Written ~ 12-17-2023
Hebrews 13:1-6
1 Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! 3 Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.
4 Give honor to marriage and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.
5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
6 So we can say with confidence,
“The Lord is my helper,
so I will have no fear.
What can mere people do to me?”
Because of our sinful natures, the human race can be quite a selfish bunch of people, always looking out for ourselves, setting our sights far above the needs of others.
But when you love the Lord with all your heart, with all your mind and with all your strength, your priorities change drastically. As we learn to be more like Christ our concern for others grows. If ever we get to the point of not knowing how to serve God, our passage in Hebrews 13:1-6 gives us some great pointers…
- Love one another
- Show hospitality to strangers
- Remember those in prison
- Remember those who are mistreated
One of the commands Jesus gave us was to love one another, this should be .one of the first and foremost acts of service and we should put this into action each and every day.
How do we show hospitality to strangers? Does that mean we invite complete strangers into our homes and provide food and shelter for them? Could be… But if not, what about providing your time and money to help collect food and clothing for the homeless and those less fortunate than you. Many churches have outreach programs that help their impoverished communities. Why not check to see how you can help?
Not all churches have a prison ministry, but many do. If going into a prison to talk with inmates isn’t your “cup of tea” then support the people who go. Pray for those who have found themselves incarcerated, they need to know people love them, they shouldn’t be regarded as lost causes. Through our prayers, God can reach them while behind bars just as easily if they weren’t.
When I think about those who are mistreated, the first thing that comes to mind are women suffering domestic abuse and the children who get caught in the middle. It also brings to mind the innocent souls who are being led into human trafficking without knowing what is happening to them before it’s too late. It’s a growing concern and as Christian’s we need to be aware of this problem and help where we can. Because of the growing need to rescue those who have been trapped, increasing amounts of churches now have a human trafficking ministry. Most help with the rehabilitation of those who have been rescued, by getting them to safety and providing their basic needs. Find where you can help. Is it talking with a young woman, helping her to see her worth, and just love her. Is it holding children who are devastated and crying. Can you provide those basic needs? Clothes, toiletries, food.
All of us need to step out of our own situations and help those in need. Our problems may just fade into the background when we see the needs of others as greater than our own.
Verse 13:2 says, “…for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it…”
Look what Jesus says in Matthew 25:35-40,
35 For I was hungry, and you fed Me. I was thirsty, and you gave Me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited Me into your home. 36 I was naked, and you gave Me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for Me. I was in prison, and you visited Me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see You hungry and feed You? Or thirsty and give You something to drink? 38 Or a stranger and show You hospitality? Or naked and give You clothing? 39 When did we ever see You sick or in prison and visit You?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to Me!’
If ever we feel hesitant to help someone in need, think about what Jesus said. “It was Me you were doing these things to.” It’s not about getting the accolades because we are helping another person, it is about serving the Lord and having the attitude we are ministering to Jesus when we help supply the needs of others.
Let’s go back to our verses for today, verse 13:4 says,
4 “Give honor to marriage and remain faithful to one another in marriage. God will surely judge people who are immoral and those who commit adultery.”
For those of us who are married, we have a responsibility to love and honor our spouse. Remaining faithful isn’t just with our bodies, it’s with our hearts, and our thoughts. Honoring your spouse is not placing blame on them when things are going amiss in the household, instead it is being a part of the solution to make things better. A husband and wife are a team, if one spouse decides the other is making all of the mistakes, that is certainly not the case, both parties have to take on the responsibility of what’s going on in their household, it takes both the husband and wife’s participation. Even if every solution is met with opposition, you must be on a united front. Decisions are made together, even mistakes are made together. That’s what it means by “becoming one” when you are married to the one you love, your person, you should want nothing more than to smooth over any accusations and tension and provide support, love and respect…in doing so, you are honoring your marriage.
For those of you who are not married. Praying for the person God has waiting for you is key. The things you desire in a spouse should be things that give honor to the Lord. In the meantime, your body is to remain holy, it is the temple of the Holy Spirit, it should never be used for immoral sexual relations. Sexual relations should be well guarded and sacred, only between a husband and wife. In The Message Bible it says, “…God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex.” We must treat our bodies as a holy sacrifice, one that is pleasing to the Lord.
Now let’s look at the first part of verse 13:5,
5 “Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have…”
In a society that wants more and more, as Christians we need to be careful not to get dragged into the love affair with money and material possessions. It’s fine to have things, God blesses us so we can have the desires of our heart. BUT there is a very fine line between the blessings of God and our desires becoming the all-important thing in our lives. Think about the “stuff” you spend money on, how are those things giving honor to the Lord? Most of us have homes that are packed full of “stuff.” What do we do with all that “stuff?” Verse 5 says “…we need to be satisfied with what you have…” Do we put value on those things which only give us temporal satisfaction? Or do we have true value in things that give honor to the Lord and will reap an award in Heaven? Well… that gives us something to think about… Yes?
One of the most important things to remember is what God says in the next part of verse 13:5,
For God has said,
“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”
What a wonderful promise from God!! So, no matter what we have, no matter what we go through, God is here, right there beside us, every step of the way. It should be a constant reminder that the way we live our lives shows He is the one who guides our steps. It will be evident the Lord is with us because our lives show honor and glory to Him in everything we do.
I’m going to close with verse 13:5-6 from The Message Bible,
5-6 Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, “I’ll never let you down, never walk off and leave you,” we can boldly quote,
God is there, ready to help;
I’m fearless no matter what.
Who or what can get to me?
The Lord is near. If you don’t know where to start serving the Lord, don’t get distracted! Have the Lord show you where your gifts will be best used. Opportunities will make themselves known… And always remember that the Lord, the King of Heaven is always with you! So if serving Him brings you out of your comfort zone, be reassured He will be right your side.
Thank you Father for giving me Your Son as an example to live by. Help me to see opportunities to serve You.
~AMEN~