Hebrews chapter 13. This will
be our last lesson in Hebrews in this series. And we'll start
in verse 22 and read out to the end of the book. And I beseech
you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation. For I have written
a letter unto you in few words. Know ye that our brother Timothy
is set at liberty, with whom, if he come shortly, I will see
you. Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the
saints. They of Italy salute you. Grace
be with you all. Amen. Now, we're going to deal
with verse 22 here in two parts. We'll look first of all at the
portion before the colon, and then we'll look at the portion
after the colon. Verse 22, the writer says, And I beseech you,
brethren, suffer the word of exhortation. This word, suffer,
and the word of exhortation, it's quite simply this, bear
the word of the Lord in your minds and hearts and do what
the Lord says do. Just that simple. By the hand
of King Jesus, He speaks. He speaks through His messengers,
and He works through the Holy Spirit in His people to do His
will. But one of the means He uses
to bring that to pass is the word of exhortation, the gospel
we preach, whereby He exhorts His people in the heart to do
His will. And then He works in us to do
that will. And so He tells us what to do,
and then He works in us what He's told us to do. Now, what
is it that the Lord has told us to do? Well, I have seven
things here. I want to go through the book
and just show you these seven things. Turn back to Hebrews
chapter 1, verse 1. Hebrews 1, verse 1. We're in Hebrews chapter one,
verse one. God, who at sundry times and
in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the
prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made
the worlds, who being the brightness of his glory and the express
image of his person. and upholding all things by the
word of His power, when He, the Son of God, Christ Jesus our
Lord, had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high." Now here's the first word of exhortation
we're given in the book of Hebrews. Look at Hebrews chapter 2. It's
Christ Jesus, the Son of God, who is speaking. Now here's the
word. Therefore, verse 1, we ought
to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard,
lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken
by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience
received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if
we neglect so great salvation? which at the first began to be
spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. God also, bearing witness both
with signs and wonders and with different miracles and gifts
of the Holy Ghost according to His own will, the Gospel began
to be spoken by Christ Jesus the Lord, the Son of God. It's
been confirmed to us by them that heard Him speak. And God
also has borne witness to hear His Son. So the Word you are
hearing, this Word you are hearing through the Gospel, in the book
of Hebrews, throughout the Word of the Lord, is the commandments
of Christ Jesus the Lord. This is Christ's Word. This is
Christ's Word. So the first exhortation is this,
give earnest, diligent heed to hear only Christ, the Son of
God. Hear Him. That's what God said. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. Hear ye Him. That's the first
word. Now, here's the second thing.
Hebrews 3 verse 1. Hebrews 3 verse 1. Wherefore, Holy Brethren, this is only the
believer can do this, only one in whom God's Spirit of Grace
is working through the Gospel can do this. Wherefore, Holy
Brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle
and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. This is the second
thing, give earnest heed to what Christ has spoken by always considering
Christ Jesus of whom the gospel speaks. Do you hear that now? The first one is, hear the word
of Christ and understand this is Christ's commandments to you.
The second word is, hear, consider only Christ who's being spoken
of when Christ speaks to you. Look at verse 2. He was faithful
to him that appointed him. God the Father appointed him
and he was faithful to God the Father. As also Moses, who was
faithful in all his house. But Christ was counted worthy
of more glory than Moses. Why? Inasmuch as he who hath
built the house hath more honor than the house. For every house
is built by some man, but he that built all things is God,
and that's our Savior, the Son of God, Christ Jesus the Lord.
And he built the house. He's worthy of more honor than
the house. Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant
for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after,
but Christ as a Son over his own house. whose house we are
if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope
firm until the end. You see? Christ is over the household
of God. God the Father has given His
house over to His Son to rule and order and save and direct
and guide and protect and bring to the Father His house. He's
over the house. And He's worthy of more honor
than the house. The brethren, you and I make
up the house. He's worthy of more honor than
we are. He's the one who built the house. His work as our substitute
and Savior, He did it by Himself, when He had by Himself purged
our sins. As the substitute and Savior,
He was all alone, and He did it one time, for all time, because
He finished it. He finished the work God gave
Him to do. And His work as substitute and
Savior was performed perfectly. That means you don't need to
add anything to it, and I don't need to add anything to it. and
all who shall be saved, all who shall be saved by God shall be
saved the same way in Christ, by grace, by faith in Him. Wherefore,
holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the
apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus." This
is Christ's commandment to you. Now here's the third thing. Guard
against the evil heart, the deceitful heart, the unbelieving heart
that constantly would have you turn from resting in Christ Jesus
alone. Guard against it. Fight against
it. Look at Hebrews 3, verse 12. Take heed, brethren, lest
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing
from the living God. but exhort one another daily
while it's called today, lest any of you be hardened through
the deceitfulness of sin. You know where that deceitfulness
of sin comes from? The deceitful heart. The heart's
deceitful. It's wicked above all things. That old heart, that old fleshly
nature that's within us, guard against that. For we are made
partakers of Christ. if we hold the beginning of our
confidence steadfast unto the end. You know what the proof
is going to be that you're truly a child of God? If you still
believe in God at the end. If you still trust in Christ
alone at the end. It's going to be proof that you're
truly a child of God. Now in the wilderness, some harden
their hearts. They became self-righteous. They
decided that they were smarter than God. And they hardened their
hearts against God. They hardened their hearts against
His messenger. They hardened their hearts against His people.
