Hebrews 13:5-8

Hebrews 13:1–4 (NASB95)

1 Let love of the brethren continue.2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Hebrews 13:5–6 (NASB95)

5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

“Free From the Love of Money” is One Word in Greek

“To Love/Be a Friend to Silver”

The Author Brings Out Several Things to Consider:

The Love of Money is the Opposite of Being Content/Satisfied with What You have

1 Timothy 6:6–11 (NASB95)

6 But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment.7 For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either.8 If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content.

9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction.10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

The Love of Money/Greed is Ultimately a Fruitless Attempt…

Because We Can’t Take it with Us When We Die

When We Aren’t Content, We Set Ourselves Up for Harm, Grief, and Destruction

It’s Better to Flee From Greed and Pursue the Fruit of the Spirit Instead

We Ought to Be Content/Satisfied with Whatever Necessities We May Have

But this is a Secret that Must Be Learned, According to Paul

Philippians 4:10–13 (NIV)

10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

What is the Secret to Being Content in All Circumstances that Needs to Be Learned?

The Strength to Be Content Comes From Jesus

How?

Possibly Through the Indwelling Spirit

He May Strengthen Us in Ways We Don’t Quite Know How to Explain

Definitely Through Faith and Hope

Faith - Trusting that He is Going to Take Care of Us

Hope - Knowing that with His Return and Our Resurrection…

Comes Glory, Honor, Riches, and Blessings Unimaginable

Hebrews 13:5–6 (NASB95)

5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

Another Thing the Author Brings Out:

We Ought to Be Content/Satisfied Because…

God has Promised to Never Leave Us

Even if the Persecutors Take Everything We have Away From Us…

They Can’t Take Our God Away From Us

He is Our Constant Helper…

And He Assures Us that We have Nothing to Fear

This is One of the Greatest Blessings of Being a Christian:

Knowing that I Don’t have to Worry or Be Afraid

Even if Catastrophe Struck and My Family had Lost Our Source of Income…

God Will Take Care of Us Because We are Trying to Please Him

That’s Not to Say that I Don’t Ever Worry About Such Temporary Things…

I’m Still a Weak and Fragile Person…

But it’s a Wonderful Blessing to Know I Don’t have to Worry

Matthew 6:25–33 (NASB95)

25 “For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?

26 “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?27 “And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?28 “And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin,29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.

30 “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!31 “Do not worry then, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear for clothing?’32 “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Hebrews 13:7 (NASB95)

7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

This is the First of 3 Times “Leaders” are Going to Be Referred to in this Closing Section of the Letter

This Verse May Be Referring to Past Leaders Who have Died

These Were the People Who First Spoke the Gospel to this Church

These Hebrew Christians are Told to:

Remember Them

Consider the Outcome of the Way They Lived Their Lives

And Imitate Their Faith

This is Similar to What We Saw in Chapter 11

The Hebrew Christian Audience was Reminded of Faithful People of the Past…

And They Were Encouraged to Imitate Their Faith

At the Beginning of Chapter 12, They Were Described as a Crowd of Cheering Fans

Now These Past Church Leaders are a Part of that Cheering Crowd

They Lived By Faith and Now Their Memory…

Encourages These Hebrew Christians to Remain Faithful, Like Them

It’s Encouraging to Read About Abraham, Moses, and Others of Faith

But Sometimes it’s Even More Impactful to Remember Someone Faithful We Personally Knew

There are People I’ve Known Who have Passed Away…

That I Still Think About and Try to Imitate Because of Their Christ-Likeness

I’ve Seen Their Faith Lived Out

It’s Real, Lovely, and Contagious

And There’s a Sense in Which I Want to Honor Them…

By Using the Lessons I’ve Learned From Them

This is What Discipleship is All About

The More Experienced Teaching, Guiding, and Being an Example to…

The Less Experienced

Discipleship is Instrumental to the Spiritual Growth of the Church

We Need Leaders Who are Willing to Lead…

Through Both Teaching and Example

Hebrews 13:8 (NASB95)

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Their Leaders Once Spoke the Gospel to Them…

And When They Believed, They Were So Full of Faith and Boldness

The Jesus They had Learned About was Worth Every Sacrifice

The Gospel They Believed Gave Them…

All the Hope and Comfort They Needed to Push Through the Suffering

But Now, Their Faith is Wavering and Their Boldness is Shrinking

But Here’s the Good News:

Jesus hasn’t Changed a Bit

Their Circumstances May have Changed…

But Jesus is Still on His Heavenly Throne

He is Still Interceding on Their Behalf

And He is Still Going to Return to Bless the Faithful Who Endure

Life is Going to have its Times of Difficulty and Hardship

And that is Definitely the Case for Those of Faith in Jesus

But the Gospel Doesn’t Change

The Truth that has Always Been will Always Be

The Promises of God are Going to Be Kept

Jesus is Still Going to Rescue His People and Destroy All Evil

This is a Truth that We Must Always Hold On to

Our Lives are Going to Change, Sometimes for the Worse

Our Levels of Faith, Hope, and Love May Fluctuate, as Well

But Jesus and What He’s Done, is Doing, and Will Do for Us…

Is Never Going to Change