Hebrews 13 9-25: We Have an Altar

Q: What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ's nature?

The Bible affirms that Jesus Christ is unchanging, the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Hebrews 13:8 highlights the unchanging nature of Jesus Christ, asserting that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. This constancy is foundational to our faith as it affirms that His character, promises, and salvific work remain reliable throughout all time. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, and this truth provides believers with a firm foundation for their faith amid life's uncertainties. As believers grow in knowledge, they discover deeper truths about Christ, reflecting His eternality and supremacy over all creation.

Q: How do we grow in grace according to the Bible?

We grow in grace by understanding and knowing more about our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Growth in grace is closely tied to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, as expressed in 2 Peter 3:18, which encourages believers to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This understanding reflects a deepening relationship with Christ, who is the source of grace. As Christians learn more about His character, His works, and His grace, they are transformed and empowered to live out their faith more fully. Growing in grace involves engaging with scripture, prayer, and fellowship, which all serve to deepen one's appreciation of the unfathomable grace bestowed upon us through Christ.

Q: Why is Christ our altar important for believers?

Christ is our altar, representing our direct access to God through His atoning sacrifice (Hebrews 13:10). In Hebrews 13:10, Christ is identified as our altar, signifying that through Him, we have direct access to God. This concept is crucial for believers, as it emphasizes that all our worship, prayers, and sacrifices are accepted by God solely through Christ. Unlike the Old Testament sacrifices, which required a physical altar, Jesus’ atoning sacrifice fulfills and abolishes the need for such rituals, making Him our ultimate sacrifice. Understanding Christ as our altar encourages believers to approach God confidently, knowing that they are covered by His grace, allowing for a personal and intimate relationship with the Father.

Q: How does the doctrine of grace affect Christian living?

The doctrine of grace assures believers of their unmerited favor and motivates them to live righteously (Ephesians 2:8-10). The doctrine of grace fundamentally shapes Christian living by assuring believers that their salvation is not based on their works but on the unmerited favor of God. Ephesians 2:8-10 illustrates that we are saved by grace through faith, which not only confirms our eternal security but also leads to a transformed life characterized by good works. This understanding motivates believers to act out of gratitude and love for God, rather than obligation. As they grow in the realization of God's continuous grace, they are empowered to live holy lives that reflect Christ's character and serve others in love.

