To be honest I have been surprised how fast the last 12
weeks have gone. This series has ended faster that I thought it would and weeks
whether here at church, at work, or home seem to be flying faster than ever.
The bonfire in October, the community meal in November, and now our Christmas
celebration Sunday being next week, where has the time gone. Let’s dig in and
see what the author of Hebrews has for us as we wrap up this series.
Last week we looked at the promises of the unshakeable
Kingdom of God, today we are going to look at the impact that should have on us
and how we are to live our lives.
Living in So. Cal. You just know that every year to expect a
‘fire season’. The news agencies used to call it ‘Fire Storm’. Most of the
fires burned wilderness but many years the impact was devastating to not only
nature but to many people as their homes would be wiped out. I remember our
last year in CA there was a major fire not 10 miles from our home and some of
our neighbors were panicking, the reality of it was that it would have to
destroy thousands of homes before it got to ours. Those yearly wildfires are devastating;
they consume everything in sight. Worldly fire is a destroyer of all.
Exodus 3:2
“Then the Angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of
fire within a bush. As Moses looked, he saw that the bush was on fire but was
not consumed.”
God’s fire engulfed the bush but it was not destroyed. In
the Book of Acts we see the Holy Spirit come in flames that touched each
believer but did not destroy them. While we think of fire consuming as a bad
thing, we need to look at it a little differently. Since God’s fire does not
destroy us, what does it mean to engulfed or consumed by God? What impact
should being in God’s presence have on our lives? Are we only in His presence
during worship, reading scripture, singing songs, or praying? Or should we be
consumed by His Holy Fire at all times? Should it impact how we interact with
others?
Hebrews 13 starts by stating that our brotherly love should
continue. If it must continue, it must already be in place. Since this
statement is coming directly after the things we reviewed in chapter 12 it is
obvious that our worship in reverence and awe of a holy God must also include
loving and serving others.
Colossians 3:23
“Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done
for the Lord and not for men”
If we are to be consumed by God's Holy Fire, everything we do in life is to be in worship of our Lord.
Hebrews 13:1-3
“13 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Don’t neglect to show hospitality, for by doing
this some have welcomed angels as guests without knowing it. 3 Remember the prisoners, as though you were in
prison with them, and the mistreated, as though you yourselves were suffering
bodily.”
Our
worship of God must include loving strangers. Our willingness to serve others
should not be based on who they are, what they have, or what they might do for
us. If we are consumed by God our worship of Him is visible in our daily lives
by how we treat people.
James
2:1-4
“2 My brothers, do not show favoritism as you hold
on to the faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. 2 For example, a man comes into your meeting
wearing a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and a poor man dressed in
dirty clothes also comes in. 3 If you look with favor on the man wearing the
fine clothes and say, “Sit here in a good place,” and yet you say to the poor
man, “Stand over there,” or, “Sit here on the floor by my footstool,” 4 haven’t you discriminated among yourselves and
become judges with evil thoughts?”
Our service to others is a reflection of our love for God.
It is seen by how we imitate His love for us as we love others. We really can’t
do much to express our love directly to God. We can talk to Him and praise Him
in song, but what can you do for Him that you would do for your children? We
can’t provide a roof over His head, we can’t cook His favorite meal, we can’t
even cuddle with Him if He were to have a nightmare.
Instead we can show love to strangers. The simple thing we
do every quarter of giving to missions through the SBC and the various
offerings we take. That is loving strangers. When we had someone from the
Missouri Baptist Children’s Home here and we gave to support them, that is
loving strangers. If you give to a food bank, adopt a family for a meal or
gifts, sponsor a child, paying utility bills for those down on their luck…. All
of these things are ways we can love strangers. All of these things are ways
that we are showing the world that we Love God. These types of actions are the
evidence that God’s love is flowing through us.
Hebrews 13:4
“Marriage must be respected by all, and the
marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge immoral people and
adulterers.”
Your worship of God must include loving your family, or more
specifically your spouse. For those of us who are married the message is
crystal clear. You are to honor your spouse, remaining true to one another.
Don’t let anything get in between you and your spouse. Another person, job,
money, things, anything…. One way you show your love to God is to honor your
spouse.
