Benediction (13:18-25)

Throughout the letter to the Hebrews we have been looking at being fit for the Kingdom (Lk.9:62); putting our hand to the plough and not looking back.  We have a destiny in God.  We want to live in it and to be well-placed to serve Him in it.  We want to run the race, to finish the course and to receive the prize.

Now as we reach the end of the letter, the writer shows his wonderful pastoral heart as he expresses his personal desire to be with the readers again (13:18-19).  This tenderness reminds us that this is not just a collection of philosophical or abstract ideas, but, because it is based upon Christ, relationships of love form the heart of it all.  It’s as if he is saying to the readers, “I want to run this race with you; I want to walk by your side”.

Out of this tenderness he finishes, perhaps where we should always finish, especially since we started with the superiority of Christ, with the great benediction (13:20-21).  It is actually a benediction in two parts: what God has done in Christ, and what God is doing in Christ.

Our God is a God of peace, power (resurrection) and tenderness; He is the great Shepherd.  And through the blood of the eternal covenant, the sacrifice of Jesus, He has made us His own.  He doesn’t leave it there, having done such a great work, but He then equips us with everything good to do His will.  He works in us to do what pleases Him (cf. Ps.115:3, 135:6).  That work in us isn’t a ‘hammer and tongs’ work, but a beautifully crafted symphonic poem.  The work that God does in us and in our churches is a delight to Him; changing us and helping us to make it through to the end is a joy to the Father.  May we ever see it in the same manner!

As the letter started, so it finishes - it is all through Christ, the one who is superior to all things.  Our response to it all, to His superiority and our position in Him, is to shout together with the writer, “Glory to God, forever and ever, amen!”

May my final words echo that of the writer to the Hebrews (13:25), “Grace be with all of you”. 

Love (13:1-17)

Love gives substance to our faith and hope.  If we want to see the harvest of fruit in our lives, then at some point we have to put the hand to the plough!  To avoid slipping away from the faith, and to be fit for the Kingdom, we have to flesh out our love.  It is right to say that love is the obligation of faith and hope.

Firstly, love is a community obligation (13:1-6).  There is a societal obligation to love, to fulfill the commandment to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Mk.12:33).  We love the brothers, strangers (hospitality was a key virtue of the early Church), prisoners and those mistreated.  Part of this community obligation is the marital obligation to love.  Where love exists in a marriage, and where marriage is treasured in a home, love for society flows.  There is personal security and contentment in a communal obligation to love.  It is based on something very simple: love God, or love things.  If we love God, we can rest assured that He will never leave nor abandon us.

Secondly, love is a Church obligation (13:7-17).  There is a togetherness that we seek as Christians, and this is based on love.  This letter to the Hebrews is written out of a pastoral concern for its readers, and so the writer of the letter reveals four overarching Church love obligations that will help prevent a drifting away from the faith.

He writes of a faithful love (13:7-8), built on the fact that Jesus never changes.  It is that love which enables us to remember those who have influence over us, to consider, and to act and speak in faith, hope and love, just as they do.

He writes, too, of a doctrinal love (13:9-11); a love of the truth.  That truth is not just a matter of dogma and academics.  Christian love is founded on grace, not religious ceremony…it’s what is inside that counts!  It is God’s truth that must be in us.  The Church is the “pillar and foundation of the truth” (1Tim.3:15).  It is that truth which shows us how we are to live and behave in the household of grace.

In addition we are told of a living love (13:12-16).  A living love is one which is holy, worshipful and giving.  It is holy in that it needs to be felt.  It is living for Jesus despite what anyone else thinks - a love that goes “outside the camp” - a love formed by Christ, not by rules or expectations of men.  It is worshipful in that it needs to be heard.  It is giving, in that it needs to be seen.  Our deeds must match our praises; we must both sing and serve.  A living love is a giving love, and this is pleasing to God and brings joy to man.

Lastly, we are told about a submissive love (13:17); a love that grows around obedience, care and joy.  This is a love that has mutual advantage at its heart, that in loving each other we all benefit.

