Lessons From Hebrews – Lesson 13
Last week we did not get finished with chapter twelve. We ended talking about the chastisement of the Lord whereof we are all partakers. It is God’s plan. It proves that we are His children. It is a matter of parental obligation. Paul quoted the verses in proverbs that tell us to not despise the chastening of the Lord. We also got a warning about a root of bitterness.
I have some kind of grass that gets into my garden. If I let even a little of the root left, before I know it, it can spring up and be a big problem in no time at all. Bitterness is just like that. You can’t even leave a little root of it.
I know trials are hard. I know what it is like to be slandered, and stabbed in the back. Face it, it hurts. So where can we get the strength to handle the trial and let bitterness go?
Only the grace of God.
Let’s pick up where we left off. Now Paul is going to give a comparison between two mountains.
Heb 12:18 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest,
Heb 12:19 And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which [voice] they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:
Heb 12:20 (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart:
Heb 12:21 And so terrible was the sight, [that] Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)
This is a description of what it was like on Mount Sinai when God gave the law. Sinai represented the terrible demands of the Law. The mountain burned with fire and was covered in darkness. A visible sign of what awaited anyone who broke the law of God.
God appeared surrounded by terrifying sights and sounds that showed forth the severity of His Law and the inevitable destruction of those who failed to lay hold of His promise for deliverance from its righteous demands.
Sinai showed that man cannot approach God without sacrifice and obedience. The Law was surrounded with warnings, restrictions and solemn judgments. The awesome signs there were to heighten Israel’s fear of God and to create an awareness of guilt and sinfulness.
Even Moses who talked to God; even Moses who spent much time with God, said, I exceedingly fear and quake.
No man can stand up against the law. All fall short. And anyone falling short is faced with terrible judgment.
These Hebrew Christians were thinking about going back to the system of Mount Sinai. So Paul reminds them what Mount Sinai and the law is.
Then Paul describes another mountain that is totally different. He tells them that we come to a different mountain. One much better than Mount Sinai.
Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Unlike Mount Sinai, Mount Sion is approachable.
To come into God’s presence at Sinai was to die.
To come into God’s presence at Zion is to live.
Seven things are mentioned in connection to Sinai
Fire, blackness, darkness, tempest, sound of a trumpet, commands they could not endure, and death.
Seven things are mentioned in connection to mount Sion.
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than [that of] Abel.
Angels, general assembly, church of the first born, the living God, just men made perfect, Jesus the Mediator, and the blood.
Which seven would you rather have?
We have something much better. Should we be thankful? Does genuine thankfulness change our behavior?
It was the same God at Mount Sinai as is at Mount Sion. He does not change. His character is the same. He is still a God of justice, a Holy God who cannot embrace sin. A God who must meet out punishment for sin, and the only just punishment for sin is death.
So since God Himself did not change, then why the difference between Sinai and Zion?
Those that go to Mount Sion in Heaven have the penalty of their sin paid for. Jesus took the punishment of Sinai for us so that we could go to Sion.
Going from being not approachable to being able to go into His presence is based upon what Jesus did for us. But sometimes people forget that it is the same God.
He is still God. He still has the right to rule. We have been bought with a price. We are not our own. God has every right to ask His children to do things. He has a right to tell us what to do. He is God and we should not refuse Him.
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more [shall not] we [escape], if we turn away from him that [speaketh] from heaven:
It is the same God that spoke at Sinai that now speaks from heaven.
Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.
Heb 12:27 And this [word], Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
God is going to shake some things up one day. It could start real soon. And when He is all finished we will have a new heaven and a new earth. All the stains of sin will be removed. The wicked kingdoms of the world will be no more.
The kingdom that we look forward to; the one that we will have one day. It cannot be moved. It will remain forever. We have a great promise from a God who cannot lie. What we have now is nothing but a vapor, a twinkling of an eye and it will be over. What we have coming is permanent. It is forever. It is what is really important.
Now this is not just some theology that we learn and say that will be neat, and then that’s it. This great truth is supposed to affect us. We are to apply this truth to our lives in a practical way. The application is given in verse 28 and 29.
Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
Heb 12:29 For our God [is] a consuming fire.
Because our God is so good and because He will be giving us such a kingdom that cannot be moved ever, then let us serve God acceptably.
