Life Together: Essential Elements (Hebrews 13:7-17)

And amen right? Well good to see everybody good to see everybody on Facebook. We're glad that you joined us and Sunday mornings. We are going through the book of Hebrews and we have arrived in Chapter 13, really the middle of chapter 13. So the book of Hebrews chapter 13 beginning and verse 7 I've been thinking a little bit this week about the authenticity and that is certainly a watchword. For example for Millennials. They they like that which has authentic they don't like that which is fake rogered underwrites hyper-connected socially informed and knowledge-driven Millennials are deeply suspicious of being sold to the owner of the days when image was everything now image is suspect Photoshop filtered messaging is crafted scripted and spun into fool's gold and Millennials aren't buying they're searching like Mulder and his search for the truth like in D and his search for the Lost are millennials are Relentless and obsessive in their quest for authenticity. They are all about pulling back the curtain going backstage hanging out in the Green Room viewing the Raw. They want to hear what's said when the tape stop for rolling and other words, they want the real story and I think that's true. I've seen that in the lives of many of those that I know when that to generational bracket now hold onto to that thought for just a moment authenticity Millennials, perhaps any who like that which is authentic. Hold on to that for just a moment. I was also thinking about Dietrich Bonhoeffer know some of you know him Pastor Theologian certainly with the Lord now and the written several books, but in World War II he was in fact the German Theologian a professor in addition to being a pastor and author. He was also resistance leader and John dobberstein gives us some details in 1933 Bonhoeffer delivered a lecture. Broadcast over Berlin radio in which he played the German public for a hankering after a Hitler and you can understand why if you're a Christian that would certainly makes sense and is he was delivering this particular lecture on Berlin right in his cut off before he finished sometime after that. He pastored a couple of congregations in London England, and he wanted nothing to do with the German Christian compromise. The the state Church in Germany had made a had made a doubles bargain is it were and they were compromised and they were in League with Hitler at least to a certain degree and he wanted nothing to do with the Nazi government and he received the call from the confessing Church in Germany, those who have been faithful and remain faithful to the Lord Jesus the confessing church as opposed to the state shirt, and he was given a call from them to take charge of an it illegal clandestine Seminary for the training. young Pastors in Pomerania There he shared a common life in emergency built housing with 25 other pastors. And if you're familiar with his work life together, this was the impetus for the writing of that took particular book. This was life together the life of the Christian Community what she outlined obviously was scriptural with Biblical insights. I was during this time. That he not only publish that but also the little book you may be familiar with the cost of discipleship. So it's these two Works a life together and the cost of discipleship that are the distillation of his fundamental message what it means to live with Christ. And so he devoted his life from that point forward to even even as before but to the task assigned to him by the confessing church and the resistance movement there in Germany. He certainly had opportunities to teach else Where he even was invited to teacher in the United States or he could preach the gospel, but also be safe and he declined every single one of these invitations again. He was devoted to preaching and teaching clandestine groups all across Germany again during World War II and then the blow fell as it were he was imprisoned by the Nazis and 1943, you know this if you're familiar with his story at all while he was in prison, he serve the other prisoners he did so with joy for 2 years all the way up until August of 1945 and its last week's we're spent with men and women of different nationalities. He spent his time in that to prison camp concentration camp with Russians Englishman Frenchman Italians Germans. One of these individuals who was there an English officer wrote this? He said Bonhoeffer always seemed to me to spread an atmosphere happiness and joy over the least incident and profound gratitude for the mere fact that he was alive. He was one of the very few persons I have ever met for whom God was real and always near on Sunday April 8th, 1945 Pastor Bonhoeffer conduct a little service worship and spoke to us in a way that went to the heart of all of us. He found just the right words to express the spirit of our imprisonment the thoughts and the resolutions that had brought us here hardly ended his last prayer when the door opened and two civilians entered they said prisoner Bonhoeffer come with us that had only one meaning for all prisoners The Gallows. We said goodbye to him. He took me aside. He said this this is the end but for me it is the beginning of Life and the next day. was hanged The text that he had preached wrong on that particular day was this by his stripes we are healed.

