Participants: Ty Gibson, James Rafferty
Series Code: BOTB
Program Code: BOTB00013B
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00:01 Thanks for staying with us for our final study
00:03 on the book of Hebrews. 00:04 James, we are in Chapter 13 of Hebrews 00:07 Now come to verse 10, wherein Paul says, 00:10 "we have an altar, from which those who serve the tabernacle 00:16 have no right to eat. " 00:18 What is this altar? 00:19 Paul is going back here to the terminology he has 00:22 been using through out the book of Hebrews. 00:23 And that is this transition from the earthly sanctuary 00:26 to the heavenly. 00:27 So here we have an altar that is referred to in the 00:31 context of this. 00:32 It's referring to the altar that was in the courtyard. 00:34 He says there at verse 11, "the bodies of those beasts, 00:37 whose blood is brought into the 00:39 sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned 00:40 without the camp, wherefore, verse 12, Jesus also 00:43 that He might also sanctify the people with His own blood, 00:46 suffered without the gate. " 00:47 This context tells us that it was not the altar, 00:49 that was in the Holy place right before the curtain 00:52 to the Most Holy Place. 00:53 That was the altar of incense. 00:54 The altar of incense. 00:55 This is the altar, that was in the courtyard when 00:58 the animals were brought for sacrificed. 01:00 And what Paul is doing he is saying, he hasn't really 01:02 spent a lot of time on this yet. 01:03 He's talked about the sanctuary, he's talked about the 01:06 service, he's talked about the mediation of Christ. 01:08 He is mentioned Christ has been sacrifice, but here he is 01:11 actually in symbolic language directing us to the 01:14 cross of Jesus Christ. 01:15 Amen! Amen! 01:17 And he is telling us before you go into the heavenly 01:18 sanctuary, before you go to the Holy of the Holiest place, 01:20 before you do any of that, you come to the altar. 01:23 You come to the cross. 01:24 We have an altar, God is calling us to that altar. 01:27 That altar is where Jesus Christ also that He might 01:32 sanctify us with His blood suffered. 01:34 That altar points to the cross that was the symbol 01:37 of the altar in the courtyard. 01:38 It is very important and appropriate that in the midst 01:41 of the these final moral instructions that we would, 01:45 in fact, encounter the cross of Christ. 01:48 Because moral instruction, apart from the grace of God, 01:52 manifested in Jesus, is just going to produce 01:54 frustration and failure and an anxiety in our souls. 01:58 Paul is going through and he said this is what we 02:01 need to do, you need to do that. 02:02 You need to love one another you need to honor marriage. 02:04 You need to do good deeds. 02:06 You need to take care of those who are mistreated and 02:08 don't be covetous. 02:10 And all of a sudden he says, now remember, make sure that 02:13 you keep your focus on the cross of Jesus. 02:17 And the blood of Jesus is what sanctifies us. 02:20 Now this is powerful because this is another ear mark. 02:22 This is another signature of Paul. 02:24 This is another reason why we know Paul is 02:26 the author of Hebrews. 02:27 Paul does this consistently in Ephesians, in Corinthians. 02:30 He consistently will begin with an emphasis on the cross, 02:33 he will begin with an emphasis on the love of God. 02:36 Then he will go through and begin to admonish the church, 02:39 rebuked them if necessary. 02:41 Then he will go back over and over again, consistently go back 02:45 to the cross, he will go back to the gospel, he will go back 02:48 to an emphasis on Jesus because he knows, 2 Corinthians 5:14, 02:52 It is the love of Christ that constrains us. 02:55 It is the love of Christ that energizes us to 02:58 live this fate. 02:59 Jesus was describing the cross and the experience 03:02 that He was going to endure there. 03:04 in John Chapter 12 verse 32, he said "and I, if I be lifted up 03:10 will draw all unto Me. " 03:12 The word draw is very interesting there. 03:14 Because all of this instruction that we are receiving 03:17 here in Hebrews 13, is really encouraging us to move on 03:22 to live in a Godly manner. 03:25 To live, He says, down in verse 18, to live honorably. 03:28 In this instruction to live honorably a high moral life 03:33 with a high moral standard. 03:35 Jesus informs us that when He is lifted up on the cross, 03:39 not only historically, but in preaching, in our own focus 03:42 when we study the Bible, when we are in communion with God. 03:46 As we maintain a focus on the uplifted cross, we are 03:50 deeply impressed with the love that God has for us, 03:54 and we are drawn, not pushed, not coerced, not manipulated, 03:58 but we are drawn to the Lord willingly. 04:02 Now this is really challenging for the Hebrew mindset. 04:05 Especially for those who may have been struggling 04:07 with going back to that system. 