Scripture Reading: Hebrews 13:1–19
They turn in your Bibles to Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews 13. We're going to look at the passage that we studied on Wednesday night, but it deserved a bit of broader application in the life of our church. For those of you who were here on Wednesday, consider this a bit of review, as I am certain We all stand in need of this type of review.
Hebrews 13, we're going to focus this evening on verses 7 to 19, but I do want to read from verse 1. Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some have unwittingly entertained angels. Remember the prisoners as if chained with them, those who are mistreated, since you yourselves are in the body also.
Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled. But fornicators and adulterers God will judge. Let your conduct be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have.
For He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. So we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear. What can man do to me? Remember those who rule over you. who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines, for it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. for the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned outside the camp. Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate.
Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore, by him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief. for that would be unprofitable for you. Amen. Well, let us pray.
Opening Prayer
Father, grant us grace now to consider your Holy Word. Grant us grace to not only be hearers, but to be doers of that Word. And God, for this we cry out, for the ministry and aid of your Spirit, not just so we may understand, but so that we may apply, so that we may leave from this place into a new week, zealous and ready and earnest to bring glory to you and to do good to others. We just ask now that you would bless our study, and we pray through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Amen. Well,
Introduction
the book of Hebrews up to this point has been largely concerned with doctrine. All the way from chapters 1 to chapter 12, we see the doctrine specifically of the priestly office of Jesus Christ, his atoning sacrifice for sinners. Chapter 13 is a collection of various exhortations based on that work of our Lord Jesus. Notice specifically in verses 1-6, there is a call for the Christian to engage in brotherly love.
He does this by being hospitable toward strangers. He does this by being compassionate toward those who are in chains. The Christian is to engage in marital fidelity. We are to acknowledge the fact that God has given those relationships to be enjoyed in a covenantal context.
Then he calls us to engage in contentment. I love the way he says in verse 5, let your conduct be without covetousness. Be content with such things as you have, for He Himself has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Based on what He has said in terms of His faithfulness toward us, so we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, I will not fear.
What can man do to me? So love, hospitality, compassion, fidelity and contentment are to be practiced by the believer. Well, as we pick up here in verses 7 to 17, we'll make five observations, again, some concluding exhortations from the book. The first is the encouragement to remember former leaders.
Secondly, there is a reminder of the unchanging Christ. Third, there is a call, a specific encouragement by the author to highlight the need for doctrinal fidelity. Fourthly, he enters into this discussion or this idea concerning the altar that we have as believers, and then he ends this section in verse 17 with an exhortation to remember current leaders. The beginning is remember former leaders, the end is remember current leaders, and then those sundry and various exhortations in between.
Well,
Remember Former Leaders
let's look first of all at verse 7, the encouragement to remember former leaders, remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. More than likely, it is a call to remember former leaders, those who had at one time spoken the word to them, but had now since died. We need to remember, the Bible says that beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good tidings to you. It is good to remember the scriptures that you have been taught.
It's good to understand that God, though sovereign, uses human instruments. These men had exercised the ministry of the Word. That's what verse 7 means, or the specific statement concerning those who rule over you. Pastors or ministers or elders in the church don't rule like a cult leader.
They don't tell you to drink the Kool-Aid. They don't tell you to engage in anything unlawful or ungodly. The way or means by which elders in Christ's Church rule is through the proclamation of the truth, the faithful exposition and application of God's Holy Word. Remember, they're referred to as shepherds.
A job of the shepherd is to feed the flock. to tend to the flock, to lead the flock, care for the flock, pray for the flock. And so He is telling them or reminding them about those who had served them well. He speaks specifically of this duty to remember and to consider. Notice in verse 7, toward the end, considering the outcome of their conduct.
Again, I believe these are men who had gone on to their prize. They had served well. They had served faithfully. The date of this book was probably the mid-60s.
The churches of Jerusalem were founded early in the 30s. So it was a sufficient amount of time for men to have been ministering the Word over a period of years and ultimately died and gone to their prize. And so the author here, having exhorted them back in chapter 12 to run with endurance the race set before you, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith, remembering this great cloud of witnesses, he says also remember those former preachers who had been faithful in teaching you the Word. And also the implication is not only consider the outcome of their conduct, but imitate that conduct. imitate them insofar as they have imitated Jesus Christ.
