It's my privilege tonight to conclude our summer series, let the love of the brethren continue from Hebrews chapter 13. You remember that as a command that the writer of Hebrews gives, which is fleshed out in 13 excertations. Each of the pastors this summer have been taking one of those excertations and expounding on it and my privilege tonight is to finish this out and to expound upon the excertation to pray for our leaders. So if you would turn in your copy of God's Word to Hebrews 13 verses 18 to 19. And while you're turning there, back in 2002 in the wake of 9-11, there was an email that was circulated quite broadly among the evangelical community from a very well-known evangelical leader named Max Lakado. Some of you probably have read some of his books, listen to him speak. But it was a plea to pray for the president then George W. Bush and the email read as this and Max Lakado was referring to a time that he had the chance to meet with president Bush along with other ministers and he says this, as the minister sat down to lunch and waited for president Bush to appear. Max said that he was expecting George Bush to walk in, the room looking tired, serious and depressed. When the president came in, Max said he looked totally the opposite of tired. He was energetic, joyful and very focused on his talk with the ministers. Max asked president Bush how he could seem so calm and peaceful in the midst of the tragedy. And the president's reply was this, quote, I'm feeling stronger now than I've ever been in my life. And the reason is because every person in America is praying for me. When I stay on my knees, that's when I have power. The ministers then asked the president how he could, how he would like them to pray for him and how their congregations back home should be praying. And Mr. Bush said, first of all, I want to ask you to pray for clarity of mind so that he could make wise decisions. And then he asked that we pray specifically for his wife and his children, his daughters, his two daughters as he was very concerned about their safety. Our interest loved ones in praying for our president is biblical and not political. Paul writes this to his disciple Timothy. First of all, then I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions and thanksgiving be made for all people for kings and all who are in high positions that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life godly and dignified in every way. This is good and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. The king is for us, the president. Peter commands us to honor the king. He says in his second chapter of his letter, be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God that by doing good you should put to silence those ignorance, the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover up for evil, but living as servants of God, honor everyone, love the brotherhood, fear God and honor the emperor. We honor the man in office because we honor the office and we honor the office when we pray for the man who is in the office. What I would like to do tonight is to broaden, if you will, our prayer focus to not only include those in office, but those who are referenced in the writer of Hebrews in chapter 13, verses 18 and 19. Would you look at it with me and follow along in your Bible? The writer says this, pray for us for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you sooner. Once again, this exhortation is one way in which we love the brethren. Let the love of the brethren continue and this is one way we do this. Our love for strangers, if you remember, for martyrs, our spouses, our families, the heroes of the faith, the truth and the traditions of our faith, God in worship, the brethren in our fellowship, and then finally tonight, our church officers. Then the apostle is carrying on the thought of verse 17 and he informs us of a second way that we love our leaders. First, he says, we obey them and submit to their leadership in verse 17. We preached about this last week, Chris did. 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. And so secondly, we are to carry this thought to pray for them in two specific ways. He says, pray for us for we are sure that we have a clear conscience. Desiring to act honorably in all things. I urge you all the more honestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you sooner. So let's look tonight right now at what it means to pray for our leaders. And principally, the author of Hebrews is referring to our church leaders. The context of Hebrews 13, 17 through 24 proves that this is praying for pastors, elders, deacons, not to presidents. Nevertheless, the principles will apply to both the magistrates and to ministers. This is one thing that John Calvin commented on his book, he says, though indeed our prayers ought to embrace the whole world as love does from which they flow, it is yet right that we should be particularly prayerful for godly and holy men whose honesty and decency and other marks of excellence have become known to us. So we pray for our leaders a good conscience, the first principle. The apostle says, pray for us. We are certain we do have a good conscience, a clear conscience, and we want to remain that way. So pray for us, he speaks of this good conscience. Good meaning good, right, proper, fitting, honorable, honest,
in conscience, meaning awareness. It comes from the root of two words, with and to know and to see. Another words he is saying to know with God's perspective are God's truth. That is what he is requesting people pray for when it comes to church leaders. FF Bruce says, this is a unique word. It is not a classical word in the Greek. It'd be long to everyday Greek. It was probably Paul who baptized it into a deeper sense of moral conscience. The word appears several times in his letters and was taken from him by later New Testament and other Christian writers. So what is this function of the conscience? To remind us of what we inately know is right and wrong. The function of the conscience is to remind us of what we inately know is right and wrong. The conscience of God's voice is placed in each soul. So here the apostle says, we are sure that we have a good conscience and we want to continue to live that way. Now it sounds maybe in our minds arrogant or prideful, but in fact it is the reverse, it is humble. Raymond Brown says, some indication of the writer's own understanding of humble leadership can be discerned from the fact that he asked for the prayers of this congressgation for himself and then prays for them in a concluding benediction. Conscious of the fact that no one can work effectively for Christ unated and unsupported, he asks them humbly to continue to pray on his behalf. Perhaps he does not know them well, nor they him, or maybe he knows them well, but he has been absent for some time now, but he writes to them with a clear conscience. This is something very important to this writer as well as to Paul, and Paul made a lot about this in his ministry, a great deal about this, this idea of a good conscience. You remember in Acts 24, he told Governor Felix when he was on trial, this is what he said. Knowing that for many years you have been a judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense. You can verify that it is not more than 12 days since I went up to worship in Jerusalem and they did not find me disputing with anyone or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or the synagogues or in the city. Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me. But this I confess to you, Governor Felix, that according to the way which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the law and written in the prophets, having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust, so I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward God, both God and man.
He wrote to the Corinthian church, for our boasts is in this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom, but by the grace of God and supremely toward you. Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart, but we have renounced, disgraceful, unhanded, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth, we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. He instructed his young disciple Timothy, the aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith. And then he says, deacons likewise must be dignified, not double tongue, not addicted to much wine, not greedy for dishonest gain. They must hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience. FF Bruce, again, says the good conscience of which he speaks is probably the fruit of a sense of duty done. A responsibility well discharged. Peter emphasizes the importance of a good and clear conscience for every Christian. He writes in 1 Peter 3, but even if you should suffer for righteousness's sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense, to anyone who asks you for the reason for the hope that is in you, yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that when you are a slander, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. He says again for Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, and he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed the spirits in prison, because they formally did not obey when God's patience in the days of Noah while the ark was being prepared, in which a few that is eight persons were brought safely through the water. Baptism which corresponds to this now saves you, not the removal of dirt from the body, but an appeal to God for a good conscience through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A good conscience is so important to a Christian and to a leader.
In the context of Hebrews, the author has had to say quite frankly, some very blunt even what may sound harsh sounding things to these Jewish Christians who are in Rome. Let me give you a flavor of those. He says this about this we have much to say and it is hard to explain since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food. For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness since he is a child, but solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. That is a pointed statement he makes at them. And then he says this, let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised his faithful and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as the habit of some but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. For if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries. Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the evidence of two or three witnesses. How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the one who have trampled underfoot the Son of God? And as profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has outraged the spirit of grace, for we know him who said vengeance is mine. I will repay. And again, the Lord will judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Finally, he says, therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. And thus, let us offer to God acceptable worship with reverence and offer our God. He says is a consuming fire. And that is just a flavor of what the writer of the Hebrews wrote to these Jewish Christians. Simon Kistemacher says in his commentary, the writer is trying to say to the readers that he is aware of their uneasiness about his instruction and his exhortations. But he himself bears no ill will. He can understand that some of the readers are not pleased with abolishing the levitical precepts because of the tradition of the fathers. But in his heart, in his own heart, the writer is persuaded that his conscience is clear.
