Hebrews 13:1 (manuscript)

Because of potential short-sighted responses to the gospel and the law by those in religious community — a Paradoxical Life. (a life that contradicts itself - “less is more”; “if you don’t risk anything, you risk everything”; “earn money by spending it”; “save money by spending it”; “deep down, you’re really shallow”…

(1) Passionless Conformity - A response of too much of the wrong kind of care for what people think - So driven by what people think…Try to live a life of perfect conformity with no passion. Overwhelmed by the rules of relationship.

You are passionate about obeying rules, but down deep inside you feel empty in your activity.

(2) Passionate Apathy - A response of utter carelessness - Don’t care what anyone thinks… Try to live a life of non-conformity with all passion. Cares too little for the rules of relationship.

You are passionate about having fun, but you are not passionate about loving the conscience of your brother/sister in Christ.

Both of these paradoxes are rooted in an immature view of what Christ has done in fulfilling the Old Covenant.

The Better Jesus does not eliminate our need for law. The Better Jesus makes obedience to the Law both desirable and possible.

Illustration: Does entering into marital covenant relationship free me or bind me? It does both. It frees me to enjoy my wife in an exclusive manner, but it binds me to my wife in an exclusive manner. It frees me from all other potential marital relationships and binds me to one lady for life.

One thing that does not happen is that I now can throw out all of the rules that governed our pre-marital relationship. In covenant, I continue my pre-marital commitments in an even greater way.

And as I live within those marital obligations, I can enjoy the fullness of the marriage. Happiness is not found in doing what pleases me, but in living out this covenant.

The same can be applied to other kinds of relationships: children/parents; friendships…etc

There are some who may think they are happy when they commit adultery, but the end of that road is disastrous and full of hurt.

Obedience to the law of covenant actually increases in marriage.

What is the goal of the sermon?

Consider carefully your obedience within new covenant with Jesus Christ .

Would you carefully consider if you are living in passionless conformity or passionate apathy?

How will we go about this?

(1) Who is covenant law for in the Bible?

(2) What change did Jesus bring to covenant law?

(3) Why should I care about New Covenant Law?

(4) What should my response be to New Covenant law?

(1) Who is covenant law for in the Bible?

A. Law is for God’s covenant people - Exodus 19:4-8. (MT. Sinai)

i. Ye have seen - God proved his Word - In this sense, he attracted the Israelites.

ii. bare you…brought you - God brought them through Passover and Red Sea - This is covenant relationship.

iii. if ye will obey my voice - This is covenant law.

We should not see rules for Christian living as something that the Gospel has done away with. In addition, we should not think that Law has been done away with because of the gospel. See Romans 7:12-14 “12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 13 Was then that which is good made death unto me? God forbid. But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. 14 For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.”

B. Illustration: Law of Attraction vs. Law of Covenant

C. Application:

Careful study of the Bible is in order!

Though God has a relationship with creation as Creator, He has a special relationship with those whom He has redeemed. With this special relationship He has laws for living within this covenant and enjoying the fruit of this covenant.

Therefore, we should be cautious with disposing of rules just because now we are in covenant with God. We should equally be cautious about adding rules.

A careful study of the Bible, so that we can clearly articulate what it means to live in covenant with God, is in order.

(2) What change did Jesus bring to covenant law?

You must notice that the rules in Hebrews 13 are the same as before the coming of Jesus Christ. So, what difference did Christ make if the same laws still apply?

Illustration: The GPS navigation system is a wonderful marvel. You can punch in the destination and in many cases it will give you multiple routes to that same destination. Because it gives you the multiple routes, no one route is of ultimate importance since the destination is the same anywhere you go.

The writer of Hebrews seems to be saying throughout the whole book that Jesus is exclusive in his person and in what he has done, but here we now see that we have to keep doing the same things that we had to do before Jesus came. So, what good is Jesus?

Change? Jesus gives lawbreakers access to the LawGiver, He equips those who formerly desired to break covenant law a new desire to keep covenant law.

Why did Jesus have to do this?

A. God’s covenant wife broke covenant law (Isaiah 5:7, Hosea 3:1-5, 5:6)

i. In the OT, lawbreaking excluded God’s covenant people.

a. To break the Law is to offend the LawGiver. James 2:10-11.

b. We must also see this breaking of Law as evidence of an inward disposition of mankind - lawbreakers by nature.

B. God promises a new covenant law (Jeremiah 31:33) - law inward parts

[i. In the OT, lawbreaking excluded God’s covenant people.]

ii. In the NT, the Law Giver is pursuing the lawbreakers.

a. Law breakers especially includes religious people.

