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Amen. All right. Well, let's go and take our prayer sheets tonight. We'll go over our prayer list. If you did not receive a prayer sheet on your way in, just raise your hand, and one of our ushers can get one for you. If you need a prayer sheet, just put your hand up, and we will get one for you. And of course, the way you add a request as a prayer sheet is through a communication card. On the back of the card, there's a place where you'd write down a request. Make sure you mark whether it's private or public. If it's private, only I will see it. If it's public, we'll put it on the prayer sheet. If you don't mark it, we'll do our best to figure it out. We usually don't add those.
And we do add the request in the order that they are received, and we remove them after a couple of weeks. So make sure if you want to have it in the prayer sheet longer than that, you'll have to fill out another request. If you would not mind, I would like you to just write in one request, and that is for Miss Natalie for the health of her son, Matthew, who's sick. Just praying for him to get better. And if you would not mind writing that in.
Let's go and take these requests to the Lord. I'll pray out loud, and I ask that you would pray in your mind and your heart together. And let's pray together.
Heavenly Father, Lord, we come to you tonight asking for these prayer requests. And Lord, we begin with these requests regarding salvation. We pray for Miss Natalie, praying for her husband's salvation. Also for brother Matt Lee Wilson, praying for his aunt Karen's salvation.
And for brother Vladi and Miss Antonina, praying for their family's salvation as well. For Miss Maria Cudalima, praying for Roma and Skylar's salvation. For Miss Christine Ortiz, praying for her family's salvation.
Brother Brandon Hagen, praying for family and relatives' salvation. Miss Nogma, praying for her daughter and her family's salvation. Lord, we ask for these individuals. We pray, Lord, that you would help them all to hear a clear presentation of the gospel.
We pray that you'd work in their hearts and in their minds, that you would change circumstances around them to help them become receptive, to hear the gospel, that they might be saved.
We also pray for these that have health requests. Miss Natalie, praying for her son Matthew, who's sick, praying for him to get better. Also, Miss Kimmy, praying for her daughter Kylie, who broke her ankle.
We pray that she would quickly heal before she has the baby, and that there would be no issues with that. We pray for brother Warren, who's praying for his brother's mental health.
And brother David Puris, who's praying for his mom's kidney infection. Brother Matt Lee Wilson, also praying for his aunt Karen's health as well.
We also pray for Ben Scott's crocs, praying for his friend Bob Peniston, that he would be healed from his migraines.
And we're praying for brother Ray Anderson, and for his health. And also for James Douglas, for strength during his treatment, and for his complete healing as well.
And Lord, we also pray for Miss Christina Ortiz, for her health and her upcoming procedure on July 24th. Brother Salvador, for his health as well.
And Miss Dogma, praying for her pain and relief there. And then, of course, we pray for brother Edgar and Miss Selena, praying for Uretzi, that she would continue to be healthy and strong.
And also praying for Jonathan, and complete healing during his hospitalization.
Lord, we ask that you would be with these individuals. We also pray for our missionary, Dave Camontala's wife, Miss Angel, as she battles breast cancer.
And Lord, we ask that you give all these individuals strength. We pray, Lord, that you would heal them, that you put your healing hand over them, that you give the doctors and nurses dealing with them, wisdom and discernment.
We also pray, Lord, for these ladies in our church that are expecting Miss Esther, Miss Ariel, Miss Rizel, Miss Rebecca, Miss Angel, Miss Laura Beth, Miss Laurel.
Praying that you'd give them all healthy pregnancies with no issues, no complications, no problems.
We also pray, Lord, for these that have financial and physical needs. Miss Midori, praying for help through an unexpected financial emergency.
And the Coger family, praying for retirement planning as they consider future moving plans.
And also, Brother Salvador, praying for finances and work.
Brother Brandon, praying for strength for his current job and also finances as he saves up for a car.
And Lord, we pray that you would help these individuals with these different needs.
We also pray, Lord, for these that have requests regarding traveling mercies.
Brother Graham and Miss Michelle will be traveling to Florida for a family reunion next week.
And we're praying that you'd give them a healthy trip.
Also, Miss Maria Cuda Lima, praying for her brother Peter's safe travel to Moldova.
And asking that you'd give these individuals safe travel, bring them home safely as well, of course.
And we pray, Lord, for these also that have spiritual needs and asking for those things.
The Coger family, praying for the Lord to guide them and for them to have clarity with regards to that.
And Miss Christine Ortiz, Brother Salvador, Brother Brandon all praying for their faith, their personal walk.
Brother Edgar, Miss Elena, praying for strength for their family.
Lord, we ask that you would be with them and help these individuals.
We pray for these also that are praying for their family.
Miss Nicole Perez, praying for her mom and her family.
Brother Salvador praying for his family as well.
We pray that you bless these individuals as well.
And then, Lord, we pray for these that have unspoken requests.
Miss Natalie and Miss Cricket and Brother Montel and Brother George and Brother Felix all having unspoken requests.
And also, Lord, Miss Nicole and Brother Salvador and Miss Dogma having unspoken requests.
And you know what their petitions are. You know what they're asking for.
Lord, we pray that you'd answer according to your will.
We also pray for Miss Cricket for her kids, Courtney and Kyle, as they mourn the loss of their younger half-sister Sage.
And we pray that you'd give them strength at this time.
And then, Lord, we pray for our church and our ministry here.
For the prison ministry and for the Philippines missions work and Manila and Pampangan Bikol.
And for Pastor Stuckey and for his family.
Lord, we pray for our upcoming family and friend day as we prepare for the church's anniversary that you would bless that day.
And we pray, Lord, that you continue to help our church, bless our church.
Lord, we ask that you meet with us tonight as we open up your word and study a portion of scripture together.
Help us to learn from the Bible and help us to draw closer to you as a result of what we hear.
In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Please open up to Hebrews 13.
Hebrews chapter number 13. If you need a Bible, please raise your hand.
And unless you can bring your Bible.
Hebrews chapter number 13. We will read verses 10 through 25.
Hebrews 13 verses 10 through 25.
Hebrews 13 beginning verse number 10.
We have an altar where 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 camp.
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 we have 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, that 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.
Pray for us, for we trust we have a good conscience in all things willing to live honestly.
