In the Scripture readings that are appointed for today, and especially in the reading from Hebrews, it is almost like an instruction manual on how to live as a follower of Jesus Christ. Love one another. Show hospitality to strangers. Honour your marriage vows. Be content with what you have. Share what you have. Do what is good. Why? - Because these are things that are pleasing to God (Heb. 13:16). Not only that, but these are things that will strengthen us in our faith and will help us to grow in our relationships with God and with the people around us!

Yet, many people, as well as small children of a certain age, always want to ask the question, "Why?". I'd like to ask that question a lot today, seriously raising the question as to why we would want to do these things. Now, I know that a lot of parents, especially those who are tired and frustrated, will resort to, "because I said so!" when greeted with a chorus of "why's." We also could resort to a very simple answer to the question and simply say, "because the Bible says so." Yet, perhaps there are times when it's important for us to see the reasons behind what the Bible says.

And so, let's start with mutual love - with loving one another within the church. Why would we want to do that? One answer would be that we are aware of the love that God has shown for us and want to respond to it. As 1 John says, "We love because he first loved us" (4:19). And so, knowing God's love for us and for every other person, we reflect that love to the people around us.

Of course, another answer to the same question would be that we would love one another as a witness to those who do not believe in Jesus Christ. Remember in the Gospel of John where Jesus told his disciples that this would be how they would be recognized as his followers? "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (Jn. 13:35). It is simply part of believing in Jesus Christ.

It is also an essential part of salvation, or wholeness, or healing, to be set free to love and to be loved. People are able to grow and bloom and to become most fully and authentically themselves when they are treated with love and respect. We are doing both ourselves and others a great service when we actually treat one another with love.

All of this is in answer to the "Why?" question on that one little line that says, "Let mutual love continue" (Heb. 13:1). Well, how about showing hospitality to strangers? Why would we want to do that? According to Hebrews, we don't know who that stranger might be! Abraham, Lot, and Manoah all welcomed strangers into their homes who turned out to be angels in disguise. Each of them experienced blessings because of their hospitality to God's messengers. Who knows what blessings we might be missing out on through refusing to welcome strangers!

Of course the other answer to this question would simply be because we love Jesus. In Matthew 25, Jesus makes it clear that when we welcome a stranger, we are welcoming him. In the same way, when we allow a stranger to remain that way and do not welcome them, it is like we are keeping Jesus out as well. I can't help thinking about how shameful it would be if Jesus were, in fact, to show up in disguise some Sunday, only to be treated as an outsider in his own church! "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers" (Heb. 13:2).

As for remembering those who are in prison, why would we want to do that? First of all, when it is a member of the body of Christ - the church - who has been imprisoned because of their faith, we are united with them as members of the same body. Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians that, "if one member suffers, all suffer together with it" (12:26). And so, we would remember that person and share in their suffering because we are part of the same family - the same body - in Christ.

Again, just as with welcoming strangers, we might do this out of our love for Jesus. When we forget about somebody who is in prison, it is as if we are forgetting about Jesus (Mt. 25:44-45). In the same way, when we minister to somebody who is in prison, it is as if we are ministering to Jesus (Mt. 25:39-40). "Remember those who are in prison" (Heb. 13:3).

So, how about honouring marriage? Why would we want to do that? One reason might be some of the problems that are caused by promiscuity and multiple partners. We could talk about sexually transmitted diseases, "unwanted" children, or even the fear of not measuring up that comes from comparisons with other partners. We could also talk about the absolute devastation that occurs when the faithfulness and trust disappear in a marriage relationship. When marriage is dishonoured, it causes the parties involved incredible pain, which far outweighs anything that might have "seemed right at the time."

At the same time, we might honour marriage out of love for God and for the people around us. Martin Luther wrote in the Small Catechism about husbands and wives showing love and respect for one another rather than committing adultery. He also wrote about encouraging others who are married to remain loyal to one another. When there is love and respect all the way around, the people involved are able to flourish. When the love and respect are not there, a lot of pain and hurt result, and there is even more need for God's love and forgiveness to be reflected by God's people. "Let marriage be held in honor by all" (Heb. 13:4).

Well, how about keeping our lives free from the love of money? Why would we want to do that? One answer might focus on the things that the love of money can lead to. Stealing. Murder. Gambling to the point of losing everything. Premature death from all the stress. Constant discontent with what we have. Stepping on others in order to get ahead. Despair when the stock market crashes. All of these are things that hurt either ourselves, or other people, or both.

Another answer would focus on which god we actually worship. If we worship God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, then we cannot also worship money. The two are absolutely incompatible, for "you cannot serve God and wealth" (Mt. 6:24). And so, we would keep our lives free from love of money out of love for God!

Of course, we also might want to discover that when our love is focused on God rather than on money, then contentment is possible in our lives. We read in 1 Timothy:

Such contentment can only come by recognizing the reality of our situation here on this earth, where we can't take it with us, money can fail, and yet God is in charge of eternal life! "Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have" (Heb. 13:5).

Finally, do good and share what you have, "for such sacrifices are pleasing to God" (Heb. 13:16). To take it one step further, why would we want to do things that are pleasing to God? It seems that many people have in mind some sort of reward and punishment system where we do some good things and then God rewards us. Although there is reward involved with living a God-pleasing life, we sometimes forget that we cannot earn God's favour. If we could just chalk up enough good deeds for God to save us, then there would be no need for Jesus' suffering and death. Even though we would like to be able to earn our way in, that's not how it works.

Instead, God turns the whole thing around with something called "grace." God starts out by giving us far more than we could ever deserve. He gives us the life, death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus. He gives us forgiveness through our faith in Jesus. He gives us salvation and eternal life because of what Jesus has done for us. God says to each one of us, "I love you so much that I'm going to give you all this. Now what are you going to do about it?"

The good that we do is in response to God's grace. It is not to save ourselves, but because we know that God already has saved us. It is not to earn our place in heaven, but because we know that a place has been reserved for us through Jesus. It is not to earn rewards, for God has already given us more than we could either desire or deserve! Instead, we do what we do out of love for our gracious God, out of faith in the saving work of Jesus Christ, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, who works within us to make us more and more Christ-like. Thanks be to God for this marvelous gift of grace! Amen.

Proper 17(C) Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 August 29, 2004 St. Luke's Zion Lutheran Church Pastor Lynne Hutchison

? 2004 Lynn Hutchison All Rights Reserved