Welcome to of the book,
the program that explores
00:00:20.53\00:00:24.08
the word of God book by book,
00:00:24.12\00:00:25.98
just as the word of God reads.
00:00:26.02\00:00:27.82
I'm Ty Gibson and with me
is my co-host James Rafferty,
00:00:27.85\00:00:31.43
and we are in our
concluding study in the
00:00:31.46\00:00:34.39
book of Hebrews James.
00:00:34.43\00:00:35.56
So, would like to invite
our friends to grab a Bible,
00:00:35.60\00:00:38.16
pull up a chair,
and look at Hebrews
00:00:38.19\00:00:40.41
chapter 13 with us.
00:00:40.44\00:00:41.97
And you know, Ty it
has been incredible.
00:00:42.01\00:00:43.65
It's been quite a journey.
00:00:43.68\00:00:44.80
It's been a fast
journey and we want to be sure
00:00:44.84\00:00:47.27
and emphasize for all of
our listeners and viewers
00:00:47.30\00:00:49.70
that we have not been
able to cover in detail
00:00:49.73\00:00:52.46
the book of Hebrews.
00:00:52.49\00:00:53.46
In these short
sessions together.
00:00:53.47\00:00:55.20
I mean there's
so much more here.
00:00:55.24\00:00:56.87
We've had to skip
a number of verses.
00:00:56.91\00:00:58.47
We just want to encourage
you that these programs
00:00:58.51\00:01:01.60
are given to encourage
you to go back into the
00:01:01.63\00:01:04.69
Bible and study
it for yourselves.
00:01:04.72\00:01:06.29
Allow God to become the
One who leads and directs and
00:01:06.33\00:01:10.42
strengthens your faith
through the study and through
00:01:10.45\00:01:14.50
the understanding
of the word of God.
00:01:14.54\00:01:16.31
In our previous study
together James, we saw that
00:01:16.35\00:01:18.90
the book of
Hebrews has two very,
00:01:18.94\00:01:21.60
very prominent guiding themes.
00:01:21.63\00:01:24.22
One of those themes is
the idea of superior things,
00:01:24.26\00:01:27.98
or better things.
00:01:28.02\00:01:29.02
13 times in the book,
the word better is used,
00:01:29.05\00:01:32.84
which means superior in
strength, more powerful and
00:01:32.87\00:01:36.77
over and over again Paul
is bringing home to us this
00:01:36.80\00:01:40.63
idea that in Jesus Christ,
we have a superior priesthood,
00:01:40.67\00:01:46.02
a superior
sacrifice, a superior revelation
00:01:46.06\00:01:49.32
of God's character.
00:01:49.35\00:01:50.57
Every thing in
Christ supersedes everything
00:01:50.61\00:01:53.94
that has gone before Him.
00:01:53.98\00:01:55.21
In fact, Hebrews chapter
1 introduces a better God,
00:01:55.24\00:01:58.43
Hebrews 2 a better man.
00:01:58.47\00:01:59.62
Hebrews three introduces
a better home, that God has
00:01:59.65\00:02:02.78
established for us.
00:02:02.82\00:02:03.79
Hebrews 4 a better rest.
00:02:03.80\00:02:04.91
Hebrews 5, a better obedience.
00:02:04.95\00:02:07.02
Hebrews 6 better promises.
00:02:07.05\00:02:09.05
Hebrews 7, we have
a better priesthood.
00:02:09.09\00:02:11.12
Hebrews 8, a better sanctuary.
00:02:11.15\00:02:13.33
Hebrews 9, or a covenant,
Hebrews 9 a better sanctuary.
00:02:13.36\00:02:16.24
Hebrews 10, a better sacrifice.
00:02:16.28\00:02:18.81
Hebrews 11 better faith.
00:02:18.85\00:02:20.18
Hebrew 12 a better
experience, and so vice a versa.
00:02:20.21\00:02:23.34
What we see here in the
book of Hebrews is something
00:02:23.38\00:02:26.47
better that is held out to us.
00:02:26.51\00:02:27.80
And the second over arching
theme, that we've noticed
00:02:27.84\00:02:30.69
in the book of Hebrews,
is pretty exciting one James.
00:02:30.72\00:02:34.27
That is that God approaches
us in the book of Hebrews
00:02:34.31\00:02:38.36
through the Apostle Paul
with relational intentions,
00:02:38.40\00:02:42.42
relational language.
00:02:42.46\00:02:44.21
He wants us to know that
He is eager to enter into
00:02:44.25\00:02:48.08
a personal relationship
with each one of us.