They hardened their hearts and they turned back to that hard
bondage of Egypt from which they came out of. Do you see how deceivable
the heart is? Anybody in their right mind would
think, why on earth would you want to be in bondage? Why on
earth would you want to have your life made bitter with hard
bondage? They didn't actually go back
bodily to Egypt, but they went back in spirit to Egypt. They
preferred what this world could give them instead of what God
said He would give them. And they trusted themselves,
and they turned back in their heart. Look at verse 18. And
to whom swear He that they could not enter into His rest, but
to them that believe not? So we see that they could not
enter in because of unbelief. Let us therefore fear, lest a
promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should
seem to come short of it. It doesn't mean be frightened
and be afraid, but it does. It means have some reference
and be diligent and make sure that you're trusting Christ and
guard against that heart. Anytime those thoughts pop in
your head about going back to the Law of Moses, about going
back to Mount Sinai, and trying to come before God in something
you've done, guard against that. Strive against it. And he says,
Verse 10, look down at verse 10. For he that is entered into
Christ's rest, he also hath ceased from his own works as God did
from his. Let us labor therefore to enter
into that rest. What are we laboring? We're not
laboring to do something to make us worthy to enter into it. We're
laboring not to be doing something. We're laboring not to turn back
to that thought that we can do something to enter into His rest.
Labor, therefore, against that old, dead, carnal heart that
wants you to turn from Christ. Lest any man fall after the same
example of unbelief. Now that's the third thing. Here's
the fourth thing. continually go to God's throne
of grace to obtain all your help from Christ himself. Look at
Hebrews 4 verse 16. Hebrews 4 verse 16. Let us therefore
come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy
and find grace to help in time of need. Now, he's talking about,
he'd been talking about a high priest and he tells us here in
chapter 5 verse 1, for every high priest taken from among
men all through the Mosaic Covenant, every one of those high priests
that were taken from among men were ordained for men by God
in things pertaining to God that he may offer gifts and sacrifices
for sins. He had to go on behalf of the
people to God to represent the people before God. Now, the second
thing he had to do, verse 2, He can have compassion on the
ignorant and on them that are out of the way for that He Himself
also is compassed with infirmity. Because He was chosen from among
men, He knew the hearts of the people. He knew what the people
were going through. He knew their ignorance and He
knew the infirmities of their flesh and their weaknesses and
everything that strives against them because He was tempted in
all points like as we are yet without sin. Now, look at chapter
8 verse 1. Chapter 8, verse 1. And from chapter 4 all the way
up to chapter 8, you can read all about this high priest. But
now here's the summary of it. Verse 1. Now of the things which
we have spoken, this is the sum. We have such a high priest. We
have that kind of high priest. who sat on the right hand of
the throne of the majesty in the heavens, a minister of the
sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not
man." Look at Hebrews 10 verse 19. And you can read more about it
all the way up to Hebrews 10 verse 19, but here's more of
this summary. having therefore, brethren, boldness
to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus." Because
he offered that gift and that sacrifice to God for our sin.
He went to God and represented us and put our sin away. He made
us righteous. He made us accepted so that we're
holy in Him and we can come now to God. And he says, He says,
He did it by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated
for us through the veil, that is to say His flesh. And having
a high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with
a true heart and full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
Now, here's the fifth thing. Remember, as we hold fast our
profession of faith, We do so not only for ourselves, but for
the brethren for whom Christ died. Listen to Hebrews 10 verse
23. Let us hold fast the profession
of our faith without wavering, for He is faithful that promised.
And as we hold fast our profession without wavering, look at verse
24. and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good
works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. That's
how we're going to do this. As the manner of some is, but
exhorting one another. And so much the more as you see
the day approaching. You know, when I don't assemble
with God's children, I not only do myself harm, but I fail my
brethren who need me. Do you realize that? Let us consider
not ourselves only in this matter of assembling, but let us consider
one another. You may not think it's important
for you to be here, but God says it is. He says, you who believe,
provoke your brethren unto love and to good works. He exhorts
us to assemble ourselves together that we may be able to exhort
one another. Just talking to one another.