But I beseech you that rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
make you perfect in every good work to do his will,
working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ,
to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
And I beseech you brethren, suffer the word of exhortation,
for I have written a letter unto you in few words.
Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty, with whom, if he comes shortly, I will see you.
Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints, in the day of Italy salute you.
Grace be with you all. Amen. Let's pray.
Heavenly Father, thank you for this evening. God, I thank you for your word,
and for our church. I ask that you please give us all a tender heart to the message tonight.
I ask that you please be the pastor, and please strengthen him, and fill him with spirit.
We love you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.
Amen.
Alright, we're there in Hebrews chapter number 13,
and tonight is a little bit of a special night in our Hebrew study,
because of the fact that tonight we are concluding our chapter-by-chapter,
or verse-by-verse and chapter-by-chapter study in the book of Hebrews.
We left off in verse number 9 last week,
and we're going to cover the rest of the chapter, Lord willing, tonight in verses 10 through 25.
And, as I often do, before I preach the last sermon in a Bible study,
of course, many of you know that we have a goal at our church
to preach verse-by-verse, chapter-by-chapter through the entire Bible.
And, in the last almost 14 years, we've done quite a bit.
We still have a lot more to do.
Let me just give you some stats with regards to the book of Hebrews.
We started our study in the book of Hebrews on September 20, 2023.
So, we spent roughly about 10 months studying this book together on Wednesday nights.
And, of course, every once in a while we took a break on a Wednesday night for different things.
I preached a total of 36 sermons, or I will have preached a total of 36 sermons by the time this sermon is done.
And so, we've had 36 sermons in the process of covering 13 chapters of the book of Hebrews,
and that average is somewhere between two to three sermons per chapter.
And, of course, the book of Hebrews is dense with doctrine and teaching.
We've taken our time to dissect it and to learn it, to study it.
And, I won't take the time to take you through the list of all the books of the Bible that we've gone through,
but after tonight, with the end of the book of Hebrews, we will have preached through,
or gone through, the Bible together as a church.
We will be at about 45% of the Bible that we've studied together.
So, praise the Lord for that.
And, that number is a little skewed, the 45%, because I'm not taking the time to figure out the letters in each book,
or the words in each book, or anything like that.
So, we're just giving each book ways the same as far as the percentage.
But, of course, you know that we've gone through a lot of big books together.
I mean, Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Isaiah, Ezekiel.
So, we probably are more than 45%, to be honest, but that's okay.
We've gone through a lot of the Bible together, and we'll continue to say the Bible together.
And, I'm glad that we are here in Hebrews chapter number 13.
Now, let me just kind of set up this last chapter for you,
or this last portion of scripture in the last chapter, and what I'd like to just highlight.
We're going to go through verses 10 to 25, but I want to highlight for you the fact that in the end of this chapter,
there's a little bit of a theme, and it's easy to see in verses 15 and 16.
So, I just want you to notice Hebrews 13, 15.
We're going to go back and begin in verse 10, but I just want you to see the theme here.
Hebrews 13 and 15.
The Bible says, by Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise.
I want you to make a note of that word there, sacrifice.
He says, 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, verse 16, and to communicate, forget not,
for with such, and I'd like you to just note this word, for with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.
And what the writer of Hebrews does here, in this last portion of the last chapter of the book of Hebrews,
is he develops this theme, this idea of sacrifices that we can offer to God.
Now, you may not find that interesting.
I find that extremely interesting because of the fact,
and if you've been with us through the book of Hebrews, you've heard me say this over and over again in our study,
and I'll just say it again tonight as we finish up.
The book of Hebrews was written to first century Jewish believers.
We know that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.
It's all profitable, and we can learn from it.
It's good for us to learn these things,
but the primary audience to whom the writer of the book of Hebrews, who I believe is the Apostle Paul,
is writing to first century Jewish believers.
These people are saved, but they are Jews.
They are people that grew up in Judaism,
and he's teaching them, the book of Hebrews, the major purposes of the book of Hebrews,
is to help them correlate the Old Testament, or the Old Covenant, with the New Testament and the New Covenant.
And he's trying to help transition them out of the Old Testament, out of the Old Covenant,
into the New Testament and into the New Covenant.
Now that's why the book of Hebrews is so important for us,
is because it teaches us the same thing.
It helps us to understand how the Old correlates to the New,
and what applies to us, and what we can learn from the Old Testament,
and things of that nature.
It is a transition out of the Old Covenant into the New Covenant.
Now here's why you've heard me say that over the last, you know, 10 months.
What's interesting to me is that the writer of Hebrews has spent the last 13 chapters
telling these first century Jewish believers, and telling us,
that they do not need to do Old Testament sacrifices.
Now of course he's talking about the literal Old Testament sacrifices.
The Passover, the meat offerings, the peace offerings, the sin offerings, the burnt offering.
They don't have to kill an ox, they don't have to kill a bull,
they don't have to bring a lamb, they don't have to bring doves.
He's spent the last 13 chapters explaining to them,
look, those Old Testament sacrifices, and that Old Covenant,
and the Levitical priesthood, and the tabernacle,
and the sacrifices that come with the Old Testament are null and void.
They do not apply anymore, they do not need to be done.
But then, in a sort of, I don't know, tongue-in-cheek way,
he ends the book by saying, but if you want to sacrifice in the New Testament,
and you'd like to offer up some sacrifices unto the Lord,
he says there are some sacrifices that New Testament believers can give.
Now it's not going to be a dove, and it's not going to be a goat,
and it's not going to be a blood sacrifice,
but he said there are some things that we could do as New Testament believers,
and offer up to the Lord as sacrifices,
and he gives us these thoughts as he finishes up the book of Hebrews.
For that reason, I've entitled the sermon tonight, New Testament Sacrifices,
because of the fact that there are some things,
though we do not practice the Old Covenant,
and we don't practice those Old Testament sacrifices,
there are some things that you and I, as New Testament believers,
can offer up to the Lord as a sacrifice.
And what I see in this passage, verses 10 through 25,
is six different sacrifices that New Testament believers can offer unto the Lord.
And I'll try to give these to you as quickly as we can tonight,
and if you're taking notes tonight,
I always encourage you to take notes on the back of your course of the week.
There's a place to write down some notes,
or maybe you have a notebook that you take notes in.
