Sabbath: Let Brotherly Love Continue
Image © Pacific Press
Sabbath Afternoon
Read for This Week’s Study: Hebrews 13:1-25, Romans 12:13, Ephesians 5:3–5, 1 Peter 5:1–4, Hebrews 2:9, Hebrews 4:16, Galatians 2:20.
Memory Text: “Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1).
Hebrews chapter 13 presents the apostle’s concluding admonition: “Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1). He has affirmed throughout the epistle that we are of the household of the King-High Priest, Jesus, His brothers and sisters. The author does not conceive of the audience only as a group of individuals who work on their salvation in a one-to-one relationship with Jesus, but as a family, or household, saved together. Paul has characterized the work of Jesus for us as “brotherly love”: He was “not ashamed to call them brothers” (Hebrews 2:11, ESV). Thus, believers should do for one another what Jesus did for them.
Throughout the letter, brotherly love involved “exhorting one another” so that no one would fall short of the grace of God (Hebrews 3:13; Hebrews 10:24-25; Hebrews 12:15-17). In chapter 13 it involves numerous elements: hospitality (Hebrews 13:2), visiting and supporting prisoners and those who had been mistreated (Hebrews 13:3), honoring marriage (Hebrews 13:4), avoiding covetousness (Hebrews 13:5-6), remembering and obeying the leaders of the church (Hebrews 13:7-17), and praying for the author himself (Hebrews 13:18-19).
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 26.
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We have come to the last lesson in the series on Hebrews and I wonder what we have learned. I have a little "hypothetical" for us to consider. I imagine for a moment that at the end of my life, I face the eternal examination board, only, instead of God sitting in the judgement seat, there is a panel of atheists. They are not interested in my doctrinal position, or that I can express the grace/works situation in dulcimer tones. They want to know whether my life has been lived consistently with what I have believed. They have heard that I have preached love, understanding, tolerance, and want to bring in witnesses who have seen me when my kids have stretched me to the limit, where I have ignored someone who I did not want to be seen with, who heard me describe another Christian as a hypocrite, and so on.
The disparity between what we say and how we act is perhaps the biggest judgement of all. I don't need to go very far to hear atheists judging Christians as hypocrites. And, while some of it is spiteful, the real concern is that too much of it is very true. We do not have much of an argument with atheists if our lives are inconsistent with our beliefs.
In spite of the book of Hebrews being one of the "most theological" books of the Bible, arguing the case for the paradigm shift from Judaism to Christianity, the big message that we should take away is:
I need to think of that next time I have to interact with someone I disagree with. That is not hypothetical!
Brotherly love includes prayer for the authors of the lesson, our leaders and our fellow church goers, chatting about Christ with a prisoner, could even be a prisoner of sin. 1st though earn the right to witness. What do I mean by that? Chat for a while about the weather ect., and what they are interested in, then you have earned the right to share your faith in Christ. Also we will study obeying our leaders and respecting them. They are ordained by God as human instruments for Him. Honoring and respecting our spouses in our marrage relationship, visiting, again earning the right to share, even if it is just a prayer on departure. Hospitality can be taking our fellow church goers to a mutual restrant or buffet, and bringing our friendly selves and food to after church fellowship be sure to talk about other things than what you are eating. In essence practice brotherly love. Hebrews 13.
God is always consistant with his divine nature of Love, Mercy and Justice.
When the incarnate Word in flesh was among people, his words to different audiences, like, the women at the well, the 12 apostles and the pharassies were also consistant with the principles of the divine nature.
He spoke what was needed in them, that was lacking in their flawed image of God. We unfortunately can't read hearts and minds (motivations) but we should attempt to act on these principles that govern God's government in Sonship.
I believe the Son of God in the form of the Son of Man - Jesus - desires to draw all who seek after righteousness to come to the Father who gives comfort through His spirit of His compassioned Justice and Love.
I believe the mission of our Creator, the Son of God, was to reveal that humans are created in Their/His Image and to show that it is possible for us to live according to the Will of the heavenly Father when interacting in our life with our fellow man.
I believe Christ Jesus made available the Spirit of Truth and Life to the sincere believer who seeks to live the 'Will of the Father' by faith. He leads the believer into all truths - understanding spiritual truth which is applicable to the practical, present life of the believer.
I believe that by accepting Christ Jesus' Teaching/Gospel as the Father’s revealed, spiritual Truth and living according to this revelation, man is set free from his bondage to sin and fear.
There is now no more requirement to be represented before God by earthly priests performing rites and practices instituted by religious institutions.
By accepting Christ Jesus’ Faith-based Gospel, man now comes before His God to plead his cause to Him directly in the Name of the Son.
The faithful believer lives in the freedom of his conscience established by living life according to the Will of the Father – John8:31-47.
My concern is that as long as the confessed Christian does not yet choose to live peaceably with his/her brother and sister and its ‘neighbor who does not yet believe’, this Christian has not yet fully accepted by faith the core message of the Gospel – personally knowing that he/she has a heavenly Father who loves us - promoting His Love of us by loving Him when we love one another, and that we are spiritually accountable only to Him.
The mood I am in at the conclusion of this lesson more like a bittersweet that is somehow haunting me, (haunting might be too strong a term but hear me out. What did I learn from this lesson series? If this lesson should come back, what did I missed out?
And so, the moment I'm just getting ready to put my feet under the table to enjoy this meal I realized that the meal is done and there might another second serving! But hold on I am looking for the desert, I am holding on to what I got, Jesus is my bigger brother, He is my High Preist, The Veil, my Assurance, my Advocate and all that good stuff.
I got more than I realized and oh for the drinks I am going to look forward for Brotherly love not just to continue but to grow. Jesus will see us through.