A number of years ago I sat through a church service in San Jose, Costa Rica. I was there on a mission trip, and one of our first tasks was to lead a small congregation in worship. The sermon that day was preached by a man on our mission team concerning the four men lowering their paralytic friend through the roof so that he might be healed by Jesus. His application from the text was that instead of bringing people to a number of things they do not truly need, we should bring them to Jesus – just as the men brought their friend to Jesus.

As I sat there, though, I began asking myself how these individuals were receiving the message. Realistically, if it had been a mostly English-speaking crowd I might have never asked the question. Yet, once I did ask the question, I began realizing how many things we say that really fail to communicate, regardless of the language you speak. Thus, even in that sermon, what does it really mean to “bring people to Jesus”? If I said that to you, you might discern rightly that I mean point people to their need of making Christ, the Lord of their life, repenting of their sins and placing their hope, trust, and faith in him. Yet you could take it to mean that you should look for Jesus walking around somewhere and take people to him, or (if you knew he had ascended and that the church was his body) you might take it to mean that you should bring people to church. Yet both would miss the point.

I bring up this story because I have exhorted you through seventeen messages now to hold fast to your faith and persevere in the faith, to run the race with endurance. And I have tried to spell that out to some degree, highlighting the fact that we must not shrink back from our declaration that Christ is the only way to heaven and that we must never deny him in life and think ourselves okay, for two examples. However, maybe you’re still lacking a bit of direction here and would like more. Maybe week-by-week, you’ve said, “That’s right. I will hold fast. I will obey Christ at all costs. I will live holy and never divert from the path.” And maybe even today as we read from Revelation 20:11-15 in our corporate worship and heard that our good works will be that which vindicates our faith, you’ve said “Yes. I long to do good works, and so here I go.” Yet, you do not know exactly what you should be doing. You have agreed with all the phraseology but you are looking for more specific instruction as to how you should live.

If this is a description of you this morning, then there is good news – this is exactly what Hebrews 13 does. After exhorting his audience to persevere in the Christian faith until death or the Lord returns, the author of Hebrews now tries to lay out specific things they should be doing.

The text, though seemingly pointing in a number of different directions (containing at least 23 exhortations) is probably best seen as verses 1-6 focusing on how these believers should live in the world (i.e. as Christians, not necessarily gathered together on the Lord’s Day, but in Monday through Saturday, if you will), verses 7-19 focusing on how they should live within the church (i.e. toward one another in their gathering, toward their leaders, etc. – though verses 13-14 may be seen as a slight break from this), and verses 20-25 providing a closing benediction, exhortation to obey what has been written, and word of encouragement.

Therefore, this morning I want us to look at this text and attempt to answer for ourselves the questions: how should we live as persevering obedient Christians in the world, how should be live as such in the church, and finally what is our hope of success in these matters?

How should we live as Christians in the world?

The author of Hebrews gives us five exhortations to answer this question. Therefore, I will point out five answers to this question as well.

1. We should focus on loving our brothers in Christ.

The author of Hebrews writes in verse 1, “Let brotherly love continue.” The command to love other believers is found often in the New Testament. In fact, Jesus even told his disciples that the world will know we are his disciples by our love for one another (John 13:34-35). The implication of that verse is not that we simply gather behind closed doors and display great affection and kindness toward one another but that that love is displayed in the midst of the world.

Therefore, if the world cannot clearly discern our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, then we are detracting from our witness to Christ. And if we display a lack of love or even contempt for another brother or sister in Christ before the world, then we are sending the message that we are not a follower of Christ and do not love God. For if we cannot love him whom we can see, how can we claim to love one whom we cannot see?

In short, we must focus on loving one another in the midst of the world, providing for one another’s needs, encouraging one another, serving one another, etc.

2. We must be hospitable people, even to strangers.

Verse two reads: “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unaware.”

Christians are to be hospitable people, willing to provide for people and entertaining them in our homes. A Christian’s home should be a welcoming place, not an area in which we seek to go to shut out others. If Christians were designing houses in a subdivision, it should be filled with large front porches, that we might spend time there and welcome all who might come and enjoy conversation and reap from our hospitality.

The supreme example alluded to in Scripture of great hospitality is Abraham’s entertaining of heavenly messengers in Genesis 18:2-15, which is probably the reason the author writes, “For thereby [i.e. in showing hospitality] some have entertained angels unaware.” We are to be a loving people and a hospitable people.

3. We must be concerned for and align ourselves with other Christians who are suffering.

Having studied through the book of Hebrews, we have often heard that these individuals who first received this letter were undergoing persecution. Therefore, they are often called to endure such persecution and persevere in their confession of Christ. And possibly each week you’ve thought, “This is great, but I’m not really undergoing great persecution, and so this is hardly applicable to me.” However, in this thirteenth chapter the author shows us what we should do even if we are not going through persecution as other are. He writes in verse 3, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them and those who are mistreated, since you are also in the body.”

Therefore, as Christians, we should be concerned for and align ourselves with other Christians who are suffering. We should be intentional about thinking of other Christians in difficult situations, praying for them, encouraging them (via phone, e-mail, letters, etc. if possible), and asking the Lord for his kingdom to be consummated that such suffering might be completely eliminated and their faith and righteousness vindicated. Realize in such actions that the position could very easily be reversed, and so love them even as you yourselves would long to be loved.

4. We must understand the high significance and marriage and avoid all sexual immorality.

The author of Hebrews writes in verse 4, “Let marriage be held in honor among you and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Marriage must be held in honor among Christians in the world. We know one chief way that is to be done is in the husband and wife accurately reflecting the relationship of Christ and the church. But the manner focused on in this text is that we honor marriage in honoring the marriage bed.

