Hebrews 13:9-25

Henry Did a Good Job Covering Most of the Last Verses of this Book

We’re Going to Recap a Few Things and Then Close Out the Book

Beginning in Verse 9…

The Author is Encouraging this Hebrew Christian Audience One Last Time…

To Remain Faithful to Jesus…

And Leave the Old Covenant System Behind

Hebrews 13:9–10 (NASB95)

9 Do not be carried away by varied and strange teachings; for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, through which those who were so occupied were not benefited.10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.

The Author Says We are to Find Our Strength in What?

Grace

Where Does this Grace Come From?

From the Altar that Jesus Sacrificed Himself Upon

Those Who Serve the Tabernacle (Priests Under the Old System)…

Have No Right to Eat From Our Altar

They Have No Right to Our Food

What is Our Food?

The Grace that Comes From the Sacrifice of King Jesus

Those Who Reject Jesus have No Right to the Grace that Comes From His Sacrifice

Christians have Something that They have No Right to

The Jewish Priests have the OT Sacrifices as Food to Give Them Strength

But We are Priests Under Jesus’ High Priesthood…

And We have His Everlasting Grace to Strengthen Us

Hebrews 13:11–13 (NASB95)

11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the high priest as an offering for sin, are burned outside the camp.12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

Just as the OT Sacrifices Were Burned Outside the Camp…

Jesus, as Our Sacrifice, Suffered and Died Outside the Camp

The Author Encourages Us to Join Him There

What Does it Mean in this Context to Be Outside the Camp?

To Be an Outsider, an Exile, a Foreigner

To Be Outside the Camp of Israel

To Separate Ourselves From the Jewish Religion

As a Christian, it Ought to Feel Like We are Living in a Foreign Land

We Ought to Feel Like Exiles and Foreigners in this Present World

This is What it is Like to Bear the Reproach of Jesus Outside the Camp

It Means Being Despised, Mocked, Persecuted, Left Out, and Shamed

To Bear the Reproach/Disgrace of Jesus in a World that is Not Our Home

Hebrews 13:14 (NASB95)

14 For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is to come.

We are Waiting for Our True Home

A City that will Last Forever

If We Feel Perfectly at Home in this Fallen World…

Then We Most Certainly Aren’t Bearing the Reproach of Jesus Outside the Camp

We are Living Within the Camp, Far From Jesus and His Grace

And Where There is No Grace, There is No Hope for the Future

Hebrews 13:15 (LSB)

15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name.

We are to Continually Offer Up a Sacrifice of Praise to God

And According to the Author, that Sacrifice of Praise Consists of:

“Confessing Jesus’ Name”

What Does it Mean to Confess Jesus’ Name?

I Think Looking at Other Translations can Help Us Better Understand What this Means

Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)

15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Hebrews 13:15 (NIV)

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.

Hebrews 13:15 (NLT)

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

Our Sacrifice of Praise to God is:

Acknowledging, Openly Professing, and Proclaiming Our Allegiance to Jesus

This Means Not Being Ashamed to Be a Christian

This Means Suffering Persecution for Being a Follower of Jesus

This Means Being Outside the Camp of the World for His Sake

One of Our Greatest Forms of Worship…

Is Our Continuous Sacrifice of Praise that We are to Make Every Single Day

And that is:

Not Being Ashamed for the World to Know that We Belong to Jesus

That We Give Him Our Lives

That He is Our Master and King

That His Teachings and Example are Our Law

That His Sacrifice is Our Salvation

That His Resurrection is Our Hope

This is What Confession is All About

Confessing Our Allegiance to Jesus to Anyone and Everyone

This is a Sacrifice of Praise to God that We Should Offer Continually

Praising/Worshiping God isn’t Something that Only Takes Place in the Assembly

We Definitely Confess Our Allegiance to Jesus By Assembling and Worshiping

But Confession of Our Allegiance to Jesus…

Ought to Be Something We Do Everywhere and Around Anyone

To Be Ashamed of Our Faith in Jesus is to Deny Him

To Be Open and Proud of Our Faith in Him is to Offer a Sacrifice of Praise to Him

But Our Open and Proud Allegiance to Jesus Isn’t the Only Sacrifice We Offer God

Hebrews 13:16 (NASB95)

16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Another Way We Sacrifice to God is By Doing Good and Sharing

James 1:27 (NASB95)

27 Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James Tells Us that Pure Religion is Doing Good to Those in Need

The Philippians Were Known for Their Generosity to Paul in His Times of Need

Philippians 4:18 (NASB95)

18 But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.

Sharing What We have with Those in Need is Considered a Sacrifice of Worship to God

We Don’t Offer Animals Sacrifices in Worship to God Anymore

Our Worship Consists of:

Confessing Our Allegiance to King Jesus

Doing Good to Others

Sharing What We Have with Those in Need

Hebrews 13:17 (NASB95)

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.

