Let us go forth
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We should be remembered by our relationship with the Word of God.
We have been called to be life long students of God’s Word
We have been called to help believers feed upon the grace of God.
We have been called to point people to Jesus.
We should be remembered by the outcome of our way of life.
We have been called to a different lifestyle; Our manner of life should promote contentment.
We have been called to a wonderful life of continually, non-stop sacrifice.
Sacrifice of Praise
Sacrifice of generous living
End result should be a life of joy and clear conscience
We should be remembered by a life of faith.
Hebrews 13:7 “7 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.”
Faith means trusting God’s Word.
Faith means following Jesus regardless of the reproach that it brings.
Faith means living more for the life to come than the life we currently have.
Hebrews 13:13–14 “13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”
Long Story Short Series; Two stories tonight.
One as we open the Bible and look at this passage
One as I open my heart in honest confession about a struggle I have with not wanting to obey this passage.
Personal story:
Wouldn’t have know this Bible story at 18. But I do now. And need to find out how it should alter my life.
The summer was a time of defragmenting
Defragmenting: organizes files on a hard drive, which can improve speed and free up unused space.
Story starts in Tblisi, GA and will end in Alpharetta, GA
Convinced the Gospel would not go from where it is to where it isn’t unless Christians were willing to follow Jesus into hard places
The call is not to go outside the camp, it is a call to go to Jesus without regard for the reproach it brings.
The call is not to go outside the camp, it is a call to go to Jesus without regard for the reproach it brings.
Hebrews 13:13 “13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”
1. “Outside the camp” is no place we would want to be unless we are following Jesus there.
1. “Outside the camp” is no place we would want to be unless we are following Jesus there.
Someone who is unclean or defiled is sent outside the camp.
Someone who has sinned against the Lord is sent outside the camp, often to be judged, sometimes to be stoned to death outside the camp.
The atonement offerings are to be taken outside the camp to be burned. Leviticus 16:7–10 “7 And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. 8 And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat. 9 And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering. 10 But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.”
Author of Hebrews is telling us.
Jesus is the scapegoat – He suffers outside the camp.
Jesus is the atoning sacrifice – He sheds His own blood for the people.
Jesus is your altar. He’s the one who supplies all that we need.
What do we learn from this.
The scapegoat shows that God’s people’s sins meant that they deserved to be removed from His presence. (As with Adam and Eve)
It’s a picture that Jesus absorbs the wrath and separation from God in our place.
The realization of #1 and #2 should create in us a desire to follow Him anywhere.
2. We should respond to the invitation to go forward with Jesus
2. We should respond to the invitation to go forward with Jesus
Hebrews 13:13 “13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”
“Let us go forth therefore unto Him..” in the language of faith.
The Holy Spirit says here “You have got to make a decision at this point.”
The Jewish Christian audience had two issues to address..
The Jewish Christian audience had two issues to address..
They were driven by their formalism.
They had become so engrossed in how they worshiped, that they had forgotten Who they worshiped.
It was style without substance, and it is the same exact temptation we face today.
They were paralyzed with fear.
To move forward with the Gospel was to leave what they knew.
To go outside the camp meant going into the unknown for them.
They had two had only two options..
They had two had only two options..
They can either retreat or risk everything.
Decision Joshua and Caleb met in Numbers 13 with the report of the spies. Retreat or risk everything.
Decision Israel makes when God wanted to show His holiness to all those nations in the Promised Land in Judges 2. Retreat or risk everything.
When Israel wanted a king like the other nations but the prophet told them God would be their king. 1 Samuel 8:19–22 “19 Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us; 20 That we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he rehearsed them in the ears of the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king. And Samuel said unto the men of Israel, Go ye every man unto his city.”
They retreated. “We are not going to give ourselves to the mission of showing the nations what is like when God is our King.”
We are often faced with the same decisions.
3. A life of faith goes where Jesus bids us to go regardless of our fears
3. A life of faith goes where Jesus bids us to go regardless of our fears
Hebrews 13:13 “13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.”
As a kid I wanted to see Jesus. I believed the pastor knew Him, so I thought I would follow him into his office. Despite the fear I wanted to go whereever Jesus was.
Jesus invites us to join Him outside the camp.
Jesus invites us to join Him outside the camp.
Jesus was crucified on a cross outside the city. Galatians 3:13 “13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:”
Outside the camp is where the rebellious son was to be taken and stoned. Deut 21 Jesus took the sin of us rebellious sons.
Do you want to be where Jesus is? Are you willing to bear the reproach?
Do you want to be where Jesus is? Are you willing to bear the reproach?
Here is insight into a conversation among Jewish Christians in that day. Galatians 6:12 “12 As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ.”
By faith we look to how Jesus viewed the cross. Hebrews 12:2 “2 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.”
4. A life of faith is a life living for a world to come.
4. A life of faith is a life living for a world to come.
Hebrews 13:13–14 “13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.”
The difficult job of bearing His reproach is easier when we remember that the city or society we are cast out from is only temporary.
We seek and belong to the permanent city yet to come.
This helps us with contentment. We do not need all this world has to offer.
We aren’t living for this world but the next.
This reality fuels our desire for a a life of sacrifice or praise and good works for His namesake.
5. We must keep our eyes upon Jesus if we are to be willing to follow Him into hard places.
5. We must keep our eyes upon Jesus if we are to be willing to follow Him into hard places.
This whole chapter is filled with exhortations about living the Christian life.
This whole chapter is filled with exhortations about living the Christian life.
v.1 Brotherly love continue
v.2 Show hospitality
v. 4 Have honorable marriages
v.5 Keep yourself free from the love of money
v.7 Remember those who lead you
Then we get to v. 8 Hebrews 13:8 “8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
What’s the relationship between this series of exhortations and then suddenly this declaration that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever?
How does “Keep your life free from the love of money” and then declaration come together.
The author of Hebrews in this passage is virtually telling us that Jesus Christ is the secret to the Christian life.
The real message of this whole section from verse 8 to 14 is, “Go to Jesus.”
My dedication to the Lord should not be up and down if it is placed in the One that is unchangeable.
My dedication to the Lord should not be up and down if it is placed in the One that is unchangeable.
Hebrews 13:8 “8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.”
In recognizing my desire “go forth” in faith tells me that I have been focusing on things that change; that is not Jesus.
All I need is what only Jesus can supply.
All I need is what only Jesus can supply.
Hebrews 13:10 “10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.”
The priests in the OT were able to eat of the meat that was offered in sacrifices.
We even learn from the story of Eli it could be eaten at a rate that would make them heavy.
We have an altar that provides for our needs as well.
We have an altar that provides for our needs as well.
Hebrews 13:9 “9 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.”
This is important when we consider the command of Hebrews 13:5 “5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
His presence and His provision is enough.
All that what we need for living the Christian life we can’t get from false teaching.
We typically think of FALSE TEACHING in regard to heresy.
Lesser motives for following Jesus when it is hard will not be sustained. Lesser motives are the result of false teaching or faulty application.
The author of Hebrews is saying, “My friends, that’s the key to the living of the Christian life – you understanding who Jesus is and what He has done for you.”
Return to the Story
I see so much more between me and the man who needs the Gospel.
I understand the danger and the discomfort that comes from going outside the camp.
But I also see Jesus who is unchanging.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Hebrews 13:7 “7 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.”
We should be remembered by our relationship with the Word of God. / How is your life as a student of the Word?
We should be remembered by the outcome of our way of life. / Are you living a content, honest life, with a clear conscience?
We should be remembers by a life of faith they can follow. / Has God invited you to follow Him somewhere or into some work and you need to accept His invitation today?
