Don't Forget the Essential Reminders of Faith

Devotional

Day 1: Love Each Other in the Church

Genuine love among believers is not just about being nice or accepting everything, but about truly investing in one another’s lives, holding each other accountable, and supporting each other through difficulties. This kind of love means knowing each other deeply, being willing to speak truth in love, and refusing to let shame or hardship drive us into isolation. When we are tempted to pull away from the church during hard times, we must remember that God calls us to stay connected, to care for one another, and to let the love of Christ be the foundation of our relationships. [10:14]

Hebrews 13:1
Let love of the brethren continue.

Reflection: Is there someone in your church family you’ve been avoiding or withholding love from? What is one step you can take this week to reach out and reconnect with them in genuine, Christlike love?

Day 2: Show Hospitality to Strangers

Hospitality is more than just being polite; it’s about opening our lives and homes to those we don’t know, even when it feels uncomfortable or inconvenient. In a culture that encourages us to isolate and keep to ourselves, God calls us to welcome the stranger, remembering that in doing so, we may be part of something far greater than we realize. Our willingness to reach out, invite others in, and break through the barriers of fear or judgment reflects the heart of Christ and can be a powerful witness to the world. [16:56]

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.

Reflection: Who is one person outside your usual circle—perhaps a neighbor, coworker, or church visitor—you can intentionally welcome or invite into your life this week?

Day 3: Remember the Persecuted Church

We are called to remember and stand with our brothers and sisters around the world who suffer for their faith, not just as a distant thought but as if we ourselves were in their place. Their struggles are real and personal, and our prayers and support should reflect a deep sense of empathy and solidarity. By seeking to know their stories, praying for them by name, and supporting ministries that serve them, we honor Christ and strengthen the global body of believers. [19:10]

Hebrews 13:3
Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.

Reflection: Take time today to learn about a specific persecuted Christian or church. How can you pray for them or support them in a tangible way this week?

Day 4: Honor Marriage and Remain Faithful

In times of difficulty or temptation, it can be easy to seek escape or comfort outside of God’s design for marriage, but we are called to honor the marriage covenant and remain faithful to our spouse. This means guarding our hearts and actions, not only for our own marriages but also respecting the marriages and future marriages of others. Faithfulness in marriage reflects Christ’s unwavering commitment to His church and calls us to pursue love, restoration, and renewed effort in our relationships, even when it’s hard. [22:22]

Hebrews 13:4
Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Reflection: If you are married, what is one intentional act you can do today to honor and invest in your spouse? If you are single, how can you honor marriage in your relationships and choices?

Day 5: Be Content and Trust God’s Presence

Contentment is not found in money or possessions, but in the assurance that God is always with us and will never forsake us. When we are tempted to believe that more money or better circumstances will solve our problems, we are reminded that true security comes from trusting in the Lord’s provision and presence. Instead of anxiously checking on our finances, reputation, or social status, let us check in with Jesus, finding our help and confidence in Him alone. [26:39]

Hebrews 13:5-6
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,” so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”

Reflection: What is one area where you are tempted to seek security or satisfaction apart from Christ? How can you practice contentment and trust in God’s presence today?

Sermon Summary

As we come to the close of our journey through Hebrews, we are reminded that Jesus is better than anything else we could pursue or possess. The Christian life is described as a race—one that is run to, through, and for Christ. We are urged not to let anything, not even good things, slow us down, and certainly not sin or discouragement. Suffering and hardship are not signs of God’s absence or displeasure, but rather opportunities to lean into Him and discover that He is enough. In these final verses of Hebrews, we are given a practical review—a list of seven essential reminders for living out our faith in a world that often opposes it.

First, we are called to let love for one another in the church continue. This is not a shallow or permissive love, but a love that is willing to invest, correct, and truly know each other. True biblical love means caring enough to warn a brother or sister in danger, and to value one another even when correction is needed. We are also reminded to show hospitality to strangers, resisting the cultural drift toward isolation and self-protection. Welcoming others, even those we do not know, is a reflection of Christ’s love and may bring unexpected blessings.

We are exhorted to remember those who are suffering for their faith—the persecuted church. Their struggles are not distant or abstract; they are our brothers and sisters, and we are to pray and stand with them as if we were suffering alongside them. The call to honor marriage is a reminder that our commitments matter, especially in times of difficulty. Faithfulness in marriage reflects the faithfulness of Christ to His church, and we are warned against seeking escape from hardship through unfaithfulness.

Contentment is another key theme. We are told to guard our hearts against the love of money, recognizing that true security and sufficiency are found in God’s promise never to leave or forsake us. Money is a tool, not a savior, and our contentment is rooted in Christ’s presence, not our possessions. Finally, we are encouraged to remember and imitate the faith of those who have led us in the way of Christ, ultimately pointing us to love and follow Jesus Himself.

These reminders are not just a checklist, but a call to examine our hearts, relationships, and priorities. They challenge us to live out our faith with courage, humility, and love, trusting that Jesus is enough for every circumstance.

Key Takeaways

1. Genuine love within the church is not passive or permissive, but active and invested. It means knowing one another deeply, being willing to correct and be corrected, and refusing to let shame or difficulty drive us into isolation. True love values the spiritual well-being of others above personal comfort or convenience. [08:27]
2. Hospitality to strangers is a spiritual discipline that resists the cultural pull toward privacy and self-protection. Welcoming others into our lives, even when it feels inconvenient or risky, opens us to God’s unexpected work and reminds us that the body of Christ is always bigger than our familiar circles. [16:56]
3. Remembering the persecuted church is not just about awareness, but about empathy and solidarity. We are called to pray and act as if we ourselves were suffering, recognizing that their pain is our pain, and their endurance is a testimony to the sufficiency of Christ in all circumstances. [19:10]
4. Honoring marriage, especially in times of trial, is a countercultural act of faithfulness. It means resisting the temptation to seek escape from pain through unfaithfulness, and instead allowing God to work in and through our difficulties to deepen our commitment and reflect His covenant love. [24:12]
5. Contentment is rooted in the unshakeable presence of God, not in material security. The love of money is a subtle but powerful rival to faith, tempting us to trust in what we can control rather than in God’s promise to never leave or forsake us. True contentment frees us to be generous, courageous, and at peace regardless of our circumstances. [26:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[01:02] - Running the Race: Christ as Our Goal
[03:04] - Reading Hebrews 13:1-7
[04:06] - Seven Reminders for the Christian Life
[06:01] - Loving Each Other in the Church
[08:27] - The True Nature of Biblical Love
[10:14] - Staying Connected in Difficulty
[12:03] - Loving Strangers and Hospitality
[16:56] - Entertaining Angels and Welcoming Outsiders
[18:07] - Remembering the Persecuted Church
[21:40] - Honoring Marriage in Hard Times
[24:12] - Faithfulness and Escaping Pain
[25:35] - Contentment and the Love of Money
[30:08] - Remembering and Imitating Godly Leaders
[32:51] - Loving Like Jesus
[33:41] - Self-Examination and Application
[42:48] - Prayer and Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Hebrews 13:1-7 (NASB) — 1 Let love of the brethren continue.
2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it.
3 Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body.
4 Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you,”
6 so that we confidently say, “The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?”
7 Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.

Observation Questions

According to Hebrews 13:1-2, what two kinds of love are believers called to practice, and how are they different?
In verse 3, what specific instruction is given regarding those who are suffering for their faith?
What does verse 4 say about marriage, and what warning does it give?
In verses 5-6, what reason is given for being content and not loving money? How does the passage connect this to God’s promises?
According to verse 7, what are believers supposed to do in relation to their leaders?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon described biblical love in the church as “active and invested,” not just permissive or passive. Why is it important for love among believers to include correction and accountability, and what might happen if it doesn’t? [[08:27]]
The call to hospitality is described as a spiritual discipline that resists the cultural pull toward privacy and self-protection. Why do you think the author of Hebrews connects hospitality to spiritual growth? [[16:56]]
The sermon emphasized remembering the persecuted church as if we ourselves were suffering. What does this kind of empathy and solidarity look like in practice, and why is it important for the church? [[19:10]]
The passage warns against the love of money and points to God’s promise never to leave or forsake us. How does trusting in God’s presence help believers find contentment, even in difficult circumstances? [[26:39]]

Application Questions

The sermon challenged us to examine whether we are truly loving others in our church, even when it’s uncomfortable or requires correction. Is there someone in your church family you find it hard to love or approach? What is one step you could take this week to move toward deeper, more genuine love for them? [[33:41]]
Hospitality to strangers is often inconvenient and can feel risky. When was the last time you welcomed someone new into your home or your life? What holds you back from practicing hospitality, and what is one practical way you could open your life to someone outside your usual circle this month? [[16:56]]
The sermon described the persecuted church as “our brothers and sisters,” not just a distant group. How can you make their struggles more real to you? Is there a specific way you could pray for, support, or learn about the persecuted church this week? [[19:10]]
Honoring marriage, especially in hard times, is described as a countercultural act of faithfulness. If you are married, what is one area where you could invest more intentionally in your relationship, especially if things are difficult? If you are not married, how can you encourage faithfulness and honor marriage in your community? [[24:12]]
The love of money is described as a subtle rival to faith. Are there ways you find yourself trusting in money or possessions for security? What is one step you could take to practice contentment and generosity this week, trusting God’s promise to never leave you? [[26:39]]
The passage calls us to remember and imitate the faith of those who have led us. Who is one person whose faith has impacted your walk with Jesus? How could you thank or encourage them this week, or how could you follow their example more closely? [[30:08]]
The sermon ended with a call to self-examination: “What needs to change?” After hearing these reminders, is there one area—love, hospitality, empathy, faithfulness, contentment, or imitation—that God is prompting you to change? What is your next step? [[33:41]]

