Pastor Sam Huff preached Hebrews 13:1-7. He said that as citizens of an unshakeable kingdom living in a broken world, we, the church, must be devoted to loving one another. Lector: Megan Shaffer
Pastor Sam Huff preached Hebrews 13:1-7. He said that as citizens of an unshakeable kingdom living in a broken world, we, the church, must be devoted to loving one another.
Lector: Megan Shaffer
Here we have the preacher’s application. It must be contextual to what has been said and contextual to who it is said to.
(Show images) If things keep going the way they are…Trolls = Bergins (downtrodden, given up, no joy) and Branch (trauma from past) (unsafe, cynical, lonely, untrusting)
The audience of Hebrews – weary and wandering. Distracted and downtrodden. The clash of faith in Jesus and living in a broken world. (Broken system, and they themselves are broken)
But we just read in Hebrews 12:28 – “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” Yes, we are living in a broken world with a real enemy, but our faith in Jesus gives us citizenship in a kingdom that is unshakeable.
So how do we be grateful and not become like the bergins or branch? Hebrews 13:1 – “Let brotherly love continue.” Keep on loving one another (brothers and sisters…the foundation of this application hinges on the reality that we believe we are family)
Main Idea: As citizens of an unshakeable kingdom living in a broken world, we, the church, must be devoted to loving one another.
This passage invites us to two imperatives to what it means to be devoted to loving one another: Be a people of present affection and people with focused affection.
These things work together at the same time. Its less about do this, do this, then do this. Its more about, be this. From a place of gratitude of being a citizen of an unshakeable kingdom, be this.
Transition: The first way we can continue loving one another is to be a people of present affection.
People of Present Affection
Here is what is meant by “Present” Affection. It’s a two-way road. First, our affection should invite others to be present with us and we should pursue to be present with others. Verses 2 through 4 provide this framework for us.
Verse 2 reads, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” The word strangers here means someone you don’t know or someone not like you (neighbor, coworker, person on the street, person sitting the row in front of you). Verse 2 beckons us to be thoughtful to people we don’t know.
Explain – entertained angels (we can’t discern angels, however, you’re always in the presence of image-bearers)
There are a lot of ways you can define hospitality and probably a lot of images running through your head. However, from the context, I would define hospitality of Jesus followers as – our affection inviting others to be present with us. (not others into our presence)
Its more than just inviting someone into your home or your kitchen table. It is inviting them to come into your life to be present with you…for them to be near you. (Tozer Example) Your food might be delicious, your couch might be comfortable, but can they be present with you? Can they be themselves and feel like you want to know them?
The times where I have experienced this type of hospitality, I probably can’t tell you what we ate, let alone whether it tasted good, or whether their furniture was leather or cloth, but I know that I felt safe to be who I was. And when I left, I felt like I was known more than when I arrived. I felt joy and my heart, not just my stomach was full. I felt like I experienced a piece of the unshakeable kingdom.
We are a people of hospitality because our God is a God of hospitality. Hebrews 4:16 – “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace.” Hebrews 10:19 – “Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus.”
To be at the throne of grace or in the holy place is to be in the presence of God. For sinners and rebels like you and me, the presence of God should be the most terrifying and unsafe place for us to be. But because of the work of Jesus, and Jesus alone, the most unsafe place for us to be is now the safest place we could be. We are 100% welcome in God’s presence and we come to him as we are.
So, we, like Jesus, invite others to be present with us. But also, we are people who seek to be present with others. Healing – our affection being present with others. In verse 3 we read, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.” It’s important to note that those in prison here are in prison because of their faith and those being mistreated are being mistreated because of their faith. What is being commanded in verse 3 is a family matter.
We might not experience this kind of persecution, but I would argue that this is an invitation for us to be mindful of those who are hurting and alone. We all know people, probably in the church, who are hurting or alone.
Its not just remember those in prison but remember in such a way as though you yourself are in prison. Don’t just remember those being mistreated, but remember their pain as though you are hurting too because you are a part of the body. It’s a thoughtfulness filled with empathy that leads to caring for. It compels us to go and be a healing presence with them in their pain and loneliness.
The last time a loved one died, you might not remember what was said in the eulogy or what songs were sung, but I’ll bet you remember who drew near to you, who took the time to be with you in the midst of such pain. They didn’t just show up but they stayed.
(Personal Example) He didn’t give me a biblical band aid, but he drew near to me like a balm for my soul.
You see God, again, never asked to be something that he himself has not been for us. We are told throughout the book of Hebrews that this is what Jesus did for us. He left the throne and stepped into our broken world. He is the one who sympathizes with us in our temptations and in our pain. Jesus drew near to us…he brought his presence to us.
