Hebrews 13, the final section of our Hebrews study outline

Hebrews 13

1) Brotherly love is of primary concern: For unity within the Church; for witness to the world; for effective ministry. 
Who is my brother? – Gal.6:10 – “Especially those who are of the household of the faith.” 
Eph. 2:18-19 – “You are of God’s household.” I Jn.3:1-2 –“We (believers) are the children of God.” There is to be a special bond of love between the members of the Body of Jesus Christ that goes beyond earthly ties of brotherhood, or love of neighbor and certainly beyond love of enemies. Jn.13:35 – “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
2) Hospitality for its own sake is in view here; the angel thing is secondary but important. Angels are real and they walk among us, period.
3) The prisoners in view here are the ones that have been in view all along (Heb.10:34); Christians who are persecuted and in prison for their faith in Christ. They are members of “the body” as the text states. If you want to visit criminals that are in jail for civil crimes that’s fine, it is just not a biblical mandate as some have interpreted it to be.
4) We live in a strange day when marriage is under attack and is no longer considered to be what it once was. The term marriage has been redefined and is no longer “honorable” as defined here in the bible. Surely this is a sign of the end of the age (II Tim.3:1-5) and of the demise of the Judeo-Christian ethic in America and of the perversion of morality in our modern world.
5) “Let your character be free from love of money.” (Not greedy but liberal and generous). Obviously this is something we can do or it wouldn’t be stated this way.
In other words – don’t be consumed with the pursuit of wealth to the point of losing sight of your dependence upon God’s desire, ability and promise to provide for your daily needs if you will ask Him. Our character is not set in stone. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can develop a more godly one. To lose sight of this is a trap to be avoided and one we can easily fall into. I Tim.6:6 – Godliness with contentment is great gain. II Cor.9:7- God loves a cheerful giver. Phil.4:11-13 - I have learned to be content...I can do all things through Christ (in all circumstances concerning want or in plenty). Phil.4:19 - My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Mt.6:11 – “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Jas.4:2-3 – You have not because you ask not... or you ask with wrong motives.
Mat.6:31-34 – “Do not be anxious then...about food, drink or clothing...God knows that you need these things. Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added to you.”
6) “What shall man do to me?” Ultimately, concerning eternal things, man can do nothing to the child of God; but here in this world and for now in this time, unfortunately, man can do much in many ways. We live in a world filled with evil and evil doers. We have God’s promises to sustain us, but do not be deceived by misapplying those promises. Christians are not exempt from the consequences of the actions of evil men in the world. Particularly of such men who may be in positions of worldly power. But remember – “I have overcome the world!” Jn.16:33.
7) Beginning with the Apostles and including evangelist, teachers and pastors. This admonition is predicated upon the fact that God is the one who appoints the proper leaders in the Church. Eph.4:11.

The immutability of Jesus Christ; an attribute of deity only. Heb.1:10-12. Any teaching that would alter or reinterpret the original teachings of Jesus is to be rejected. Gal.1:6-9

9) There seems to be no end to the strange teachings that keep coming around, to challenge our complete salvation and freedom in Christ. A tenacious and persistent strange teaching (the particular one in view here again) is the ever present call to return to the bondage of the Law, including the dietary restrictions.

10) The food that we partake of from our altar; (“our altar” is the cross symbolically, or more literally that which is in heaven – see Heb.9:12; Rev.1:5). Our food is the Bread of Life. Jn.6:35.
Those that find Christ’s sacrifice to be insufficient and desire to be under the Law have disqualified themselves from partaking of the true life giving Bread.

11-12) The historical prophetic parallel between Old Covenant animal sacrifice and the one final New Covenant sacrifice is illuminated. What may have seemed like an insignificant detail is highlighted as a profound foreshadow of the necessity of the separation of the old from the new.

13) Let’s follow Jesus and leave the old behind.

14) Again; this world is about to pass away; God has promised to provide a new and unshakable home for us in the world to come; how foolish to cling to this world and loose the next world, which is far better.

15) Our “sacrifice of praise” includes our personal testimony of faith in Christ, our public praise and thanksgiving to God for His grace and mercy and our sharing of the gospel with others.

16) Do good to all men, as much as lies within your control and share the blessings of God in your life with others. Heb.12:14; Ro.15:19;

17) God has established a hierarchy in the Church; in the home; and in government. Eph.5:23; Ro.13:1.

18-19) A personal request from the author; he obviously believed in the power of prayer and he sought the support of the brethren through prayer on his behalf, so should we.

29-21) The beautiful Hebrews benediction;
Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

22) He is saying “Please take to heart what I have said!” This expresses every teacher’s desire for his students. “I have written to you briefly.” I have kept it short, sweet and to the point. Or perhaps an alternate meaning could be to say “I have written to you with urgency.”

23) We are part of a great community of mutual care and concern. Circumstances are in flux.

24) Personal and corporate greetings from saints to saints.

25) “Grace be with you all.” May I add, Amen.