 Hello everyone. Good morning. Thank you for joining today. We'll continue with our Hebrew the book of Hebrews the last couple of chapters And so let's just pray and get started. I'll begin with the word of prayer Heavenly Father, we thank you Lord for your grace and strength That you've helped us father to come to the last couple of chapters here and Lord as We read the scriptures. Oh God. We pray that Lord you will help us understand it Accurately by your Holy Spirit and father. We pray let the word of God Lord impact our lives powerfully father. Lord. We thank you. Thank you for the book of Hebrews We thank you for the truth that brings to us. Thank you Lord that Lord, we will know the truth Lord and the truth will set us free. Thank you for the freedom and And oh God the transformation in our lives father even as we receive your word Lord and and are changed by it We thank you. We bless you in Jesus name. We pray amen Let's go back to Hebrews 12. We read out a section, but we didn't fully explain So it was from verse 14 to verse 17. We looked at two scriptures there. Let me Go back to verse 16 that we did not explain verse 16 and 17. I will read it So it says less there be any fornicator or profane person like Esau Who for one morsel of food sold his birthright? For you know that afterward when he wanted to inherit the blessing he was rejected for he found no place for repentance though. He sorted diligently with tears. So some serious Quenches or how did How was this by God that Ask and we've seen God's evaluation in verse 16 and 17 is very strong caterer of about he saw Doing these things but still very strong words are being used About him fornicator or profane. Why? Why is he be called these terms? You see the problem is his unbelief Okay, and for unbelief But how to know that something very precious which would be his birthright now in that culture of people will understand that birthright what also Foolishly He did not value. He did not hold it as precious which hurt God and that showed that Esau had his desire for other things worldly things and That Esau's faith in God and what God wanted to give him was very weak Okay, so that is why we said that he acted in unbelief and you see That act though it sounds very simple It's not that simple. It reflects on how he saw Understood and valued what God had placed on his life Okay, and that is why God was so upset with him his unbelief fleshly and his choice Hurt God so much that we see God Faith right that is so Too diligently with tears and so it the reminder for us We are all who have our spiritual our opportunity to partake of the divine nature of God There are many things and our call of God now if we exchange These precious things for things of the world and we say no, I don't want it I don't want the gifts of the spirit. I don't want the call of God. I'll just do this Right. So that is very similar to what Esau did and notice how it offended God that This man said no to God's blessings God's inheritance God's call God's vision and he settled for some passing You know passing benefit of the world And so for us as spiritual people That shouldn't be the case we cannot exchange worldly things For godly things and that does not Please God at all. That's the point That's how we can apply it in our lives that whatever godly things are there in my life. I'm gonna value it I'm gonna give it my best Okay, no exchange no question of exchanging it for any passing pleasure or thing of the world So that's how we applied in our lives. That was the sin of Esau changing worldly things for godly things Okay, so yeah, we'll keep moving on if there are questions, please do ask I just have a question from verse 14 Where it says that pursue peace with all people and holiness without which no one will see the Lord so People might use this verse and say that if you don't pursue peace You might not even get into heaven because it says without which no one will see the Lord But we don't know that When we believe in Jesus and Even if you are angry, even if you don't pursue peace always You're still gonna get into heaven. So how do we? Interpret this term over here without which no one will see the Lord So the approach that you're taking is correct. Jeffina You are evaluating it on the basis of other scripture. So you already said we already know that we will enter heaven because If we confess our sins, God is faithful You know to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So we know that one John chapter one versus seven through nine There is forgiveness Now there are many scriptures that talk about it, you know the blood of Jesus that washes away the sins of the world So we can begin many scriptures and establish That yes, even if a believer makes some mistake in his journey as Long as he is repenting There is forgiveness for that and so it will not stop him from entering heaven. We've established it So then we have to interpret this scripture in the light of the truth that has been established So obviously this is not when it says which no one will see the Lord It is not saying that we cannot enter heaven, right? So that point is clear cut then. What does it mean? It could mean that they may It is not God You know, I am I'm looking at it that way that no one will see the Lord might simply mean our understanding of God could be marred Anything about he saw very strong, no It's I've always thought about that Wow So unfortunate that this had to happen Anyway, we learn a lesson From it a spiritual lesson and let's go to the next section here from verse 18 to 24 Could somebody please unmute and read He drew chapter 12 verses 18 to 24 for you have not come to the mountain that may be Touched and they're burned with fire and to blackness and darkness and tempest and the sound of the trumpet and the voice of words Okay, I'll just from verse 18 to 24. Yeah For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire and to blackness and darkness and Tempest and the sound of the trumpet and the voice of words so that those who've heard it But that word should not be