Sermon Tone Analysis

*The Marks of a Christian; Behavior Modification*

*(Honoring God in the Family)*

*Heb.

13:1-8                                                          July 20, 1997*

* *

*Scripture:  Unison Reading, Hebrews 13:1-8, page #1878-79, Pew Bible*

 

*Introduction:*

 

          Remember when you were a child and your parents sent you off to a week at camp or to stay with some relative?

What were the final instructions you received?

Did it go something like this?, “Now Johnny, don’t forget to stay out of fights and be kind, and don’t forget to wash behind your ears, and mind your manners.

Obey your elders and for heavens sake, don’t steal anything this time.

Remember, God is watching even if we’re not.”

It is kind of like that here as the writer of Hebrews ends his message to the Hebrew Christians.

He has given them absolute truth about the supremacy and sufficiency of Jesus Christ as the revealer and mediator of God’s grace.

That is, grace is seen in Christ and applied through Christ.

Now in an apparently disconnected way he commands them about how this should play out in their lives as part of the Christian family.

But it is not as disconnected as it may seem.

In verses 1-8, this moral advice covers the various aspects of social, private and religious life that should be the distinguishing marks of how Christians live together.

Because of the truth they know, their behavior should follow.

When your parents told you to mind your behavior because it would either credit or discredit the family name, so it is here.

A Christian modifies his behavior to glorify God within the family of God.

And it goes without saying, before a watching world.

Speaking of behavior modification, did you read this week about Dennis (the worm) Rodman who has gone into All Star Wrestling with Hulk Hogan?

He said he figured people would enjoy watching him get slammed and twisted around since they thought he had some of this coming to him.

I suppose he’s right, but I wonder if it will make any difference.

He played basketball like that too.

Dennis seems to get off on doing his own thing, but in the wrestling arena he might meet some others who are also just doing their own thing.

About every aberration of mankind rears it ugly head in professional wrestling.

Every once in a while things do seem to balance out in life.

And the highest and best use for a worm is probably for bait.

You know, there is a lesson here, that if we don’t think anything of ourselves, others won’t either.

And how we behave reflects what we think.

A major lesson in Hebrews is the infinite value of the believer to God.

We can be certain of this because of who Christ is (God in the flesh as man) and what Christ did (died on the cross to save us from sin) to bring us to God.

All people ultimately desire to be significant, secure, and sufficient.

That is, to be worthwhile, safe, and adequate.

We desire this because we are made in the image of God.

We are all those things in Christ.

The writer of Hebrews has tried to correct our thinking, and now he takes it the rest of the way toward modifying our behavior.

Those Christ has died for cannot continue to live for themselves.

There must be concern for others, faith in action, and love at work.

Others are just as valuable as we are.

*I.

Social Life  (vv.

1-3)*

          A.

Brotherly love:  God’s family holds to a common origin.

Combines two basic ideas:

                   1.

The exercise of family love

                   2.

The adoption of a family relationship

 

This relationship is irrespective of race and culture.

There is the sense in which we are all related by blood and potentially related by spirit.

*Ro 12:10  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

Honor one another above yourselves.*

*1Th 4:9 ¶ Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.*

*1Pe 1:22  Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.*

*Ps 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity!*

*1Jo 3:16  This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.

And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.*

*1Jo 3:17  If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?*

If a weakening of faith and resolve among the recipients of this epistle led to a weakening of the bonds which united them to their fellow-Christians, this would add urgency to the plea that brotherly love should /continue/ among them.

The following relate to several aspects of this family relationship.

B.

Hospitality:  God’s family considers others as potential                                    members.

1.

It is a means of friendship.

2.

It is a means of influence.

*Ro 12:13  Share with God's people who are in need.

Practice hospitality.*

*1Pe 4:9  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.*

It is better to assume that guests are angels and to act accordingly rather than risk treating worthy people unworthily.

All believers are like angels in the future sense.

* *

*Mt 22:30  At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.*

To entertain a stranger makes no stranger but a friend.

Some visitors may prove to be true messengers of God to us, bringing greater blessing than they receive, (Gen.

18; Judges 13).

Sheldon’s book, “In His Steps.”

We may be entertaining angels without knowing it at our church picnic.

Guideposts Article:  about black female angel that nursed sickly child.

Levels of hospitality:  brothers, strangers, angels, prisoners, outcasts.

But it all honors God.

C.

Empathy:  God’s family remembers those who are hurting.

1.

It is an identification in spirit.

2.

It is a potential identification in fact.

Why empathize?

Because -

Eccl.

9:11b; ---but time and chance happen to them all.

Either it could be me, or it used to be me.

There is a brotherhood of man, but especially of believers.

We must understand our common struggle to overcome the fallen nature both in ourselves and in others.

If one member suffers, we all suffer together.

* *

*1Cor.

12:26  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.*

*27 ¶ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.*

A capacity for putting oneself in another’s place and exercising imaginative sympathy is part of true charity.

This same imaginative sympathy should be extended to all who are ill-treated; those who are themselves in the body are in a position to imagine how they would feel if the same ill-treatment were meted out to them.

*II.

Private Life  (vv.

4-6)  *(Covet = Desire ardently, crave, long for.)

A.

Marriage:  God’s families stay intact.