Put Others First
Hebrews 13:1-3
April 3, 2016
I told you last week that we were studying
The final invitation of the book of Hebrews.
After almost 12 chapters of doctrine the writer culminated
With a very descriptive and powerful invitation to all those
Who were on the fence regarding what to do with Jesus.
The writer likened it to when the children of Israel
Came out of Egypt and stood before God at Mount Sinai.
• At that moment they were given the Law and they had a decision to make.
• They chose to agree to the Law, but then failed and were judged severely.
Like them, we are now standing before God’s mountain as well.
It is not a mountain that can be touched,
But it is one that can be approached.
They stood before Sinai, we stand before Zion.
• Mount Sinai warned Israel to stay back,
• Mount Zion bids us to draw near through Christ.
But where they are similar is in the fact that
Both come with a strict penalty for failing to respond correctly.
• Moses warned the children of Israel from earth and they didn’t escape when
they disobeyed.
• The writer asked us if we really thought we would escape if we fail to listen to
the One who is now speaking from heaven.
Obviously the warning is that we should heed the instruction,
Accept the invitation, leave the old life behind
And run to God through Jesus Christ.
That was the final invitation.
However you will notice there is still one more chapter.
This chapter is for everyone who responded to the invitation correctly.
It is the practical side of the invitation.
If you will notice there is a PATTERN IN SCRIPTURE.
Most books of the Bible begin with a section of theology
And end with a section on practical application.
AND OF COURSE THIS IS BY GOD’S DESIGN.
Right living is dependent upon right doctrine.
Right action is dependent upon right belief.
So the writers of the New Testament first addressed our doctrine
And then they addressed our actions.
This reality reminds us that Christianity carries with it
More than just an admonition to believe right.
Christianity also carries with it an admonition to live right.
In fact, one could argue that this is the whole point of Christianity.
Do you remember the problem with the Old Covenant?
It gave instruction, but offered no power to obey it.
That Old Covenant was written on tablets of stone and people were told:
“Thou Shalt Not…”
But as Paul explains to us in Romans 7,
All that did was make our flesh want to do it all the more.
And even though we knew the deed was wrong,
We did it anyway and ended up condemned.
But Jesus fixed that.
Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.”
Jesus fulfilled the Law.
Romans 8:1-4 “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.”
Jesus fulfilled the Law in us and made it possible
For us to now live obedient lives.
This was the New Covenant remember?
Hebrews 8:10 “FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.”
The promise was that God was going to accomplish in us
What we could never accomplish on our own.
He was going to make obedience possible.
The point then is that Christianity should most definitely
Be characterized by holy living.
We don’t live holy to earn salvation, we live holy because
We have been saved from the sin that never allowed us to before.
That is why Scripture can make commands like:
Ephesians 4:17 “So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,”
We are called and we are able to live different.
That makes the expectation obvious.
Once a person comes to Christ it is expected that they then live a holy life.
A person who only sees Christ as a means to live however they want
Has missed the point of Christianity and is marked as a false convert.
Jude 3-4 “Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints. For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.”
We obviously don’t want to be those who deny Jesus
By turning grace into a license to sin.
The point is that Christianity comes with the expectation of holy living.
THAT IS THE APPLICATION SIDE.
• You have been forgiven
• You have been made holy
• You have been set free
• SO LIVE LIKE IT
And that is why Scripture always follows theology with application.
AND THE BOOK OF HEBREWS IS NO DIFFERENT.
The writer has explained why Christ is superior
And now he turns to how Christians should live.
Now certainly, commands like those listed here in the first 6 verses
Could be studied and applied absolutely free of context.
Things like “love” or “hospitality” or compassion or purity or contentment
Really don’t require a context because they are universal commands.
There is never a situation when they are wrong.
But, because we know the context,
It helps us understand the commands even better.
We will remember again that these are Jewish people who have come to Jesus and thus been ostracized from Judaism.
