deal with sexual sins before marriage, whereas adultery deals with infidelity once married.
• If folks would spend as much time taking note of the blessings they have in their spouse as they do thinking of having someone else’s spouse, life would be much happier for all involved.
• Jesus says, “where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” Or where your investment it, there your heart will be.
• If I am not content with my wife, I will pull out my investment and place is in someone else. Then my heart will drift elsewhere.
• Now the writer shifts from a spouse to the love of money.
• The word we translate into the phrase THE LOVE OF MONEY is only seldom in the New Testament. The word is also used in 1 Timothy 3:3, where it is translated GREED. In a few other places, it is translated THE LOVE OF MONEY.
• Does this mean it is evil to work hard for a paycheck or to have a large bank account? NO.
• The flavor of this word has to do with loving money so much one would do anything and everything to get it. An example would be a Bernie Madoff, where he did all kinds of illegal things to get more money,
• In Matthew 19:16-24, when Jesus spoke of how the love of money can corrupt a person and affect the way they serve Jesus.
SLIDE #6
Bible Verse
Matthew 19:24 (CSB)
24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
Explanation
• The subject of purity in marriage and greed tie in together because both of these sins have their roots in the sin of selfishness.
• One thing that drives some of the hoarding, other than fear, is greed. I will purchase toilet paper for $10 and sell it for $100. Greed drives price gouging when supplies are low during an emergency.
• The Hebrew writer tells us to be satisfied with what we are blessed with and know that God will take care of us.
• What can be better than knowing that God will take care of you?
• Does this mean you do not purchase toilet paper or food? NO, it means you know God will provide so you do not need a garage full of stuff to last you five years.
• For good measure, the writer reminds us that God will NEVER LEAVE US or ABANDON US!
• I do not have to wonder if God is home, or if God is with me because He IS!
SLIDE #7
Bible Verse
Hebrews 13:6-8 (CSB)
6Therefore, we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
7Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.
8Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
SLIDE #8
3. III. The life is marked by faithfulness.
Explanation
• Now we finish with the encouragement to be faithful.
• Rember, the writer is trying to convince the readers to stay faithful until death, no matter how that death may come.
• When we are confident that the Lord is my helper, I will not be driven to abandon Him, or to seek to take care of myself by any means necessary!
• Verse 6 is a quote from Psalm 118:6, and this Psalm was considered a Messianic Psalm, in other words, a Psalm about Jesus, the Savior of the world.
• That confidence will keep me faithful; if I do not have that level of confidence, I will falter in my faith when times get tough.
• Verse 7 tells us to remember those who led us to Jesus and to observe the outcome of their faith carefully.
• The word OUTCOME is most likely a euphemism for death.
• This word is only used here and in 1 Corinthians 10:13, where it is translated, A WAY OF ESCAPE, in reference to God giving us a way to avoid HAVING to chose the path of sin.
• In the context of the letter, this harkens back to chapter 11 to the Hall of Faith, where the outcome of the faith of those listed was VICTORY, a place in God’s kingdom!
• The encouragement to imitate the faith of those who led you puts a HUGE responsibility on those who lead others to Jesus!
• Is my faith worthy of imitating? Is yours?
• Then the passage wraps up by reminding us that Jesus is always FAITHFUL. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever!
• Jesus is our rock, our salvation!
• We can trust Him; we can depend on Him.
• He is faithful to us; we are to be faithful to Him!
• When describing the final chapter of the book of Hebrews, N.T. Wright says, “Yet here, in one of the closing chapter of one of the great documents of early Christianity, we find sex, power, money, suffering—and Jesus. What’s more, he’s the one who makes sense of all the rest. He is the same ‘yesterday, today and forever.’ The writer wants us to realize that, if your faith is firmly rooted in him, none of the forces that blow people off track and into the newspapers need harm you” (N. T. Wright, Hebrews for Everyone [Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003], 168)
Conclusion
• We are facing a real and present danger right now.
• The question for those in Christ is how are you going to face this danger?
• Are we going to hide in fear or live in Faith?
• I am not suggesting not being safe and careful, but I am asking you where your trust is placed, and where your faith resides?
• Is faith going to carry you through this? Are you going to be a blessing to others during this time or part of the problem?
• Are you going to be content with God’s blessings, trusting He will take care of you, or will you fall prey to the fear of the moment?
• These are things I have to deal with also.
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