Those were two beautiful hymns
of praise and worship that we were led in. I pray the Lord
will bless the message tonight to all of us. If you will, let's
open again to Hebrews chapter 13. Hebrews chapter 13, and tonight
we are looking at verses 7 through 17. Remember them which have the
rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose
faith follow, considering the end of their conversation. Jesus
Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever. Be not carried
about with divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing
that the heart be established with grace, not with meats, which
have not profited them that have been occupied therein. We have an altar whereof they
have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies
of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by
the high priest for sin are burned without the count. 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 have we
no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore
let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That
is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. but to do
good and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased. Obey them that have the rule
over you and submit yourselves, for they watch for your souls
as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy
and not with grief, for that is unprofitable for you. These
verses continue with more practical exhortation for God's people. And when I say God's people,
practical exhortations for God's people, think of the words of
the psalmist in Psalm 100 and verse 3, when he said, know you
that the Lord, he is God. It is he that hath made us and
not we ourselves. We are his people, the sheep
of his pasture. God is the creator of all men. the Creator of all men. And in
that sense, He is the God of all men. But He is the God and
Father of His people, who are His sheep. I looked, and I found
that 25 times in the Word of God, we find the term, the God
of Jacob. The God of Jacob, 25 times. Not
one time do we ever read the God of Esau, the God of Jacob,
the Lord's people. Jacob have I loved, Esau have
I hated. This special way includes redemption
by the blood of his son. We just sang that hymn. Since
I have been redeemed and we know that God redeemed his people,
not with corruptible things such as silver and gold. A man could
give the whole world, he could not redeem his soul from corruption,
from destruction. But we've been redeemed, God's
people have been redeemed with the precious blood of the Lord
Jesus Christ. We're bought with a price. We're
bought with a price, the Apostle Paul says. Therefore, because
you are bought with a price, therefore, we are to glorify
God in our body and in our spirit, which are God's. Now last week,
we looked at the first six verses in this chapter, and we saw five
practical exhortations. Tonight, we're looking at 11
verses with one practical exhortation. It is one practical exhortation
that concerns the believer's responsibility toward ministers. It is divided into two divisions. First, ministers who have spoken
unto you the word of God. This seems to be in the past
tense. We find that in verse seven,
remember them who have spoken unto you the word of God. And then in verse 17, Obey them
that have present tense, that have the rule over you. So first, ministers who have
spoken unto you the word of God. Now, the writer, of course, is
writing to believers, Hebrew believers, and he tells them,
exhorts them and us to remember them who have spoken unto you
the word of God. to remember them who have spoken
unto them the word of God. Now, as for you and I, we should
take this exhortation to refer to the word of the apostles,
because it was the apostles and those who were also with the
apostles who preach the word of God to these Hebrew believers
to whom this letter was first written. Remember them who have
spoken unto you the word of God. As I said, to you and I, this
means we are to remember them, the apostles of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And I have several things to
remember. First of all, remember that they
preached the word of God. That's what they preached. The
apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ, they preached the word of God
and they were taught that word by God, the Holy Spirit. The Lord promised his apostles
just before he went to the cross concerning the work of the ministry
of God, the Holy Spirit, that he would guide them into all
truth. I want us to look at a few verses,
if you will, turn back to John chapter 16. So remember them
that have spoken unto you the word of God. Remember that they
spoke to you, unto you the word of God. That's what they spoke.
That's what they preached. They were not in the entertainment
business. They were not dealing with current
events like reading a newspaper. No, they were preaching the Word
of God. And that's what every preacher
is to do. But notice here in John chapter
16, verses 13 through 14. Notice verse 12, I'll read that
first. I have yet many things to say unto you, but you cannot
bear them now, albeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come.
Have you ever just marveled at the fact that during the gospels,
how many times that the apostles, the disciples of the Lord Jesus
Christ, seem not to have a clue? even though they followed with
the Lord Jesus Christ. How many times did he said, are
you also without understanding? When the people didn't understand,
and then the apostles would come to him in a house, in a more
private setting, and ask them, explain unto us the meaning of
the parable. Are you also without understanding? But then, on the day of Pentecost,
when God the Holy Spirit came upon them, how the Scriptures
were opened up unto them. And Peter begins to say, this
is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. And so many of
the Old Testament Scriptures were opened up to them. That's the ministry of God the
Holy Spirit. And we see that in the Word of
God. Albeit when He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide
you into all truth. And notice that word all. We're
not looking for more or new revelations. We have the complete canon of
scripture. We have the truth, the word of
God in our hands. And I always am somewhat amazed
how people Supposedly, Christian people will follow and run to
hear some message that someone claims that God has given them
outside of the word of God. What a deceit. He will guide
you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself. Notice
that. The Holy Spirit, who is he going
to speak of? Is He going to speak of Himself
and the gifts of the Holy Spirit? Is that going to be His message?