Millennials want authenticity. They want the real story. Seems to me that hardly gets any more real than Bonhoeffer. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was authentic. And obviously the question is why why was he so authentic? And obviously, we know the answer it's because he was gripped by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ and experience the the power the reality of Christ yet experienced the the the authenticity of the life of the Lord Jesus and he did so with others who'd been gripped as well. And here's my premise this morning that there is no authentic life together. And I think of that little phrase life together add the little adjectives there authentic. There is no authentic life together apart from Christ. And so again Millennials, you want the real story anyone you want the real story. The real story is Christ a real story is life in Christ. And in our texts this morning the key verse is we just sort of look at all of those verses that surrounded the key verse I think is verse 8 Jesus Christ is the same. Yesterday today and forever. He is the same think about it the same yesterday today and forever that authenticity and so here are these Hebrew Believers these Jews would committed to Jesus as Messiah to Jesus as Savior. They were tempted to walk away from the Lord Jesus ever tempted to to go back. What were they attempted to go back to where we can put it this way. There's a very real sense in which they were tempted to go back to in authenticity. They were tempted to go back to me religion to spiritual imprisonment man-made religion. But if any man if any woman of any boy is any girl is in Christ, Jesus behold, he is a new creation a new creature old things are passed away and all things have become brand new. He is set free from sin and death and that is the message of Hebrews that we can be set free from sin and death and from inauthenticity. If I could use that word we can be set free from the prison spiritually speaking in which we find ourselves and we can be delivered into real authentic life life in Union with the Lord Jesus Christ. And so we come to this last chapter of the book of Hebrews and we come to several concluding exhortation and there's a sense in which they seem disjointed is a sense in which they seem random but they're not disjointed. They're not random at all. The message is the same don't walk away from Christ be committed to Christ these concluding exhortation form a whole day makes sense. And the focus in these verses is just that life in Christ and the authentic nature of it. And that's why I'm belaboring the point even as I wait into this what we're talking about here is what we saying about we're talkin about the church. And we're not talking about the church's institution that sort of a man-made concept we're talkin about the church is as what it really is is men and women boys and girls who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what we'll never die. That's what Jesus gave his life for. That's what we'll enter the the the territory of Satan and the Gates of Hell will not Prevail against it that church the people of God will go forward and and they are in vital now, but one day they will reign Victorious they will be at rest as we sang a moment ago. That's what we're talkin about the Church of the Lord Jesus and we're talkin about life together as the church in the here and now we're not the church at rest yet. We're still the church militant and that means that we have a shared life the common life a life together is those who named the name of Christ and I just want to look at some elements in this life together. We're certainly not going to be exhausted. We're not you know. Turn exhausted list as it were in these concluding exhortation, but we're giving a snapshot a glimpse and so that's what I want to talk about authenticity and the authentic life together that we have in Christ. There is no alternate life apart from Christ. And so we're looking at certain elements as we wade into this and we just read a couple of verses just sort of set the stage and you can see what I mean by concluding X rotations and then we'll try to make some application as we go but here we are again chapter 13 and verse 7 the author simply says remember those who rule over you and who is spoken the word of gone to you whose Faith follow considering the outcome of their conduct and here's our key verse and we'll pull back here, but we just read it one more time. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever. That's the Crux of the text. You can skip Down 2 verse 17 because it's very similar to verse 7. There's a connection there. Obey those who rule over you see or talk about the same Dynamic and be submissive or they watch out for your souls as those who must give account let them do so with joy and not with grief or that would be unprofitable for you and we'll come back and we'll cover the middle part of those bookends. That includes Co is it were will connect them all together? But let's just start by talking about one of the essential elements that has to be that is when it comes to this authentic life together in Christ. And that first essential element is spiritual leadership spiritual leadership, and if I could put it by way of command just echoing the text it would be this consider your spiritual leaders. So that's something that we don't often think about something that I don't particularly talk about that often. But here it is right before us and is certainly appropriate to talk about it as part of the life together that we have is the church the life together that we have in Christ. So consider your spiritual leader. So what does he say again in verse 7 but we have reminder. Remember those who rule over you that's an interesting phrase, isn't it? Felt like that just to be honest with you and I'm kidding I'm kidding. But anyway, I remember those who rule over you who is spoken the word of God to you whose Faith follow considering the outcome of their conduct. Not all of us are in different kinds of authority under different kinds of Authority for a different two kinds of reasons. Ultimately God is our Authority right? He's our ultimate Authority and submission to God is absolute submission to God is total. Let me whatever. God says. That's what we're about. We don't always obey that but we're supposed to and is those who love the Lord Jesus we Embrace that the whole heartedly. So God's Authority is Ultimate in our submission is absolute but there are other kinds of authority as well. You can think about government for example of we talked about that fairly often and there's there's there's an authority there and we live in a fallen world is so government is certainly not perfect and government typically and generally if you read what the the scriptures have to say, particularly and Romans chapter 13 government is given primarily for our sanctification. There's a submission there that we owe the government and God Is You Using that submission and certain situations particularly more than others for our sanctification because not always easy and I won't go down that road any further. I'm just saying if you think about you and government is given primarily for sanctification. You can think of other kinds of authority you think about the fact that we owe submission to our employers or or there's a submission that fokin in the military 02 those above them and what we're talking about here are practical considerations may be pragmatic considerations. It's sort of a chain of command structure or or things don't work as they should we think about parental Authority. It's given so that two children might receive love and protection. They are submitted to the authority of their parents their parents give the love and protection we can think about to a husband's Authority it's given so that he might love and Serve and Protect his wife. That's that's the primary thrust of what that authorities. all about so they're all kinds of authority and we're all under different kinds of authority. And then of course there is Spiritual Authority and the primary reason that there is Spiritual Authority is because those in Spiritual Authority or supposed to care for those who were in The the church in the flock, is it worth that they're to demean team watch care over their souls. In fact, you see 2 verse 17 of a those who rule over you'll be submissive for here it is they watch out for your souls. It's not so that they can Ward something over the people. That's not what that Authority is all about. It's an authority that that gives the word. It's an authority that teaches it's an authority that points the way because of the study in because of the prayer and because of the seeking after the Lord and we're all to do that for sure. But spiritual leaders on a spend the Lion's Share of their time involved in those activities that they might indeed truly point the way to the Lord Jesus Christ. So it's not the spiritual leaders in the church know everything they don't. You know that it's not that they're perfect. They're not that's why different people have rebuked me from time to time and we rebuke one another right with mohnish one another that's what the body does despite. The fact is that I occupy in a sense a position of authority. It's it's it's a position of service and pointing the way is upset. So not perfect. I'm part of the body even in the position that I occupy. So we study is upset as we move on. We we we study to that end we seek the honour gone to that and appoint others toward the Lord Jesus. It's so and verse 7 again. Here's a command remember those who rule over you who is spoken the word of God to you. Now most Scholars agree that the author here is talking about spiritual leaders that these Jews had been under and the spiritual leaders for the most part of in their past these particular spiritual leaders have actually already finished the course. Is it where they've already dyed them already gone on to be with the Lord and she sing remember those who who have the rule over you those that have spoken in the past the word of God to you follow their faith consider the outcome of their conduct. That's why they they say that these folk have already gone to the Lord that they finish the race they persevered all the way to the end. They clung to Christ in context here. They didn't walk away. They cling to Christ all the way to the end. You need to follow them. That's the point.

So the word of God that they spoken. their faith by way of example the outcome of their lies the outcome of their conduct. Interesting my youngest daughter came up to me this past week and she asked me if I'd ever heard of the Elephant Room and I certainly have now I haven't heard that term in years and years but I do remember several years ago might have been 10 might have been 15 it all seems to run together at my age. But you know, the Elephant Room is very popular. And essentially they were Christian leaders who would get together to discuss certain things it was online and then I remember having young people over to our home and we would discuss the things that have been discussed in the Elephant Room. And we did that several times. It was always a very fruitful time and there were some Christian leaders and in that particular context that were part and parcel of the Elephant Room that in my estimation had some issues had some problems with regard to their spiritual leadership. Not that I was setting myself up as judge not that that I knew more than they it's not that at all but some They're doctrinal stances. We're less than biblical some of the things that they were pointing people toward we're less than biblical as far as I was concerned. And my daughter again asked me about it this past week and I started running down the list. She said, well, here's who's in it. And this person to this person to this person three of the leaders that she mentioned or out of the ministry now,

One of them is still in the ministry, but most people would consider him her radical in a number of ways.

It's so important for spiritual leaders to Route their leadership in the word of God. They have no Authority apart from the Lord Jesus Christ No Authority apart from the word of God. And when we stray from the word of God, then we Advocate our role as leaders. Where to stay true we have to stay faithful and you want to follow those who are true. And those who are faithful one of the mentors that I've had in my life has been a mentor of mine for at least 30 years, maybe 35 years. If I were to think about it, at least see some of you know him. Just a faithful servant of the Lord preaching the gospel weekend and week out. That's all he does. He's an evangelist. He doesn't manipulate people. He teaches pastors. He serves others he gives to those in need on I could go pee proclaim the gospel. He's been to I don't know how many nations all across the world multiple multiple times over these 30-plus years. I remember I had a question about something I was still in the real estate business is back in the late 1980s. Which part of the fun we hardly knew and then my dad and I were in our office. Date of the phone call that Alicia and ask him a question. He gave us the answer and he recommended a book you recommended to a book that John MacArthur had written. I don't even know who John MacArthur was at the time and the book was entitled our sufficiency in Christ as their better title for a book our sufficiency in Christ. We picked up that book we devoured it and John MacArthur has been a faithful leader for 30-40 maybe 50 years. I don't know when he started in Ministry, but he's getting up there he's getting up there, but he's been faithful. I can follow it laces example, I can follow John MacArthur's example many of you know, John will turn his with the Lord now, he persevered all the way to the end. He was a faithful mentor to me by way of instruction by way of teaching me the word of God by way of example for 30 plus years until God took him home. These are the kinds of individuals that we want to follow. I remember John Wilton used to say to me. He said Paul and he had that accident. I wish I could do it. So I won't even tries from South Africa the old British accent, but he said to me pull the most significant thing that you need to be aware of the most significant thing in your life the most important thing in your life. You need to determine the will of God and do it and I hang on to that. I don't always succeed I fail over and over and over again, but I clung to that because that was his message to me determine the will of God and do it and these men Among many many others have taught me and many many other sound Doctrine and they persevered all the way to the end you go down to verse 17. Obey those who will / you know, these our current leaders is just sort of the right now. We're in present time. We're in real time. Is it worth obey those who rule over you being submissive? Why well again, they watch out for your souls as those who must give account or I should be spiritual leaders there watching over your spiritual lives are so old and I have to give an account to God for for what they've done or what they failed to do. And then there's this admonition here to let them have this watch cares that were with joy and not with grief. Nowruz don't give him a hard time because I'll be unprofitable for you. He says louder than problem because if they're giving you the truth and you're rejecting the truth will then again, that's not profitable. So the presuppositions is it the giving you the truth again, it's not that any of us are perfect. But but that's the presupposition with some of the faithful individual who's faithful to the word of God.

He says obey he's just be submissive now again, does that mean no matter what whatever I say that you have to do. What of course not of course not no submission is absolute except the god. That's why I started out the way that I started out. Somehow someway I heard about again this week for the second time and just a very short. Haven't even thought about this individual really since the 1970s by but I heard somebody talkin about Jim Jones and I don't know if all of you know who Jim Jones was Jim Jones came out of the Assemblies of God denomination. It was ordained. There is also a ordained in the Disciples of Christ denomination, and he went far field to both of those denominations of foreign to call to those of you who know who he is. The people's Temple formed at there in Indiana and he moved with his congregation to the Jungle. I move to Guyana and he founded Jonestown No Pride there Jim Jones and Jonestown but nevertheless that's that's where they were in Guyana and I remember vividly I really do because it was all over the television. We didn't we didn't have you know, an infinite number of television channels and those days we all watch the same channel and we had three major news networks and they all gave the same news and that's that's the way it was but I remember vividly 1978 Congressman Leo Ryan had led a group to investigate the communes. They were investigating allegations of Human Rights abuses and they've been down there to Jonestown. They had dinner meal sponsored by Jim Jones had met with all of them and unbeknownst to them was insincere and is there were boarding the airplane Jim Jones had given the order for his special forces armed with weapons to to take them out as it were boarding the plane. This is 1978 the congressman or the number of is there. Bring the plane to come home gunman rolled up on them and and shot a number them in the congressman and for others if I'm not mistaken were killed right there on the tarmac is unbelievable. And later that day and you remember these pictures maybe the more vividly Jones himself ordered the mass suicide of over 900 people in his church, and they all took the it was Flavor Aid we we we think of it as Kool-Aid. That's where the phrase you drank the drink the Kool-Aid. That's where it comes from. You know, we were told that they drink Kool-Aid it was laced with sign I was actually flavors race was laced with Cyanide and over 900 congregants died that day through mass suicide over 300 of them were children.

Obviously, this is not a man that they should have submitted to it's about a man that you want to submit to submission is not absolute. I don't want to compare myself to Jim Jones. But but submission is not absolute. That's why we're to be bereans it's over to search the scriptures and nnn. We need to trust our leaders as long as they pointed to Christ as long as they want you to the word of God, but again doesn't mean they're perfect even their understanding of the word of God. So you be bereans in you search the scriptures and remember that again Elders to be held accountable as is as well pastors be held accountable as well. If you don't you don't rush into it you establish the fact just like with anyone else establish the fact that there's an accusation against an elder gets Apache of status effects of what two or three Witnesses. Is a factor established than you rebuke and publicly that everyone may be taught to fear. That's what the Bible says. So your submission is not to Absolute. There's some that one of micromanage every little aspect of your life. I know pastors who who think it's their responsibility and their role to to it to meet you in your home on a regular basis and and the Not only inquire think of the word Inquisition. Not only inquire as to what you're up to. But but throw the very Motors of your heart, they think it's their role and and they're so oppressive and they're so smothering in the the way they carry out Ministry in I'm simply saying submission is not absolute. But again without sounding like a broken record. Those who seem to love God. Those who follow the lord those relieving Faithfully those who point you to Christ in the word of God submit to them. That's what he saying. What does that mean? Well again, it means search the scriptures but takes seriously what they say and if they rebuke you it's for your good just like if anyone in the body rebukes you just like if I received or am rebuked I need to receive it. It's for my good. It's for our good. Oh, it's heartbreaking when they've been individuals that that Elders as a whole have seen fit to review when elders and multiple churches have seen fit to rebuke and they don't submit then now you don't know where they are. It's heartbreaking because it's not profitable when they don't take that rebuke like they should.

the genuine spiritual leader cares for you cares for your soul cares for the truth chairs for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and they must give an account when they stand before the Lord and they take that very very seriously and they want a labor with joy. Will that part of what our life together? Is all about that part of what makes it an authentic life together. Not just out here willy-nilly doing our own thing. Anything and everything goes no. No, there's there's there's an authority which ultimately is God himself and he's given us the revelation of himself and who we are and what the Christian life is all about. He's giving us that Revelation in his word and so his word is our source of authority and there is no authentic life together apart from Christ part of that authentic life together in Christ to spiritual leadership. And here's something that goes hand-in-hand with that spiritual leadership because I've alluded to it and that is sound Doctrine. Sound Doctrine again in verse 8 Jesus Christ. The heart of our texts. He is the same yesterday today and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. What's he saying in context? We sang don't walk away from Christ. Same thing has been saying for 12 chapters. He's just repeating himself, but he says it a different way. Don't be carried about my strange doctrines. Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever part of what he's saying is when he says that Jesus name yesterday, is it the Old Testament points to Jesus the Old Testament points to Christ nnn if you are safe as an old Covenant Saint let's say you're part of national Israel your ear say before the Advent the first coming of the Lord Jesus, you're only safe because you're saved by grace alone through faith alone in the Messiah who was promised the Messiah who was to come the Christ who was to come the Lord Jesus poultices, for example that Abraham believed God and it was a Canada to him for righteousness a rama save not by works, but by faith David himself the Old Testament King David. He said blessed is the man who send his not imputed against him blessed is the man who saved by grace. That's the issue.