Let us have grace whereby we may serve God. The only way to acceptably serve God is by His grace. You cannot serve God acceptably in your own flesh, in your own power. You try to do service to Him without Him and He will never use what you do. Your efforts will not be empowered by God, and no real results will come from it.
O’ there are plenty who serve without the grace of God, and they have numbers to show for it, but their service is not acceptable.
If you really want to serve God acceptably, then you need to do it on your knees. You need to ask for His grace. Ask Him to use you.
Serve with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.
The context here is NOT talking about getting saved. The context here is saved Christians need to serve God.
Many Christians today prefer a brand of Christianity which costs little or nothing. They want an easy religion. Something that will give a comforting religious experience without asking very much from them.
Something that is entertaining and yet will soothe the conscience. But service – forget that. Put myself out, and sacrifice – no way. Their attitude is I want my rock-n-roll and my hanky. I want to dance in my chair and see the entertainment and the light show. You can keep the serving a Holy God.
Their attitude is I want to have fun in church on Sunday and then go out and enjoy my sinful fun all week long. You can keep your trying to live a Holy life for Jesus.
They want a God who is their buddy. A God who is only Love and nothing else. A God who is fine with sin. They don’t want a God who they need to serve with reverence and godly fear. They don’t want a God who is a consuming fire.
Their problem is that the only God that exists is to be served with reverence and godly fear.
The only God that does exist is a consuming fire.
The God of Sinai is the God of Sion. The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New Testament. The God of the Law is the God of the Gospel. He is a Holy God of justice as well as a merciful God of love.
The right view of God is that of a loving, chastening heavenly Father that should be served with reverence and godly fear.
Now how exactly are we to serve God? After stressing the point so strongly that we are to serve Him Paul will not let that question go unanswered.
Chapter 13 is the conclusion to the whole matter. Paul has been dealing in this letter with Christians who want to stop serving and worshipping Jesus. The point has been driven home over and over not to do that and why.
Instead we are to have faith and serve Him to the end. To finish up that whole argument, it is only fitting to conclude with details of how we are to serve.
Heb 13:1 Let brotherly love continue.
It does not say create brotherly love or manufacture it. But let it continue. As Christians we automatically have brotherly love. It stems from the Holy Spirit that lives in our heart.
Brotherly love cannot be generated – instead it must be cultivated.
You have to let the love from your Spirit filled heart flow out. You have to let it do its work. Let God show forth His love thru you. It is not that we need more love, it is that we have to use what we have. We are to let brotherly love continue.
You still have the old sin nature within you, and so do I, and so does every other brother and sister in Christ. It might be somewhat easy to love a brother when you first meet. But that day comes where he messes up. When they say or do something wrong, or even hurt your feelings.
What then, let brotherly love continue. Loving your brother in Christ, especially when they are not very loveable, that is a form of service to God. It helps to keep peace and unity in the body. It is just part of our reasonable service to put aside our pride and let brotherly love continue.
Heb 13:2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.
Can someone give me an example? Who in the Bible entertained angels and were not aware of it?
Jdg 6:20 And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay [them] upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.
Jdg 6:21 Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that [was] in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.
Jdg 6:22 And when Gideon perceived that he [was] an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.
Be not forgetful to entertain strangers. We are to be kind and help others when the opportunity presents itself. Even if we don’t know them.
Another place of service is our compassion.
Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
We are to consider the afflictions of others as our own. We are to show kindness and render assistance. A good thought here is, what if that was me? How would I want my brothers and sisters in Christ to respond if that was my adversity?
Sometimes we need to help with a shoulder to cry on. Sometimes there might be something practical we can do to help, sometimes there is not. One thing that we can always do is pray.
Col 4:12 Epaphras, who is [one] of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always labouring fervently for you in prayers,
We can provide support through prayers when we cannot be there or offer other direct assistance. And when we pray we need to pray from the heart. Pray like it is your adversity.
I believe that it is very encouraging to know that others are praying for you. I mean really fervently praying for you by name and according to your need.
Next he mentions marriage. Marriage is God’s institution, not mans. He has the right to make the rules. Marriage is special. In fact it was the only Divine institution given to man while he was still in a state of innocence. That is right. Before sin entered into the world there was marriage.
Heb 13:4 Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.
Paul continues to exhort that our duties match our doctrine. Any and all sexual activity outside of marriage is unclean. We are to honor God’s institutions.