spoken to them anymore for they could not endure what was Commended and if so much as a beast touches the mountain It shall be stoned or shot with an arrow and so terrifying was the site that Moses said I'm exceedingly afraid and trembling But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable Come company of angels and then to God the Thank you, Jeff. You know, I think there was a slight lag in the Voice but that's fine Maybe the network over here, we'll just fix it. Please give me a moment. Sorry about that. Sure. Thank you. Thank you Okay, so I'm sure now it will be better Sorry about those interruptions. We'll come back to the section from Hebrew chapter 12 verses 18 to 24 and Here there is a reference to Mount Zion and the experience of God's people at Mount Zion We can trace it back to Exodus chapter 20 Where Israel saw the glory of God on Mount Sinai once again, yeah Mount Sinai so the Blackness and the fire and all of that that is being described here which happened, you know at Mount Sinai and He is telling us that now the people have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God so it's just Way in which he's explaining that now people are a part of the new covenant because the Mount Sinai experience was one with a lot of fear and People understood that they could not keep the command of God on their own they needed an empowering and Now when he switches to Mount Zion He is referring to the new covenant and how things have changed Under the new covenant and so he says when we come to Mount Zion The city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable company of angels The references more to the new covenant and how things have now changed under the new covenant And then he says to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven To God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect. So It's describing the The You know different different assemblies Okay, that that God rules and reigns over specifically, you know heavenly Jerusalem or or heaven where God rules and reigns to an innumerable company of angels We know that there are heavenly hosts who serve the Lord and General assembly or along with the angels several Hosts of heaven and the church of the first born who are registered in heaven So the church of the first born in other words just the church the believers We are the church of the first born, but notice. He says it registered in heaven So that's another reality that though we are here on earth our membership Right is in heaven or our registry is in heaven So that is a spiritual reality to Accept and then to God the judge of all to the spirits of just men made perfect so he's reminding us that we are now part of the new covenant and So many things have changed We don't approach God with the kind of fear that the people under the old covenant Met him with so inverse 24. He is talking about Jesus He says Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of able and we know that the blood of Jesus is Stronger than the blood of bulls and goats We've seen so much that the blood of Jesus is actually done for us and It forgives us since it just does not cover but it takes away our sins And this is the kind of work that Jesus has done on the cross for us So when we now approach God, so it's as simple as that in that section It's talking about approaching God under the old covenant approaching God under the new covenant And when we approach God under the new covenant, we have the assurance of the forgiveness of sins and we can come freely We can come boldly Moving on to the last section of chapter 12 verse 25 to 29 Could somebody please pick pick this up and read it therefore since we have We are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken Let us have grace by which we may serve God Acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire Thank you, John. The first part of that we Maybe we couldn't hear it from verse 25 So, let me just read those Okay, yeah, please see that you do not refuse him who speaks For if they did not escape who refused him who spoke on earth Much more shall we not escape if we turn away from him who speaks from heaven Whose voice then shook the earth But now he has promised saying yet once more I shake not only the earth but also heaven Now this yet once more indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken as of things that are made That the things which cannot be shaken may remain Therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken Let us have grace by which we may serve God Acceptably with reverence and godly fear for our God is a consuming fire Yes, thank you, John. We can see in the earlier verses. It's a warning He says when God has spoken, how can we reject him? and That's quite clear in verse 25 and 26 now we can just move on to the next set of scriptures here He's talking about the removal of things that are being shaken and then the Establishing of a kingdom that cannot be shaken. So we could understand this as You know the rule and reign that God is finally going to establish at the end of An end of time right we know that there's after the second coming of Christ There will be the thousand year millennial rule and then after that, you know, we will we will see The judgment as well as the formation of the new earth the new heavens So the things that are not of God those things will be removed and the things that are of God will be Established so it's kind of a lot is being said in those few verses But there is a reference to this timeline as God is going to perform many things, you know during that period of change Verse 28 where he says therefore since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken we can also look at it as Currently as being part of the kingdom of light which also is is stable And you know it is a kingdom that cannot be shaken now We are part of that kingdom and we are also going to physically receive at some point this new new heavens We are going to be a part of that He say there's a reference to that as well So it's both of spiritual as well as the