By way of introducing our message
this morning, I want you to turn to Colossians 1. Colossians 1. The Lord's church
is a kingdom. And this kingdom has a king.
And this church has a head. And it's our Lord Jesus Christ
who said, I will build my church as many as the Lord our God shall
call. And here in Colossians 1.18,
Paul tells us that he, Christ, is the head of the church. His
body, the church, he's the head. He's the beginning. He is the
firstborn from the dead, that in all things, in everything,
he and he alone might have the preeminence. For it pleased the
Father that in Christ should all fulness dwell. But in the Church, the Lord God
has raised up certain men, and we read about them in Ephesians,
if you will turn there with me, chapter 4. There are certain men in his
church whom he has called and put in his ministry, and they
are gods, they are leaders, they are teachers, they are his ambassadors,
they are his ministers, his servants. And he has called them to be
guides and leaders and to rule, not as lords or dictators, but
as ambassadors in the church. In Ephesians 4, verse 10, verse
9, talking about our Savior, our Lord, now that he ascended,
what is it, but that he also descended first into the lower
parts of the earth. And he that descended, he who
came from heaven, is the same also that went back to heaven,
ascended far above all heavens, that he might fulfill all things. He will, he's the king, he'll
fulfill all things. And he gave some apostles, and
these are what he called them, These guides, these ambassadors,
these ministers, he called them apostles. He said, I have not
chosen you twelve, twelve apostles. And he chose and gave some prophets
to the church. Prophets like Isaiah, Jeremiah,
Moses. And some evangelists. This is
another word for missionaries. Evangelists, men who carry a
message. who have sent heralds of God
to call, to preach, and some pastors and teachers. And God
put these men in his church and his kingdom for purpose, for
the maturing, for the growth, for the perfecting of his saints,
his elect. He put them in the church for
the work of the ministry. He put them in the church for
the edifying of the body of Christ. Till all, till we all, all believers,
all the elect, all the children, come in the unity, unto a unity
of the faith and to the knowledge of the Son of God, the preaching
of the word. He's chosen by the preaching
of the word to save them that believe, to enable them to grow,
to comfort them. to exhort them, to bring him
his word. And the knowledge of the Son
of God unto a mature man, unto the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ. And he's put them in the church
as guides and leaders and teachers that we be henceforth no more
children, untaught, uninstructed, and tossed to and fro. and carried
about with every wind of doctrine that comes along, and that we
be not left to the slight of men, to their covetousness and their false doctrine and their false
leadership and craftiness, cunning craftiness. They lie in wait
to deceive, to deceive people. But that we All of us, because
our pastor and teachers speak the truth, we speak the truth.
And we speak the truth in love that we may grow up, mature,
develop into Him in all things, which is the head. Come back
to this. He's the head, even Christ. Now, here in our text this morning,
Hebrews 13, I begin at verse 7. in which Paul says, you remember
them, these men we've been talking about, these missionaries and
pastors and teachers and guides and elders and leaders, you remember
them which have the rule over you. What do we mean remember
them? Well, it means this, God sent
them to you with his word, with his message, now you receive
and welcome them with open arms, welcome how beautiful are the
feet of them that bring us good tidings of great joy that come
from a far country. Receive them and welcome them
as the ambassadors of Christ. Secondly, is to hear them. Carefully,
prayerfully hear them and receive their words. They speak not of
themselves. They speak the word of God, and
men who are believers receive it as it is in truth the word
of God, not the word of men. And thirdly, it's to pray for
them, and it's to follow their faith and their counsel and their
words from God. So remember them, receive them,
hear them, receive their message, pray for them, follow And here
we say, well preacher, how can we know a true minister? One
who's really sent of God. We're warned over and over again
to not to hear false prophets. We're
warned over and over again not to follow false teachers. Well,
he gives us three marks of a true preacher. I want you to watch
this. This will escape you if you don't
look at it carefully. Verse 7, he identifies them. Remember them that have the rule
over you. They didn't take this honor upon
themselves. God gave it to them. God put them in the ministry.
Now here's who they are. Who has spoken to you the word
of God. That's the first characteristic
of a true God sent preacher. Now listen to me. A true minister
preaches the word. He doesn't preach himself, he
doesn't preach his denomination. He preaches the Word of God.
He studies the Word of God. He reads the Word of God. He
exalts the Word of God. He expounds the Word of God.
He teaches the Word of God. He rejoices in the Word of God. He delights in the Word of God. He loves the Word of God. And
he insists upon your receiving and believing the word of God. And he encourages you to examine
everything he says by the word of God. See, that's what the
Bereans did when they heard Paul. They went home and searched the
scriptures to see if these things be so. So that's the first mark
of a true minister of the gospel. He preaches the Word of God.