00:02:48.11\00:02:51.43
He is a consuming fire,
and so this relationship
00:02:51.46\00:02:54.75
brings us to Him.
00:02:54.78\00:02:55.78
In the Old Testament, we
found people that were afraid
00:02:55.82\00:02:58.47
of God because of
the awe of His presence.
00:02:58.51\00:03:01.57
And in the New Testament through
our Mediator Jesus Christ,
00:03:01.60\00:03:04.30
we have this gentle
admonition to draw close to God.
00:03:04.34\00:03:09.49
Not to forsake Him,
not to turn away from Him,
00:03:09.52\00:03:12.44
not to refuse Him to
refuse to enter into this
00:03:12.47\00:03:14.90
relationship that He
wants to have with us.
00:03:14.93\00:03:17.74
And now when we come
to the concluding chapter
00:03:17.78\00:03:20.55
of the book of Hebrews.
00:03:20.58\00:03:21.90
We notice that the
Apostle Paul is leaving us with
00:03:21.93\00:03:26.12
some concluding moral
directions and admonitions.
00:03:26.15\00:03:30.49
There's kind of a list
here of very important things
00:03:30.53\00:03:34.84
that He wants us
to be mindful of.
00:03:34.87\00:03:37.02
Now that we have come to
Christ, now that we have entered
00:03:37.05\00:03:40.38
into a faith relationship
with God through Christ,
00:03:40.42\00:03:44.30
Paul wants us to grasp
the fact that Christianity is
00:03:44.33\00:03:48.18
a very practical venture.
00:03:48.21\00:03:49.80
There are things that we
need to take into consideration
00:03:49.83\00:03:52.51
and keep
uppermost in our thinking,
00:03:52.55\00:03:54.64
as we make this
Christian journey.
00:03:54.67\00:03:56.69
"Let brotherly love
continue," he says in
00:03:56.73\00:03:59.53
Hebrews 13 verse 1.
00:03:59.56\00:04:01.61
And it's interesting because,
"let brotherly love continue",
00:04:01.65\00:04:04.98
Paul knows that the
secret of letting brotherly love
00:04:05.02\00:04:08.85
continue, is to at first
partake of that brotherly love.
00:04:08.89\00:04:12.69
And that is what he has done.
00:04:12.73\00:04:14.09
He has shared, he has revealed
the love of Christ toward us.
00:04:14.13\00:04:17.38
He wants that to be our food.
00:04:17.42\00:04:19.31
To be the source of our energy.
00:04:19.34\00:04:21.20
The motive power for us.
00:04:21.23\00:04:23.14
And then, as we partake,
he wants that love to continue
00:04:23.18\00:04:26.69
to work through us.
00:04:26.73\00:04:27.70
God's love is a
powerful force James.
00:04:27.71\00:04:30.72
It's a re-creativity power.
00:04:30.76\00:04:32.73
We partake of God's love
and then in turn, we are made
00:04:32.77\00:04:37.12
able to let
brotherly love continue.
00:04:37.15\00:04:40.10
We are able to love one
another, when we have a clear
00:04:40.14\00:04:42.87
perception of God's love for us.
00:04:42.91\00:04:45.87
When brotherly love continues,
when we let brotherly love
00:04:45.90\00:04:49.89
continue, then verse 2,
00:04:49.92\00:04:51.62
"Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers for thereby
00:04:51.65\00:04:55.34
some have
entertained angels unawares. "
00:04:55.37\00:04:57.25
When we let brotherly
love continue, we won't be
00:04:57.29\00:04:59.76
forgetful to entertain
strangers, because brotherly
00:04:59.79\00:05:02.23
love will motivate us
to entertain strangers.
00:05:02.27\00:05:05.09
It is an incredible thing
that Jesus told us that in all
00:05:05.13\00:05:07.95
our interactions with
our fellow human beings,
00:05:07.99\00:05:10.61
there is a sense in which
we are dealing with Jesus.
00:05:10.65\00:05:14.37
He said in Matthew, chapter
25, that anything we do to
00:05:14.41\00:05:18.10
anyone else, it is
as if we did it to Him.
00:05:18.13\00:05:20.74
Anything that we fail to
do, when someone is in need,
00:05:20.78\00:05:24.83
it is as if we
failed to minister to Him.
00:05:24.86\00:05:27.55
So there's the sympathetic
connection between Jesus
00:05:27.59\00:05:32.18
and every member
of the human race.
00:05:32.22\00:05:35.06
So we need to
be mindful of this.