Hebrews 13. I want to take up
right where I left off this morning at verse 8, Hebrews 13, 8. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday
and today and forever. We ended the message this morning
where every message should begin and end, and that is with Christ,
Christ our Lord, who is the scripture said, who is the Alpha and Omega,
the beginning and the end. You start with Christ and you
finish with Christ. He is the author and finisher
of our faith. He is the same yesterday, we
don't mean Saturday the day before this day We mean the yesterday
of eternity He is the same back there. He is the same in this
present time and he is the same forever in the beginning in the
present and in eternity and to go Some people talk about going
deeper into truth To go deeper into truth is to learn more of
Christ. For He is the foundation and
chief cornerstone. If you go deeper into truth,
the deeper you go, the more you'll go into Christ. There's nothing
below Him as the foundation. You see what I'm saying? He is
the foundation. To go deeper into truth is to
go deeper into Christ, to learn more of Christ. And then others
speak of higher doctrine. That's higher doctrine. Well,
my friends, to learn higher doctrine is to learn more of Christ. For
He is exalted above all exaltation. There's none above Him. There's
none above Him. He hath all preeminence. And
to go higher in the doctrine, higher doctrine, is to learn
more of Christ and to grow in grace. People talk about growing
in grace, and there is a growth in grace. To grow in grace, desire
the sincere milk of the Word that you may grow. But if you
grow in grace, you grow what? In the knowledge of Christ. That's
what it says, grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord
Jesus Christ. And turn, hold Hebrews 13 and
turn to John 12. and to find the true honor of
God, the honor of God. You know, God has honored, God
has honored this ministry. I can't find any reason except
in Him. I can't find any cause except
Him. But I do know this, To find the
true honor of God and to be honored of God is to serve Christ. Now listen to this scripture,
John 12, verse 26. John 12, 26. If any man serve
me, John 12, 26, if any man serve me, love me, believe me, look
to me, preach me, serve me, If we're committed to Christ,
"...let him follow me, and where I am, there shall also my servant
be. And if any man serve me, him
will my Father honor." That's the honor right there. You want
to be used of God? You want to be honored of God?
You want to find the honor of God. You want to find where God
is well pleased. You want the approval of God.
You want the fellowship of God. You'll find it in a commitment,
in a surrender, in following, in serving, in
preaching the Lord Jesus Christ. That's just so. That's just the preceding verse
in John 12 there talks about, he that loveth his life gonna
lose it, but he that loseth his life for my sake, he'll find
it. He'll find it. And I try to tell
preachers. I try to tell them. I had a discussion
with a young preacher not long ago, and we were talking about
his family. His family commitments, his family
love, his family obligations. It's Christ. And when you enter the ministry
of Jesus Christ, you bury your family. You take them right out
to the cemetery and bury them. You bury your ambitions, you
tear up your blueprints. That's just so. You don't save
your life, you don't deliver it, you don't serve yourself,
you don't take into consideration what others think. You preach
the gospel, there's no question about it. This is if you're committed
to the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, and God will honor that. Same thing true of this congregation
in its purpose, in its program, in its direction. This is not
a social club. This is not a fellowship organization. This is a family, a group of
people in an assembly dedicated to Jesus Christ, to the preaching
of Christ, to the glory of Christ, to the honor of Christ, and that
God will honor. That's just so. God will honor
that. In other words, the end and the
goal and the summary of this ministry is Jesus Christ, the
same yesterday, today, and forever. Our desire is to win Christ and
be found in Him. Our desire is to know Christ
and the power of His resurrection. Our desire is to attain unto
the resurrection of the dead that we may be made like Christ.
That's just it. He has no rival. He has no competitor. Nobody is even close second.
Nobody is in the race. Everything we preach, Everything
we believe, everything for which we hope, everything for which
we live, is totally wrapped up in the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, God put everything in his
hands. He read it a moment ago. Jim
read that. The Father lovedeth the Son,
and hath given all things into his hands. And John Flavel said
this in his marvelous outline, Method of Grace, everything God
has for the sinner is in Christ. And it is ours by a vital, the
word vital means living, vital life, vital signs, life signs. It is ours by a vital, a life
union with Christ. It's not Christ the doctrine,
it's not Christ the fire escape, it's not Christ the insurance
policy, it's Christ my life. That's how everything God has
