Keeping Watch
Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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What is the pastor’s job?
He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ.
Admonish - noutheteo - put in mind
teach - give instruction
If you point these things out to the brothers and sisters, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, nourished on the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.
Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
This is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.
That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.
Command and teach these things.
Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.
Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.
Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.
Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Point out
Command
Teach
Set an example
read scripture publicly
Preach
Teach
Watch
Persevere
Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.
Preach the word
Correct
Rebuke
Encourage
It is a ministry of the Word of God
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
Set forth the truth plainly
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.
Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they may do this with joy, not groaning; for this would be unhelpful for you.
Leaders
Leaders
Who are the leaders in the church?
Then the apostles and elders, with the whole church, decided to choose some of their own men and send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They chose Judas (called Barsabbas) and Silas, men who were leaders among the believers.
judas and Silas were prophets… speaking the word of God
Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.
Prophets and teachers in the church
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
Prophets, evangelists, pastors/teacher used interchangeably
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Who are the leaders? The pastors, teachers, elders of the church.
Earlier in this context, the author spoke of the past leaders who had taught the readers.
Hebrews 13:7 “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”
They were to remember their past leaders, considering the outcome of their lives, and to imitate them.
Now, the author is speaking of their current leaders, the elders, pastors, teachers of the church.
Have Confidence / Obey
Have Confidence / Obey
But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.
Obey your leaders
Obey your leaders
not a mindless, unqualified command.
Jim Jones was not a man to be obeyed.
Not the Roman Catholic interpretation, that you obey and submit to what the Pope and Cardinals say, viewing their pronouncements as higher authority than scripture.
Obey as they teach the truth. Obey as they share the truth of scripture as they are watching over your soul.
Submit
Submit
yield… does not mean they are better or more important. But they do have a God given authority. A role to play.
You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and they have devoted themselves to the service of the Lord’s people. I urge you, brothers and sisters,
to submit to such people and to everyone who joins in the work and labors at it.
yielding contrary opinions
Because They Keep Watch
Because They Keep Watch
Keep watch, without sleep
Image of a shepherd, which is word translated as pastor in Ephesians 4.11
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
Giving an Account
Giving an Account
We will all be giving an account...
We will not face the judgment for sin which leads to condemnation, for we have been forgiven, Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,”
However, we will all face judgement concerning what we have done with our lives, building on the foundation of Jesus, our salvation. 1 Corinthians 3:10–15 “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.
Those with more responsibility have higher accountability.
The word of the Lord came to me:
“Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman,
and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people,
then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head.
Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves.
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.
When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood.
But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.
“Son of man, say to the Israelites, ‘This is what you are saying: “Our offenses and sins weigh us down, and we are wasting away because of them. How then can we live?” ’
Say to them, ‘As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, people of Israel?’
“Therefore, son of man, say to your people, ‘If someone who is righteous disobeys, that person’s former righteousness will count for nothing. And if someone who is wicked repents, that person’s former wickedness will not bring condemnation. The righteous person who sins will not be allowed to live even though they were formerly righteous.’
If I tell a righteous person that they will surely live, but then they trust in their righteousness and do evil, none of the righteous things that person has done will be remembered; they will die for the evil they have done.
And if I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ but they then turn away from their sin and do what is just and right—
if they give back what they took in pledge for a loan, return what they have stolen, follow the decrees that give life, and do no evil—that person will surely live; they will not die.
None of the sins that person has committed will be remembered against them. They have done what is just and right; they will surely live.
“Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But it is their way that is not just.
If a righteous person turns from their righteousness and does evil, they will die for it.
And if a wicked person turns away from their wickedness and does what is just and right, they will live by doing so.
Yet you Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ But I will judge each of you according to your own ways.”
this is why when an elder / teacher / leader is sinning, they are to be rebuked publicly as a warning.
But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning.
Obey your leaders and submit to them—for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account—so that they will do this with joy and not with groaning, for this would be unprofitable for you.
Joy or Burden?
Joy or Burden?
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.
Pray
Pray
Clear Conscience
Clear Conscience
Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.
Desire to live honorably
Desire to live honorably
Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, with integrity and godly sincerity. We have done so, relying not on worldly wisdom but on God’s grace.
What about me?
What about me?
Am I willing to obey and submit to those over me?
Am I praying for those in leadership?
Am I being a watchful leader to those under me?
Am I fulfilling the duties of properly handling the Word of God and setting it forth plainly to remind, teach, admonish, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness?
Am I mindful of giving an account?
Let us all strive for a clear conscience and desire to live honorably
