The collection taken here today
is for the support of the Oaktree Homes Trust. Let us commence our service today
by singing together hymn number 786. The tune is Bradley Church,
707. That day when Christ was crucified,
the mighty God Jehovah died, an ignominious death. He that
would keep this solemn day, and true disciples safely may, must
keep it firm in faith. Hymn 786, tune Bradley Church,
? That my people did not die ?
? And in earth did not die ? ? Nor in heaven did not die ? He that would keep this solemn
day, As true disciples they may, Must keep ? Did the grave say? ? ? O, how the mournful tragedy
? Make full of this day every night,
and let me praise for thee, Bread, bread, bread, bread, soft,
dear. Here, here, condolo, my dear
friend. and reach into his soul, descend
and find his Saviour there. History can have hearts and souls,
and they are out of the chamber. ? In God's own searching sight
? ? In God's own searching sight
? ? When all we do wait ? Love is fixed. And steadfast
faith on these earth's banks, Thy breath remains. Let us read together from the
Holy Word of God in the Gospel according to Matthew and chapter
27. Matthew chapter 27. We'll commence
the reading at verse 24 and we'll read down to verse 61. Verse
24. When Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water
and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent
of the blood of this just person, see ye to it. Then answered all
the people and said, his blood be on us and on our children. then released Heberabbas unto
them, and when they had scourged Jesus, he delivered him up to
be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor
took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole
band of soldiers, and they stripped him and put on him a scarlet
robe, and when they had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it
upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed
the knee before him and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the
Jews. And they spit upon him and took
the reed and smote him on the head. And after they had mocked
him, they took the robe off from him and put his own raiment on
him and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they
found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, him they compelled to
bear his cross. And when they were come unto
the place called Gotha, that is to say, a place of a skull,
they gave him vinegar to drink, mingled with gore. And when he
had tasted thereof, he would not drink. and they crucified
him, and parted his garments, cast in lots, that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet. They parted my garment
among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. And sitting
down they watched him there, and set up over his head his
accusation written, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Then were
there two thieves crucified with him, one on the right hand and
another on the left. And they that passed by reviled
him, wagging their heads, and saying, thou that destroyest
the temple and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come
down from the cross. Likewise also the chief priests
mocking him with the scribes and elders said, he saved others,
himself he cannot save. If he be the king of Israel,
let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver
him now, if you will have him. For he said, I am the son of
God. The thieves also which were crucified
with him cast the same in his teeth. Now from the sixth hour
there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus
cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthanai,
that is to say, my God, my God, Why hast thou forsaken me? Some
of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man
calleth for Elias. And straightway one of them ran,
and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on
a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be. Let us
see whether Elias will come to save him. Jesus when he had cried
again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And behold, the
veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom,
and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent, and the graves
were opened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into
the holy city and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion
and they that were with him watching Jesus saw the earthquake and
those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying truly,
this was the Son of God. And many women were there beholding
afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto
him. among which was Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of
Zebedee's children. When the evening was come, there
came a rich man of Arimathea named Joseph, who also himself
was Jesus' disciple. He went to Pilate and begged
the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body
to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the
body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his
own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock. And he rolled
