Hebrews Chapter 13
1 Let love of the brethren continue.
No matter what, don’t stop loving. Sometimes, love has to be tough, and sometimes love has to be tender.
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
Take the time to reach out to people, especially those who are not in a position to reach out themselves.
3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.
When life is tough for some people because they were faithful to Christ, do what you can to help them out. God will not forget such kindness.
4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
God judges fornicators and adulterers. If you engage in fornication or adultery you will find that God will not give you a ministry. He will never entrust anything truly valuable to you. So be careful, even when you are young, to not take advantage of the opposite sex and lead them on. If a young man says things to a woman just so that he can take her to bed God will judge him and will not honor him with the treasures of heaven.
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU," 6 so that we confidently say, "THE LORD IS MY HELPER, I WILL NOT BE AFRAID. WHAT WILL MAN DO TO ME?"
When you realize that God will never leave you or forsake you then you will not worry too much have how your needs will be met, and you will not try to impress men or attempt to gain the favor of men.
If you internalize the value of the favor of God you will be a very happy person.
7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.
Having access to a godly leader is a very valuable thing. This is because you can avoid lots of grief and heartache due to spiritual blunders that you have avoided due to the leader’s godly advice. Therefore, if you have been fortunate enough to have a godly leader, remember the value they have provided you, and if their advice has worked out for them, you can follow their advice.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Don’t expect God to behave differently from what you’ve seen in Jesus. Jesus is the exact representation of God, and God will behave just like He has always done.
For example, if He rejected the Israelites in the wilderness because they didn’t believe Him, He will do the same to you too.
9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.
Nowadays, lots of people teach lots of things about God. If they can teach you to be humble so that you can receive grace from God, then good; otherwise, it is often pointless. So be discerning, and don’t waste your time on what is pointless.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.
If you want to follow Jesus you will always be among the minority. As a result, you will have to go outside the camp – because Jesus was outside the camp.
If you are looking for recognition and validation in this life, and from men, then you will find it hard to do this. So you have to change your focus, and instead of focusing on the here and now you have to set your sights on the city which 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 give thanks to His name.
Another useful thing to learn is to be thankful to God even when it is not easy to give thanks.
16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
You want to please God? You can do that by doing good to others, and by sharing. Quite simple, isn’t it?
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.
Leaders are expected to keep watch over the souls of the ones they lead. In fact, they will have to give an account for the ones they lead. This is a very serious responsibility. If you are a leader you better make sure that you are leading people the right way, towards God and not away from God. If you are teaching theology, better make sure that you are teaching the correct thing, and let me tell you this – the theology you learn in seminary is not always the correct thing. If you want the correct thing, you have to learn from God.
If you are being led, you have to submit to your leaders. If you can’t submit to them then find another leader. But don’t stay in a church and be rebellious. That is not of God but of the devil.
If you cause trouble in a church where the leader is recognized by God you will incur God’s wrath, and it will not go well with you. If the leader is not recognized by God, what are you doing in that church anyway?
18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things. 19 And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Praying for those who minister is a good thing.
20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, 21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 22 But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.
God is a God of peace. So if we are not people who desire peace, we are not in the character of God. The only thing that trumps peace is purity, for the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, and then other things.
23 Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.
The writer mentions some organizational details.
24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.
The writer gives his greetings to all.
25 Grace be with you all.
Grace is of great value, and the writer wishes it for all his readers.
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