Let me give you these six thoughts.
Number one, we see the sacrifice of our propitiation.
We see the sacrifice of our propitiation,
and that word propitiation is just a theological term
that speaks about the sacrifice of Christ.
In fact, in your notes, if you'd like to just, in parentheses,
put the word Christ, the sacrifice of Christ.
And of course, as New Testament believers, this is where sacrifices begin.
This is why we don't do Old Testament sacrifices,
because of the fact that our sacrifice is the Lord Jesus Christ.
And in order to be a New Testament believer,
the first sacrifice that has to be accepted or offered unto the Lord,
and of course it's already been offered,
but accepted as an offering for ourselves,
is the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.
He is our propitiation.
Now, you're there in Hebrews 13.
I want you to look at verse number nine,
and this has been a common theme in the book of Hebrews,
and it's this idea that the Old Testament sacrifices did not profit.
They did not help. They did not bring salvation.
Notice Hebrews 13 and verse nine.
He says, be not carried about with diverse and strange doctrines.
We talked about that phrase last week, so I won't deal with that.
And then he begins this new thought.
He says, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.
And then notice what he says here.
He says, not with meats.
So he says, make sure you're not being carried about with these diverse and strange doctrines.
And there are definitely many today who call themselves supposed New Testament Christians,
who want to beguile us with diverse and strange doctrines,
trying to bring us back into the law of Moses,
telling us that we have to keep the Old Covenant,
and we have to keep the Sabbath days, and we have to do this, and we have to do that.
The Bible says, look, it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace.
He says, not with meats.
And when he makes that statement, not with meats,
he is referring to the Old Testament sacrifices,
because remember, one of the major sacrifices of the Old Testament
was the sacrifice of meat, the sacrifice of food,
the sacrifice of bringing these foods unto the Lord as he sacrificed.
Now notice what he says.
He says, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meats.
Look at what he says, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.
He says, look, those Old Testament individuals who were bringing these meat sacrifices,
yes, they were a shadow and a foreshadow of better things to come.
They were symbolic, and we've learned all about that in the book of Hebrews.
He says, but at the end of the day, they did not profit them.
They did not atone for sin.
They did not bring forgiveness.
And the idea is this, that a meat sacrifice,
bringing flour and bringing oil and bringing frankincense,
or a flesh sacrifice, an ox or a goat or a dove,
that none of these things could be a propitiation for our sin.
Now again, the word propitiation, it's a biblical word, I'll show it to you here in a minute,
but it means atonement.
Propitiation is something that satisfies, that turns away the wrath of God,
that regains the favor of God.
And the idea is this, that those Old Testament sacrifices did not profit them.
They never brought salvation.
They never turned away the wrath of God.
They never brought atonement unto those individuals.
Those individuals, they were just symbolic of better things to come.
When they made bread, cakes of bread in the Old Covenant,
that was just a picture of the bread of heaven that would come, the Lord Jesus Christ.
And they gave the Passover sacrifice.
That was a picture of the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world.
Those things could not profit.
And notice what he says in verse 10, Hebrews 13 verse 10.
Then now he's doing this compare and contrast.
He says they, he says in verse 9,
For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace, not with meat, which have not profited them.
So notice he's talking about that group, this other group, the group under the Old Covenant.
It did not profit them.
And now he's going to compare and contrast that with a different group, our group.
Notice what he says, verse 10.
He says we, and he identifies himself with that group.
And who is he referring to when he says we?
He's referring to New Testament believers,
individuals in the New Covenant or under the New Covenant.
And he says we have an altar.
Now he's using terminology from the Old Covenant because I think he's doing this play on words
and he's kind of having a little fun with it.
He says look, they had meat which did not profit them.
But let me tell you something, we have an altar where of they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.
And the idea is this, that we as New Testament believers, we have a sacrifice, we have an altar.
We've learned in the book of Hebrews that our sacrifice is better.
The theme, the major theme of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus is better.
Jesus is better than all these other things.
And he says look, we have an altar that individuals who are trying to give their way to heaven
by keeping some sort of law or keeping some sort of rule or offering some sort of a physical sacrifice,
they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle, verse 11,
for the bodies of those beasts, the word beast means animal,
for the bodies of those beasts whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin are burned without the camp.
He said those animals died, their blood was shed, and they were burned without the camp.
Verse 12, he says wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the gate.
The idea is this, he's comparing and contrasting and saying they had a sacrifice that did not profit,
but we have a sacrifice that brings propitiation, it brings atonement, it brings salvation.
Wherefore Jesus also that he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without the gate.
And the idea is this, that Jesus, and he's already made this point over and over with the book of Hebrews,
and he just wants to bring it in one last time as he finishes the book.
The idea is this, that Jesus is a better sacrifice.
If you're there in Hebrews chapter 13, keep your place there and go with me if you would to the book of 1st John, 1st John chapter 4.
If you just flip over, pass the book of James, 1st to 2nd Peter, into 1st John.
Hebrews, James, 1st to 2nd Peter, 1st John, 1st John chapter 4.
I just want you to see the word verse 10, 1st John 4-10.
It's used in several places in the Bible, I'll just show you one example.
1st John 4-10, here in his love, not that we love God, but that he loved us,
and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.
That's what salvation is, propitiation.
Jesus is the atonement. Jesus is the payment.
Jesus and his sacrifice is the only thing that could satisfy the wrath of God,
turn away the wrath of God, and regain favor.
No bird could do that. No goat could do that. No calf could do that.
And by the way, no sort of religious ceremonial act can do that.
We talked about it on Sunday morning, but it's worth repeating.
You can take communion, you can take a wafer and drink a cup of juice,
or a cup of beer, whatever they give you at the Catholic church, wine.
You can get baptized, look, it doesn't matter how many times you get baptized,
you get dunked and dunked and dunked over and over and over again.
You can go into a confessional booth and confess your sins to a man.
You can do all these things, and none of those things will bring propitiation.
None of those things will bring atonement.
None of those things will bring salvation,
because the only thing they can say is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
So as New Testament believers, if these first century Christians were to ask the writer of Hebrews,
and say, okay, you told us we can't do these altars and sacrifices,
but isn't there a sacrifice that we have as New Testament believers?