a great stone to the door of the sepulchre and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene
and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre. May the
Lord bless the reading of his own precious word and grant unto
us a spirit of real prayer. Gracious, merciful, and eternal
God, we do desire to bow before thy great majesty, to call upon
thy great and holy name. We meet together, O Lord, to
commemorate the solemn sufferings and death of our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ. All we do pray that thou wouldst
hear the prayer of our opening hymn, that we may keep it in
that faith that worketh by love, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,
faith in his finished work, faith in what he has done. May we be
true followers of him, and of those who through faith and patience
inherit the promises. We pray that the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God our Father and the sacred
fellowship of the Holy Spirit may rest and abide upon us in
this service and that thou hast opened the word of God to our
heart and to our understanding. Grant that we may be favoured
And Lord, what an unspeakable favour to be drawn, to be drawn
unto Jesus Christ, to be drawn unto his glorious person. Thy
word, O Lord, instructs us that none come except the Father draw. Oh, that we could know that sweet
drawing here this morning. May we have that experience that
the Apostle speaks of in the Word. For God hath sent forth
the spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father,
Lord, may we know that precious truth, that spirit of adoption. We think of those excellent and
beautiful words, yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting
love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. We pray that
we may feel the divine presence and the sacred power of the Holy
Ghost in our hearts, in the pulpit and in the pew, as we gather
around thy word today. May the power that brings salvation
be exerted in the word. May the Lord Jesus come and stand
in our midst, that we may behold his glory the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Oh,
to know these precious truths, to know my Jesus crucified by
fire excels all things beside. Help us to lay aside every weight
and the sin that does so easily beset us, and that we might run
with patience the race that is set before us. looking unto Jesus,
the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was
set before him endured the cross, despising the shame thereof,
and is now set down at the right hand of the majesty on high. We pray, most gracious Lord,
that there may be one and another have come here today like that
dear woman that we read of. If I may but touch the hem of
his garment, I shall be made whole. Oh, that there may be
those here that have come with that desire to touch the hem
of Jesus' garment. We do pray, most gracious Lord,
that we may hear thy voice, that we may see thy countenance, that
we may worship in thy holy hill of Zion. Do bless us as a church
and as a congregation to remember our brethren the deacons. Grant
needed grace, wisdom and help in all their responsibilities
here and also among the churches. Gird them with all sufficient
grace. Remember each one of our brethren
and sisters in church fellowship. Unite us together. Help us to
love each other, serve each other, and bear each other's burdens,
thereby fulfilling the law of Christ. Lord, remember the whole
of our congregation and work mightily, powerfully, and effectually
among us. Gather precious souls unto Christ. We pray for the children, the
little ones, as they're brought into the sanctuary. May the fear
of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom, be planted in their
hearts by the Holy Ghost. May it please thee, Lord, to
bless them. We often think of those excellent words, suffer
little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for
of such is the kingdom of heaven. Gracious God, do gather those
little children unto Christ. Remember the young friends. Remember
them with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people. Visit
them with thy great salvation. Bring them each to live in faith
in Jesus Christ. And graciously bless them in
all matters, in all their concerns in providence, whether it's their
education or whether it's employment or a partner in life journey.
Lord, we lovingly commend them to thee, and to the word of thy
grace, which is able to build them up, and to grant them an
inheritance among them that are sanctified. Fulfill thy ancient
promise, instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou
mayest make princes in all the earth. Lord, remember the prodigals
that have wandered from the sanctuary, stretch out thy almighty arm,
cause them to be in want, cause them to return unto the house
of God. Lord, we look to thee, for there
is nothing too hard for thee, that none are beyond thy power.
Oh, we pray that we may see Zion's offspring come, that we may see
the returning prodigals, that the glory, light, and power of
