Connecting Point: Seven Closing Directives

I’ve heard literally thousands of sermons in my 52 years. As a pastor, I’ve preached hundreds of sermons over the past 35 years. One common expression a pastor often uses when wrapping up their message includes “in closing.” That’s generally a hint that they are almost done speaking, maybe? Many a time a preacher failed to conclude. Pastor and professor at my Seminary, David Jones said, “Land the plane future preachers. Don’t say you’re coming in for the landing and then take off again.” I’ve heard his message many times in my head when I’m speaking.

Like many Books in the Bible, Hebrews utilizes a similar approach, probably because many of the New Testament writings were in fact, a letter to a church, ending with concluding remarks. The following are insightful directives especially meant for Christians.

“Keep on loving each other as brothers,” vs. 1. Love in this context is specific, “brotherly love” in the ancient Greek philia, meaning friendship and partnership. If Christians cannot love one another in this fashion, we are missing the entire premise of what it means to represent Jesus.

“Do not forget to entertain strangers,” vs. 2. Hospitality is a key indicator of one’s spiritual maturity and this virtue can be shared in a wide variety of ways, like feeding, clothing, and volunteer work, just to name a few. Do you make it a normal practice to share with the less fortunate what God has given to you?

“Remember those in prison,” vs. 3. By 70 A.D. large numbers of Christians were imprisoned for their faith, many of them beaten first, and others fared even worse. I fear here in the U.S. we have little to no basis for understanding real persecution. I have a close friend who has been jailed in India because he is Christian. At the hands of Hindus with a justice system where people have not the protection of our constitution. Thankfully, he’s free again and currently traveling with family in the U.S. His family continues to preach and live out the Gospel without trepidation because they love and live in India.

“Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral,” vs. 4. This principle has been tested over the course of a few thousand years and is one of the most prominent issues in our culture today. Currently, marriage is being redefined in ways almost unimaginable even ten years ago. As Christians, if we compromise on God’s value of marriage we too will be judged. The lack of Biblical moral standards is contributing to the demise of our country.

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have,” vs. 5. Greed is one of those nagging things that threatens humans regularly, and it is certainly present in our culture. Money is not evil; the love of money is.

“Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith,” vs. 7. No spiritual leader is perfect, Jesus is the only one to set that high mark. However, leaders are to be respected when they live out the principles of the Bible authentically.

Lastly, “Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teaching,” vs. 9. Fad or questionable teaching need to be avoided, there’s always one of these on the horizon, be mindful.

Dear readers, live for Jesus with grit and tenacity!