04:10 It is a lot easier, at times, not to exercise the faith 04:13 And to put our trust in things we can see and 04:16 things we can touch. 04:17 And obviously, there were a lot of Israelites, a lot of 04:19 the Jews, who struggled to exercise faith in Christ. 04:22 To give up the temple system, to give up the earthly system. 04:26 We have to remember, the book of Hebrews was likely 04:28 written before the temple was destroyed in 70 A.D. 04:31 So, what we have here, we have Paul, encouraging them 04:35 actually verse 13. 04:36 "Let us go forth, therefore unto Him, that was 04:40 without the camp. " 04:41 The context again, verse 10, "we have an altar whereof 04:44 they have no right to eat, which served the tabernacle. " 04:47 Today, God is calling us, many of us, to the same experience. 04:51 There may be tabernacles, temples, priestly ministries, 04:56 intercessions that are in harmony, not with the heavenly, 05:00 not with Christ mediation, but are counterfeits or 05:03 repeats of this earthly system. 05:06 God again, in the book of Hebrews, is calling us to the 05:10 inspiration of the writings of Paul, He is calling us 05:12 to let go, to leave those and go forth to Jesus Christ. 05:16 To go forth to the true Mediator, the true Priest, 05:19 the true Sacrifice, and that true Sanctuary in heaven, 05:23 so that we can partake of the grace. 05:26 James, don't you think it is interesting, that the book 05:28 of Hebrews has been leading us through an understanding 05:32 of the Christian experience, and the new covenant with a 05:35 strong emphasis on entering through the veil, 05:38 entering in through the veil into the immediate 05:42 presence of God, 05:43 come boldly before the throne of grace. 05:45 That is the Furthest most development 05:49 of Christian experience. 05:50 As we look at the sanctuary service, Paul leads 05:53 us all through this emphasis on going to the 05:57 Furthest degree of experience with Christ in the 06:01 Most Holy Place of the sanctuary. 06:03 Then when we come to the last chapter, he returns us 06:07 to the courtyard and the altar of sacrifice. 06:11 No matter where we are in our Christian experience, 06:14 we need to continually remember that we are utterly 06:17 dependent on Jesus Christ and Him crucified 06:22 for our salvation. 06:23 This is very much in harmony with the earthly Ty, 06:26 because even though that sacrifice was made in the 06:29 courtyard, the blood of the sacrifice, the merit of 06:32 that sacrifice was taken into the Holy Place, 06:34 and ultimately into the Most Holy Place. 06:37 So of course when we are in the Holy place, 06:39 and we see the blood on the curtain. 06:41 When we are in the Most Holy place and we see atonement, 06:43 the final atonement taken place there, we are reminded 06:45 that at atonement is made by the blood 06:48 that came from the altar. 06:49 That atonement is made by the blood that came from the 06:52 courtyard and so he naturally takes us back. 06:54 And of course, this is where we began. 06:56 His whole focus is to admonish the Hebrew believers, 07:00 Go forth, Go forth. 07:02 You have no right, if you're holding on to these earthly 07:05 types, go forth, you need to let go of those so you 07:09 can go forth and grasp the reality. 07:11 Lay hold upon the cross of Jesus Christ as your 07:13 only hope of salvation. 07:15 And there is no other way that we can possibly return 07:18 to God and enter into eternal fellowship with Him. 07:21 Jesus very clearly said in John 14, "I am the way, 07:24 the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father 07:28 except by or through Me. " 07:30 Jesus is the only access point back into fellowship with God. 07:35 This is a really powerful verse, verse 15 says. 07:37 "By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise 07:43 to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving 07:47 thanks to His name. " 07:49 Now this is interesting because if we are going forth, 07:50 like He is admonishing us to do, verse 14, "Let us therefore go 07:55 go forth unto Him, without the camp, bearing His reproach. 07:58 we have no continuing city we seek on forthcoming 08:01 If were going to do this, we're going to this by faith 08:04 and work going to do by faith in the sacrifice 08:06 that was made. 08:07 I'm sure that our viewers have heard this a number of times, 08:09 and our listeners, "Once and for All. " 08:12 So what's sacrifice now do we bring, if were going forth 08:15 to Christ and to the reality of all the shadows and types. 08:21 What sacrifice do we bring? 08:22 We certainly don't bring animal sacrifices. 08:24 We certainly do not bring Jesus, as the sacrifice 08:27 continually over and over again, as it is popular 08:30 in some religious persuasions of our world. 08:34 So what sacrifice do we bring? 08:35 Praise, thanksgiving. 08:37 Yes, if we embrace this. 08:39 If we embrace this incredible sacrifice that God has 08:42 given Himself for us. 08:43 If we recognize that we are perfect in Christ, 08:46 His has perfected those who obey Him. 08:49 We need to see that the only sacrifice that God requires 08:53 of us is this is the sacrifice of praise. 