the gospel may shine into this village, and in the surrounding
villages and hamlets. And the word of the Lord distributed
may be richly blessed of thee. It may be down to the great honour,
glory and praise of thy holy name. We do humbly beseech thee. We pray that most gracious Lord
that thou would remember all in the midst of the journey of
life. Give wisdom, guidance and direction unto those our parents
and bringing up children, graciously undertake for them, remember
them for good, deliver us from the temptations of Satan, who
comes sometimes as a roaring lion to devour, sometimes as
an angel of light to deceive. We pray to be delivered from
the temptations of Satan, from the power and dominion of sin,
We pray to be delivered from the allurements of this vain
world that has to death ten thousands hurled. Gracious God, remember
us for good. Remember each of us in the evening
time of life's journey and undertake for us a rule. A number of us
here, O Lord, are now past the allotted time of man upon the
earth, that we pray to be graciously prepared And now, my God, prepare
my soul for that great day and wash me in thy precious blood. Take all my sins away. But we pray for any trouble or
trial or perplexity or sorrow or sadness or bereavement undertake
for each one. Help us to pray for one another
and to bear one another's burden. But we pray, most gracious Lord,
that thou would remember all thy servants as they labour in
word and doctrine upon the walls of Zion today. Grant that they
may dip their foot in oil and be made acceptable unto the brethren. Grant that thou would return
to Jerusalem with mercies and may bear thine holy arm in the
gospel. We think, O Lord of this day,
how that millions worldwide gather together on this day to remember
the sufferings and deaths of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Oh, that thou wouldst arise,
that thou wouldst bear thine holy arm, and that the power
of the Holy Ghost may be present in the assemblies, and that precious
souls may be quickened into life, and their eyes opened to their
need of a Saviour, of a Redeemer, to their need of the precious
blood of the Lamb. Gracious God, grant this, O Lord,
we do beseech Thee. O Lord, we do thank Thee for
this day, this day of remembrance. We do thank Thee for that wonderful
glory of the incarnation of the Son of God. When the eternal
Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, May we behold his glory,
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. We thank thee
that he fulfilled and honoured and magnified thy holy law on
the behalf of his people to redeem and to deliver them from sin
and Satan's power. He satisfied all the demands
of divine justice on the cross of Calvary. He was made a curse
for us. He that did no sin was made sin
for us. Lord, what wonders and glories
dwell in Jesus, the Son of God, manifest in the flesh. We thank
Thee for Calvary where the Lamb was slain, where sin was put
away, where divine justice was satisfied. We thank Thee for
that holy life where the law was fulfilled and everlasting
righteousness brought in. We thank thee that he died for
our sins, but rose again for our justification. We thank thee
that we do not worship a dead Christ, but we worship a living
Christ who has the power to forgive sins, the power to save his people
from their sins, We thank Thee that there is a mediator, a great
high priest that stands between. Oh, we do desire to worship Thee
and today to remember Thee in Thy sufferings and to worship
Thee in Thy holy hill of Zion. We thank Thee for our little
house of prayer. We thank Thee for the open Bible,
for the Word of God. We thank Thee for the liberties
that we enjoy, in being able to meet together unhindered.
Gracious God, we thank Thee that Thy mercies to us are new every
morning, and great is Thy faithfulness. Oh, we do thank Thee for Thy
everlasting kindness, and that through Jesus Christ we know
the love of our Eternal Father, and through Jesus Christ we receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost. Be with us, Lord, as we turn
to thy holy word. Come and open thy word to our
heart and to our understanding. We ask, with the forgiveness
of all sin, for Jesus Christ's sake. Amen. Let us now sing together hymn
number 789, the tune is Everlasting Love, 942. Only sons of men be
wise, Trust no longer dreams and lies. Out of Christ's almighty power,
can do nothing but devour. God, you say, is good, tis true,
but he's pure and holy too, just and jealous in his ire, burning
with vindictive fire. Hymn 789, tune Everlasting Love,
942. ? Christ, the Lord, God, King and
Light ? ? Christ, the Lord, God, King and Light ? ? And of Christ,
Almighty God ? ? His words is true ? ? What is
new ? ? And for me too ? ? Just and true ? ? What is true ? This our Lord himself declared, Peace will take hold when they
come, The country of peace indeed. It is said, it is said to me,
When the Lord sent Jesus Christ, God was near, he does depart,
sweet to part. ? To him ? ? His faithful servant
? ? Worship God ? ? Let it be solemn ? ? Let it be solemn ?
? Under the moon ? ? Sleep, good night ? ? Sleep, little baby
? ? All day and night ? ? Be the Son of God ? ? Be the
Son of God ? ? Be the Son of God ? Amen. Amen. ? In eternal song ? ? Let his praises
be exalted ? ? We have heard the just divine ? ? Knee and bend ? ? Turn face and
flee ? ? Praise her still ? ? Till Jesus flee ? ? Love his name
? Greatly feeling to need the Lord's
gracious help, I would direct your attention to Paul's epistle
to the Hebrews and chapter 13 and we will read verses 12, 13,
and 14. The epistle to the Hebrews, chapter
13, reading verses 12, 13, and 14. Wherefore Jesus also, that he
might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without
the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto
him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have
no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Wherefore, Jesus also. We need to understand what the
dear apostle is driving at here, in this portion of Holy Scripture. He set in Christ before us as
being the way, the truth, and the life, as the one that we
should follow. We should follow the Lord Jesus
Christ. He that will follow me, let him
deny himself, type up his cross, and follow me. And he's writing,
and to understand properly the context here, he's writing to
the Hebrews in the early church. This epistle to the Hebrews was
not written to a specific church, it was written to the Hebrews,
the Jews, in the early church. So it's more what is called a
general epistle. And in it the apostle He dwells
on the Levitical dispensation, the sacrifices and offerings
under that dispensation, and he clearly opens up how all those
sacrifices and offerings under the Levitical dispensation were
typical. They pointed to Christ. That
was the substance of them. He says here in the Hebrews that
none of those sacrifices offered under the law could take away
sins. In Hebrews chapter 10 he very
emphatically tells us for the law having a shadow of good things
to come and not the very image of the things can never with
those sacrifices, that is of course the sacrifices under the
Levitical dispensation of Pigeons and lambs and cattle, they were
all offered. It depended upon the person that
was offering as to what they offered. If they were very poor
people, they brought a pair of pigeons. If perhaps they were
worth a little bit more, they could bring a lamb. And if they
were worth a little bit more than that, they could bring a
heifer. You see, and these things were
for all and various types of people that they could bring
them. But all of those sacrifices represented
Christ. And he says here in this first
verse of chapter 10, can never with those sacrifices which they
offered year by year continually, make the comers there unto perfect.
For then would they not have ceased to be offered because
that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience
of sins. But in those sacrifices there
is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it is not possible that the
blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. But they were pointing to Christ. the one glorious sacrifice. They
were typical of that one glorious sacrifice. You think of the Passover
lamb, when they brought that to offer on that special day
of atonement. The high priest, he laid his
hands upon the sacrifice, he confessed his sins and the sins
of Israel, and in a ceremonial way he transferred the sin of
Israel in his own sin onto the sacrifice. It points to Christ. I think Isaac Watts he puts it
so beautifully doesn't he? Not all the blood of beasts on
Jewish altar slain could give the guilty conscience peace or
wash away the stain but Christ the heavenly Lamb bears all our
sins away a sacrifice of nobler name and richer blood than they. The blood of Jesus Christ, God's
Son. Remember on that day of atonement,
the blood of the kid goat was taken in a basin and the high
priest went into the Holy of Holies and he sprinkled the blood
seven times before the golden mercy seat. And the Lord had
said to Moses, when they come in before the golden mercy seat,
there will I meet with thee, there will I commune with thee
from off the golden mercy seat. You see, that was the appointed
means, but it pointed to Christ. The tabernacle itself pointed
to Christ. Indeed, everything under that
Levitical dispensation, it speaks of Christ. That's where it's
centered and that's where we can truly understand the meaning
of it in the glorious person of Jesus, the Son of God, manifest
in the flesh. Now, on the Passover lamb, it
was to be without blemish. Why? Because it represented Christ. Indeed, any offering that was
brought by the Israelites unto the tabernacle for a sacrifice,
it had to be without blemish. If they was to choose from their
flocks or herds an animal that was either lame or blind or had
a disease of some sort, that was counted an abomination unto
the Lord. It had to be without blemish.
Why was that so important? Because it typified Christ, who
did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. The glorious
person, of Jesus, the Son of God. He was born without sin,
he lived without sin, in thought, word or deed. He was without
blemish. And that is what it was speaking
of in those sacrifices. That Christ's sacrifice was without
blemish. It was pure, it was holy, it
was righteous altogether. And this is what the Apostle,
he drives You know, he says again in verse 10 and in chapter 10
and verse 12, but this man, of course he's speaking of the Holy
God man, our Lord Jesus Christ. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God. Henceforth, expecting till his
enemies be made his footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected
forever them that are sanctified. Who are those that are sanctified? Those that were chosen by the
Father before the foundation of the world and given to his
only begotten Son and they were then redeemed at the cross of
Calvary when Jesus suffered and bled and died for their sins.
