Hebrews 13 1 st March 2015

This is the conclusion to our studies in Hebrews Last week we also concluded our series on Acts 2 v 42

Acts 2 v 42: The early church devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer

Hebrews 13 talks about similar things, but in a different order

Verses 1 to 5: Fellowship lived out through love Verses 7 to 9: Teaching from Godly leaders Verses 10 to 17: Remembering Jesus’ death Verses 18 to 21: Praying for others

1. Fellowship lived out through love

Verse 1 – we are family Love is the foundation for fellowship

Verses 2 to 5a – love in action Love shows hospitality, it weeps with those who weep, it is pure and it is not greedy

1 Corinthians 13 v 4 and 5 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self- seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

Verse 5b – God’s promise: “I will never leave you” A great comfort to all who are facing persecution and hardship – God is in it with us

2. Teaching from Godly leaders

Verse 7 Their past leaders taught the word of God and lived by faith The result was a fruitful life

Verse 8 The Hebrew Christians were being tempted to reject the Christ who had saved them The Christ we preach today must be the same Christ as was preached by the early church

1 Corinthians 1 v 22 to 24: Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Verse 9 There will be false teachers - Matthew 7 v 15 says “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves”. We need God’s grace to protect us

3. Remembering Jesus’ death

Verse 10 At what altar do we eat? The cross of Jesus

Verses 11 and 12 Jesus is our sin offering We are made holy by His blood

Verses 13 and 14 We are called to suffer in the same way as Christ And our reward will be an “enduring city” – eternal life

Verses 15 to 17 – our response A new kind of sacrifice – praise of His name from willing lips, sharing with others and obedience to our leaders

Romans 12 v 1 and 2: Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.

4. Praying for others

Verses 18 and 19 We must respond to those who need our prayers Are we doing this?

Verses 20 and 21 The writer asks God to bless the Hebrew Christians and to work through them And all the glory will go to Jesus

Verses 22 to 25 Even after all the doctrine and exhortations, the writer still wants to pass on personal messages After all, we are family