Sunday Night Bible Study Hebrews 13:1-4 November 27, 1994 Hebrews 13:1-4 Introduction The Jewish believers who were reading the original letter had been going through a great deal of persecution since they started believing in Jesus as their Messiah. Some of them had even been tempted to just give up in trusting in Jesus and go back to Judaism like they were before they were saved. The writer now begins to wrap up the letter with a lot of miscellaneous exhortations. 1 Let brotherly love continue. :1 brotherly love We often talk about the different Greek words for love: eros - physical love phileo - emotional, friendship love sturge - family love agape - God's love, based in the will, not the emotions, a love demonstrated by actions, particularly in giving. This is the love we often stress, and see most in the New Testament. If we're not careful, we can get the idea that there's kind of an emotionless thing to go on between us and God and with each other. We can develop the idea of a kind of "sterile" love, without feeling. Let's look at this particular word and how it's used other places. 5360 philadelphia {fil-ad-el-fee'-ah} 1) love of brothers or sisters, brotherly love 2) in the NT the love which Christians cherish for each other as brethren Combination of phileo (friendship, emotional, heartfelt) + adelphos (brethren) Romans 12:10-AV [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Kindly affectioned - philo + sturge (a family kind of love, parents for children...) 1Thessalonians 4:9-AV But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. taught of God to love... - agape As we learn agape from God, it translates to philadelphia with each other. 1Peter 1:22-AV Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, [see that ye] love one another with a pure heart fervently: love of the brethren (philadelphia) that ye love one another - (agape) unfeigned - anupokritos 1) unfeigned, undisguised, sincere There's to be nothing fake about it. Illustrations: Bill Armstrong It was a quiet December evening on Ward C43, the oncology unit at Georgetown University Hospital. Many of the rooms around the central nurses' station were dark and empty, but in Room 11 a man lay critically ill. The patient was Jack Swigert, the man who had piloted the Apollo 13 lunar mission in 1970 and was now Congressman-elect from Colorado's 6th Congressional District. Cancer, the great leveler, now waged its deadly assault on his body. With the dying man was a tall, quiet visitor, sitting in the spot he had occupied almost every night since Swigert had been admitted. Though Bill Armstrong, U.S. Senator from Colorado and chairman of the Senate subcommittee handling Washington's hottest issue, social security, was one of the busiest and most powerful men in Washington, he was now visiting this room night after night as a powerful politician. He was here as a deeply committed Christian and as Jack Swigert's friend, fulfilling a responsibility he would not delegate or shirk, much as he dislikes hospitals. This night Bill leaned over the bed and spoke quietly to his friend "Jack, you're going to be all right. God loves you. I love you. You are surrounded by friends who are praying for you. You're going to be all right." The only response was Jack's tortured and uneven breathing. Bill pulled his chair closer to the bed and opened his Bible. "Psalm 23," he began to read in a steady voice. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...." Time passed. "Psalm 150," Bill began, then his skin prickled. Jack's ragged breathing had stopped. He leaned down over the bed, then called for help. As he watched the nurse examining Jack, Bill knew there was nothing more he could do. His friend was dead. Politicians are busy people, especially Senate committee chairmen. Yet, it never occurred to Bill Armstrong that he was too busy to be at the hospital. Nothing dramatic or heroic about his decision -- just a friend doing what he could. Holiness is obeying God -- loving one another as He loved us. 2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. :2 entertain strangers We aren't real aware of it because of our English translations, but I think the writer is using a kind of play on words between verse one and two. There is one Greek word here that is translated "entertain strangers" 5381 philoxenia {fil-ox-en-ee'-ah} 1) love to strangers, hospitality Very much like "philadelphia", but really a contrast to it. Not only are we to love the brethren, but we are to love the strangers as well. Illustration: Woodrow Wilson on Moody... President Woodrow Wilson told this story. He said: "I was in a very common place, I was sitting in a barber chair, when I became aware that a personality had entered the room. A man had come quietly in upon the same errand as myself -- to have his hair cut and sat in the chair next to me. Every word the man uttered showed a personal interest in the man who was serving him. And before I got through with what was being done for me, I was aware that I had attended an evangelistic service. Because Mr. D.L. Moody was in that chair. I purposely lingered in the room after he had left and noted the singular effect that his visit had brought upon the barbershop. They didn't know his name but they knew that something had elevated their thoughts and I felt that I left that place as I should have left the place of worship. My admiration and esteem for Mr. Moody became very deep indeed." :2 angels unawares "without knowing it" I can think of several possibilities. Abraham Genesis 18:1-AV And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day; Lot Genesis 19:1-AV And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing [them] rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground; Samson's mom Judges 13:6-AV Then the woman came and told her husband, saying, A man of God came unto me, and his countenance [was] like the countenance of an angel of God, very terrible: but I asked him not whence he [was], neither told he me his name: Could it be possible that we are faced with opportunities to help people, when they are really angels in disguise? What Jesus said... Matthew 25:35-AV For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Matthew 25:40-AV And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done [it] unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done [it] unto me. 3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; [and] them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. :3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them Remembering those in prison I would assume specifically those who are in prison for the cause of Christ. But maybe it could also apply to all kinds of prisoners. Chuck Colson says there is a great openness to the gospel among men in prison, that there are great revivals happening in prisons. :3 them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body Hebrews 13:3-NIV Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. ...as being yourselves also in the body - as if you were in their bodies suffering the pain. We don't like to do this much... It's pretty uncomfortable and we seem so far removed from real persecution. Yet, 1Corinthians 12:26-AV And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. How do we "remember" these people? 1) Pray for them. Colossians 4:2-AV Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Colossians 4:3-AV Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds: Colossians 4:18-AV The salutation by the hand of me Paul. Remember my bonds. Grace [be] with you. Amen. <<[Written from Rome to Colossians by Tychicus and Onesimus.]>> 2) Visit them. Matthew 25:36-AV Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 4 Marriage [is] honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge. :4 Marriage is honourable in all ... the bed undefiled ... honourable - 5093 timios 1) as of great price, precious 2) held in honour, esteemed, especially dear There are those who say that marriage is a bad deal, wrong! Illustration BONN, Germany -- A German group of psychologists, physicians and insurance companies who cooperated on a research project, designed to find the secret to long life and success, made a surprising discovery. The secret? Kiss your wife each morning when you leave for work! The meticulous German researchers discovered that men who kiss their wives every morning have fewer automobile accidents on their way to work than men who omit the morning kiss. The good-morning kissers miss less work because of sickness and earn 20 to 30 percent more money than non-kissers. How do they explain their findings? According to West Germany's Dr. Arthur Szabo, "A husband who kisses his wife every morning begins the day with a positive attitude." undefiled - 283 amiantos 1) not defiled, unsoiled 1a) free from that by which the nature of a thing is deformed and debased, or its force and vigour impaired There are those who say that sex is somehow sinful - yet here the marriage bed (koite - sexual intercourse) is said to not be unclean. Illustration: ( this has nothing to do with the point, but it's a good story...) Maybe you heard about the guy who fell in love with an opera singer. He hardly knew her, since his only view of the singer was through binoculars -- from the third balcony. But he was convinced he could live "happily ever after" married to a voice like that. He scarcely noticed she was considerably older than he. Nor did he care that she walked with a limp. Her mezzo-soprano voice would take them through whatever might come. After a whirlwind romance and a hurry-up ceremony, they were off for their honeymoon together. She began to prepare for their first night together. As he watched, his chin dropped to his chest. She plucked out her glass eye and plopped it into a container on the nightstand. She pulled off her wig, ripped off her false eyelashes, yanked out her dentures, unstrapped her artificial leg, and smiled at him as she slipped off her glasses that hid her hearing aid. Stunned and horrified, he gasped, "For goodness sake, woman, sing, sing, SING! -- Charles Swindoll, Strike the Original Match :4 but whoremongers and adulteers God will judge whoremongers 4205 pornos 1) a man who prostitutes his body to another's lust for hire 2) a male prostitute 3) a man who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse, a fornicator Adulterers 3432 moichos 1) an adulterer 2) metaph. one who is faithless toward God, ungodly When a person isn't getting their physical needs met, they are faced with the ways that the world teaches them to get their needs met - through immorality and adultery. 1Corinthians 7:2-AV Nevertheless, [to avoid] fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. 5 [Let your] conversation [be] without covetousness; [and be] content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord [is] my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. 7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of [their] conversation. 8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. 9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For [it is] a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. 10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. 11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp. 12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. 15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name. 16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you. 18. Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly. 19 But I beseech [you] the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom [be] glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words. 23 Know ye that [our] brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. 25 Grace [be] with you all. Amen. <<[Written to the Hebrews from Italy, by Timothy.]>>