But now he states in verse 18, I have said these things with a clear, a good conscience. Ray Steadman says his prayer request concerns his own desire to live in good conscience. And to be able to come to his friends soon on a personal visit, there may be a veiled awareness here of some possible resentment in his readers for the blunt things he had to say to them for his long absence from them. But it does not feel that he did anything wrong in speaking bluntly. We are sure we have a clear conscience. And he enlist them to prayerfully pray for them prayerful concern that he may visit them again soon. Loved ones like any pastor or elder or deacon,
this man does not like confrontation. He is torn between wanting to please God and the desire to be loved by people. To please God with truth or to be loved by people with popularity. But this good pastor has chosen the first over the second. He will tell them the truth in order to be faithful to God and to serve their spiritual needs. He loves them enough and God enough to tell them the truth for them and for God. Philip Euseh says, he has spoken very frankly of the perils by which he sees their spiritual well-being to be threatened. And he is sure that he has a clear conscience. That is, that his conduct in relation to them can stand the scrutiny of both man and God. John McArthur rightly says this, he was not being egotistical or arrogant, but simply saying that to the best of his own knowledge, he administered to the people faithfully, not perfectly, but faithfully. He not only needed their prayers, he had earned their prayers. He had a right before God to expect them to pray for him. He did not simply imagine or suppose that he had been faithful, he had a good conscience about it. The writer of the Hebrews could honestly say that he had served well the people given into his care and therefore he had a right to expect their prayers.
A good conscience comes from only one thing. Knowing that you did what was right, regardless of how unpopular it may be, it becomes increasingly more difficult for our church officers and church officers all over the world to do what is right in God's eyes when it is so easily possible to displease people. People today are quick to show their displeasure, even their anger, over a decision a pastor makes, a word that is said, a philosophy of ministry. I recall very vividly about eight or nine years ago in planting a church in South Florida. A gentleman and his family came in and I typically would greet them at the door with the other greeners and we were a small church working in a school and we had our worship team on a stage of a school that was leading in worship that day as we did each week and this man came in and as soon as I reached out my hand to him he pulled his hand back and he said is that what you have out on the stage? Is that the kind of worship that you guys do here to say the least I was stunned and I was trying to figure out how can I pull him away from everybody else coming in who were joyful and I quickly realized this gentleman was angry, it made a quick decision without even asking he was angry, he was displeased with what I had done of putting the worship team up on a stage and they were practicing rehearsing before the service.
How uncommitted people can feel if they're not getting what they want and pastor a leader faces that. Similar situation when we first started the church in Florida we had a leadership team where frankly we didn't know where everybody stood and their relationship with Christ. And there was one fellow who really was committed to helping us with our music he was good with the sound system he was good with those kinds of things and he was committed to it and so for six months we met and planned as a team this launch team and then we launched our services. I began to preach out of Mark's gospel and I began to talk about the gospel in about six months to nine months later I didn't say him anymore come to find out that he wasn't getting what he wanted. He wasn't wanting the word of God preached the gospel spoken about he was wanting something else that made him feel good about his own life
pastor faces that can cave into that and it is very difficult for your officers at Christ covenant to lead by principle when we live in a culture that often lives by preference and here's the rub the preferences of the people versus the principles of God is it a comfortable conscience or a clear one that's what every leader has to face if we are ever to see a restoration of virtue or revival of faith in America the leaders both in our churches and in our government are going to have to become people of principle men and women of a clear conscience before God and before people and that will never happen for the church unless the people of God pray for a good and clear conscience for magistrates and ministers secondly he says to pray for your leaders in honorable life desireing he says to conduct ourselves honorably in all things literally in all things well desiring to conduct ourselves it means it is from two words there are two words listed here meaning well correctly rightly or pleasing for the first word the second one is a verb with two meanings to me it means but I will take the second one for in this sense it takes that one in the passive to conduct oneself act behave or live so what this means is literally to act behave conduct oneself or life in the sense of the practice of certain principles that's his prayer and when the two words are used together this is what the the word the sentence means to conduct oneself with strength and courage with strength encourage the key to a clear conscience in an honorable life is nothing less than moral courage fear is the great challenge to spiritual and moral leadership the fear of man the fear of losing an election the fear of people leaving the church the fear of being persecuted or slandered or ostracized the fear of making a mistaken and looking foolish the fear of a wrong decision that brings dire consequences leaders need our prayers so that they can do what is right an honorable in spite of fear and in the strength encourage as men of faith once the leader is certain he is right he knows God's will and that he will be supported by Christ in doing what is right he possesses two powerful allies a good conscience in his mind and moral strength encourage in his soul what we need is presidents and pastors magistrates and ministers elected officials and elders who have learned four valuable lessons the cause of truth is always more important than the consequences number two God will always side with the truth and never against it three because God is with the man of principle truth in the end truth will always win in number four opposition must not stop the leader from doing what is right the good conscience and the favor of God as all he needs to move forward leaders need to hear what I am saying God is always with the truth and therefore the man of principle will eventually win the battle leaders need your prayers so they can face opposition weed through the threats and prophecies of doom and see clearly down the road where God is leading there is behind this petition for prayer a very humble and an honest recognition that it is not easy for sinful men to lead with a clear conscience and with moral courage without the prayers and support of his people and the power of the spirit so let me ask you the same thing that the writer the Hebrews asks tonight for our application will you pray for us your leaders so that we can minister to you with a clear conscience and live before you with moral courage would you do two things i'm just going to ask you for two one is would you regularly pray for us as elders deacons and pastors when we monthly have the day of prayer we really need your prayer your prayers during that especially monthly prayer where we meet there are roughly 28 slots from 9 a.m. to or 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. and here is our conviction this prayer day is the most important thing we do together as a church outside of our Sunday worship services i know my cross shares that conviction it is vital a vital ministry of prayer and secondly would you renew to commit to pray for two or three of our pastors and every meal i know some of you do that i'm so thankful for that i know that you pray for me i get i receive emails and notes of encouragement and i'm thankful for that every one of our pastors are thankful for that but mike ross bernie larrence bruce creswell chris decker gave sylvia andrew holbrook and john haines would you commit over the meal with your kids with your friends to pray for us a brief prayer even if it's in a restaurant asking that we would live with that we would have a good clear conscience and live honorable lives with moral courage to do what is right we are under great attack and much temptation and we desperately need your prayers this is a plea first Corinthians 169 Paul said it is very true and this is very true of our pastoral staff to pray for a wide door for effective service has opened for me and there are many adversaries first desoloneans 525 brethren pray for us i will read again first timothy first of all then i urge that supplications prayers intercessions thanksgiving be made for all people for kings and all who are in high positions that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life godly and dignified in every way the same emphasis as the apostles we devote ourselves to prayer into the ministry of the word not word and prayer but rather prayer first and the ministry of the word secondly that same emphasis is found in the two verses pray for us but we are sure we have a clear conscience desiring to act honorably in all things and i urge you that all the more to do this Raymond brown says that by way of special emphasis he requests for prayer is repeated he earnestly urges them to go on praying just as he urged them earlier to attend earnestly to the word how important is this for your leaders let me illustrate the urgency right now praying for us is the number one priority of Jesus Christ heavenly ministry consequently Hebrew says he is able to save to the utmost those who draw near to god through him since he always lives to make intercession for them Christ lives eternally and at all times praise for us the ongoing priestly intercession of Christ and we Christians are a priesthood of believers who live and pray for one another and especially our leaders and if Christ does this who are we to ignore it following Christ's example is our privilege and responsibility it is not legalism or moralism for me to say to you let's pray for one another just because Jesus does it in fact that's the best reason for us being called to pray and finally let me leave you with this excitation from Paul finally brothers pray for us that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored as happened among you and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men for not all have faith but the Lord is faithful he will establish you and guard you against the evil one and we have confidence in the Lord about you that you are doing and the will that you are doing and will do the things that we command may the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God into the steadfastness of Christ brethren pray for us let's pray father we are thankful for the writer of Hebrews reminding us as leaders in your church that we desperately need the prayers of your people and the power of your spirit and so we as leaders here all of us plead for your people to regularly faithfully pray for us and we would have a clear and a good conscience and live honorably before your people in the world for the open doors before us our opportunities are great our temptation and pressure to cave in to popularity is great and so father I pray for myself and for our pastors and our leaders here tonight that we might remain faithful in what we are called to not concerned about the consequences but about your truth to live before God and man with a clear conscience an honorable life in all decency and honesty and integrity we commend ourselves to you tonight for the grace to do that and I am thankful personally thankful for all the people here that pray for us regularly encourage them with your prayer their prayers as you work in our lives weak and sinful frail people to do the work of a leader in your church for your glory and honor in Jesus' name that we pray these things amen