2007 Book of Hebrews Series – “A
Short Letter”
Hebrews 13:17-25
Sermon preached at Curwensville Presbyterian Church – October 28, 2007 –
Reformation Sunday
Prayer Introduction: This morning we will finish our look at the Book of Hebrews. Before we get to it, here’s what we are going to do in November: It is a time of year when we talk about stewardship – the giving of our Time, Talents and Financial offerings to God. Instead of a focus on giving, we are going to focus on getting – what God’s Word says about getting MORE time, talents and money. That’s right, we are going to look at how to get more time, more talents and more money. If you’ve ever said, “I just don’t have enough time;” or, “I wish I could play the piano like Sandy Buhler;” or, “I don’t know how I’m going to pay all of these bills;” than the November sermons are for you.
On to the task at
hand –
Sermon Introduction: One of my favorite Martin Luther quotes, especially at Christmas – “The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid.” All of God’s written Word reveals his incarnate Word – Jesus.
I. Obey Your Leaders (vv.17-19)
If you don’t know Jesus, the first command – in verses 17-19 – will rub you wrong. “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage 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.”
Last Sunday night, Bob Edwards and the Ledford family went to DuBois and saw the birth of a new church. The Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church officially became a new church in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). One of the pastors present used these verses in giving a charge to the newly ordained Elder.
He said to the congregation, “Let me encourage you all to be selfish.” Abbi turned around and said, “Selfish?! Why is he telling the church to be selfish?!” Because verse 17 shows what will be to be your advantage, what will be best for you. Think about what will be best for you. What will be best – for you?! To obey your leaders and submit to their authority.
What a wonderful way to look at this passage. It is in our best interest to obey our leaders and submit to their authority.
One of the questions teenage students frequently ask me is, “Am I supposed to obey my parents if they ask me to do something sinful?!” The answer is a resounding, “No!” We are to obey and submit to those in authority, except if they are asking you to do something sinful.
We have many leaders, and people in authority, in our lives – government officials, parents, a boss, a husband – but this verse especially has in mind the leaders in the church; namely, the Elders.
Last week we looked at verse 7, which told the Hebrews – “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.” Godly leaders, lead by example. Remember the pastors and elders, who taught you God’s Word.
This is made difficult by the mixed bag a church (like this one) has had in pastors. You have had pastors who did not speak God’s Word to you, but gave you their own opinion – sometimes you agreed, and sometimes you didn’t. You have had pastors who spoke God’s Word, but didn’t live it out very well. And certainly the elders have been inconsistent.
Verse 17 says that all leaders must one day stand before God and give an account for their leadership. That will be an unhappy occasion for many leaders.
And yet, as much as this can harden us – make us cynical – of pastors and leaders; my prayer is that you can remember other leaders who did preach God’s Word and lived out genuine faith – not perfectly, but consistently.
Leaders will stand before God to give an account of their leadership; but all disciples will also stand before God to give an account of their following. Did you use bad leadership as an excuse not to follow the good leaders?
In fact, did bad leadership compel you – all the more – to find and follow good leadership?
Let me make this a bit personal, like the author does in verses 18-19. Pray for me. I desire to live honorably and to serve you well. However, I am human – a fallen human – and leading you is no easy task; especially because of the number of people who have become hardened.
There are many who have no interest in obeying God’s Word – and it often makes this job more a burden than a joy. Last year, when we looked at the “9 Marks of a Healthy Church” we considered how we are to listen to sermons; and I suggested that if a sermon is boring that it may be more your fault than mine.
A congregation that comes to church FOR God’s Word, WITH God’s Word and TO God’s Word energizes a preacher. A congregation that desires to obey their leaders (who are following God’s Word) makes leadership a joy, rather than a burden.
There is so much more that could be said, but we need to move on…
II. Benediction (vv.20-21)
Pastors often use verses 20-21 as a benediction at the end of a funeral service. Take a moment and think of someone you love that has passed away. Now listen to the hope of the resurrected Christ in these words. Verses 20-21 – “May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Jen & I and our girls were in New Jersey Friday and Saturday for a funeral. The mother of one of our best friends finished the race after a long battle with Uterine Cancer. I told the family that over the last week, when I was praying for her I was overwhelmed with the reality that soon she would be with Jesus – standing in the very presence of God.
