Signed, Sealed, Delivered
Hebrews • Sermon • Submitted
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· 25 viewsThrough faith in Jesus Christ, God speaks his good word over us, forming and empowering us to live for his glory.
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Introduction
Introduction
HEB
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you. 18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Very often as I drive I’ll tune into a sports radio talk show. I remember, on one occasion, a conversation the two hosts were having about coaching football at the professional level. It was the off-season, and as it is with every off-season, several teams were looking for a new head coach. One of the hosts was a former player in the NFL so the other host asked him, “what would you look for in a head coach?” He said, “If I were a GM and I were hiring a coach I’d want to look for a guy who can motivate men. You gotta understand this is different from coaching college ball. You’re not coaching 18, 19 and 20 year olds. You’re coaching men who are in their 30’s, and many of them are multi-millionaires. So I need a guy who can motivate men to perform at the professional level.”
You’re not coaching 18, 19 and 20 year olds. You’re coaching men who are in their 30’s, and many of them are multi-millionaires. So I need a guy who can motivate men to perform at the professional level.”
At the end of this letter we find some interesting things about the life of this man I’ve been calling “the Pastor” who wrote to the Hebrews. In v. 18 he earnestly urges them to pray that he would be restored to them soon. He’s been away from his congregation for some time. We don’t know what’s delaying his return. Has he been on a missionary journey and been unable to get back in the time that he thought. Has he run into some difficulties and persecution himself for preaching the gospel. That’s certainly not farfetched because he lets them know in v. 23 that Timothy has been released from jail, and the two of them plan to meet up and return to the Hebrews. This is the same Timothy who was a disciple of the apostle Paul, to whom Paul wrote two letters that are a part of our Bible. So we find out that the Pastor was heavily influenced by Paul himself. This is not just because of the reference to Timothy, but because in the benediction he refers to God as “the God of peace.” That phrase occurs five other times in the NT. Each time on from the lips of Paul at or towards the end of his letters, usually as a part of his benediction. These things help us understand the Pastor and what he writes to the Hebrews, particularly here at the end. He is one of their leaders, and he has concern for how this church responds to her leadership.
That skill, the ability to motivate people to do something, is one that we regularly associate with good leadership in every sphere; in sports, in business, in politics, in the military, and even in the church. Frankly, pastors can become popular and even attain celebrity status based on their ability as a motivator.
life of this man I’ve been calling “the Pastor” who wrote to the Hebrews. In v. 18 he earnestly urges them to pray that he would be restored to them soon. He’s been away from his congregation for some time. We don’t know what’s delaying his return. Has he been on a missionary journey and been unable to get back in the time that he thought. Has he run into some difficulties and persecution himself for preaching the gospel. That’s certainly not farfetched because he lets them know in v. 23 that Timothy has been released from jail, and the two of them plan to meet up and return to the Hebrews. This is the same Timothy who was a disciple of the apostle Paul, to whom Paul wrote two letters that are a part of our Bible. So we find out that the Pastor was heavily influenced by Paul himself. This is not just because of the reference to Timothy, but because in the benediction he refers to God as “the God of peace.” That phrase occurs five other times in the NT. Each time on from the lips of Paul at or towards the end of his letters, usually as a part of his benediction. These things help us understand the Pastor and what he writes to the Hebrews, particularly here at the end. He is one of their leaders, and he has concern for how this church responds to her leadership.
At the end of this letter to the Hebrews we find some interesting things about the author’s life of this man I’ve been calling “the Pastor” who wrote to the Hebrews. In v. 18 he earnestly urges them to pray that he would be restored to them soon. He’s been away from his congregation for some time. We don’t know what’s delaying his return. Has he been on a missionary journey and been unable to get back in the time that he thought. Has he run into some difficulties and persecution himself for preaching the gospel. That’s certainly not farfetched because he lets them know in v. 23 that Timothy has been released from jail, and the two of them plan to meet up and return to the Hebrews. This is the same Timothy who was a disciple of the apostle Paul, to whom Paul wrote two letters that are a part of our Bible. So we find out that the Pastor was heavily influenced by Paul himself. This is not just because of the reference to Timothy, but because in the benediction he refers to God as “the God of peace.” That phrase occurs five other times in the NT. Each time on from the lips of Paul at or towards the end of his letters, usually as a part of his benediction. These things help us understand the Pastor and what he writes to the Hebrews, particularly here at the end. He is one of their leaders, and he has concern for how this church responds to her leadership.