Let’s look at Hebrews 4:16 again and this time, listen to the second part – “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
When we come before Jesus on his throne, he not only invites us to be present with him, but he is present with us. He covers us with mercy and grace to help us in our time of need. It doesn’t say that at the throne of grace all your problems get fixed…or that Jesus says all the right words…or that Jesus tells you what you need to work on. NO, he steps into our need and gives us mercy.
Be present with one another amidst the hurt and loneliness. Don’t try to fix one another’s problems or try to say the perfect thing. Can we just be people who draw near to one another, sit with one another, cry with each other, pray over one another?
Lastly, I’ll say this…Jesus’ ministry to us is not a distant or virtual ministry; it is a get-close, draw-near, in-person ministry. So why should we think that our ministry to one another should be any different. May this church be a people whose love for each other is displayed through present affection, where we invite one another into our hospitality and we bring healing to one another.
Transition: The second way we can continue loving one another is to be a people with focused affection.
People of Focused Affection
Verses 4 and 5 say, “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have.”
It seems like the subject has changed from hospitality and healing to marriage and money. But the subject is still love. It’s that verses 2 and 3 describe encouraged behaviors for loving each other, and now verses 4 and 5 describe behaviors that are forbidden in loving one another. Verses 2 and 3 show us how to have affection for each other, while verses 4 and 5 remind us that our affection can lose its focus.
When the marriage bed is defiled through adultery, it is affection given where it should not. It is love being misplaced. It is our affection being given to the wrong person. The same goes for the love of money, possessions, success. It is placing our affection on the wrong thing. Misplaced affection is always toxic to those involved.
The point here is not about adultery or greed. Rather, it shows a reality of affection. It must go somewhere. So how can we be a people of present affection if we have lost focus of our affection for one another?
But I want to point out something interesting here. He doesn’t quote one of the many proverbs or sayings of Jesus regarding infidelity or money. How does he address affection that’s lost focus? He quotes from Joshua 1, “for he said, ‘I will never leave nor forsake you.’
He’s not calling out the sins above the water. He is referencing the iceberg below. The issue is not who or what is receiving our misplace affections. He is going into why our affections lose focus. It appears these people are beginning to think that the Lord has abandoned them. He is speaking to their fear, their hurt, their loneliness.
Have you ever thought that your affections are misplaced because you have wounds that need to be healed or a place where you don’t feel safe and you are going to the wrong people and things to find that healing, safety, and love that is only meant for Christ to give you?
Remember Branch the Troll from the beginning of the sermon? Our affections lose their focus because we haven’t dealt with the hurt and loneliness in our life. This might be where you need to sit for a while. Your invitation today might not be to consider how you can be more hospitable or healing, but rather how can you experience healing from that open wound or how can you truly feel safe?
I can tell you it is hard to draw near to others and be a healing presence when you have not allowed the Lord to heal you. It is equally as difficult to allow others to be near you in hospitality when you yourself do not feel safe around others. You see, it is nearly impossible to be a person of present affection if you don’t have focused affection.
But, again, the Lord is not going to call you to do something that he himself has not done for you. Jesus again…will never leave nor forsake. How do we know this? Jesus never lost focus on you. His affections never wavered in his pursuit to love you. This is a major theme in the book of Hebrews…JESUS FIXED HIS EYES ON YOU, DREW NEAR TO YOU, AND GIVES YOU PLACE TO BE SAFE, HEARD, KNOWN, AND HEALED.
So we too can fix our eyes on Jesus. When we allow Jesus to heal us and help us feel safe… So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man to do me?” If our affection for one another is to be truly present then it must also be focused.
Conclusion
What if…what if this church fixed our eyes on Jesus, lived in gratitude of being citizens of an unshakeable kingdom and loved one another with present affection and focused affection? What would happen?
It doesn’t produce peppy people who pretend that life isn’t hard, but it gives you the strength to carry on. It produces Hebrews 12:1 people…we throw off the things that slow us down and the sin that trips us up and we run with perseverance the road that is set before us. That doesn’t mean that we won’t run with a limp, but it means that we will run and have the strength to carry on.
Verse 7, “Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.” They finished their race, they had strength till the end.
If I want to laugh, I watch a comedy on TV. If I want to cry, I’ll watch a sad or inspiring video. If I want to be scared, I’ll watch a scary movie…or the news. But if I want to be encouraged, strengthened, feel safe, experience peace, I can’t get that from Netflix and my bank account will not give that to me. I need you and you need one another to keep going and to finish strong.
Let’s pray.