He makes much, much, much of the Word. In his own life and
in the services and in your life. And he insists, this is the children's
bread. These are the grain pastures.
This is the still water. It's the Word of God. I commend
you. When Paul left those elders in
Antioch, he said, I commend you to God and to his Word. To his
Word. Secondly, True preachers are
those who have spoken to you the word of God, whose faith
follow." Now listen, whose faith follow. God's servants believe
God. And you can tell it. You can
detect it. You can recognize it when a man
believes God. David said, I believe, therefore
have I spoken. Paul repeated David's words.
He said, I believe, therefore have I spoken. And you can depend
on it. God's preachers believe God. They don't use methods and means
that dishonor God. They continue in the gospel.
They continue all their lives in the gospel wherein they began.
They don't change the message. They don't change their methods,
they don't change their means. They learn the gospel, and they
believe the gospel, and they continue in the gospel until
death. They don't quit. The unchanging God has an unchanging
gospel preached by unchanging meaning. That's right. And he believes that gospel.
He believes God. He doesn't believe in God, he
believes God. He just believes God will work.
God will supply the need. I've said this so often on our
television program. We never ask for money, and people
are amazed by that. They say they all do. No, they
all don't. God's servants don't beg. Those
who believe God, believe God. He will supply the need. He will
call His sheep. Noah was a preacher of righteousness.
Nobody believed his message, but he believed it. And he never
quit preaching. He never quit preaching until
God destroyed the world. He stayed with that message.
That message doesn't change. And that's a true minister of
God, one who makes much of, wallows in, delights in, teaches, never
tires of the Word of God. and one who believes God. Believes God. And then here's
the third thing, and the most important. I suppose if you can
say one thing more important than the other here. You consider
the end of their conversation. Their conversation is their ministry. Their conversation is their life,
their goal, the scope of their ministry, the object of their
reason for being. And you know what it is? Next
verse, it's Jesus Christ. True ministers preach the Word. True ministers believe God. And
true ministers are the object of their time and life, goal
of their ministry, reason for existing, preaching, doing nothing
else. It's Jesus Christ. That's right. It's Jesus Christ. A faithful
pastor preaches Christ. The goal of his life is to know
Christ. That's what Paul said. He said,
I've had religion. I've had a bait of it. He said,
I was born a Hebrew of Hebrews, a Pharisee of Pharisees, concerning zeal, blameless, exceeded many of my equals, a
promoter." He said, I count that but done, that I may win Christ
and be found in him, that I may know him and the power of his
resurrection. And a faithful pastor not only
preaches Christ, but Christ is the goal of his ministry, and
one thing he desires above all things is to know Christ and
for you to know Christ. And the object of his life and
conduct and conversation and work is Christ. And here's the Christ he preaches.
Look at verse 8. He is the same yesterday, today,
and forever. That's his Christ. That's his
Lord. He's the same. I've heard preachers
say, well, these these charlatans and divine healers, Jesus is
the same! Yesterday, today, and forever!
He can heal yesterday and He can heal today. Well, that's
true. He's the same in His power, the
heavens declare that, I don't need to say that. The sun came
up yesterday morning, it came up this morning, it'll come up
tomorrow morning, because He's the second. He made it. The rain
will fall today and it will fall tomorrow. He made it. He'll give
birth to a baby today and he'll take his life in six months if
he pleases, or let him live to be 90. That's his business. He's
the second. He's the same in his power, he's
the same in his deity, he's the same in his Godhead. But that's
not what Paul's saying here. He's saying Jesus Christ is the
same yesterday, today, and forever. in his redemptive work, in his
gospel, in his message that we preach. You see, this preacher
preaches the Word. This preacher believes on the
Lord Jesus Christ, and he preaches this Christ who is the same yesterday,
back in the council halls of eternity, today, and in eternity. What is he now? What is Jesus
Christ now? He's the Lamb of God. That's
what He's always been. That's what He's always been. He's the Lamb of God. That's
right. What is Jesus Christ? One God, one Mediator between
God and man. He's the Mediator. That's what
He's always been. That's what He was yesterday.
That's what He was in eternity. That's what he was before man
breathed the breath. That's what he was before the
angels ever moved in space. That's what he'll be as long
as eternity lasts. Mediator. What is he now? He's the prophet, priest, and
king. That's what he's always been. That's the two preachers'
message. What is he now? He's a propitiation
for our sins. That's what he's always been.
He's the same, yesterday, today, and forever. You understand what
Paul is saying? He's the same. What's his purpose? Turn to Ephesians 5. His purpose,
listen to this, Ephesians 5, verse 25. Listen to this. He's the same. In his redemptive
will and work and purpose and covenant, he's the same. One
of the yesterdays, the yesterdays of the yesterdays, back when
there was no day and night, separated by darkness and light. He's the
Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world. He's
the eternal surety of eternal covenant. And that's where he
is now. And that's where he'll always
be. In Ephesians 5, 25, husbands love your wives. Christ also loved the church
and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse
it with a washing by the word, that he might present it to himself
a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but it should be holy and without blemish." Is that his purpose
now? Yes, that's always been his purpose. Is the church on his heart today?
