Hebrews 13:1-8
September 1, 2019
Proper 17C
Dear Saints of Our Savior,
We’ve been hearing from the book of Hebrews for the past four Sundays. The final chapters of Hebrews are full of encouragement, always setting Jesus Christ before our eyes—reminding us of the saints who have gone before us, while equipping each of us to run with perseverance the race to the heavenly finish line.
The book of Hebrews is in many ways a sermon—a sermon first written for Jewish converts to Christianity during the First Century.
If the book of Hebrews is a sermon, then today we are only tuning in for the conclusion—for the final thoughts of the final chapter. (By the way, you should never do that. Never just tune in for the sermon conclusion. You should always listen carefully to the beginning, the middle, and the end—carefully digesting all the main points and all the sub-points, and even the subtle attempts at humor.) So, do as I say and not as I do. Because for the next few minutes we are only unpacking the conclusion of the sermon to the Hebrews.
But, what a conclusion! What, at first glance, seems like a random, hodge-podge list of exhortations and encouragements is actually a beautiful work of art. Here in these closing verses the author paints a picture for us of what the church of Jesus Christ looks like. And, as you re-read and digest these words, what emerges is a portrait of the church—a church that is not perfect, but holy.
Holiness is a big theme in the sermon to the Hebrews. So, it should come as no surprise that the author concludes by showing us what that holiness looks like. The church is made up, not of perfect people, but of holy people, living holy lives. There is no perfect church—no perfect congregation—no perfect Christian. But the church is always distinguished by a God-given holiness. And here, from the last lines of the last chapter of the sermon to the Hebrews, is what that holiness looks like.
Let brotherly love continue. This isn’t love—as in a soft and tender feeling of affection. This is brotherly love—a hard-working, sacrificial love that’s rooted in deeds more than feelings. This is love that shows hospitality to fellow Christians—even those Christians who are strangers—whom we don’t know personally. You express this brotherly love by making a deposit in the LWML mite box on your way out the door today, or when you donate over-the-counter medicines for seminarians and their families, or when you donate winter weather gear for international scholars who show-up completely unprepared for Wisconsin winters. When a fellow member is suffering, you suffer too—and you do what you can to alleviate that suffering. This is what holiness looks like.
Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. In that one sentence the preacher to the Hebrews has given us an earful. Holiness has everything to do with that most intimate and personal dimension of life we call marriage. There are no perfect marriages—no perfect husbands or wives. But marriage is holy. Your marriage is holy. When I pray for those of you who are married, I often pray, “Help them to remember that marriage is holy, and that they must keep it holy.”
Keeping marriage holy begins with the recognition that marriage is God’s gift—a divine institution. And when the Giver of marriage says, “Let the marriage bed be undefiled,” He’s declaring that sex and marriage go together. God has joined together sex and marriage—and what God has joined together, let not man separate. The sexual relationship is to be an exclusive relationship between husband and wife.
A lot of people today would find that to be a rather quaint, old-fashioned notion. But it’s really just some straight talk from God about His gift of marriage—about keeping it holy. Our crazy culture today isn’t so different from the First Century culture in which the book of Hebrews was written. Back then, prostitution, adultery, homosexuality, and even pedophilia were all socially acceptable practices. The only thing different today is that we have a media-entertainment industry to glamorize it, publicize it, and digitalize it so that you can access it anywhere, anytime, twenty-four-seven.
God’s holy children then and now are part of a small minority who hold fast to holiness—who hear what the Creator of sex and marriage has to say about these gifts in His holy Word. And what He says is that sex within marriage is holy. But sex outside of marriage is sinful, harmful, and destructive—no matter whether you are sixteen years old or sixty years old.
But holiness isn’t just about what not to do; for God also says that marriage should be honored by all. Marriage should be treasured and respected. Marriage should be regarded as sacred and holy. If you are married, then this means that you should see your spouse as something much more than a long-term roommate. It means you should see your spouse—not as perfect, but holy. And if you’re not married, then do what you can to support those who are—reminding them that marriage is holy and helping them to reconcile and to forgive one another when times are tough. This is what holiness looks like.
Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have. . . . Remember your leaders . . . who spoke the Word of God to you. It’s a tricky transition to go from money to pastors. But that’s what the preacher to the Hebrews does. In one breath he warns about the love of money; and in the next breath he says to remember your leaders who spoke the Word of God to you. Both money and pastors are gifts from God. But the love of money is the root of all evil; and pastors, too, can be idolized for all the wrong reasons. But when used in faith, money is not filthy, but holy. The dollars and cents you give to the Lord Jesus Christ—that money is holy. It is money used for sacred purposes. And, likewise, pastors are not perfect. But they have been called to a holy ministry—a ministry of serving the people of God with the gifts of God. God has joined together this congregation with two called pastors; and, what God has joined together, let not man separate. This is what holiness looks like.
This church is not perfect, but holy. And the source of all our holiness is Jesus the Christ. He is both perfect and holy. He comes among us here and now to share His perfection and His holiness. Now, there was a price to pay in order to make sinners holy. Jesus paid that price for you. Jesus suffered on Calvary’s holy hill and shed His holy, precious blood—was crucified, died and was buried—to sanctify you—to make you holy. Do you see how much He loves you? Do you realize how precious you are to Him?
Get ready for the best of news: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. In a world where everything is changing and devolving—in your world where challenges evolve, temptations evolve, and circumstances change on a dime for better or worse—Jesus Christ has pledged you His faithfulness and His forgiveness. Jesus Christ is the same blessed Savior you have always known. His love, His forgiveness, His promises do not change. You can depend on Him. His blood-bought holiness is here for you—in His holy absolution, in the preaching of His promises, in the splash of His baptism, and in this Holy Communion. In these precious means your sins are forgiven and your faith is strengthened. Where these things are going on—where these things are received by you in faith—well, that’s what holiness looks like.
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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