I would like for you to open
your Bibles this morning to the book of Hebrews. I'm going to
be speaking from Hebrews chapter 13, and my subject will be ten
critical areas in a believer's life. Now, if you'll open your
Bible to Hebrews 13 and think with me as we deal with this
subject, I believe the Spirit of God will teach us some things
that we need to at least remember. or learn, if we do not know them,
ten critical areas in a believer's life. Now, every believer ought
to get acquainted with the book of Hebrews. It's not a difficult
book, any more than any other book in the Bible. The Holy Spirit
wrote it, and he must reveal it. He must take the things of
Christ and reveal them unto us. Certainly, they're not understood
by natural wisdom, but the book of Hebrews is a very important
book in the life of a believer. It glorifies Christ and it's
instructive to everyone who trusts Christ. Now, in the book of Hebrews,
the Apostle Paul sets forth Christ superior over all creatures,
over all creation, and over all ceremony. Christ is greater,
Paul said, than the angels. To which of the angels said he
at any time, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee?
To which of the angels said he at any time, Sit thou on my right
hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool? Our Lord is superior
to all angelic creatures. And then he's superior to Moses.
Moses, Paul says in the book of Hebrews, is a servant in the
house, and Christ is the over the house, and Christ is greater
than Moses as he that built the house is greater than the house.
And then Paul shows in this book how Christ is superior to all
the Old Testament priests and to all the Old Testament sacrifices,
to the tabernacle and all of these things. He sets forth Christ
as superior. These sacrifices could not take
away sin, but they were pictures of Christ who does. by the sacrifice
of himself put away sin. These Old Testament priests were
many. There were many of them. There
were thousands of them. Christ, one great high priest. And these Old Testament priests
offered many sacrifices, oftentimes the same sacrifices. Christ offered
one sacrifice. The Scripture says, sacrificed
of himself and by one sacrifice he has perfected forever them
that are sanctified. These Old Testament priests died.
Christ ever lived. Their priesthood had a beginning
and an ending. Christ's priesthood has no beginning
and no ending. He's a priest forever after the
order of Melchizedek. These Old Testament priests offered
animal blood which could never put away sin. Christ offered
his blood. And these Old Testament priests
ministered in a tabernacle made with hands. Our Lord ministered
in heaven itself. They entered into the holy place
made with hands. He entered into heaven itself. And there made an effectual sacrifice
for all of our sins. These Old Testament priests never
sat down because their work was never finished. In fact, of the
seven pieces of furniture in the tabernacle, There was not
a single chair there, because the priests never finished their
work. Christ, having finished his work,
crying, it is finished, ascended to the right hand of the majesty
on high and sat down, expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. So every believer needs to get
acquainted with the book of Hebrews. It shows the superiority of Christ.
It shows the priesthood of Christ, the atonement and sacrifice of
our Lord. And in this book also, the apostle
warns the believer. Now, you and I have promises
throughout the Word of God called precious promises, but we also
have some warnings. And we're warned by the Word
of God not to depart from the faith. Take heed, brethren, lest
there be found in you an evil heart of unbelief. We're warned
not to depart from the faith. Faith is not an isolated act.
Someone says, well, I once believed. If you ever believed, you're
still believing. Saving faith is a continuous
act. We continue in faith. We have
believed, we are believing, we shall believe. It's like repentance.
Repentance is not an isolated act. A person can't say, well,
I once repented. If it was genuine, God-given,
Holy Spirit-wrought repentance, it is a continuous act. We continue
in the faith. We continue in repentance. We
continue to believe on Christ. And throughout the book of Hebrews,
we're warned. We're warned about apostasy.
We're warned about departing from the faith. We're warned
about drawing back. The scripture says, Christ is
the son over his house, whose house we are, if we continue
in the faith, if we hold fast our profession firm unto the
end. And so this book is full of warnings.
