Last week we talked about the obedience and submission that congregations owe to their spiritual 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” (Heb. 13:17).
But that is not all we owe our leaders. Verses 18-19
18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner.
If we don’t pray for our leaders, they will certainly be preyed upon. Satan would like nothing more than to destroy the lives and testimonies of our spiritual leaders and he seems to be having a field day lately.
Jesus told Peter, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).
Peter didn’t know how vulnerable he was to Satan’s attacks and most of us are not vigilant enough to successfully avoid his deceptions and temptations. The only way that Peter survived this ordeal and didn’t end his life like Judas did, is because Jesus prayed for him. That same thing may be true for any pastor today: Unless people are praying for you, you will fall and fail. The situation is that precarious. If you don’t want to see your pastor fall, then be praying for him.
Fortunately, we know that both the Son (Romans 8:34) and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26) are constantly interceding for us—that is one of our assurances that we will persevere to the end and be saved. But we need the intercession of other believers to help us from falling into particular sins or making grievous mistakes in ministry. We need others praying for us and to know that they are praying for us.
If Apostles needed the prayers of the churches, how much more ordinary ministers! “Brethren, pray for us.” (John Brown, Geneva Series Commentaries: Hebrews, 713) Charles Spurgeon indicated that the success of his ministry was not really due to his own giftedness or earnestness, but the prayers of his congregation.
Spurgeon was a19th-century English preacher and pastor of the New Park Street Chapel in London, England, later named the Metropolitan Tabernacle.\
The church held 5,000 people. With no sound system, it was said that his voice could be heard by all.
A group of young ministers called on him one day to see the large preaching place. After showing them his massive sanctuary, Spurgeon offered to show then his “boiler room.” The guests declined but the pastor insisted.
Spurgeon led them to the basement. They found about 100 people in prayer. “This,” Spurgeon said with a smile, “is my boiler room.” Whenever Spurgeon was asked the secret of his ministry he always replied, “My people pray for me.”
The thought occurred to me: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every church had a boiler room; an asking place in the building where people would seek the will of God.
Nothing warms a preacher’s heart more than to have a faithful member say, “Reverend, I want you to know that I pray for you.”
Thus, Mark Labberton says, “I’m convinced that the dynamic life of the congregation I serve is explained by God’s grace answering the humble prayers of ordinary believers who seek God’s blessing for all we do. That is the story of power and prayer. I am utterly dependent on the way the prayers of such saints have changed my life and ministry. I think the same is true of our whole church. We are what we are by the grace of God at work through the prayers of these saints who lean on God for our sake and for the sake of all we long to see happen in our ministry, both locally and globally” (Mark Labberton, The Dangerous Act of Worship, 129).
So our author asks his hearers to pray for him, as Paul often does as well (Rom. 15:30-32; Eph. 6:19-20; Col. 4:3-4; 1 Thess. 5:25; cf. Phil. 1:19). Paul knew that if he was not prayed for, he would be preyed upon. The world, the flesh and the devil are our constant enemies, seeking to bring us down. Again, seeing how many pastors have fallen just in the past five years is a warning to us to keep our pastors in our prayers.
The reason that our writer wanted his readers to pray for him is because “we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.” Previously the “cleansing” (katharizō) of our consciences by the blood of Christ referred to the objective result of forgiveness, which immediately removes defilement and disqualification to approach God’s presence. Now, however, a (lit.) “good [kalos] conscience” reflects the subjective transformation God’s grace produces in believers’ motivations and desires over time.
I think this first of all points back to all that he has communicated to these Hebrew Christians, saying that his conscience is clear in all that he has written—it was done with honorable intentions and for their good.
The writer’s conscience is clear because he has performed well in his spiritual duties toward his friends. His conscience has made him confident toward both men and God. Similarly, Paul could write, “For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience, that we behaved in the world with simplicity and godly sincerity, not by earthly wisdom but by the grace of God, and supremely so toward you” (2 Corinthians 1:12). And, “By the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2). What a blessing a clear conscience is! When the conscience is clear, one can ask wholeheartedly for the prayers of all the saints.
Likely this refers to the warnings that he has given his readers. Like Ezekiel, who was a watchman for old covenant Israel, the author of Hebrews was tasked with encouraging his audience away from apostasy and with telling them what would happen if they abandoned the Lord (see Ezek. 3:16-21). Having fulfilled that role with this letter, the author and his fellow workers could rest, knowing that they had done their duty.
