So we're here in Hebrews chapter 13. Last week I took the first six verses. I focused in on some groups that are involved there, brethren, strangers, imprisoned brethren, and also spouses, spouses and virgins, and spoke about how we were to show brotherly love And then I spoke again about covetousness, because covetousness destroys all of those relationships. So really this section is dealing with, in its conclusion of the letter, it's dealing with some of the obligations that we have under the New Covenant. They spent a large amount of time explaining how the New Covenant is ratified in the blood of Jesus Christ. The author has spent a lot of time explaining what Christ has done as the eternal High Priest. It's got this priestly slant to it, a priestly viewpoint in what has gone on. And we know that many of the priests had come to faith and they were struggling with the whole issue of, do I continue on in the Mosaic Covenant now that Christ has come? or how do I function now as a Levite, as a priest under the new covenant? And so all kinds of questions that revolve around that. And so here in this section this morning, he turns our eyes upon those who are leaders in the faith, and he's really speaking about imitation of those leaders. imitation that will not only mimic speech, but also mimic life. I can remember growing up and watching on TV Rich Little. Rich Little was this fella that would study other people. I think back in the 70s, he was pretty popular. And I remember one episode where he's on Johnny Carson and he does Johnny Carson. He does John Wayne, he does others. He's an impersonator. He's an imitator. I mean, he really studied the person, their speech pattern, their mannerisms. And it was funny to watch because here you're seeing another person doing another person. What couldn't be captured, though, was the life. All he could do is kind of mimic the speech and the mannerisms, but he couldn't really imitate the life pattern. Good mimic, though. George Whitefield was that way before he got saved. George Whitefield, one of the most celebrated preachers, preached where there would be 10,000, 20,000 people. God used him mightily. But when he was a young teen, he would go around and he would imitate, he would mimic the pastors of the day. And in doing so, he was mocking them. He took on their speech pattern. He took on their mannerisms. But he didn't have the life. He couldn't imitate the life. Here the author in Hebrews is saying we've got to do much more than just take on the speech patterns and the mannerisms of Christians. We have to imitate our leaders in every way. We have to imitate them in the faith. We need to look at the outcome of their way of life and imitate them in that. And so let's look at 13.7 for a moment. In the scriptures, God's word says this, remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. So there it is, verse seven. A Greek scholar, biblical Greek scholar, has put it this way. He says, continue to remember your leaders, those who spoke God's word to you. Reflect on the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. But the word that's being used there at the end of this verse really speaks of a way of life. And we are to imitate the way of life and not just imitate the speech of a Christian or the mannerisms of a Christian. You know, we've met a lot of people like that, haven't we? people who can talk the church lingo, and yet when they leave the church, they don't have anything that represents Christ at all. They're just talkers. They don't walk the walk. So he is directing their thoughts now to remember their leaders. This is an obligation for them, just like remembering their brethren. Remembering those in prison. Remembering strangers. Remembering spouses. He's saying, remember your leaders. So it is more than just a memory. It is a thoughtful consideration of what they are doing. It's scrutinizing their life and not just their speech. And then, upon thoughtful consideration, they are to take the appropriate action. Let me give you another example of this word before we get into the main points of today's message. When he speaks about remembering them, remembering your leaders, those who rule over you, he is using that term remember in the way that Christ did when he spoke to the church in Revelation 2.5. Turn there for a moment with me. Revelation 2.5. Speaking to the church in Ephesus, the same word, slightly different ending, form ending, but the same word is used here in verse 5, Revelation 2, verse 5. It says, Remember therefore from where you have fallen. So look upon where you have come from, consider it, scrutinize it, analyze it, and then you are to do something. Repent and do the first works. So this term here that is used in Hebrews carries all of that meaning in it. you must continue to remember with thoughtful consideration and then act appropriately. It's also there in Revelation 3.3. Remember therefore, Jesus says to the church in Sardis, remember therefore how you have received and heard. So you see, he's calling upon them to scrutinize how they received God's word. And then what does he call upon them to do? What does Christ say? Hold fast and repent. So it is more than just memory when that term is used, remember. It's not just sitting in our pew and thinking of happy days gone by, and that was a nice sweet memory, and now we're on to the next thing. It is thoughtful consideration of something that has happened to give us movement forward in the future. Action that we are to take. And again, he identifies the who in here. One more thing before we get to our main points this morning. The who is those who rule over you. Now, of course, today's church doesn't really like to hear the word rule, rule over you. Hegumenon is a term that is used for rulers. It's also there in verse 17, same chapter here. Look at how he says it there. Obey those who rule over