Hebrews 13:7-25 Instruction in Worship
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Intro: Final Instructions
Intro: Final Instructions
If you could only say a few words before leaving someone, what would you say?
Armageddon
The writer of Hebrews leaves his readers with some final instructions
Interestingly, the topic of his instructions are on worship
He wants to instruct them on how they should worship when they gather together
This in turn gives us a great outline on how we are to worship
Read Hebrews 13:7-9
Read Hebrews 13:7-9
Transition: Purpose of Worship
As the writer of Hebrews finishes up his letter to the Jews in Rome, he gives some final instructions on what they should do when they gather to worship
They were longing to go back to the comfort of the Jewish rituals in the Synagogue
He wants them to focus on the purpose of worship
While there can be value in the traditions of some worship services, they’re purpose is to point us to the glory of Jesus Christ
The word Worship means to “Give Worth” to someone or something
When we gather one Sunday mornings we call this a worship service
We give worth to Jesus by singing His praises, Learning His Word, Serving one another, and Fellowshipping
All four of those are done in His name
I want to show you five things instructions for worship that we should be practicing
Unchanging Savior vs. 8
Unchanging Savior vs. 8
The first, and most important, instruction in worship is to grasp that we have an unchanging savior
This is the most famous verse in all of Hebrews
I grew up in churches where the offering table had this engraved in it
Jesus doesn’t change
He remains the same yesterday, today, and forever
The theological term for that is Immutability
Immutability = Unchanging nature of Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is always available
What a contrast with the changeableness of us humans and of life here on earth.
The cycle from birth to death is a testament to our human mutability.
The supple, sweet flesh of a newborn prospers like a flower and then fades and wrinkles and is finally cast off in death.
Human personality never ceases changing.
Forests rise and stand for a millennium—and fade into deserts. Rivers cut canyons and disappear.
The only thing that is sure is change!
But the great truth is, God does not change, and neither does the Holy Spirit or the Son, Jesus Christ.
“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last.
like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”
No matter what lies ahead in this always-changing world with its drifting continents and fading suns—no matter what the seas may bring, we must sustain ourselves with this focus, Jesus Christ, our eternal, unchangeable contemporary.
Those who truly do this will navigate the roughest seas.
Eat the Right Diet vs. 9-14
Eat the Right Diet vs. 9-14
The second instruction for worship is to Eat the Right Diet
One of the sticking points between Christians Jews and Gentiles in the early church was over diet
The Jews wanted the Gentiles to follow the strict Jewish diet
This was finally settled in the Jerusalem council
Even Jesus said do not fear what goes in the mouth because it will be expelled, but fear what goes into the heart
That is the emphasis here
Make sure you are being fed the right Biblical diet
vs. 9a Don’t Be Mislead by Bad Doctrine
vs. 9a Don’t Be Mislead by Bad Doctrine
They are warned not to be mislead by strange teachings
This started with those who wanted to go back to Judaism, but it also was to those who were susceptible to being deceived by the false doctrines that were infiltrating the church
Gnosticism was a big one
It denied that Jesus was true God and that he didn’t come in the flesh but was a spirit the whole time
Of course, you could only figure this out if you aspired to their higher knowledge
Superbowl ad “He Gets Us”
I was a little disappointed
Jesus only washed the feet of his disciples
$14 million spent on that ad
He Saves Us Video
Now, my friends did show me another side
What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice,
Searches for Jesus surged on Google after this ad
Who know how many untold people came to Jesus because of that
The main point is to make sure you are consuming a steady diet of bad theology
vs. 9b Be Strengthened by Grace
vs. 9b Be Strengthened by Grace
Instead be strengthened by grace
No diet is ever going to save you, not matter what the people on instagram tell you
What you need is a steady diet of grace
That reassurance that your salvation isn’t revoked every time you blow it
That feeling that nothing can separate you from the love of God
Even if you are unfaithful, he will remain faithful
vs. 10 Come to the Altar
vs. 10 Come to the Altar
Next the writer tells his readers to come to the altar that judaism can’t
There isn’t a physical altar like in the OT
He is talking about the cross
Those from Judaism can come to the cross and partake of communion because they refuse to believe Jesus is the Messiah
The tent reference here is to the tabernacle of the wilderness
vs. 11-14 Outside the Camp
vs. 11-14 Outside the Camp
This is a passage where you need to know Jewish customs
When an animal was sacrificed out in the wilderness, they would take the remains outside the camp and burn the body
Outside the camp: The camp refers to institutional Judaism, which rejected Jesus and Christianity.
Though these Christians from Jewish backgrounds were raised to consider everything outside the camp as unclean and evil, now they had follow Jesus outside traditional, institutional Judaism of that time.
If they would follow Jesus outside the camp, He would sanctify them
They would also have to bear the reproach Jesus endured
In bearing His reproach we face great difficulty and suffering.
The good news is that for those who bear His reproach, this world is the worst they will ever have it.
For cowards who turn their back on Jesus, this life is the absolute best they will ever have it.
Offer Sacrifice of Praise vs. 15-16
Offer Sacrifice of Praise vs. 15-16
The third instruction in worship is to offer a sacrifice of praise
When we gather to worship on Sundays our primary focus is to seek Jesus
When we come and sing we are offering a sacrifice of praise
This helps us enter the presence of the Lord
It allows the Holy Spirit work in us
It is an offering to the Lord
To withhold your worship is to rob Jesus of what he deserves
It’s a sacrifice because you have to lift your voice
Take with you words and return to the Lord; say to him, “Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips.
Praise is powerful, not a performance
A lady came up to a pastor and told him that she didn’t enjoy worship that morning
The pastor replied, “That’s okay, we didn’t come to worship you.”
Worship isn’t about whether you enjoy it, its about whether God received you offering as a pleasing offering
Follow Your Leaders vs. 7, 17-19
Follow Your Leaders vs. 7, 17-19
The fourth instruction in worship is to follow your leaders
Three times the writer used the designation, “Them that have the rule over you.”
ESV uses leaders instead of rulers
The phrase refers to the spiritual leaders of the local assemblies.
The church is an organism, but it is also an organization.
If an organism is not organized, it will die!
Go back up to verse 7
Remember your leaders
That means to respect and follow
These are the pastors in the church because they speak the Word of God
It says to consider the outcome of their way of life
Look for the fruit of their living
Then you are supposed to imitate them
Then down to verse 17
It says to obey your leaders and submit to them
We are to be submissive to the leaders God gives us (assuming they have the character mentioned in Hebrews 13:7).
We are simply told to obey those who rule over us.
When speaking on the authority of God’s Word, leaders do have a right to tell us how to live and walk after God.
Sadly, some take the idea of submission to leaders in the church much too far.
Prayer for Perfection vs. 20-25
Prayer for Perfection vs. 20-25
The final instruction in worship is to pray for perfection
This last section includes what we call a doxology
It is a hymn or praise, usually at the end of the service
That’s why churches often sing a song or doxology at the end of services
We see Paul use several in his letters
This is a blessing in the style of the priestly blessing of Numbers 6:22-27: The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace.
This doxology has some interesting facets
First, it recognizes the attributes of God
He is the God of peace
Resurrected Jesus
He is the Great Shepherd
Grantor of the New Covenant
Then the doxology switches to a prayer for the people
That we would be made complete or perfect
That we may do His will
Working out His sanctification in us
That we bring Him glory