But I also think he is wanting their prayers so that he could continue to live with a good conscience. It not only points back to previous ministry but forward to potential ministry. He doesn’t just want to preach the gospel to them; he wants a life that’s lived in line with the gospel. He knows how important it is to practice what he preaches. He knows that he needs the gospel preached to himself every day and asks that they would pray that he could live in line with that gospel.
Paul David Tripp has written a book entitled Dangerous Calling, which is written to pastors with the realization that we can go through the routines of ministry without having a genuine, deep relationship with the God we proclaim. In other words, in the words of John Piper, we have become “professionals.” In that book Brothers, We are Not Professionals, Piper writes:
We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of the pastoral ministry … Professionalism has nothing to do with the essence and heart of the Christian ministry. The more professional we long to be, the more spiritual death we will leave in our wake. For there is no professional childlikeness (Matt. 18:3); there is no professional tenderheartedness (Eph. 4:32); there is no professional panting after God (Ps. 42:1).
Professionals can stand apart from a congregation and speak dispassionately. A true pastor cannot. A true pastor gets personal. A true pastor is real before his congregation. A true pastor practices what he preaches. A true pastor knows that the most important thing he can give to his congregation is a holy life. A true pastor knows that he deeply needs the prayers of his congregation in order to live faithfully before them.
God’s leaders face temptations that most other believers do not face to the same degree, because Satan knows that, if he can undermine the leaders, many others will go down with them. If he can get them to compromise, to weaken their stand, to lessen their efforts, to become dejected and hopeless, he has caused the work of Christ great damage.
Paul did not hesitate to ask for prayer. “Pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:19). How much more do God’s ordinary ministers need the prayer of their people. (John MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur NT Commentary: Hebrews, 448). If the apostle Paul was that aware of his need for prayer, how much more the rest of us who attempt to serve the Lord! As Paul exclaimed, “Who is adequate for these things?” (2 Cor. 2:16).
Our author’s request honors his hearers, implying that they have the priestly privilege of access to God’s throne of grace (Heb. 4:14-16). He wants them to realize how vital this is for his success in ministry and in life. Maintaining a good conscience means that he can confidently stand before the judgment seat knowing that he will be rewarded for the “gold, silver and precious stones” with which he has built his ministry.
The verb “pray” is present tense, showing that our writer recognizes his need for their prayers constantly, not just occasionally. It also graciously indicates that he knew that they had already been praying for him. Notice also that he asks pray for “us.” Up until now Paul has sometimes placed himself in the same status as his readers, but he is probably referring to Timothy, who may be able to come with him when he next visits (Heb. 13:23).
Also, the fact that he asks them to pray for him indicates that not all of them had apostatized. He hardly would have asked for prayer from them if he knew that all of them were unbelievers. No, he was confident that at least some of his readers would persevere, so he turned to them for spiritual assistance. His readers, in turn, were to pray for him and his fellow workers, believing that God just might allow the author to visit them sooner. After all, we know that prayers do much in the purposes of God, and through our prayers He often works out His will (James 5:13-18).
Our writer makes one simple request, “that I may be restored to you the sooner” (v. 19). This is why he wanted them to “more earnestly” (v. 19). Like the Apostle Paul, he loved his followers so much that he longed to be with them. This shows his great affection for them. He wanted to see them face to face and have fellowship together. If they fail to pray, his return to them may be slowed or possibly never take place. But if they pray, he expects that their prayers will speed his restoration.
Some obstacle stood in Paul’s way; some difficulty blocked his path. We don’t know if it was a health problem, persecution and imprisonment or something else. Possibly some critics voiced the idea, “If he really cared for us, we would have seen his face by now!” But the author’s heart was to visit them, and so he asks them to pray.
His request shows that God is bigger than any circumstance we face, and that prayer is our means of laying hold of God’s power. Prayer is not just a polite gesture that shows brotherly concern. God has ordained prayer as one of the ways that He pours out His power and blessing on His people. Prayer shows us that we are not competent people who just need a little boost from God now and then. We are totally inadequate, unless He works, and He has chosen to work through our prayers. If more people prayed more regularly for their pastors, maybe there would be fewer church splits and fewer people leaving churches over petty matters, fewer pastors quitting. (adapted from Steve Cole’s sermon Your Duties Toward Church Leaders).
