Living In Love

TEXT: Hebrews 13:1-4

Hebrews 13:1–4 NLT

1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies. 4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

INTRODUCTION:

I. EXPRESS LOVE IN EVERYDAY LIFE (Hebrews 13:1-3)

Hebrews 13:1–3 NLT

1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

A. Express it continually (Hebrews 13:1) .

1. Ἡ φιλαδελφία μενέτω = continue always in brotherly love.

a. The expression of love to brothers and sisters in Christ is to be continual.

(Rom. 12:10; 1 Pet. 1:22).

Romans 12:10 NLT

10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

1 Peter 1:22 NLT

22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

B. Express it through hospitality (Hebrews 13:2)

Hebrews 13:2 NLT

2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!

τῆς φιλοξενίας μὴ ἐπιλανθάνεσθε, διὰ ταύτης γὰρ ἔλαθόν τινες ξενίσαντες ἀγγέλους.

1. Love is to be expressed to stangers (φιλοξενίας = love to strangers, hospitality).

2. Love for strangers is expressed through being hospitable.

a. Some have entertained angels by doing so. (ξενίσαντες = to receive as a guest, to entertain, hospitably.

b. Lot offered hospitality to strangers who turned out to be angels (Gen. 19)

(Rom 12:13).

Romans 12:13 NLT

13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

C. Express it to the outcast (Hebrews 13:3).

Hebrews 13:3 NLT

3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

μιμνῄσκεσθε τῶν δεσμίων ὡς συνδεδεμένοι, τῶν κακουχουμένων ὡς καὶ αὐτοὶ ὄντες ἐν σώματι.

1. Express love to the prisoners (δεσμίων = bound, in bonds, a captive, a prisoner

a. Notice the attitude of this expression of love: ὡς συνδεδεμένοι = as bound with them.

2. Express love to those who are going through adversity (κακουχουμένων = torment , suffer adversity)

a. Notice the attitude of this expression of love: ὡς καὶ αὐτοὶ ὄντες ἐν σώματι. = as being a part of their body, suffering the same thing (empathy).

II. EXPRESS LOVE IN THE FAMILY (Hebrews 13:4).

Hebrews 13:4 NLT

4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

τίμιος ὁ γάμος ἐν πᾶσιν καὶ ἡ κοίτη ἀμίαντος, πόρνους γὰρ καὶ μοιχοὺς κρινεῖ ὁ θεός.

A. God views marriage as a special relationship. (Hebrews 13:4a)

Hebrews 13:4a NLT

4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

1. τίμιος ὁ γάμος ἐν πᾶσιν = Let marriage be held in honour (as of great price, precious , esteemed, especially dear).

2. αὶ ἡ κοίτη ἀμίαντος = and (let) their bed be undefiled

(Eph. 5:22-33).

Ephesians 5:22–33 NLT

22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body. 31 As the Scriptures say, “A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one.” 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

B. God will judge those who do not preserve the sacred nature of marriage (Hebrews 13:4b).

Hebrews 13:4b NLT

4 Give honor to marriage, and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.

1. πόρνους γὰρ καὶ μοιχοὺς κρινεῖ ὁ θεός.= for God will judge the sexually impure (heterosexual and homosexual) and adulterers.

a. Revelation 21:8

Revelation 21:8 NLT

8 “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

b. Ephesians 5:5

Ephesians 5:5 NLT

5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.

CONCLUSION: