Hebrews 13

1-6: Living For His Kingdom

This section is giving the readers instructions on how to “receive a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” And how to serve God acceptably with reverence and awe. 12:28.

This is a great way to continue in the faith, to have a great community around you.

V.2: speaks of showing hospitality (do no neglect hospitality) to strangers.

V.2: speaks of showing hospitality (do no neglect hospitality) to strangers.

In that culture they didn’t have tons of hotels for travelers and all, so open up your house to them was a example of love.

One reason for doing this is you might be hosting heavenly beings

Abraham:

Gideon:

Manoah:

V. 3: some had probably been placed in prison for their faith

In that culture the prison wasn’t required to give food and clothing and different resources to them, so family or friends needed to help them during their time of imprisonment.

You didn’t stay in prison for long, if you could not pay your debts you would have been sold into slavery.

V.4: Marriage is highlighted because believers should honor marriage and protect it.

Not only marriage but sex as well. Living live following God in marriage and sex is a huge way to to serve God and his kingdom.

A last comment on living for God’s kingdom is this idea of contentment with God and knowing that he will never abandon us!

What is hospitality and why should we show it?

Why is honoring marriage and sex important to living for God’s kingdom?

How does it feel knowing God will never abandon you?

7-14: Holding Fast to our Faith in Jesus

V.7 could be referring to their leaders who have been killed for their faith. They are people who were living out verse 6.

Because Jesus never changes he is faithful and can be trusted.

V. 8 They can always be anchored in their faith in Christ, for he is going no where and will never change.

V. 9: speaks to the temptation to revert back to Jewish practices of food regulation and instead to rest in the grace of God and do not be lead astray.

V.9 explains the teachings that lead astray as various and strange. These are variations of the gospel, they sound somewhat right, but in the end are false gospels

This is seen in his exhortation to be established by grace and not by food regulations. He wants to remind the people that they are saved by grace in Christ and not by what they do and don’t eat.

V. 10 the writer shows the readers that those who are depending on their actions to be saved have no place to be worship Christ, for they are depending on their own efforts for salvation. Or they are still depending on animal sacrifices for it.

V. 11-12 The sacrifices in the OT were used to atone for sins for a while, and the blood was mainly used from the animal for sacrifice, but the left over body was then burned out side of the city. It was thought to be unclean to burn it inside the city.

However, the writer explains that Jesus was taken outside the city, Golgotha was outside the city where Jesus died (), and his blood did for us what animals blood used to do, but His did it once and for all.

So Jesus is the better sacrifice, and the idea of him being outside the city shows how much pain and alienation he had to endure for us.

We are then called to endure many things and “go outside the camp” to follow Jesus because we have the city of God in mind. We have what is to come in view, and following Jesus takes us beyond this world that we are currently in.

What are things other than Jesus that people put their faith in to be saved?

Is your heart established by grace?

What does verse 13 look like for us?

How can we look forward to the city to come?

15-25: Conclusion

15-19 explains some things we should do in reaction to living for Jesus and anticipating heaven.

Sacrifice for Jesus

Continually confess that you believe in Christ, it should not be a secret.

Keep doing good, and share with others even if it takes sacrificing to do it.

Obey those leading in the church, for they are caring for your soul.

Pray for the writer of the letter, pray for brothers and sisters in Christ.

20-21 is a prayer for them

reminds them that God is peaceful toward them because of Jesus

He also raised Jesus from the dead, who is the great shepherd of us

through what Christ has done, for them to be equipped everything good to do what God has called them to do.

that Jesus would work in them to be pleasing to God.

Lets them know that Timothy has been released from prison.

He is writing from somewhere in Italy, probably other than Rome.

These are real believers in real places following a real Jesus.

Super Dope.

How are you continually confessing his name?

Do you see your pastors as those looking out for your souls?

How has Christ been working in you recently?