Oh no! He shall not speak of Himself,
but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will
show you things to come. Now notice, He will not speak
of Himself. Have you ever noticed in the
epistles, the introduction, the greeting that only God the Father
and God the Son are mentioned? Why is that that the Holy Spirit
is not mentioned there? Could it be because he will not
speak of himself? He's the one who inspired the
word of God. And yes, he speaks of Christ,
he glorifies Christ. He shall glorify me, for he shall
receive of mine and shall show it. unto you all things that
the father hath are mine therefore said I that he shall take of
mine and show it unto you now look at this passage also in
John 17 so he shall guide you into all truth remember them
that have spoken unto you the word of God remember first of
all that's what they spoke that's what they preached the word of
God All right, notice here in John 17, this prayer of our Lord,
verse 14. I have given them thy word. Now he's praying for his apostles.
I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because
they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. And then down to verse 20. Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe
on me. I believe on Christ. Do you believe
on Christ? If you do, you believe on him
through the word of these men that he was praying for. Neither
pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe
on me through their word. Faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God. How beautiful are the feet. upon
the mountains of those that bring glad tidings of great joy." That
is gospel ministers, those who preach the gospel. Look in 2 Timothy, 2 Timothy
chapter 3. This know, 2 Timothy chapter
3 and verse 16. All scripture is given by inspiration
of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction,
for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be thoroughly
furnished unto all good works. And then in chapter 4, I charge
thee therefore before God. Now notice his charge. Why would
he charge him to preach the word? Because all scripture is given
by inspiration of God. I charge thee therefore before
God and the Lord Jesus who shall judge the quick and the dead
at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word, be instant,
in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long
suffering and doctrine For the time will come when they will
not endure sound doctrine. Someone asked me, I believe last
week, last Sunday, after the message, if I didn't believe
that we're seeing this taking place, that men heap to themselves,
teachers having itching ears. Actually, I believe this took
place in the second and third centuries and has continued until
today. This has been the way things
have gone in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. But remember
them that have preached the word of God. Remember this was their ministry.
It was to preach the word of God. Number two, remember and
follow their faith. Look back here in Hebrews 13
now. Remember and follow their faith. Be steadfast. in professing
the faith they preached unto you. They preached unto you the
gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and His atoning work. Last Sunday
we sang that hymn, Hallelujah, What a Savior. I think I called
it Man of Sorrows. I've heard it by both titles. Hallelujah, what a Savior. But
one line, full atonement, can it be? Full atonement! Full atonement! Can it be? Can it be that by
His one sacrifice, He has put away sin forever? Yes. Can it be by His one sacrifice
that He has put away all our sins, made a full atonement? Not a partial atonement. You
know, atonement means covering. And all of the sins of God's
people have been covered. have been removed, have been
taken away by the blood of Jesus Christ. Remember this was the
message they preached. Now follow their faith. Follow
their faith. Be steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding. And then third, remember the
end of their conversation. You see that comes next. The
word conversation here refers to their life, to their life
or their way of living and dying. And we only have the account
of the Apostle Paul's words when he faced death of all the apostles. We only have his words. But his
words were these. I have fought a good fight. I
have finished my course. I have kept the faith. Henceforth
there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord,
the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me
only, but unto all them. that love is appearing. Remember their conversation,
those that have preached unto you the word of God. Now here are several practical
truths I want us to look at that are given to us for us to hear,
to persevere in the faith. Verse eight, Jesus Christ, the
same yesterday, today, and forever. The immutability of the Lord
Jesus Christ. It is true that those who spoke
the word of God, those who spoke the word of God to you, they've
been taken. They're gone, but the Savior
is the same, Jesus Christ, the same today as he was yesterday. He's still our great high priest
who ever lives, and he is the bishop. He is the bishop and
shepherd of our souls. Yesterday, in that Old Testament
dispensation, Today and this dispensation and to all eternity,
Jesus Christ is always the same. When you pray, do you remind
yourself and do you pray to God like this? He's the same. That's what the scripture says.
How was he when he was here upon the earth? Was he compassionate? He was, wasn't he? Did anyone
ever come to him with a need and he turned them away? Of course
not. He's the same. When you go to
the Lord in prayer, remember that. Remind yourself of that.