in mind, in Christ, by a vital living union with Christ. And
that vital living union is accomplished by faith. He that believeth on
the Son hath life. Vital union. He hath life. And that faith comes through
believing the Word. It comes by the Word. Faith cometh
by hearing, and hearing by the Word. What I'm doing here, and
what faithful preachers are doing wherever they preach, is preaching
the Word, preaching Christ. And that's how faith cometh.
It cometh through the Word. And that Word must be anointed
and blessed by the Holy Spirit. So, verse 9. So verse 9, he says,
be not carried away. Don't be carried away with different,
diverse, different and strange doctrines, different from Christ,
different from what I just said. Don't be carried away with different
and strange doctrines, alien to Christ, strange to Christ,
different from Christ, His blood and His righteousness and all
things in Him. There are plenty of voices today.
There are religious voices everywhere. There are plenty of doctrines
which are strange and alien and contrary to the Scriptures. Don't
be influenced by these. He says in the next line, it's
a good thing. Don't be influenced. Don't be
carried away. Don't be overtaken with these
different and strange and alien doctrines, alien from Christ.
It's a good thing that the... Now, there are three key words
here. It's a good thing that the heart... Now, brethren, that's where this
business of conviction, repentance, and faith take place. These are
all heart works. We're convicted in the heart.
We're converted in the heart. We're regenerated in the heart.
Repentance is from the heart. Faith is a heart work. Not facts,
not doctrines, heart work. It's not hard to follow someone
who has your heart. Where my treasure is, where my
treasure is, that's where my heart will be. That's where my,
and Christ is my treasure. And it's a good thing that the
heart, the heart be what? The word is established. What's
that word established? Something that's established
is settled. It's settled. It's not going
to move. We see folks here move once in a while. They'll move
out of here and go somewhere else. I'm talking about to some
other religious organization. Well, when your heart is established
or settled, convinced, persuaded of the righteousness of God in
Christ Jesus, of the way to God in Christ Jesus. When we're satisfied
with Christ, there's no reason to move. There's no reason to move. We're
not looking for something else. When I've found complete happiness,
I'm not looking for something else. When I've found rest, I'm
not looking for something else. Oh, we may look for something
that's appealing to this flesh, satisfying to the flesh, but
I'm talking about the heart. It's a good thing that the heart
be established with what? Grace. Grace, what is grace? It's free,
unmerited, undeserved, God-motivated favor. Noah found grace. the law of first mention. You
remember me mentioning that? The law of first mention. Find
out where a word is first mentioned in the Bible. That's the meaning
of it. Noah, an ordinary man in ordinary
times, found grace in the eyes of the Lord. And that's what
we have. All that we are, all that we
have, all that we ever shall be is by the grace of God. And it's a good thing. Don't
be carried away with these things. It's a good thing that the heart,
and that's not this organ here pumping blood, that's my innermost
being, that's my soul, that's me, that's the true me, be established,
settled with grace. Mr. Spurgeon said one time, and
I put it in the bulletin and I took it as my own testimony,
He'd been preaching 38 years, the gospel of grace. I'd been
preaching it 39. He said, I have not moved one-tenth
of an inch away from the gospel that I began preaching 38 years
ago. Grace, grace, grace. We've progressed our trust and
hope in our ability to preach it, in our understanding of it,
but not in our message. Well, when you find the message,
there's nowhere else to go. When you find that which glorifies
Christ, grace, grace, grace. We establish with grace. Now
watch this, not with meets. Don't be occupied with meets,
with days, with laws, with works, with baptisms, that's what that's
talking about, with meets, with ceremonies, with feast days. with holy days, and holidays,
and Sabbath days, and new moons, and Sabbaths, and touch not,
taste not, handle not. Don't be occupied with these
things, because He said it has not profited
them that have been occupied with them. Look back. These things cannot
sanctify, they cannot justify, and I guarantee you they cannot
satisfy. Not meets and days and ordinances
and holy days, they can't satisfy. People who are taken up with
laws and rules and regulations and touch not, taste not, handle
not, these things have never profited anyone who's occupied
with these things. I'll tell you what will sanctify,
justify, and satisfy, and that's Christ Jesus. Thou will keep
him in what? Perfect peace, whose mind is
stayed on Thee. Look at the next line. We have
an altar. You say, but a fellow needs a day to keep holy. You
know the song, Take Time to Be Holy. A fellow needs a Sabbath day, do
you? You need a Sabbath day? Christ is our Sabbath. Well,