That one offering of Christ on the cross of Calvary has redeemed
the church. And as the apostles themselves
say, there is salvation in none other. There is none other name
that is given unto heaven, whereby ye must be saved, but the name
of Jesus Christ. Now here, in this, in our text,
he says, wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people
with his own blood, suffered without the gate. When he was
condemned by the leaders of the Jews and they led him out to
Golgotha, the place of Ascar. Any condemned criminal in Jerusalem
was condemned and then taken out to that place. I think it's Dr. Kromica so beautifully in his
book, The Suffering Saviour, he speaks of the place called
Calvary, Golgotha, the place of a scar.
And he said it was the place of naked justice. When the condemned
man or woman was taken out there, there was no mercy. They was
to be executed. and a particularly abominable
practice of the Romans really was to crucify. It was a long,
lingering, very, very painful death. It was indeed, it was
a barbaric way of issuing punishment. But you know, it was according
to the divine decree. In the Levitical law, it says
Cursed is every man that hangs on a tree. Why should a person
hanging on a tree be different to a person hanging on a rope?
In one sense, there is no difference, but it's what is called a typical
law. It was pointing to the way that
the Son of God would be punished and crucified, hanging on a tree. And so that typical law, again,
it points us to Christ. It points us to the death, that
he would die. Christ himself, he said, and
I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me. And what he
was speaking of, if he was lifted up on the cross of Calvary. Wherefore,
Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood.
You see, the blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses from all
sin. You know, my beloved friends,
all the dignity and worth of that precious blood of Jesus,
it lies here. He is the Son of God. It's of
infinite worth and power to redeem and to deliver His people from
the power and dominion of sin, from the curse and condemnation
of the law, I am the way, the truth, and
the life. The only way that you and I can
ever be delivered from the curse of the law is through the precious
blood of the Lamb. It's through a crucified Savior. Hence John the Baptist, he says,
behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. There's no other way that sin
can be dealt with. There's nothing else that will
satisfy divine justice. but this one glorious perfect
Holy Sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Wherefore
Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood
suffered without the gate. They were led out of Jerusalem
to that place and as we started to say Dr. Cromacher, that suffering
saviour, he speaks of that place that is called Calvary. He said
it's the most barren, awful place upon earth. The place of naked
justice where the holy, innocent, spotless son of the Father was
taken to be, to suffer, to bleed and die for the sins of his people. He did no sin. Death Death had
no claim whatsoever on Jesus Christ. You may say to me, why? Because he did no sin. It's made
clear in Holy Scripture the wages of sin is death. He did no sin,
neither was guile found in his mouth. Spotless, innocent and
pure, our great Redeemer stood while Satan's fiery darts he
bore and did resist the blood. What a glorious sacrifice. You know, the sacrifice to redeem
the Lord's people had to be perfect. We've already said, without blemish.
It's only the sacrifice of Christ that meets that criteria. You
could have sent 10,000 of the finest specimens of the sons
of men and sacrificed none of them would satisfy divine justice. You might say, why? We all have
sinned. And every one of those sacrificed
would be tainted and died with sin and would be absolutely rejected
as being blemished. There's only one pure, one holy,
spotless sacrifice. And that's the sacrifice of Jesus
Christ, the Son of God. Here in the Hebrews, I've often
pointed it out to you in the 9th chapter, where it speaks,
first in the first 10 verses of that 9th chapter, he speaks
of all the sacrifices and offerings and the various things that were
done in tabernacle worship. And then he says, but Christ,
being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater
and more perfect tabernacle. You know, the tabernacle that
was raised up in the wilderness typified Christ. Outwardly it
was badger skins Nothing really glorious in badger skins, but
that's what covered the tabernacle Inwardly of the tabernacle was
the golden mercy seat and the golden cherubims of glory see
the the badger skins the outward adornments of the Tabernacle
represent the human nature that the Son of God was to assume
in the womb of the Virgin Mary The inner part, the golden mercy
seat and the golden cherubim represent deity. The prophet
Isaiah, he speaks of Christ. He says there is no form nor
comeless in him that we should desire him. He looked no different
to any other man, but he was completely different. He's the
son of God, manifest in the flesh. And when the apostle says he
abode greater and more perfect tabernacle, He's referring to
the tabernacle worship and what it typified, but now he's speaking
of the sacred holy human nature of the Son of God. We read in
the first chapter of John, and the Word, and that speaks of
the divine nature of the Son of God, and the Word was made
flesh and dwelt amongst And we beheld his glory, the glory as
of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. Now,
where it says he dwelt among us, that word dwelt, in that
particular instance, is often translated tabernacled. He tabernacled among us. In human
nature. So when the Apostle says here,
a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is
to say, not of this building, neither by the blood of goats
and of calves, but by His own blood. He entered in once into
the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and
of goats and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean,
sanctify it to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
without spot to God, purged your consciences from dead works to
serve the living God. Just look at that. How much more
shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit...