Yes, we're looking unto Jesus, but we need godly examples around us. In Philippians 3, verse 17, the apostle exhorts the church that we are to scope out, we are to be on the lookout for those who are godly, those who pursue Christ, those whom we can look at and follow, those who would be able to say, imitate me as I imitate the Lord Jesus Christ. The author doesn't want them just to remember and speak fondly. Wow, they were really excellent preachers.
We learned a lot from them. No, their faith followed. Look at the outcome of their lives. They were faithful men.
They have passed on to glory. Don't forget that. Very often in our Christian lives we begin to become isolationists. We think that we're the only ones.
We're the only ones who have ever had trial. We're the only ones that have ever had difficulty. We're the only ones that have ever had problems or issues. That's why that call in Hebrews 12.
Therefore, being surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. And here in Hebrews 13.7, remember those who spoke the word. Did they live lives that were untainted? Did they live lives that were unaffected?
Did they just skate through life and sing Zippity-Doo-Dah and skip their way into heaven? No, if they were faithful preachers of God's Word, no doubt they suffered. If they were faithful preachers of God's Word, no doubt they were abused, they were misaligned, they were mistreated. So remember them, consider them, with a view to imitating them.
Now
The Unchanging Christ
notice, secondly, he speaks of the unchanging Christ in verse 8. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. As we mentioned on Wednesday night, there is no connecting word at the beginning of verse 8. And what a connecting word is, is a word, get this, that connects.
Very often you'll see the word and, or you'll see the word but, or you'll see the word for, or you'll see the word therefore, or you'll see a contrast, and the word is or. Here there is no connecting word whatsoever. It's almost as if he took this high doctrine of Jesus Christ in what we call his immutability, that means he does not change, and he plonks it right down in between two various exhortations. I think the reason he does this is because the verse, verse 8, goes backwards and it goes forwards.
Notice how it functions with reference to verse 7. The comfort of the doctrine. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. He is reminding them to consider former leaders.
He is reminding them to consider men who have died as a result of being physical men. They have died and passed on to their prides. They will no longer have the benefit of these preachers. They will no longer have the benefit of their ministry.
What a great encouragement to realize that though human leaders may die, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is reliable. He is unshakable. He is immovable.
And though you may live to a ripe old age and see a lot of preachers come and a lot of preachers go, you may see some that were better at the Word, others not as good. All that being the same, there is one who will never leave, one who never forsakes, and it is Jesus Christ. We see a similar pattern in Isaiah 6. In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted.
The prophet Gates is called to the prophetic ministry in the year that King Uzziah died. I think the implication is that a godly king of Judah has passed on. A godly king of Judah is now gone. But the fact of the matter is that Jesus Christ is in the throne room where he exercises sovereign control and rule and reign.
So come what may, in terms of human leaders, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. Peter T. O'Brien says the Christological confession, this statement of verse 8, would remind them that the same Christ who was real to them at the beginning when their former leaders were with them, is seated in heaven and rules continually. Their circumstances and perspective may change, but Jesus Christ and his gospel do not.
Christ's help, grace, and power are permanently at his people's disposal. He never needs to be replaced, and nothing can be added to his perfect work. Beautiful sentiment, and I think it accurately reflects the function of verse 8 with reference to verse 7. But consider how it affects verse 9.
Verse 9 is a call to pursue doctrinal fidelity. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. It's no accident that he sets forth Christ in verse 8. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
Do not go after strange and various doctrines. The implication is simple. When you have Christ, you have everything. When you have the gospel, you're rich.
When you have salvation by grace through faith in the Redeemer, you don't need the latest fad. You don't need the latest gimmicks. You don't need the latest self-help program. You don't need anything save the finished work of our Lord Jesus.
John Calvin comments here, and doubtless variety of opinions, every kind of superstition, all monstrous errors in a word, all corruptions in religion arise from this, that man abide not in Christ alone. For it is not in vain that Paul teaches us that Christ is given to us by God to be our wisdom. So verse 8 looks backwards to verse 7 and it looks forward to verse 9. But what a world of encouragement there is in verse 8, if we were just to pull it out for just a moment.
I shared with the people on Wednesday night, and I know I've shared before on the pulpit, a friend of mine went into a pastor's office and he saw a sign on the wall that said, and today. My friend said, what's that all about? That's Hebrews 13, verse 8. Jesus Christ did the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
When he asked for an explanation, the pastor said, you know, I have no problem. considering the power of Jesus Christ in the past. I have no problem considering God opening up the Red Sea and the people of Israel walking through untainted. I have no problem with what God has done as revealed in the Holy Scripture. He said, I have no problem with the future.
I know that Jesus is going to return. I know that He is going to vindicate His elect. I know that He is going to usher in an eternal state. He says, the problem I have is right now.
I need to know that Jesus Christ is the same today. I can't live based on what God has done in the past, so I need that for my encouragement. I can't live based on what God will do in the future, though I need that for my encouragement. I need to consider that each and every day, my today, right now, Jesus Christ is the same.
He is not changing. He is not forsaking me. He is not leaving me. He is not abandoning me.
He is going to see me through the trials and the tribulations and the difficulties and the issues that I face. There is a world of encouragement in what we call Christology, the doctrine of Jesus Christ. He is the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Believer, get your minds and hearts wrapped around that.
He's not a fair weather fan. He is not just with you when things are going well. We often interpret providence that way. When we are being blessed, we feel the presence of the Lord.
That kind of doctrine will only promote a lack of joy and comfort when we go through seasons of grief. Are we to suppose that in our trials, in our difficulties, in our issues, in our problems, Jesus has forsaken us? There is a whole school of teaching out there that would indicate that such is the case. They call themselves the health, wealth, and prosperity gospel.
I don't know if they call them that, it's a pejorative term and a fitting term for what they teach. But as long as things are going well, you have faith and God is favorable towards you. But the moment that seasons of distress have come, trials or issues have happened, you must not have faith and God has withdrawn. Brethren, any Christian that can look back over his life realizes that at the most severe time, that was when God was most powerfully with them.
It is only in those seasons of grief. It is only in those seasons of trial. It is as if the world is collapsing around you, that God is the one seeing you through. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.
We need to be reminded of His immutability. And again, kids, immutability is a big word that means He doesn't change. This is something predicated or stated with reference to God. In the prophet Malachi, he says, I, the Lord, do not change.
That is a characteristic of deity. So the fact that the apostle here ascribes this to the Lord Jesus is telling us that as Christian brothers and sisters, your Savior is in fact God.
Doctrinal Fidelity
Notice thirdly, the need for doctrinal fidelity. There's a prohibition. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. Don't do it.
What are the various and strange doctrines? We could probably mention a whole bunch of them. Anything that would take us from the finished work of Jesus. Anything that would cause us to trip up.
Anything that would cause us to stumble. And you know, unfortunately, sometimes in the Christian life, it's almost as if we get bored with truth. It's almost as if we get bored with sound theology. We want our ears tickled.
We want the razzle dazzle. We want the fireworks display. We're not into the normal. We're not into the plotting.
We're not into the perseverance. Give us the razzmatazz. Give us the bells and whistles. Well, brethren, there's always somebody peddling those bells and whistles.
You need the faithful exposition of God's Word. You need to be rooted firmly in sound doctrine because the temptation is there to be carried about with various and strange doctrines.
Christ's Gifts for the Church
Turn back for just a moment to Ephesians 4. Ephesians chapter 4, the Apostle Paul highlights something of Christ's triumph into heaven. It's very common for a conquering king, when he conquered a people, take that spoil, take that booty and divide it up amongst his own people. It's a blessed thing.
And this is what Paul says concerning Jesus. Verse 8. But to each one of us, grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore, he says, when he ascended on high, when he led captivity captive, he gave gifts to men.
See, he sees triumph. He's victorious. He has taken his position at the right hand of the Father. What does he do?
He gives gifts to men. Drop down to verse 11. You'll see the specific nature of the gifts. There's other passages that deal with the gifts of helps, or teachings, or tongues, or miracles, or prophesying, or all those sorts of things.
Here the gifts in view are specifically meant that God has ordained or given to the Church for preaching and teaching. Notice in verse 11, And He Himself, this is Jesus, gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. There's a threefold purpose for which he did this. There are three reasons specified in the text why Christ gave these men to the church.
Verse 12, for the equipping of the saints. The next, for the work of ministry. The next, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Those are three purposes for gospel ministry within the life of Christ's church.
Not the razzmatazz. Not the bells and the whistles. Not so that you can live the higher life, but so that you can be equipped, so that you can engage in ministry, so that you can be edified in the body of Christ. Now notice verse 13.
Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, that we should no longer be children tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine. by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." It's pretty congruent. You need to make sure that you're learning the Scriptures. You need to be growing in your understanding of truth.
