A Facebook friend requested myself,( and many others) to meditate on a text from the book of Hebrews. The reflections for me blossomed
way beyond a little blurb.
Hebrews 13:9-16
9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. 11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.
13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
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. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
Interpretation of Hebrews 13:9-16
The writer is contrasting aspects of the jewish sacrificial system and over all religious system with Jesus, making applications at particular points along the way. In short, Jesus is better than the old system, with its legalism and ritualism. They are to come out from all fleshy formalism, and mere ritualistic external "going thought the movements" worship (personified by the city of Jerusalem) that lacks heart felt intentions and hope filled vision through the worship of Jesus.
What is a southern boy to do?
Answer: Walk out on religion.. and into Jesus.
It is often a messy brake up but it must be done. Religion is no good for a Christian. Christianity is a relationship with God through Jesus not a save yourself religion of rules and heartless actions. Anytime a human seeks to win God's approval or smooth over his anger with some religious activities and profanatory worship we commit a deeper sin more deceptive and deadly than the ones we attempt to atone.
Application: How we walk away from religion.
1. Say good bye to legalism - Heb. 13:9–11
The concern appears to be doctrines about foods. They where splitting hairs over the dietary laws and temple sacrifices. The writers argument is basically 1. Such legalism is opposite to grace. 2. Where the spiritual benefit in such legalism. 3. the Christian altar is better than the food of the tabernacle. Unlike most OT offerings, the sin offering from the Day of Atonement could not be eaten by the tabernacle priests. It was burned outside the camp. However, all Christians partake of the Christian altar (Jesus' sacrifice). Jesus went to the place of sacrificial animals. Jesus' sufferings and death render his people holy. The food of the tabernacle makes no one holy. But to the legalists such food debates where central for they majored on the minor and obsessed over the obscure. Legalism takes many forms, the form behind the text in hebrews is called majoring on the minors legalism. The legalists fueled by their Jewish traditions, confused by obsessive thinking and driven by their legalistic assumptions lost sight of Christ and missed the point of the whole system; to wittiness to Christ. In short: don't do that! We must always keep the main thing the main thing ( 1 Cor 15:1-4). Keep the gospel central and center yourself in the gospel.
2. Say good bye to seeking the approval of others. V 12-13
The writer uses the idea of outside the camp in a metaphorical way to speaks of leaving behind the pesky desire for the approval of other. Seeking first the approval of God by embracing the reproach of Christ, emulating Jesus' response to his shameful sufferings (see Heb 12:2–3). We are to be committed to the cause in life until death, with our eyes fixed on Jesus and no one else.
3. Say hello to hope that fills us with life (v.14).
The power to live is not the will to power but the hope of faith. We are to look beyond this world, with it's "save yourself" check list systems of religion and the self-help theories of righteousness and find the power to live in the hope of a sure home. When the writer speaks of the city that is to come (v.14) it is an application and allusion to the Abraham's ability to let hope be his vision. (see Heb 11:9-10, 14–16). Christian endurance is founded on a realization that this world is a mere temporary dwelling we are on journey toward the eternal home. to the degree we see and long for our sure home is the degree we can endure the tribulations in this life.
4. Say hello to thankful service (v.15-16)
The writer describes three sacrifices we as priest of the new convent are to offer God. 1. Praise, 2. doing good, and 3. being a giver. These sacrifices minister to God. Our lifestyle is a ministers to the heart of God. We make God smile like a proud papa when we offering honest thankful praise to Jesus (Jesus revealed God's name, see John 17:6, 26). When we praise Jesus, the Father smiles and says something like, "that my child!" So, praising Jesus, doing good and being a giver (not a taker or hoarder) ministers to God. We touch his heart, not by jumping through religious hoops (like not missing sunday school) or doing special rituals (like a summer mission trip). Our lifestyle is not motivated by fear of punishment, or the guilt of obligation. Our life is motivated by the freedom of grace and the sure reality of redemption. We live thankful for jesus did it all for us. So we Praise Jesus in word and deed. We do good to all regardless of their actions to us. We are to be radical givers of ourselves, and our resources.
Three priestly functions apply named sacrifices for they all take guts. But think of their effect (v16) They please the one who made the universe. God looked at his creation in its newness and called it good. He looks at our sacrifices as mixed and impure as they are and he smiles for his heart is pleased. How is this? Our sacrifices unlike the jewish system are not payment for sin but a response to the sin bearing sacrifice of Jesus. We let our sacrifices rise from the "thank you" redemption has sown into our hearts and he is pleased. By them "through jesus" (v15) we can make God's heart jump for joy, like a proud parent smiles with pleasure at the fumbling of a child learning to walk so God response to us. We don't have to be perfect. We will fall and fumble but because it is "through Jesus" we will not fail to warm his heart.
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