It is this kind of love, the obligation of faith and hope, which gives us strength and endurance to be fit for the Kingdom and to finish the race well.

Hope (12:1-29)

Faith - for life, for promise, for redemption - is given in the past, for the future, to be lived in the present.  Hope is about endurance and perseverance as we live out that faith - “Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” (Rom.5:3-5).  Our hope is refined in the furnace of endurance.  Anyone can hope when the barn is full, but can we hope when all we have is a handful of seed to sow (Ps.126:6)?

Our Christian life is a race.  It is not one in which we will someday participate - we are in a race already.  In that race we will not be sidelined, nor are there any withdrawals; we are in it to the end.  Since we are in it to the end, we might as well run so as to win the prize (Phi.3:14)!

When I was struggling along running the Comrades Marathon, there was a certain stretch, called Harrison Flats, that was very depressing: my body was suffering, thoughts of bailing out were frequent, and there were very few spectators to cheer the runners on.  So I took to running signposts: I would say, “Just to the next sign…just to the next big tree…just…”, until I had made it through.  In the race of life we sometimes have to look out for the signposts, signposts of hope.

Remember the witnesses (12:1).  Remember all those who have gone before and all that has happened before.  There is so much we can learn from others who have been through it all.  Through many trials and hardships I am thankful that there have been people that have been through similar trials and have helped me through mine (cf. 2Cor.1:3-4).

Run lightly.  Lay aside the burden of sin, which so easily wears us out; the “dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life” (Lk.21:34); the “anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language” (Col.3:8).  These burdens affect our endurance and diminish our hope.  The race is long, so run it lightly!

Consider Jesus (12:2-3).  Look to His life, death, resurrection and ascension as the source of our hope.  He has gone before us; He has made the way.  He did it for the joy the Father set before Him, so perhaps we should consider the joy set before us (joy is the one thing given to us that we will be allowed to take into heaven (Jude 24)).  He is the author and perfecter and our hope is secure because He started it and He will finish it.

Embrace discipline (12:4-11).  Endurance trials are a reminder that we are God’s children.  It can be painful at the time, but a source of comfort if we would just consider it.

Rise up (12:12-13).  Hope lifts us; it drags us up by our bootstraps.  Too much introspection causes spiritual weariness and discouragement.  We must have a strong and confident hope which breeds courage for those who struggle.  We are called to “build up” (Eph.4:16) - to be on the up, not always on a downer.

Live aright (12:14-17).  “See to it”.  A good relationship with God and men increases the joy of hope.  We must help one another to live rightly as mutual supervision stimulates spiritual health.  This is often an area that modern Christianity shies away from, in case we are accused of legalism, but it is important that we learn to take up our collective pastoral duty.  How does it help with hope?  Watching out for each other helps us to remember that we’re not in it alone!

Refocus on God (12:18-24).  We serve a God who is a festal God, one who delights in us.  He is not the “nasty” God, the wrathful tyrant.  There is no hope in fear, but knowledge of a God who delights in us increases our hope of seeing Him.

Receive gratefully (12:25-28).  What should we receive that increases our hope?  The Word - listen to the Lord - and the Kingdom. Living with continual thanksgiving in our hearts (and from our lips) helps us when our reserves of hope begin to dwindle.

Reverently worship (12:28-29).  Hope comes with reverence and awe, because of who God is.  We must let Him inspire our hope.  We endure because of Him, not because we feel good.  Our hope is the crown of righteousness (2Tim.4:7-8) - the joy of right-standing with God for ever.

Faith (11:1-40)

Faith belongs to that overarching theme that is the vastness and magnificence of God’s inheritance for us.  Faith is not a spatial or temporal concept that is limited in scope or time.  Faith is for the greatness of the future that is God’s (and thus ours in Christ).

