24: Healthy Church Family (Hebrews 13:17-25)

Jesus is Better (a Study of the Book of Hebrews) • Sermon • Submitted 3 years ago

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Sadly, many social clubs baptized in Christian lingo are pretending to be churches, while treating others unkindly & dishonoring Jesus. We conclude Hebrews, challenged to be a Healthy Church Family, caring for one another & sharing Jesus with our culture.

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Just in case you don’t know, over the course of the last 11 years, we have completed many 1) TOPICAL STUDIES, 2) used chunks of Scripture including Old & New Testament writings and 3) taught the entire New Testament writings of:

2020

1 John (11)

Colossians (8)

2019-2018

Gospel of John (35)

Sermon on the Mount (10)

James (10)

2018-2017

Acts (37)

2013-2015

Luke (77)

2012

Galatians (9)

And you can find all those on our website - AUDIO, VIDEO, & teaching notes. FOM.LIFE

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And TODAY is the last day our of study through Hebrews we’ve called “Jesus is Better!”

We made it 24 weeks, so give a high five to the person next to you!

CATCH THE CONTEXT

Last week we were reminded that...

Jesus’ PAST PAYMENT secures our FUTURE HOPE.

How could the death of ONE MAN, 2000 years ago on a distant land impact our eternity? You see...

JESUS IS BETTER!

The Old Covenant Scriptures didn’t complete the story, but they pointed to the ONE who would! Look at what Jesus told His enemies:

John 5:39–40 (CSB)

You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about Me. But you are not willing to come to Me so that you may have life.

Who SAYS THINGS LIKE THAT? Can you imagine me or any religious leader making THAT claim?!? Jesus is BETTER than any other religious leader or prophet. Jesus is BETTER than any Old Covenant prophecy or Old Covenant sacrifice. And Jesus is the ONE that the Scriptures lead us to for eternal life!

PRAY

Now, let’s dig into TODAY’S TEACHING as we see what a HEALTHY CHURCH FAMILY should look like.

I know this might come as a surprise to many of you, but there are MANY churches that are very unhealthy - little more than social clubs baptized in Christian lingo.

Unhealthy churches - where people fight against each other instead of FOR each other; where people knock each other down rather than pick each other up;

Unhealthy churches - where church leaders mistreat their people while or where people mistreat their leaders.

Unhealthy churches - where some care more about money & power than SOULS & serving.

While the author doesn’t cover every church concern, he does deal with this important relational issue that can either 1) weaken a church OR 2) strengthen a church.

Hebrews 13:17 (CSB)

Obey your leaders and submit to them, since they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account, so that they can do this with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.

First, the Church needs to have qualified leaders who are leading by example (1 Tim 3:1-7). You should never obey a “spiritual” shepherd who is leading you AWAY from the GOOD SHEPHERD & not living what HE - Jesus - commands.

Second, the Church must obey and submit to their leaders - an important part of what makes a HEALTHY CHURCH FAMILY. Sadly, within the ‘church world’, many feel the need to have a check and balance system whereby the pastors are not enabled to lead without criticism or constraint. At the same time, some pastors have abused that privilege it’s no wonder that the Church is wary of the terms like obey and submit.

I know of churches who have been mistreated by their pastors and spiritual leaders, but I also know of MANY pastors & spiritual leaders who have been mistreated by their churches. Many pastors walk into a new church gun-shy because of how they have been treated in other places they have served. At the same time, many church members have walked away from “organized church” because of unkind shepherds who have allowed the sheep to be bloodied & bullied rather than protected & provided for.

But WHAT IF the sheep KNEW that the shepherds really loved them and wanted to protect them and help them grow? That’s part of what makes a HEALTHY CHURCH FAMILY!

And WHAT IF the shepherds recognized that they would give an account for their leadership and LIVED like it? This level of accountability before God TERRIFYING for people like me…because I have not always led well. And I’m guessing that other spiritual leaders sense that we have not shepherded all of our sheep well.

Spiritual leaders are to keep watch over the souls of their local church. Spiritual leaders in our church as well as others who hear this teaching need to let this weighty truth sink deep into our minds and impact our future intentions. May we respond to this responsibility with passion and prayer.

Paul summoned the elders of the Church of Ephesus to say goodbye until heaven AND warn these spiritual leaders to be on guard to protect God’s people from false teachers & false teachings.

Acts 20:28–31 (CSB)

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them. Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for three years I never stopped warning each one of you with tears.

Obviously, the shepherds protect the sheep because of 1) their love for the SHEEP and 2) their love for the Good Shepherd who assigned them this important task. Remember when Jesus told Simon Peter "Feed my lambs. Shepherd my sheep. Feed my sheep.” (Jn 20:15-17)?

Do you hear the tenderness in Jesus’ words? Peter took this task seriously and later reminded others of their responsibility to care for God’s people writing these words:

1 Peter 5:2–4 (ESV)

shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.

The shepherds are not only to care for the sheep, but the sheep are to care for their shepherds. This is the other important part of what makes a HEALTHY CHURCH FAMILY!

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 (NLT)

Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work.

Beyond submitting to leadership, the church can honor their leaders by encouraging words, providing for their needs AND...

Then author then asks his brothers and sisters to...

Hebrews 13:18-19 (CSB)

Pray for us, for we are convinced that we have a clear conscience, wanting to conduct ourselves honorably in everything. And I urge you all the more to pray that I may be restored to you very soon.

Pray for your leaders to live with purity & share Jesus with passion.

A few years ago as I met with a brother in this church to discuss some differences, we concluded communicating our love for one another and asking how we could help each other. When I asked him to PRAY for me he said, “My wife and I pray for you - by name - every day!” My eyes welled up with tears! I can’t tell you how much that means to me!

Pray for your spiritual leaders and encourage them, so that they will know the JOY that I know! You folks are so gracious to me! THANK YOU!

What’s the bottom line in how church leaders and church members are to treat one another?

John MacArthur says it well: “Just as church leaders are to rule in love and humility, those under their leadership are to submit in love and humility.” John F. MacArthur Jr., Hebrews, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1983), 445.

Just as a husband is commanded to love his wife so much he would give up his life for her (Eph 5:25), church leaders are to protect & serve the church.

And just as the wife is to love her husband so much she is willing to submit to and follow his leadership (Eph 5:22), the church is to submit to their spiritual leaders.

Wouldn’t it be great to be a part of a HEALTHY CHURCH FAMILY where those leading and those following valued and loved one another! Let’s strive together to do THAT!

Then we see the author’s parting words, FULL of encouragement to keep running the race.

Hebrews 13:20–21 (CSB)

Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus—the great Shepherd of the sheep—through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with everything good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

The author has hammered this great truth throughout this writing - that we can know the God of peace ONLY BY TRUSTING in the blood payment of our risen Lord Jesus. There is NO OTHER WAY to forgiveness and relationship with our Creator.

Have YOU trusted Jesus with your life - giving Him your life? If you say, “No” or “I’m not sure” or “I think so”, then I hope what I’m going to say next will to relieve that PRESSURE you are feeling right now and give you CLARITY in regards to your standing with God.

Maybe you’re like me and so many others, who have wondered, “Am I SAVED? Did I get it right? Did I have enough faith?”

What if I told you I was wondering if I’m really MARRIED. What if I told you that I’m not sure I said the vows right…or that I didn’t understand/appreciate them like I do now…or that I've had moments that I had a lustful thought about someone else who ISN’T my wife?

I hope you would simply respond with something like this: “Jackie, you’re married to Tonya. You didn’t just say the words. You’re living like she’s your wife. You have been honest with her about your lustful thoughts and she says she has forgiven you.

But what if I told you I wasn’t sure if I’m really married and you noted that you never saw me show her any affection or talk about her when she wasn’t around. And what if you KNEW that I was running around on my wife? I hope you would tell me something like this: “Jackie, stop leaning on a vow you made 28 years ago that you AREN’T keeping today! Go talk with your WIFE! Get honest! If you say you’re married…then it’s time to start living like it!