00:05:35.10\00:05:37.87
We need to relate to people in
the light of God's love for us,
00:05:37.91\00:05:41.44
realizing that we're
always in an ultimate sense
00:05:41.48\00:05:44.77
dealing with our God.
00:05:44.80\00:05:45.77
In fact, that is exactly what
Paul brings out in the verse 3.
00:05:45.78\00:05:48.65
He says, "remember them that
are in bonds as bound with them
00:05:48.68\00:05:51.56
and them which suffer
adversity as being yourselves
00:05:51.59\00:05:55.42
also in the body. "
00:05:55.46\00:05:56.58
In other words, you are
part of corporate humanity.
00:05:56.62\00:05:59.69
And again, the admonition,
"let brotherly love continue",
00:05:59.73\00:06:03.60
is foundational to this.
00:06:03.64\00:06:05.84
Because basically what
God is saying to us here is
00:06:05.88\00:06:08.23
when you let brotherly
love continue, you will not
00:06:08.27\00:06:10.59
only entertain strangers,
00:06:10.62\00:06:12.88
you will also remember
those that are in bonds.
00:06:12.92\00:06:15.32
You, will remember
those that are in adversity.
00:06:15.36\00:06:17.78
You will remember that
marriage is honorable and
00:06:17.81\00:06:20.20
the bed is then defiled.
00:06:20.23\00:06:21.55
And that whore mongers
and adulterers, and that word
00:06:21.59\00:06:24.20
whore mongers means male
prostitutes or fornicators
00:06:24.24\00:06:26.82
that God will judge them.
00:06:26.85\00:06:28.17
I like this, its balance.
00:06:28.21\00:06:29.45
Today marriage is under
attack, but with brotherly love,
00:06:29.49\00:06:33.83
understanding God's
love, marriage is honorable
00:06:33.87\00:06:36.93
the bed is undefiled.
00:06:36.96\00:06:37.94
So this is a series
of admonitions in moral
00:06:37.97\00:06:41.03
instructions that
Paul is giving us.
00:06:41.07\00:06:42.86
And we need to remember at,
as we continue to work through
00:06:42.89\00:06:45.58
these, that this is all
in the light of the Gospel.
00:06:45.62\00:06:49.21
This is all in the
context of all the better things
00:06:49.24\00:06:52.80
that we have in Jesus Christ
00:06:52.83\00:06:54.89
as our high Priest in
Jesus Christ, as our once
00:06:54.93\00:06:57.60
for all
sacrifice in Jesus Christ.
00:06:57.63\00:07:00.31
As the Mediator of the
new covenant, through whom we
00:07:00.35\00:07:03.54
understand that God is the
One, by His power and might,
00:07:03.58\00:07:06.74
is going to write
His law in our hearts,
00:07:06.77\00:07:09.40
and remember our sins no more.
00:07:09.44\00:07:11.54
It is all in that context,
it's not moral instructions
00:07:11.57\00:07:15.54
that are given to us that
we're called upon to carry out,
00:07:15.57\00:07:19.50
merely as a matter
of doing what is right
00:07:19.54\00:07:23.14
in our own strength.
00:07:23.18\00:07:24.15
This is moral instruction
that is coming on the tail end
00:07:24.16\00:07:27.86
of a beautiful and powerful
presentation of the Gospel.
00:07:27.89\00:07:31.64
A motivating
presentation of the Gospel.
00:07:31.67\00:07:33.47
It motivates us to put
love in a different perspective.
00:07:33.51\00:07:37.02
Marriage is honorable,
because marriage is the full
00:07:37.06\00:07:40.54
perspective of
what love entails.
00:07:40.57\00:07:42.38
Love involves
commitment to someone through
00:07:42.41\00:07:45.85
thick and through thin.
00:07:45.88\00:07:47.23
So, it pulls us all way
from the cheap, fake, imitation
00:07:47.26\00:07:50.92
manifestations of love, that
are manifest through fornication
00:07:50.95\00:07:54.70
manifest without commitment
00:07:54.73\00:07:56.75
and it brings us into this
full commitment to the marriage
00:07:56.79\00:08:00.51
union in which the bed is
honorable or another way to say
00:08:00.55\00:08:03.60
it says that God created sex.
00:08:03.63\00:08:05.45
Sex is the physical is part
of that marriage relationship,
00:08:05.49\00:08:09.47
it is a positive thing.
00:08:09.50\00:08:10.51
It is a good thing,
when it is done in the
00:08:10.54\00:08:12.60
context of commitment.
00:08:12.64\00:08:13.76
And then he
continues on in the verse 5.
00:08:13.79\00:08:15.43
When brotherly love continues
again, your conversation
00:08:15.47\00:08:18.47
will be without covetousness.