physical natural aspect and he says because we are Going to participate in these things or there are greater things ahead of us Let's value them. Let's value them He began in the section by saying listen to God don't disobey God Okay, heed the voice of God when he is speaking to us Don't let go of this faith that you have and now he's saying we are receiving valuable things We are already part of valuable things. We are going to receive valuable things. Therefore You serve God, but how to serve God? He says let us have grace by which we may serve God Acceptably with reverence and godly fear. So there's the answer how to serve God to serve God We need to do it in a manner that God can accept right and Having godly fear meaning Doing it the way God wants it. So we are concerned about how God would accept it and then do it according to that that is godly fear having godly fear in our hearts so that we we are Focused on Ensuring that our ministry is accepted by God. So that's the way we are supposed to serve now because all these wonderful things are hours and Very soon even in the natural. We are going to see all these things. He says let's focus on serving God then But when we serve God do it in a manner Which is acceptable with reverence and with godly fear for our God is a consuming fire So he's reminding us that we serve a great God We serve a part we serve a powerful God and we should never forget that the last chapter is more of a couple of Disconnected instructions here and there and a final greeting. So we can quickly go through it It's quite self-explanatory actually, but then we will still lead through every every verse here and Finish the chapter today chapter 13 of Hebrews. So firstly we can read from verse one to three I'll quickly read it It says let brotherly love continue Do not forget to entertain strangers for by so doing some have unmitingly entertained angels Remember the prisoners as if chained with them Those who are mistreated since you yourself are In the body also So as I said, there's a certain disconnected instructions first is about caring for other believers Having love for other believers. Now, we know what kind of love are we to have towards other believers in the Greek language Filio filio is love for our brother and that's the love that is used here continue brotherly love for one another so stay as a caring community was to Be hospitable Entertain strangers. Why is he talking about entertaining strangers? Because in their culture, they had traveling ministers and so people would come down to their City or their their community. They'll preach the word They'll serve minister and go back and there was a great need like today We have hotels where people can just go pay stay but those days it wasn't like that So it was important for the people to be hospitable to others So in that setting he's saying, you know be hospitable entertain Strangers be kind to them help them out and he's also reminding them How when Abraham did it back in the book of Genesis? He actually was entertaining angels and we see this in Genesis 18 and Genesis 19 and verse 3 Where he states if there are prisoners, then we must remember them We must help them if there are those who are being persecuted. We need to care for them And in this way, you know being the body Obviously one part is hurting the other part is supposed to help out to be the body of Christ, that's the point in these few verses now. Let's read on I'll only read it Because very simple scriptures. I'll read from verse 4 to 6. He states regarding marriage One verse verse 4. Marriage is honorable among all and the bed undefiled But fornicators and adulterers God will judge so a lot is said in just one sentence there If at all, you know people wondered whether marriages from God is marriage God's design The writer is clarifying it here. Yes, originally Marriage is from the Lord. It's not a man-made idea It is from the Lord and it is God who blessed that very first marriage Adam and Eve and told them gave them the blessing to be fruitful and multiply and Along those lines. He's Reminding the people look marriage is honorable. It's pure It needs to be upheld that way. It's a pure thing There are references to you know marriage and the blessings of marriage in several other passages Ephesians 5 is a place where we can see how God loves the church and that whole connection the husband how the husband Sacrifices himself, you know, and even sacrificially he he loves the wife He nurtures the wife. So that whole relationship between the husband and the wife It is like the relationship that Christ has with the church And even in the book of Malachi 2 we find references to this relationship of marriage So in the community of believers, he's he's helping them understand. We need to respect marriage We need to honor marriage to the boundaries of marriage and of course, he's talking about fidelity and He says the marriage bed is undefiled and other practices, right? Things like fornication adultery where There is infidelity that's not God's design and He even states that God will judge. So there is a consequence serious consequence that follows fornication and adultery and he wanted the Believing community to take heed to these things. Okay, so a lesson about marriage over there And how it is so honorable in God's sight to so pure in God's sight And verse 5 where he says let your conduct be without covetousness Be content with such things as you have for he himself has said I will never leave you nor for Secure verse 6 so we may boldly say the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what can man do to me. So here he's talking about character and he's talking about the Nature of contentment that one can have what does contentment say, you know contentment Says that what I have I rejoice in it. I'm not Covetous or you know, I'm loving other people's things or loving the more that is not supposed to be mine Or, you know, love for money or let's put it this way Lasting for money So he says be free of those things be content with what you have