Sermon
#102
Hebrews Notes
Title: My
Prayer and My Heart’s
Desire to God For You
Text: Hebrews 13:20-25
Subject: Paul’s Benediction
Date: Tuesday Evening –
Tape # X-40b
Introduction:
Christ In Hebrews
I began this exposition of
the Book of Hebrews in September 1999. Tonight, after 28 months and 102
messages, we come to the final, concluding message of the series. For me, it
has been a blessed study. I hope the messages have been blessed of God to your
souls’ good. We have seen our all-glorious Christ and savored his supremacy
over and over again. We have come near to him, heard from him, spoken with him,
enjoyed him and worshipped him as…
·
God’s Final Word by whom He has spoken and revealed Himself to Men
(1:2)
·
The Creator of all things, whom angels worship (1:6,10)
·
The Captain of our salvation who was made perfect through suffering (
·
Our Divine Mediator who was made flesh that he might die in our place
and free us from the fear of death (
·
Our sovereign Savior who took hold on the seed of Abraham to save us (
·
That Prophet who is better than Moses and that Son who is better than a
servant (3:5)
·
Our Sabbath in whom we find rest for our souls (4:1-11)
·
Our sympathizing High Priest who bids us come by him to the throne of
grace (
·
The Anchor of our souls, both sure and steadfast (
·
Our ever living High Priest and Omnipotent Savior one who saves to the
uttermost all who come to God by him (7:25)
·
The Surety and Mediator of a better covenant (
·
The Redeemer who obtained eternal redemption for us (
·
The Sacrifice who, by his blood, purifies our consciences from dead
works to serve the living God (
·
The Sacrifice who put an end to all sacrifices by putting away sin once
for all through the sacrifice of himself (
·
The Servant whose obedience has perfected forever all God’s elect
(10:1-14)
·
The New and
·
The Author and Finisher of our faith who for the joy set before him
endured the cross, despising the shame and sat down at the right hand of God
until all his enemies are made a stool for his feet (12:2; 1:13)
·
He whose blood speaks in heaven and speaks better things than the blood
of Abel (12:1-4)
·
The God and Savior one who will never leave us nor forsake us (13:5-6;
·
Our Immutable God and Savior (13:8)
·
Our Altar (
·
The One who suffered outside the camp that he might sanctify us by his
own blood (
Again and again the Lord Jesus
reveals himself to encourage our perseverance, strengthen our faith, inspire
our hope, and assure our hearts. Now, we come to the last verses of this great,
instructive, comforting Epistle. How do I conclude the study of this great
Book?
How do you end an epistle
like Hebrews? Paul must have contemplated this for some time, praying and
mulling over the contents of his letter these struggling brethren. He had
spoken rapturously of God’s revelation of Himself, His Son, and His eternal
work. He had also brought them face to face with their own doubt, unbelief, and
fear. This pastoral sermon deals with the most sublime depths of sacred
theology and makes piercing, personal applications of Divine truth to our
hearts. Now, Paul must close his message.
Tonight, I want us to look
together at his final word to the Hebrews. I take Paul’s language for my own.
Here is My Prayer and My Heart’s Desire to God for You, my brothers and sisters
in Christ, my sons and daughters in the faith.
Hebrews 13:20-25
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead
our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his
will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus
Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22 And I
beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a
letter unto you in few words. 23 Know ye that our brother Timothy
is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24 Salute
all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of
What a picture this is of a
faithful pastor’s tender heart. Knowing that his words were, at times biting,
and stinging, and hard to bear, knowing the terrible reluctance of proud flesh
to take rebuke, but knowing that what he had written was indeed God’s Word to
his people, he urges these believers and urges us, to receive, bear, and heed
the word of exhortation.
Hebrews
Apparently, this Epistle was
written while Paul was in
Hebrews 13:23-24
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at
liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you. 24 Salute all
them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of
Illustration: “Bro. Don, How do I prepare for what
I’ve got to
face?”
I have no idea what trials, temptations and troubles you may yet have to face before your time on this earth is done. I do not know how Satan may assail you. I do not know what heaviness and heartache lies before you. I do not know what work the Lord has for you to do by which you are to glorify him. But I do know what you need. I do know what it will take for you and me to persevere unto the
I. As I ask you continually to pray for me, I
assure you that I do not cease to pray for you, calling upon our God and
Father, “the God of peace,” on your behalf.
1 Samuel 12:22-24
For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great
name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. 23 Moreover
as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for
you: but I will teach you the good and the right way: 24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your
heart; for consider how great things he hath done for you.
I want you to know that I care for you and pray for
you; but it is far, far more important that you know that the One to whom I
pray, the God whose mercy I seek for you, your heavenly Father is “the God of peace!”
Try to get the sweet milk that is here set before
us. Our heavenly Father, the God of glory is here called “the God of peace”
because…
A. His thoughts toward you are
thoughts of peace.
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith
the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected
end.
B. He has made for you a
covenant of peace.
Numbers 25:12-13
(This is God’s word from Moses to Aaron’s son,
Phinehas—To Christ our Priest.) Wherefore say, Behold, I give unto him my covenant
of peace: 13 And he shall have it, and his seed
after him, even the covenant of an everlasting priesthood; because he
was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the children of
Ezekiel 34:25
And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and
will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land: and they shall dwell
safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.
Ezekiel 37:26
Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them;
it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and
multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
C. The Lord God has laid on his
Son the chastisement of our peace and thereby made peace for us.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he
was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon
him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Colossians 1:18-21
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the
beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have
the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should
all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his
cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether
they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21 And you, that
were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet
now hath he reconciled
D. His gospel is the gospel of
peace, the good news of peace accomplished.
Isaiah 40:1-2 Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,
saith your God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to
E. Our heavenly Father has
given us his Spirit, who dwells in us as the Spirit of Peace.
F. He assures us that he will
keep us in peace in this world and will bring us into a world of peace at last.
G. Here is the basis of and
assurance of that peace revealed and proclaimed in the gospel.—Our heavenly Father, the God of Peace,
has raised Christ from the dead.
· “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus.”
·
“That great shepherd of the sheep.”
·
“Through the blood of the everlasting covenant.”
II. Now, look at verse 21. This is what I want
for you. This is my prayer and my heart’s desire to God for you.
Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good
work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight,
through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
A. May the Lord God our Father,
the God of peace, make you perfect.
·
Complete
·
Mature
·
Everything You Ought to Be
·
Everything You Want to Be
B. May he be pleased to work in
you that which is well-pleasing in his sight.
·
Faith
·
Hope
·
Love
C. May the Lord God ever be
pleased to deal with you as the objects of his grace in and through Jesus
Christ.
D. These things I seek for you,
I hope, for the glory of Christ.
E.
Now,
look at verse 25. Here is the source from which all that I want for you
must come.
Hebrews
GRACE—That
is what we need! That is what we must have! This grace, as one older writer put
it, “is a stream of living water flowing through the desert, a power which
enables us to withstand every adversity and to reach the promised
land, the place of our rest, the heavenly
·
Covenant Grace
·
Saving Grace
·
Sustaining Grace
·
Forgiving Grace
·
Reviving Grace
·
Daily Grace
·
Everlasting Grace
·
Nothing but Grace
·
Grace for You All!
Hebrews 13:20-21
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead
our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the
everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his
will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus
Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews