Untitled Sermon

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (ESV) Hebrews 13:7

Introduction: To give you a heading on where we are going today I want to warn you that I am not used to this kind of preaching. This morning I will not be giving an exposition proper, if you will, of Hebrews 13:7, rather I want to give a brief exposition and then spend the bulk of our time applying it corporately.

There are two crystal clear commandments in our passage this morning: remember your leaders and imitate their faith. The word consider is actually a participle and reads “considering,” which connects remember your leaders imitate their faith. The passage then reads like this, “Remember your leaders, those you spoke to you the word of God. Considering the outcome of their way of life, imitate their faith.” So we have two commands in view here: remember your leaders and imitate their faith. (1) But who are we called to remember and imitate? “Those who spoke to you the word of God” or preachers. Certainly there are other Christians worthy of our attention, but preachers are specifically in view in our text this morning. Not preachers in general but preachers of days gone by. They are “those who spoke,” past tense, and their life had reached an “outcome.” These are men who preached the word of God and finished their earthly pilgrimage. These are the men we are called to remember and imitate. (2) But how are we to do this?

Leaders of the Reformation

Theology of the Reformation

“Reformation theology is often summarized by the five solas. Scripture alone (sola Scriptura) stands as the formal principle of the Reformation and the foundation of all theology. God’s glory alone (soli Deo gloria) functions as a capstone for all Reformation theology, connecting its various parts to God’s one purpose for creating this world and humanity in it. In between these two solas, the other three emphasize that God has chosen and acted to save us by his sovereign grace alone (sola gratia), through faith alone (sola fide), which is grounded in and through Christ alone (solus Christus).” - Stephen J. Wellum

Sola Scriptura - foundation of all reformation activity.

Solus Christus - Heart of the reformation. Not a rediscovery of Christ’s person, which was equally Chalcedonian, but of the sufficiency of his work in light of Rome’s sacramentalism. Christ is exclusively the way of salvation. Once God decided to save sinners, there was no way it could be accomplished apart from Christ.

Sola Gratia - When God stirs up the bottom of your heart, you should be thankful that the entirety of your salvation rests “not on human will or exertion but on God who has mercy.”

Sola Fide -

Soli Deo Gloria - “Capstone of the Reformation” - Wellum.

Mission of the Reformation