Remind him. Remind him. This is who we're
praying to, the Lord. And yes, we pray to God, the
Father. We also pray to God, the Son,
the Lord Jesus Christ. And we pray knowing that he is
the same. And that as the writer of Hebrews
told us earlier in this letter, we have not an high priest which
cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities. Aren't you
thankful? You know, Aaron and his descendants,
they were men. Sometimes men are compassionate
and sometimes men are hard hearted. And don't you know there were
times when some of those high priests probably were hard-hearted
people. We don't have a high priest like
that. We have not a high priest which cannot be touched with
the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted
like as we are, yet without sin. And every trial that you may
go through that God has for you, ordained for you, know that you
have a sympathizing high priest there at the Father's right hand.
Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever. And then notice this in verse
nine. It is grace that establishes the child of God. Be not carried
about with divers and strange doctrines. And over the years,
I've heard some strange ones. I'm sure you have as well. Strange
doctrines, strange teaching. Teachings that men have somehow
brought out of their feeble minds have nothing to do with the word
of God. Be not carried away by strange
doctrines. Now notice, for it is a good
thing that the heart be established with grace. It's a good thing. that the heart be established.
Salvation is by grace. And sometimes you hear something
that seems to imply that salvation somehow is by work, something
that we do, something that man must do. It's a good thing that
the heart be established with grace. No, we're saved by grace.
And yes, with all of our imperfections, and we all have them, our sins,
are false, but yet we're saved by grace, by grace. Notice he said, it's a good thing
that the heart be established with grace, not with meats. What
does he mean there, not with meats? Well, you know, the law
of Moses, it forbade those under that law from eating certain
foods. There were dietary laws. involved
in the law that was given at Sinai. They could not eat certain
foods. But you ask yourself, how did
that turn out? How did that turn out? And we
know from the word of God how it turned out. The religious
leaders so twisted those truths that men came to believe a great
lie, to believe a fatal lie. You say, what is the lie that
men came to believe? They came to believe that it's
what goes into the heart that defiles the man. And our Lord
said, no, it's not what goes into the man. You eat your food,
it goes into your belly through the digestive system and it's
eliminated. That doesn't defile the soul. It's what comes out of the heart.
Man's problem is a heart problem. These adulteries and fornication
and lies and hatred and murder and all of these things, they
come from out of the heart. Man needs a new heart. He must
be born again of the Spirit of God. The religious leader's so
twisted, these dietary laws that they believed if they just abstained
from eating certain things, and if they just washed their hands
in a certain way, and washed the pots and pans in which they
prepared the meal, that they were okay. They made void. The Lord Jesus Christ said, you
make void the law of God by your traditions. No, it's a good thing
that the heart be established with grace. not with mates which have not profited them
that have been occupied in them. Look at the word in Titus chapter
two, just a moment. Titus chapter two, verse 11. For the grace of God that bringeth
salvation, good that the heart be established with grace. Grace
brings salvation. It brings salvation. Hath appeared
to all men, that is both Jews and Gentiles. It wasn't something
reserved just for the Jews as they believed. It appeared unto
all men. teaching us that denying ungodliness
and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and
godly in this present world. Looking for that blessed hope
and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior,
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us, that he might redeem
us from all iniquity and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works. These things speak. Titus? Those men that you are ordaining
to the ministry there on the Isle of Crete, these things speak. Speak. These are the things that
the preacher is to speak and to exhort and to rebuke with
all authority, that the grace of God brings salvation. Then notice back in Hebrews.
verses 10 through 14, we read, we have an altar. No doubt these
Hebrew believers, they were being taunted by their fellow Jews. Well, you don't have an altar.
You don't have an altar. And everything that they knew
about the tabernacle first, and then the temple, there was an
altar. There was a brazen altar, and
that altar was for blood sacrifices. And there was a golden altar,
which was an incense altar, which represented the prayers, the
intercession of the Lord Jesus Christ. Both altars pictured
the person and work of Christ. Well, you don't have an altar.
