Hebrews 13:1-2

We are Starting the Final Chapter of Hebrews Tonight

Paul, in Several of His Letters…

Would Focus on Theological Gospel Teaching…

Before Giving Practical Moral Instructions

I Don’t Believe Paul Wrote Hebrews…

But this Book is Structured in a Similar Way

Chapters 1-12 Were Focused on Teaching Theological Principles of the Gospel:

Jesus, His Priesthood, His Covenant, His Sacrifice, etc…

Are Superior to that of the Old Priesthood, Covenant, Sacrifices, etc.

And Now His Focus in Chapter 13 is Turning to Practical Moral Instructions

The End of Chapter 12 was the Final Warning Passage of the Book

God is Going to “Shake” and “Remove” the Kingdoms and Powers of the Present Heaven and Earth…

So that His Kingdom is All that Remains

Therefore, We Need to Stick with Jesus and Inherit the Everlasting Kingdom

Hebrews 13:1 (NASB95)

1 Let love of the brethren continue.

Can Anyone Guess What the Word for “Love of the Brethren” is?

Philadelphia

These Hebrew Christians Were to Love Each Other Like Brothers & Sisters

This was One of the Most Personal and Intimate of Loves

They Aren’t Just Told to Love Each Other Like/As Siblings

They are Told to Let Their Sibling Love Continue/Remain/Stay

Why Would They Need to Be Told this?

Because with Persecution Attacking From Without…

And Discouragement Attacking From Within…

They Were in Great Need of Like-Minded, Faithful, Loving, Family

The Tempting Decision is to Forsake the Christian Family and Escape the Persecution

But the Author Encourages Them to Keep Loving Each Other

This Goes Hand in Hand with Hebrews 10:23-25

Hebrews 10:23–25 (NASB95)

23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

The Early Church Needed Mutual Encouragement From Each Other

Suffering for Your Beliefs/Commitment to Jesus is Bad

But Suffering Alone is Worse

Suffering Without the Encouragement of a Sibling

Suffering Without Someone to Lean Upon

Suffering Without a Family that Makes the Suffering Bearable

They Needed to Assemble Together Because…

Without Each Other, They Were Far More Likely to Fall Away From the Faith

Does this Command to Let Brotherly Love Continue Apply to Us Today?

What Does Brotherly Love Look Like, Practically Speaking?

Encouraging Each Other to Greater Faithfulness

Compassionately and Generously Helping Each Other with Needs

Physical, Emotional, Spiritual

Loyalty, Patience, Kindness Toward Each Other

These are the Kinds of Things We Need From Each Other to Keep Going

Hebrews 13:2 (NASB95)

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

“Neglect” = To Forget, Neglect, Overlook

“Do Not Forget to Show Hospitality to Strangers”

“Hospitality” is Related to “Brotherly Love”

Hospitality = To Love a Stranger

A Technical Translation of These 2 Verses Would Sound Like:

“The Love of Siblings Continue, the Love of Strangers Don’t Forget”

When You Think of Hospitality, What Do You Think of?

Welcoming People into Your House

Hospitality in the Ancient Middle East was Expected

When a Foreigner Came to Town, Any Good Person Would Open Their Home to Him

There Were Inns in Many Cities…

But They Often Expensive and Weren’t the Nicest Places to Stay

God has Always Expected His People to Open Their Homes to Others

Hospitality Isn’t Practiced Like it Used to Be

It is Something that can Be Easily Neglected, Forgotten, and Overlooked

It’s Something We Must Be Intentional About

Does Loving Strangers Only Refer to Opening Our Homes to Them?

That was One of the Primary Ways Ancient People Could Show Their Love to Strangers/Foreigners

But There are Many Ways in Which We can Do that

The Root Word for Brotherly Love and Hospitality is:

“philos” = Friend

Showing Hospitality is About Showing the Love of a Friend to Strangers

That Means Meeting Their Needs When Possible

That Means Treating Them with Kindness, Compassion, Generosity

Who Should We Show this Love to?

Who Would Be Classified as a Stranger?

People We Don’t Know

People We Know But May Not Be From Around Here

Unbelievers Who Aren’t a Part of Our Family in Christ

We are to Love These People and Treat Them Like a Friend

This Could Involve Many Different Things

But it Must Involve Love, Kindness, Compassion, and Generosity

Hebrews 13:2 (NASB95)

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

The Author Could Be Referring to Abraham in Genesis 18:1-9

Notice the Hospitality Abraham Showed to These Angels

He Didn’t Have a House or Bed to Offer Them…

But He Loved Them the Best He Could

Genesis 18:1–8 (NIV)

1 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.

3 He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.” “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.” 7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.

The Hospitality/Love for Strangers that Abraham Showed Included:

Hurrying to Greet Them and Show Them Honor

Gave Them Water to Clean Their Feet

Offered Them a Cool Place to Rest

Got Them Something to Eat

Told Sarah to Hurry and Make Some Bread

He Hurried to Get the Best of His Calves to have Cooked for Them

He Offered Them Curds and Milk with Their Food

Then He Served Them as Honored Guests

Abraham Showed Them Love, Kindness, Compassion, and Generosity

And These Men Turned Out to Be God and 2 Angels

The Hebrew Author Could Have Been Referring to Abraham’s Hospitality to These Angels…

And/Or He Could Be Referring to the Next Chapter Where Lot Shows Hospitality to These Same Angels

Genesis 19:1–3 (NIV)

1 The two angels arrived at Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. When he saw them, he got up to meet them and bowed down with his face to the ground. 2 “My lords,” he said, “please turn aside to your servant’s house. You can wash your feet and spend the night and then go on your way early in the morning.” “No,” they answered, “we will spend the night in the square.” 3 But he insisted so strongly that they did go with him and entered his house. He prepared a meal for them, baking bread without yeast, and they ate.

Like Abraham He Showed Them Honor

He Opened His House to Them so They Could Have a Safe Place to Sleep

He Proved Water for Them to Wash Their Feet

He Prepared a Meal for Them

And When They Tried to Turn Down His Offer, He Insisted

The Text Goes on to Show How He Sought to Protect Them From the Men of the City

He Showed Them Love, Kindness, Compassion, and Generosity

Abraham and Lot Both Loved These Strangers as Their Friends

Hebrews 13:2 (NASB95)

2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Is the Hebrew Author Saying that We Could Possibly Entertain Angels Today?

I Don’t Think So

I Think the Point is that You Never Know the Blessings that will Come From Showing Love to Strangers

Abraham and Lot, as Well as Others, Experienced Great Blessings…

Because They Showed Love to Strangers Who Happened to Be Angels

With These 2 Verses We are Told to Love Our Siblings in Christ and Strangers

Love is All About Showing Kindness, Compassion, and Generosity to Others

These Early Christians Were Already Loving Each Other and Needed to Continue

They Needed to Remember to Love Strangers as Well

We Need to Be Doing the Same