There is much that we think we know about the Letter to the Hebrews
—for example we think it is a letter, and that it is to the Hebrews…
neither of which are true.
This piece of scripture is, in point of fact, a sermon,
and the title “To the Hebrews” was added centuries later when Judaism and
Christianity were trying to differentiate themselves from one another.
This sermon became a sort of clobber book, that 2nd century Christians
would use against their Jewish neighbors.
But that wasn’t how it was originally read…
You
see, this sermon was first preached to a pocket of Christians who have survived
the persecutions by Nero
—back in 64, Nero accidently set fire to a section of Rome, and didn’t want to
take responsibility, so he said the Christians did it…
and then Rome proceeded to catch Christians and dip them in pitch and light
them on fire, as both punishment and a way to light the streets of the city.
An
awful time, contemporaries of the event speak of the smell of burning bodies
clogging the nostrils of Rome…
It
is to such a situation that this sermon is preached.
To a Christian community who survived attacks, arrests, harassment…
they held fast through the worst of it…
and years later, the low-level persecution just didn’t stop
—shunned by neighbors and relations, kept out of social clubs,
goods and wealth never returned by the government and the mobs that sack Christian
homes,
seen as weird and anti-social at best, seditious at worst.
And
the author reminds these persecuted Christians of their past courage and
confidence,
calls them to their best baptized selves
—keep on keeping on,
care for each other,
be loving and welcoming.
He preaches this message in a repeated three-part framework:
1. Consider how God was faithful in Hebrew Scriptures.
2. Guess what, Jesus is faithful like that!
3. Don’t let go of that faithfulness! No matter what, hold on!
Prayer
God
has consistently sent messengers and leaders
—Angels and Prophets even!
Christ Jesus
—God’s dear Son, the heft of God’s glory, the spark of creation, God in front
of us clear as day…
He is God’s message personified—in the flesh,
and his journey from death to new life is God’s way for us!
Do
not drift away or disobey or fall short!
Do not ignore God’s message for us or stop your ears
—No! Instead, keep hearing the Gospel!
The
Temple System
—the Sanctuary of God and the High Priesthood and Sacrifices,
were all done to bring peace and righteousness.
And look to Jesus
—he frees us from the fear of Death,
scours us of our Sin—making us clean.
He is our dwelling place, a sanctuary for those in need,
his tears, tenderly wept, are taken by God as a sacrifice for us.
Take a load off—rest
in Christ!
You have found confidence and favor from God on account of Jesus Christ.
Please, don’t lose your spiritual sensitivity,
do not let your hearts grow cold,
even when your society continues to kick you out into the cold.
The
Torah
—a Law and story and way of life,
was given to God’s people,
Moses and Aaron,
with Tablets and Temple.
And
look, as the prophet Jeremiah writes, a new sort of way, and story, and law has
been put into your hearts.
Jesus does God’s will,
willing us to life even when we are in death.
You’ve
been washed and saved by the Living God!
Christ’s Law of love is within you,
why wouldn’t you encourage each other through the long haul,
Continue to gather together, you are Christ’s body after all!
Be welcoming, for God’s sake!
Love and do good—just as Christ
did!
Heck
of a sermon to preach to Christians being persecuted…
I wonder how the Persecuted Church hears this kind of message today…
-How does the Nigerian Christian whose church was firebombed hear this? Be
confident.
-How does the South Korean missionary to the North hear it while yet imprisoned?
Stay sensitive.
-How does the Indonesian Christian
who watched his Pastor uncle be beheaded hears it? Keep on loving!
And
what is the meaning of all these words for we, who are certainly well off in
the grand scheme of things?
We Christians who may even have a hard time saying, “we are strangers and
foreigners here on earth.” Who on our bad days, even confuse our homeland, with
our heavenly home.
No…
we can’t go too far down that road…
This
sermon is for us as well…
certainly there are some here today who:
-Suffer great pains.
-Worry has not left our hearts,
nor doubts or bouts of laxity.
-Has not your heart been recalcitrant to the Spirit’s calling.
-Aren’t we too tired;
don’t we also struggle with hatred and evil.
-Are we not beset by inclinations toward isolation and defensiveness, as are
all peoples!
Certainly! We too
need to hear of hope; we need to know that God has been faithful.
Jesus Christ will never abandon us! In him we can keep on keeping on!
The anguished of
body and soul finds rest in him!
Our slack
spirits are slaked…
our hard hearts are made soft…
by our Savior’s words!
He guides us
homeward
—through our self-seeking,
patiently creating a welcoming people,
making us walk the way of daring understanding,
and helping us to more clearly and courageously love.
God is faithful, we
belong to Christ, no matter what, hold on!
Amen.