a fellow needs a place. He needs an altar. We have an
altar. Christ is our altar. Do you want
to rule? Christ is our example. Do you
want a law? We have a royal law, given by
the King, that you love one another as I've loved you. And all the
law is fulfilled in these two words, love God with all your
heart and your neighbor as yourself. You want to sacrifice? He's our
atonement. Well, it just feels good to go
sit down and talk to a priest. You want a priest? We have a
high priest. We have an altar. It's not a
cross. It's not a bench. It's not a table. It's Christ. You see, he says, don't be carried
away with these different, strange, alien doctrines. It's a good
thing for your heart to be established, settled with the free grace of
God in Christ Jesus. Because all these things have
never profited anybody that's been occupied with them, taken
up with them. But we have an altar. We have
an altar. We have a priest. We have a sacrifice. We have a tabernacle, He tabernacled
among us. We have all those things in our
Redeemer. Whereof they have no right to
eat who serve these other things. You have no right. Now, we have
a right to come bold into the presence of God because of our
altar, our sacrifice, and our priest. But those who are occupied
with works and duties of the law, they have no right to come
to Christ. No right. Go on to your bench. Go on to your processionals.
Go on over to your ordinances. Keep your days. But I tell you
this, when you start down that road, it's a long road. And that road does not vary. It demands absolute, unconditional
perfection. You that would be under the law,
don't you hear the law? I don't want to hear it, John,
do you? I don't want to hear it. I want to hear Him who speaks
peace and joy and whatever in my highest moment or my lowest
moment. Look at verse 11. What does this
say? What does this say? For the bodies of those beasts,
whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest
for sin, or burned without the camp." What is that saying? It's
saying this. On the day of atonement, the
bullock and the goat were slain, and the blood was brought into
the sanctuary, into the Holy of Holies, and sprinkled on the
mercy seat to make an atonement. We've gone over that, haven't
we? What about the bodies? of that goat and bullet. Only
the blood was brought into the mercy seat. The bodies were taken
outside the camp and burned. See that? The bodies of those
beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high
priest, the bodies were taken outside the camp and burned while
they were defiled. Wherefore, oh, watch it now,
verse 12, wherefore, Jesus also, that he might sanctify and justify
the people with his own blood, suffered without the camp, without
the city of Jerusalem, without the gate. Watch it now, listen
to me. See, that's pictures of Christ.
These bullocks and goats that were slain, that's Christ our
Lord. In order to sanctify us with his blood, to fulfill every
picture and type. Our Lord Jesus Christ's body
was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem, outside the camp. The flesh and the skin and the
dung of the bullock and the goat, the sin offering were unclean
before God and had to be carried without the camp to be disposed
of. Even the men who handled it were
unclean. And we see in this not only the
suffering of our Lord for sin, but we see the shame and reproach
that He endured as our sin offering. Bearing our sins, He was unclean. And He said, My God, why have
you forsaken me? And must die outside the cave,
outside the city of Jerusalem. All right, verse 13. Let us go,
therefore, unto him, without the camp bearing his
reproach." Here's the key words. Somebody says, let's go without
the camp. No. Let's bear his reproach. Well,
yes and no. Let's go to him. That's the key,
Bob. Go to him. To him. Let's go to Him. He's our Redeemer.
He's our sin offering. He's our sacrifice. He's our
hope, whether in the camp or out of the camp, whether bearing
our reproach or whatever, we're identified with Him. There are
a lot of people who want to be identified with Christ the Teacher,
who want to be identified with Christ the Healer, who want to
be identified with Christ the Lover, who want to be identified
with Christ this, that, and the other. We want to be identified
with Christ wherever, whenever, in whatever condition He's in. We'll go out of the camp or in
the camp, but we go to Him. We go to Him. I want to be identified
with Him as the surety. I want to be identified with
Him as the righteousness. I want to be identified with
Him out there in the shame and His reproach. I want to be identified
with Him in the glory of His resurrection. I want to be identified
with Him The Mediator, I'm going to Him. Verse 14, listen, for here, for
here, we have no continuing city. I have no permanent body. I have no permanent body. I got
a card from one of my dear, dear friends in this auditorium. He's
sitting here tonight. Used to be a good friend. And
the front of the card said, let me guess your age. And you'd
open it up and said, OLD. I guessed it, didn't I? Yeah,
you did. We have no continuing. I have
no permanent body, but I seek one. See, here we have no continuing