you, same Greek term. It's also there in 24. greet all those who rule over you. Same term used three times in this chapter. Now we know that in the synagogue, and this would be important for Jewish hearers of this message, this letter being read out loud, that in the synagogue, there was a term for synagogue rulers. Acts 13, verse 15 says, and it says, and after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue, they sent to them saying, men and brethren, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, come on and come up here and teach them. So there were rulers in the synagogue. It's not surprising then, in Hebrews 13, that this one who was writing to the Jews, who probably was a Jew himself, and had a very Levitical cast of mind, very priestly-oriented mind, would suggest to them that they need to obey those who have the rule over them. The Jews would have understood that a synagogue ruler is the one that ordered the worship of the synagogue, made sure that they guided the people in worship in the synagogue, and then would guard that worship and the word in the synagogue. And so he uses that term there, those who rule over you. We can think also in Acts, not just plural term synagogue rulers as it is there in Acts 13, but in Acts chapter 18, there's a synagogue ruler by the name of Crispus. and also Sosthenes, so it could be a single ruler of a synagogue and not a plurality of rulers in the synagogue. Why is that important? Because in the church, God has given pastors that office as ruler and teacher. First Timothy 5.17 says, let the elders, the pastors, who rule well, be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. So there you have elders, there you have pastors in the church who are elders, and they are doing two things. They are teaching doctrine, and they are ruling in the assembly, ruling in the church. Another term for pastors Besides elders, besides bishop or episkopos, would be something like poimen. Pastors are shepherds. And what do shepherds do? They feed and they guard. They are also didaskaloi, they're teachers. just like when John and Andrew come up to Jesus and they meet Him for the first time and they call out to Him, Teacher, and they use that term there. So the who, those who rule over you, is the pastors, the elders that are there. So remember, in the beginning of this chapter, he's talking about the body, the brothers. He's talking about those outside of the body, strangers. He's talking about those who were in prison for their faith, imprisoned brethren. He's talking about spouses. Now he's talking about pastors. And he says, I want you to consider your pastors. Consider their way of life and the outcome of their faith. Under Christ, pastors direct us in the faith. I am called as a pastor to direct you in the faith. I am a ruler in the church body, that is, I am to guide you and I am to guard you. And how do I do that? How do I rule? Well, I rule or I lead by God's Word. I lead you by God's Word, the New Testament, the Scriptures. That is the foundation of my rule here. And the Old Testament too, because the Old Testament is really expounded by the New Testament. So the entire body of the Scripture is how I am to rule in the body. And if our church were large enough to where we had a plurality of elders, just as I suggested in this opening example with synagogue rulers, or where a synagogue only had one, it's the same in churches. Some churches only have one pastor, one elder, and as they grow and as needs grow, elders and deacons within the body grow. And so he is directing them to look to consider their pastors. They are directing you in the faith. So notice what he says here in verse seven. He said, these ones who rule over you, these pastors, they have spoken the word of God to you. So the first way that we could really imitate our leaders in the faith imitate pastors is to learn the doctrines of the faith. They have spoken the word of God to you. So we are called upon to learn the doctrines of the faith. Pastors in different parts of the world are under great risk. great adversity when they teach their people the word of God. They're not teaching personal opinion. They're not even teaching popular opinion. I mean, they're not here to be cheerleaders or self-esteem boosters. They're to speak the word of God. and we're to learn it. Faithful pastors are tied to the Word. In fact, that's one of the ways that you can assess a church ministry is if that pastor is faithful to that Word in every way. In all circumstances, are they faithful to that word? Is Christ central in his speech? Is Christ central in his thought? Notice here, even in this chapter, immediately the author here, he speaks about Christ. In verse eight, he speaks about Christ again in verse 12. The author here, he can't escape Christ. And we know that he's quoted several Old Testament Scriptures that have been fulfilled by Jesus. And so he is one who is tied to the Word. Christ is central. And so pastors who are faithful in teaching the doctrines to their people are ones who are tied to the Word. And we ought to imitate that. We ought to be tied to the word. We ourselves ought to be speaking Christ in the day and not just on Sunday. The time is coming when even church members will not put up with sound doctrine. Think about what it says here in 2 Timothy 4. Beginning in verse two, God's word says, preach the word. Paul telling this to that young pastor Timothy, preach the word. Don't preach opinion, preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and teaching, for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine. The day is coming when in the churches, people don't want to hear God's word, they want to hear something else. It says that, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers, so they'll gather up teachers to themselves, but only the kind of teachers that they want to hear, not the