Thanks for staying
with us for our final study
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on the book of Hebrews.
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James, we are in
Chapter 13 of Hebrews
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Now come to verse
10, wherein Paul says,
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"we have an altar, from which
those who serve the tabernacle
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have no right to eat. "
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What is this altar?
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Paul is going back here
to the terminology he has
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been using through
out the book of Hebrews.
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And that is this transition
from the earthly sanctuary
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to the heavenly.
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So here we have an altar
that is referred to in the
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context of this.
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It's referring to the
altar that was in the courtyard.
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He says there at verse 11,
"the bodies of those beasts,
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whose blood is brought into the
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sanctuary by the high
priest for sin, are burned
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without the camp,
wherefore, verse 12, Jesus also
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that He might also sanctify
the people with His own blood,
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suffered without the gate. "
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This context tells us
that it was not the altar,
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that was in the Holy
place right before the curtain
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to the Most Holy Place.
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That was the altar of incense.
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The altar of incense.
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This is the altar, that
was in the courtyard when
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the animals were
brought for sacrificed.
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And what Paul is doing he
is saying, he hasn't really
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spent a lot of time on this yet.
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He's talked about the
sanctuary, he's talked about the
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service, he's talked
about the mediation of Christ.
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He is mentioned Christ has
been sacrifice, but here he is
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actually in symbolic
language directing us to the
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cross of Jesus Christ.
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Amen! Amen!
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And he is telling us
before you go into the heavenly
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sanctuary, before you go to
the Holy of the Holiest place,
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before you do any of
that, you come to the altar.
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You come to the cross.
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We have an altar, God is
calling us to that altar.
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That altar is where
Jesus Christ also that He might
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sanctify us with
His blood suffered.
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That altar points to the
cross that was the symbol
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of the altar in the courtyard.
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It is very important and
appropriate that in the midst
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of the these final moral
instructions that we would,
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in fact, encounter
the cross of Christ.
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Because moral instruction,
apart from the grace of God,
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manifested in Jesus,
is just going to produce
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frustration and failure
and an anxiety in our souls.
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Paul is going through
and he said this is what we
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need to do, you need to do that.
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You need to love one another
you need to honor marriage.
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You need to do good deeds.
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You need to take care of
those who are mistreated and
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don't be covetous.
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And all of a sudden he says,
now remember, make sure that
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you keep your focus
on the cross of Jesus.
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And the blood of
Jesus is what sanctifies us.
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Now this is powerful because
this is another ear mark.
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This is another
signature of Paul.
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This is another
reason why we know Paul is
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the author of Hebrews.
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Paul does this consistently
in Ephesians, in Corinthians.
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He consistently will begin
with an emphasis on the cross,
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he will begin with an
emphasis on the love of God.
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Then he will go through and
begin to admonish the church,
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rebuked them if necessary.
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Then he will go back over and
over again, consistently go back
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to the cross, he will go back
to the gospel, he will go back
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to an emphasis on Jesus because
he knows, 2 Corinthians 5:14,
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It is the love of
Christ that constrains us.
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It is the love of
Christ that energizes us to
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live this fate.
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Jesus was describing
the cross and the experience
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that He was
going to endure there.
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in John Chapter 12 verse 32, he
said "and I, if I be lifted up
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will draw all unto Me. "
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The word draw is
very interesting there.
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Because all of this instruction
that we are receiving
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here in Hebrews 13, is
really encouraging us to move on
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to live in a Godly manner.
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To live, He says, down in
verse 18, to live honorably.
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In this instruction to
live honorably a high moral life
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with a high moral standard.
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Jesus informs us that when
He is lifted up on the cross,
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not only historically, but
in preaching, in our own focus
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when we study the Bible, when
we are in communion with God.
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As we maintain a focus on
the uplifted cross, we are
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deeply impressed with
the love that God has for us,
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and we are drawn, not pushed,
not coerced, not manipulated,
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but we are drawn
to the Lord willingly.
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Now this is really challenging
for the Hebrew mindset.
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Especially for those
who may have been struggling
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with going back to that system.
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It is a lot easier, at
times, not to exercise the faith
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And to put our trust
in things we can see and
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things we can touch.
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And obviously, there were
a lot of Israelites, a lot of
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the Jews, who struggled
to exercise faith in Christ.
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To give up the temple system,
to give up the earthly system.
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We have to remember, the
book of Hebrews was likely
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written before the
temple was destroyed in 70 A.D.
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So, what we have here, we
have Paul, encouraging them
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actually verse 13.
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"Let us go forth,
therefore unto Him, that was
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without the camp. "
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The context again, verse
10, "we have an altar whereof
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they have no right to eat,
which served the tabernacle. "
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Today, God is calling us, many
of us, to the same experience.
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There may be tabernacles,
temples, priestly ministries,
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intercessions that are in
harmony, not with the heavenly,
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not with Christ mediation,
but are counterfeits or
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repeats of this earthly system.