You CAN know the peace of God! You don’t have to wonder, wish, or hope that one day you will find out when you meet with the ‘Big Man upstairs’. Your Creator, the One who wants you to call Him “Father” - can FORGIVE you and help you to know FREEDOM!

The God of peace doesn’t to SIT on your ‘blessed assurance’, but equips us to SERVE Him with all you’ve got!

Hebrews 13:20–21 (CSB)

In other words, God doesn’t toss you out on your own to see if you can do His will on your own. Instead, the Holy Spirit of God will equip you with everything good to do His will.

When I was a Student Pastor I took students on ROPES COURSES to teach them to work as a team. For example, there might be a 10 foot wall that hardly anyone could jump up, grab on, and pull themselves over. BUT TOGETHER we could put on person on another’s shoulders and have them get over. Once several people were over the wall, they could reach down and grab the last person who jumped to them - lifting them over the wall.

It would have been MEAN for us to tell someone like Joyce or Suzie to get up themselves because they couldn’t do it…I couldn’t do it…and I’m PRETTY TALL!

So too, God doesn’t tell you to OBEY Him and then leave you to do it without His help - which would be impossible. He promises to equip you with everything good to do His will.

You CAN turn from sin because He will help you.

You CAN walk in purity because He will help you.

You CAN share Jesus with our Christ-less culture because…He will help you!

WE CAN be important contributors to the family of God - serving, forgiving, loving, & growing because…He is working in us what is pleasing in His sight.

Turn to someone and tell them, “You ain’t alone. We’re in this TOGETHER!”

This is such good news - the God of peace equips us to DO what He has told us to do - and we should receive it that way! That’s what the author of Hebrews desires too, writing...

Hebrews 13:22–24 (CSB)

Brothers and sisters, I urge you to receive this message of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. Be aware that our brother Timothy has been released. If he comes soon enough, he will be with me when I see you. Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who are from Italy send you greetings.

It’s possible that the ancient audience, just like you & me, might REJECT rather than receive this message, because it hasn’t been an easy one. Although difficult, it is intended to exhort - to encourage these believers to keep running the race remembering what awaits them at the end - Jesus is worth the persecution, endurance, & patience…because Jesus is BETTER than anything or anyone we have lived for in the past.

Case in point is Timothy, who has likely been released from arrest for sharing the good news of Jesus.

Finally, the author greets church leaders and the saints (Greek = hagios) - HOLY ONES, GOD’s PEOPLE* - a forgiven family.

Church, you aren’t just people who show up to an event. You are those who have been FULLY FORGIVEN and now tasked to share with others who need to know about Jesus as well.

* Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 124.

And then this last phrase, one that many might view as just saying kind words without much meaning like “God bless”.

Hebrews 13:25 (CSB)

Grace be with you all.

GRACE as an acrostic is well understood as:

God’s Redemption At Christ’s Expense

David Allen calls "GRACE” “that pregnant New Testament word that encapsulates all that God has done for us through Christ in bringing about our salvation.”

David L. Allen, Hebrews, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B & H Publishing Group, 2010), 632.

What a fitting way to end this writing, whereby we have learned that we can:

Approach God’s throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace (Heb 4:16)

We are to be careful that “no one falls short of the grace of God” by allowing bitterness to spring up among us (Heb 12:15).

And live strengthened by God’s grace (Heb 13:9).

Are you TRUSTING that God’s GRACE is with you?

If you want to talk more about how you CAN know God’s grace OR if you need help from your Church family - CALL US!

STAFF

DEACONS

So, what’s a Healthy Church Family look like and what are some practical steps to help us BE a healthy faith family?

FEET2FAITH

Thank Jesus for His payment & keep our eyes on Him.

Be gracious and patient caring for those under our spiritual care.

Pray for & encourage our spiritual leaders.

Make time to grow with our Faith Family. Plug into a GROUP.

Take the Good News to our Christ-less culture, one person at a time.

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Next Week we begin a mini-series in the Old Covenant writing called Micah, where we will learn what it looks like to “act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”