There's nothing mysterious or great religious thing about just
talking to one another, sharing our common feelings, our common
trials, and how that our God is good. It's that simple. Let
me ask you something. Have you ever prepared a large
meal for somebody that you invited to your house, and you got everything
ready, made all the preparations, had everything ready, and they
didn't show up? Have anybody ever invited you to their house,
and you got everything ready, got all the kids dressed, did
everything, and went there, and got there, and they forgot about
it, and there's nobody there? Did that provoke you to love
and to think good things? Did it honestly? It didn't, did
it? But just being there. You being
there when they get there, or them coming there for that meal
you prepared, or them being there when you go for that meal that
they prepared for you, just be in there. When they walk in,
you think, I'm so glad to see them. You see how, just be in
there. So Christ says to us, he says,
it's selfishness and it's a lack of love toward God and our brethren
for us to absent ourselves from those God has assembled together.
The day's approaching, he said. Were we absent ourselves in that
day from our brethren? We want to be there that day,
won't we? I know there's times and there's things that pull
us apart and this world pulls at us from every direction and
there's times when we just have to have to be absent. But brethren, remember that this
would be an encouragement to help us to make every effort
to be here because God says it's not just for your benefit, it's
for the benefit of those brethren around you. That's a good, that's
a good motive, isn't it? Good motive. Look, sixly then,
Lay aside anything and everything that will hinder you. All earthly
hindrances that we lay on ourselves only serve to embolden that greatest
weight of all. And the greatest weight of all
is unbelief. Look here in Hebrews 12 verse
1. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about, but so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight and the
sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before
him, see, he just set the joy before us. Christ is the joy
set before us. And for the joy that was sent
before Christ, which was His people. You see this joy? He's our joy and we're His joy. And for the joy that was sent
before Him, He endured the cross. It's going to be painful sometimes
to have to say no to our flesh, to have to say no to whatever
it is we're having to lay aside, to have to say no to whoever
it is that would turn us aside. But he did it. He endured the
cross, and he had to be shamed. He despised it. He sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God, though, and it says,
Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against
himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. You
haven't yet resisted unto blood striving against sin. And then in verse 5 he says,
And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto
children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord,
nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth,
he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
If you endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons.
For what son is he whom the Father chasteneth not? Look now at verse
12, Wherefore, He says, to you and me personally now, as we
lay aside those weights, the weights makes you tired, weight
on you, you're trying to run a race with a bunch of weight
on you, you're going to be weary and tired. He said, lay that
aside. And in verse 12, he says, wherefore
lift up the hands which hang down. Yours, so that you can
lift up the others, your brethren, and the feeble knees. And look,
here's that straight path, that running the race, looking to
Jesus. Make straight paths for your feet. Where? To Him. He says, run the race, looking
to Him. Straight paths. Lest that which is lame, faint,
be turned out of the way, but let it rather be healed. How's
it going to be healed? Looking unto Jesus, the author
and finisher of our faith. Considering Him. hearing Him
speak, and hearing Him as He speaks, and guarding against
this weight and this sin that easily besets us, and laying
it aside, and running this race, and assembling ourselves together.
And thereby, He says, follow peace with all, and holiness,
without which no man shall see the Lord, looking diligently. There's that word. Diligently. That's that word when he said,
let us fear. Let us look diligently. Lest any man fail of the grace
of God. Lest any root of bitterness springing
up. Where's that going to come from?
That deceitful old heart. That deceitful old nature. That's
where it's coming from. That root of bitterness. What's
that root of bitterness like? It starts out real subtle. You
just find some little fault with a brother, or with a husband,
or a daughter, or a son. You find some little fault. Then you find some fault with
the word that's being spoken. And then you find some fault
with how God says it is. Because these other things where
it starts, that's what it is. That's where it's going to is
your faults with God. That root of bitterness is against
God and what He says and how He says it is. You find fault
with everybody and then you'll stop coming. And you just load
yourself up with all those weights that he said lay aside. Just
load yourself up with all those weights. And you just get, it
gets harder and harder. And it's like a snowball that
just keeps getting bigger and bigger. The more those weights
get on you, the more that bitter root grows and grows and grows
within you. And the more you lay more of
those weights on you, you get hardened, hardened, hardened,
hardened against the gospel, against the breath, and against
assembling to hear his word. And you just, defiled. It defiles you. Well, here's the seventh thing.
