A Pleasing Sacrifice To God
We are just four months away from Christmas and it is always a challenge to know the perfect gift to give to loved ones. We make the sacrifice of time, effort and money to give gifts that will be enjoyed by them and bring them joy. The writer of Hebrews explained to Jewish Christians that their faith in Jesus sacrifice on the cross was sufficient for their salvation. The old levitical system of sacrifices to cover sin, were no longer necessary. Instead, God welcomed their sacrifices of praise, proclamation of Jesus, doing His will and loving one another (Hebrews 13:9–21). I pray that you would know the all sufficient salvation of Jesus sacrificial death on the cross. And further, that your sacrificial offering would be praise and proclamation of what God has done to save you. Amen
Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings. It is good for our hearts to be strengthened by grace, not by eating ceremonial foods, which is of no benefit to those who do so. We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat.
The high priest carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place as a sin offering, but the bodies are burned outside the camp. And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood. Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore. For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come. (Hebrews 13:9-14)
The writer of Hebrews warned Christians that they should not be led astray by following false doctrines. Specifically the Mosaic dietary laws are referred to here. There were some who were advocating that these Jewish Christians must still keep Mosaic dietary laws. But the writer notes that adhering to those dietary laws do not save us. We are saved by God’s grace, not by what we eat. Additionally, those who make sacrifices on the temple altar are not followers of Jesus and therefore don’t have what we have…. salvation because of Jesus sacrifice on the altar of the cross. We are to be followers of Christ and we will suffer the same rejection from the world that He did.
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Have confidence in your leaders and submit to their authority, because they keep watch over you as those who must give an account. Do this so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no benefit to you.
Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon. (Hebrews 13:15-19)
Instead of following false doctrine and practicing things that have nothing to do with our salvation, we are called to praise God for His grace and His mercy, and to also profess the name of Jesus. And flowing out of our gratitude for God’s grace and Christ’s sacrifice (which was sufficient for our salvation), we should practice love toward one another. We should submit to leaders who are teaching sound doctrine and not be misled by following others. Our leaders will be held to account by God for how they have led His people. We are not to be a burden to our leaders as a result of our following false doctrine and wandering astray. Far from being a burden to them, we are to pray for our leaders that their conscience would be clear regarding the way they conduct themselves and lead God’s people. The writer of Hebrews asks in particular that these Christians would pray for him so that he may be able to be with them again soon.
Benediction and Final Greetings
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21)
The ending here in vv 20-21 is a benediction that calls back multiple themes found in the epistle of Hebrews (e.g. peace, blood, covenant, resurrection, great Shepherd, equip). This prayer of benediction asked that God’s will, through that great Shepherd Jesus, would be done in His people. And that they would be equipped for His purpose.
The epistle of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were under pressure to return to their former religious practices. False teachers were urging these Christians to incorporate former religious practices of Judaism to secure their salvation. But the writer of Hebrews made it clear that Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross was superior to the levitical sacrificial system of covering over sin. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, He was the perfect High Priest and His sacrifice was not temporary…. it was once for all. Therefore, faith in Him was sufficient for their eternal salvation. And because of Jesus sacrifice and their resulting salvation, their pleasing sacrifice to God should be to offer praise, proclaim Jesus and do the Father’s will (including caring for one another in love).
Blessings,
Rev. Glenn