“Obey” = To Be Convinced, Persuaded, or have Confidence in

The NIV is One of the Only Major Translations that Focuses on this Nuance

Hebrews 13:17 (NIV)

17 Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.

We are to have Confidence in and Submit to the Authority of Our Leaders

They “Keep Watch” Over Our Souls

As Leaders/Shepherds, They will Give an Account for Their Leadership

They will Be Judged Based Upon Their Leadership

We Should have Confidence in Them and Obey Them Submissively…

So that Their Work as Leaders will Be Joyful and Not a Burden

Shepherds that are Burdened By Their Sheep…

Will Not Remain Shepherds Long

And Sheep Without Shepherds is Never Beneficial

Now, Let’s Read Through the Last Verses of the Book

Hebrews 13:18–25 (NASB95)

18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a good conscience, desiring to conduct ourselves honorably in all things.19 And I urge you all the more to do this, so that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20 Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord,21 equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

22 But I urge you, brethren, bear with this word of exhortation, for I have written to you briefly.23 Take notice that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom, if he comes soon, I will see you.24 Greet all of your leaders and all the saints. Those from Italy greet you.25 Grace be with you all.

After the Author Asks for the Audience’s Prayers…

He Prays for Them that God, the Resurrector of Our Shepherd…

Would Equip Them for Every Good Thing

Only Through God’s Help and Indwelling can We Do All Good Things

Then He Tells Them to Bear this Word of Exhortation/Encouragement

They Need to Endure the Hardships of Being a Christian with the Knowledge that…

Jesus is Our Faithful High Priest Who Opens Up a New and Living Way to God

And that When He Returns, He will Bring Many Sons to Glory By Resurrection and the Restoring of All Things

That is the Book of Hebrews

Exile

Our Next Study is Going to Be Over the Theme of “Exile”

It’s a Seamless Transition From What We Looked at Tonight

We are to Go to Jesus Outside the Camp and Bear His Reproach

We will Spend the Next Few Weeks Looking at…

What the Bible Says About Exile and How it Relates to Us

Those Listed in the Hall of Faith (Heb. 11) Considered Themselves Exiles

Hebrews 11:13 (NASB95)

13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.

Peter Referred to the Christian Recipients of His Letter as “Sojourners and Exiles”

1 Peter 2:11 (LSB)

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul,

“Sojourner” = Someone Living in a Place that is Not Their Home

“Exile” = Someone Who is Temporarily Staying in a Foreign Place

We are Going to See in Our Study How Exile has Been a Common Theme From the Beginning

And We are Going to Focus on What it Means to Us to Live as Exiles…

What that Looks Like…

And How We are to Accomplish that

Invitation

We Don’t Know Many Details of What it was Like to Live in the Garden of Eden

We Know that it was Wonderful and Everything was Good and Right

We Also Know that Humanity and God Were Able to Live Together

Only After the Fall Do We See Humanity and God Distant From Each Other

And Ever Since Then We’ve Seen God Seek to “Dwell” with Humanity Again

He Commanded the Israelites to Build a Tabernacle in the Wilderness

Exodus 25:8 (NASB95)

8 “Let them construct a sanctuary for Me, that I may dwell among them.

Exodus 29:45–46 (NASB95)

45 “I will dwell among the sons of Israel and will be their God.46 “They shall know that I am the Lord their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the Lord their God.

God has Always Wanted to Be Reconciled to Humanity

He has Always Wanted to Dwell with Us

Under the New Covenant, God Began Dwelling IN Us

Romans 8:11 (NASB95)

11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

What Happened in Between God Dwelling with Israel in the Tabernacle…

And God Dwelling IN His People Through His Spirit?

God Dwelt with Us Through Jesus

John 1:14 (NASB95)

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

This is a Wonderful Time of Year

I Love Christmas

I Love the Music, the Lights, the Atmosphere, the Activities/Festivities

And I Love that So Many People in the World Set Their Minds…

On the Time When God Dwelt with Us Through Jesus

Some Christians will Make You Feel Guilty for Thinking About Jesus’ Birth this Time of the Year

It’s Never Wrong to Think About the Incarnation of God

The Act of God Becoming Human and Dwelling with Us…

So that God and Humanity can Dwell Together Again

We have a Taste of that Now Through the Indwelling of the Spirit

But We Know at Jesus’ Return, We will Experience it Fully/Completely Forever

Revelation 21:1–4 (NASB95)

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

This is the Hope of the Wonderful Gospel in Which We Place Our Trust

Revelation 21:6–8 (NASB95)

6 Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.7 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

We will Inherit Eternal Life with God if We Overcome

Overcome Refers to Being Victorious Over the Ways of Evil

To Endure and Remain Faithful to Jesus

Those Who Don’t Overcome will Experience the Second Death in the Lake of Fire

Because God Dwelt Among Us in Jesus…

Let Us Live According to the Spirit Who Now Dwells in Us

So that When Jesus Returns, God will Dwell with Us Forever