The answer from the writer of Hebrews would say, oh yes, we have an altar
whereof they have no right to eat, which serves the tabernacle.
But what's our sacrifice? He says, wherefore Jesus also,
that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.
And that is a better sacrifice.
And again, the theme of the book of Hebrews has been that Jesus is better.
And I think just because of the fact that it's the last sermon in Hebrews,
I'd like to just give you the list, because as we've been working our way through the book of Hebrews,
we've been identifying every time the book of Hebrews brings up this idea that Jesus is better,
and we've been keeping a list, or at least I've been keeping a list,
and we're at the end of the book here, and I'd like you to notice,
and I think I've been thorough with it,
I have a list of 12 different things that the book of Hebrews tells us Jesus is better than.
Let me just give this to you just by way of review,
just because we're finishing up the book of Hebrews tonight.
And I think 12 is kind of this, you know, 12 is a very Hebrewish number, isn't it?
I mean, you've got the 12 tribes, and of course the 12 apostles,
and that's New Testament, but the number 12 is just the number that God uses a lot.
And here's what the Hebrews tells us Jesus is better.
You don't have to turn to these unless you want to, but let me just list these for you.
We learned in Hebrews 1-1 that Jesus is better than the prophets.
If you remember, the Bible says God who has hundred times and in diverse manners
spake and time passed by the prophets.
He says hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.
And he said though God spoke in the last, he used to speak by the prophets,
now he speaks by his Son, and the idea is this, that Jesus is better than prophets.
Then we learned in Hebrews 1-4 that Jesus is better than the angels.
If you remember, it says being made, referring to Jesus, so much better than the angels.
Then we learned in Hebrews 3-3 that Jesus is better than Moses.
And again, these are lessons being taught to first century Jewish believers
coming out of the Old Covenant, and he teaches them that Jesus is better than Moses
when he says this, for this man, referring to Jesus, was counted worthy of more glory than Moses.
Then we learned in Hebrews 4-3 that Jesus is better than the Sabbath day.
He said for we which have believed do enter into rest.
He says the Sabbath day could only give you physical rest,
but we which have believed, and the idea is on the Lord Jesus Christ,
we enter into this eternal rest.
And we learned in Hebrews 4-14 that Jesus is better than the high priest.
He said seeing then that we have a great high priest which has passed into heaven, Jesus the Son of God.
We learned in Hebrews 7-4 that Jesus is better than Abraham.
When the Bible says now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of his spoils.
We learned in Hebrews 7-9 that Jesus is better than the Levitical priesthood.
When it says Levi also who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham to, of course, the Lord Jesus Christ.
We, in the person of Melchizedek, we learned in Hebrews 8-6 that Jesus is better than the old covenant
when it says he is the mediator of a better covenant.
We learned in Hebrews 9-11 that Jesus is better than the tabernacle
when it says that there is a greater and more perfect tabernacle in heaven,
and the tabernacle that belongs to Jesus.
We learned in Hebrews 12-18 and 22 that Jesus and Mount Sion are better.
Mount Sion referring to heaven are better than Moses and Mount Sinai,
where the law was given where it says for ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched,
but ye are come unto the Mount Sion and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.
We learned in Hebrews 12-24 that Jesus' blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel
when it says speaketh better things than that of Abel.
We learned in Hebrews 13 verses 10 and 12 that Jesus, we just looked at it, is a better sacrifice.
We have an altar where they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle,
wherefore Jesus with his own blood suffered without the gate.
And the idea is this, and let us always remember this,
because look, there are people, and you would be shocked,
I mean Seventh-day Adventists, Hebrew Roots Movement, even Sabbath-keeping Baptists out there,
and all these Judaizers that are out there today trying to tell you,
no, you've got to keep the Old Testament, you've got to keep the Old Covenant,
you've got to maintain the rituals of the Old Covenant.
Let me tell you something, the book of Hebrews is clear.
Jesus is better, the New Covenant is better, the New Testament is better.
And the Old Covenant was incomplete.
It was just a picture of better and greater things to come.
It was just a shadow, but Jesus is the substance.
So we see, number one, the sacrifice.
So what is the major sacrifice of a New Testament believer?
What is the major sacrifice that a New Testament believer can give?
And that is the sacrifice of our propitiation, the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's where it all begins.
Then I want you to notice, secondly, there's a second sacrifice that's mentioned here.
First we see the sacrifice of our propitiation.
We saw that in verses 9 through 12.
But then I want you to notice in verses 13 through 14, we see the sacrifice of our person.
Or we could say the sacrifice of ourself.
Now notice what he says there in verse 13.
Now keep in mind, he just got done saying, in verse 12, Hebrews 13 and verse 12,
he just got done saying,
Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood,
suffered without the gate.
Right? He was taken out of the city, onto Mount Calvary, onto Mount Golgotha.
He suffered without the gate outside.
And the idea is this, that he was not accepted within the people,
and he was brought out in order to be our sacrifice.
And then in that context, verse 13, Hebrews 13, 13, I think Hebrews 13, 13,
if you understand the context of it, it's one of the most powerful verses in the Bible,
when he says to us, the exhortation is this,
Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
You say, what does that mean?
Well, he's alluding back to what Jesus already taught.
In fact, if you wouldn't mind, just go with me back to Matthew chapter 16
and beginning of the New Testament, Matthew 16.
The idea is this, that Jesus suffered out of the gate, outside the gate.
Now you know the story, what is it that Jesus had to carry out of the city?
That Via de la Rosa.
What was it that Jesus carried out the gate, out the city, out Mount Calvary?
He carried a cross.
We romanticized the cross and put it on chains and whatever,
but the cross was simply a tool of death.
It was a tool invented by the Greeks, perfected by the Romans, meant to bring death.
And Jesus, see, we romanticize it and because you grew up Catholic or whatever,
we, you know, in your ghetto and you like to wear your necklaces, you guys.
We call them chains to make them sound manly, but they're a neck lace, that's what they are.
When I was growing up, men didn't wear lace. I know that's a different story nowadays, but...
In the first century, the cross would not have been something you romanticize.
It's like hanging the electric chair around your neck.
It was a tool of death. It was a tool to bring someone to death.
A very painful and slow way of dying.
Jesus carried the cross out the gate. He suffered without the gate for us.
