Closing Words

The boy is ready for college and life in the dorms.  His bags are packed.  His boxes and hanging clothes and bedclothes and what-all are in the car.  He gets into the backseat as mom and dad get into the front.  Thus begins the hour-long trek to the campus.  And, as they pull out of the driveway Mama begins to speak.

"Remember, Son, to brush your teeth twice a day."

"Don't neglect your Bible reading."

"Steer clear of people whose values do not match up with your own."

"Avoid junk food."

"Wash your clothes regularly."

And, on the "laundry list" goes.  Mama is reminding her son of training he has received from her over his lifetime.  She is depending on her training to serve him well as he begins to move into adulthood.

Hebrews 13 is like that.  The author has presented, in previous chapters, an eloquent dissertation on a number of critically important theological topics.  In chapter 13, though, he gets down to the most practical of matters: walking by faith.

He begins in verses 1-3 with how we as believers should relate to one another: to love one's fellow brothers and sisters in the faith; to be hospitable to all people.  As for those believers absent because they are imprisoned for their faith, they must not be forgotten!  In all things, demonstrate the love of Christ Jesus.

He then cautions against the following:

Marital infidelity (vs. 4)
Love of money to the point of idolatry (vs. 5)
Getting seduced by strange spiritual doctrines (vs. 9)
Bedeviling your spiritual leaders in the Church (vs. 17)

On a positive note, he urges the following:

Be content with what you have.  (vs. 5)
Trust God with your future.  He will never fail you.  (vs. 5-6)
Imitate the faith of those who raised you up in the faith, and submit to their authority. (vs. 7)
Bear honorably the disgrace that comes from following Jesus.  (vs.12-14)
Praise God continually, with your lips and with your sacrificial giving to others.  (vs. 15-16)
Pray.  (vs. 18-19)
     (He left prayer for last.  We usually mention the most important one at the end, don't we?)

Then, as a godly parent prays over that son being dropped off at college, the writer of Hebrews prays a beautiful benediction over the recipients of his letter.

I've thought, sometimes, about writing my sons a letter that they could read after I'm gone.  But, then, I realized that all my blog posts are "my letters" and more importantly, the life I lead is the greatest "letter" of all, much more potent and accurate than anything I could write.  That is what the writer of Hebrews is saying also.  The lives Christians lead are much more real than the words they profess, the things they say they believe.  "Actions speak louder than words" and "by their fruits you will know them" (Matthew 7:16).  So true.

It is with this in mind, and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that he writes the benediction in verses 20-21.

20Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us^b that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

"Equip you" is the central theme of this prayer.  Living the Christian life, walking the resplendent walk, is not possible under our own power.  It is only possible under the power of the Holy Spirit. That is why the author prayed for Him to equip those who belong to Christ.

May we allow His Spirit to work marvelously within us and bring our Savior all the glory, forever and ever.  Oh Yes!