October 13, 2020
God Doesn't Call the Equipped, He Equips the Called
Hebrews 13:17–25
Jake Horvath
Central Truth
All authority in heaven has given us blessing, instruction, and direction to do the Lord's will.
Key Verse | Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:17–25
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Benediction
20 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, 21 equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us 1 13:21 Some manuscripts you that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
22 I appeal to you, brothers, 2 13:22 Or brothers and sisters bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly. 23 You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the saints. Those who come from Italy send you greetings. 25 Grace be with all of you.
Dive Deeper | Hebrews 13:17–25
As the writer of Hebrews closes the letter to the Jewish Christian church, they are given encouragement in this benediction (bestowing a blessing) and a homework assignment: to share the gospel and let people know that God created mankind, that we rebelled in our sin, that Jesus laid down His life for us as the ultimate sacrifice to pay for our sin, and that we can trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior to become His follower and receive eternal life. That's the homework assignment.
Jesus sent out the apostles to preach the kingdom of God, taking just what was necessary (Luke 9:1-6) in order that others might know the Lord and be saved. It's encouraging to know that Christ is with us as we do this (Joshua 1:5). The message of the gospel won't be well received by all in the world, but, thankfully, Jesus holds authority over all the world (John 16:33).
You may say to yourself, "God didn't make me to be anything special." Ahh, but He did (Ephesians 2:10). You might think, "If I don't succeed, everything will be ruined." That's not true (Psalm 37:23-24).
Reread Hebrews 13:20 and be encouraged that the mission in which we are called to participate has been designed, certified, and approved by the God of peace, the Lord Jesus Christ who is the great shepherd, and Jesus' blood of the eternal covenant.
If you are looking to take some first steps to become equipped in sharing your faith and want to know a great place to start, I recommend Equipped Disciple series at Watermark.
Regarding my trip to Africa, I brought only the essentials in my supply of clothing. However, I was equipped with God's Word and how it had transformed my life. That good news I was able to share with the children to whom I ministered during my trip was all the equipment I needed to pack.
If you are a new creation in Christ, the good news is that you have the good news!
Discussion Questions
1. What does it mean to you to know that all authority in heaven has bestowed upon you with blessing and a mission to accomplish?
2. Have you ever felt ill-equipped for spiritual conversations whether that be across the world or across the street? Would you consider the Equipped Disciple study as a resource to fuel your ability in articulating your faith in Christ?
3. When was the last time you shared with someone the Good News of Jesus Christ's death, burial, and resurrection from the dead that leads to eternal life?