Hebrew 13: 1–9, 17–19
“Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. 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.”
So we say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?”
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so.
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.”
The final chapter
For 12 chapters of Hebrews, we have these lofty ideas about the supremacy and superiority of Jesus. He is better than anything that we might settle for. Chapter 13 contains practical instruction about how the Christian life is lived. It’s necessary instruction for us.
These practical instructions in Chapter 13 are the way that we live a life of gratitude and worship. How I live my life—my actions and responses, how I treat people, the decisions I make—is an expression of worship.
Admittedly, chapter 13 seems disjointed with a handful of different two-line sermons.
Love those inside the church
A word to our church; keep at it. Keep on loving one another. I am so impressed by the atmosphere of love and acceptance and care and compassion that has marked our church family for so many years.
We don’t take that for granted. We know it doesn’t happen by accident. That has consistently marked this church. Let’s keep at it.
Love those outside
The author says, “do not forget to entertain strangers.” Behind this idea of entertaining strangers is the concept of hospitality and offering them practical comfort. When it says to entertain strangers, we tend to think of entertaining as cleaning the house, putting out the fancy dishes, and serving an elaborate meal to some friends.
But the concept of hospitality in the Bible is very different. It’s much more about extending a hand of friendship, particularly to those who are in need. It implies a concern for social justice. It’s engaging with the disadvantaged and the under-resourced. Love starts inside and from a strong base of a loving church family it flows out into the community.
Love the Persecuted
“Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.” In a 2020 report, 260 million Christians faced persecution globally. 3711 Christians were detained without trial, arrested, sentenced, and imprisoned.
The writer says, “remember those in prison.” Become aware of persecuted Christians. Engage with organizations that work with the persecuted church. As we live our lives with significant freedoms, we remember those who are in prison for the gospel. The writer says, “as if you were their fellow prisoner.” When one suffers, we all suffer.
Love your spouse
Marriage should be honoured by all.
Whether you are in a good marriage or a difficult one, whether you are single by choice or single in this moment, as followers of Jesus we affirm and honour Biblical marriage.
The marriage bed be kept pure.
God’s core purpose for sex is to bind husband and wife together in a one flesh relationship. Each partner will guard their lives sexually so that when they come together their intimacy will not be impeded by actions or attitudes or attachments to anyone or anything.
God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.
The word adulterer refers to a person who has sex with someone other than their spouse. The term sexually immoral refers to sex outside of the marriage relationship.
Don’t love money
“Keep your lives free from the love of money.” Money is not the problem—the problem is when a person loves money. Paul says it in 1 Tim 6:10, “…the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
Money has this deceptive way of drawing you into its grip. The writer tells us here to keep our lives free from the love of money. We shouldn’t underestimate just how difficult that is in a culture that loves money. As followers of Jesus, we understand that God has given us everything we have. God doesn’t want you to be stressed about money.
He quotes from Psalm 118 and here’s the message: as an expression of my worship, I trust God to provide for me. He knows what I need, and I trust Him to provide for me in His way and in His time. As an expression of worship, I reject the love of money and I embrace contentment. I will be content with what God allows me to have and experience.
Spiritual leaders
In a 2017 Gallup poll done in the US found that the level of trust in pastors have dropped steadily since 2009. Thirty-five years ago, 67% of Americans put pastors in a category of being trustworthy. In 2017 it had dropped to 25%.
There are a number of factors; moral failure of high profile pastors, our penchant to value charisma over character so that leaders have gotten away with abusive behaviour because they could continue to draw a crowd, and many other factors.
Some of you know about spiritual abuse firsthand. You were part of a group or a church where a leader or group of leaders damaged people. Given all these realities, I’m aware of how sensitive this topic of leadership is. I know that when we come to a passage that contains words like, “obey” and “submit” that it’s terrifying.
And yet spiritual leadership is the provision of God for the church of Jesus to flourish. Jesus chose 12 men and trained them. One failed miserably and the other went on to lead the church.
What is a spiritual leader?
In this passage we see seven things that describe a spiritual leader in the life of the church:
They speak the word of God (verse 7)
Central to spiritual leadership is speaking God’s word. Leaders may have opinions on many things, but a spiritual leader’s task is not to share opinions. Our task is to bring God’s word to those who will hear it. And where God’s word doesn’t speak to an issue, we should leave the matter alone.
Live as an example of faith to be imitated.
In spiritual leadership you conduct yourself in such a way that if people imitate your faith the result is that they look more like Jesus. Think of Paul’s words in 1 Cor 11:1, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.”
Keep watch over the people of God (verse 17)
Every one of us is responsible for the wellbeing of our own soul—our own relationship with God. But spiritual leaders keep watch and are attentive to the spiritual wellbeing of God’s people.
They serve with joy.
In 1 Peter 5:2 the author writes, “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be not pursuing dishonest gain but eager to serve.”
Spiritual leaders find delight in serving. The author says in Hebrews 13:17 that when a pastor leads with a sense of joy it is to the advantage of the church. When a spiritual leader doesn’t lead from a place of joy the people suffer.
They are accountable.
In verse 17 he writes of leaders that they must give an account. To be accountable is to understand that your life and ministry is an open book and that within your structure is a group of leaders who are given the responsibility to call you to account.
Brings advantage to those he/she leads.
In verse 17 he writes about the leader’s work and makes the point that it is for the advantage of those served. A spiritual leader is not in it for their own advancement. In the gospels you see Jesus’s disciples arguing over who was the greatest among them and who would get the positions of highest privilege & power when Jesus came to political power. And Jesus continually reminds them that in the kingdom He came to establish, whoever wants to be great must be servant of all.
Live Honourably (verse 18)
Let’s go back to 1 Peter 5 to the passage directed at spiritual leaders in the church. He says they are shepherds who care for sheep and watch over them. Then in verse 3 he writes, “not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” It’s a description of spiritual abuse and what leaders should not do.
What’s our response to spiritual leaders?
Remember them (verse 7)
Be mindful and appreciative of those who have taught you God’s word and modelled faith in Christ. Value your spiritual leaders.
Imitate the faith of faithful leaders.
Every leader is human and won’t be perfect or live out their faith perfectly but look for those Godly qualities in your leaders and imitate their faith.
Don’t get carried away by strange teaching (verse 9)
Don’t get drawn away from the simple gospel message of salvation by faith in Christ. Beware of leaders who come with a new truth that God has revealed only to them.
Obey your leaders (verse 17)
The word translated “obey” can mean “to comply” but it also carries the idea “trusting in” or “having confidence in.” In the NIV it reads, “be confident in your leaders.”
As they are trustworthy, you trust them, and you give them the benefit of the doubt when you don’t understand or agree with them. Obedience is not absolute.
Submit
The word translated “submit” is only used here in the N.T. Elsewhere it’s a different Greek word. Here, it carries the idea of willing compliance, or a disposition of yielding.
There are limits and boundaries. It is not unquestioning and absolute compliance. When it comes to that leader’s words, he or she speaks authoritatively when they are speaking biblical truth.
Pray for your spiritual leaders (verse 18)
As you pray for spiritual leaders it sets your heart in a good place to support them in the work they are doing. Secondly, you pray for them because they are human and therefore need God’s help and protection. They have weaknesses, they are vulnerable to temptations, and they are prone to distractions and discouragement.
Thank God for them as ones He has appointed to care for and lead God’s people. Pray that they will have God’s wisdom. Pray that they would walk humbly and serve with joy.
— Notes from Pastor Marvin Wojda’s sermons on August 1st and 8th, 2021
CLICK HERE to watch the Hebrews 13 sermons on YouTube.