You need to know the Bible. You need to know theology. You need to learn. You need to make sure that you, in the language of Hebrews 13, 9, do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.
You ever met these people? One day it's this, one day it's this, one day it's this, one day it's this. It's an emotional rush from one plane to another. You know what God calls us to?
Faithful, steady, perseverance. It may not be as glamorous. It may not provide the flights of fancy that we like, but this is God's ordained way. We're to run with endurance the race that is set before us.
Not run for a little bit, get enamored with this doctrine. Run for a little bit, get enamored with this doctrine. Run for a little bit and get enamored with this doctrine. We need to understand the Scriptures in their totality through faithful exposition, application, our own Bible study, our own application to reading, going through it, memorizing, hiding God's Word in our heart.
There is no overnight fix. You are called by the grace of God to press on for the long haul. Do not be carried about. Go back to the Scriptures.
Test all things. Look at the history of the church. Look at the historic confessions and creeds. Those are helpful guides so that you are not carried about, so that you are not caught up with every wind of doctrine, so that you do not end up in heresy.
Any departure from Christ, more than likely, is going to be heretical. John Calvin said the import of this passage That is, that in order that the truth of God may remain firm in us, we must acquiesce in Christ alone. We conclude that all who are ignorant of Christ are exposed to all the delusions of Satan, for apart from him there is no stability of faith, but innumerable tossings here and there. Stick close to Jesus.
Know what the Bible says concerning Christ. 2 John 9 is a beautiful statement of doctrinal fidelity. It says, whoever transgresses and does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not have God. There's people out there that think they have a relationship with God, but they have no time for Jesus. Not according to the Apostle John.
He who abides in the doctrine of Christ has both the Father and the Son. And notice that verse 9 is not addressed simply to pastors or to seminarians or those who really like Bible study and theology. It's to everybody. Every single one of you must not be carried about.
What's the best way to protect yourself? To be safely anchored in the truth. How are you safely anchored in the truth? By listening, by reading, by studying.
We often think within the Christian life, you know, there's the emphasis on the practical. You know, those people that just study doctrine all the time, they're not really any good for anything. You know, it's the practical, it's the application of the Christian life. Brethren, you can't have the application without the doctrine.
And if you're understanding the doctrine properly, you can't have that without the application. You know you've got to be a doer of the Word. Michael Horton says, Some Christians assume that knowing doctrine and practical living are competing interests. They're fighting against each other.
He says the modern dichotomy or division between doctrine and life, theology and discipleship, knowing and doing, theory and practice has had disastrous consequences in the life of the Church and its witness in the world. We need to study God's Word so that we can live for Him. We need to be faithful in this area of doctrine, doctrinal fidelity. Notice the reason the apostle gives at the end of verse 9.
For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. Kind of an interesting statement, probably a reference to the Jewish kosher laws. The idea that if we eat this or we don't eat this, we'll be accepted with God. That is not profitable to you.
Remember the context. He's writing to Jewish believers, those who had come to Christ, those who are feeling the pull and the tug, to go back to the Mosaic ceremonies, to go back to the temple, to go back to the Levitical priesthood. He says, no, the heart should be established by grace. That means the preaching of God's Word, prayer, fellowship, learning, understanding, using those means that God's ordained for the good of His people.
Grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus, Peter says. It's not foods, it's not ceremonies, it's not rites, it's not those things that will somehow endear us to God. No. Remember what we learned in Galatians.
If you think that circumcision is necessary for acceptance with God, you're bound to keep the whole law. Same thing with the kosher laws. If you think that kosher laws gain you acceptance with God, you are obligated to keep the entirety of the law. Now, let's look at this altar we have.
Actually, let's skip a little bit. I'm going to skip verses 10 to 16, drop down to verse 17, and then go back to this altar.
Obey Current Leaders
Notice in verse 17, he ends where he began in this section. Obey those who rule over you and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you." Again, this whole idea of obeying those who rule over you and being submissive. It doesn't mean that men should dominate you.
It doesn't mean that these are cult leaders. It doesn't mean that you are to serve them and disengage your mind and do whatever it is they tell you. No, the idea is that insofar as they are faithfully preaching the Word of God, listen to them. Hear that.
Obey that word as it's opened up. Jesus said the very same thing in his ministry. He's indicting the Pharisees. He said, these men sit in Moses' seat.
Whatever they tell you, do. Why would he say that? Because they would expound or read at least the Word of God. So when they read and expound that Word, you need to listen to them.
Don't do what they do in terms of their practice, because they're hypocritical wretches. The same idea is here. Obey those who rule over you and be submissive. Listen to the Scriptures as it's being preached.
Come to church not just to burn some time. Come to church not just because that's what we're supposed to do on Sunday. But come to church to learn the Word of the living and true God. O'Brien again says this.
He says, In response to this exhortation, the listeners will adhere to the Word of God that their leaders speak and follow their direction rather than revert to Jewish ways of thinking or be influenced by other strange teachings. What is a good inoculation against various and strange doctrines? Faithful preaching. If your ministers, your elders, your pastors are preaching the Word accurately, listen to them.
Obey them. Not because they're deaf, but because they're preaching God's Word. That's the emphasis. This is not a passage to be yanked out of context for heavy-handed authoritarian ministry.
It isn't to knock the people of God around on the head. It is simply an exhortation for you to not be led about by strange and various doctrines, but by listening to the Word as it's preached, as it's opened up, as it's taught. You need to give heed to those things. He goes on to say, the elders, they watch out for your souls.
We know they're elders. We know it's ecclesiastical. The civil magistrate doesn't watch out for your souls. He's dealing with church leadership in this particular context.
They are men that will indeed give account for you. James 3.1 makes the same point. Let not many of you be teachers, for we shall receive a stricter judgment. Why?
Because God puts an emphasis upon His Word. He puts an emphasis upon doctrinal purity. I mean, if we understand the Scriptures to teach, and we do, that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, It is paramount that the men of God preach the truth accurately. They will give an account for what they say.
He goes on at the end in verse 17. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. Let them do so with joy and not with grief. How does that happen?
Bring large amounts of money when you come to the church and throw it at the pastor? No. Be in church and listen. Nothing makes a pastor happier.
We don't have that big of hopes or expectations. Probably when we're young, oh yeah, I want to be like Spurgeon. After about a year, you realize only Spurgeon was like Spurgeon. That ain't going to happen here.
Remember John Piper in a preface to his study, I think it was either Spurgeon or Edwards, he says, know this, you will never be those men. You will never be. We've got to accept that. So what's the next best thing?
Show up and don't fall asleep. Several years ago, I would have heard or I would have been a part of the conversation, you expect so little from your people. You know, I guess time and experience and all that sort of thing makes you realize that showing up and listening is what is a blessing. That's it.
You don't have to bring flowers. You don't have to, oh, we reverend. No, just show up and listen. Imagine that, you're going to go home, and what does your pastor want?
He just wants you to show up and listen. Oh, you pastor, you've got to tell them to go out and take mountains for Jesus. Show up and listen, and if you listen properly, you'll want to go take mountains for Jesus. You see, it's the little things that make the big things.
Let's just get show up and listen before you embark on pioneer missions. Just show up and listen. Now down the road, having shown up and having listened, you may embark on pioneer missions. You see, it's a beautiful thing.
He says, let them do so with joy and not with grief. Notice, for that would be unprofitable for you. I used a horrible illustration on Wednesday night that I'm going to repeat. You're sitting in the dentist chair.
He's going to extract a tooth. And just about the time when he's going to reach in with those pliers, the phone rings. His wife's going to leave him. His creditors are foreclosing on him.
He's going to lose his practice. His life is in ruins. Do you think he's delicately and gently going to go into your mouth with those pliers? I suspect not.
I suspect he's going to go in there with a vengeance and try to rip out anything that isn't fastened down too tightly. Now change it up a moment. Before he reaches into your mouth with those pliers, he gets good news. He's told wonderful things.
That's why he says, I love you, honey. I've got steak in the oven for you for when you come home. He's probably going to approach your mouth with a bit more grace and tenderness. I'm going to try to make this as painless as I possibly can.
How that can possibly be, I don't know. And then he commences to rip your tooth out. Now again, that's a bad illustration for pastoral ministry. But I think you get the point.
Men saddled with all kinds of issues are not going to profit you. That's what's in view here. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. The guy's grieved if he's Jeremiah, and all he does is come up here and cry.
You're not going to get the praise. Now, Jeremiah can cry and preach. That's a different story. The guy is just, you know, being run down.
It is not going to benefit your soul. That's the emphasis in the passage.
The Altar We Have
Now let's go back finally, finish up verses 10 to 16. This altar we have. He states something very interesting. And I think verses 10 and 11 flow from what he said at the end of verse 9.