00:08:18.51\00:08:19.74
You will be content with
the things that you have,
00:08:19.78\00:08:22.06
for God has said, I will
never leave you nor forsake you.
00:08:22.10\00:08:25.46
Yeah, praise the Lord.
00:08:25.49\00:08:26.46
There is just so much peace
in knowing that what we have
00:08:26.47\00:08:30.63
from God, that He is
providing for our needs and that
00:08:30.66\00:08:35.22
we don't need to be anxious
about the material pursuits
00:08:35.25\00:08:39.78
that has just
saturated our society.
00:08:39.81\00:08:41.74
We can be content with
those things that we have,
00:08:41.78\00:08:45.31
because we have an
ultimate possession,
00:08:45.35\00:08:48.65
that is Jesus Christ
and the heavenly home that
00:08:48.68\00:08:51.97
He has prepared for us.
00:08:52.00\00:08:53.08
This life is so short, James.
00:08:53.12\00:08:55.46
It is passing by,
James says, like a vapor.
00:08:55.50\00:08:59.37
It is here today and it
is gone tomorrow, and then we
00:08:59.40\00:09:01.71
launch into eternity future.
00:09:01.75\00:09:03.54
Amen, so we can come boldly and
say, "the Lord is my helper,"
00:09:03.57\00:09:07.64
verse 6, "I shall not fear
what man shall do unto me, when
00:09:07.68\00:09:10.93
brotherly love, continues,
we will remember them that have
00:09:10.97\00:09:14.19
rule over us, who have
spoken to us the word of God,"
00:09:14.22\00:09:17.26
verse 7, "and we
will follow their faith,
00:09:17.30\00:09:20.19
when we consider
their conversation. "
00:09:20.22\00:09:23.04
Now, I like this in the New
American Standard Version, it
00:09:23.08\00:09:25.81
says, "remember those who
lead you, who spoke the word
00:09:25.85\00:09:28.99
of God to you and consider
the result of their conduct,
00:09:29.02\00:09:32.13
and then imitate their faith. "
00:09:32.17\00:09:34.42
That's interesting.
00:09:34.46\00:09:35.43
It is! What it is saying there
is don't just follow anyone.
00:09:35.44\00:09:37.98
Even those who preach to
you, pastors, whoever they are.
00:09:38.02\00:09:40.69
But at the same time as
you are listening to what
00:09:40.73\00:09:43.73
they are saying, see
how they live their lives.
00:09:43.76\00:09:46.70
If their lives correlate,
if their lives lined up with
00:09:46.73\00:09:50.86
what they are saying,
then imitate their faith.
00:09:50.89\00:09:52.88
Faith has actions and those
action should be in harmony,
00:09:52.92\00:09:55.47
that fruit should be
in harmony with the words
00:09:55.51\00:09:57.57
that they are speaking.
00:09:57.60\00:09:58.57
Right in the next two
verses, it is a very clear that
00:09:58.58\00:10:02.37
this is not a blind obedience
to spiritual leaders and
00:10:02.40\00:10:06.28
those who preach
the Word of God to us,
00:10:06.32\00:10:07.84
because he said to us in
verse 9,"don't be carried about
00:10:07.87\00:10:10.41
with the various
strange doctrines. "
00:10:10.44\00:10:12.16
So he is admonishing us
to remain doctrinally pure,
00:10:12.19\00:10:16.00
which means that there
is a responsibility that
00:10:16.04\00:10:19.81
each one of us have.
00:10:19.84\00:10:21.09
In a priesthood of all
believers to be Bible students
00:10:21.12\00:10:24.18
for ourselves, to search
the Word of God, to know what
00:10:24.22\00:10:27.24
we believe on the firm
foundation of God's Word.
00:10:27.27\00:10:31.22
As we are simultaneously
benefiting by the preaching
00:10:31.25\00:10:35.16
of the Word, those who
have the rule over us as
00:10:35.19\00:10:38.93
they are referred to here.
00:10:38.96\00:10:40.15
Those who have
spiritual leadership over us,
00:10:40.19\00:10:43.45
we look to them as
teachers of God's Word.
00:10:43.48\00:10:46.67
And we manifest
respect for those who have this
00:10:46.70\00:10:50.80
spiritual role over
us at the same time.
00:10:50.83\00:10:52.58
We are diligent Bible
students for ourselves,
00:10:52.61\00:10:56.94
lest we be swept away.
00:10:56.97\00:10:58.71
He says, here with
strange doctrine, and there is
00:10:58.75\00:11:02.24
no shortage James, of
strange doctrines in our world.
