Hebrews 13 pt1

For those of you who were at Harvest Church last Sunday, you know that our homework was to read Hebrews 13 seven times this week. I hope you guys are doing that this week (if you haven't started yet- you still have today). If you missed the service, you can watch the video at harvestmobile.com. I want to spend a couple of days on this blog on the things that popped out at me during my reading:


⁷ Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 

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.


This passage talks about how we relate to authority within the local church. Paul didn't just mention it once, he came back & mentioned it again a few verses later. Apparently it was something he wanted to make sure was clearly & compellingly communicated. 


We are commanded (it wasn't a suggestion) to remember our leaders & imitate their faith. Now that doesn't mean that we do everything they do because they do it, because like us, our leaders are human and flawed. Paul said to consider the outcome of their way of life. Basically, look at your leaders, see what they're doing right, see what's producing fruit in their lives, and imitate their faith. God didn't give us leaders for us to tell them how to live. We were given leaders so that we could learn and imitate their faith.


That part's relatively easy for us. Most of us can imitate what's going well for someone. So, Paul came back a few verses later and added a passage that's a lot more convicting. He said to have confidence in your leaders (you can't have confidence and criticize at the same time), he said to submit to their authority (it isn't submission until you disagree), and to make their work be a joy. 


The Bible is clear that leaders in the church will answer for their stewardship or lack thereof. That's between them & God. However, our role in relation to our leaders is just as clear. We are commanded to be easy to pastor, to imitate their faith, and to make their work a joy.


Where can you make adjustments to make your leader's ministry more of a joy? What can you do to lighten their load?