Pleasing Sacrifices

Introduction

Hebrews 13:7–17 NIV

7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. 10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 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.

A sandwich centered on the superiority of Christ and the response it demands

Support for a Pleasing Life

The call to lives of sacrificial praise and good works flowing from a heart that has received grace is a significant demand – the AH gives two groups of people who provide support in fulfilling that demand

Example and Instruction from the Past

Hebrews 13:7 NIV

7 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

This refers to the teacher who are no longer around

Prison??

Death??

They are worth remembering because of

The content of their speech – the Word of God

The outcome of their life

Application

Who has contributed to your life?

How does church history contribute

The Authority of the Present

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.

The Goodness of Authority

The exercise of authority is part of God’s good creation design – mankind was called to rule over creation

No human possesses inherent authority over another – all human authority stems from divine authority

This highlights the significance of authority

This highlights the limitations of authority

Authority is a function of image bearing

God has absolute authority, but that authority coexists with his goodness

God’s authority builds up and protects

Abuse of authority is like a haunted house mirror that proclaims falsehoods about the creator

Bad Authority

Not all use of authority is good

We’ve all seen authority

Some have experienced it directly with family abuse

Limits on authority (Leeman - Authority: How Godly Rule Protects the Vulnerable, Strengthens Communities, and Promotes Human Flourishing)

Good human authority is never absolute. Good authority is always accountable. Good authority drives inside the lines that God has painted on the road. In fact, good authority is always submissive!

When an Authority Requires Us to Sin

When an Authority Drives Outside Its God-Assigned Lanes

When Protecting Oneself from Wrongful Harm

What Does Elder Authority Look Like?

It stays in its lane

Three Types of Authority

Coercion

Command

Counsel

Elder authority is never coercion, it’s only command when it is proclaiming God’s Word, it is most often counsel

Other authorities rightly use coercion

Parents – rod

State – sword

Church – keys

The authority of the church ultimately lies in the congregation

Matthew 18:15–20 NIV

15 “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. 16 But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ 17 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18 “Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven. 19 “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Elder’s will primarily exercise authority through example and teaching

1 Peter 5:1–3 NIV

1 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder and a witness of Christ’s sufferings who also will share in the glory to be revealed: 2 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; 3 not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

The Purpose of Elder’s Authority

The elder’s authority is not directed at church growth, organizational management, or control; it is focused on the exaltation of Christ.

This call to remember the elders who are no more and submit to the ones you have no surrounds the exaltation of Jesus sacrifice. Elders are called to exercise their authority for the sake of presenting Christ with his bride.

Call to a Pleasing Life

Sacrifices Without Benefit

Hebrews 13:9–14 NIV

9 Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. 10 We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. 11 The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. 12 And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. 13 Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. 14 For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come.

A negative-positive section

Do not be carried away by strange teachings

Do go to Jesus

Do not be carried away

The ceremony of the law will not benefit

There is something better – an altar that even the priests couldn’t eat at

The priests had unique but restricted access to the holy places; in Jesus we have more access than they did

Do go to Jesus

Jesus was disgraced and rejected

It is better to be with him in disgrace than to be int the city without him

These early Christians were unacceptable to the Jewish religious world around them

They should embrace the disgrace of Jesus with their eyes set on the greater city

Offer Pleasing Sacrifices

Hebrews 13:15–16 NIV

15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Loyalty to Jesus demands a different sacrifice

Not the sacrifice of the old system

That sacrifice has been offered and accepted

A new sacrifice

Praise to God

Worship from our new position rather than sacrifice to obtain a new position

Good works with God’s people

Conclusion

Hebrews 13:20–25 NIV

20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 22 Brothers and sisters, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for in fact I have written to you quite briefly. 23 I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you. 24 Greet all your leaders and all the Lord’s people. Those from Italy send you their greetings. 25 Grace be with you all.

AH closes with a prayer for the God who brought Jesus back from the dead to equip his church to do good.

May we pray for, hope for, and strive for the same