Entertaining Strangers

Temple Baptist Church - 10-21-2020

Hebrews 13:2

 

Introduction:

 

A.  As Paul ends the Book of Hebrew, he gives admonitions in different scenarios.  Last week, it was “Let brotherly love continue.”

 

B.  Tonight, we will look at verse 2 within its context.  Chapter 13 of Hebrews deals specifically with the interaction of people within the local church.  In the Old Testament (Old Covenant), everything about the Tabernacle and Temple were individual.  Though they gathered to worship to some degree, especially in the Feast Days, it was not like the local church, the “called out assembly” of saints to worship together. 

 

C.  I did a little research on our verse for tonight and did not find any specific messages preached on verse 2.  It is one of those verses that has been basically passed over.

 

D.  I will basically break down the verse word by word and it will by self-explanatory.

 

1.  The word “Be” is a command, not a prerogative.  “Be” ye fill with the Holy Ghost and “b” not conformed to this world are such verses.  Therefore, verse 2 is a strong verse as we are commanded in this area.

 

2.  “Not” is an absolute negative.  It means no, never, or not for any reason or not at any time.  Thus, we have no “wiggle room” to set this verse aside or not to conform to its command. 

 

3.  “Forgetful.”  Forgetful is to be neglectful: that is to know to do something but not to do it.  Forgetful is to lose out of mind.  Not to just forget for a while but forgetful is to continue in forgetfulness.  We forget to do what the Bible says to do when we meet strangers. 

 

At this point, I find it beneficial to reverse the order of the next 2 words, “entertain” and “strangers.”

 

4.  “Strangers.” Let us look at the Bible definition of the word:

 

Stranger—an alien or foreigner who lodges as a guest.  In this definition, we find that they are not strangers until they interact with someone.  Strangers in the Old Testament were generally held in high esteem.

 

A stranger is someone whom you do not know or have previously never met.  They could be one of your peers, one of lesser estate, or one of great estate.

 

A stranger is unknown to us as to where they are from, who their family is, what they do for a living, what they are doing in your area.  Though not strange to others, they are strange to you.

 

A stranger, though strange to you and I, are not strangers with God!

 

The word “stranger” or “strangers” are used 211x in your King James Bible.

 

a.  The First Mention of “stranger” speaks of Israel being a stranger in Egypt.  They were mistreated and Egypt paid a terrible price for mistreating Israel.

 

Genesis 15:13  And he said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years;

 

b.  The Second Mention of “stranger” speaks of Israel living in the land of Promise.

 

Genesis 17:8  And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.

 

c.  The Last Mention of “stranger” speaks of faithfulness to such.

 

3 John 5  Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers;

 

5.  “Entertain.”  The words “entertain” and “entertained” are only found 2x in your King James Bible and both instances are in our text!  Therefore, we have the First Mention, the Last Mention, and the Full Mention Principles of Bible Interpretation in one sentence.  It means that there is nothing that needs to be said on the subject.

 

NOW, what are we forgetting or neglecting to do?  To entertain strangers or people who we do not know, people of unknown origin! 

 

If “stranger” in one form or the other is found 211x times and “entertain” or “entertained” is found only 2x and in out text, there is something in the Old Testament that was lost or not followed in the New Testament. 

 

We, as both Christians and members of a local New Testament Church must be careful not to forget to walk in the Old Paths of the Scriptures and our forefathers.  I fear that much has been lost over the generations through forgetfulness in this matter of maintaining.

 

Entertain—to be fond of or to be hospitable to.  To care for someone within your home or specifically here in the church.  To treat as a dear friend.  To give attention to or to be considerate.

 

6.  “Entertained angels unawares.”  The verse admonishes the New Testament believer to not be forgetful to entertain strangers because some strangers have been and will be “angels unawares.”

 

There are many things that took place during the transitional period of the Bible that were passing things.  We could name several them, but I will not take the time tonight.  Entertaining strangers and the possibility of entertaining angels is not transitional!

 

 

There were times in the Bible when these strangers were angels in human form, sent out from God on a mission.  I find no place in the Bible where this practice by God stops.  In our day, I am sure that that there is the possibility of us encountering angels.

 

I find no place in the Bible where angels stopped appearing in human form as they continued to appear for certain reasons or missions here on earth.  Unawares means that, if they appear, we ARE NOT AWARE OF WHO THEY ARE.  I add this because of the “visionary” aspect of Pentecostalism that causes them to see visions and dream dreams, etc.

 

7.  Now, let us put this in perspective.  We are to be friendly and acceptant to those we meet outside of the local church.  But chapter 13 of Hebrews, within its context, is speaking of the inner workings of the local church.

 

Matthew 25:34-40  Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:  (35)  For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:  (36)  Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.  (37)  Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?  (38)  When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?  (39)  Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?  (40)  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

 

James 2:8  If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:

 

8.  We are to accept and be considerate to those who choose to visit our church.  No matter what ethnic group, color, or anything else that they are.  God made all men equal; loves all men equal; accepts all men equal; and so, must the people in the local church.  We are to love them and treat all who come as we would expect to be treated. You just may have been entertaining an angel unaware! 