kind of pastor teacher that is communicating to them the word of God. And they'll turn away their ears from the truth, Paul says, and turn aside to fables or fiction. So we, if we are to imitate our leaders in the faith, we too must learn the doctrines of the faith. And you know, people died, and people are still dying. Christians are still dying for the doctrines of the faith, and specifically the doctrine regarding Christ Jesus, who He is and what He has done. Doctrine is important. We hear too many times in our day and age that doctrine divides, and we shouldn't preach doctrine, we should preach love. but love must have a context in the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Martyrs died because they did not deny the doctrine of Christ. They were heeding the doctrine in order to have a better resurrection. So, number one, how can we imitate our leaders in the faith, how could we imitate our pastors? We imitate those faithful pastors by learning the doctrines of the faith. Secondly, we must live the principles and the practices that flow out of the doctrine that is taught by the pastors. There are principles, there are practices that are denoted in Scripture, and they flow out of doctrine. Practice is like the cart. Doctrine is like the horse. Practice doesn't go in front of the horse. Doctrine leads our practice. They're both hitched up together, but only one can lead. And it's doctrines that lead, and it's principles and practices that follow on. These principles and practices are not the latest, greatest fad to build up the church. Church growth is not like business growth. I mean, we cannot use secular methods. We can't use business world methods to grow the church. God is the one that gives the growth. We in the church are called to grow the church by the planting of seed and the watering of seed. So our ministry to building the church is on the word and prayer. Not on the latest, greatest fad. Not on the newest thing in church growth ministries. Live the principles which flow out of the doctrines taught. Doctrine and practice go together. Principles and practices are regulated by scripture. when we seek to have some kind of practice within the church, we are to ask right away, what does the scripture say? We really want to be tied to what scripture says to be right with God. We dare not go further at risk of judgment from God. Look at Titus two with me for a moment. Titus chapter two. But as for you, Paul is saying this to another pastor, but as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. And then what does he illustrate here? that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience. The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things, that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. Do you see where he went, immediately went to? He said, in the very beginning of that chapter, in that first verse, he said, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine. And then where did he go? He went right to principles and practices. They follow doctrine. They inform our conduct, inform our behavior. This is why the author is saying here, consider the way of life of your pastor and the outcome of their faith and imitate it, mimic it, live it. And so he goes on and he says this, for young men to be sober-minded, in all things showing yourself to be a pattern of good works, in doctrine showing integrity. reverence, incorruptibility, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that one who's an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to say of you. Exhort bondservants to be obedient to their own masters, to be well-pleasing in all things, not answering back, not pilfering, but showing all good fidelity that they may adorn the doctrine of God. our Savior in all things, that their practice, that their conduct would adorn the doctrine regarding Christ. And then he says, for the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us, so there's doctrine. teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from every lawless deed. and purify for himself his own special people, zealous for good works." Do you see practice there? You see the principles and practices that are flowing from doctrine. And then he says, "'Speak these things, exhort, rebuke with all authority, let no one despise you.'" There it is, living out the principles and the practices which flow out of the doctrines that are taught. The Word is central to worship. Prayers must be informed by the Word of God. Music must be honoring to the Lord and then saturated with the Word. There ought to be reverence at the Lord's table with appropriate elements. We don't change up the elements to our own liking like what was done so many years ago and noised abroad, how someone said we could celebrate the Lord's Supper with tacos and Pepsi. That's repugnant to God. We can't do what we want to do. What does the scriptures say? What does it teach us and how are we to worship God? And then qualified men as leaders according to the word. We must stay true. We must be like those faithful pastors. Even if our pastor is taken away. Even if our pastor is imprisoned. Even if our pastor is slain. martyred for holding fast, like Jesus said. We are to live the principles and practices which flow out of the doctrine that has been taught. Let's take a look at another way. Whose faith follow Not only are we to learn the doctrines of the faith, not only live the principles which flow out of the doctrine, but we are to role model the ABCs of the faith. What are the ABCs of the faith? Attitude, behavior, conduct. we are to role model the ABCs of the faith. That is what a pastor is called upon to do. That is what a pastor teaches his people. And that is what the author is admonishing his hearers to do. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate them. So their attitude about things as informed by the scripture and how they behave, how they conduct themselves is extremely important. They are to mimic. We get this word mimic, and the Greek term here is mimestai in this section. It's the same term as in 2 Thessalonians 3. Let me read that verse to you. For you yourselves know how you ought to mimic us, follow us, imitate us, Paul says, for we were not disorderly among you, nor did we eat anyone's bread free of charge, but we worked with labor and toil night and day that we might not be a burden to any of you. Not because we do not have authority, but to make ourselves an example of how you should imitate us, mimic us. So what did he show besides hard work and toil? Paul showed humility. I have the authority. We could have demanded from you certain things because of the office. But what is he doing? He's not only teaching a principle there, he's modeling behavior. He's modeling an attitude. So we need to role model the attitude, the behavior, and the conduct of their faith. The ones that rule over us. Eternal life is not just someone learning everything out of the Bible and then verbally regurgitating it back out. I am not smarter and wiser if I put it all out on paper and I get an MDiv and a Master of Theology and a PhD in the Bible. That's not eternal life. There are many degreed men who are suffering eternal torment, who have great knowledge of the scriptures, but had no life in them. Imitators of speech patterns and mannerisms, but had no life in them. They couldn't imitate the attitude. They couldn't imitate the behavior and conduct of a true Christian born of God's Spirit. It finally shows up. And no one is fooled in heaven's court. God is a righteous judge. No one goes to hell who doesn't deserve it. And no one goes to heaven who does deserve it. We all are unworthy, aren't It's only by grace that we're saved, God's sovereign grace. So as pastors role model the ABCs of the faith, those who follow those rulers in the church, they are to role model it too. And we all know stories of shameful conduct that has happened in the church. God calls upon us to put away shameful conduct, shameful attitude, shameful behavior, shameful words to one another. We are called upon to put it away and to put on Christ. And then two things really that flow out of this, where he's speaking about remembering your pastors who spoke the word of God to you, reflect on the outcome of their way of life, imitate them. A couple of other things that pastors do, they guard the faith that they are teaching. They guard the faith once delivered. And so pastors are those shepherds who are guardians, who protect the flock from heresy, and corrupt practices. And I'll speak a little bit more about that next week, God willing, in next Sunday's message. But they are guardians of the truth as it is in Christ. In fact, in Titus 1, Paul is very strong in speaking to Pastor Titus. He's saying, you should guard the truth so much that heretical mouths should be stopped. in the church. He puts it this way, he says that those pastors may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convict those who contradict. For there are many insubordinate. The insubordinate there are in the church. And so Paul says, there are many who are insubordinate, both idle talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision. Speaking about Jewish teachers that were coming into the congregation and seeking to lead that congregation astray. And he says, very blatantly, whose mouths must be stopped. who subvert whole households, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of dishonest gain. And so what are you to do, Pastor Titus? Paul says, rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. Pastors, guard the faith once delivered. So learn the doctrines of the faith. Live the principles and practices which flow out of doctrines. Role model the ABCs of the faith. Guard the faith once for all delivered. And last point, work toward the goal of faith. What are pastors trying to do? They are trying to lead by example. so that you might be mature in Christ, you might be consistently faithful in Christ, and that you might persevere to the end. Just as we've learned all throughout this letter, in that great chapter of faith, where all of those faithful ones, and all of those faithful leaders, they persevered to the very end. and then they receive that commendation from God, well done, thou good and faithful servant. That's what we want to hear. We don't want to hear, depart from me, you workers of iniquity. We want to enter into the joy of our Lord forever, and we can do that, but we really have to be conscious about what we do every day. Are we learning the doctrines of the faith? Are we living them out? Are we role modeling the ABCs? Are we guarding the deposit that's been given to us, not just for pastors, but for the flock too? And are we really aiming for that goal of spiritual maturity? That's really what we need. And thank God that he has saved us in spite of all of our sins and weaknesses and failures. He's a God, as we've read this morning in 1 John 1, he's a God who forgives all sins. Past, present, and future. When he died on the cross for you and I, he died for us in our entirety. He knew everything about us. The timeless one, the eternal one on the cross. Not one sin did he forget. Not one sin that you have to make up for. You won't spend any time in purgatory, a purgatory that doesn't exist. You're either with him or you're without him. And so let's be the right kind of imitator, the right kind of mimic, as the word there in Greek is, the one who not just imitates the speech of a Christian and the mannerisms of a Christian so that we might fool others in the congregation, but let's be the ones that really imitate eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let's close this time in prayer here and then we'll celebrate the Lord's Supper together.