I do not believe that that is referring to the Holy Ghost.
That refers to the divine nature of the Son of God. And to understand
it, look at the typical sacrifices offered under the law. You have
an altar and you have a sacrifice on the altar, they're distinct
one from the other. That altar represents the divine
nature of the Son of God. The sacrifice on the altar represents
the human nature of the Son of God. He offered his own perfect
human nature as a sin atoning sacrifice on the altar of his
divinity. That is what it typifies. That's
what it sets before us. You see, how much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself
without spot to God, purge your consciences to serve the living
God. My beloved friends, may we be
given, by faith, a view of this glorious Saviour, of this almighty
Redeemer, who's able, it says here in Hebrews, in chapter 7,
wherefore He is able also to save to the uttermost all that
come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth, seeing He ever
liveth. Wherefore Jesus also, that He
might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without
the gate. Now, it continues here, let us
go forth therefore unto him. Now this is where we need to
understand the context. He's writing to the Hebrews.
It was the Jews, the Sanhedrin, the elders of the Jews that condemned
Christ to die. They said he made himself the
son of God. And to understand this, that
he was writing to Hebrews in particular, who on the one hand,
many of them, we know this from the epistles, especially epistle
to the Galatians, is that they wanted to serve still the tabernacle,
but Christ as well. They wanted both sides. They
still said they were under the law but they were under Christ
and the Apostle makes it clear, very clear in the Galatians that
you can't do that. You're either in one or the other.
And this is the exact, what is the Apostle is saying to the
Jews in the early church, to the Hebrew believers. They were
under severe persecution from their own people, from their
own families, they were rejected. And many of them were ready to
give up and to turn back. So severe was the persecution
against them. And the great burden of this
epistle to the Hebrews is hold fast. He comes to it many times. But how does he, how does he
go about, as it were, to get them to hold fast? He sets before
them, right from the beginning of the epistle, he sets before
them who Jesus Christ is. He's the eternal son of the eternal
father. Just look at that. It's something
that is very beautiful, the opening passages of the Hebrews. It says,
God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time
past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last
days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of
all things, by whom also he made the worlds. who be in the brightness
of his glory, and the express image of his person, and uphold
in all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty
on high. So right from the beginning of
the epistle, he lifts up Christ. Jesus the way, the truth, and
the life. Jesus the intercessor, Jesus,
the great high priest, is the whole burden of this epistle.
And the watchword of the epistle is hold fast, don't give up,
don't turn back, cast not away therefore your confidence, which
has great recompense of reward, and hear the exhortation to them
and to us, let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp. You
won't find him within the camp, You've got to go out the camp.
You've got to separate. The Apostle Paul, he puts it
in a different way because he was writing to different people
and he writes unto the Corinthians. And what does he write unto them?
Wherefore, come out from among them and be ye separate. Touch
not the unclean thing. He's writing to heathen people
here, not to Jews, but to those that were called by grace from
among the pagan religions. And he says to them, come out
from among them, from this world and the ways of this world. Wherefore,
come out from among them and be ye separate. Touch not the
unclean thing, and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall
be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord God Almighty. Now, he
couches it in different language here. because he's writing to
the Jews. Let us therefore, let us go forth
therefore unto him without the camp. Separate from the old Jewish
ways and the Old Testament. You won't find Christ there.
