Sermon – Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 – A Sacrifice of Praise

Jeffrey T. Howard
Eagle Rock Presbyterian Church
September 2, 2007

Sermon – Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 – A Sacrifice of Praise

Introduction

Today is the last of three sermons that I have been preaching on the Book of Hebrews. Two weeks ago we heard how the new Christian faith was the fulfillment of the faith of the Hebrews who had gone before. Last week we heard that Christian worship is about climbing Mt. Zion to be in the presence of the living God with transformative effects. Today we will hear what those transformative effects are as we are called to protect and share our gifts making a sacrifice of praise to God. But before we begin will you pray with me?

Heavenly father bless us this day with the message you have for us. Speak to us this day through you Word and through the body and blood of Jesus. In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit amen

Hospitality for Strangers

Here we are on Labor Day Weekend. If I was back East today this would be a beach weekend. My friends and I would be heading to the Maryland or Delaware beaches for the last weelend of the summer. We would enjoy the surf and take advantage of the end of season sales in all the stores. But most importantly it would a time to get together with old friends, meet some new ones and have a great time together eating the sweet corn growing on the eastern shore and of course those delicious Chesapeake Bay blue crabs. Crabs cannot be eaten alone. You need a big group. Start by covering the picnic table with lots of newspaper. Dump a bushel of crabs in the center and start picking. Since you get less than a bite out of each it take hours of picking to eat a whole meals. That’s why you need a big group, so that stories help you to pass the time. And when finished just gather up the newspapers, throw them away and you’re done.

The author of Hebrews would be comfortable at the beach on Labor Day Weekend. She would see us trying to outdo one another in showing honor, and loving each other with mutual affection as we have been taught by God. Our hospitality would be apparent as we contribute to the needs of one another and welcome strangers in our midst.

In the ancient world hospitality was more than just getting together with friends. When traveling strangers would appear at your door they would be given an extensive welcome and honorific treatment. They would be entertained and given protection, overnight lodging, and provision for the continuing journey. It was assumed that some guests were really divine figures. And if a guest reciprocated with gifts this would cement a permanent relationship, but this was not expected. We can see from this that ancient hospitality was really a form of brotherly love where the needs of strangers were graciously cared for.

Remember the Prisoners

There are many, however, who come to the beach on Labor Day Weekend to drink and cause trouble. Until just a few years ago people could take beer kegs on the beach in Dewey Delaware. It was not uncommon to see large groups of young adults drinking on the beach. People who drink excessively become loud and boisterous and less able to control their words and actions. Alcohol’s addictive properties can overwhelm and torment their spirits. They become prisoners to alcohol and its destructive ways.

You might expect that as Christians we are called to condemn those who succumb to addictive prisons like alcoholism. But you would be wrong. The author of Hebrews wants us to remember the prisoners, their torment and chains for two reasons. First, we have all been imprisoned, suffered abuse, or had to endure hard struggles in some way. At those times we needed support and love just as those imprisoned now do. And second, as Christians we are called to have compassion for everyone including the prisoner of alcohol. This applies even if we are harmed by someone imprisoned by addictions. We can deal with it because we have an inheritance that cannot be stolen kept for us in heaven. We are prisoners of Christ. So our response to those who are addicted and abusive is reflecting God’s overwhelming love.

The Marital Bed

When the sun goes down at the beach on Labor Day Weekend the bars and nightclubs fill with young people. The combination of fatigue, alcohol and the driving rhythms of rock music tend to loosen inhibitions. When this happens young people are vulnerable to sexual temptation. Before this happens we have to tell young Christians about the high value we place on marriage, how marriage is precious, honorable, of great worth, and held in honor and respect with high regard like a rare jewel. And we need to tell them of the importance of keeping the marital bed unstained, undefiled and pure.

But the temptation is still too great for some people who fall into sexual temptations. Our temptation will be to condemn those who fall. But who are we to judge the sexual practice of someone else? Who are we to boast of our own purity? Only one person ever was pure enough to boast. And he is the only one to judge these things. The only person who was ever pure, undefiled, and sinless was Jesus Christ. Therefore only Jesus Christ can judge these things. The author of Hebrew tells us that God will judge the sexually impure, but sadly they will never inherit the Kingdom of God.

The Love of Money

As you stand on the side of the Coastal Highway in Ocean City Maryland on Labor Day Weekend you will see expensive cars filled with people going to luxury condominiums along the beach. The East Coast elite have come to enjoy their expensive toys. For many of them this betrays their real God. Some may claim to be Christian, but in reality their god is money. Money is what they love more than anything else, more than loving God, more than loving neighbor. The desire to have the best car and the best beach house leads them to desire more and more money. But as Christians we know a different way. We have learned to be satisfied with the food and clothing we have rather than constantly striving for more and more and more stuff. The reason that we can be content with what we have is because we are assured that God will never, ever abandon or forsake us. With assurances like this our fears disappear. We know that God is at our side.

Follow your leaders.

There is a small Presbyterian church just outside of Ocean View Delaware. In the winter just a few people gather inside for worship and warmth from the cold winter wind. But in the summer and especially on Labor Day Weekend the numbers swell as visitors fill the pews on Sunday mornings before heading to beach. I attended this church whenever I could. It was where my father and stepmother were married. It was there during the summers of my young adulthood that I began to have a more mature understanding of the gospel message. It started me on my pilgrimage toward God. I watched carefully the young pastor who had two churches to care for, and I admired his faith.

The author of Hebrews wants us to carefully observe the behavior of those leading us toward God. We are to learn from their behavior, but not imitate it. You see even those who are pastors, teachers and leaders in the church are themselves sinners. We are all sinners, so none of us can condemn others. We are to watch and learn from their behavior, not follow it. But we are to imitate their faith. When we find someone who has faith in Jesus Christ we should imitate it because faith in Jesus never changes or goes out of style, it is the same yesterday, today and forever.

The Lord’s Supper

So on Labor Day Weekend we are told to extend hospitality to strangers, remember the prisoners, keep the marital bed pure, give up our love of money, and imitate the faith of Christian leaders. When we do these things God has promised to bless us richly with an inheritance in heaven. But that is not why we do these things. We joyfully follow God because all of life is a gift. And such a precious gift as life is something we want to share with others and keep as pure as we can. We experience overwhelming gratitude which makes us want to shout “thank you” to heaven. This is called a sacrifice of praise. We take God’s gifts which we have protected and shared with others and offer this as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. And this is the sacrifice that we are about to celebrate around this table today. Sorry, we don’t have any blue crabs for Labor Day Weekend, but around this table we offer a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving as we glorify God.

Lord Jesus we thank you for leading us this day around your table and for giving us life. We offer our sacrifices of praise in the form of sharing our gifts with others and protecting their purity. Accept these gifts with our thanksgiving for the glory of God. Amen.