Practical Living Under Our Great High Priest
Having heeded the exhortation to faith an liberated from the curse of the Law, how then should we conduct ourselves? By manifesting (showing or demonstrating) love.
Simply Broken Out
| Heb 13:1-4 Showing Love to Others | The operation of love is a verb, extending from fellow believers to the low parts of society, from which you cannot repay, as Jesus admonished the disciples in Luke 14:13-14. The focus is not on whether we look for angels, we won’t directly recognize them. Rather, be hospitable and loving toward the poor. The downtrodden are also objects of our love. Prisoners may or may not be guilty, but our Lord died for them as well. The ill-treated are to be comforted, 2 Cor 1:3-13This love is also to be manifested to spouses by respect and fidelity.Hospitality: Hospitality is caring for the traveler. In the Old Testament, examples abound where strangers arrive in to an encampment, and Middle Eastern custom compelled the head of the camp to take in travelers. Abraham is a great illustration of this custom, as are other examples in Judges when Manoah entertained the Angel of the Lord, and the sad tale of Micah and his concubine in Judges 19:15 ff |
| Heb 13:5-14 Showing Love by Faith in our High Priest | The love of money is another way of saying that we really can’t trust God to provide for us, that this we need to do for ourselves. That does not excuse laziness; we must earn our bread. See 1 Tim 5:8. Strike a balance. Our teachers and instructors are to be imitators of Christ, so that those instructed and copy their life. And that teaching is that the Gospel is the Good News, no longer tied to the Mosaic Law or any other aberration of the simple Gospel. Jesus hasn’t and won’t change, therefor the message never changes. (The medium always changes, though, see 1 Cor 9:20-23 and Paul’s example) |
| Heb 13:15-19 Showing Love by Self-Sacrifice | As opposed to the old sacrificial system, the new sacrifice is a living sacrifice of our lives to Jesus shown by Paul in Romans 12:1We also sacrifice our wilfulness by sharing from a generous heart, submission to duly appointed authorities, and willing prayer for others with needs. |
| Heb 13:20-25 Showing love by receiving blessing | What is it that God gives us to do His good will? All the things which we cannot do…. Fruits of the Spirit, |
Memory Verse – 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. Hebrews 13:15
Application – I will live my life showing love by demonstrating thankfulness.