Brotherly Love Defined in Hebrews 13

Hebrews 13 Part 3

The Tennessee Governor signed a stunning and historic bill into law calling for a month of prayer for the United States and recognition of God starting July 1st. The stated purpose of the bill is “to seek God’s hand of mercy healing on Tennessee.”

Israel Update

Government Slow walks arm shipments, to try to control Israel’s response. 

Hezbollah is threatening to invade Israel.

The International Community is growing against Israel.

Prayer. 

As Pastor Martin taught in parts 1 and 2, chapter 13 is a practical application for the believer on how to serve the Lord and live the Christian life. It starts in the first verse with brotherly love. Jesus commands us to love one another, and the word informs us that without love, we can do nothing [1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NKJV] . 

After the theme of brotherly love in verses 2 through 6, the author addresses six specific activities that Christians should practice when living the Christian life as the body of Christ. 

1. Hospitality towards Stranger [verse 2], Pastor Martin covered.
2. Visit Prisoners [verse 3].
3. Minister to the Mistreated [verse 3].
4. Honor Marriage [verse 4].
5. Live a Holy Life Abstain from Sexual Immorality [verse 4]
6. Do not Covet or don’t envy [verse 5]

• Visit Prisoners

[Hebrews 13:3 NKJV] 3 Remember the prisoners as if chained with them–those who are mistreated–since you yourselves are in the body also. 

The author speaks concerning persecution, warning the believer to remember the ones who are suffering for Christ in their physical body, he brings up we also are in our physical bodies. Remember the author was in prison himself and fellow believers ministered to him. 

[Hebrews 10:32-35 NKJV] 32 But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: 33 partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; 34 for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. 35 Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

We must remember that believers are not the only ones who faced or are facing persecution our Lord suffered first.

[Hebrews 2:10 NKJV] 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom [are] all things and by whom [are] all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

[Philippians 2:7-8 NKJV] 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, [and] coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross.

• Ministry to the Mistreated

In the Book of Hebrews, the author is writing to the Hebrews and is not just talking about the past; he is speaking about the present and the future, how we, as followers of Christ, conduct our lives and ministry to the MISTREATED. Is verse 3 talking about ministry to persecuted Christians? Of course it is, but these were Hebrew converts and we should never forget the Lord’s brethren. Explain 

[Matthew 25:34-40 NKJV] 34 “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 ‘for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 ‘I [was] naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed [You], or thirsty and give [You] drink? 38 ‘When did we see You a stranger and take [You] in, or naked and clothe [You]? 39 ‘Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 “And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did [it] to one of the least of these My brethren, you did [it] to Me.’

[Matthew 25:41 NKJV] 41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:

[Hebrews 13:4 NKJV] 4 Marriage [is] honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

• Honor Marriage.

[Genesis 1:27 NKJV] 27 So God created man in His [own] image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

God created male and female in His own image He created marriage.

[Genesis 2:24 NKJV] 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 

[Ephesians 5:25-33 NKJV] 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord [does] the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife [see] that she respects [her] husband.

• Live a Holy Life, Abstain from Sexual Immorality

[Hebrews 13:4 NKJV] 4 Marriage [is] honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

This is a subject that the American Church has neglected; they don’t want to talk about, and I understand it is uncomfortable; as a result, sexual immorality is rampant in the Church and the world. Let’s break down the words in  this verse first; fornicators = pornos – a male prostitute – one who indulges in unlawful sexual intercourse. Adulterers  = moichos [moy-khos] – an adulterer – metaph. one who is faithless toward God, ungodly

Both Jesus and Paul warn the believer against this kind of sinful behavior, remember sexual immorality is a sin against God and a sin against the image of God!!! Other sins are outward sins.

[Matthew 5:27-28 NKJV] 27 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

This next verse Jesus uses the word sexual immorality = porneia which covers all sexual sin – illicit sexual intercourse – adultery, fornication, homosexuality, lesbianism, intercourse with animals etc.

[Matthew 5:32 NKJV] 32 “But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.

[Matthew 15:19 NKJV] 19 “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.

[1 Corinthians 6:18 NKJV] 18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.

I will end with these verses that should give hope to any believer caught up in sexual immorality.

[1 Corinthians 6:9-11 NKJV] 9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

• Do not Covet or don’t envy

[Hebrews 13:5 NKJV] 5 [Let your] conduct [be] without covetousness; [be] content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 

Of Course don’t covet is the tenth commandment [Exodus 20:17 NKJV], but I believe this verse is also warning us not to love money and possessions.

[Luke 12:13-15 NKJV] 13 Then one from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.” 14 But He said to him, “Man, who made Me a judge or an arbitrator over you?” 15 And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.”

[1 Timothy 6:6-10 NKJV] 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into [this] world, [and it is] certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is a root of all [kinds of] evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

[Mark 4:18-19 NKJV] 18 “Now these are the ones sown among thorns; [they are] the ones who hear the word, 19 “and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

[Matthew 6:25-34 NKJV] 25 “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? 26 “Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 “Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? 28 “So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; 29 “and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 “Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, [will He] not much more [clothe] you, O you of little faith? 31 “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 “For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

[Hebrews 13:6 NKJV] 6 So we may boldly say: “The LORD [is] my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

[Romans 8:31-39 NKJV] 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God [is] for us, who [can be] against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? [It is] God who justifies. 34 Who [is] he who condemns? [It is] Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [Shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” 37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.