Someone says that God has hedged us about on one side with promises,
lest we despair. And God does not want his people
to despair. He doesn't want them to live
in doubt and fear. He wants them to have confidence
and assurance and rest and peace in Christ. So we have all the
precious promises that keep us from falling into despair. But
on the other hand, we have in the book of Hebrews especially,
warning after warning, Take heed, brethren. Israel could not enter
the Promised Land because of unbelief. Take heed, lest they
be found in you an evil heart of unbelief. Paul, writing in
Corinthians, tells us to examine ourselves, whether we be in the
faith. Know ye not your own self, how
that Christ dwelleth in you, except you be reprobate? Peter
tells us to give diligence, to make our calling and election
sure. And then another thing about
this book of Hebrews. In chapter 13, and of course
in chapter 11 and 12, we have that spiritual hall of fame,
talking about the faith of Moses and Enoch and Abraham and Hagar
and David and all of these that believed God. And here in chapter
13, along with the words of praise for the Lord Jesus Christ, who
is the same yesterday, today, and forever, the Apostle deals
with ten critical areas. of the believer's life. I want
to interest you in the book of Hebrews. We, several months ago,
went through the book of Hebrews, 26 weeks we spent on the book
of Hebrews in our Sunday morning Bible classes, and it was a mountaintop
experience for me, and I think for many of our people. It was
a time of great rejoicing and great blessings as we studied
this precious, precious book of Hebrews. And here in the 13th
chapter, the Apostle deals with ten critical areas in the believer's
life. And if you want to, take your
Bible, and as I refer to these verses, underline these statements. Or write them down on a piece
of paper. They're all right there in Hebrews chapter 13. Now the
first one is found in verse 1. The first critical area of the
believer's life. Paul says in Hebrews 13.1, let
brotherly love continue. Underscore that. Let brotherly
love continue. Now there's a special love between
believers. There's a family love. There's
a love of the body of Christ for one another. By this shall
all men know you're my disciples, if you love one another. And
this is my commandment, Christ said, that you love one another
as I have loved you. There's a special love that knit
the heart of believers together, wherever they are. They may be
separated by thousands of miles. They may be separated by several
blocks. They may live in the same home.
But where there are those who believe in Christ and trust in
Christ and rest in Christ, they love one another. There's no
question about that. But the believer is not only
to love other believers. He's to love all men. Our Lord
said, You love them that love you. What think have you? Sinners
do the same. I say unto you, love your enemies.
bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully
use you. Believers who know Christ are
to love all men. I do not believe that hate can
live where Christ lives. Christ is light, Christ is love,
Christ is truth and beauty and peace, Christ is mercy, forgiveness
and grace. And hate just cannot live in
the heart where Christ lives. The scripture tells us, he that
loveth not knoweth not God. For God is love. Do you hate
people? Do you hate people of other races?
Do you hate people of other religions? Do you hate people of other philosophies? Do you hate people of other political
parties? Do you hate anyone? Well, he
that loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. And how can
we love God whom we've never seen if we do not love our brother
whom we have seen? So this is the first critical
area. Paul says, let brotherly love. Let's not let it rise in spurts
and then fall, one day loving, the next day hating, one day
receiving, the next day rejecting. Just let it continue in a forgiving,
gracious, kind spirit. Be kind one to another, tender-hearted,
forgiving one another as God, for Christ's sake, forgave you.
Let brotherly love continue. Now here's the second critical
area found in verse 2. Be not forgetful to entertain
strangers. For many have entertained angels
unawares." Be not forgetful to entertain strangers. Be hospitable. Be generous and gracious. Abraham
was sitting in his tent door one day and saw these men coming
across the desert. And he arose and offered his
home. He offered food. He offered lodging. He entertained these men, and
they turned out to be the angels of the Lord. One day two disciples
were on their way to Emmaus on a certain road and a stranger
joined them and talked to them and they invited him in their
home and fed him. It turned out to be the Lord
himself. Paul is saying here, open your
hearts and open your hands and open your homes to others. Look
forward to sharing with others what God has given you. A saved
heart is a gracious heart. And a gracious heart is a generous
heart, and a generous heart is a heart that reaches out to others. What does the scripture say?
As you would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto
them. This is the law and the prophet. Be not forgetful to entertain
strangers. Oh, it's easy to entertain your
children and your grandchildren and your brothers and your sisters
and your mother and your father. We're talking about strangers.
Let your heart be open and your hands be open and your home be
open to offer shelter and food and clothing and sharing with
others what God has given you. And then the third critical area.
In verse 3, Paul says, Remember them that are in bonds, as being
bound with them, and remember them that suffer. Now, there
are two kinds of adversity here. First of all, they're those who
are in bonds. Now, I know when Paul wrote this, that many Christians
were in prison, not for criminal action, but for Christ's sake.
And they were suffering, they were in chains, and they were
in prison. And Paul says for us, the people then, to remember
them as bound with them, as being fellow prisoners. But we do not
have people in prison in this country. They do in other countries
for their faith, but not in this country. But there are those
who are suffering and who are persecuted for the sake of their
faith. And we are to remember them as
being sufferers with them. Weep with those that weep. Bear
the burdens of those that carry burdens and afflictions. Remember
these that are persecuted because of their faith. Bear ye one another's
burden and so fulfill the law of Christ. What is this law of
Christ? It's the law of love. I think of missionaries. We have
missionaries in Mexico, in Ireland, in France, in Spain, in Canada,
on Indian reservations that our church helps to support. And
these men are to be remembered. They're to be taken care of.