There's foods that do not profit those who are occupied with them. Well, that refers to Judaism, I'm convinced. The kosher laws, the ceremonies. Now, he uses this metaphor, verses 10 and 11.
Exclusivity of Christ's Sacrifice
He says, for we, that means believers, have an altar, I take that as the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, from which those who serve the earthly tabernacle, namely the Levitical priests, have no right to eat. Let me just say that again. We believers have an altar that is the sacrifice of Jesus from which those who serve the earthly tabernacle, this particular instance it was not Solomon's but Herod's temple. Those Levitical priests who serve there have no right to participate in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
It's making a powerful statement. Perhaps you've heard it from some of the people in our generation. The Jews and the Christians have the same God, not according to this apostle. Sometimes they say the Jews, the Christians, and the Muslims have the same God.
It's the God of Abraham. We've all departed a little bit. We've all gone a little bit of a different way, but it doesn't matter if you call him God. It doesn't matter if you call him Jesus.
It doesn't matter if you call him Yahweh. It doesn't matter if you call him Allah. According to this apostle, it matters. We believers have a saving interest in Jesus Christ that these Levitical priests who are going into the temple on a daily basis have no right to eat from.
They are excluded. They are outside. They are not a part of biblical and true religion. You want to talk about exclusivity?
You want to talk about what many call bigotry today? Verse 11 is a hardcore statement. I'm sorry, verse 10 is a hardcore statement concerning that. The assertion that the adherents of the old cult, that means the Levitical system, have no right to eat from the altar that Christians have is to declare that they have no share in Christ's sacrifice and are excluded from its blessings.
That's powerful. That's what it means there when it says they have no right to eat. There were various sacrifices associated with Old Covenant worship, that after the animal was sacrificed accordingly, the priests had a share to eat. They had a part to participate in.
That meant that they were included in the sacrifice. Here he's saying they have no right to eat from it. They're not involved. They're not included.
They have not fallen under the benefit of Christ's sacrifice. With reference to verse 11, notice, Therefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. It's an amazing statement here. I think this picture is the Day of Atonement.
What happened on the Day of Atonement? It was once a year. It didn't happen often. It was once a year.
You may have heard it referred to as Yom Kippur. On that day of Yom Kippur, the high priest would kill animals, take the blood, go into the most holy place. Once a year. You didn't just wander into the Holy of Holies.
No one did. The high priest once a year, well, one day, he probably entered about three or four times to make the various sacrifices at that time. Kill the animal, take the blood, pour it on the mercy seat, get out. Kill the animal, take the blood, get in there, pour it on the mercy seat, get out.
He didn't hang around in there. This was the time when the high priest took off all of his brilliant attire and he went simply in linen. It's a very solemn time. And then there was that scapegoat wherein he would lay his hand over the goat and he would pray and confess the sins of all Israel.
And then they'd send the goat into the wilderness. A beautiful illustration or picture of God's removal of the sin in Israel. But with those animals killed on the Day of Atonement, they didn't eat them. They took them outside the camp and there they burned them.
Outside the camp was a place that was profane. Outside the camp was a place that was not sacred. Outside the camp was where, if a man blasphemed, he would be stoned outside the camp. If a man cursed God, he would be stoned outside the camp.
Now go back to verse 11 for a moment. Therefore, Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered outside the gate." Now, I know that we often think that our lives are full of misery and trial and difficulty. Do you know that we deserve misery, trial, and difficulty because we're sinners? I know that's not popular.
We have books written today like, why do good things happen to, or why do bad things happen to good people? Sproul says, there's no good people. What are you talking about? The big question, brethren, if you know your Bible and you know your heart, is why does anything good happen to such sinners like us?
We deserve issues. In a moral universe, when we transgress against a holy God, punishment, trial, and difficulty are the results. Now, when you come to verse 12, you need to see something about your Jesus. Remember back in Hebrews 12 it says, who for the joy set before him, despising the shame, he endured the cross.
What does that mean? The shame of being counted a malefactor. The shame of being counted a blasphemer. He was treated as a common criminal.
You see how practical the theology of the cross is for God's people? He is going to make various implications based on this truth, but you need to get your minds wrapped around this. Jesus' execution outside the gate involved the shame of exclusion from the sacred precincts. From a Jewish point of view, Jesus was associated with the blasphemer and the Sabbath breaker.
