There's so much we don't know about the Epistle to the Hebrews. We don't know who wrote it or when. We don't know for sure where or to whom it was written.
We don't know exactly what challenge its recipients faced, or exactly how they were tempted to compromise in response. But here's one thing we do know: Hebrews presents the richest, most complete theology of worship in the New Testament. (1) And another: Hebrews' warning passages are among the most intense, arresting exhortations in Scripture.
Hebrews speaks a strong word to churches in America today, especially as our circumstances begin to align more and more with the original recipients of this letter. In order to take a brief sounding of how Hebrews speaks to local churches today, we will explore the themes of worship, ministry, and discipline in this enigmatic first-century sermon (Heb. 13:22).
Worship
To sum up Hebrews' teaching on worship is virtually to sum up the whole book: Christ fulfilled and therefore ended the entire old covenant system of worship, with the result that we now have unhindered access to God. The central theological argument of the letter’roughly 5:1 to 10:18’expounds an extended contrast between old covenant worship and the new covenant work of Christ, describing the differences between the covenants themselves, along with their priesthoods, sanctuaries, and sacrifices.
The old covenant was not faultless (8:7) and therefore not permanent (8:13). It's not that the covenant itself was flawed, but that it could not fix the people's flaws (8:8-9). Yet Jesus mediates a better covenant, enacted on better promises (8:6, 10-12), a covenant that brings forgiveness of sins (10:18) and secures the people's eternal inheritance (9:15). The Levitical priesthood could make nothing perfect (7:11), but Jesus introduced a better hope through which we draw near to God (7:19). The Levitical priests' tenures were cut short by death; Jesus holds his priesthood forever, because he lives forever (7:24). The sanctuary in which the Levitical priests served was a shadowy outline of the heavenly reality (8:5); Jesus serves in the heavenly sanctuary itself, the true tent that the Lord set up, not man (8:1-2). Once a year, the high priest would enter the earthly Holy of Holies (9:7); Jesus passed through the greater and more perfect tent to enter the true Holy of Holies, the very presence of God in heaven (9:11-12). The old covenant sacrifices purified only the flesh; Christ's offering purifies our conscience (9:13-14). Old covenant sacrifices had to be offered daily with the priests continually standing at their service (10:11); Christ offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, then sat down at God's right hand (10:12).
As a result of Christ's perfect self-offering, we can approach God's throne in confident expectation of help and mercy (4:16). We can draw near to him in full assurance of faith, since we've been cleansed inside and out (10:22). Now we no longer sacrifice animals but offer "a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name" (13:15). Again, Hebrews transposes old covenant worship language into a new key when the author exhorts us, "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God" (13:16). When we praise God in church, or confess the gospel in public or provide for others' needs, we offer God an acceptable sacrifice, a pleasing aroma.
In these verses, Hebrews transfers worship terms from the old covenant sacrificial system into our everyday lives as Christians. Worship isn't confined to certain places or times or ritual acts. This doesn't mean that there's nothing special about the church's weekly assembly. On the contrary, that assembly anticipates the time when we will gather at last around God's throne (12:18-24). But it does mean that new covenant worship is first and foremost a matter of offering up our lives to serve God and others, just as Christ offered up his life to serve us (10:5-10).
Ministry
Ministry is one of those Christian words that seems to mean just about anything. In its broadest sense, ministry is simply service to God and others. From this angle, to speak of ministry in Hebrews is to refer to the all-of-life worship we've just been describing. For instance, the author commends his readers, "For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do" (6:10). Every Christian should minister in this sense, serving others for God's sake.
Sometimes when we use the word ministry, though, we speak of those who are appointed to a special role of teaching and oversight in the local church. Hebrews doesn't use the word ministry for this role, but it does refer to leaders and preachers: "Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith" (13:7). This probably refers to those who initially evangelized this community and have now passed away. They persevered to the end, so these believers are called to walk in their steps.
The author offers more detailed exhortations regarding the church's current leaders: "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" (13:17). So every Christian ministers to God and others, but not every Christian is a leader. Every Christian offers God acceptable worship, but not every Christian will give an account for the souls of others.
Hebrews is clear that the ministry entrusted to these leaders is ordained by God to benefit the whole flock. In order to receive that benefit, Christians need to gladly submit to the leaders God has given them. Christians who buck against authority in the church buck against their own blessing.
Discipline
Hebrews presents the Christian life as a pilgrimage from this transient, earthly city to the permanent city to come (13:14). We have been definitively cleansed by Christ's sacrifice (10:14), but we have not yet been made perfectly holy (12:23). So God disciplines us for our good, as a loving father disciplines his children (12:5-11). He sends hard providences, not to punish, but to purge and prune. At present his discipline is painful, but in time it will bear a joyful harvest of holiness.
Our life together in the church should also be characterized by discipline’not a drill-sergeant, tougher-than-thou moralism, but tender, loving effort to help others be holy (12:12-13). We're called to "exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin" (3:12-13). In fact, this mutual exhortation is one of the key reasons for gathering as a church: "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (10:24-25).
Because God loves us, he disciplines us for our good. Because we church members love one another, we gather to exhort and encourage one another, to help one another persevere in faith and faithfulness. Theologians often call this "formative discipline," helping conform one another to the character of Christ. We don't come to church to "worship" and leave "discipline" to our church's elders. Instead, helping one another grow is basic to why we gather.
The stakes of this mutual ministry couldn't be higher. Those who are hardened by sin and who fail to persevere in Christ face inescapable judgment (2:3), exclusion from God's rest (4:11), a curse (6:8), and God's vengeance (10:30). So our churches' assemblies should be times of rejoicing and rebuking, comfort and confrontation. The world lulls us into seeking our inheritance here and now; in church we must remind one another that we are heirs of the world to come (11:13-16). Everything in our churches' gatherings’prayer, Scripture reading, preaching, confessing our faith, baptism, and the Lord's Supper’should prod us to persevere in our pilgrimage.
Our Sufficient and Sole Hope
This brings us back to the tension between worship and warning. Why does Hebrews combine such rich exultation in the work of Christ with such dire warnings for those who turn away from Christ? Because Christ is our sufficient hope, fulfilling the old covenant cult and granting us access to God. He is our sole hope, and to reject him is to receive the wrath of God. He has opened a new and living way into God's presence (10:20); no other way is possible.
As the cultural tide of opposition to Christianity continues to rise, remember that you are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. So "let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire" (12:28-29).