We’ve read many times about the seizure of their property, their ill treatment, and even how they were thrown in prison.
• You will also see later in this chapter that they have been cut off from the temple and all their Jewish tradition and ceremony.
Their life is hard.
And that reality helps make these commands all the more real to us.
WHY?
Because none of the commands listed here are what we would call “NATURAL”.
• None of these commands are the natural inclination of the flesh.
• None of these commands are what you were born wanting to do.
• None of these commands are what your basic nature desires.
Every one of these commands flies contrary
To basic human logic and desire.
And yet they are the absolute expectation of those who claim to have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires and are now living for Jesus.
CONSIDER THESE HEBREWS.
They are suffering, they are ridiculed and persecuted, they are ostracized, they’ve had their property stolen, they are most likely poor.
And any time life gets hard, THE NATURAL INCLINATION IS
To draw back and take care of yourself.
“I can’t help you right now, I’ve got my own problems”
When life gets difficult we are prone to get inward focused and selfish.
When life gets scary we are prone to shrink back and protect what is ours.
The writer looks at these Hebrews in the midst of hardship
And asks them to put aside the natural inclination of the flesh
And do something remarkably difficult.
These are simple commands, but so important.
#1 CONTINUE TO LOVE
Hebrews 13:1
“Let love of the brethren continue.”
Worded like that, it almost sounds like it is in danger of stopping.
It almost sounds like people growing tired of it, or forgetting about it.
As I said, it is not uncommon for people in the midst of their pain
To retreat into their own little self-preservation bubble
And forget about other people entirely.
The writer of Hebrews clearly instructs us not to.
We are to “continue” loving “the brethren”
And even though it is as basic as it gets,
I certainly think FOCUSING ON THIS for a moment is more than warranted.
LOVE IS THE CHIEF CHRISTIAN ATTRIBUTE
It is the ultimate Christian indicator.
If you don’t have love, you don’t have anything.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.”
If you’ve got religion, but not love, then you’ve got nothing.
In fact, if you don’t have love you are not genuine.
1 John 3:13-14 “Do not be surprised, brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death.”
1 John 4:7-11 “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
If you don’t’ love the brethren, you really have no leg to stand on
Regarding calling yourself a Christian.
It is that simple.
I mean, think about it,
How can you claim to be following Jesus, if you aren’t loving?
THAT WAS JESUS TO THE CORE.
I love John 13
John 13:1 “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
“to the end” there literally means “to the max”
Jesus didn’t cut any corners when it came to loving His own.
He loved them with everything He had.
And do you remember what followed that statement?
He got up from the table, took off His outer garment, girded Himself with a towel and began to wash the disciples feet.
Feet that would soon desert Him
Feet that would soon betray Him
Feet that would soon deny Him
After washing their feet He promised them that He was going to lay down His life for them.
And then He said this:
John 13:34-35 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
I mean good luck claiming to be a disciple of Jesus without it.
“Love” must “continue”.
• We already know it is the second greatest commandment to “love your
neighbor as yourself”
• We already know that the entire Old Testament Law is summed up in this
statement, “you shall love your neighbor as yourself”
It is just so obvious that it can’t be missed.
If you don’t love the brethren you are not a Christian
It makes sense then that the writer would say
“Let love of the brethren continue.”
That is what we would call a “No Brainer”
Philippians 2:1-4 “Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”
Yes you may be suffering
Yes you may be persecuted
Yes you may be struggling
But that still does not give you the right
To retreat to a state of selfishness
Where you totally disregard your obligation to your brother.
YOU MUST LOVE.
Some would add here that you must LOVE SACRIFICIALLY,
But this is a STRANGE TERM.
Do you understand that by definition love is self-sacrificing?
That is what love is.
Love is when you sacrifice self for the good of another.
How to God demonstrate love?
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
What act do we call the greatest love a person can give?
John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
Ephesians 5:25 “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her,”
To speak of sacrificial love is almost to imply that
There is a love that doesn’t sacrifice, but there is no such love.