Heb 13:5 [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.
Heb 13:6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.
Covetousness is the sin of discontent. It is like blasphemy in disguise for it says God is not treating me fairly. It is saying God you have not given me enough. Covetousness is greed. It is being unthankful to God.
It is not having faith in God’s ability to know what you need.
Here is a good quote, Contentment is not found in having everything you want, but in being satisfied with everything you have.
We are to be content with our possessions and our position in Him. Notice attached to not coveting is the statement, for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Our portion is not stuff, it is Jesus. And an awareness of His presence and His purpose for your life will cure discontent.
Heb 13:7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation.
Who is this speaking about when it says remember them which have the rule over you?
This is not talking about the government. It says who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow.
We are to remember the pastors. This would include speaking well of them, honoring them, obeying their teaching and obeying their administration. God does have an authority structure and He gave us under shepherds.
Notice that it says whose faith follow. We are not to blindly follow a man. We are to follow his faith. So as long as what the pastor tells us lines up with this book, then we are to follow it.
Now comes an exhortation to be steadfast in doctrine.
Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.
Some people really abuse verse 8. Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. The charismatic healer will say Jesus healed in the past and gave that ability to the apostles and because Jesus does not change He is doing the same thing today.
The verse is not talking about Jesus’ actions. Jesus does not always do the same thing. For example He was whipped once, He was crucified once. There are things that Jesus has an appointed season for and after that they are done. Healing is one of those.
The context of the verse is talking about doctrine. Verse 8 is right before verse 9 for a reason.
Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
Jesus the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever, the context here is talking about His doctrine and His nature. Jesus is not going to change His teaching on how to get saved for example. Jesus is not going to change His teaching on the Church, or baptism, or or or.
Since Jesus is the same in His person, He is the same in His teaching and so we should be steadfast in His doctrine.
Heb 13:10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
Heb 13:11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.
The one sacrifice that had to be burned without the camp was the Sin Offering.
Heb 13:12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
Jesus was sacrificed for our Sin and so He was crucified without the gate.
Heb 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
Make no mistake – those who identify with Jesus and confess Him openly will suffer persecution. We are to bear His reproach.
Heb 13:14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
The reproach that we suffer is only temporary. This is not our home. Keep your eyes upon eternity. Keeping your eyes upon being with our Lord in heaven puts persecution into perspective.
Next we are to offer sacrifices to God, and we are to do it continually.
Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
We are not to sacrifice lambs or goats or bulls today. But we are still to offer sacrifices. The sacrifice of praise to God giving thanks to his name and to do good. It says with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Some might say giving praise to God is not a sacrifice. Well that is not what the Bible says. How can giving praise be a sacrifice?
How about when you don’t feel like it? When you are sick perhaps. How about when something bad happens. How about thanking God for the trial.
We are also to do good. There are many ways to do good. We would more easily think of this as being a sacrifice. It takes time, planning, and effort. Often it is just flat out work. It can be our giving, or working in the nursery, helping someone out, the list could be endless.
It also says to communicate forget not. Telling others about Jesus is also doing good. Perhaps the greatest good there is. And God says with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Yes we are to serve and sacrifice. We are to be thankful and do good.
Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.
Obey the pastors. They are not to be dictators or tyrants. They do not rule for themselves but for God. They are to lead by example and we are to follow. And if we do not then it will be unprofitable for who? It says unprofitable for us.
Heb 13:18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
Heb 13:19 But I beseech [you] the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Paul asks for prayer. You see his belief in prayer. He says, pray for us, that I may be restored to you the sooner. Paul expected that if they prayed that he would be released sooner. As Christians we are to take prayer very seriously and we are to spend time in prayer.
Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen.
We are to be submitted to our Lord Jesus and let Him do His will, working in us that which is wellpleasing in His sight and not ours.
Heb 13:22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
Paul says suffer the word of exhortation. A good part of this letter has been a strong exhortation. In some places it has been really strong. Paul wrote it that way because they needed it. It was what they needed to hear.
It is what all Christians need to hear. That is why it is in the cannon of Scripture.
He says Suffer it. Take the exhortation. Put it into action. Follow it. It is what is best for you. It is what honors God. So put away your foolishness and your pride and heed it. It is good advice.
Heb 13:23 Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.
Heb 13:24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.
Heb 13:25 Grace [be] with you all. Amen.