And then the writer of Hebrews says, let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
Matthew 16, 24, here's what Jesus said.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me.
Come after me is this idea of being a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.
And look, please understand this. Salvation is for everyone.
God is not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
He did all the hard work, and he made it easy for anyone to be saved.
All you have to do is believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
There's no work you need to do. He did all the work.
Salvation is for everyone, but please listen to me.
Discipleship is not for everyone.
In fact, Jesus says, if you're weak, you need not apply.
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me.
Here's what he says, let him deny himself, a self-denial.
And look at it, take up his cross and follow me.
In other passages, Jesus will say that you must die daily.
The apostle Paul said, I die daily.
The apostle Paul said, I am crucified with Christ.
Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me.
And the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
You say, why is it that some people sell out for the Lord Jesus Christ, and so many don't?
Because isn't it true that most Christians at best just kind of dabble in this idea of discipleship?
Some people sell out for God.
Some people go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
Why? Because they're willing to die.
They're willing to deny themselves.
You say, why would somebody do that?
Well, when you understand that salvation is so great, and he did not have to give it to me, who loved me.
The apostle Paul said, why am I crucified with Christ?
You want to know why I'm crucified with Christ?
Why am I crucified with Christ?
He said, because he loved me and gave himself for me.
You understand that? We didn't love God. He first loved us.
And when we understand the great sacrifice on the cross, and he paid for our sins,
then we should be willing to let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
Now, if you remember, the writer of the week of Hebrews is the one who wrote Hebrews 13-13.
He also wrote Hebrews 11. If you would, go back to Hebrews 11.
Because this idea of bearing his reproach is actually something that he highlighted.
In fact, verses 13 and 14 of chapter 13, Hebrews 13-13 and Hebrews 13-14,
they're both kind of a shout back to Hebrews 11.
Let me just show it to you just real quickly.
Because he says in Hebrews 13-13, let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp bearing his reproach.
Bearing his reproach.
Hebrews 11-24, here's what he says about Moses.
Because not everyone that believes on Jesus sells out for Jesus.
The Bible is clear about the fact that there are just some special people out there.
God uses in a mighty way.
You say, well, is God a respected person? God is a respected person.
God will use anyone who is willing to be used.
He said, what's the difference? The difference is some people are not willing.
Now notice what made Moses so great, Hebrews 11-24.
By faith Moses, when he was come to years, I love that.
When he was mature, when he grew up, when he stopped playing games,
he spent his life in Egypt, but when he was come to years, notice what the Bible says.
Just notice this word. In fact, if you don't mind marking in your Bible,
I'd love for you to mark this little word he says, refuse.
That's the same idea that Jesus said, let him deny himself.
Refuse to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter.
Look at verse 25, choosing, mark this word, rather.
The Bible says he refused, in verse 24, in choosing rather, in verse 25,
to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Why would you choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God
than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season?
He was about to explain it to us in Hebrews 13, but let me just say this.
Realize this, that the rewards for suffering with Christ are eternal,
and the pleasures of sin are for a season.
They're for a season of life.
Your life has been a vapor, it appears for a little time in the vanish of the wave.
If you live your life for yourself, all you'll have at the end of your life is yourself.
If you live for others and you live for God for all of eternity, you'll have those rewards.
The riches of his reproach, look at verse 26,
is steaming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.
See, every once in a while, some people get their perspective right,
and they realize, and I think it happens to all believers to some extent,
but some people actually act on it.
And here's the moment we're reading about for Moses when he realized
all these things that Egypt has to offer, they're for a season,
but the reproach of Christ would bring greater riches than the treasures in Egypt,
for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward.
The truth is this, that we cannot compare,
for I reckon, Paul said, that the sufferings of this present time
are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
You can go ahead and live for yourself, live for this life, live for this world.
Go ahead, you'll regret it, it'll be a waste.
You will embrace the reproach when you esteem the riches of Christ's greater riches.
I want you to notice, not only that, keep your finger right there in Hebrews 11,
go right back to it, go back to Hebrews 13,
not only that, but he says you will sacrifice this life when you seek the next.
Look at what he says in verse 14, Hebrews 13, 14.
This sounds a lot like Hebrews 11.
For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Are you living for this city, or are you seeking the one to come?
Because Hebrews already told us that Mount Zion is better than Mount Sinai.
He said, but I can touch Mount Sinai.
But you'll spend all of eternity in Mount Zion.
For here we have no continuing city.
And look, what he's saying is this, you and I, if we're going to sacrifice our person,
salvation is sacrificing, is our propitiation, Christ,
but then sanctification, discipleship, is the sacrifice of our person.
You say, when does that happen, how does that happen?
It happens when you and I realize this world is not my home.
I'm just a passing through.
My treasures are laid out somewhere beyond the blue.
I'm not living for this world.
I'm not trying to get settled here and get comfortable here.
I'm just a pilgrim.
We have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
Doesn't this sound a lot like Hebrews 11?
Go back to Hebrews 11, look at verse 13.
We saw Moses, now look at Abraham, Hebrews 11, 13.
These all died in faith, not having received the promises,
but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them,
and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.
And truly, here's where most Christians go wrong.
If they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out,
they might have had opportunity to have returned.
But now, see the ones that get it, but now they desire a better country.
That is in heavenly.
Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for He had prepared for them a city.
And look, you're just going to have to take it by faith.
But the Christian life is better than a worldly life.
What God can give you will not bring regrets, will not bring hurt, will not bring disappointment.
We desire a better country, a better city.
We have no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
So we see the sacrifice of our propitiation, verses 9 and 12.
And we see the sacrifice of our person, verses 13 and 14.
But I'd like you to notice in verse 15, if you'd look at Hebrews 13 and verse 15,
then we see the sacrifice of our praise.
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.
You say, what kind of sacrifice can a New Testament believer give?
Well, it's not a dove, and it's not a goat, and it's not a lamb.
But you know, the sacrifice that you can give,
and the sacrifice that God would love to receive from you is a sacrifice of praise.
A sacrifice of praise.
I'd like you to go with me to the book of Psalms if you would.
Psalm 9, if you open up your Bible just right in the center,
you're more than likely to find the book of Psalms.
Let me just be clear about something.
The Bible uses the word praise in a lot of different contexts.
And I do not believe that singing is the only way that we bring praise to God.