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God again, in the book of
Hebrews, is calling us to the
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inspiration of the writings
of Paul, He is calling us
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to let go, to leave those
and go forth to Jesus Christ.
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To go forth to the true
Mediator, the true Priest,
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the true Sacrifice, and
that true Sanctuary in heaven,
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so that we can
partake of the grace.
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James, don't you think it
is interesting, that the book
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of Hebrews has been leading
us through an understanding
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of the Christian experience,
and the new covenant with a
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strong emphasis on
entering through the veil,
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entering in through
the veil into the immediate
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presence of God,
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come boldly before
the throne of grace.
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That is the
Furthest most development
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of Christian experience.
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As we look at the
sanctuary service, Paul leads
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us all through this
emphasis on going to the
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Furthest degree of
experience with Christ in the
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Most Holy Place
of the sanctuary.
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Then when we come to the
last chapter, he returns us
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to the courtyard and
the altar of sacrifice.
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No matter where we are
in our Christian experience,
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we need to continually
remember that we are utterly
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dependent on Jesus
Christ and Him crucified
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for our salvation.
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This is very much in
harmony with the earthly Ty,
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because even though that
sacrifice was made in the
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courtyard, the blood of
the sacrifice, the merit of
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that sacrifice was
taken into the Holy Place,
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and ultimately into
the Most Holy Place.
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So of course when we
are in the Holy place,
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and we see the
blood on the curtain.
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When we are in the Most
Holy place and we see atonement,
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the final atonement taken
place there, we are reminded
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that at atonement
is made by the blood
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that came from the altar.
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That atonement is made by
the blood that came from the
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courtyard and so he
naturally takes us back.
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And of course,
this is where we began.
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His whole focus is to
admonish the Hebrew believers,
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Go forth, Go forth.
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You have no right, if you're
holding on to these earthly
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types, go forth, you
need to let go of those so you
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can go forth and
grasp the reality.
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Lay hold upon the
cross of Jesus Christ as your
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only hope of salvation.
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And there is no other way
that we can possibly return
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to God and enter into
eternal fellowship with Him.
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Jesus very clearly said
in John 14, "I am the way,
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the truth and the life,
no man comes to the Father
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except by or through Me. "
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Jesus is the only access point
back into fellowship with God.
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This is a really
powerful verse, verse 15 says.
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"By Him, therefore, let us
offer the sacrifice of praise
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to God continually, that is
the fruit of our lips giving
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thanks to His name. "
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Now this is interesting
because if we are going forth,
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like He is admonishing us to do,
verse 14, "Let us therefore go
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go forth unto Him, without
the camp, bearing His reproach.
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we have no continuing
city we seek on forthcoming
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If were going to do this,
we're going to this by faith
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and work going to do
by faith in the sacrifice
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that was made.
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I'm sure that our viewers have
heard this a number of times,
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and our listeners,
"Once and for All. "
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So what's sacrifice now do
we bring, if were going forth
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to Christ and to the reality
of all the shadows and types.
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What sacrifice do we bring?
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We certainly don't
bring animal sacrifices.
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We certainly do not
bring Jesus, as the sacrifice
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continually over and
over again, as it is popular
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in some religious
persuasions of our world.
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So what sacrifice do we bring?
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Praise, thanksgiving.
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Yes, if we embrace this.
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If we embrace this incredible
sacrifice that God has
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given Himself for us.
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If we recognize that
we are perfect in Christ,
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His has perfected
those who obey Him.
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We need to see that the
only sacrifice that God requires
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of us is this is
the sacrifice of praise.
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In verse 16, it says, "do
not forget to do good, and to
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share, for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased. "
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So we have the sacrifices
of praise and thanksgiving,
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and now we have the sacrifices
of doing good and sharing.
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Sharing the Word of God, no
doubt sharing of our resources
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for the benefit of
those who are in need.
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God looks down upon
this benevolence, and He is,
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according to
verse 16, well pleased.
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I can't think of anything
more gratifying than knowing
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that I'm living in such a
way as to bring pleasure to
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the heart of God.
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Yes, powerful this continual
praise to God, combined
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with these other
sacrifices of doing good.
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And in the end,
we are pleasing God.
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And I tell you, you know, I
think it is possible for us to
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make sacrifices, like
giving our goods to the poor.
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Even giving our lives
for God, but this continual
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sacrifice of praise to
God, that's where I find myself
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struggling at times.
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Wondering, you know,
how can I praise God in this
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particular situation?
00:10:02.65\00:10:04.69
So, I know that this is the
ultimate for us the ultimate
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calling for us in Christ.
00:10:08.47\00:10:11.19
But it is only as it is
saturated with a revelation of
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what God has done for us,
in His goodness and His grace,
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that we can continue to
bring forth this praise to God
00:10:17.67\00:10:20.93
with our lips.
00:10:20.96\00:10:21.93
Well, James lets move to
Paul's concluding remarks in
00:10:21.95\00:10:25.65
verses 20 and 21, as he prepares
00:10:25.68\00:10:29.03
for his final salutation.
