Hebrews 13
February Memory Verse: For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
Read: Hebrews 13
Happy Thursday! I hope you’ve had a good week and have lived your life focused on Jesus. Our Jumpstart study through the book of Hebrews has been amazing! Today, we end this book with chapter 13. What are some lessons you have learned through the book of Hebrews over the last couple of weeks? Take a moment right now and recall them in the comments to encourage others.
In this great chapter, the author gives us several incredible things to hold onto as he concludes this book.
Love Others (v.1-3)
He begins this final chapter with a reminder to keep loving others – especially other brothers and sisters in the faith. Sometimes we’re showing kindness to angels and we don’t even know it! He tells us not to forget our brothers and sisters who are persecuted and are in prison. You’ll remember that we talked a lot about that and raised money to help them in October. Don’t forget to pray. Here’s a couple of GREAT resources to help with that:
https://www.opendoorsusa.org
https://www.persecution.com/about/
https://www.operationworld.org
Use these with your family and friends. Pray together – pray faithfully.
Many of you have joined our Committed to Prayer initiative – if not, consider doing that today.
Honor Marriage (v.4)
Marriage between a man and woman is under fire and is a hot-button item today. This also includes a serious problem with an increased amount of infidelity. Verse 4 tells us that God takes this seriously. Pray for families around you today.
Jesus Never Changes (v.8)
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. (v.8) What a great promise!
Offer Continual Praise to God (v.15)
Our hearts and our minds are always focused on something. Make it Jesus today!
Obey Your Spiritual Leaders (v.17)
This is a great time to thank God for your pastors and disciplers. Send them a text and let them know. The author instructs us to make their job easier not harder.
Then he does it – he closes with one of the most powerful benedictions in the Bible. I pray this prayer for you today…
Now may the God of peace— who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great
Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood— may he equip you
with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus
Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.
By: Tim Parsons
14 Comments
This walk through Hebrews together has been amazing! I’ve really enjoyed the commentaries and comments from Jumpstart readers.
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 9 So do not be attracted by strange, new ideas.
Would it be fair to say we have a lot of “strange, new ideas” in 2021?
* more than two genders
* same sex marriage and in some cases more than two people in the marriage (throuple)
* canceling our founding fathers for ideas and beliefs they held two hundred or more years ago
* aborting a baby because it’s inconvenient
This is just the tip of the iceberg. I’m grateful that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow, and for eternity. He is our rock and His word is reliable for every aspect of our lives. II Timothy 3:16
Thanks Mike!
"for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace..." (v.9)
The saints shall persevere in holiness, because God perseveres in grace.
Thanks Korbet!
So. This has been an amazing read-through. I don’t think I have ever read Hebrews while reading Exodus and Leviticus before, and now I cannot imagine why not!!!
Chapter 12 blew my mind late last night when I read it, and I woke up thinking about God’s holiness. To be completely transparent, I was wondering in what ways I sell my birthright as a Christian for a bowl of soup, like Esau did. I mean, the Bible promises us springs of living water and an abundant life, and often times it’s....elusive.
But this chapter covers practical ways holiness shows up in our lives, and brings it right back to the longing of our hearts: echoes of 11:16....
But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city. - Hebrews 11:16.
Yes! He is alive, waiting, and unashamed of his people. This place is not our home. For someone who got a bit of bad news yesterday, this is a timely reminder that the temporary state of affairs is nothing in light of what comes next. I don’t know about you, but I am beyond grateful.
Thanks, Tim.
Thanks for your great comments Susan!
The theme in Hebrews that has encouraged me the most is Jesus’ invitation to draw near and the lengths he went to to make it possible. The amount of himself that Jesus gave so that I could draw near shows me how much he wants me and other humans to draw near to him. In his death, Jesus tore the veil in the temple so that we could come all the way in to the holy of Holies and truly enter relationship directly with him- before that, God’s people had a degree of separation from him with the priests who had to act as mediators. Now we have continual personal relationship directly to God through Jesus and because of his life death resurrection. I’m Thankful for the way God pursues us and is so faithful to finish the work he began in us.
I'm so glad you're in this with us Megan! Grateful for you!
Such a good book! I appreciate the picture of Jesus being our permanent high priest, and also the emphasis on faith a couple chapters ago. I also really like chapter 13. It is a very practical chapter on what the Christian life looks like, and how to live in line with scripture. It is an encouraging chapter and gives good reminders on what it means to live for Christ. Thankful for this book and all that it teaches!
Thanks Scottie!!
Wow! Such a great book! I have always loved the Faith Chapter (Hebrews 11). But this book has so much more. I enjoy reading Jumpstart! Thank you for a wonderful tool to our daily Bible study! 🙂
Totally agree with you, Norma!!!
Me too! Thanks Norma!!
I am so thankful for our staff and all the hard work you do. Jump Start is just one of the ways you continue to invest and make it easier for Amy and I to draw closer to God daily. I am praying for all of you, for your safety, for your families, and for your strength. God bless you all and God bless CPC.