Jesus hasn't changed. Show the old Covenant the new cover two different things but salvations always been the same. Jesus is always been the same as the same yesterday today and forever the Lord Jesus. We're told and many many verses in the Old Testament the New Testament that Jesus is the creator. He has the pre-eminence over all things. He's the Creator that yesterday if you want to think of it that way. He's the Redeemer the one who has saved in his saving us that's today and he's also the sustainer of all things and one day forever. He's coming to consummate his kingdom. He's the same yesterday today and forever. So Lord, Jesus hasn't changed. It doesn't change so don't move away from him don't walk away from him and don't be carried away. I mean think of that little terminology there do not be carried away or do not be carried about with very sad strange doctors murvaul writer the Ephesians and we said don't be tossed to and fro like like the waves are With The Wind by what biome sound Doctrine you want to be solid you want to be stable and we focus on the Lord Jesus Christ is revealed in the world. So don't be carried away, but these strange doctrines. Well what might he be referring to weld perhaps in this context doctors that are strange to the gospel IE legalism. Yes a bubble on your saved by grace. You don't deserve it. You can't work for its not not religion uses its main thing you earn its it's grace through faith and a faith is given. Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, so don't be carried away by doctors that are strange or foreign to the gospel. What does he say to the Galatians? He says I am surprised that so soon after receiving the gospel youth you turn to another gospel, which is really no gospel at all who has Bewitched you is and I will post it of the Galatians. And he says no, I pull himself or an angel from heaven declare to you a gospel other than the gospel that I've already preach if they come with a different gospel. They are to be condemned. They are anathema you clean to the gospel of the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ clean to that always, that's the message of scripture.

In the last days. People will will be given to itching ears and they'll heat false teachers to themselves because they like all kinds of strange doctrines. That's what Paul warns against he warns Timothy about that. The point is obviously that there is no salvation. There is no forgiveness. There is no life. There is no life together in Christ apart from sound Doctrine. Who talking in a men's bible study just the other night about how in the South everybody saved and I say that facetiously right? What we mean is well most there by in the South has raised somehow and then some kind of Christian context and and they believe in Jesus and so everybody thinks they're saved and so evangelism might be a little bit more difficult. Church might be a little weaker. Because you got a lot of folks who think they know and love the Lord Jesus, but they don't all they have is a placebo. All they have is religion. They don't have the real thing. They don't have the Lord Jesus Christ and show me. What were they tell you they don't give me doctor and I don't know. Just give me Jesus when he sounds pretty spiritual does and I just want Jesus. Well, if we said many many times what Jesus you talkin about a Jesus of your imagination or the Jesus of the scriptures the scripture put a premium on sound Doctrine. Positivity make sure you're given to the teaching of sound Doctrine. How can you grow in your knowledge of God without biblical Doctrine doctor is just a fancy word for teaching. How can you grow on your knowledge of God apart from teaching? How can you learn to honor God with with your life apart from Doctrine apart from teaching? How can you navigate life at all apart from what the Bible says?

How do you know the difference if you don't understand SoundDock and how do you know the diff between John MacArthur and Jim Jones?

Want to kill you? The other will point you to the life that is to be had in the Lord Jesus Christ and some don't like it when we get besides Doctrine. I understand that I've heard that many many times. They don't like it. We pulling out air what it's not that we're judging everyone else. It's not that we're we're gleeful to talk about how bad everybody else just now might be the case for some but a faithful Bible teacher maybe he might say it the wrong way. Maybe you might say it too much. But what is he doing? He's trying to warn. That's what he's trying to do. We had a couple of folks who were in with the new perspective on Paul and number of years ago in our church, and we had to talk about the error of the new perspective on Paul. We had to for the sake of Souls.

Doesn't matter what it is. We have to point out truth. Preach the truth teach the truth and sometimes along the way we point out are so that we warn folk not to go astray. What we're called to do is part of the authentic life together that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ centered on Christ centered on the word of God. With the constantly beware of Satan's main strategy to to give us things that look good. That sound good Sherry Young For example, Jesus Calling sits and listens to God and now she's got a new revelation for the rest of us. Even though this Revelation is totally contrary to the scriptures, but it looks good because it's so helpful, right?

She has insight. Lot of the time it's people wanting something more whether it's been Sensational or whether it's it's the feel-good message the feels if they say today. What certain drugs might feel good, but they'll kill you. So there's no authentic a life together apart from Christ. We talk about spiritual leadership is part of that authentic life. We're talking to sound Doctrine Russell talk about Sovereign Grace. I mean, look at what else he says beginning. They're right in the middle there of verse 9 again. Don't be cared about that's the beginning but don't be cared about was very strange doctrines for it is good. Here it is that the heart be established by Grace not by the law. Right? Don't don't don't think your salvation is in the lawyer salvation is in Grace and Frankie cast. And what's this she explains? It's good that the heart be established by Grace not with foods, which is not profited those who have been occupied with them. In other words. The old Covenant diet are regulations. They never were given for salvation part of the reason they were given was to show us our inadequacy the shows that we can keep the law to shows that we can't be saved apart from grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ to the heart needs to be established by Grace. That's the issue and it goes on. He says we have an altar from which those who serve the Tabernacle have no right to eat. Now what is going on there? We don't we don't we don't have a physical alter under the New Covenant one of a physical offer today the day there's no physical altar in the the days of of the writing of the book of Hebrews. What's he talkin about what he's been talking about it right throughout the book particularly and chapters eight and nine a song about that spiritual altar. He's talked about the cross if we could put it that way. You know, there's no alternate Baptist Church just as a side issue despite the fact that lot of Baptist Churches have an altar call. I'm not sure what that means. There is no alternate Baptist Church where the table we fell asleep around the table, but but you don't find an altar in in the Baptist Church because there is no more alter the last alter the last sacrifice with the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. So this is that spiritual Altar and what he's saying is we have an altar from which those who served the Tabernacle that is the temple the old Covenant system. We have a spiritual Altar and those who serve that old system. They have no right to eat of the spiritual altar because they're focused on the law and not on the Lord Jesus Christ. That's what's going on in that verse. And then he goes only gets a little bit more about the old Covenant for the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest force. In other words that old Covenant system and we talked about this a little bit as well the day of atonement you had the animal sacrifices and they were brought into the holy of holies. But after that these animals on this particular occasion were burned outside the camp in a normal situation to send offering the priest was in for take of the animals here. Those animals were burned outside the camp. Take that away. And it's a tight. It's a picture. It's a picture what happened to the Lord Jesus himself. That's why he says in verse 12. Therefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people that is set apart. The people save the people make them. Holy so therefore Jesus also, they might think of other people with his own blood suffered outside the gate he was rejected by his own suffered outside the gate but why did he do that to save his people from their sins? Therefore let us go forth to him outside the canopy says in verse 13 Remember this whole little section. We would just sort of started right there in the middle of verse 9 for this good that the heart be established by Grace Grace and not the law not to with foods. Not with these old Covenant dietary regulations. 1st Corinthians 8:8 but food does not come into the gone for neither if we eat or are we the buttered or if we do not eat or we the worst food is nothing. Romans 14:17 the kingdom of God is not in eating and drinking but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We're Sanctified not with what we eat or don't eat where we're Sanctified not by observing this day or that day. We're Sanctified were saved by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you don't like talk about blood sometimes I don't like to talk about the sacrifice. I don't like talk about the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ the bloody sacrifice. But listen without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. We deserve death. That's the point but there's life. There's forgiveness in Christ. That's the gospel.

So let's go to crying so don't walk away. Let's go to Christ and it's by Grace. It's it's Sovereign Grace. Meaning God is the one who gives it that's that's what we mean by Sovereign Grace. Got you can't learn Grace. You know, there's a lot of denominations that teach that yo-yo salvation by by Grayson and faith and all that but you got to work to get the grace and you have to work to stay in a state of grace. That's not biblical that contradicts the definition of Grace right? You don't work. That's earning. That's dad. Paul says in the Book of Romans for example know Grace is something God freely gives

You know even in our own contact. Sometimes we kind of skew our understanding of Grace. Well, you can get Grace if you want the aisle. Will be real careful with these things salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. If seasons 2 for by Grace, you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves what not of yourselves Faith even faith is the gift of God. Not of Works lest anyone should boast. That's the gospel message by grace. Are you saved through? Faith. Jesus said to Nicodemus you must be born again, or you will not see the kingdom of God. Do a lot of time people say well now if you'll just repent and believe you'll be born again. No. You must be born again. Then you can repent and believe repentance and Faith are gifts from God. No God doesn't report for you. He doesn't believe for you that your responsibility but you won't repent can't repent. You won't believe can't believe until God gives Grace until God opens your eyes until he gives you the new birth until you've been brought from spiritual death the spiritual life. So what happens is the spirit comes and he works in your heart. He brings conviction you're here in the message of the Gospel all of a sudden he gives you the new birth with the new birth, you get the gift of repentance and Faith you repent you believe because you've already been born again and guess what happens when you repent and believe will technically speaking your Justified before God, but it all happens at the same time as it were straight. That's the point.

Augustine said this the old Theologian from the 4th century. God chooses us not because we believe but that we may believe Spurgeon the great Baptist preacher the 1800's I do not come into this Pulpit hoping that perhaps somebody will of his own free will return to Christ my hope lies in another quarter. I hope that my master will lay hold of some of them and safe you are mine and you shall be mine. I claim you for myself my hope arises from the freeness of Grace and not from the freedom of the will free will carry Minnesota Hill, but never sold a heaven is Grace. It's all of Grace and she'll be established by Grace. That's the admonition there. Don't be established in your life by the law, but be established by Grace salvation by grace sanctification by Grace repentance by Grace following the Lord loving the Lord It's All By Grace

Martin Luther said this for almost 20 years and I still feel the old clinging dirt of wanting to deal with God that I may contribute something so that he will have to give me his grace and exchange for my Holiness and still I cannot get into my head that I should surrender myself completely to Shear Grace.

There's an authenticity to the Christian Life. It's not because of our religion is because of the power of God. We're talkin about spiritual leadership and sound Doctrine and Sovereign Grace and Sovereign Grace leads to savor in Christ savoring Christ. What does he say again? Verse 13. Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp bearing his reproach. So let's go to Christ bearing his reproach. What does that mean? It means don't be ashamed of Christ means submit to whatever he brings your way because he's doing a good work in you he causes all things to work together for your good remember just two chapters earlier and Hebrews 11 by faith Moses when he became of age refuse to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter and her memory is made second-in-command of Egypt. Right here leader of the wealthy of the power had everything he could ever want there in Egypt, but we had come of age. He refused at that point to become the son of Pharaoh's daughter choosing rather listen to suffer Affliction with the people of God, then to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, or we could have had it all but he understood that all of the Egypt offered was fleeting. And he said he chose to suffer Affliction with the people of God rather than enjoy the passing pleasures of sin. Why because he is steam. Listen the reproach of Christ. The shame of following Christ. It's the world shames us but you steam the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt or he look to the reward. We love Christ because we get him we get eternity with him. We get it all and notice if if if you just look again in the heart of this particular couple of verses let us go forth to him outside the camp bearing his reproach 4 verse 14. Here's the motivation here. We have no continuing city Egypt