They're to be prayed for. They're to be written to. We're
to share their burdens. They are undergoing certain persecutions,
for Christ's sake. But there's another adversity
here, and that is, remember them that suffer in body because of
sickness, because of being old, old age, because of being handicapped,
because of being afflicted. Remember that you also are in
the body and you are subject to these same afflictions. You
are subject to these same infirmities. Remember these. Remember those
who are suffering. Remember those who are handicapped.
Remember those who are lonely. Remember those who have infirmities. Remember those who are suffering
because of failure. Just anyone who's less fortunate
than you are, remember them in prayer, with a gift, with a call,
with a visit. There's so many ways to remember
them. In other words, let's quit thinking about ourselves so much
and begin thinking of someone else. I've always believed this.
The way to be happy is to make someone happy. The way to receive
is to give. It's more blessed, Christ said,
to give than to receive. Here's the fourth critical area.
In verse 4, he says, let marriage be held in honor. That's what
he's saying. Let marriage be held in honor. Now, I know we're living in a
day of divorce, but man's customs will not change the word of God.
Man's customs, I don't care what they are. We may be having one
divorce out of every three marriages, or one divorce out of every two
marriages, but that doesn't make it right. Dissolving homes on
every hand, there's hardly a family listening to me that divorce
hasn't touched your family somewhere, but that doesn't make it right.
That doesn't alter the law of God Almighty. Marriage was instituted
by the eternal God, by our Heavenly Father. A man and woman shall
be joined together in marriage, and for this cause shall a man
leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife, and they
shall be one flesh. And God does not give us grounds
for dissolving our marriages and our homes. When a man and
woman are married, they enter into a contract in the presence
of God Almighty. And they bring forth children
into this world, and they're under an obligation to themselves,
to their children, to their God, to their faith, to their community.
They're under an obligation and a contract to continue in that
marriage. And then marriage was sanctioned
by our Lord Jesus Christ. That was where he wrought his
first miracle, was at a wedding feast. Our Lord attended the
marriage. He attended the wedding. And
then the Apostle Paul commended marriage. He said, is to love
his wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself for it. As far as I can tell, the Lord
has two institutions on this earth. One of them is the home,
and the other is the church. If you can find any other, I'll
be glad to hear from you. But I know that the home is one,
and I know the church is another. And I know the Lord is jealous
over both. And I have a responsibility.
I'm talking not to believers, I'm talking to believers now.
A believer has an obligation and a responsibility before his
God to protect that which his God has established and to hold
forth a good witness. And one is our homes and the
other is our churches. Now notice the fifth critical
area in verse 5. He says, Let your character and
conduct, that's the word conversation, you see it there, let your character
and conduct, let it be free from covetousness. or the craving
for worldly possessions and worldly wealth. This is something we
are plagued with today, is materialism. I believe America and professing
Christians and Church members have gone crazy over materialism. You know, our Lord said in Luke
12, verse 15, Beware of covetousness. A man's life does not consist
in the abundance of the things he possesses. Our life does not
consist in the things we possess, but in whom we know. Let not
the rich man glory in his riches, or the strong man in his strength,
or the wise man in his wisdom. Let him that glorieth glory in
this, that he knows me, that I am the Lord." Our God tells
us, having food and clothing, be content. Paul said, I've learned
how to abound and how to be abased. I've learned in whatsoever state
I am to be content. Did you know covetousness is
idolatry? We talk about the heathen in
Africa that fall down before their false gods and worship
idols. We may not worship calves of gold, but we worship gold
in a different form. We worship materialism. We are
more interested in what we have and what we eat and what we wear
than we are in our soul's welfare and our soul's knowledge of God
Almighty. I'm worried about us. I'm worried about us. And then
the sixth critical area, verse 7. Covetousness is idolatry. Now, anything that hinders your
relationship with God as an idol, anything that comes between you
and God, you know our Lord said the pagans are interested in
what they eat, what they drink, and what they wear. You seek
the kingdom of God and his righteousness. God will add these things to
you. Believers don't have to worry. David said, I've been
young, now I'm old. I've never seen God's seed begging
bread yet. In verse 7, here's the sixth
critical area. Remember them that have the rule
over you, who have spoken to you the word of the Lord." Well,
that means faithful pastors and preachers. Remember them that
have the rule over you, who have spoken to you the word of the
Lord. That's referring to faithful
pastors and preachers. I don't mean everybody calls
himself a preacher or a pastor. I'm talking about those who've
ministered to you the word of the Lord, not their creeds and
catechisms, but his precious word. How do we remember them?