But the Bible does equate this idea of singing and praise very closely.
Let me just give you some verses.
Psalm 9, verse 1.
The Bible says, I will praise Thee, O Lord.
Notice the word praise.
I will praise Thee, O Lord.
Psalm 9, 1.
With my whole heart, I will show forth all Thy marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in Thee.
I will, notice the words here, sing praise to Thy name, O Thou Most High.
You know why when you come to church,
before we open up the word of God and the preaching of the word of God begins,
we spend time singing?
Do you know why we do that?
I thought it was just some weird religious thing we do.
You know, the Bible says that we need to offer the sacrifice of praise.
And here, the psalmist said, I will be glad and rejoice in Thee.
I will sing praise to Thy name, O Thou Most High.
You know, it's very important as Christians that we sing.
I love to sing.
I think singing is a fun thing.
I grew up in church, so I like to sing.
But I realize not all of you grew up in church
and singing maybe doesn't come as naturally to you.
First of all, let me just say this.
You start doing and it'll become natural.
But let me just say this.
You need to just learn to sing.
You need to sing.
And congregational singing is the place.
You say, well, I don't have a good voice.
Sing in the congregation.
I don't have a good voice.
I didn't say join the choir.
But you can sing in the congregation.
Psalm 28, look at verse 7.
The Lord is my strength and my shield,
my heart trusted in Him,
and I am helped.
Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices.
Psalm 28, verse 7.
And with my song will I praise Him.
Psalm 40 and verse 3.
The Bible says,
And He hath put...
Psalm 40.
I just want you to see it.
We could spend a lot of time in Psalms looking at this.
I'm not going to do that.
But look at this.
Psalm 40 and verse 3.
And He hath put a new song in my mouth.
Aren't you thankful for that?
And He hath put a new song in my mouth.
People sometimes ask me,
why don't you guys use CCM,
contemporary Christian music?
You say, what's CCM?
What's contemporary Christian music?
It's where you take the music of the world
and add Christian lyrics to it
and sing it.
And a lot of churches do this.
They just take the music of the world,
the music that people like to listen to,
worldly music,
and they just add the name of Jesus to it
and they sing it.
Now, there's lots of reasons why we don't do CCM,
but one of the reasons is because
He hath put a new song in my mouth.
What I like about our church is
people often come to a church like this,
and they're like, I've never sung songs like this.
Well, good.
It's a new song.
Even praise unto our God.
Many shall see it and fear
and shall trust in the Lord.
Christians should sing.
You should sing.
When you come to church,
open your mouth and sing.
Look, I'm not trying to hurt your feelings.
I'll just be honest with you.
There's something wrong with a Christian
who doesn't like to sing.
And oftentimes, people get this,
and they're like, well,
I don't get anything out of the preaching.
Maybe you don't get anything out of preaching
because you don't get anything out of the singing.
There's just something about opening your mouth.
Do you understand that God gave you your voice,
God gave you your breath,
God gave you your being,
and there's something about opening your mouth
and singing praise to God.
The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of his people.
It's a spiritual connection between us and God
through singing and through praising him.
Look, the truth of the matter is this,
and I feel sorry for some of you
who've never experienced this,
but God ministers to you
through the singing and the praise of his people.
The Holy Spirit ministers to you
as you sing these songs.
And by the way, you know what we're going to do in heaven
for all of eternity?
Sing praises to God.
So you might as well just get used to it.
And when in scenes of glory
we sing that new, new song
twill be the old, old story
that I have loved so long.
You know what God expects from you
is a sacrifice of praise.
Not a goat, not a bull,
but to open your mouth.
Psalm 95, verse 1.
Notice what the Bible says.
Psalm 95, verse 1.
O come, let us sing unto the Lord.
Let us make a joyful noise
to the rock of our salvation.
You ought to sing.
Learn to sing.
Learn to like singing.
Open your mouth and sing and make praises.
You say, I don't sing good.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
So we see the sacrifice of our propitiation,
verses 9 and 12.
We see the sacrifice of our person, verses 13 and 14.
We see the sacrifice of our praise, in verse 15.
Go back to Hebrews 13, if you would.
And I'd like you to notice
in Hebrews chapter 13, verse number 16,
we see the sacrifice of our possessions.
The sacrifice of our possessions.
This has to do with giving.
I don't want to spend a lot of time on this,
but I do want you to see it,
and there's a connection to it in the New Testament.
Hebrews 13, 16, he says,
but to do good and to communicate, forget not.
The word communicate there is not like communicate,
like speaking to someone.
It's being used in an older sense,
and the idea is to share.
Some of you aren't going to like this,
but I don't know what to tell you.
It's the same idea as like a commune
or like communism, and I'm not for communism,
but the word means to share.
He says, but to do good and to communicate, forget not.
For with such sacrifices, God is well pleased.
You know what God is pleased with?
He is pleased with individuals that communicate
and don't forget to communicate, don't forget to share.
Now let me prove to you
that this is talking about possessions and finances.
Go to 1 Timothy chapter 6.
If you go backwards, you go past Philemon, past Titus,
2 Timothy, 1 Timothy, 1 Timothy chapter 6.
Hebrews, Philemon, Titus, 2 Timothy, 1 Timothy,
1 Timothy chapter 6.
And look at verse number 17.
Excuse me, yeah, 17.
1 Timothy chapter 6 verse 17.
Notice the context.
It's about money.
Charge them that are rich in this world.
This is Paul telling Timothy, people that are rich,
you need to give them this charge,
give them this exhortation.
Charge them that are rich in this world
that they be not high-minded.
Having money often makes people think too highly of themselves.
Charge them that are rich in this world
that they be not high-minded,
nor trust in uncertain riches.
Look, understand that riches are uncertain.
They can disappear.
Don't trust in your riches,
but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy.
Everything you have came from God.
Now, notice how it connects to Hebrews 13, 16,
because what did Hebrews 13, 16 say?
But to do good and to communicate, forget not,
for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
Look at 1 Timothy 6, 18,
that they do good,
that they be rich in good works,
ready to distribute.
Again, the idea of communism.
And again, I'm not talking about communism
like a political ideology.
Obviously, we're against that.
I don't think the government should force you to share,
but you and I should be willing to share if we can,
to give that they do good,
that they be rich to good works,
ready to distribute,
willing, look at the word, to communicate.