He was officially condemned by the council as one who had blasphemed the name. So I think in the progression of thought, verse 9, he speaks about these foods that do not profit those who are occupied with them. This altar that we have been blessed with, this sacrifice of Jesus. And verse 12, he develops that imagery just a little bit more.
He wants you to understand what all is involved in this. Therefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood. Who are the people? It's us.
Why did Christ go outside the gate? For us. Why was Christ crucified? For us.
Why did Christ despise the shame? For us! Why was He full of reproach? For us!
We learn that He sanctifies us. We learn that it's through His own blood. And we learn that His work on our behalf cost Him. We love to boast about a free salvation.
It is free. It costs us nothing. It costs Christ His life. It costs Christ the wrath of God.
It costs Christ on the cross to cry out, why hast thou forsaken me? So that you and I will never have to. You see, verse 12 flows. He wants us to consider this.
He wants us to understand this. Now, based on that reality of the sacrifice of Jesus, verses 13 to 16. Here's how you Christians need to live.
Five Applications from the Altar
Five observations, then we close. First, the need to go outside the camp. Look at what he says in verse 13. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp.
In the context, don't go back to Judaism. Depart from it. Don't be wrapped up in that temple cult. Even if your parents, even if your loved ones, even if your family or your work associates say, you need to come back.
No, you go outside the camp. You go out to where Jesus is. You need to be like Abraham. Remember Abraham?
He's already alluded to in chapter 11. What did Abraham do? He left Ur of the Chaldeans. Again, we look at that and say, it was a pagan place full of idolaters.
It was a man's home. Everything he knew was in Ur of the Chaldeans. His parents were there. His family was there.
His job was there. His life was there. His livelihood was there. God says, get out of Ur of the Chaldeans.
What does he do? He goes. He says, oh, but I've got to stay there. How many of us are like that?
We've seen that in the Gospel of Matthew in our introductory statement. What was Matthew doing when he was called to serve Jesus? He was counting his money. He was a tax collector.
Certainly had an affinity for that dough sitting on his table. Jesus says, follow me. What does he do? He follows him.
So many of us want to cleave to and hold on to sin. Let it go. Go outside the camp. Quit playing games.
Remember, we saw it this morning. He will save His people from their sins. He doesn't save them to continue in sin. He doesn't save them to hold on to sin.
Now, we struggle, we wrestle, we fight. Sometimes, under bad circumstances, we give in, we confess it, we forsake it. But that is a far cry different than holding on to it. The Apostle says, get out of the camp.
Bear Christ's Reproach
Notice what he says. Secondly, bear his reproach. Again, I can hear the pressure upon the Christians in the first century. Oh, forget that, Jesus.
Come back to the temple. We have the priesthood. We have the temple. This is the place that God has set his affections on.
This is in Jerusalem. This is in the capital city. Remember, it was glorious under Solomon. It fell into disrepair, but now it's been rebuilt and it's there.
Don't go to this Nazarene. No, you need to bear his reproach. You need to be like Moses. Remember, he spoke of Moses in Hebrews 11.
What did Moses do? He chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. You see what a masterful author we have here? People he's introduced along the way fall into these exhortations, bear his reproach.
You don't have to scratch your head and say, I wonder what that means. It means be a man like Moses. If you are in Egypt, forget that garbage. You go and live with the Israelites.
Forget the passing pleasures of sin and bear the reproach of the faithful. That's your option as God's people.
Future Orientation
Thirdly, we need to have a future orientation. Now brethren, the Bible says that we walk by faith and not by sight. We all want to see exactly what it is that God's going to give us. Well, you can read about it.
You can learn about it. In the final analysis on this side of Jesus' second coming, we need to walk by faith. We need to have that future orientation. Verse 14, For we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
There's a two-volume biography on Martin Lloyd-Jones. And the last or the first volume ends at World War II. London is being bombed. The people of God are gathered for worship and Lloyd-Jones takes Hebrews 13 as his text.
It's what people need to hear. We have no continuing city in this world. We have nothing that is going to last. We seek the one to come.
Run with endurance the race that is set before you. Even if you don't see it, even if you don't feel it, believe it, because God has spoken and He is true.
The Sacrifice of Praise
Fourth, we need to praise God. Verse 15, Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. Christ offered up a perfect sacrifice once for all. We're not to sacrifice dogs.
We're not to sacrifice goats. We're not to sacrifice bulls or rams or birds or anything like that. The Bible says in Romans 12, we're to present our bodies as a living sacrifice unto God, which is, by the way, your reasonable service. If Christ has purchased you body and soul, it ought not to make you scratch your head and wonder.