city, no lasting city, no eternal city, but we seek one. I have
no permanent body, but I'm seeking one. I have no permanent home,
but I'm seeking one. I have no permanent family, but
I'm seeking one. I have no permanent life, but
I'm seeking one. Where is it all found? In Him. So look at verse 6, 15. So by
Him, I tell you, there's no way you can wear this out. Turn back
to Ephesians 1, by him, by him. Ephesians 1, let me look at this
just a moment. I won't keep you too long, but if there's anybody here that
hasn't seen this, hasn't gotten a hold of this theme here, this
theme of God's Word, look at Ephesians 1, 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath
chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world, that
we should be holy and without blame before him in love, having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Christ. to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of
the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in Christ. In whom, that is, in Christ,
we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin,
according to the riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded
toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having made known unto us the
mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure, which he
purposed in himself. that in the dispensation of the
fullness of time he might gather together in one all things in
Christ, both which are in heaven, which are on earth, even in Christ. In Christ also we have obtained
an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him
who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will,
that we should be to the praise of his glory who first trusted
in Christ. Verse 13, "...in Christ you also
trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation, in whom, in Christ also, after you believed, you
were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest
of our inheritance, unto the redemption of the purchased possession,
unto the praise of His glory." Paul played a one-string fiddle,
didn't he? In Christ. In Christ. And that's
what it's saying here in verse 15, "...by him therefore let
us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually by Christ."
We are priests of God, and since all the typical sacrifices have
been fulfilled in Christ, we offer sacrifices. What are our
sacrifices? Well, let us offer the sacrifice
of praise. I'm a priest unto God, and I
come before God to offer a sacrifice. But since Christ has fulfilled
all the sacrifices, and He is all the sacrifices, then the
only sacrifice that I can offer is the praise of God. That is the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to His name. The source is the heart, the
instrument of the lips. I praise God in here. I praise
God here. And that's well-pleasing to God.
What else can I bring to God besides praise? What else can I bring to God?
What does God need that I have? What can I add to God? My works. And then, but verse 16 says,
but others in God's family have needs. God has no need. As a priest of God, I bring an
offering of praise, a sacrifice of praise. But others, but to
do good and to communicate, others have need. And so others have
need of our labors of love and our works of faith and our kindness
and our help. So to do good and communicate
to others, don't forget that. In other words, when we come
to God, in my hands no price I bring. simply the cross of
Christ I cling. I have no sacrifice except praise. But when I'm associated with
my brethren here, there's certain needs that they have that I do
bring. So when we come into God and praise, don't forget this
out there. See, read it again. To do good and to communicate,
forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. He couldn't
be pleased with any offering. Somebody said, give your tithe
and your talent and your time, etc., to God. He doesn't need
these things. Don't give anything to God. Christ
said, I didn't come to be ministered unto, I came to minister. Don't
give anything to God. So there are no sacrifices as
I, as a priest, bring to God except praise, the fruit of my
lips. But God is well pleased with
some more sacrifices. And that's the reason I, like
I wrote in the bulletin today, how much I appreciate your generosity
and your kindness and your care for others. Because God's pleased
with it. Those are sacrifices with which
He's well pleased. Labors of love and works of faith.
Or verse 17, obey them that have the rule over you. Well, this
refers primarily to our spiritual leaders, our pastors and elders.
How do we obey them? How do we obey them? The pastor doesn't trifle or
dabble in your personal life, in your home and in your decisions
and those matters. We're not going to send a committee
of elders down to your house to see what you spent on a car
or a house. How do you obey them? You obey
them this way, by hearing and receiving the Word that they
preach. You obey them, secondly, by regarding
and respecting their counsel and advice when it's in keeping
with God's Word. You obey them, thirdly, by recognizing
God-given authority. and God-given leadership and
God-given advice. You see, he says here in that,