We often want or have faith for small things without considering the bigger implications.  For example, we want faith for a job, but we seldom consider the bigger issue of being salt and light in the workplace; we struggle with faith for finances, yet without concern for the fruit of generosity!  Being fit for the Kingdom means that we consider the harvest, not just the ploughing.  We don’t have faith just for the straight line (although it is certainly necessary, especially when we lose sight of the marker), but for the harvest that will come.                 

Faith must be exercised from the believer’s position, which is a personal confidence in an open heaven.  A reminder is needed that this letter, Hebrews, was written to people in danger of falling away.  Perhaps their certainty in an open heaven had diminished.  So the writer has to remind them again about faith - a confident faith that is expressed even when facing blatant unbelief (cf. 4:2).

It is not easy to give a concise definition of faith, as it is more easily seen in its fruit, but an attempt may be to state that it is a “confident, certain assurance”; it is found in adhering to the promises of God, depending on the Word of God and being faithful to the Son of God.

The writer takes much of this portion of the letter to admonish the readers through the power of example.  These are broken down into ‘covenant watersheds’: those of life, promise and redemption.  It is the flow of the redemptive story of God right through from the beginning of Creation.

Life (11:3-7) - God gives life at Creation.  Abel is a constant witness to that life, even paying the ultimate price for it.  Enoch is an example of a constant walk in that life, eventually superseding life itself!  Noah lived in constant obedience to that life, a constant pattern of faith in the face of unbelief.  Faith in the life that comes from God brings the very reward of life (v.6).

Promise (11:8-22) - God gives promises.  He gave promises to Abraham.  Abraham accepted and lived in the reality of those promises even though he never got to see them in his 175 years. 

Why is it that as modern Christians we always assume that we will walk in temporal inheritance?  Maybe we need reminding that faith has no time guarantee, only a result guarantee.  We cannot accurately predict the exact time of harvest, but we can predict the fruit (cf. Jesus’ rebuke in Lk.12:56).  If we have an apple tree, we may not know the precise date when apples will be perfectly ripe for plucking, but we will know with certainty that it will be apples that are plucked!  Abraham did not look at the process of salvation, but at its conclusion.  He lived in the promise, even if he never got to see its conclusion.  Could we have as much faith?  To be fit for the Kingdom requires it, so that we don’t get disillusioned when the ‘inheritance’ does not seem to be happening.

Abraham could not “look back” because he had responded in faith to God.  We are all aliens and strangers here, so we don’t attach ourselves too firmly to this life.  We look forward to a promise, and we are prepared to consider what lies beyond our own horizon.

Isaac was the recipient of God’s favour.  He blessed his sons - he blessed one generation.  It is worth noting that he blessed both his sons, even though only one continued in a godly manner.  Parents with children that have wandered from God need to remember this principle: our children are precious and all need blessing!

Jacob was the recipient of God’s legacy.  The twelve tribes will be there in eternity as the very gates of heaven itself - now that is some legacy!  Jacob blessed the sons of Joseph - two generations.  Our legacy is seen not in just those who come after us but in those that come after them too.

Joseph was the recipient of God’s redemptive purpose.  He would begin the redemptive plan for Israel that would happen 400 years in the future.  He blessed multiple generations.  The promise of God binds us in a faith that transcends generations.  We must have faith for those who come after us.  We may not see them walk in their promises in our lifetime, but we pray for it nonetheless.

Redemption (11:23-38) - God rescues.  He rescued through Moses, a man whose faith was set apart, courageous, sacrificial, reward-seeking, persevering, passed-over and passing through.  Moses was faced with choices to deny or to accept what God was doing.  To be fit for the Kingdom means that, like Moses, we need to make the right choices.

We need a reminder, too, not just of the great heroes of redemption, but all the many who have gone before, those who I like to call, “Conquerors, Kings and Kin-folk” - the triumphs and tragedies of real people living in real faith.

There are those with mountain-moving faith (Jericho - note the faith of the people, it was a collective faith!  Never underestimate the power of the faith of people acting together).  There are those with unbounded faith, a faith with no barriers - Rahab was not your regular saint, and in fact the only thing she knew was that the Israelite God was stronger than whatever god she was used to, and God counted that as righteous.  God regards our faith in His greatness over our position in life, age, sex or wealth!  Then there were those with a minority-majority faith (Gideon); no matter how puny they thought they were, with God they were the majority.  And then there was conquering faith (David); a prayer-filled faith (Samuel); even a lion-killing faith (Samson)! 

This is the kind of faith we have been redeemed for and which we must walk in.  We have the privilege of more than just a promise, and we in no way miss out on the reward of faith.  And that is the common thread - “by faith”.  By faith we receive life - eternal life; by faith we receive the promises - yes and amen, fulfilled; by faith we receive redemption - the salvation of our souls.  “We are not of those who shrink back” (10:39); we are of those of faith; those who endure; those who receive.  We are fit for the Kingdom because we live in faith: confident, assured and certain, looking to the life, promise and redemption of God in Christ Jesus.

Playing the Game (10:18-39)

Imagine being invited to play a game without being told where it is played, whether on land or in the water, nor what its aims are, and without having the rules explained.  How would we be prepared to play?  How would we dress?  What equipment would we need?  Do we have opponents?  Is it a team game?

When it comes to being fit for the Kingdom, it is necessary to know that there are some “rules of play”.  We might say that they constitute the believer’s position.

We need to have a confidence in our position.  We need to be assured that, as believers, we have an open heaven: the veil is torn and we have full access to an open heaven (Lk.23:45).  We can have full confidence because of all that Christ has done and is (cf. 4:16).  Like Paul we can state with conviction that, “I know whom I have believed” (2Tim.1:12).  Most of all, this revelation is not something that is just academic, the blood of Jesus makes it personal (cf. 2:11).

Apart from knowing our position, we need to play to win.  Seeing as we are good Christians, we don’t cheat, and we play according to the rules.  There are three main rules to playing the game which are wonderfully expanded through the rest of the letter, but are summarised in this portion as a precursor of what is to come.  These rules are nothing less than the measure of a church: faith, hope and love.  Faith (10:22) has to do with the open heaven; it is expounded in ch.11.  Hope (10:23) has to do with our confidence and is confirmed in the persevering section of ch.12.  Love (10:24), and its practical and personal outworking, is revealed in ch.13.

“Let us draw near” (10:22).  Faith is our individual responsibility.  We draw near to God through prayer, with a true and sincere heart, without deceit, honest, genuine and committed, in full assurance, knowing that there is no reason why our access to God will be denied.  Our great High Priest never loses sight of those who belong to the household of God (cf. Jn.6:39).  If we fully accept the Gospel, then we can have complete confidence, confessing it boldly and showing courage toward man.  We draw near with our hearts sprinkled, having our inner attitudes and consciences cleansed, and with our “bodies” - our outward acts - washed.

“Let us hold fast” (10:23).  Hope is made known by professing and is based on the faithfulness of God, not on our own strength.  Our hope must be actualised.  It relies on faith, and looks to the future, with a confident expectation that Christ will fulfill all His promises in us.

“Let us consider” (10:24).  Love is a social responsibility that we put into practice.  Although something more than individual effort is needed; in fact, communal action is vital.  As Paul reminds us, loving one another is a continuing debt (Rom.13:8); loving doesn’t just happen, it needs to be stirred up!  Love isn’t always a silent thing, something we do whilst sitting on the sofa at home, feeling all warm and fuzzy.  No, the scriptures tell us that it is love and good works: we need practical outcomes of works that are visibly noble (cf. 1Pet.2:12).

Just as important as it is to know our position in the game, and to know the rules, it is also necessary to know the playing infringements.  Most games have offside rules, and rules for fouls.  To be fit for the Kingdom we need to know some of the ways we can infringe during play.