Just as Christ had to go out of the city of Jerusalem to be
crucified. So, we have to go out of what
was then the organize ecclesiastical religion of the time and to separate
from it. Let us go forth therefore unto
him, unto Christ. You won't find him there, you'll
find him out the city. Let us go forth therefore unto
him without the camp bearing his reproach. It's what is often
called the reproach of the cross. Think of the words of Christ
to his people. It is through much tribulation
you shall enter the kingdom. We have to let go. He says here
in the first verses of chapter 12, we're foreseeing we also
are comforted about with so great a cloud of witnesses. In the
chapter 11, he'd been going through the Old Testament and that great
cloud of witnesses, he speaks of Noah, of Enoch, and of Moses,
and of David, and Abraham. He sets them all before us. They
were the great witnesses of the Old Testament. Now, as he's speaking
to these persecuted Jews, he says, wherefore seeing we also
are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us
lay aside every weight and the sin which does so easily beset
us. and let us run with patience
the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. You cannot run this race in any
other way, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our
faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the
throne of God, for consider him that endured such contradiction
as sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your
mind. You see, my beloved friends,
he's setting before us the glorious person of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the object of faith. Not of sense, the object of faith.
By faith in him the soul receives new life though dead before you
see wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people
with his own blood suffered without the game let us go forth therefore
unto him without the camp bearing his reproach his reproach what's
called the reproach of the cross He was despised and rejected
of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Let us
go forth therefore unto him, bearing his reproach. You know, there is a reproach.
They that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. I find that a very trying word.
How godly do we live in Christ Jesus? It's a very searching word, isn't
it? Let us go forth therefore unto him, without the camp, bearing
his reproach. His whole life was full of reproach. He was despised, he was set at
naught. The Pharisees and the Sadducees
continually challenged his teaching. The reason they did so is because
his holy life, his perfect life, which was the light of the world,
exposed their hypocrisies. That's why they hated him. Because
the way he lived and the way he taught absolutely opposite
the way that they lived and they taught. And they regarded themselves
to be the most religious and the most perfect people on earth.
But when Christ came along and he lived his holy life, he went
about doing good, healing them that were sick and opening the
eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf and making the lame
to hear, preaching the everlasting gospel, setting before them himself
as the way, the truth and the life. And that exposed the hypocrisy
of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees. That is the light. Men love darkness
rather than light because their deeds are evil. And when light
shines, it exposes their evil deeds. When Christ lived here
upon earth, it exposed their evil deeds. Therefore they hated
him. It says in prophecy, doesn't
it, They hated me without a cause for the bodies of those beasts
whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest
for sin and burned without the cap. Wherefore Jesus also that
he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without
the gate. You know, Chromica, he spoke
of that place of Calvary where the cross of Christ was as the
place of naked justice, a barren place of naked justice. But he
said when the Prince of Glory suffered and bled and died on
Calvary, he said that precious blood was sprinkled on the ground
around that cross. And he said, ever since, it's
been the most verdant pasture in the whole of this world, where
Calvary is, where the Lamb was slain. I am the way, the truth,
and the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. It's through that precious sinatonic
blood of Jesus Christ that we're able to approach unto God, for
through him we have access by one spirit unto the Father. is
through that sin-atoning blood of Jesus Christ. That is what
reconciles us unto God. That is what washes away all
our sins. That is what takes away the curse.
What is that name that speaks for me in heaven's high courts
above? And from the curse has set me
free. Tis Jesus' precious blood. Oh, the precious blood of the
Lamb. Let us go forth therefore unto
him without the camp bearing his reproach, for here we have
no continuing city, but we seek one to come. The true believer,
the true follower of Jesus Christ. Here we have no continuing city
in this world, but we seek one to come. This
world is full of sin and woe. This world is under the curse
of God, under the judgment of Almighty God, because of the
sinfulness of the inhabitants of this world. But there is a world to come.
