Pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation
Hebrews 13:22-25 New Living Translation
22 I urge you, dear brothers and sisters, to pay attention to what I have written in this brief exhortation. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the believers there. The believers from Italy send you their greetings. 25 May God’s grace be with you all.
The call is to pay attention to what has been written. The phrase translated pay attention means to bear (endure) — verb. to endure something unpleasant or difficult whether on one’s own behalf or on behalf of someone else. It is not easy at times to hear the truth of God’s word. The truth of God’s word challenges us. It calls us to go deeper. It calls us to embrace hardship and suffering. But it also points us to His grace. For the only way we can overcome is by fixing our minds and hearts on Jesus Christ. The enemy will continually tell us to run, but the only way to overcome the onslaught of the enemy is to spend time daily in God’s word. For these Jewish believers they had this letter written directly to them. Throughout it they have been shown the supremacy of Jesus Christ. Without Jesus we have absolutely nothing.
The word exhortation is the Greek word parakaleō and it means urge; implore; exhort. The reason exhortation is so important when it comes to our walk with Christ is unless we are called to draw near to Christ and endure, our natural tendency because of our sin nature will be to begin to drift. Throughout the letter of Hebrews there are different warning concerning this. But often God will send forth a leader to exhort. To call God’s people to draw near to Jesus Christ to find strength and grace for the journey ahead. Jesus never said that this would not be challenging or that there would not be hardship. But He also told us to fear not He has overcome the world. That He will never leave us nor forsake us. He will be with us till the end of the age.
I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released from jail. If he comes here soon, I will bring him with me to see you. Some have believed that it is Paul who wrote the letter of Hebrews. The author is unknown, but this is one of the reasons. Timothy was a main traveling companion of the apostle Paul. It was one of his spiritual sons that he poured much of his life into. Here Timothy is mentioned as being released from jail. During Paul’s day when he was alive Paul had written these words to young Timothy for God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power,, love, and sound judgment (2 Tim 1:7).[1] It seems that Timothy has grown much from that moment when Paul wrote to him.
Regardless of who the author of Hebrews is, it is important for us to understand that many around the world are suffering for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Again, Jesus never said this would be easy and that we would be loved. The word witness is where we get our word martyr. The call to follow Jesus Christ is a call to lay down everything for the sake of the gospel. Jesus said this concerning discipleship If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple (Luke 14:26-27).[2] The call to follow Jesus is a call to lay down everything. If we are called to go to jail for the sake of the kingdom, may we embrace it and use it as our new mission field. But may we daily pray for those who are suffering around the world for the sake of Jesus Christ.
Greet all your leaders and all the believers there. The believers from Italy send you their greetings. Those receiving this letter were encouraged to greet all their leaders and the believers there. We as God’s people are called to walk in love. We are called to submit to the leadership that is over us. We are called to build relationships with those who serve Jesus Christ. Christianity is not a one man show. It is not an isolation activity. No man is an island unto himself. But as we grow in Christ, we grow in love. We have a burden to pray for fellow believers and desire the very best for those who serve alongside us in the kingdom of God.
May God’s grace be with you all. The word grace here means grace, good will, favor. Conveys the sense of a gift of kindness and favor given to a person or persons.[3] God’s grace is made available to all because of our relationship with Jesus Christ. Because His blood washes away our sins, the grace of God is made available to us. Why is His grace so important? Because it makes everything possible. It makes it possible for us to accomplish the will and purpose of God. It makes it possible for us to stand strong in Christ in the face of opposition. The grace of God is His unmerited favor on our lives. The hope of this writer of Hebrews is that God’s grace would be with every one of us. Everyone who reads this letter and follows Jesus Christ would live in the grace of God and accomplish all things in God’s kingdom by His grace.
Prayer
Father thank you for your grace. Thank you for leadership in the body of Christ. Thank you for every person who has ever impacted my life for you and your kingdom. Help me to grow each day in my relationship with you. Help me to rely on your grace for all things. Father may you be honored and glorified in every choice and decision. May I simply live for you and may your will be the desire of my heart. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen!
[1] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), 2 Ti 1:7.
[2] Christian Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2020), Lk 14:26–27.
[3] Joshua G. Mathews, “Blessing,” ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Theological Wordbook, Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).
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