City Life Starter

Written by Efe Abbe

The Word

⁷ Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. ⁸ Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. ⁹ 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.

Hebrews 13:7-9 ESV

¹⁰ You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,¹¹ my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured;

 ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it ¹⁵ and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:10-11; 14-15 ESV

¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

James 1:16-17 ESV

Reflection

In our author’s final words, this congregation is urged to remember their leaders who spoke God’s word to them. Amid persecution, it is not unreasonable to think that their leaders would have been more visible targets for mistreatment. There’s precedent for this, beginning with our Lord Jesus, Stephen, James, Paul — you get the picture.

This congregation is urged to consider the outcome of their leaders’ lives i.e. their faithfulness to Jesus and the gospel, and to imitate their faith, because the object of these leaders’ faith, Jesus, never changes (v. 8). It’s only by fixing their hope on Jesus amid their persecution, that they would not be led astray by “strange teachings,” and be “strengthened by [His] grace,” not by adhering to the Law (v. 9).

Application

There is no shortage of voices clamoring for influence over our lives. If we are fixed on Jesus, God’s matchless gift of salvation to us, we will clearly see that these “influencers” just saddle us down with fleeting and unattainable steps to #LivingOurBestLives.

The gospel flips this world’s order: God comes to us in Jesus, attains salvation for us, and offers it to us as a steadfastly eternal free gift. Church leaders committed to Jesus and His gospel with their entire lives regardless of the latest trends, are the only ones worth imitating. It’s only in Jesus’ unchanging grace that we can truly live God’s best life for us, even when we walk through life’s brokenness, which may include persecution.

Prayer

Thank You Father for being eternally steadfast. Thank You for being the guarantor of our salvation. Please, help Your church and the leaders, You have given her, to be committed to Jesus, by the power of Your Holy Spirit, amen.