08:56 In verse 16, it says, "do not forget to do good, and to 09:00 share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. " 09:04 So we have the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, 09:07 and now we have the sacrifices of doing good and sharing. 09:13 Sharing the Word of God, no doubt sharing of our resources 09:17 for the benefit of those who are in need. 09:19 God looks down upon this benevolence, and He is, 09:24 according to verse 16, well pleased. 09:26 I can't think of anything more gratifying than knowing 09:30 that I'm living in such a way as to bring pleasure to 09:33 the heart of God. 09:34 Yes, powerful this continual praise to God, combined 09:38 with these other sacrifices of doing good. 09:41 And in the end, we are pleasing God. 09:44 And I tell you, you know, I think it is possible for us to 09:47 make sacrifices, like giving our goods to the poor. 09:50 Even giving our lives for God, but this continual 09:55 sacrifice of praise to God, that's where I find myself 09:58 struggling at times. 09:59 Wondering, you know, how can I praise God in this 10:02 particular situation? 10:04 So, I know that this is the ultimate for us the ultimate 10:08 calling for us in Christ. 10:11 But it is only as it is saturated with a revelation of 10:14 what God has done for us, in His goodness and His grace, 10:17 that we can continue to bring forth this praise to God 10:20 with our lips. 10:22 Well, James lets move to Paul's concluding remarks in 10:25 verses 20 and 21, as he prepares 10:29 for his final salutation. 10:30 This is really great, because here he tells us now, 10:34 "May the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from 10:39 the dead, the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of 10:44 the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good 10:48 work to do His will. 10:49 Working in you that, which is well pleasing in His 10:54 sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory for 10:58 ever and ever Amen. " 11:00 And AMEN! 11:02 I love this and you know, here's this phrase you don't 11:04 find it very often. 11:05 In first 20 the everlasting covenant. 11:07 We are so inclined to do a new covenant, old covenant idea. 11:11 I mean, that's our mentality, and we don't realize that God's 11:15 testament, God's covenant has been everlasting. 11:17 That Hebrews points out that the faithful of past 11:21 generations embraced that covenant. 11:23 They embrace the new covenant in principle. 11:26 Therefore it is everlasting, covenant and we don't 11:29 understand also we need to be careful of this. 11:31 We don't understand that if we can actually embrace the old 11:35 covenant, and even though we're living on the side of the 11:38 cross, and it's easy for us to experience old covenant 11:40 relationships with God. 11:41 We want to embrace the everlasting covenant. 11:44 This was the covenant that was spoken to Abraham. 11:46 What makes it everlasting? 11:47 It came from God, was ratified by God, was ratified by the 11:51 blood of Jesus Christ, and is based upon God's Word. 11:54 upon His promises, His Oath to us is based not 11:58 upon what we can do. 11:59 Our promises to God, but His promises to us. 12:02 So Paul is reasoning here, in his close and he is 12:06 informing us that the same God, who raised Jesus up 12:10 from the dead, which was an incredibly 12:12 powerful act, bringing life back to a dead body. 12:16 The resurrection of Jesus Christ represents a power that 12:20 God wants to flow into our lives because he says the same 12:24 God who brought Jesus from the dead is going 12:27 to make you complete. 12:29 This God is going to work in you. 12:33 Work inside of you James, in your heart, in your life to 12:36 produce the fruit of righteousness. 12:39 That which is well pleasing in His sight. 12:41 I love this because you look at this and you realize, 12:44 How will I ever accomplish what God wants from me? 12:47 There is only one way, allow God to work 12:50 His will in your life. 12:51 Praise God! 12:53 It's been so great to study the book of Hebrews James. 12:55 It's gone so fast, it's gone too fast. 12:57 It's a rich, rich part of the Bible. 12:59 Over and over again we see these guiding themes of 13:03 Jesus being every thing superior to us. 13:07 We want to encourage our own hearts, and encourage those 13:10 who have been studying in the book of Hebrews with us, 13:12 to continue to focus their gaze upon Jesus. 13:16 To give their hearts over to Him. 13:18 To spend time contemplating His infinite 13:21 sacrifice in our behalf. 13:23 And in so doing, you will find friends, 13:26 as we are finding in our Christian journey, 13:28 that God will indeed strengthen you. 13:31 He will make you complete in Jesus Christ. 13:33 He will work in you that which is well pleasing. |
Revised 2014-12-17