Hebrews 13:8-25
Hebrews 13:8-25
Hebrews 13:8-25
8 Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, today, and forever.
He doesn’t change
Therefore: verse 9
9 Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.
If Jesus doesn’t change then the Jesus of scripture is the true Jesus.
Jesus doesn’t change, but culture does
Jesus doesn’t change but traditions do
Therefore the way we know whether we are following various strange doctrinesis: does it line up with the Jesus of the Bible
For [it is] good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods (by the grace God established, in His Word, not by foods or other rituals we create in our own religious traditions) which have not profited those who have been occupied with them. (Such thing have never profited those who practice them, they will never change you)
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle
Two ways to see tabernacle:
Refers to the literal Jewish tabernacle.
Those who are trying to worship Jesus through the OT system (Judaism)
Refers to our earthly bodies as the tabernacle.
Those who are trying to worship Jesus through our flesh, our man made religious traditions.
have no right to eat.
If you’re trying to serve Jesus according OT sacrificial system
Or
Trying to serve Him through your flesh, according to your own religious traditions and ordinances
You have no right to eat from His altar. You are not partaking of His sacrifice
You don’t get to create a Jesus in your own image.
11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. 14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
Let us go forth to Him - outside the camp
If you’re following the Jesus as scripture describes Him: He won’t be found in the majority
In the same way Jesus suffered outside the gate.
We are called to go to Him, outside the gate - bearing His reproach
Bearing His reproach means willingly sharing the disgrace the world placed upon Him:
He was rejected; We should expect rejection.
He was mocked; We should expect to be mocked.
He was condemned by respected religious authorities; We should expect the same treatment.
He suffered for obedience to the Father; We must be willing to suffer for obedience as well.
Because we are not seeking a city here
We seek the one to come… we seek the heavenly kingdom.
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.
Let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God… why is it a sacrifice to praise to God? Let’s come back to that
What is the sacrifice of praise were called to offer? The fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
So let me ask again… why is it a sacrifice to praise God here?
What’s going on in these guys lives? They are being pruned. Their lives are being shaken.
He’s just explained to them that they’re going to have to come out of the religious establishment (Judaism) to worship Jesus
This willingness to suffer rejection, ridicule for His namesake was part of the pruning, part of what was being shaken loose.
It’s a sacrifice of praise to God, to thank Him during our suffering because it calls us to remember why He is doing it.
He’s doing it so that that which is temporary will fall away
Hes doing it that our lives may bear fruit
He’s doing it to make us into the image of His Son.
16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Don’t become self absorbed in your suffering
Focus your attention outward
Share with others, do good to others
Such sacrifices please God because it demonstrates we are - not self focused, but God focused
It demonstrates repentance
17 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.
If you trust those whom God has placed to shepherd over you, then trust them
Don’t make it harder on them
They are going to have to give an account… to stand before God for how they shepherded you.
Let them watch out for you with joy, not grief, not fear.
Because doing so only profits you.
18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably.
It is our desire to live honorably toward God
Conflict is not our desire
We don’t wish to have conflict with anyone
But we must keep a good conscience before God
We do this by taking everything back to scripture
19 But I especially urge [you] to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner. 20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom [be] glory forever and ever. Amen.
May God - make you complete
How is He making you complete? Through the trials we face
May God make you complete - to do His will
What is His will? 1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NKJV) For this is the will of God, your sanctification:
May God make you complete to do His will - working in you what is well pleasing in His sight
And here’s the question: do you trust Him to do what is pleasing in His sight? This all comes down to whether or not you believe that He is sovereign and He is good.
22 And I appeal to you, brethren, bear with the word of exhortation, (what is the word of exhortation? The words he’s been trying to encourage us with throughout this book)
for I have written to you in few words.
This letter to the Hebrews is just a few of the words I have written to encourage you.
Where’s the rest? In other NT epistles
Which raises the question who wrote the book? What other writings did he author?
23 Know that [our] brother Timothy has been set free, with whom I shall see you if he comes shortly.
We see a connection here with Timothy - so could Paul be the author?
Maybe but Paul always referred to Timothy as his son - so could it be someone else mentored by Paul?
We simply don’t know
24 Greet all those who rule over you, and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you. 25 Grace [be] with you all. Amen.
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