ONE MORE THING…
Opening Prayer
Thank you Father, for the countless ways you bless me as I follow Jesus. Use your Word to instruct me how to follow him more closely.
Read HEBREWS 13:17–25
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19 I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.
Benediction and Final Greetings
20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
22 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly.
23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you.
24 Greet all your leaders and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings.
25 Grace be with you all.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Prayers of blessing occur throughout Scripture, and the contents are varied! What prayer of blessing would you pray for a group of people you wanted to encourage?Now that the author of Hebrews had gotten the weighty matters down, it’s as if he got to other things his brothers and sisters needed to hear before the letter was ended. The final remarks of the writer might almost seem amusing (v. 22—really!) and are encouraging. They bring good news and greetings (vv. 23, 24) and connect with verses 17 to 19.
The sincere prayer of blessing the writer gave his readers (vv. 20, 21) sums up much of what we’ve been considering in the past couple of weeks: look at what has been accomplished by God in and through the new covenant established through Jesus Christ, and may the same God give you all you need to live and work for him. You can imagine the writer typing these words in bold, in italics, and underlining them!
This blessing reminds the readers again that at the heart of everything, and overarching everything, is Jesus. In the very final sentence, we hear the writer offering all that God wants us to know and to have in and through all that Jesus has done: grace (v. 25). How fitting a conclusion.
Apply
In what ways do you see the grace of God at work in you, your family, and your church?
Closing prayer
Lord God, I lift up my church leaders and those in ministry I care about, both near and far. Please equip them with everything they need to do your will. Continue to build their faith as they seek to serve you and bring you glory.
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