and He is then going on to speak about Why we should be content because we depend on God and isn't it God who said I will never leave you Now for sake you isn't it God who said I have a covenant to provide for you. I am Java Jaira So he's revealing the nature of God and what God has spoken and there is a lesson in verse 6 for us Sorry, and that lesson is about declaration So whenever God says something when God says I am the God who heal at the what should we do? We should boldly say my God is my healer So we are echoing whatever God is saying about himself because that is the truth on which our faith is Now if God says I am the God of peace we boldly say yes I have peace God's peace rules and reigns in my heart I am affirming and declaring what God is already spoken So in this context, it's about God's provision and he's telling the believing community Look when God has already said I will never leave you are now for sake you you got to rise up and say Yes, the Lord is my helper. I will not fear what can man do to me God will provide for you, but you need to have faith and you need to speak your faith that God will provide for you So be content. Don't be covetous Know that the Lord is your provider and declare that the Lord is your provider Verse 7 remember those who rule over you who have spoken the word of God to you whose faith Follow considering the outcome of their conduct. So this is about Patterning our lives as per our leaders who have done well Look at some of the leaders and we see that you know, they they taught us God's word And we also see their lives their conduct and how it is godly and how it is Glorifying and honoring to the Lord. So if you see such leaders such leadership, then Take that as an example and live according to that Remember those who rule over you that remember those can mean many things it can mean pray for them It can mean, you know, stand with them support them help them Whatever different ways in which we can be a blessing to those who have been a blessing to us and here specifically He is also referring to those who have taught the word of God Okay, so there are many leaders in the church, isn't it? So those leaders they taught you the word of God remember them and Pattern your life after their life of faith verse 8 He says Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever now this So much can be preached. You know, there are thousands of sermons on it It's telling us one reality about God and the Godhead Immutability meaning God doesn't change Right his nature doesn't change his character doesn't change It's not going to take a crisis for God to suddenly change and become someone completely different It will never happen immutability. We call it immutability. So Jesus Christ is immutable We are sure dressed assured who he was. He is he will be to us and so Bank on it depend on it put your faith on it verse 9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines For it is good that the heart be established by grace not with foods which have not profited those Who have been occupied with them? So this is more like the writings to the Galatians where Paul wrote to them He said, you know, who has bewitched you you Galatians You accepted the salvation by faith and look at you now. You're going after circumcision You're going after practices and rituals and different things Don't do that. Let your heart be established over here It says in grace because it is by grace that we have salvation Through faith and not because of the works that we do so remain In that place of believing God and believing him the right way And if there are other doctrines that a force us to depend on our works or you know, they can be all kinds of teachings, right? Which are not in accordance with what has already been taught as the doctrine Let go of those things and he calls them various and strange doctrines Do we have various and strange doctrines today? Of course, there are lots and lots and there are new new ones coming up every day. Okay But let's not get distracted. Let's not Scriptures also talk about every every wind Of doctrine. So new things will keep coming strange things will keep coming But may our hearts be established in the truth so strong that we are even able to recognize What is untrue? So be established in that way be established in grace Be established in the new covenant verse 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no Right to eat. So he's basically talking about salvation. It's obviously Spiritually when we now belong to Christ, it's different from those who are just practicing Temple rituals, right? They are not part of the spiritual kingdom of God. So that's what he's referring to We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat verse 11 for the bodies of those animals whose blood is bought into the sanctuary by Brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered outside the gate Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp bearing his reproach for here We have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come Therefore by him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God That is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name But do not forget to do good and to share for with such sacrifices God is well pleased So he's just reminding us of the Lord Jesus and how he died for us and how his blood Washes away of us since and how we now have salvation and he also talks about the reproach That Jesus suffered the shade that he suffered Outside of the guitar, you know in the city in the city. So we as God's people may go through certain things As opposition or persecution in the city among the people of the community But always remember Jesus and always remember, you know, what salvation truly is and then we will be able to overcome these things And to keep our focus. He's he talks about a city, which is to come So what does this refer to we could say for the Jewish people? It was the anticipation of that promised, you know The boundaries of the land and fully for them to be able to occupy it It's