00:10:29.06\00:10:30.66
This is really great,
because here he tells us now,
00:10:30.69\00:10:34.37
"May the God of peace, who
brought up our Lord Jesus from
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the dead, the great Shepherd of
the sheep, through the blood of
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the everlasting covenant,
make you complete in every good
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work to do His will.
00:10:48.61\00:10:49.94
Working in you that,
which is well pleasing in His
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sight through Jesus
Christ to whom be glory for
00:10:54.89\00:10:58.15
ever and ever Amen. "
00:10:58.18\00:11:00.87
And AMEN!
00:11:00.90\00:11:02.20
I love this and you know,
here's this phrase you don't
00:11:02.23\00:11:04.45
find it very often.
00:11:04.48\00:11:05.60
In first 20 the
everlasting covenant.
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We are so inclined to do a
new covenant, old covenant idea.
00:11:07.65\00:11:11.68
I mean, that's our mentality,
and we don't realize that God's
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testament, God's
covenant has been everlasting.
00:11:15.20\00:11:17.26
That Hebrews points out
that the faithful of past
00:11:17.29\00:11:21.77
generations
embraced that covenant.
00:11:21.80\00:11:23.64
They embrace the new
covenant in principle.
00:11:23.67\00:11:26.30
Therefore it is everlasting,
covenant and we don't
00:11:26.33\00:11:29.01
understand also we
need to be careful of this.
00:11:29.04\00:11:31.33
We don't understand that if
we can actually embrace the old
00:11:31.36\00:11:35.27
covenant, and even though
we're living on the side of the
00:11:35.30\00:11:38.26
cross, and it's easy for
us to experience old covenant
00:11:38.29\00:11:40.62
relationships with God.
00:11:40.65\00:11:41.64
We want to embrace
the everlasting covenant.
00:11:41.67\00:11:44.50
This was the covenant
that was spoken to Abraham.
00:11:44.53\00:11:46.30
What makes it everlasting?
00:11:46.33\00:11:47.84
It came from God, was ratified
by God, was ratified by the
00:11:47.87\00:11:51.31
blood of Jesus Christ,
and is based upon God's Word.
00:11:51.34\00:11:54.91
upon His promises, His
Oath to us is based not
00:11:54.94\00:11:58.39
upon what we can do.
00:11:58.42\00:11:59.55
Our promises to God,
but His promises to us.
00:11:59.58\00:12:02.51
So Paul is reasoning
here, in his close and he is
00:12:02.54\00:12:06.19
informing us that the
same God, who raised Jesus up
00:12:06.22\00:12:10.14
from the dead,
which was an incredibly
00:12:10.17\00:12:11.99
powerful act, bringing
life back to a dead body.
00:12:12.02\00:12:16.22
The resurrection of Jesus
Christ represents a power that
00:12:16.25\00:12:20.72
God wants to flow into our
lives because he says the same
00:12:20.75\00:12:24.03
God who brought Jesus
from the dead is going
00:12:24.06\00:12:27.29
to make you complete.
00:12:27.32\00:12:29.78
This God is
going to work in you.
00:12:29.81\00:12:33.49
Work inside of you James,
in your heart, in your life to
00:12:33.52\00:12:36.87
produce the
fruit of righteousness.
00:12:36.90\00:12:39.55
That which is well
pleasing in His sight.
00:12:39.58\00:12:41.69
I love this because you
look at this and you realize,
00:12:41.72\00:12:44.44
How will I ever accomplish
what God wants from me?
00:12:44.47\00:12:47.72
There is only one
way, allow God to work
00:12:47.75\00:12:50.38
His will in your life.
00:12:50.41\00:12:51.92
Praise God!
00:12:51.95\00:12:53.14
It's been so great to
study the book of Hebrews James.
00:12:53.17\00:12:55.42
It's gone so fast,
it's gone too fast.
00:12:55.45\00:12:57.16
It's a rich, rich
part of the Bible.
00:12:57.19\00:12:59.92
Over and over again we
see these guiding themes of
00:12:59.95\00:13:03.53
Jesus being every
thing superior to us.
00:13:03.56\00:13:07.30
We want to encourage our
own hearts, and encourage those
00:13:07.33\00:13:10.22
who have been studying in
the book of Hebrews with us,
00:13:10.25\00:13:12.58
to continue to focus
their gaze upon Jesus.
00:13:12.61\00:13:16.52
To give their
hearts over to Him.
00:13:16.55\00:13:18.43
To spend time
contemplating His infinite
00:13:18.46\00:13:21.50
sacrifice in our behalf.
00:13:21.53\00:13:23.68
And in so doing,
you will find friends,
00:13:23.71\00:13:26.11
as we are finding in
our Christian journey,
00:13:26.14\00:13:28.28
that God will
indeed strengthen you.
00:13:28.31\00:13:31.22
He will make you
complete in Jesus Christ.
00:13:31.25\00:13:33.83
He will work in you
that which is well pleasing.
00:13:33.86\00:13:37.22