Verse 19,
laying up in store for themselves a good foundation
against the time to come,
that they may lay hold on eternal life.
The idea is this,
that you and I need to just live for the next life,
not this life.
And if we live for the next life,
we won't hold on to the things of this world.
We won't grip them.
We'll hold on to them loosely,
knowing that they're but for our season.
So we see the sacrifice of our possession.
Go back to Hebrews 13, if you would.
Look at verse 17.
I'm going to read verse 17,
but we dealt with it last week,
so I'm not going to deal with it tonight.
Obey them that have the rule over you
and submit yourselves,
for they watch for your soul,
and must give account that they may do it with joy,
not with grief,
for that is unprofitable for you.
And then in verse 18,
we see the next sacrifice.
We saw the sacrifice of our propitiation,
verses nine through 12,
and the sacrifice of our person,
verses 13 through 14,
and the sacrifice of our praise,
verse 15,
and the sacrifice of our possessions,
verse 16.
Then I want you to notice in verses 17
and the first part of 18,
we see the sacrifice of our performance.
The sacrifice of our performance.
You say, I don't like that.
Well, you don't like that
because you grew up
in the no child left behind era,
which was really no child left a dime.
You don't like that
because you grew up in the era
where everybody gets a trophy,
no matter how much they suck,
and everybody graduates from high school
even if they can't read
the diploma that they're receiving.
Let me tell you something.
That is not how God works.
You're not saved by works,
but God only rewards works.
You're not saved by doing good things,
but God only blesses hard work.
He says, behold, my rewards are with me,
and he says, I'm going to give them
to those according to their works.
So there is this idea of performance.
You say, do I have to perform
to make God happy?
God loves you,
and God will save you.
We talked about it on Sunday morning
with no works,
but you want a reward from God?
He expects you to work.
By the way, let me just let you
in on a little secret.
That's how life works.
You want something?
You want a paycheck?
Work.
Hebrews 13, 18.
Pray for us, for we trust
we have a good conscience
in all things willing to live honestly.
And this idea that you and I
need to live godly lives,
honest lives,
lives of integrity.
You don't have to turn here
for sake of time,
but in Romans 13, 13,
Paul says this,
let us walk honestly,
as in the day,
not in rioting and drunkenness,
not in chambering and wantonness,
not in strife and envy.
The idea is this,
that we should sacrifice our lives to God.
And by the way,
that's why Paul says in Romans 12, 1,
you know the verses,
I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God,
that you present your bodies
a living sacrifice.
Does God want my body anyway?
No, no, no.
He says, present your bodies
a living sacrifice.
Then he says this, holy.
Not holy like w-h-o-l-l-y,
although you should give yourself
completely to God, holy.
He says holy like h-o-l-y.
Holy, acceptable unto God,
which is your reasonable service.
And then just to be clear,
you say, what does that mean to be holy?
He says, and be not conformed
to this world,
but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind.
That you may prove
what is that good and acceptable
and perfect will of God.
The only thing that's acceptable to God
is not conformed to this world.
So we see the sacrifice
of our performance, godly living.
And I'd like you to notice
number six tonight.
We see the sacrifice of our prayer.
In verses nine and 12,
we saw the sacrifice
of our propitiation,
the Lord Jesus Christ.
In verses 13 and 14,
we saw the sacrifice
of our person,
that's our self,
self-denial,
denying self,
take up his cross
and follow him.
In verse 15,
we saw the sacrifice
of our praise.
Verse 16,
we saw the sacrifice
of our possession.
Verses 17 and 18,
we see the sacrifice
of our performance.
But then I want you to notice
in verses 18 and 19,
we see the sacrifice
of our prayer.
Notice verse 18,
he says,
pray for us.
Pray for us.
Let me just show you
something real quickly.
If you would,
go to Revelation chapter eight.
We're going to go to Revelation,
then we'll come back
to Hebrews,
and we're going
to finish up here soon.
We're not going
to go anywhere else.
Just go to Revelation
real quickly.
Last book in the New Testament,
should be fairly easy to find.
Revelation chapter eight,
I just want you
to notice something
about prayer,
and the picture of prayer,
which is a sacrifice.
If you remember
in the tabernacle,
in the Old Testament,
there were two sacrifices,
but one thing that they did
was they had this incense,
and they would burn this incense,
and that was part
of the rituals and sacrifices.
In Revelation chapter eight
and verse three,
the Bible says this,
and another angel came
and stood at the altar,
having a golden censer,
and there was given to him
much incense,
that he should offer it
with the prayers of all saints
upon the golden altar,
which was before the throne,
and the smoke of the incense.
He said, what's incense?
Incense is like a spice
or some sort of a substance
that when it is burned,
it begins to ascend,
the smoke and the aroma
produces this sweet smell,
and it ascends, of course,
like smoke does,
up to the sky,
and the idea is that
God is saying that our prayers,
he's using those illustrations,
he says it's like incense.
Look at verse four,
and the smoke of the incense,
which came with the prayers of the saints,
ascended up before God
out of the angel's hands.
So what is the sacrifice
that we can give
as New Testament believers?
You can give a sacrifice of praise,
but you can also give
a sacrifice of prayer.
The Bible says that as our prayers
are directed to God,
they're like an incense,
a sweet smelling savor.
God likes to hear your prayers.
You know, in another place in Revelation
it says that God saves all our prayers.
All our prayers are saved in heaven.
I wonder when you and I
get to heaven and God shows us our prayers,
I wonder how many
and how meager they will be.
I mean, I think there's going to be
some jars of prayer
that God's going to open up.
Here's all your prayers.
I don't see anything.
Exactly.
God says that prayer is a sacrifice.
Now here's the truth.
Most Christians don't pray.
And those of us that do pray
don't pray nearly as much as we should.
I think prayer is the most misused tool
we have in the Christian arsenal.
Let me explain to you why we don't pray.
In fact, if you go back to Hebrews 13
and verse 18, I just want you to see this.
Here's the real reason why we don't pray.
I mean, there's lots of reasons why we don't pray.
You're worldly, you're distracted, you're lazy.
Obviously those are all real reasons.
But I think there's a fundamental reason
why we don't pray.