It always has been. The same church made up of the
same people. He's the same. No one undergoes
all his works from the beginning. That's a true messenger. He preaches the word. Never changes. He believes God. He doesn't have
to lean on the arm of the flesh. He doesn't have to cater. He doesn't have to please me. That's the reason Paul could
say that. If I please men, I'm not the servant of Christ. He
doesn't believe men, he believes God. Men didn't send him, men
didn't hire him, men didn't call him, God did. He's only responsible
to God. He believes God, and he preaches
Christ. He has no other choice. He doesn't sit down and say,
where am I, what am I going to preach, and what am I going to
do? He doesn't have any choice. It
worries me if I don't preach the gospel. Necessity is laid
upon me, I must preach the gospel. I don't have any other cause
to exist. I don't have a gospel, I don't have a life. If I don't have a gospel to preach,
I don't have any cause for existing. And that's the true preacher.
Now, verse 9, don't be carried away Don't be
deceived. There's so many out there, so
much out there that's not of God. Religion, religion, religion. Be not carried away with divers
and strange doctrines. Turn to 2 Peter, just a moment. 2 Peter chapter 2. 2 Peter chapter 2, verse 1 and
2. Listen to this. 2 Peter 2, 1 and 2, there. But there were false prophets
also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers
among you, who privately, in a sneaking manner, don't tell
anybody I said this, but they bring in damnable heresies privately,
even denying the Lord that bought them. They bring upon themselves
swift destruction. And here's the bad part. They've
always been doing that. They've always been deceiving
people. But here's the bad thing. Many
shall follow their pernicious ways. Why will people follow
these kind of things? They're not grounded. They're
not taught. They're not established in the
Word. They're carried about, I read you from Ephesians, where
they're carried about like children with every wind of doctrine. People with charisma and titles
and persuasive ways, they influence people. And many
shall follow their lascivious ways, by reason of whom the way
of truth be even spoken of. Through covetousness shall they
with faint words make merchandise of you. Be not carried away with
divers and strange doctrines. What are strange doctrines? Why
are they called strange? Why are they strange doctrines?
Well, let me give you three things. Number one, these doctrines are
strange to the Word of God. They're contrary to the Word
of God. They're not in the Word of God. What these men are preaching
is not what God says. It's strange to the Word of God.
Secondly, any doctrine is strange that's contrary to the person
and work of Christ. God magnifies His Word above
His name. If it's not in the Word, it's
not of God. And all things are in Christ, and if it doesn't
magnify and glorify the person and work of Christ, it's not
of God. If it gives glory to the flesh, it's not of God. He
gives all glory to the Son. And then thirdly, it's strange
doctrine if it's contrary to grace. If it exalts merit or
works or duties for salvation, it's strange. You see, this was
the... Back yonder in the 16th or 15th
century, there was a great reformation, a great revival. Men came out
of Catholicism. and religious bondage. Men like
Luther and Zwingli and Knox and Huss and all these men, Calvin,
they came out of this bondage of religion, this strange doctrine. And they preached Christ. They preached the Word. They
preached Christ. They preached the grace of God. And they had
a threefold rallying point. This was their
pre-fold ministry message. The scriptures alone, Christ
alone, Christ alone, and grace alone. And anything that wasn't
in the word of God, didn't matter what the church taught, didn't
matter about the dogmas and all the things handed down to the
popes and the priests. Scriptures alone. Christ alone. Christ alone. Christ our wisdom,
righteousness, sanctification and redemption. Christ Alpha
and Omega. Everything. Not the church, not
even to be considered. It's Christ. Our acceptance and
grace. It's the gift of God. God elected
a people. God chose them. God ordained
them, God predestinated them, God redeemed them, God justified
them, God called them, God keeps them, God raises them and God
conforms them to the image of Christ, grace alone. Not works,
has nothing, the thief on the cross is a primary and classic
illustration of grace alone. And anything that's not in keeping
with those three things is strange doctrine. You can write that
down. It's strange doctrine, if it's
contrary to scripture, to the personal work of Christ, and
to free, sovereign, particular, discriminating, effectual grace,
gift of God. Now listen, don't be carried
about with these things. Verse 9, it's a good thing that
your heart be established with grace. Your heart be established. Not on paper. Would you send
me a copy of what your church believes? Send them a Bible. It's your heart established with
grace. Your heart is where repentance
takes place and where faith takes place and where love takes place
and love is shared abroad in the heart. Not on catechisms
and These things, they're fine, they're fine. But that's, it's
the heart. Let it be established. Let it
be settled. Let it be persuaded. Paul said,
I'm persuaded that nothing can separate me from the love of
God. Where are you persuaded? In my heart. I know whom I have
believed. I'm persuaded he's able to keep
that which I've committed to him in my heart. Let your heart
be established with what? Grace? Grace. Grace. Sovereign grace. Saving grace. Keeping grace. God's grace. Not
with meets. What are you talking about? Not
with ceremonies and special days and rituals and Sabbath days. The Jews were wrapped up in that
for 2,000 years. Didn't profit them. They had
Sabbath days and ceremonies. All these things were types.