Let only your motive in doing these things be the grace of
God towards you and where Christ has brought you through His suffering
on your behalf. Now look here in Hebrews 12,
verse 22. He said before this, verse 18,
you're not coming to the mountain that might be touched. This is
a spiritual mountain we've come to. Not that mountain that they
could touch. That mountain burned with fire. This mountain don't
burn with fire. That mountain burned with fire
against them, declaring them guilty. This mountain don't burn
like that. The fire's been put out. It's
not a black mountain. It's not covered in smoke and
darkness and tempest. But look down here at verse 22. But ye are coming to Mount Zion.
You can't touch this mountain. You can't touch this mountain.
Not with the physical hand. This mountain is a spiritual
mountain. It can't be touched. And unto the city of the living
God. This is where God's citizens
dwell. and the heavenly Jerusalem. This
is the capital of Christ's kingdom, Jerusalem in heaven. And to an
innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church
of the firstborn. This is Christ's church. He's
the firstborn from the dead. This is His church. And all of these are written
in heaven. And you've come to God, the judge of all. You've
got a problem with somebody? He said, don't take matters into
your own hands. Don't be a vigilante. Go to the judge of all. And to
the spirits of just men made perfect. You've been brought
into a church, into a city, into a heavenly Jerusalem, to a place
where it's a spiritual kingdom and it's spirits of just men
made perfect. That means there's nothing else
for them to do to be made perfect. They've been made perfect. And
you've come to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, to the blood
of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See
that you refuse not Him that speaketh. See that? So back now
in Hebrews 13, 22, Paul says, And I beseech you, brethren,
Suffer the word of exhortation. Bear the word of the Lord in
your minds, in your hearts, and do what the Lord says do. Now,
the second part here. And he says this, For I have
written a letter unto you in few words. You know, that may
seem to you like an odd way to end a letter that is divided
in our Bibles into 13 chapters. And it may be that Paul or whoever
wrote this is saying, I've just scratched the surface here. I've
spoken of these things, but I've just said a little bit about
this. I've not even covered the depths
of this thing. But I think there's something
more here than that. I think he's telling us, you
see how few words I've written to you? The yoke of Christ Jesus
the Lord is light, and it's easy to bear. It's light. I don't have to write a big,
long, lengthy bunch of commandments for you. It's simple. It's very
simple. It's light, and it's easy to
bear. Here they are, and I left it blank in the outline. Heed
the Gospel. that's being spoken by Christ
the Lord. You notice in the book of Hebrews it don't have the
name of anybody writing it. That's for good reason, because
Christ is speaking to you. That's how the book starts. It
tells us who's speaking in the very first verse, the Son of
God speaking. You say, hear Him. Hear Him.
The second thing, do so by considering Christ continually. Hear Him
by considering Him, the Apostle and High Priest of our profession.
Here's the third commandment. Rest in Christ. and guard against
turning away from Him. Here's the fourth thing. When
you need help, and you will, continually, continually go to
the throne of grace, to Christ your High Priest, and He says,
and I'll be your help. Here's the fifth thing. Let brotherly
love continue. Continue to assemble yourselves.
Continue to encourage one another, to provoke one another through
this Gospel, through this Word that's spoken. and entertain
strangers. Here's the sixth thing. And lay
aside everything that'll hinder you. Just set it aside. You know
what it is. You know what it is. If it's
coming between you and Christ, you know exactly what it is.
He said put it aside. And here's the seventh thing.
And do it all because you're motivated by the grace of God
in Christ Jesus who's made you perfect and accepted of God right
now where you sit. That's a light and easy yoke.
Those are the commandments of Christ. He said, if you do my
commandments, if you know me, do my commandments. And he said,
I and my Father keep you. We bring you to heaven. Do my commandments. And people
go right back to Moses. Oh, that's Moses' commandments.
God gave those through Moses, the first Moses. Well, what's
Christ's commandments? What Christ says. It's what He
says. It's what He's been saying all
through the book of Hebrews, all through the gospel. It's
what He said, these seven things. And that's a light and easy yoke,
isn't it? This is the rule of faith. by which every believer is ruled
in the heart by grace, through the Spirit of God, by Christ
Jesus the Lord Himself, through His Word as He sets it forth.
This is the rule of faith. This is it. Is it that simple? It's light and easy. This is
it. I pray the God of peace work
in us that which is well-pleasing in His sight through Christ And
all the glory forever and ever is His. Every bit of it. If you
can do these things, it's because Christ's working in you. You're
hearing Him speak because He's working in you. I pray that'll
be the case. I pray that'll be so. All right.