00:11:02.28\00:11:05.74
Yes, different
and strange doctrines.
00:11:05.77\00:11:07.23
You know what I like
about, this is verse 8, says,
00:11:07.27\00:11:09.70
"Jesus Christ is the same
yesterday, today, and forever.
00:11:09.73\00:11:12.40
God is consistent.
00:11:12.43\00:11:14.20
What is
consistent about God, love.
00:11:14.24\00:11:16.14
Love is consistent with God.
00:11:16.18\00:11:17.71
And so in 1 Corinthians
Paul is and it's interesting,
00:11:17.74\00:11:20.56
1 Corinthians 13,
Hebrews chapter 13.
00:11:20.60\00:11:23.26
1 Corinthians 13
is the love chapter.
00:11:23.29\00:11:25.96
In that Chapter
Paul basically outlines
00:11:25.99\00:11:28.62
how significant love is.
00:11:28.66\00:11:30.16
In relationship to doctrine,
in relationship to prophecy,
00:11:30.19\00:11:33.25
in relationship to
speaking in tongues,
00:11:33.29\00:11:34.69
in relationship to
giving our body to be burned,
00:11:34.73\00:11:37.23
in relationship to
speaking with the tongues of men
00:11:37.26\00:11:39.72
and of angels, love
goes beyond all that.
00:11:39.76\00:11:43.07
All of that is passed by
and love comes out on top.
00:11:43.10\00:11:46.59
Even in faith and hope, love
is the consistency, God is love,
00:11:46.62\00:11:50.85
love is the consistent
jewel that we want to put
00:11:50.88\00:11:53.89
above everything else.
00:11:53.92\00:11:55.16
Doctrine, and everything
else, come short of this rule of
00:11:55.19\00:11:58.55
faith for us, and that is
to let brotherly love continue.
00:11:58.59\00:12:01.91
Paul gives us a clue
here on how we can remain
00:12:01.95\00:12:05.31
doctrinally pure.
00:12:05.35\00:12:06.78
He says don't be carried
about with various and strange
00:12:06.81\00:12:10.45
doctrines, for it
is good that the heart
00:12:10.49\00:12:13.63
be established in grace.
00:12:13.66\00:12:15.49
So, establish ourselves
in grace, because every true
00:12:15.53\00:12:19.71
doctrine, every truth
of Scripture is going to be
00:12:19.75\00:12:23.90
ultimately, a
manifestation of some kind of
00:12:23.94\00:12:27.49
avenue toward
understanding God's grace.
00:12:27.53\00:12:31.01
Any doctrine, any
teaching that compromises the
00:12:31.05\00:12:35.41
grace of God, and
returns us to dependence upon
00:12:35.44\00:12:39.76
ourselves for salvation.
00:12:39.80\00:12:41.44
Any works based religious
movement or teaching, is going
00:12:41.48\00:12:47.84
to be contrary
to sound doctrines.
00:12:47.87\00:12:49.67
Amen, in fact, I liked that in
relation to Colossians 4 verse 6
00:12:49.71\00:12:52.82
Paul here speaking in
Colossians 4 verse 6, of how
00:12:52.86\00:12:56.54
that our speech, our
conduct, our experience,
00:12:56.57\00:12:59.81
should be always with grace
and seasoned with salt so that
00:12:59.85\00:13:04.10
we should know how we
ought to answer every man.
00:13:04.13\00:13:07.01
There is a place for
salt there is a place for the
00:13:07.04\00:13:09.88
manifestation of
that salt of the word.
00:13:09.92\00:13:13.40
But the entrée,
the main dish is grace.
00:13:13.44\00:13:16.86
We should have a lot of
grace, but don't leave out,
00:13:16.89\00:13:19.50
in a world bland with iniquity,
don't leave out the salt.
00:13:19.53\00:13:22.75
We need to make sure
that we have that truth,
00:13:22.78\00:13:25.55
that salt in the there
because part of what Paul
00:13:25.58\00:13:28.28
is giving us here, is an
admonition as to how to live in
00:13:28.31\00:13:31.17
the context of God's love.
00:13:31.20\00:13:32.37
We're going to continue
through Hebrews 13 and note
00:13:32.41\00:13:35.72
the additional admonitions
that the Apostle Paul
00:13:35.75\00:13:38.99
gives in his concluding remarks
with the book of Hebrews.
00:13:39.03\00:13:42.07
But we need to take a
break and we will be back
00:13:42.11\00:13:44.12
just a moment.
00:13:44.16\00:13:45.13