“Let us…not forsake” (10:25).  Faith, hope and love are worked out in gathering together as believers.  It is that simple.  Attendance at gatherings of the church is a visible and demonstrative expression of a love for Jesus.  Really…how can we say that we love Jesus but have no regard for His Body?!  Sometimes we forget the revelation that when we gather Jesus is present.  And He desires our presence!  The writer is not trying to manipulate people to maintain numbers in his church - there is a grim warning here, that if we abandon gathering, sin is not far behind, and its end result is the dreadful prospect of falling into “the hands of the living God” (10:31).

To avoid the infringing, being fit for the Kingdom means that we need to pay attention.  We must pay attention to the knowledge of the truth (10:26), to God’s judgement (10:27), and to the days of enlightenment (10:32).  If we pay attention we will not spurn the Son of God, nor profane His work and thereby outrage the Spirit of grace (10:29).

We stand together before an open heaven, confident in the finished work of Jesus Christ for each of us (10:34-39).  He enables us to play the game - to know the game we play and to play by the rules.  We must remain true to our confession, demonstrating our love, as we seek the fellowship of the saints.

A Superior Mediator (9:15-10:18)

In the letter to the Hebrews  we discover a third aspect of Jesus’ superiority: that of the superior Mediator.  What does that mean for us; how is it applied to our lives?  How does it make us fit for the Kingdom, able to endure to the end?

Jesus came as the mediator of a new covenant so that “those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance” (9:15).  In order for us to be fit for the Kingdom, and to persevere on the road marked out for us, we need to be confident in what Jesus comes to mediate on our behalf.

A mediator speaks of conditions and promises (9:16-17), and, in our case, specifically our conditions toward God and His promises toward us.  Our conditions toward God could not be kept through the Law, and because our conditions could not be met, God couldn’t open His promises to us.  Christ came to make a way so that our conditions could be met, and so that God’s promises to us could be fulfilled.

As the Mediator, He mediates our presence.  Christ enters heaven into God’s presence and so makes a way for us (9:24).  Without Christ’s blood God does not open heaven to us and does not accept our living sacrifices.  Now though, the mediating shed blood of Christ makes us more delightful than angels!

He mediates our purity.  Throughout the letter the writer shows that any outward regulated worship fails to make the worshipper holy (10:1-4).  It wasn’t that there was something essentially wrong with the Law, but it was the sacrifices that were not efficacious enough to make anyone holy.  The annual return of the high priest proved their ineffectiveness, and worshippers continued to feel their guilt.  To live in the guilt of not having sins forgiven is a heavy burden.

This results in a vocabulary of, “I must try better next time”.  But the next time we will still fall short!  Our sacrifice would not be sufficient.  Now, however, “we have been sanctified” (10:10) indicates that at a given moment someone acted on our behalf to sanctify us, and we have become pure.  His sacrifice removes sin and breaks the power of sin.  A “next time” is not necessary.  After He removed our sin, He sat down - as God did at Creation - to allow us to live as God intended and designed us.  Christ’s sacrifice covers what has gone before, even to the creation of the world (9:26), and covers what is to come.  When He returns He will not come to remove sin - He did that the first time (9:27-28) - but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him.

He mediates our promises.  Every believer now receives the promised benefits (10:14-18) of right standing with God: forgiveness, a cleansed conscience, peace with God, assurance of salvation, fellowship with God and eternal life.  What amazing promises Christ mediates on our behalf!

Christ, the mediator of a new and better covenant, cleanses the conscience of those receiving salvation in order “to serve the living God” (9:14).  To be fit for the Kingdom we must learn to live in what has been mediated.  What Christ has achieved must move us from intent to action.  Intent shows desire, but action reveals commitment (cf. Jas.1:22).

The letter to the Hebrews up to this point (10:18) is the backdrop for all the specific teachings that follow.  If one were to teach of love, good works, fellowship, leadership or finances on their own, they would just blend into the surrounds of culture and life.  After all, it is not the sole mandate of Christians to talk of love or generosity or leadership.  Instead, each of the specific teachings needs to be seen, and practiced, in silhouette against the superiority of Jesus Christ - the superior originator, High Priest, and mediator.