Subject: 4-10-18 Heb 13:1-16 Strengthened by grace
4-10-18 Heb 13:1-16 Strengthened by grace
13:1 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters.2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, … rememberthose in prison … 4 Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, …5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, …9 … It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace … 13 Let us, then, go to him …bearing the disgrace he bore. … 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. NIV
After all the chapters on carefuldoctrinal distinctions, the author ends with such practical exhortations. Doctrine is supposed to be translated into the way we live. It is to be directly applied every day. Actually, we do apply what we believe.Not what we say we believe, but what we actually believe is shown in our daily choices. There are still commands to obey, butit is because of grace that we obey. (:9) Hearts strengthened by grace will obey and follow out of love and gratitude.
So he finished with this wonderful prayer and benediction:
20 Now 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,21 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.
Lord Jesus, we obviously don’t want to have as much persecution as they did, but we praise You that You are a Great Shepherd, and will provide everything we need to trust and please You like they did. In the meantime, thank You for the solid doctrinal teaching showing Your superiority over everything in Judaism, and over every other religion in the world also. We have clear reasons to be faithful in the daily choices of hospitality, sexual purity, generosity, etc, and also reasons to suffer for You like those who went before us. Thank You for the hunger and joy You give as we discover the promises of Your Word and for grace and the joy it gives us in pleasing You. Amen.
Let There Be Light 