We call it resurrection hope – and I’m not sure I have ever felt it so strongly. And the funeral service was truly a time of worship – celebrating the resurrection hope we have in Christ.
If there is no righteousness in Christ, there is no righteousness for us.
If there is no Christ shedding his blood for our sins, than we must still pay for our sins.
If there is no Christ, the great Shepherd, than we are still lost sheep.
The good news is that there is a Christ – his name is Jesus – and through Christ the God of peace equips us with everything good to do his will. He works in us that which is pleasing to him. Our friend’s mom was not good by nature – she was a wretched sinner like the rest of us; but saved by God’s grace, through Christ, she was equipped with everything good for doing God’s will. She did God’s will – not by her own strength – but through the great Shepherd.
Martin Luther said – “Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.”
Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord? Is the God of peace equipping you with everything good for doing his will? Are you doing what is pleasing to him, through Jesus? To God alone be the glory if you are.
III. A Short Letter (vv.22-24)
The author of Hebrews begins his conclusion in verses 22-24 – “Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter. I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. Greet all your leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.”
You have to laugh: “For I have written you only a short letter.” I bet the author of Hebrews never imagined a pastor taking 10 months and 36 sermons to read this “short letter.” Let it be known that others have taken even longer. John Piper spent 2 years preaching through Hebrews to his church.
Martin Luther said, “If I am not allowed to laugh in heaven, I don't want to go there.” Martin, we will laugh and laugh and laugh.
We will laugh that it took 10 months to read a short letter. And we will laugh that after 10 months we still feel like there is more that we don’t understand, than we do understand.
There is always more to understand. We never stop learning; we never stop growing. But who would want to stop growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ?!
I can remember as a child the place in our house where we would measure our height; and celebrating every time I grew – even a little bit.
How much more joy do we experience when we grow spiritually – understanding something new of who God is, gaining victory over a sin, developing a spiritual gift, having a part of God’s Word finally make sense, drawing near to God in prayer.
It is absolute, pure, joy to draw near to God and worship him with fellow believers.
Imagine the joy of the Hebrews in hearing the news that Timothy had been released from prison – where he had been placed for preaching the gospel. Imagine the joy in hearing that Timothy and the author of this letter would be coming to visit.
This short letter was sent to whet the appetite for more. So, our church’s vision statement reflects that coming to “Know Christ” flows into a desire to “Grow in Christ” and the desire to “Show the love of Christ.” If you know Christ, you want to know him more and more – and want to show him to others.
IV. Grace Be With You All (v.25)
The last verse summarizes it so well. Verse 25 – “Grace be with you all.” It is by grace that we have come to know the Lord and it is by his continued grace that we grow, and show his love to others.
This past week we talked about the complaint of some people that the sermons are “too negative.” And it was observed, that it isn’t negative if you listen to the whole thing with ears of faith. It is only in understanding and acknowledging our sin that we can know Christ and grow in his grace.
Grace is an empty word to those who don’t reflect on their sin. God’s grace only amazes those who know they are wretches. As Christians we celebrate that we have been found, because we were so lost; that we can see, having been so blind.
There is no spiritual growth to be found in ourselves, and our own efforts; it is to be found in the gracious provision of God. The same place that we first found salvation is the same place we go to be made holy. We must go to the cross of Christ – drawing near to the throne of grace.
That is what the book of Hebrews is about. That is what the Christian faith is about. We must discover the depths of our sin, that we might go to the Lord and discover the depths of His love.
Generic confession of sin brings generic grace – common grace. Repentant confession of specific sins is rooted in the saving grace of God in Jesus Christ and brings about the true change we are seeking.
This is why one wise man summarized the Christian faith well by saying, “Cheer up, you’re a lot worse than you think you are. And cheer up, God’s grace is a lot greater than you think it is.”
At the beginning of the Valley of Vision, a collection of old Puritan Prayers comes this prayer: “Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory. Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision.”
Grace be with you all.
MAY THE TRUTH SET YOU FREE – AMEN!