it refers to that but in a spiritual sense It also refers to the time to come and finally the city of God that we are all going to be a part of and you know We are all going to enjoy God's presence in that city. So he it's it's like a prophetic Pointing out over there, right? And then he states verse 15 about praising the Lord and he and he says the Sacrifice of praise to God. When does praise become a sacrifice when we don't feel like praising? Okay, then it's a sacrifice. So he understands that there will be circumstances when we don't feel like Like praising but even in the in such situations Praise the Lord sacrifice of praise to God and he says that is the fruit of our lips We can offer something some offering we can give to the Lord and that is our praise giving thanks to his name So we can use our lips to praise the Lord verse 16 Do not forget to do good and to share for which such sacrifices God is well, please So, do you notice there are so many disjointed instructions a little bit about brotherly love and marriage and you know hospitality and Now trusting God and praising God. So let's read the next few verses verse 17 onwards Obey those who rule over you and be submissive for they watch Out for your souls as those who must give account Let them do so with joy and not with grief for that would be unprofitable for you So this is to obey the leaders More specifically his references. We could say that it is towards the church community church leaders And he says be submissive Okay, it's all listen to them Understand them and wherever required right you obey them obey them. Why? Because they are fulfilling a responsibility and what is that responsibility the responsibility of a shepherd? What does the shepherd do shepherd will protect shepherd will nurture shepherd will guide So they are fulfilling that responsibility over the lives of the believers And so we have to give them that due respect as our shepherds And don't make it difficult for them That's his point when he says let them do so with joy and not with grief for that would be unprofitable for you So make it easier for your leaders to serve you. Well Verse 18 pray for us for we are confident that we have a good conscience in all things Desiring to live honorably. So it's just a request for prayer to live right for the Lord verse 19 But I especially urge you to do this that I may be restored to you the sooner So there is a desire to visit the people and that he's talking about that Restored to you is nothing but you know be able to come to see you again And that is a desire that he keeps and the last section is a final Exaltation it's like a conclusion and an exhortation. So he says Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead That great shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant make you complete in every good work to do His will working in you what is well pleasing in his sight Through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever amen and I appeal to you brethren Bear with the word of exhortation for I have written to you in few words Know that our brother Timothy has been set free with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly Greet all those who rule over you and all the saints those from Italy greet you Grace be with you all amen. So he's just concluding with blessings And you know, he he kind of states a couple of things he commits the believers into the hands of God Who's the God of peace and the shepherd who gave his own blood for us? And it is God who has the ability to make us complete in every good work to do his will He's also working in us to do what is well pleasing in his sight So he states these things and finally he makes a comment about Timothy So there is a news that Timothy is imprisoned and that That he would be released. So he states that and He's hopeful to see the believers shortly He concludes with greetings to the leaders and all the believers. So that's how the book actually ends Many different things. Okay, so I know it's not really flowing but yeah Things separate instructions that we can take from here So with that we wrap up the book of Hebrews and we will move on to the next set of books Let's do the book of James Okay, then we can do James and then we can do first and second Peter finally June so in the next couple of books, we will not read scripture by scripture. We I'll just give you a summary of the sections And so we should be able to cover them quite quickly Okay, so let's wrap up then with a word of prayer Could somebody please lead in prayer? That's praying Father, we thank you for this Let's turn that we've had today Lord. We thank you for the gift that you've given us through our Lecturer teaching us and walking us through The scratch and the nuts of the book of Hebrews Lord I do pray that let us only not be hear us but also the doers of the word Okay, brother Lupeka unable to hear you Yeah, I think you're muted now I'm sorry, I was using I'm using a same phone that is when they call me locally here Oh, I see. I see. Yeah. Yeah. Nope. No problem. Would you I mean if you don't mind Could you just pray once more? We couldn't hear you Okay, let's pray again hoping that they won't call again Father in heaven, we thank you for this lesson that we've had Lord We thank you for the lecturer that has helped us pass through the book of Hebrews Lord, we know that we are not supposed to only be hear us But also doers of the word Lord as you know that in this book We've learned about the heroes of faith Lord. Let us also pick examples so that we can put it into our practice Also teach those who are coming before us and those who are listening to us so that we can edify people for the Glory of his own kingdom But we do pray as we go next time to the book of gems We shall also be here alive and kicking in the name of the Father Holy Spirit that we have prayed Amen Amen, thank you. Thank you brother Lupeka. What a way to close off Hebrews with two prayers, okay? So he was with two prayers. Thank you everyone. God bless you Connect as we study other books later