as you go on, they watch for your souls. They watch for your
souls. A true pastor is not concerned
for fame and recognition and possessions and worldly gain.
He's not concerned about those things. Those are the things
that his elders and deacons and church take care of for him,
relieving him of those cares and concerns. He cares, his caring
concerns for your soul, for your spiritual well-being and welfare,
for the preaching of the gospel. That's what he cares about. They
watch for your souls. As those, look at this, as those
that must give an account Those that must give an account.
Give an account to whom? Give an account to God. A man's
got to give an account to God. We're his servants. Take desire
not to be a teacher, preacher. We have the greater responsibility. There's an account to be given.
There really is. What's this? That they may do
it with joy. I've had a lot of joy along these lines. I've had
some grief. and not with grief. That's unprofitable to you. I've
given, I believe, good spiritual counsel, clear as a crystal from
the Word of God. Some people have taken it, some
have not. Those who have taken that counsel,
that advice, who've heard that message and believed it, I can
pray, I can say, Lord, I rejoice that you've given me your Word
to preach, and I rejoice that the word preached has been received
by these certain people. I rejoice. That's giving an account
with joy, isn't it? But I've had to say this, Lord,
I told him. I faithfully told him. I faithfully
told her the gospel, the truth. I told it to this man. I told
him your way. I told him that which was pleasing
to you. And he wouldn't hear me. I weep
to say He refused to repent. He refused to walk in truth.
That's what he's talking about. That's very unprofitable. It's
very unprofitable. And then he says in verse 18,
Brethren, pray for us. Pray for whom? Pray for those
who have the rule over you. Somebody asked Spurgeon the secret
of his success. He was a successful preacher,
a mighty preacher of the Word. Someone asked him the secret
of his success. He said, the secret of my success
is those men in that prayer room praying for me. That's the secret
of my success. They pray for me. That's what
Paul is saying here. Pray for your minister. Pray
for those who preach the Word. The work of the ministry is so
important, and you have such a concern for it that you ought
to be moved to pray. For example, If the pastor's
blessed, you're going to be blessed. Somebody said to me tonight in
the study, someone said, I've enjoyed these messages on Hebrews. And one of the other men looked
at me and said, you kind of enjoyed them too, hadn't you? Yes, sir.
There's no way I can bless you unless I've been blessed. Isn't
that true, John? So if you want to be blessed,
pray for the fellow that's going to bless you. That makes sense,
doesn't it? If he's not anointed, you're
going to suffer. If he's not anointed, you're
going to come here in vain. I like what the little boy said
on his way to church one morning, or sitting at home, rather. They were having family devotions,
and they were praying, the different ones, and he prayed. He said,
Lord, help the preacher say something this morning I can understand. Help him to say something I can
understand." That's what Paul said. He prayed for us. For we
trust we have a good conscience and all things, willing to live
honestly, willing to preach the Word, willing to whatever the
cost is to declare this gospel in honesty. faithful to God and
His Word. But I beseech you, the rather,
to do this, that I may be restored to you sooner." Now, let me read
this benediction from the Amplified Version. This is what he says
now in closing. May the God of peace, who is the author and giver of
peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ,
that great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood that sealed and
ratified the everlasting covenant, testament, strengthen, complete,
perfect, and make you what you ought to be, and equip you with
everything good that you may carry out his will while he himself
works in you. and accomplishes that which is
pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to
whom be the glory forever and forever. Amen. Well, we've had
a good time with this book of Hebrews. Where do we go from
here? Well, we trust we'll have just
as good a time with something else, because there's plenty
there, isn't there? It's been delightful, been a blessing.
All right, Mike, come lead us in a hymn, if you will.

Hebrews 13 9-25: We Have an Altar

What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ's nature?

How do we grow in grace according to the Bible?

Why is Christ our altar important for believers?

How does the doctrine of grace affect Christian living?

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Hebrews 13 9-25: We Have an Altar

What does the Bible say about Jesus Christ's nature?

How do we grow in grace according to the Bible?

Why is Christ our altar important for believers?

How does the doctrine of grace affect Christian living?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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