Let Love Of Your Fellow Believers Continue
Hebrews 13:1-3 Amplified Bible
13 Let love of your fellow believers continue. 2 Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body [and subject to physical suffering].
Let love of your fellow believers continue. The word love here is the Greek word philadelphía and it means fraternal affection:—brotherly love (kindness), love of the brethren. We are talking about our love for our brothers and sisters in Christ. As we grow in Christ, we grow in the love of Christ. The love of God is unconditional. There may be those in the body of Christ who rub us the wrong way or even irritate us, but we are still called to love them none the less. Our decision to love is never based on how someone will treat us or what they can do for us. We love because He first loved us. They will know that we are true disciples of Jesus Christ if we truly love as He loved. We must remember that none of us deserve His love, but He has chosen to lavish His love upon us. This love must continue. It is what distinguishes us from those who are not children of God. It is impossible to love as God calls us to love without Him living within us and leading, guiding, and directing us.
Do not neglect to extend hospitality to strangers [especially among the family of believers—being friendly, cordial, and gracious, sharing the comforts of your home and doing your part generously], for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. The word hospitality is the Greek word philoxenia and it means hospitableness:—entertain stranger, hospitality. Hospitality requires sacrifice. It is not always easy or comfortable to be hospitable. But why is hospitality so important? Number one at this time those who preached and taught the gospel would often travel and without hospitality it made it difficult to see the kingdom advance. But often some of the greatest servants of God are those who have shown true hospitality.
Today people may not necessarily stay in our homes, but providing food and lodging is key in seeing the kingdom advance. Serving Jesus Christ often doesn’t lead to gain great personal wealth. Some of the greatest ministers of the gospel are those who have had their basic needs met by God and often when traveling the Lord will move on the heart of someone to open their home or provide a meal so that this servant of the Lord can have their needs met.
The wonderful thing about the amplified is it brings out the richness of the original language. We as followers of Christ are called to be gracious, cordial, being willing to share the comforts of our home and simply showing generosity. Hospitality is a sign of deep generosity and generosity is a sign of someone whose heart has been captured by Jesus Christ. Those who have truly had their hearts surrendered to Christ will live with an open hand. They understand that all that has been given to them does not belong to them. But is graciously given by the Lord. The more we grow in Christ, the more generous we become.
The writer of Hebrews writes this for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. This looks back to the account of Genesis 18:1-15 in which Abraham entertained three visitors who were sent from the Lord. Most likely one of these was the preincarnate Jesus Christ who came to speak to Abraham not only about Sarah having a child but also God’s dealing with the city of Sodom and Gomorrah. I believe God revealed this to Abraham because it led to Abraham interceding for his nephew Lot which saved the lives of Lot and his two daughters.
But Abraham is not the only one who has entertained angels. We also know of Gideon and his encounter with the angel of the Lord. There have also been various accounts throughout the church age where people have encountered angels in human form and not even known it. The purpose here for the author of Hebrews is to show us the importance of generosity and hospitality. It is a key part of God’s purpose and plan in the earth. When we live in the love of Christ and we are guided and led by The Holy Spirit, we will see the purposes of God accomplished in our lives.
3 Remember those who are in prison, as if you were their fellow prisoner, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body [and subject to physical suffering]. The word remember is the Greek word mimnḗskō and it means (from which some of the tenses are borrowed); to remind, i.e. (middle voice) to recall to mind:—be mindful, remember. In America we can be distanced from the true suffering that many of our brothers and sisters around the world are suffering for the name of Jesus. There are those who call upon the name of Jesus who have lost their homes, loved ones, and even found themselves suffering in prison. But one of the greatest ways we can remember them is in our prayers. Jesus called us to pray for those who persecute us and hate us. As we pray for fellow believers who are suffering for the name of Jesus, we must also pray for those who are inflicting the suffering. May we pray that their hearts and minds would be drawn near to Jesus Christ, and like Saul of Tarsus they would come to saving faith.
We must remember that our battle is not against flesh and blood. Those who hate those who called upon the name of Jesus are blinded by the lies of the enemy. Like puppets they are directed to hate those in Christ, but as fellow brothers and sisters we must remember them in our prayers praying for joy, peace, strength, and God’s presence to fill them. It is in our weakness that His strength is perfected. His grace is sufficient in all things. We ultimately find ourselves in a spiritual battle with real demonic forces that desire and try to destroy the purposes of God. But where we take the fight to the enemy is in the place of prayer.
There are different ways that we may be called to suffer for the name of Jesus, but our greatest place of strength and victory is in Jesus Christ. As we bring all things before God in prayer, and pray forth His will, even in the most difficult times the purposes of God are accomplished. If we are drawing near to Christ, growing our relationship with Him, and accomplishing the purposes of God, we will face opposition. But the call to pray and remember one another is of the utmost importance.
Prayer
Father thank you for your love and your grace. Help me to grow in your love each day. Help me to love my brothers and sisters unconditional. Help me to grow in generosity and to show hospitality as it is needed. Father, may you strengthen today those who are suffering for the name of Jesus. May your grace surround and cover them. Amid their suffering, may your presence fill their lives. May they grow in deep intimacy with you and may their lives glorify and honor your name. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!
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