That's no doubt what they were. Yes, we do. Yes, we do. We have an altar, and our altar
is the Lord Jesus Christ. He's our priest, and he's our
altar, and he's our sacrifice. He's all in one. The altar, remember
the Lord Jesus Christ said this, the altar sanctifies the gift
when He was teaching about people swearing by the gift or by the
altar. He said the altar is what sanctifies
the gift. Now, when we think of Christ
as our altar, that speaks of his deity, his Godhead. His sacrifice, of course, is
his humanity. And we have a sacrifice that's
offered on the altar of his deity, and he offered himself. as a
priest unto God. We don't have an altar in our
church. A lot of so-called Protestant churches, they talk about an
altar. The Roman Catholic Church, they do have an altar. And some
of the so-called high churches, they have altars. And they have
somewhat of a sacrifice, they claim, When we have the Lord's
Supper on this table, it's not a blood sacrifice. It's a memorial
service. And we, by faith, eat his flesh
and drink his blood. But we don't have an altar here
in this building. But we have an altar. We have
an altar, and we have a sacrifice, and we have Now, the bodies of
those sin offerings, the apostle tells us, they were burned not
on the altar. The fat was burned on the altar,
but the body of the beast was burned outside the camp. And because that was a type of
the Lord Jesus Christ, where did he suffer? He suffered on
a cross outside the gates, the walls of Jerusalem. Let us go
forth unto him, bearing his reproach. The reproach of Christ, of course,
is this sacrifice, this bloody sacrifice that satisfies God
and saves his people. Let us identify with him and
his gospel, the gospel of blood redemption, no matter what the
world thinks. People have said, well, you have
a slaughterhouse religion. You have a slaughterhouse religion.
That's all that spoke of, that Old Testament tabernacle and
temple, blood, sacrifices, shed, blood shed there. Yes, without
the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sins. That's
what God said. That's what we believe. But now
notice, fourthly, we have sacrifices to offer. We don't have a sacrifice
for sin because Christ is our sacrifice for sin. We don't offer
that kind of sacrifice, but we do offer sacrifices of praise. Notice that in verse in verse
15 and 16. By Him, therefore, let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit
of our lips, giving thanks to His name. When we sing and praise
Him and thank Him and bless His name, what are we doing? If we
are God's children, we are offering a sacrifice of praise. But I
want you to notice, if you turn over to 1 Peter just a moment,
he mentions this too. 1 Peter chapter 2 and verse 5. You also as lively or living
stones are built up a spiritual house and holy priesthood. Now
watch this, to offer up spiritual sacrifices. What are those spiritual
sacrifices? Praises, thanksgiving. acceptable
to God, and notice, by Jesus Christ. Even our praise, even
our worship, and praising, and blessing, and singing, and honoring
Him that is God, it must be offered up by or through Jesus Christ
to be accepted. And not only the sacrifice of
praise, but if you turn back here in Hebrews, to do good and
to communicate, that is to remember the poor and to give and share
with those in need. Now, let me just finish with
verse 17. Ministers who speak unto you
the word of God. The exhortation, first of all,
was to ministers, was to remember those ministers who have spoken
unto you the word of God. But now, the exhortation in verse
17 concerns those ministers who speak unto you the word of God. First of all, obey the ministers
of Christ in these ways. Attend, and I know I'm preaching
to the choir, but attend faithfully upon their preaching the word
of God. And be like the Bereans. You
know the Bereans, when Paul went there, He went into a synagogue,
and he opened up the scriptures, the Old Testament, and declared
unto them that Jesus of Nazareth, the Christ, that he was the promised
Messiah. What did they do? They listened
to him. They heard him preach, and they went home, and they
got into their Bibles, and they started studying to see if what
he was telling them was true, if that was really so. And that's
the way all of us should be. When you hear me preach or some
other preacher, Get in the word of God. Obey them, that is, attend
faithfully upon their messages, their preaching, and study their
word. And then number two, submit to
their instructions from the word of God. Now pastors are not to
lord it over God's heritage. Peter said that in 1 Peter chapter
five. And the apostle Paul wrote, be
you followers of me even as I also follow him. I also am of Christ. And number three, lastly, understand
that ministers are stewards. That's what they are. They're
stewards. And it is required of stewards that a man be faithful. That's one thing that is an absolute
necessity, a man that preaches is a minister of the gospel,
he must be faithful. He must be faithful. And one
day, he's gonna give an account. He's gonna give an account for
the souls that God has entrusted into his hands to minister unto. And the apostle exhorts these
believers, conduct yourself in such a way that the minister
may minister with joy and not with grief. Because if he ministers
with grief, it's not going to be profitable unto you. Well, I pray the Lord would bless
this word, this study to all of us here this evening, for
those who attend with us online. And we're going to sing a hymn.
And then I have an announcement. After we sing this hymn, we're
going to turn the streaming off. And I want to make an announcement.
OK. Bill, if you will come and sing.