Love is when you sacrifice self for the good of another.
We have a different word for when
You sacrifice others for the good of yourself.
That is called selfishness.
Don’t do it.
“Let love of the brethren continue.”
Fight against the tendency to retreat into your own little corner,
And be willing to put yourself on the back burner for your brother.
It is basic Christianity.
Continue to Love
#2 BE HOSPITABLE
Hebrews 13:2
Boy there is another basic Christian behavior
That has become increasingly non-existent in our culture.
This notion of opening your home to someone else.
You can thank the nightly news for this.
• You turn on the television and some anchorman or woman hand picks the most awful stories about humanity and continually warns you to watch out.
The result is that everyone is terrified of everyone else.
It wasn’t until I watched the news that I realized every stranger wanted to kill my family, burn my house, and kick my dog.
I am grateful that Spur is behind the times on this, but there are many places in our country today where people don’t even know their neighbors
BECAUSE WE’VE BECOME TERRIFIED AND SKEPTICAL OF EVERYONE.
But as Christians the Scripture is clear
And that is an obligation to hospitality.
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers…”
Now in their day hospitality was an essential way of life.
• Hotels were mostly unsanitary and dangerous.
• So when people traveled they depended upon descent people opening their homes.
And it was basic expectation.
A person who didn’t do this was basically revealed
To have been deficient in Christian obligation.
PASTORS were expected to be hospitable.
1 Timothy 3:2 “An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,”
Paul even wrote that in order for a WIDOW to be honored as a widow in the church she must have been hospitable.
1 Timothy 5:9-10 “A widow is to be put on the list only if she is not less than sixty years old, having been the wife of one man, having a reputation for good works; and if she has brought up children, if she has shown hospitality to strangers, if she has washed the saints’ feet, if she has assisted those in distress, and if she has devoted herself to every good work.”
Jesus even mentioned that those who failed to show hospitality were under certain judgment.
Matthew 25:41-45 “Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they themselves also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?’ “Then He will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’”
Christianity comes with the expectation of hospitality.
Feeding the hungry
Clothing the naked
Welcoming the stranger
But can’t you see where these Hebrews might be skeptical?
• What if it was just some wandering Jew wanting to get a better look at my stuff so he can confiscate it?
• What if it is some anti-Christ who is looking to persecute me and my family?
• What if it is a terrorist dressed as a Syrian refugee?
There have always been hundreds of reasons why
You can just dead bolt your door and keep the world away,
AND NONE OF THOSE REASONS ARE CHRISTIAN.
The command is simple.
“Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers”
The word there “neglect” is a word
That is usually translated “forget”
And with that understanding it is a call not to be so self-absorbed
That you fail to see those around you who sure could use some help.
James 2:14-17 “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.”
Don’t forget to take care of the need.
Even if they are “strangers”
And at this point the command alone would certainly be enough,
But the writer actually gives A LITTLE ADDED MOTIVATION.
“for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.”
Now this can be actual angels.
Genesis 19:1-3 “Now the two angels came to Sodom in the evening as Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. And he said, “Now behold, my lords, please turn aside into your servant’s house, and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you may rise early and go on your way.” They said however, “No, but we shall spend the night in the square.” Yet he urged them strongly, so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he prepared a feast for them, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.”
If you’ll remember the story those two angels actually saved Lot’s life by dragging him out of the city of Sodom before God destroyed it by fire.
Lot actually did entertain an angel.
Of course “angels” is a word that can also mean “messengers”
And the implication there could be that in helping strangers
You might find yourself to be helping a minister of God on his mission.
3 John 5-11 “Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially when they are strangers; and they have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God. For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth. I wrote something to the church; but Diotrephes, who loves to be first among them, does not accept what we say. For this reason, if I come, I will call attention to his deeds which he does, unjustly accusing us with wicked words; and not satisfied with this, he himself does not receive the brethren, either, and he forbids those who desire to do so and puts them out of the church. Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is good. The one who does good is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.”