 

9.  We are to accept those who join in our church fellowship.  I understand that they are joining us, we are not joining them doctrinally.  But every saint of God is welcome and is to be treated with equality and love.  You just may be entertaining an angel unaware.  There are no

 

10.  We are to accept those missionaries that we both give a meeting to and those that just drop in.  These are God’s men and should be received and treated as such.

 

Conclusion:  Hebrews 13:2  Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

And Many Shall Follow Their Pernicious Ways - Part 2 - The Angels That Sinned

Temple Baptist Church - 3-21-2018

2 Peter 2:4

Introduction:  

A.  Last week, we looked at the “many” who choose to follow these false teachers.  The god of this world, Satan, has been deceiving from the very beginning.  He led a rebellion against God in heaven before he beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden.  He has blinded the minds of angels and men over the millenniums and continues to do so in our day.

B.  Our text gives three specific examples of deception in those who follow error: the angels, those in Noah’s day, and those in Lot’s day.  When prophesying about the end-time and its conditions, our Lord also spoke of these three examples.  They lead us to 3 reasons that people reject the God, the Bible, and sound doctrine.

1.  Because people do not like Authority.  If He is God, and He is, then He is to be loved and followed.  Thus, the mention of Angels.  People do not like a Final Authority found in the Bible. 

2.  Because people do not like Godliness that genders Loneliness.  If they follow God, they may have to follow God alone.  Thus, Noah’s Day.

3.  Because people do not like Distinction.  If it is God’s Word, it is to be believed—not debated.  True Christianity demands Separation and Distinction.  Thus, Lot’s Day.  Lot called the Sodomites brethren.

C.  Speaking in context of a judgment that lingered not, the Holy Ghost takes us back now to the beginning and shows God’s dealings with sin. 

1.  This is both an interesting verse of Scripture and a controversial one.  Speaking of the judgment of false teachers, the Holy Ghost gave reference to the fall of angels in the dateless past.  These angels committed a particular sin.  When Satan sinned, he took a vast number of angels with him in his rebellion. 

2.  These fallen angels or devils are found throughout the Bible and are found to cause the people of earth great grief.  Many in the days of Christ were filled with devils that afflicted the people that they inhabited.  One had such a multitude of devils that they went into 2000 swine.  The Apostle Paul was buffeted with a messenger of Satan in 2 Corinthians 12:7. 

3.  The angels found in 2 Peter 2:4 are again mentioned in Jude 6.  These angels “kept not their first estate but left their own habitation.”  The words first estate refers to their origin and purpose.  The angels are beings created for the worship of God in heaven and for the ice of doing His will.  The words their habitation refers to the place of their dwelling, which was heaven. 

4.  As to precisely what their sin was is not given though there is much unbiblical speculation of fallen angels cohabiting with women in Genesis 6.  This erroneous assumption has absolutely no basis in Scripture.  The sons of God in Genesis 6 referred to the godly line of Seth intermarrying with the ungodly line of Cain.  We do not know for sure what the sin of these angels was, but there are several things that can be learned from this verse. 

D.  There are several things that I want to look at:

1.  There Is A Warning Involved

            a.  The Warning Of The Destructiveness Of Sin

               1)  There Is The Wonder Of Wickedness – angels sin.

2   There Is The Wonder Of Justice – God spared them not.

3)  There Is The Wonder Of Containment – He cast them down to hell.

4)  There Is The Wonder Of Judgment – they are reserved.

            b.  The Warning Of The Deceivableness Of Sin

1)  They Sinned In Spite Of Their Position - Psalms 8:5  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.

Psalms 68:17  The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

2)  They Sinned In Spite Of Their Possessions - Psalms 68:17  The chariots of God are twenty thousand, eventhousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.  (You would think that they were satisfied.)

3)  They Sinned In Spite Of Their Power - Psalms 103:20  Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

4)  They Sinned In Spite Of Their Purpose - Psalms 148:2  Praise ye him, all his angels: praise ye him, all his hosts.

5)  They Sinned In Spite Of Their Place - Ezekiel 28:13-14  Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created.  Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.

a)  They Were Around The Right Crowd – (A perfect peer pressure)

b)  They Were Around The Right Circumstances – (A perfect place)

c)  They Purposefully Chose To Sin

            c.  The Warning Of The Destruction Of Sin

1)  Lucifer (Light Bearer or Shining One) became Satan (Adversary or one who withstands)

2)  The Son of the Morning (Son Of The Early Light) became Apollyon (Destroyer)

3)  Their Blessing became Mischief.

4)  Their Wisdom became Cunning.

5)  Their Strength became Viciousness.

2.  There Is A Wrath Incurred

a.  The Judgment Of God Is Without Respect – “spared not the angels that sinned”

Romans 2:1-11  Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.  But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.  And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?  But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;  Who will render to every man according to his deeds:  To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,  Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:  For there is no respect of persons with God.

b.  The Judgment Of God Is Without Relief - “cast them down to hell”

Luke 16:24  And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

Mark 9:43-48  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

c.  The Judgment Of God Is Without Reprieve – “reserved unto judgment”

Revelation 14:10  The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

Revelation 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet [are], and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.