That skill, the ability to motivate people to do something, is one that we regularly associate with good leadership in every sphere; in sports, in business, in politics, in the military, and even in the church. Pastors become popular and can even attain celebrity status based on their ability as a motivator.
And here’s what I find interesting as we consider our text. We’re at the end of this letter to the Hebrews, and the subject of leadership dominates the last words their pastor wants to leave them with. The focus of our message this morning is on vv. 20-21, but I read vv. 17-21 to emphasize this point. The Pastor tells the congregation in v. 17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them.” Then he tells them why. “For they are keeping watch over your souls.” In other words, “obey them because they are caring for your souls.” As he focuses in on the leadership within the church and the church’s response to her leaders he says nothing about them as dynamic preachers and teachers. No, the focus here is on the care of the flock; their role as shepherds. I love what he does. First he reminds them that they receive care from their leaders. Then he calls their attention to the fact that our Lord Jesus is the Great Shepherd of the sheep. And that through him God works in us what is pleasing in his sight.
Then he calls their attention to the fact that our Lord Jesus is the Great Shepherd of the sheep. And that through him God works in us what is pleasing in his sight.
The former NFL player said that teams need to look for coaches who can motivate men to perform at the professional level. And here’s the deal. As human beings we are called to live, to perform, in a certain way and for a certain purpose. And God, who knows we can’t perform the way we ought, if left to ourselves, provides for us the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ. And this Great Shepherd doesn’t just lead us by motivating us to try harder and do better. He is the source through whom we are given every good thing we need to live this life of faith he calls us to. In Jesus Christ we are signed, sealed and delivered into a life of faith for the glory of God.
No, the focus here is on the care of the flock; the pastor’s role as a shepherd. I love what he does. First he reminds them that they receive care from their leaders. Then he calls their attention to the fact that our Lord Jesus is the Great Shepherd of the sheep. And that through him God works in us what is pleasing in his sight.
Here’s what I find interesting, though, when we look at our text. We’ve come to the end of this letter, and the subject of leadership dominates the last words the Pastor wants to leave the Hebrews with. Now it can be self-serving for me as a pastor to preach on pastoral leadership. That’s why I’m glad we preach through books of the Bible. I didn’t cherry pick this text. It’s just the next one in our series. But preaching through this text is more convicting for me than it is self-serving. Here’s why. The Pastor tells the congregation in v. 17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them.” Then he tells them why. “For they are keeping watch over your souls.” In other words, “obey them because they are caring for your souls.” As he focuses in on the leadership within the church and the church’s response to her leaders he says nothing about them as dynamic preachers and teachers, even though the Bible elsewhere ( & 5) says that elders must be able to teach and that some of them labor in preaching and teaching
Now it can be self-serving for me as a pastor to preach on pastoral leadership. That’s why I’m glad we preach through books of the Bible. I didn’t cherry pick this text. It’s just the next one in our series. But preaching through this text is more convicting for me than it is self-serving. Here’s why. The Pastor tells the congregation in v. 17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them.” Then he tells them why. “For they are keeping watch over your souls.” In other words, “obey them because they are caring for your souls.” As he focuses in on the leadership within the church and the church’s response to her leaders he says nothing about them as dynamic preachers and teachers, even though the Bible elsewhere ( & 5) says that elders must be able to teach and that some of them labor in preaching and teaching
I want to work through this message with three P’s, Peace, Promise and Purpose.