But they tried to find life in these things. They tried to find
in these things acceptance with God. They tried to find in circumcision
and ceremonies and rituals and outward conformity to laws and
diets and meets. They tried to find in those things
acceptance with God. It didn't profit them. They misused
these things. It didn't profit them, so why
in the world would you want to be brought back under that trash? Human righteousness. That's what
it is. It's dumb, Paul said. Human righteousness is dumb.
Why would you want to be brought under that again? So let your
heart be established with the scriptures, with Christ, with
grace. Not with meats. Well, we ought
not eat pork. Well, I can think of several
reasons why too much pork would mess up anybody. But it hasn't
got a thing in the world to do with my heart and God. Not a
thing in the world. It hadn't profited those folks
that were wrapped up in it for years and years. Well, leave
off meat on Friday, but you can't eat fish. Didn't profit those people. Verse
10, we have an altar. Brethren, we have an altar. We
have an altar. Well, they have no right to eat
what serves the tabernacle. What's this talk about? Let me
give it to you briefly. This refers to the scripture
in Leviticus 6 and Exodus 29. You can read it later. The sacrifices,
the bullocks and the goats were offered. The blood was shed. And the blood was taken into
the tabernacle and put on the altar, the horns of the altar,
on the mercy seat with hyssop sprinkled. And the carcass of
the bullock or goat was taken outside the camp and burned because
it was unclean. It was a sin offering. It was
taken without the camp and burned and it was eaten by the priest
to put it all away. And we have an altar. We have
a sacrifice and we have a priest. Our high priest is Christ. We
have a high priest. who offers the atonement. The
Lord Jesus Christ is our atonement. He's our sacrifice. He's our
lamb. He's our scapegoat. His blood is shed. And He is
taken without the camp. Because He is sin. He bore our
sin. Why did He die outside the walls
of Jerusalem? Here's why. Listen. Verse 12.
Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify His people with
His own blood. Purify them. Wash them. Cleanse them. Perfect them. Atonement. Reconcile them. He suffered outside
the camp. And you read Leviticus 6 and
Exodus 29 and see how those priests took the scapegoat, the designated
goat, or the bullock, or the offering, the sin offering, and
they slew it. And the blood was put on the
altar. And Christ applied His blood Not in tabernacles made
with hands, but in heaven itself. He sprinkled His blood in heaven
itself. And He suffered without the gate.
Because He was a sin offering. Our sins were laid on Him. And
He died without the gate. On the day of atonement, the
sin offering was sacrificed outside the camp. Burned outside the
camp. Alright, verse 13. Let us go
to Him. Let us go to Him. Let us go to
Him, therefore, without the camp. Bearing His reproach. There's
three things here that are very special. One, let us go forth
unto Him. There's the main words. Unto
Him. Come unto Me, He said. Come unto
Me. Don't get taken up with the camp
and outside the camp and all these other things. Let's go
to Him. Look to Christ. Look unto me
and do as you say. Come unto me and I'll give you
rest. Unto Him. Now so happens He's without the
camp, alright? Let's go to Him without the camp.
Without the camp, what's that? That's leaving the rituals, leaving
the ceremonies, leaving the legalism, leaving the tithes. Let's go
to our Lord. Let's go to Him without the camp.
Outside the camp of works and ceremonies and rituals. Let's
go to him. Let's go to him. Now then, bearing
his reproach. There's reproach in being outside
the camp. You find it out when you leave
this world of religion and all that they look upon favorably
and they regard as being the right way and you say that's
not the way. The crucified Christ is the way. The despised Redeemer
is the way. The crucified Lamb of God, that's
the way. And I'm leaving you all. I'm leaving all that you look
upon favorably and all that you recommend and all that you hold
to. I'm going unto Him. His blood,
His sacrifice, His grace. And if so happens, it's without
the care. Unfortunately, it's outside. And it's reproach. But he bore
the reproach for us. He despised the shame and took
upon himself the cross. And I'm willing to bear whatever
reproach we're called on to bear for his sake. Let's go to him.
a sacrifice without the camp bearing his reproach.