No, it is a no-brainer that you give your body to Jesus. You give your mind and your heart to Jesus. This is why in the letter to Corinthians, Paul can say, flee sexual immorality. You have been bought with a price.
Therefore glorify God in your body. Don't give it up for ungodliness and unrighteousness. Well, here another sacrifice that we present is the sacrifice of praise to God. We speak well of Him.
We bless Him. We honor Him. We do this corporately when we gather together. We shouldn't just sing hymns because that's what Christians do.
We should sing hymns because we get to praise our great God. in our private worship, in family worship. We can praise Him. We speak well of Him. We consider His goodness.
We rehearse His mighty deeds. We look to His Word and we return blessing and honor back to Him. Brethren, this is our duty based on the fact that Christ has gone outside the camp. He has given Himself for us in order to sanctify us with His own blood.
A result will be a praising people. It's not a lot to ask. I always think we should try to blast the roof off of the building. Just sing to God.
Brethren, do you realize that when we're singing again, it's not just ritual. We specifically and purposefully use doctrinally sound hymns for the purpose of instructing one another, as the Scripture tells us, and to edify ourselves so that we can praise God in singing. And then
Do Good and Share
fifthly, we need to engage in good works toward men. Therefore, I'm sorry, verse 16, but do not forget to do good and to share. See me, do good to others. Share your stuff.
Don't be such a tight-fisted person. If you have it and they don't, cough it up. If they come to your house, don't say, be warm and be filled, and slam the door on their way out. No, we need to be ready or we need to remember and not to forget to do good and to share.
Notice, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. I love that. You may do something for someone that no one else knows about. You know, as a general rule, you're not supposed to, you know, sort of celebrate what you do for other people.
This just kind of takes away from the whole idea. Jesus thought, don't let your right hand know what your left hand is doing. Man, I really did some sharing things today. Oh good, brother.
Now read those passages and deal with pride and humility and sort of temper that a bit. It's good that you share. You don't need to stand on the street corner and tell everybody that you shared, man. But it's interesting.
You share. One person alone knows, and God is well pleased. We mentioned Epaphroditus on Wednesday night. Who knows who Epaphroditus was?
Epaphroditus was the man who was in the church at Philippi, who was sent by the church from Philippi to Rome to bring stuff to Paul. And by stuff, I don't mean golf clubs, because Paul was on the back nine in Rome there. Food. Maybe some clothes.
The state didn't subsidize the prisoners. The state didn't give them three squares a day. The state didn't provide internet access. The state didn't give them a TV room.
If you ate in prison, it's because your friends or family cared enough to bring you something. That's the whole point going on in Philippians 4, when Paul is commending them for their generous spirit. He says, I know how to live being a base. I know how to live having a lot.
It's in that whole context that he is praising them for having sent Epaphroditus. Now Epaphroditus, what he did in bringing those good gifts to Paul was called liturgy. That means worshipful service. So Epaphroditus was whistling his way to Rome, carrying a bag of food and stuff.
Probably thinking about God from time to time, other times he might have been thinking about his work back in Philippi, might have been thinking about his wife back in Philippi, might have been thinking about his kids back in Philippi. The point is, that excursion, that duty, that task was viewed upon by God as religious service that was well-pleasing and presented a well-pleasing aroma in the nostrils of God. You see, just going out to do pioneer missions isn't the only way to bring a smile to God's face. Share your stuff.
Do good to others. Have a benevolent and generous disposition. And God is well pleased, according to the Apostle. Well, brethren, those are sundry and varied exhortations, and I hope by God's grace we will take them in, we will apply them.
We cannot apply them unless we have first, by God's grace, believed the Gospel. We need to look to that altar. Again, not some physical altar, not a Popish altar. but the altar which is Christ's sacrifice. We need to look to Jesus.
We need to believe the Gospel. We need to look to Him. We need to repent from our sins and have that everlasting life and then take up these exhortations and by God's good grace live accordingly. Well, let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your mercy and Your grace and thank You for Jesus. We thank You that He did go outside the camp. Even John tells us that Calvary, the cross, was near the city.
We see that he was, in fact, treated as such a criminal. And yet, Father, we know this is your plan. It was to make him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Grant us grace, Father, and wrestle with these exhortations.
Grant us help to apply them. And I pray that you would go with your people now and watch over us in this coming week. And we pray through Christ the Lord. Amen. you