Now some of you are not married yet, and someday that will
most likely change. Until that day comes, you are to show your love and worship
of God through honoring that person you like or are dating. Treating them the
way you want your future husband or wife to be treated. Respecting them and
having a God honoring relationship with them. It is a great way to show them
you love them, show your love to God, and for the world to see that you are
serious about your worshipping Jesus.
One of the struggles you find, especially in ministry, is
that people serve things or others before their family. In many church
situations people expect a pastor to put the church, not His relationship to
God, but the church he works for first. That is not biblical and destroys
families and turns many pastor’s kids away from church. Every single one of us
are to serve and love others, but not at the expense of our families.
It is simple, God, family, then ministry. This is true for
the pastor, the stay at home mom, the retired person, and even the young ones.
Our personal relationship with God must always come first. We need to let
absolutely nothing get in between us and God. After God comes our family. They
are ours to love, protect, and minister to. God brought your family together
and they are more important than your job and even your ministry here at the
church or within the community. After you put God first in your life, and you
make your family a priority, then you are to love others. Serving in the
church, working at the local food pantry, and just simply being there for
others. Loving strangers is vital for the ministry of the church, but it does
come after God and family.
Hebrews 13:5-17
“5 Your life should be free from the love of money. Be
satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. 6 Therefore, we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man
do to me? 7 Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As
you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 Don’t be led astray by various kinds of strange teachings;
for it is good for the heart to be established by grace and not by foods, since
those involved in them have not benefited. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle
do not have a right to eat. 11 For the
bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the most holy place by the
high priest as a sin offering are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also suffered outside the gate, so that He might sanctify the people by His own blood. 13 Let us then go to Him outside the camp, bearing His
disgrace. 14 For we
do not have an enduring city here; instead, we seek the one to come. 15 Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a
sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name. 16 Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is
pleased with such sacrifices. 17 Obey
your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an
account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would
be unprofitable for you.”
Our worship of God must include loving God.
Hebrews 13:5
“5 Your
life should be free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have,
for He Himself has said, I will never leave you or forsake you. “
If we are consumed by God, engulfed by His
fire, fully sold out for Christ, how can we not trust Him? His kingdom is
unshakeable, He tells us that we are more valuable that the birds of the air
and He takes care of them. We need to trust God and not worry about the things
of the world. In trusting Him we are showing that we love Him.
Hebrews 13:7
“7 Remember
your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the
outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.”
In loving God,
we are to remember those who have taught us about God. If someone is rightly
dividing God’s Word, teaching it to you, and living it; you are to listen to
them. God has called people to preach and teach and their job is to point us to
God. If we are worshipping and loving God we will listen to those who God has
placed in our lives to guide us. We are not to follow pastors or teachers; we
are to follow who they are following Jesus Christ. But we are supposed to
listen to their teachings.
Why should
we follow these commands to love strangers, our family, and remember and
respect our leaders?
Matthew 5:16
“In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
When we do these things and people see
how we live our lives we give others the opportunity to glorify God. If you are
serving strangers, they will be thankful and thank God for it.
Hebrews 13:15-16
“15 Therefore,
through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is,
the fruit of our lips that confess His name. 16 Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is
pleased with such sacrifices.”
By doing these things you are
regularly praising God. When you remember how blessed you are when you see
others who have so little or remember what a wonderful spouse you have, it will
bring praises to your lips for God has taken care of you.
By using our lips to praise Him and confess
His name, others will hear about Jesus. If we are worshipping and loving God
people will hear what He has done for us and that will open many doors for you
to share His amazing gift of grace.
The Book of Hebrews was written to
help the Israelites understand that the message given through their history was
the same message that Jesus brought. That same message is true today for each
one of us. All the promises given since the beginning of time were just a
glimpse of the true promise to come. Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday,
today, and forever. He provides a better rest, a better priest, and a better
covenant than any before or after Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Through Jesus we are being called to a better life, an eternal one in His
presence.
Let’s close with these last 2 verses
in prayer.
Hebrews 13:20-21
“20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up
from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—with the blood of
the everlasting covenant, 21 equip you with all that is good
to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus
Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen.”
God Bless,
Robert
