The Follower's Duties

Background Scripture: Hebrews 13
Lesson Scripture: Hebrews 13:1-3, 5-9115-18

Introduction

A true follower of Jesus is a disciple. He denies his own agenda and makes Jesus his Master. A disciple believes in his master's teaching and takes a submissive role in his relationship with Him.

As followers of Jesus, we will be as sheep that hear and understand His voice and follow wherever He leads. Jesus spent His earth life lovingly serving others and told His disciples, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (John 13:35).

A duty is often considered to be an obligation. But when we truly love Jesus for all He has done for us, we will not look on our duties as a requirement; rather, we consider it an opportunity and privilege to serve Him by serving our fellowmen. Our lesson today emphasizes love for one another.

Key Verse

I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called (Eph. 4:1).

Lesson Scripture

Studying the Lesson

This epistle was addressed to believing Jews who had been converted to the gospel. Though many of them were still living in Jerusalem where the temple worship with its sacrifices continued, some were living in other places.

The subjects of the kingdom of Christ are given many privileges as well as being responsible for certain spiritual duties. In our lesson text, the apostle exhorts the believers to various duties in following Jest is. They are practical requirements for sincere Christian living, such as loving others, hospitality, empathy for those who suffer, chastity, contentment, support of leaders, and faithfulness to pure doctrine.

Followers of Jesus are to have fervent charity, not only to their brethren, but also to strangers. In showing love to strangers we remember how Abraham and Lot received the strangers that came to them (Gen. 18 and 19). Likely at first glance Abraham did not recognize his visitors as messengers sent from God.

Persecution was rampant during the early years of the Christian church. The members of Christ's body were to pray and empathize with those who were suffering, fully realizing that their time to suffer would likely soon come.

To live without covetousness is the duty and goal of all Christians. They need to have their priorities right in their daily walk of life by seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. They need not fear man but are privileged to put their trust in the One who never changes.

Practical Truths for Today

The apostle John wrote, "We love him, because he first loved us" (1 John 4:19). When by faith we accept His forgiveness, we become new creatures in Christ, and His love fills our heart. The Bible teaches that it is impossible to love God and not love our fellowman. "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he bath seen, how can he love God whom he bath not seen?" (1 John 4:20). Trusting God, whom we have not seen, moves us to love Him, which we express to those we see—our fellowman. Brotherly love forgets all differences of kindred and nationality.

We promote the good of others, take pleasure in their welfare, and cover their failings with charity. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "For the love of Christ constraineth us" (2 Cor. 5:14). Christ's love in our hearts moves us with compassion to help the weak and erring. We forgive others their trespasses, keep no record of wrongdoing, and make the necessary sacrifices to foster peace in the brotherhood. To grant confidence to our brethren and seek their counsel for our problems promotes fellowship. To share our struggles and victories with our brethren is beneficial to spiritual life.

The love of Christ will move us to enlarge our circle of friends. Hospitality is a virtue and must be cultivated. The tradition of having guests in our homes on Sunday to fellowship is a beautiful gesture of love. Young couples fellowshipping together with their older brothers and sisters and vice versa is an opportunity to "let brotherly love continue." True love takes away self-consciousness and fills us with thankfulness. We are content with what God has given us, trusting Him to provide enough to share with others.

The whole law is fulfilled in one word: love. "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13:10). The love of Jesus in our hearts causes us to fulfill our duties as His fol lowers, and thereby we have fulfilled the law. Charity becomes the richest and ripest fruit of Christian life.

The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another" (Rom. 12:4-5). The apostles ordained elders in every church to provide spiritual stability to these fledging congregations. The believers came from diverse backgrounds and different ethnic groups and needed guidance on how to work together. The leaders of the church are responsible to take the oversight of the church for the spiritual well-being of her members. They will someday give an account for those whom God has placed in their care. Considering the heavy responsibility they carry, it is the duty of members to joyfully obey them.

Cultivating a proper respect for the leaders that God and the church have chosen will bless the congregation. We must appreciate the office that God has called them to and encourage them. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, 'And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves" (1 Thess. 5:12-13). Believers who fervently pray for the success of the gospel will assist their leaders in any way they can to promote the welfare of the congregation. May we all work together in harmony, being faithful in the place that God has given us. We all have a common goal: to do our Father's will in such a way that His kingdom may prosper. Our primary purpose as a Christian is that souls will be saved.

Humility befits all true leaders, and he who leads must likewise be a follower. Leaders must be keen to follow the Holy Spirit in the responsibilities God has entrusted to them. Humble leaders will follow Jesus's example of being a servant. Paul expressed his Christian obligation when he said, "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise" (Rom. 1:14). Jesus taught that we should always acknowledge that we are unprofitable servants. "So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do" (Luke 17:10).

As followers of Jesus mature in their Christian walk, they find that duties become privileges and requirements are but a reasonable service of love.

Illustrations

The instruction to not be "forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares" brings different experiences to mind. Some people have experienced an occasion when they felt God sent an angel to help them in a time of need. Others have related kindly to a stranger and afterward wondered if the stranger had been an angel. God may also use His followers in a way that they appear as angels. When the deacon Stephen was apprehended and brought before the council, "all that sat in the council, looking steadfastly on him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel" (Acts 6:15).

A brother serving as a missionary in Mexico had the opportunity to assist a family who was traveling through his area. This family parked and was spending the night in a camper on the back of their pickup. During the night a fire broke out in the camper, and the husband and his wife were badly burned. They were taken to a doctor in a nearby town. An interpreter was needed because of the language barrier, so a messenger was sent to the missionary for assistance. His heart went out to the family, and he was able to assist them by taking them to a hospital in a larger city. Later the husband remarked that the missionary looked like an angel when he first entered the doctor's office.

Questions

1. What are practical ways to cultivate the virtue of hospitality? Will it come automatically if love is in the heart?
2. How do we define a faith that works by love?
3. "Covet earnestly the best gifts" (1 Cor. 12:31). What did Paul mean?
4. Discuss and explain the meaning of the gift of "helps" (1 Cor. 12:28).
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Source: COGICM Daily Bible Readings (Daily Bible Readings, PO Box 124, Glenn, CA 95943).