Well, first of all, we remember them by giving heed to their
message. He that hath ears to hear, let
him hear. When a true gospel preacher preaches to you Christ
and him crucified, listen to him. Hear him. Walk in the light
God gives you through that man's preaching. When he preaches salvation
by grace, when he preaches ruin by the fall, redemption by the
blood, regeneration by the spirit, and eternal life by the sacrifice
of Christ on the cross, listen to him. Walk in the light God
gives you. Then to remember them is to pray
for them, to give them honor, to honor them for Christ's sake.
And then to remember them is to faithfully support their ministry,
the ministry of the word. Now if a man's not dedicated
to the preaching of the word of God, don't support it. But
if a man is dedicated to the preaching of God's word, support
that ministry. And then to remember them is
to follow their example. That's what it says in that verse.
Follow their example. Don't follow any man, but follow
that man as he follows Christ. Follow Christ together. Seek
the Lord together. Examine the word of God together.
Pray together. Exhort one another. But if you
have a faithful gospel preaching ministry, remember him. Remember
him. It's a great gift. And it's a
great tragedy when people do not have a faithful ministry.
Verse 9 gives us the seventh area, critical area in the believer's
life. Be not carried away with different
and strange doctrines. Listen to this. Be not carried
away with different, diverse, different and strange doctrines.
It is good for the heart to be established with grace. Now what
does this mean? It means this. Guard against
doctrines. Guard against spiritual instructions
that are different and strange from the word of God. If they
speak not according to the word of God, it's because there's
no life, no truth in them. You beware of doctrine that is
contrary to God's word. Search the scriptures whether
these things be so. When I preach to you, don't take
my word for it. Get your Bible, open it, read
God's word, compare scripture with scripture, and don't accept
any doctrine that strains to the word of God. And then don't
accept any doctrine that's not in agreement with the person
and work of Jesus Christ. Measure everything you read,
in the Old or New Testament or anywhere else, and remember that
it must be in agreement with the person and work of Christ.
It will glorify Christ if it's of God. God honors those who
honor the cross. And these Old Testament writers,
to him, give all the prophets witness. Moses wrote of me, Abraham
saw my day, Isaiah wrote of Christ. Beware of any doctrine that doesn't
magnify and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ. And then guard against
doctrines that are contrary to God's grace. Watch out for that
doctrine that promises you mercy for doing something. Mercy is
given because of Christ doing something, not you doing something.
It's good that the heart be established with grace. Three key words here,
the heart. Salvation is a heart work. And
the heart needs to be established, committed, firmly, on a good
foundation, the word of God, settled, not always moving about,
blowing with every wind of doctrine, established with grace. Salvation
is by grace, not of work, not of law, not of church membership,
by the grace of God, or by grace of your Savior. Now, the eighth
critical area. Verse 15 says, let us offer the
sacrifice of praise continually to God, giving thanks. You know, murmuring and complaining
against the providence of God is not Christian. It's certainly
not glorifying to God, and it's certainly contrary to faith to
murmur and complain and find fault with the hand of God, whether
it's a heavy hand or a light hand. Whether it's a hand of
affliction or a hand of blessing, to find fault with God's providence
is contrary to faith. We are priests. Did you know
that? Every believer is a saint, every believer is a king, every
believer is a priest. He's made us kings and priests
under God. We're sanctified. But as priests of God, we have
sacrifices to offer. Not blood sacrifices, but sacrifices
of praise, sacrifices of faith, sacrifices of love. And here
this sacrifice of praise is coming to God through Christ, the fruit
of our lips, that is, the praise of our lips, and that continually,
in every condition, whatever it may be. Let us be able to
say, Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise him, all
creatures here below. Praise him above, ye heavenly
hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. Let everything that hath breath
praise the Lord. The ninth critical area, verse
16, don't forget to do good and to communicate. With such sacrifices,
God's well pleased. God's pleased with the sacrifice
of praise, but he is also pleased with the sacrifice of communication
or distribution. That is, we're to take care of
those who are in need. Our Lord said, I was hungry and
you gave me meat. I was thirsty and you gave me
drink. I was a stranger, and you took
me in. I was naked, and you clothed
me. I was sick, and you bested me. I was in prison, and you
came to me." And they said, Lord, when did we see you hungry or
weary or in prison or sick? He said, inasmuch as you've done
it to the least of these, my brethren, you've done it to me.
You know, when he met Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus,
he said, why persecutest thou me? Well, Saul had never touched
the Lord, but he touched some of his people. So to do good
and communicate, forget not. And then in closing, verse 18,
the 10th critical area, pray for us, Paul said. Pray for us.
One old prophet said, God forbid that I should sow sin against
the Lord as to fail to pray for you. Pray for us. Here are 10
critical areas. Hebrews chapter 13. Be an intercessor
like Moses and Paul. Pray for people. Pray for us. That's a critical area. John
Bunyan once said that prayer to the believer is like breath
to the natural man. Can't live without it.