Philly

GodSpeak for the Week of September 29

This week we look at a famous passage from the book of Hebrews from which a famous U.S. town got its name.

Day 1…Read Hebrews 13:1-2

• Consider this – in Greek culture and language, there were three ways to express “love”:
  • “agape” – was the kind of love which was concerned with the general well-being of a person;
  • “phileo” – was the kind of romantic love a husband and wife share;
  • …and then, there was “philadelphia” – what we would call “brotherly love”.
• Answer this – in your own words, what does “brotherly love” mean?  What are the differences between these kinds of love?  What does “philadelphia” do for society that agape and phileo don’t/can’t?

Day 2…Read Hebrews 13:1-2 (again)

• Consider this – the author of Hebrews calls for “brotherly love” to “continue”.
  • The idea here, is that brotherly love should not be allowed to die out in a person.
• Answer this – what are some examples of brotherly love being shared between people?  What are some of the reasons brotherly love DOES die out in people?

Day 3…Read Hebrews 13:2

• Consider this – the author calls on us not to “neglect” to show “hospitality to strangers”.
  • The Greek word for “neglect” implies – “no longer caring to do”;
  • …while the Greek word for “hospitality to strangers” is the word “philoxenia”, meaning to love strangers.
• Answer this – how have you “no longer cared” to love strangers?  Beyond the idea of unknowingly loving “angels” (i.e., God’s own messengers), why is this an important tenet of Christian faith?

Day 4…Read Hebrews 13:1-2

• Answer this – taken together as a whole (i.e., the ideas presented in vv. 1 & 2), what are practical ways we can avoid stoppage of brotherly love, while simultaneously providing love to strangers?

Day 5…Read Hebrews 13:15

• Consider this – think back to the Old Testament…what were the kinds of offering folks were required to give in the temple?
• Answer this – what therefore is both different and better about the kind of sacrifice the author calls from the faithful?  What IS the offering?  WHY can it be given?  WHAT does that kind of offering look like in day-to-day life?

Day 6…Read Hebrews 13:16

• Consider this – once again (cf., v. 2) the author calls for the faithful to “not neglect”/no longer care to do:
  • “good” – i.e., general doing of good things/benefitting others
  • “sharing” – here specifically, meaning jointly contributing as a way of showing fellowship among a group of believers
• Answer this – what are some examples of where you have personally honored the call in this verse?  What are some ways we as a fellowship at Bethel have faithfully honored this call?  What MORE do we as Bethel need to do to better honor this call?