At the end of this letter to the Hebrews we find some interesting things about the author’s life of this man I’ve been calling “the Pastor” who wrote to the Hebrews. In v. 18 he earnestly urges them to pray that he would be restored to them soon. He’s been away from his congregation for some time. We don’t know what’s delaying his return. Has he been on a missionary journey and been unable to get back in the time that he thought. Has he run into
I was listening to a sports radio program last week, and the two hosts were talking about coaching at the NFL level. One guy was a former professional football player and so the other host asked him,
Peace
Peace
The Pastor, as he comes to the close of his letter, tells them in v. 22 that he has only written to them briefly, and appeals to them to bear with his word of exhortation. In this benediction he’s bringing together, summing up if you will, three strands he’s been weaving in the letter. The first strand is “peace.”
What was the life situation for the recipients of this letter? They were facing persecution for following Jesus. They were catching hell in the here and now because of their commitment to Jesus Christ. They’re in danger of drifting away from the faith because of the persecution they’re under for following Christ. They want a release from the pressure. Following Jesus is costing more than they anticipated. And the question they’re asking is, “Is it worth it?” “Isn’t there an easier way to be right with God?” “We don’t want to forget about God, we just want less suffering.” “Maybe folk will like us more, and stop treating us so badly if we make some slight modifications to what it means to be a Christian. Then folks will be OK with this gospel we’re trying to preach and live.” And for them the practical outworking of this temptation was to return to the sacrificial and ceremonial forms of worship in the temple.
And over and over again their Pastor has to remind them that those things were just a shadow, pointing forward to the good things that were to come in Jesus Christ. Now that Jesus has come, why would you go back to types and shadows? He tells them in ch. 10:36, “you have need of endurance.” Then, in 12:14 he lets them know, here’s one aspect to what this endurance looks like, “Pursue peace with everyone and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.”
They’re in danger of drifting away from the faith because of the persecution they’re under for following Christ. They want a release from the pressure. Following Jesus is costing more than they anticipated. And the question they’re asking is, “Is it worth it?” “Isn’t there an easier way to be right with God?” “We don’t want to forget about God, we just want less suffering.” “Maybe folk will like us more, and stop treating us so badly if we make some slight modifications to what it means to be a Christian. Then folks will be OK with this gospel we’re trying to preach and live.” And because of this hardship they were being tempted to reject the new and living way that was theirs in Jesus and return back to the
Now, when he gets to the final good word he’s going to give them the first thing he says is that their God is the God of peace. They’re experiencing difficulty and hardship and they’re trying to find relief in their own way. And the Pastor is reminding them, here’s what’s true. Your God is the God of peace. You actually had a bigger problem, a much more critical problem than the ones you’re facing now. You and God were enemies. You weren’t at peace with him. You had strife with God because of your sin. But God took care of that in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ he has made peace with those who were his enemies. And now, through faith in Jesus, you know God as the God of peace.
They’re in danger of drifting away from the faith because of the persecution they’re under for following Christ. They want a release from the pressure. Following Jesus is costing more than they anticipated. And the question they’re asking is, “Is it worth it?” “Isn’t there an easier way to be right with God?” “We don’t want to forget about God, we just want less suffering.” “Maybe folk will like us more, and stop treating us so badly if we make some slight modifications to what it means to be a Christian. Then folks will be OK with this gospel we’re trying to preach and live.”
And because you have peace with God, you can now pursue peace with others. You see, in Jesus Christ, the peace we are brought into with God will never change. Once you have come to God through faith in Jesus Christ, he will always and forever be for you the God of peace. You are signed, sealed and delivered into this peace forever! As Philip Edgecumbe Hughes so powerfully writes in his commentary on this verse,
God is the source and giver of peace. Through Jesus Christ he has made peace with those who were his enemies.
God is the source and giver of peace. Through Jesus Christ he has made peace with those who were his enemies.
A Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews VI. Concluding Exhortations, Requests, and Greetings (13:1–25)
The peace here of which God is the author is primarily the peace of the gospel (Eph. 6:15), the peace which has been established, or re-established, between man and his Creator by the blood of Christ’s cross (Col. 1:20), the peace of God in Christ Jesus which passes all understanding (Phil. 4:7), peace, in short, in its deepest and fullest sense. It is the God of this peace, which speaks forgiveness and acceptance to man at the very heart of his being and which should permeate the whole of his existence in all its relationships and vicissitudes, whom our author invokes here.
Let me as you this. What is going to enable you to overcome and press through the pernicious, polarized climate of our current cultural moment to pursue peace with everyone? It is being secure in the truth that you are at peace with God forever. Therefore, you don’t have to succumb to the fear of pursuing peace with others when there are deep disagreements and strife. Where are you striving to overcome the pernicious political polarization and pursue peace with those with whom you disagree as a testimony to the truth that your God is the God of peace? Where are you striving overcome the pernicious racial and ethnic and socio-economic hostility and polarization as a witness to the world that our God is a God of peace. People specialize in polarization but God specializes in peace!
Promise
Promise
This peace is rock solid because it was secured by promise. This peace wasn’t secured by a promise made first between God and us, but by a promise God made to himself. You and I make promises in this life. And, typically, the more serious serious promises have to be secured by something of value. In other words, your word is not enough. When you go to the dealer to buy a new vehicle, but you don’t have all the cash on hand to pay for it outright, you can’t just shake the salesperson’s hand and say, “Here’s a few dollars. I’m good for the rest of it, and I promise I’ll pay.” No. You’ve got to sign on the dotted line. You’ve got demonstrate that you have a history of keeping your financial promises. You’ve got to demonstrate that you’ll be able to pay the car note. Why isn’t your word good enough? Because people break their promises all the time. People lie all the time. I love what the Pastor said to them back in ch. 6 of this letter.
HEB6.13-
13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” 15 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. 16 For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. 17 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, 18 so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us.
Why can we hold tightly to the hope that is set before us; the reality that we have peace with God now and forever? Because it’s impossible for God to lie! And from chapter 6-10 of the letter he’s going to develop and expand upon the reality that Jesus is the guarantor of a better covenant (). That he’s the mediator of a new covenant (, ). Now, at the end, he brings that thread back together when he says, “May the God of peace, who brought from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant...”
How was our peace secured? God raised Jesus from the dead. He is not only the God of peace, but he’s the God of power. He brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, he says, by the blood of the eternal covenant. Don’t miss that. He’s spent a lot of time in chs. 8-10 talking about Jesus as the mediator of a new and better covenant. The Hebrews, as members of the new covenant community are not to give in to the temptation to go back under the old covenant rules and regulations that are now obsolete. Here, for the first and only time he speaks not of the old covenant or the new covenant, but of the eternal covenant.
How was this peace secured? He raised Jesus from the dead. He is not only the God of peace, but he’s the God of power. He brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, he says, by the blood of the eternal covenant. Don’t miss that. He’s spent a lot of time in chs. 8-10 talking about Jesus as the mediator of a new and better covenant. The Hebrews, as members of the new covenant community are not to give in to the temptation to go back under the old covenant rules and regulations that are now obsolete. Here, for the first and only time he speaks not of the old covenant or the new covenant, but of the eternal covenant.
In Jesus’s sacrificial death on the cross of Calvary, the blood that was spilled was the blood of an eternal covenant. Back in the Pastor says that when Jesus rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, he entered once for all into the heavenly holy places. And when he went in, he didn’t go in with the blood of goats and calves, but he went in with his own blood. The Pastor says, thus securing an eternal redemption; an eternal redemption for us! And when he did that it was was the fulfillment of an eternal covenant between God the Father and God the Son. This is how the Pastor could say in ch. 12 that for the joy that was set before him Jesus endured the cross despising the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus knew that the cross was not the end. How did he know? Because he had an eternal agreement with his Father. What was that agreement? That there was a world full of sin sick people who are full of rebellion and disdain for God, who have no hope of living right.
