Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Heb. 13:7
Remember. . . . . . .
It is such a big word. Actually we remember much less than ten percent of what we have learned. The Lord Jesus when on earth possibly had a perfect memory. What an accumulation of knowledge that would give us. And hopefully wisdom. Remembering of course implies learning. When once we have learned something, we can remember it or forget it. And we forget so much. I recall so well a pious elder once telling me that he was trying to make a general count of all the sermons he had heard, then being seventy years old. Not only that, but how much he remembered of them, or better said, how little he remembered of them.
The Scriptures frequently speak of remembering something.
In Ecclesiastes young people are warned to remember their Creator. The Israelites must remember and not forget the mighty works of the Lord in their deliverance. Isaiah later rebukes the people of Israel because they have forgotten the faithful Lord who saved them through their leaders. Here in Hebrews we are also told to remember our leaders.
Why must these people remember these leaders who brought to them the Word of God? These Hebrew Christians were weakening in their Christian confession and living. Therefore they must recall and constantly bring to mind how their leaders of the past brought to them the Word of God, and how they themselves had lived according to that Word and also sacrificed for it. Who these leaders were specifically we do not know. Neither is that necessary. But such leaders they did have. The Church of Christ has had tens of thousands of leaders who have been engaged in this great work of bringing the Word in one form or another.
And what was the heart of all their criticism of the Roman Catholic Church, and positively the one truth they taught, set forth, defended and even sacrificed their lives for? That man and centrally, of course, the church needs the infallibly inspired Word of God. The heart of the Reformation was the return of the Word of God to the church. And God used these men to give to the people this great precious Word. And when the writer to the Hebrews speaks of remembering our leaders, and when we apply it to this season of the year it surely means that we remember these great leaders of the Reformation.
This means that in this season a special effort is put forth, from the pulpit, with Christian literature and in other ways to remind people what the Lord did through these men to give us the precious Word. And for the laity it surely means that special effort is put forth in this age of lethargy and lukewarmness to learn what these men did, taught and what they gave the church.
No doubt this can be applied also to a larger circle of people. I have in mind pastors, elders, teachers, parents, grandparents and others. Most of us who were born and raised in the covenant have had many such leaders. Many of us have had or do have pious parents whose prayer and desire it was to bring to their children the Word of God that they might walk in His ways. Many, too, have had conscientious Christian school teachers who made indelible impressions on us with their instruction and godliness. There were the pastors of course, perhaps elders or others who taught catechism and Sunday School. Often we hear of older people speaking of what they have learned or remember of certain pastor(s) in times past. Certain things they said and taught “stuck” with them, in sermons and teachings. This is beautiful.
During the Reformation season, in the light of this text, God wants us to put forth a special effort to remember them, and what they taught us. Personally I will never forget what a few outstanding godly Christian School teachers taught me and the examples they gave. Also certain pious pastors and elders. Remember them . . . .
But doctrine and life cannot be separated.
In this text we also read of the outcome of their way of life. This expression is not easy to explain. Quite probably it must be explained in connection with the weaknesses of the Hebrew Christians. They needed more patience, steadfastness and perseverance in their Christian walk. And that is exactly what these leaders who brought them the Word possessed. In other words they lived what they taught, unto the very end. Pillars they were, also when sacrifices had to be made. And so in this period of the Reformation, remember these leaders, not only with what they taught, but how they were diligent, made sacrifices and were zealous for the cause of the Lord. Remember what intense struggles Luther experienced in coming to the great truth of justification by faith alone. Bring to mind. the sacrifice of a man like Calvin, in persecution, with much opposition, with hardly a healthy day in his life, working and toiling to bring to the people theWord of God. One can go on like that. I also think of Guido de Bres, who, having written the beautiful Netherlands Confession, soon afterwards lost his life because of it. And all this that we might have this explanation of the Word of God even in the 20th century.
So sad it is that the church today knows so little about these men and what they gave us. Remember these leaders and how they died in this faith. Also call to mind repeatedly what dedicated and faithful ministers of the Word have brought to you from the pulpit and in other ways. Stop to think of some outstanding things they have taught you, and left with you. And by all means don’t forget those godly parents, what they taught, what examples they gave, and how they sacrificed for you. All to bring you the Word. All this gives courage and fortitude. Don’t forget them!
“Imitate their faith”
Surely that is the purpose. Tremendous words these are for us in this age of pragmatism and materialism.
Generally there is such little interest in knowledge and learning. The result is appalling ignorance of the many important truths of the Reformation, what it was all about as well as many basic truths of Reformed faith and even the Bible itself. Following our leaders and imitating them surely implies that we are diligent in the use of the Word, be faithful with our children in giving them a Christian education and in diligent use of the means of grace in church.
Remember those leaders when you read of their zeal and devotion. Remember them, as some or even many of them pined away in persecution, dungeons and were even burned at the stake. Think of them when you are called upon to make just a few minor sacrifices, compared with them. And ask yourself, how much am I living like those who were so dedicated to the Lord, with that as their priority in life.
May we be true sons and daughters of the Reformation in this age of prosperity and spiritual complacency! Remember those leaders, as people of God. And the Lord will bless us and our children.