What a shame it would be for someone to be out in service to Christ
And to be lacking basic necessities simply because
We have forgotten to open our eyes to the needs of those around us.
You understand then the call.
It is easy to get self-absorbed, especially when things are hard or frightening in your own life, but don’t.
Even during difficult times the command to love your brother
And be hospitable to strangers remains.
Continue to Love, Be Hospitable
#3 REMEMBER COMPASSION
Hebrews 13:3
“Remember the prisoners”
This isn’t necessary referring to criminals.
The Bible is clear that government exists for the punishment of evil, so things like prison are not wrong.
This is referring to those who are in prison as a result of persecution.
If you’ll remember some of the contemporaries of these very Hebrews
Had been thrown in prison for their faith.
The writer here says not to forget them.
And if we are honest, we know that it can be easy to do.
“out of sight; out of mind”
There are people who are suffering for their faith,
But it is not right here inside my little box
And so I am prone to just forget about it.
I’m prone to not think about what their life is like.
And so the writer says, “Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them”
Do you think you’d be a little more focused
If you were in prison right beside them?
It is the idea of putting yourself in their shoes.
And it carries with it an obvious response of compassion.
• If you’d put yourself in their shoes you’ll probably be more motivated to pray for them.
• If you’d put yourself in their shoes you’ll probably be more motivated to encourage them.
• If you’d put yourself in their shoes you’ll probably be more motivated to minister to their families.
It is an obvious call to compassion.
And not just to prisoners but “those who are ill-treated”
We are talking about showing concern for those who are in danger
And who have been exposed and targeted by the world.
The danger in that is what?
That you might be exposed with them.
If you stand up for someone who is being maligned,
You’d better be ready to be maligned with them.
We talk about this concept with the youth quite a bit.
• We hear a lot about bullying today, and of course bullying is awful.
• And we talk about how when you see someone being bullied you should step in and defend that person.
But when you do, don’t expect to get patted on the back,
You’ll most likely be a sharer in the scorn.
But…your love will not go unnoticed.
Anyone can hide out in the shadows, with a locked door,
And never expose themselves to help a brother
Or even a stranger who might be serving the Lord.
• It’s too risky…
• It’s too dangerous…
• I might get caught…
• I might be put out…
And that UNWILLINGNESS to risk self for another
Is exactly the OPPOSITE of what the writer called for
When he said to “Let love of the brethren continue”
There is a risk
There is a threat
But love is self-sacrificing.
And there is some really good logic to this:
“since you yourselves also are in the body.”
That’s another way of saying, “since you are still on earth”
Guess what, YOU COULD BE NEXT
• Do you really suppose that God loves American Christians more than Syrian Christians?
• Do you really suppose that what is happening to them can’t happen to us?
• Do you really suppose the types of persecution that happen over there can’t happen over here?
And people say, “We know it can, that’s why we have to be careful and not let any of them over here.”
• I agree that sort of thinking is safer, but it’s not very loving.
• I agree that it is rational, but it’s not very hospitable.
• I agree that it is easier, but it’s not very compassionate.
And we are called to be loving, hospitable, and compassionate.
Because it could be you.
And if it was, how would you want to be treated?
Not only is it Christian obligation, but it makes perfect sense.
PUT OTHERS FIRST
That’s what Jesus did, and that’s what we are expected to do.
I want to leave you this morning with a story
Luke 10:25-37 “And a lawyer stood up and put Him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND; AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; DO THIS AND YOU WILL LIVE.” But wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among robbers, and they stripped him and beat him, and went away leaving him half dead. “And by chance a priest was going down on that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. “Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. “But a Samaritan, who was on a journey, came upon him; and when he saw him, he felt compassion, and came to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them; and he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. “On the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, when I return I will repay you.’ “Which of these three do you think proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell into the robbers’ hands?” And he said, “The one who showed mercy toward him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”