hrone of God. Jesus knew that the cross was not the end. How did he know? Because he had an eternal agreement with his Father. What was that agreement? That there was a world full of sin sick people who are full of rebellion and disdain for God, who have no hope of living right. I’m not talking about other people. Don’t think “somebody else.” Think, “that’s me.” The Son covenanted with the Father to come to this messed up world, live a life of perfect obedience to his Father, die as the perfect sacrifice for sin so that everyone who comes to God through faith in Jesus Christ is made right with God. This benediction ties the bow on the gift of God in Jesus Christ that the Pastor talked about in ch. 2 when he said,
The Son covenanted with the Father to come to this messed up world, live a life of perfect obedience to his Father, die as the perfect sacrifice for sin so that everyone who comes to God through faith in Jesus Christ is made right with God. This benediction ties the bow on the gift of God in Jesus Christ that the Pastor talked about in ch. 2 when he said,
14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
You see, we’re signed and sealed and delivered because of the covenant that was signed, sealed and delivered between God the Father and God the Son. We are the beneficiaries of God’s promise to himself.
Purpose
Purpose
In the Pastor says that because Jesus suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. What’s the help that we get because God has fulfilled his promise to himself? In other words, what’s the purpose of the promise. We find it in this benediction.
“Now may the God of peace, who brought from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Here’s the purpose. May he equip you with everything good so that you may do his will as he works in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ. The purpose of the promise is for our performance. It’s so that our lives will be lived by faith, striving to do God’s will. Submitting our will to his will. Listen, Jesus is the Great Shepherd. He leads his people. And he does so not simply by shouting motivational commands at us. Through the eternal covenant he has secured for us the provision that we need to do God’s will. That word translated as equip here has the sense of furnishing someone with something. He’s used the verb twice before in letter.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said, “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me;
3 By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.
Both of these draw us in to grasp God’s creative activity in providing what’s necessary. Here in the benediction it’s the same thing. He furnishes us with every good thing so that we may do his will. This is the third thread in the letter, God’s will. In chapter 10 that Christ, in ushering in the new covenant was doing the will of God. Then, later in the chapter when he’s exhorting them to keep pressing on he says,
35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.
They are to endure in doing God’s will....
Let me wrap it up this way. Last week I taught the Leadership and Discipleship class for the Dallas campus of Reformed Theological Seminary. And whenever I teach on leadership I utilize what the Westminster Larger Catechism says to us about what duties the Lord requires of leaders and what sins the Lord forbids leaders to commit, all gleaned from a robust understanding of the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” One of the things the catechism rightly says is a duty of leaders toward those they lead is to provide all things necessary for soul and body. One of the sins that leaders can commit is to require things that the people they lead do not have the power or ability to perform.
Last week I taught the Leadership and Discipleship class for the Dallas campus of Reformed Theological Seminary. And whenever I teach on leadership I utilize what the Westminster Larger Catechism says to us about what duties the Lord requires of leaders and what sins the Lord forbids leaders to commit, all gleaned from a robust understanding of the fifth commandment, “Honor your father and mother.” One of the things the catechism rightly says is a duty of leaders toward those they lead is to provide all things necessary for soul and body. One of the sins that leaders can commit is to require things that the people they lead do not have the power or ability to perform.
We see this in human relationships all the time. I can as a father provoke my children to anger, exacerbate them by requiring them to do things when I haven’t furnished them with what they need for the task and therefore they don’t have the ability to do what I’ve required.
The amazing thing with God is that he doesn’t brings us to himself, making peace with us through the blood of Jesus’ cross, then say, “Now go live a life of obedience to me.” He furnishes us with everything good, he makes us complete in every good thing so that we may do his will as he works in us what is pleasing to him. To Jesus be glory forever and ever because our great Shepherd is both the authority and the power by which we do God’s will. Signed, sealed, delivered, we’re his.
with everything good, he makes us complete in every good thing so that we may do his will as he works in us what is pleasing to him. To Jesus be glory forever and ever because our great Shepherd is both the authority and the power by which we do God’s will.
