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A Guy’s Guide to Hebrews: A Dangerous Journey (13:1-25)  The Pilgrim’s journey from England to America was a dangerous and frightful one. Even when they had the new world in their sights, they were unable to simply dock the boat and begin building a colony. The Pilgrims had a patent from the London Virginia Company to settle at the mouth of the Hudson River, but with winter fast approaching and their food supplies shrinking rapidly they were forced to consider the Cape Cod Bay area instead. At first they investigated the Provincetown Bay area, but were unable to settle there either. The beleaguered Pilgrims then explored Plymouth Bay. They first two sites they investigated at Plymouth Bay were insufficient for a settlement, but finally they found a suitable place to settle near Plymouth Rock. To the Pilgrims who had spent the last six months of their lives on board the Mayflower it must have seemed like they would never find a place to call home. To the writer of Hebrews the Christian life is very similar to that of the Pilgrims who had spent so much time in the cramped quarters of a cargo ship. The journey of the Christian life is one that can also be surrounded by moral peril. The last chapter of this powerful book begins by discussing the moral dangers that surround the believer (verses 1-6). Failing to love the brethren, ignoring hospitality, forgetting those imprisoned for their faith, adultery, immorality, the love of money, and a failure to be content were all tidal waves that sought to shipwreck the journey of the readers of Hebrews. As if the moral perils were not enough there were also theological perils to be avoided (verses 7-19). Failing to follow their leaders, being carried away by strange teachings, ritualism, enduring abuse, neglecting to do good, and slacking in their praise to God were all just as real and dangerous to the Christian journey as any moral pitfall. To those enduring the constant barrage of these perils it could seem like their life would never have any peace. The problem for the original readers of Hebrews is the same as for us today. The danger of our journey will rarely if ever let up, but we must remember that our time here on earth is not a time of settling in. Our settlement is a heavenly one, and when we lose sight of that it is always trouble. Too many times we forget our purpose and try to settle in here on earth, but our lives here on this planet are meant to be in transition. Becoming at home here would be like one of the Pilgrims forsaking Plymouth Colony to stay on the Mayflower. None would have made such a foolish choice, because it is obvious that the vessel was only a temporary solution to get them to their destination. For thirteen chapters Hebrews has been about one primary lesson – The Superiority of Christ; that superiority lives itself out in everyday life with this phrase, “For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.” Christ’s superiority guarantees that any perils we experience in our lives are only temporary. Our hope is not here, it is in a city that is still to come. Questions for Discussion/Reflection 1. Consider the list of moral and theological perils in Hebrews 13. What items are the most dangerous to you right now? 2. What do you think getting “too settled in” here on earth looks like? In other words what are the characteristics of a Christian treating earth as the destination rather than the journey? 3. What is one thing that you have learned from the study of Hebrews? Staff Writer: Aaron Sharp |
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