Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-19 (ESV)
“Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 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. Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honourably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.”
Throughout the history of the church there have been many great thinkers and writers who have contributed massively to the church. One of these great thinkers was Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and theologian during the Nazi regime. Perhaps his most famous work is the book “The Cost of Discipleship” in which he rightly points out that following Jesus comes at a great cost. He says “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die”. This is true for all true believers: following Jesus is costly.
In our passage the author says to follow Jesus means you follow Jesus wherever he leads. Even if that means you have to leave the safety of the camp, outside what is safe and normal and comfortable. When we follow Jesus, we follow him even when we have to “bear the reproach” of being unpopular outcasts.
But notice that the author here both starts and finishes this passage with an encouragement to remember, pray for, imitate and obey those church leaders who God had put in place for the readers. We can rightly be a bit hesitant to follow other Christian leaders, because we know that all people are sinful, and that everyone makes mistakes. We are hesitant because we have seen the damage done in the world and in the church by corrupt church leaders. But it is right and Biblical to follow others who are dedicated to helping you follow Christ. Paul said the same thing in 1 Corinthians 11:1: “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ”. Here the readers are instructed to imitate the faith of their leaders. Sure, they are to first consider the outcome of their faith. They are to test and see whether this leader is worth following as evidenced by the testimony of their life. But provided they are a good model, then by all means follow them, pray for them, and imitate their faith even as they imitate Christ.
So what does a worthy leader’s life look like? Well in our passage today it seems to me that a worthy leader is one who is willing to pay the price to follow Christ. They are willing to bear the reproach of Christ, they are willing to go outside the safety of the camp, to be outcasts for the cause of Christ. Such people are worthy of being imitated as they imitate Christ. They carry a heavy responsibility: they will have to give an account to Jesus for how they have led others.
This then leaves us with two direct applications.
First: Consider your Christian leaders. Consider whether they are worthy of imitation. Consider what they have sacrificed for the cause of Christ. If serving Christ has not cost them anything, then it is worth considering whether you should be following them as they follow Christ.
Second: If your leaders look like the leaders described in this passage, then the author of Hebrews tells us to: “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.”
As far as it depends on you, are you a joy to your leaders, or do you make them groan?
Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for giving me Christian leaders to follow as they follow you. Thank you for the testimony of their life and the sacrifices they have been willing to make for you. Please let me be a joy to them and not a source of groaning. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Take stock of the Christian leaders you follow, whether through books, on social media or in other ways. Do you want your Christian life to look like theirs? If not, find new leaders.