Hebrews 13:7-25 Instruction in Worship

Intro: Final Instructions

If you could only say a few words before leaving someone, what would you say?

Armageddon

The writer of Hebrews leaves his readers with some final instructions

Interestingly, the topic of his instructions are on worship

He wants to instruct them on how they should worship when they gather together

This in turn gives us a great outline on how we are to worship

Read Hebrews 13:7-9

Transition: Purpose of Worship

As the writer of Hebrews finishes up his letter to the Jews in Rome, he gives some final instructions on what they should do when they gather to worship

They were longing to go back to the comfort of the Jewish rituals in the Synagogue

He wants them to focus on the purpose of worship

While there can be value in the traditions of some worship services, they’re purpose is to point us to the glory of Jesus Christ

The word Worship means to “Give Worth” to someone or something

When we gather one Sunday mornings we call this a worship service

We give worth to Jesus by singing His praises, Learning His Word, Serving one another, and Fellowshipping

All four of those are done in His name

I want to show you five things instructions for worship that we should be practicing

Unchanging Savior vs. 8

The first, and most important, instruction in worship is to grasp that we have an unchanging savior

This is the most famous verse in all of Hebrews

I grew up in churches where the offering table had this engraved in it

Jesus doesn’t change

He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever

The theological term for that is Immutability

Immutability = Unchanging nature of Jesus Christ

Jesus Christ is always available

What a contrast with the changeableness of us humans and of life here on earth.

The cycle from birth to death is a testament to our human mutability.

The supple, sweet flesh of a newborn prospers like a flower and then fades and wrinkles and is finally cast off in death.

Human personality never ceases changing.

Forests rise and stand for a millennium—and fade into deserts. Rivers cut canyons and disappear.

The only thing that is sure is change!

But the great truth is, God does not change, and neither does the Holy Spirit or the Son, Jesus Christ.

Isaiah 48:12 ESV

“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.

Hebrews 1:12 ESV

like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

No matter what lies ahead in this always-changing world with its drifting continents and fading suns—no matter what the seas may bring, we must sustain ourselves with this focus, Jesus Christ, our eternal, unchangeable contemporary.

Those who truly do this will navigate the roughest seas.

Eat the Right Diet vs. 9-14

The second instruction for worship is to Eat the Right Diet

One of the sticking points between Christians Jews and Gentiles in the early church was over diet

The Jews wanted the Gentiles to follow the strict Jewish diet

This was finally settled in the Jerusalem council

Even Jesus said do not fear what goes in the mouth because it will be expelled, but fear what goes into the heart

That is the emphasis here

Make sure you are being fed the right Biblical diet

vs. 9a Don’t Be Mislead by Bad Doctrine

They are warned not to be mislead by strange teachings

This started with those who wanted to go back to Judaism, but it also was to those who were susceptible to being deceived by the false doctrines that were infiltrating the church

Gnosticism was a big one

It denied that Jesus was true God and that he didn’t come in the flesh but was a spirit the whole time

Of course, you could only figure this out if you aspired to their higher knowledge

Superbowl ad “He Gets Us”

I was a little disappointed

Jesus only washed the feet of his disciples

$14 million spent on that ad

He Saves Us Video

Now, my friends did show me another side

Philippians 1:18 ESV

What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,

Searches for Jesus surged on Google after this ad

Who know how many untold people came to Jesus because of that

The main point is to make sure you are consuming a steady diet of bad theology

vs. 9b Be Strengthened by Grace

Instead be strengthened by grace

No diet is ever going to save you, not matter what the people on instagram tell you

What you need is a steady diet of grace

That reassurance that your salvation isn’t revoked every time you blow it

That feeling that nothing can separate you from the love of God

Even if you are unfaithful, he will remain faithful

vs. 10 Come to the Altar

Next the writer tells his readers to come to the altar that judaism can’t

There isn’t a physical altar like in the OT

He is talking about the cross

Those from Judaism can come to the cross and partake of communion because they refuse to believe Jesus is the Messiah

The tent reference here is to the tabernacle of the wilderness

vs. 11-14 Outside the Camp

This is a passage where you need to know Jewish customs

When an animal was sacrificed out in the wilderness, they would take the remains outside the camp and burn the body

Outside the camp: The camp refers to institutional Judaism, which rejected Jesus and Christianity.

Though these Christians from Jewish backgrounds were raised to consider everything outside the camp as unclean and evil, now they had follow Jesus outside traditional, institutional Judaism of that time.

If they would follow Jesus outside the camp, He would sanctify them

They would also have to bear the reproach Jesus endured

In bearing His reproach we face great difficulty and suffering.

The good news is that for those who bear His reproach, this world is the worst they will ever have it.

For cowards who turn their back on Jesus, this life is the absolute best they will ever have it.

Offer Sacrifice of Praise vs. 15-16

The third instruction in worship is to offer a sacrifice of praise

When we gather to worship on Sundays our primary focus is to seek Jesus

When we come and sing we are offering a sacrifice of praise

This helps us enter the presence of the Lord

It allows the Holy Spirit work in us

It is an offering to the Lord

To withhold your worship is to rob Jesus of what he deserves

It’s a sacrifice because you have to lift your voice

Hosea 14:2 ESV

Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips.

Praise is powerful, not a performance

A lady came up to a pastor and told him that she didn’t enjoy worship that morning

The pastor replied, “That’s okay, we didn’t come to worship you.”

Worship isn’t about whether you enjoy it, its about whether God received you offering as a pleasing offering

Follow Your Leaders vs. 7, 17-19

The fourth instruction in worship is to follow your leaders

Three times the writer used the designation, “Them that have the rule over you.”

ESV uses leaders instead of rulers

The phrase refers to the spiritual leaders of the local assemblies.

The church is an organism, but it is also an organization.

If an organism is not organized, it will die!

Go back up to verse 7

Remember your leaders

That means to respect and follow

These are the pastors in the church because they speak the Word of God

It says to consider the outcome of their way of life

Look for the fruit of their living

Then you are supposed to imitate them

Then down to verse 17

It says to obey your leaders and submit to them

We are to be submissive to the leaders God gives us (assuming they have the character mentioned in Hebrews 13:7).

We are simply told to obey those who rule over us.

When speaking on the authority of God’s Word, leaders do have a right to tell us how to live and walk after God.

Sadly, some take the idea of submission to leaders in the church much too far.

Prayer for Perfection vs. 20-25

The final instruction in worship is to pray for perfection

This last section includes what we call a doxology

It is a hymn or praise, usually at the end of the service

That’s why churches often sing a song or doxology at the end of services

We see Paul use several in his letters

This is a blessing in the style of the priestly blessing of Numbers 6:22-27: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.

This doxology has some interesting facets

First, it recognizes the attributes of God

He is the God of peace

Resurrected Jesus

He is the Great Shepherd

Grantor of the New Covenant

Then the doxology switches to a prayer for the people

That we would be made complete or perfect

That we may do His will

Working out His sanctification in us

That we bring Him glory