John 3:10 “10 Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?”

b. Law breakers especially includes outcasts.

John 4:9 “9 Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.”

C. Jesus brings about new covenant law (Hebrews 8:10) - laws into their mind

A people who would be able to obey covenant law, not a people looking for loopholes in liberty.

Application: It may be that you were taught the gospel as only a destination fix, but now that you understand the gospel as both profound and simple, you should not think that the rules of the past were as wrong as the way you were taught the gospel. It is not that all the rules were wrong but how we understood those rules was wrong.

D. Jesus’ new covenant law has same old rules (I John 2:7-8, Galatians 6:2).

Jesus takes people who could not keep the law in their hearts and gives them the gift of the new birth, brings about their conversion, and ensures a power to both will and do of His good pleasure. (Hebrews 13:21).

Change? Jesus gives lawbreakers access to the LawGiver, He equips those who formerly desired to break covenant law a new desire to keep covenant law. THROUGH UNION WITH HIMSELF - Hebrews 12:27, 13:6.

E. Illustration: Little Giants running through the opening poster paper...Hebrews 6:20, 13:12.

F. Application:

Stop rejecting Jesus because you don’t think you can make it! You can’t!

For those who are thinking that you don’t want to become a Christian because the Christian life is too hard to live, you are correct. The good news is that you don’t live the Christian life by your own ability. You live the Christian life by the blessed Holy Spirit’s power.

So, stop rejecting Jesus because you can’t figure out how you’re going to do it.

(3) Why should I care about new covenant law? (why should I care about a life of obedience to Jesus?)

A. The Already and NOT Yet (Hebrews 3:1, 4:14, 8:1, 8:5, 9:24, 10:34, 11:16, 12:22, 26-28.

It is fascinating that this is such a prominent perspective that the Hebrews author gives — Heaven. Some will prove to be apostates and never make it to Heaven. Others will continue to push through the pain by God’s grace.

B. Illustration: Christian short-sited (-ness) can lead to disastrous consequences.

Smith-machine, seated back squat…short-sited, self-confident. In struggle, you do need to push through the pain, but it matters how you push through the pain, and one of the means to persevere is to always remember that we have eternity in our hearts, and eternity ahead of us.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 “11 He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

C. Application:

Set your affections on things above! New desire for law keeping.

On your way to meet the Lover of your soul do not pass by the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life and desire them.

Where you place your affections will often determine your decisions.

(4) What should my response be to New Covenant Law? (how should I obey?)

A. A reversed love...Showing that Love is reversed in this relationship. Hebrews 6:10; Hebrews 13:1.

App: There are two things we tend to use selfishly: power and freedom. We see both of them in the prior chapter leading into this chapter. But what kind of subjects are to be found in this unshakeable kingdom? Those who continue to use power and freedom for the benefit of other brethren.

Galatians 5:13 “13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”

Setting your affections on things above means setting your affections upon brethren here below. These affections cannot be separated.

If it is doubtful in your conscience or the conscience of the brethren, love them more than you love your freedom; and say “No!” to you!

I Corinthians 8:13 “13 Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.”

Are you loving your brethren?

B. A responsible life...Showing that Living responsibly matters in this relationship. Hebrews 13:1.

“Let continue” is a present active imperative verb. What this means is that though there is a congregation, the command is personal. Collective obedience requires personal obedience. Collective responsibility requires a recognition of personal responsibility.

Are you taking this command personally?

C. A reflection of lordship...Showing that Law, Living, Love all reflect the LORD of this relationship.

How does this verse fit in the context of the book?

The better Christ has commissioned a better love.

We are set free to be new covenant LawKeepers because Jesus died as a LawBreaker in our place.

We are set free to love selflessly because Jesus died as as a selfish One in our place.

We are set free to live responsibly because Jesus died as an irresponsible One in our place.

We are free to live in church community because Jesus died as an outcast from community, in our place.

We are free to enjoy the communion of the Holy Spirit because Jesus was cut off from God, in our place.

Consider carefully your obedience within covenant law.

Response Questions for RH:

I need to receive Jesus as my Savior.

Need Pryer: I struggle limiting my Christian liberty out of love for other Christians.

Need Prayer: Sometimes, I do not take obedience to the law of Christ seriously.

I need to follow Jesus in baptism.

Discussion Questions:

Who is covenant law for? What is one Old Testament example of this?

Explain in your own words, if the Jews had to keep the same commands before Jesus came as they did after Jesus came, what change did Jesus make in relation to law?