Hebrews 13:20-25

Now 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, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.  I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.  You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.  Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings.  Grace be with all of you.

These final words in this precious book contain a prayer from the author and final greetings to the recipients.  These provide insights into the heart of the author who remains anonymous.  Some would speculate Paul because of the close connection to Timothy.  The author is certainly a prolific writer because he calls this thirteen-chapter book “brief.”  First and final words are important and should edify our hearts.  

BE EQUIPPED TO DO GOD’S WILL: The task of ministering in a fallen world in the context of persecution is not an easy one.  Fortunately, it is a task that we are not expected or even able to accomplish on our own. Our Lord, the God of peace who raised Jesus from the dead is equipping us to do His will.  Jesus is the true Shepherd, and we simply serve as His under shepherds in the power, grace, and strength provided by our Lord.  Only as we depend upon Him can we live and serve in a manner that is pleasing to Him and brings glory to Him.  The Christian walk is not an easy one and should never be attempted in our own power.  Self-reliance is simply a means of us working for our own glory instead of living for His glory as we were created to do.

BE EXHORTED TO DO GOD’S WORK: Not only do we serve in the power of God; we also serve in cooperation with the body of Christ.  The author of this book has done a great service to this persecuted community by exhorting them to be faithful in the face of persecution and live in light of the supremacy of Christ.  God puts people in our lives to help us and remind us of what is really important.  It is never easy to be confronted by other flawed people, but it is vital to our own spiritual well-being to listen carefully to the leaders the Lord puts in our lives and peers who surround us.  The author reminds them that they are not alone.  They have him, Timothy, their leaders, and a cohort of brothers and sisters from Italy.  We are part of a special team and must faithfully listen to and bear with one another.

APPLICATION: Depend on the strength of the Lord to be able to accomplish His will.  Live for His glory and not our own.  Gladly receive the exhortations of the leaders God puts in our lives and learn to minister in cooperation with the body of Christ and not try to do things on our own.Now 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, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.  I appeal to you, brothers, bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.  You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon.  Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings.  Grace be with all of you.

These final words in this precious book contain a prayer from the author and final greetings to the recipients.  These provide insights into the heart of the author who remains anonymous.  Some would speculate Paul because of the close connection to Timothy.  The author is certainly a prolific writer because he calls this thirteen-chapter book “brief.”  First and final words are important and should edify our hearts.  

BE EQUIPPED TO DO GOD’S WILL: The task of ministering in a fallen world in the context of persecution is not an easy one.  Fortunately, it is a task that we are not expected or even able to accomplish on our own. Our Lord, the God of peace who raised Jesus from the dead is equipping us to do His will.  Jesus is the true Shepherd, and we simply serve as His under shepherds in the power, grace, and strength provided by our Lord.  Only as we depend upon Him can we live and serve in a manner that is pleasing to Him and brings glory to Him.  The Christian walk is not an easy one and should never be attempted in our own power.  Self-reliance is simply a means of us working for our own glory instead of living for His glory as we were created to do.

BE EXHORTED TO DO GOD’S WORK: Not only do we serve in the power of God; we also serve in cooperation with the body of Christ.  The author of this book has done a great service to this persecuted community by exhorting them to be faithful in the face of persecution and live in light of the supremacy of Christ.  God puts people in our lives to help us and remind us of what is really important.  It is never easy to be confronted by other flawed people, but it is vital to our own spiritual well-being to listen carefully to the leaders the Lord puts in our lives and peers who surround us.  The author reminds them that they are not alone.  They have him, Timothy, their leaders, and a cohort of brothers and sisters from Italy.  We are part of a special team and must faithfully listen to and bear with one another.

APPLICATION: Depend on the strength of the Lord to be able to accomplish His will.  Live for His glory and not our own.  Gladly receive the exhortations of the leaders God puts in our lives and learn to minister in cooperation with the body of Christ and not try to do things on our own.

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