Sermon Clips

Following Jesus is hard. The Hebrews that the writer is writing to understood that because they are being mistreated, abused, persecuted. Lean into learning. When God allows things into your life, lean into them and lean into him instead of away from him. Realize that suffering will happen. And when suffering does happen, it's not God hating you or ignoring you. It's God working so that you'll see he is enough. We have to help each other and we have to be careful not to give up. [00:01:52] (36 seconds) #LeanIntoFaithInSuffering

It's interesting. There's a play on words here. The word that is remember to love strangers or do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by this some have entertained angels not knowing it. It's the same word in the verse one. It's the word Philadelphia. In the verse two, it's Philadelphia, which is where we get xenophobic. And he's saying, don't forget to show hospitality to strangers. [00:12:36] (32 seconds) #HospitalityWelcomesAngels

When you pray for the persecuted church don't just have it on your prayer list. Yes we need it on our prayer list so we don't forget, right? But we also need to remember that those are, that's not just a persecuted church. That is a man that has a family. A woman that has a family. A child that has parents. That one part of their life was being lived just like you do. They went to work, they went to school, they did their stuff and one day they got arrested and they possibly beaten and imprisoned or mistreated in other ways because of Jesus. Not because they broke rules. Not because they broke laws. Not because they broke the culture. Not because they did anything wrong. Solely because they follow Jesus. [00:19:20] (53 seconds) #PrayWithCompassionAndAction

Remember your commitment to your spouse. He mentions two people that God's going to judge fornicators and adulterers. And that those two things don't seem like they're related, but they are. What's an adulterer? An adulterer is a man or a woman who has stepped out of the confines of their marriage to have a intimate relationship with someone else. They've broken the marriage covenant. They've broken the marriage vow. [00:22:23] (28 seconds) #HonorMarriageVows

If you're having physical intimacy with someone you're not married to, and you don't end up marrying them, you've harmed someone else's future spouse. That's hard to imagine, isn't it? But I think in the context, what he's saying is, when we go through difficulty, it's real easy for us to seek escape. [00:23:40] (27 seconds) #StayCommittedThroughTrials

Money is not evil, but the love of money, the relying on money, the leaning on money, the desperate clinging, climbing over each other, willing to cheat and steal and somehow get it is loving money. And that part is wrong. [00:28:04] (22 seconds) #LoveLikeJesusLoved

Part of realizing that Jesus is with us is Jesus is with us when we're trying to make our way. Think about that. I remember back in, how many of you remember back in the seventies, anybody here old enough? Okay. Yeah. I thought we had a fair amount. Back in the seventies, though, they used to always say this question to youth groups. I wasn't in the youth group yet, but I was always listening at the door. And this was the question. Jesus could come at any time. Do you want him finding you doing that when he comes? [00:28:27] (40 seconds) #ObedienceShowsLoveForJesus

Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith. Remember to love your leaders. It is very tempting when we go through difficulty, when the money's a little tight, when things are a little difficult to pull back from those who are leading you, you know, and, and just, can I just be clear about this? This is not a self-serving message. This is pastor appreciation month. Remember your leaders. That is not the point because your leaders might not be your pastor. It might be the person that shared Jesus with you. It might be a parent. It might be a grandparent. It might be a teacher. But remember those stay connected to those who are leading you because in doing so next slide, you are remembering to love Jesus because he says, remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you and considering results of their conduct, imitate their faith. Who is their faith in Jesus? Because if it's not faith in Jesus, it's not worth imitating. [00:30:43] (73 seconds)

Why is it that we're more interested in whether people liked our selfie than checking in with the one we claim lives in ourself? And I'm not saying social media is bad. It's a hammer. You can use it to build a house. You can also use it to kill somebody. Do you love Jesus? Do you love Jesus? You know how you can find out if you love Jesus? Hit your thumb with a hammer. My wife will tell you when that happens to me, I sing, oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. Oh, how I love Jesus. So nothing else comes out of my mouth. That may not be the answer to the question. How do you know you love Jesus? Jesus said, you're my friend if you obey me. First John five says, this is how we love God. We obey him and his commands are not burdensome. Maybe a better question is how do others know you love Jesus? [00:40:04] (88 seconds)

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