But what does it mean to honor the marriage bed? We could speculate, but we do not have to, for the author defines it in the last part of verse 4 writing, “For God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” Among believers in the world, marriage must be honored by believers avoiding all sexual immorality and adultery. This covers all sexual immorality, regardless of your marital status. If you are single and want to honor marriage, then avoid all sexual activity outside of marriage. And if you are married, then avoid all sexual immorality outside of your marriage. Christians must be sexually moral, for otherwise we will dishonor that gift which God has given to reflect the gospel – marriage.

5. Finally, we are to be content with what we have and free from the love of money.

Covetousness is something is a strong temptation, and a sin that can be easily hidden (at least for a while). However, Christians are to be free from the love of money and content with what we have. Thus, verse 5 reads: “Keep your life free from the love of money and be content with what you have …”

We must not allow our hearts to long for money above holiness, and we must not covet. Thus, you must not covet another’s spouse, situation in life, intelligence, appearance, possessions, etc. For all of these things show that you are no different from those who do not know Christ.

But when these things are so tempting, how do we avoid such sin? The answer is in the latter part of verse 5. There, the author writes, “… for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” The way we strengthen ourselves to be content and not to love money is by focusing on how glorious the Lord is and remembering that he will never leave you nor forsake you. We strengthen ourselves by reminding ourselves that we have a better possession that anything we see in this world. We have Christ and all that we has accomplished for us.

Thus, we are to love, show hospitality, remember those who are suffering, honor marriage, and be content and free from the love of money by treasuring Christ above all else. These things should be a strong focus of ours week-by-week as we live the Christian life.

How should we then live in the church (i.e. as we gather, toward our leaders, etc.)?

This question seems to be answered in four parts. Therefore, I will give us four answers to this question.

1. We should remember our leaders who obeyed Christ before us and imitate their faith.

This command we read in verse 7, and most scholars agree that he is talking about those leaders in the church who have now died. Thus, this is a call to remember those who have come before us in the church and aided us in understanding Scripture, considering their way of life, and imitating their faith.

It is this command that drives me every year to read about the life and work of at least one believer who has come before us and has now died. For these men have run the race to the end and were found faithful. But do they really relate to us? Yes. How? The author answers, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

The Christ they served that was glorious enough to give their lives for and was powerful enough to sustain them, will be equally glorious and strong as we press on to obey in a similar fashion as those men. Therefore, remember such men, consider their way of life, and imitate their faith.

2. We should actively learn doctrinal teaching from God’s word that our hearts might be strengthened for obedience as we go into the world.

The author of Hebrews writes in verse 9, “Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.” Apparently, there was a teaching that eating certain foods strengthened individual’s hearts to be spiritually strong, and some were being tempted to be led away by it.

In our own day individuals are teaching that God does not know the future, that salvation is attained by the works of the law, that hell is not eternal punishment, and that Christ is not the only way. So how do you keep from being led away by such teachings? One way is by actively learning what God’s Word teaches us, that our hearts might be strengthened so that as we go out from here (‘outside the camp’) we might endure reproach with endurance, focusing on a city that is not ours.

Thus, as you gather, focus on learning what the Scripture teaches (especially from those teachers God has given the church), that it may be an anchor for your soul. This includes theology and practice which the Scripture teaches. Both must be loved and sought after as we gather together.

3. We should worship God in acknowledging and praising him and in doing good to one another.

In verses 15-16 we read, “Through him, then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

When we gather on Sunday morning, one of the reasons we confess Christ, respond to the Scripture in song, corporate readings, and the ordinances is because such is our “sacrifice of praise to God.” We are acknowledging that we have heard and receive the Word of God. We are communicating in this divine dialogue on Sunday mornings. And yet we do not simply do this neglecting one another. But we also gather to care for one another. That is why Sunday evenings are focused on prayer for one another and we put back money so that we might always be able to provide for one another’s needs. It’s one reason why we give our money in offerings. We gather to worship the Lord in praising him in acknowledging his name and in loving our brothers and sisters.

4. Finally, we should submit to and pray for our leaders as those who will give an account for our souls.

In verses 17-18, the author writes, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.”

One of the great blessings the Lord has given to his church are leaders (elders, pastors), who have answered his call to oversee and give an account for his people. Therefore, one of the assuring things as you run the race is that men are laboring to ensure you run it well, for they will have to give an account for your soul. In fact, I think that the vindication of leaders’ faith in the church will be the lives of those with whom they were charged to give an account. Thus, Paul writes to the Thessalonians, “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20).

Thus, though you must ensure they are teaching the Scripture accurately so that this command is not a blank check, one of your commands as a believer is that you submit to your leaders and allow them to oversee you with joy. Do not be complaining and make them do this with groaning, for you need them to do their job well. And pray for them, that as they desire to obey the Lord, they indeed might live obedient lives.

Thus, we should imitate the faith of those before us, receiving teaching in accordance with God’s word, worship God in praise and in doing good for one another, and in submitting to and praying for our leaders.

Now, this is a lot, I know. And it is a high and difficult calling. So, how do we keep from being crushed by these commands.

How do we have hope for obedience?

How do we keep this from being a discouraging text? We remember that God is working in us to accomplish what he commands, even as Augustine prayed, “Lord, command what you will and will what you command.” So the author of Hebrews writes, “Now may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good, that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (20-21).

Our hope is that God, who has done everything to accomplish our salvation will equip us to continue to obey. Therefore, as we come to the table, let it remind us of what he has done already by his grace, and what he will do by his grace. Let us realize that he grace will indeed be with us all (25). Amen.

GUIDELINES FOR LIVING IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD