Hebrews 13:17–19 Obey and Pray
Notes
Transcript
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
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.
Throughout the end of this letter, the author of Hebrews is giving the first-century church some final instructions as a reminder of some of the basic things to keep in mind in times of difficulty. We saw already that we must fear and love our God who is a consuming fire, we must love one another, we must be pure, we must remember and imitate other godly Christians, we must remember and imitate Christ, keeping our focus on Him, we must not be carried away by anything but Jesus, we must honor Jesus in worship and work. And now in these two verses we are going to study today there are two more things the author of Hebrews reminds us to do … obey and pray.
“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”
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.
1. Obey v17
Because if we don’t obey God the consequences we face at the judgement seat of God in heaven will be far worse than the earthly consequences we will face here. (Though, like Jesus, it may not feel that way when we are wrongly imprisoned, persecuted or even put to death.)
Obedience is not something natural to our sinful nature. The desire to "please" may be in our nature, but obedience is not. I think of those in school who will do just what the teacher says … and tell their peers to do what the teacher says because they want to please the teacher or their parents. This is different from obedience. [You may wish to explore this some … and interesting thought when it comes to "pleasing" God versus obeying God.] So, we might ask why we should obey? This verse tells us why, leaders are accountable to God. “They keep watch over you as men who must give an account” (v. 17b). The sense here is that “they and no other keep watch over your souls.” In addition, the words “keep watch” literally mean “to keep oneself awake.” So, the idea may well mean that some of the leaders had lost sleep over certain people in the church. Thomas Aquinas cited the shepherds in the Nativity story as an illustration of such care—“keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8). The pastors to whom the writer calls his people to submit were good, caring shepherds who themselves were submitting to God’s Word.
Moreover, their watching over their people was motivated by the awareness that they “must give an account” to God for the way they care for the flock. The sobering fact is, that spiritual responsibility brings with it a higher level of responsibility and judgment. As James wrote, “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly” (James 3:1).
So, we might ask how and why leaders will be judged more strictly.
The answer is, if we claim to have an informed knowledge of God’s Word for God’s people, and further claim that we are charged to deliver it, we are more responsible to deliver it clearly and to obey it. Because of my calling and privilege to teach and study God’s Word, I will face a stricter judgment than many others. Increased responsibility means increased accountability. Jesus followed up the Parable of the Foolish Manager by saying, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48).
Every one of us—no exceptions—will stand before the Judgment Seat of Jesus Christ. The Bible is clear that while believers will not stand in judgment for their sin, (Romans 8:1 says “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”), and salvation is not earned, but rather it is a gift, Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing” Thus, believers will not stand at the final judgment if we are covered by the blood of Jesus.”
However, Scripture is clear that we will stand before the judgment seat of Christ where our works will be judged. 2 Corinthians 5:10
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ”
Romans 14:12 “So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God”
The picture the Bible gives of this judgment is one of individual believers presenting their lives’ works to Christ in the form of buildings. The eternal foundation of each building is Christ, but the structures vary. Some are made totally of wood, hay, and straw. Others are of gold, silver, and precious stones. Still others are composite structures of all the elements. Each life will be publicly subjected to the revealing torch of Christ’s judgment, and with the flames will come the moment of truth.
Paul describes this in 1 Corinthians 3:12–15
“If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.”
While all Christians will be at the judgment seat of Christ, leaders, and teachers of the church will undergo a stricter judgment. Leaders will answer for their care of souls.
Thus, we see that the logic for obedience was very clear for the first-century church. 1) Their leaders were so committed to watching over the souls under their care that they were losing sleep over this. And 2) they were leading with the powerfully motivating knowledge that they would answer to God for how well they cared for the church. Such care invites obedience from God’s people.
And if that is not sufficient reason, the author gives another, which is that obedience will make life better for everyone, look with me at the remainder of v17
“Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you”
There are greater responsibilities and often greater pains when you are in full-time ministry. But along with the pain comes joy from obedient charges. “Obey them so that their work will be a joy.” John says in 3 John 4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” Paul expressed much the same when he encouraged the Philippians to live for Christ in this world “in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing” (Philippians 2:16). Later in the same book he referred to them as “my joy and crown” (4:1). Ministry can be a pain—but its joys are incredible.
Of course, obedience is good for the people as well, as is implicit in the writer’s negative understatement regarding disobedience: “For that [i.e., being a groaning disobedient burden] would be of no advantage to you.”
Strife and a rebellious spirit are no advantage to anyone, it is a stumbling block for the whole church. However, the greatest disadvantage would be at the Judgment seat of Christ.
In summary, the author of Hebrews gives us three reasons to submit to spiritual authority 1) God-appointed leaders are fulfilling the high charge of watching over their congregation’s souls. 2) Such leaders must answer to God at the Judgment Seat for their work. And, 3) believers’ obedience will bring joy instead of pain—and will work to preserve their soul’s advantage.
This does not mean blind obedience, but a respectful, submissive spirit is. Christians are to be discerning in their hearing of God’s Word. They must never accept something as true just because a pastor or an elder says it. At the same time, they are we are to obey and submit to those in authority, especially because those in authority are submitting to God.
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 [all?] the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.
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.
2. Pray v18,19
The author’s conscience is clear because he has performed well in his spiritual duties toward his friends. His conscience has made him confident toward both men and God. Similarly, Paul could say in 2 Corinthians 1:12 “Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God” and then a few chapters later he says “By setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2). What a blessing a clear conscience is! When the conscience is clear, one can ask wholeheartedly for the prayers of all the saints.
The author is asking something very specific when he says in v19: “I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon” (v. 19)
This verse reflects the author’s simple faith in prayer. If they fail to pray, his return to them may be slowed or possibly never take place. But if they pray, he expects that their prayers will speed his restoration, just as Daniel’s prayers brought the return of the angel Gabriel to aid him (cf. Daniel 10:12–14). He believed in prayer!
“Brethren, we shall never see much change for the better in our churches in general till the prayer meeting occupies a higher place in the esteem of Christians.” Spurgeon
If we desire power in our lives and our church, we must pray. Likewise, if we desire the preaching to have a spiritual impact, we must pray. If we want to see conversion and lives change, we must pray.
I’m so thankful for each of you, I’m grateful that you are a praying church. But, imagine how different the churches in America would be if every believer were praying for the pastors and elders and the country, and specifically for the unsaved.
There would be a supernatural change in society. The time we spend together worshiping would not be as usual. There would be more and more times of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. More laypeople would come to a deeper walk with God. There would be more conversions.
I love our church, but I don’t want to be content with the status quo. I want to see more and more people coming to faith. I want to see all of us becoming more and more like Christ. I want to be faithful till the end. What if all of us would commit to praying? for our church family, for the church leadership, for everyone who serves, from the unseen work to the seen, for conversions.
We know prayer is important, but often in our daily struggles and business of life we forget, or we just end up not having time. We will only pray if we truly make time for it. I don’t know what works for you, each of us must figure out what time, place, and occasion is the best to take the time to fellowship with our Creator daily. However, we must plan and set aside time or we just will not have time.
This is more than just the "pray without ceasing" where we seem to be constantly in prayer … but rather a set aside time where we focus on God and spending time with Him … praying as He guides us to pray and praying for His Heart and His People …
“Prayer is not an intercom to the butler to bring us what we want, but prayer is the walkie-talkie on the battlefield of the world. It calls in for the accurate location of the target of the Word. It calls in to ask for the protection of air cover. It calls in to ask for firepower to blast open a way for the tanks of the Word of God. It calls in the miracle of healing for the wounded soldiers. It calls in supplies for the forces. And it calls in the needed reinforcements.” Piper