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FINAL COMMANDS AND FINAL WORDS

Hebrews 13:14-16

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    The writer is nearing the conclusion of his epistle to the Hebrews.

 

B.      There are lots of things that he longs for them to know and do.  Thus, he gives them a list of twelve commands before closing the chapter.

 

C.     As we read these last twenty-five verses, we find the writer still draw to his theme (Heb. 13:9-14).

 

D.    We have divided the chapter into two sections:

 

i.                    FINAL COMMANDS (Heb. 13:1-19)

 

ii.                  FINAL WORDS (Heb. 13:20-25)

 

I.             FINAL COMMANDS (Heb. 13:1-19)

 

A.    Brotherly love (Heb. 13:1)

B.      Hospitality (Heb. 13:2)

C.     Those in affliction (Heb. 13:3)

D.    Marriage (Heb. 13:4)

E.      Contentment and Reliance (Heb. 13:5-6)

F.      Church rulers (Heb. 13:7)

G.    Jesus Christ (Heb. 13:8)

H.    False doctrines (Heb. 13:9)

 

I.        Altar and Sacrifice (Heb. 13:10-13)  NOTE:  The writer had just mentioned meats in verse 9.  His attention is now centered upon two altars and two sacrifices.  This is another contrast between the two covenants.

1.        The Contrast (Heb. 13:10)

2.       The Comparison (Heb. 13:11-12)

3.       The Command (Heb. 13:13)

4.       The Consideration (Heb. 13:14)

 

For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

 

a.       The Christian does not have a physical city tying him down like the faithful Jew did.

b.      The Jews, on the other hand, did.  They did not want to leave the city of Jerusalem behind to seek Christ outside the city.

1)       This was the city of God.

2)      This was the holy city.

3)      This was the city that held the temple.

4)      This was the city of worship.

c.       The Jews, however, were desperately deceived about the importance of Jerusalem. 

1)       They thought Jerusalem was a continuing city.  They thought this great city would stand forever.

2)      In a few short years, they would see the city completely destroyed by the Roman armies.

d.      On the other hand, the Christian is seeking a spiritual city, the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1ff).

e.       LESSON:  It is easy for us to think that we have less than the Jews of old because we do not have anything that is tangible, physical in our possession except the New Testament. 

1)       We have an altar.

2)      We have a sacrifice.

3)      We have a city.

4)      In other portions of the book, we learn that we have a High Priest, a priesthood, a temple, and a rest for the people of God.

 

J.       The Sacrifice of Praise (Heb. 13:15)

 

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.

 

1.        Notice the word “therefore.” 

a.       It involves the things that have been said before. 

b.      Since Jesus was willing to suffer outside the gate of the city in order to sanctify us, we should willingly do this in return.

2.       Offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

a.       Definitions

1)       Offer

a)      Strong (399):  to take up

b)     Thayer:  to put upon the altar, to offer

2)      Sacrifice

a)      Strong (2378):  sacrifice

b)     Thayer:  sacrifice, victim

3)      Praise

a)      Strong (133):  a praising

b)     Thayer:  praise

4)      Continually

a)      Strong (1275):  throughout all time, constantly

b)     Thayer:  constantly, always, continually

b.      One of the simplest, yet, most profound acts the Christian can render to God is the sacrifice of praise.

a)      It involves an understanding of who we are and who God is.

b)     It involves our stopping to direct our attention to God.

c)      It involves the investment of time that could be used doing other things.

d)     It involves simple words, but words that have meaning in the hearing of God.

c.       Two descriptions of praise:

1)       The fruit of our lips

a)      Fruit was given to God under the OT, especially the first fruits of the crops.

b)     When God hears the words of praise that spring from our lips, He likens them to fruit.  It is definitely that which is “sweet” to God.

c)    LESSON:  We are impressed with the fact that God does not require mechanical instruments of music to praise Him.  All He desires is “the fruit of our lips.”

2)      Giving thanks to his name

a)      Praise involves the giving of thanks.

b)     The Christian has so much for which to be thankful.  He has so much to be thankful for that he could be praising God every second of the day.

3)      NOTE:  These two things can be done in prayer or in song.  Either of them constitutes sacrifice made unto God.

4)      LESSON:  The fact that our prayers and songs are called sacrifices has intrigued me. 

a)      Why?

-          They are not always very good.

-          They do not take a lot of effort.

-          They do not cost us very much.

-          They are so simple in nature when compared to an animal sacrifice.

b)     God looks down upon His servant and sees one who has humbly come to Him with a humble and pure heart.  He longs to be in the presence of God.  He longs to please God.  He offers unto God exactly what he has requires, nothing more and nothing less.  God sees this as a sacrifice, a spiritual sacrifice.  It comes before Him as a pleasant aroma with which He is well-pleased. 

 

K.     To Do Good and Communicate (Heb. 13:16)

 

But to do good and to communicate forget not:  for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

 

1.        We understand what it means to do good.  What does “communicate” mean?

a.       Strong (2842)

1)       It is the Greek word “koinonia, often translated “fellowship.”

2)      Partnership, participation, (social) intercourse, benefaction

b.      Thayer:  to share which one has in anything, participation

c.       Vine:  to share, distribute

2.       Following Christ involves a life of constantly doing good (See Acts 10:38).

 

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power:  who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

 

3.       He exhorts his readers to “forget not” to do these things.

a.       This is the fourth time in this chapter he has exhorted his readers to either not forget or to remember (v. 2, 3, 7).

b.      The word “forget” means “to lose out of mind, neglect, to no longer care for.”

c.       It is easy for us to “forget” good works of which we could be a part.  How many times have I heard someone say:  “I completely forgot,” when it comes to not being involved in a work of the church.

d.      LESSON

1)       Christianity is an intentional religion.  We mean to do the things we do in service to God.

2)      Forgetting is not an excuse in the sight of God.  He often commands us not to forget just as He does here.  NOTE:  A lectureship of the Northwest Florida School of Biblical Studies focused on this very theme).

4.       “With such sacrifices God is well pleased.

a.       Again, God calls our acts of good will sacrifices.

1)       They do involve the sacrifice of time, and possibly, some money.

2)      They still seem too simple to be called sacrifices, but this is exactly how God sees them.

3)      LESSON:  The fact that our good deeds are looked upon as sacrifices by God should be a huge motivation for us to do more of them.

b.      “…with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”

1)       Pleased

a)      Strong (2100):  to gratify entirely

b)     Thayer:  to be well pleasing

2)      God is not just pleased, He is well pleased.

3)      LESSONS

a)      If we want to offer sacrifices to God that please him tremendously, all we have to do it go out and do good to others.

b)     Any of the works of the church in which we participate are sacrifices and cause God to be well-pleased as well.