As far as the writer to the Hebrews was concerned their prayers determined if and when he is reunited with them. This shows how seriously he regarded their prayers for him and how important prayer is as a secondary cause of God’s will being enacted. God is sovereign, but prayer makes things possible that otherwise would not be possible. (John MacArthur Jr., The MacArthur NT Commentary: Hebrews, 449)
He knows that if the readers pray for him, the bond of unity between himself and the recipients of his letter is strengthened. And if they pray, they indicate that the message he conveys has been well received. (William Hendriksen & Simon J. Kistemaker, NT Commentary: Hebrews, 428)
His desire to be “restored” to them implies that he had previously ministered among them. This explains his detailed knowledge of their previous experience (Heb. 6:9-10; 10:32-34). Like other NT authors, he prefers ministry offered in person to written correspondence (Gal. 4:18-20; 3 John 1-14). He has urged them to encourage each other daily as they meet together (Heb. 3:14; 10:24-25), and he is eager to join them in that interaction. In the second cycle of closing news he will indicate that Timothy may accompany him “if he comes soon” (13:23), reemphasizing his sense of urgency to return to them “soon.”
A. W. Pink reminds us pastors: “If ministers desire the prayers of their people, then let them see to it that they are not backward in praying for those God has committed to their charge. This is an essential part of the minister’s functions. It is not sufficient that he faithfully preaches the Word: he must also fervently and frequently ask God to bless that Word unto those who have heard him. O that all who are called to the sacred office may feelingly exclaim “God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you” (1 Sam. 12:23). (Arthur W. Pink, An Exposition of Hebrews, 1265-6)
If you want to hear a better sermon Sunday, then pray for your pastor throughout the week. R. Kent Hughes encourages us: “How different the modern church would be if the majority of its people prayed for its pastors and lay leadership. There would be supernatural suspensions of business-as-usual worship. There would be times of inexplicable visitations from the Holy Spirit. More lay people would come to grips with the deeper issues of life. The leadership vacuum would evaporate. There would be more conversions. (R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word: Hebrews, vol. 2, 239)
This passage emphasizes the mutual ministry between the pastor/preacher and the congregation. For the pastor to be able to remain faithful in his life and ministry he vitally depends upon the prayers of the people. This is the body image that Paul expounds upon and to which the author of Hebrews frequently alludes. So Philip Ryken says:
The metaphor of the church as a body is employed by the NT to represent both our union with Christ and mutual dependence: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’” (1 Cor 12:21). We need each other: “We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another” (Rom 12:5). We need each other’s gifts (Eph 4:11-16; 1 Cor 12-14; Rom 12). We need each other’s graces (as in the many “one anothers” found throughout the NT: love one another, be kind to one another, bear one another’s burdens, etc.). We need each other’s fellowship. So we are warned, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together.” The writer to the Hebrews sees the public assembly as the primary place in which the mutual stimulation to “love and good deeds” takes place: “Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb 10:24-25). (Philip Graham Ryken, Give Praise to God A Vision for Reforming Worship, 330-1)
The simple truth is that we need each other. We are not independent titans who can conquer the world on our own, but a band of brothers who together, each fulfilling our God-given roles with the gifts God has graciously given to us, can accomplish great things together.
On one of his visits to the Continent, Charles Spurgeon met an American minister who said, “I have long wished to see you, Mr. Spurgeon, and to put one or two simple questions to you. In our country there are many opinions as to the secret of your great influence. Would you be good enough to give me your own point of view?” After a moment’s pause, Spurgeon replied, “My people pray for me” (in Iain Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon [Banner of Truth], p. 44). Maybe we should listen to him.
Remember: Your pastor, if you won’t pray for him, he will be preyed upon. Satan would love to discourage him, to make him fall, to bring about some moral failure, because Satan knows, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, and more people fall in their wake. In other words, if your pastor falls, many people will be disillusioned. Of course, to be disillusioned, that means that they had to have the illusion to begin with that their pastor was a superman who could never fall. So pray for your pastor, pray diligently, pray earnestly for him.
Grace Still Amazes 