There is a world to come. And that, to the Lord's people,
It's that eternal place of everlasting bliss, of happiness, of peace. To be with Christ, which is far
better, the apostle says, doesn't he? Let us go forth therefore
unto him without the cap. To be with Christ, which is far
better. In the world, ye shall have tribulation,
but be of good cheer, aye, overcome the world I have overcome the
world in one Thessalonians chapter 4 how the Apostle speaks so beautifully
from verse 13 to the end he says but I would not have you to be
ignorant brethren concerning them which are asleep by that
he means those that have died when the believer dies it's like
them going to sleep You might say, why? Because they'll awake
again in the resurrection of the just. This corruptible shall
put on incorruption, this mortal shall put on immortality, and
death shall be swallowed up in victory. But I would not have
you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep,
that ye sorrow not as others, even as others which have no
hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, Even
so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which
are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not
prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with
the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Whenever I read that, and the
dead in Christ shall rise first, I always think of that in Matthew
chapter 24. The very first act of Christ,
when he comes to judge the world in righteousness, he will send
his angels to the four corners of the earth, and he will gather
his elect unto himself. And the dead in Christ shall
rise first. Then we which are alive and remain
shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the
Lord in the air, so shall we be. Shall we ever be with the
Lord? Wherefore, comfort one another
with these words. You see, there's a place of eternal
rest, that wonderful salvation that the Lord's people are raised
up to that precious hope finished work of Jesus Christ, the Son
of God. And that hope stretches beyond
the grave to eternal glory, to everlasting happiness. Think
of those lovely words in Revelation chapter seven, where John was
given a vision, a vision of the Lord's people. He says, and one
of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which
are arrayed in white robes, and whence came they? And I said
unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are
they which came out of a great tribulation, the Lord's living
family, and have washed their robes and made them white in
the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the
throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.
And he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They
shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall
the sun light on them, nor any heat for the lamb which is in
the midst of the throne shall feed them and shall lead them
unto living fountains of waters. And God shall wipe away all tears
from their eyes. The bride eyes not her garments,
but her dear bridegroom's face. I will not gaze ungloriously
but on my King of Grace, not on the crown he giveth, but on
those pierced hands where glory dwelleth in Emmanuel's land. Wherefore Jesus also that he
might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without
the gain, let us go forth therefore unto him without the count, bearing
his reproach. You know, friends, are you a
follower of Jesus Christ? It's only those that are truly
brought to follow Christ that will reach heaven. You think of those certain words
of Jesus Christ, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven. He must be born again. Have you been born again? Have
I been born again? Do you have faith? Faith in Jesus
Christ? Do you look to him? Do you cleave
to him? Without faith it is impossible to please God. For he that cometh
unto God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder
of them that diligently seek him. Do you have faith? Are you
a follower of Jesus Christ? Have you been brought to see
your sinfulness, your wretchedness as a poor sinner before a holy
God? Have you been brought to flee
for refuge unto Jesus Christ, the way, the truth and the life?
You know, these are fundamental and vital questions. Have you
had a revelation of Christ? Has Christ been made precious
to your soul? Is he the sum and substance of
all your hopes and all your desires? If you're never brought into
love with Jesus Christ, you'll never reach heaven. You'll never
reach heaven. only those that are brought into
union with Christ and become followers of him. Let us therefore,
let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing
his reproach for here we have no continuing city but we seek
one to come. May the Lord add his blessings. Let us now sing together hymn
number 950 to the tune Kinsella 167. What object's this which
meets my eyes? without Jerusalem's gate, which
fills my mind with such surprise as wonder to create. Hymn 950,
tune Kinsella 167. ? Make peace my heart ? ? Make
an angel push the tables ? ? It heals my heart ? ? It's the heart
of God ? ? That's what the Spirit brings
? ? Humanity that abounds beneath ? The cross of Calv'ry burned,
His soul so well He paid the debt. and the holy name in blood. This is the man and this be he. ? The prophet hath foretold ? ?
Shepherds on deck surrounded him ? Just how I love this sweet, sweet song. ? If Jesus found this child ? ?
And gave you birth ? ? Gives you to die ? ? O Christ that
? A blessed child, a lovely morn,
to sinful souls like me, I'd creep beside him, watch the
world, and see him weep no more. Light in His crowns, and pure
each morn, Until with life each morn I, on His breast, a place have
found Now, may the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, the love of God the Father, the sacred fellowship
of the Holy Spirit, rest and abide with us each, both now
and forevermore. Amen.