In Hebrews 13 and verse 18
the Bible says this.
The writer of Hebrews,
he's not really like writing anymore.
He's just communicating,
not like giving but talking to them.
And he's making a request.
He says,
Now the reason that he says that
is because the Bible says
that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much.
So he says,
Look, I'm right with God.
We trust that we have a good conscience in all things.
And he says,
I'm asking you to pray for us.
Why is he asking to pray?
He says,
He's talking about prayer.
He said,
The sooner.
He's saying,
Because he's in prison, right?
I mean, that's what the Bible seems to indicate.
He says,
And right now,
the chances of that happening are,
it's not going to happen for a while.
But if you pray,
He said if we pray together,
He said,
But I beseech you rather to do this,
that I may be restored to you the sooner.
See, the writer of Hebrews actually expected
that if they would pray,
he would be able to see them sooner
than if they didn't pray.
You all know why we don't pray?
Because we don't actually expect God to do something.
See,
if you and I actually expected God
to do something,
we'd pray.
I've been thinking a lot about prayer lately,
and I was recently looking over some notes
for prayers and things that I've had.
It's just crazy to me, you know.
I've got notes about a building.
These are three and four years old,
and I'm reading what I wrote
and what I'm praying to God,
literally describing this building.
I mean, I didn't know this building.
I didn't know this building.
I'm not asking for a certain property with a certain field,
with a certain this,
and to be able to hold so many people.
And I'm looking at this thing,
and I'm thinking to myself,
I prayed for this like four or five years ago.
I was praying for this for a while.
I kind of just forgot about it,
stopped praying for it,
and then God answered.
Then I go back and look at it,
and I'm like,
that's exactly what I prayed for.
And if we realize that prayer works,
see, when you and I work,
and I'm all for work,
I think we ought to work.
I think we should work like it all depends on us.
We should pray like it all depends on God,
because it does.
But here's what you and I need to understand.
When you and I work, we work.
But when you and I pray, God works.
And the real reason we don't pray
is because we don't actually expect God.
We have this Calvinist view of prayer that says,
well, what is is going to be,
and God is already,
and it's already set in stone,
and nothing's going to change.
That's not true.
That's not what the Bible says.
The writer of Hebrews didn't expect.
He said, pray for us
that I may be restored to you the sooner.
This last Sunday morning after church,
we were driving off the parking lot,
and I asked the kids,
where would you like to go to lunch?
I was going to take them out to lunch,
the family to lunch.
My daughters began to ask for a restaurant
that I'm not necessarily a fan of,
I don't really like.
They were asking for it,
and I decided, let's just go.
It's fine.
They like it.
Let's just go there.
I started driving in that direction
as we were getting closer to a certain spot.
One of my sons realized where we were going.
They weren't really paying attention,
or maybe didn't hear.
And he said, wait, why are we going here?
That doesn't like this.
And my daughter Ruth,
she responds, because I asked.
And you know, that's the truth of prayer.
You know what the Bible says?
The Bible says you have not because you ask not.
And the truth is this,
that there are all sorts of things
that your heavenly Father would love to give you,
if you would ask.
Sometimes people ask me,
and they ask in a nice way.
They're like, how do you guys,
I mean, you guys get this beautiful property,
this beautiful building,
and you know what the parietal answer
to the question is this,
because I asked.
And I just mean you
and all of us asked together,
we asked and prayed,
and we believe that God could change
and that God could work
and that God could do.
The writer of Hebrews says,
pray for us that I may be restored to you
the sooner he believed that prayer
actually changed things.
I'm not saying to you that God
is going to answer every prayer
and give you everything.
Usually, oftentimes,
the reason our prayers don't get answered
is because we ask a myth
that we may consume it
upon our own lots.
We understand that we have to pray
in faith according to the will of God.
We understand those things
and we've learned those things,
but the truth is this,
if you and I actually believe
that there was a God in heaven
that heard our prayers
and answered our prayers,
we'd pray.
A sacrifice of prayer.
So we see these sacrifices.
What kind of sacrifice
can a New Testament Christian give?
Not a bowl, not an ox.
The first sacrifice
that any New Testament Christian
must give is the sacrifice
of our propitiation.
Must accept the sacrifice
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verses 9 and 12.
And we see the sacrifice
of our person.
Self-denial.
Take up your cross
and follow him.
Verses 13 and 14.
We see the sacrifice of praise.
Verse 15.
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord
and the sacrifice of our possessions.
Verse 16.
We ought to be willing to give,
willing to distribute,
willing to communicate,
to do good,
to be rich in good works.
We see the sacrifice
of our performance.
Verses 17 and 18.
And we see the sacrifice
of prayer.
Verses 18 and 19.
Now I'd like you to notice
that the book ends
in verses 20 through 25.
Let's just look at it.
He concludes with a benediction.
You know what a benediction is.
It's a sort of prayer
asking for a blessing.
That's where the word benediction
comes from.
Notice what he says in verse 20.
He says,
Now the God of peace
that brought again
from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
through the blood
of the everlasting covenant.
He just has to kind of
get that in again.
Now that old covenant,
the everlasting covenant,
through the blood of Jesus,
make you perfect.
So what perfect doesn't mean sinless,
it means complete,
whole, mature.
Make you perfect.
Here's the benediction
that the writer of Hebrews
is giving to his audience,
to those first century believers,
but it applies to you and I,
21st century believers as well.
The benediction
given to all believers is this.
Now the God of peace
that brought again
from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ
and the great shepherd of the sheep
through the blood
of the everlasting covenant
make you perfect
in every good work
to do his will,
working in you
that which is well pleasing
in his sight
through Jesus Christ
to whom be glory forever and ever.
Amen.
He gives us benediction
in verses 20 and 21.
And then he ends the book
verses 22 through 25
with a salutation.
Benediction verses 20 and 21,
salutation verses 22 and 25.
Notice what he says in verse 22.
He gives a salutation
to the individuals.
He says, and I beseech you brethren suffer.
The word suffer means allow,
the word of exhortation.
For I have written a letter
unto you in few words.
I think it's interesting to me
that he considers the book of Hebrews
a letter of few words.
I wonder what a long letter
from this guy would look like.
He says, know ye that our brother Timothy
is set at liberty?
And again, the idea is that
he is in prison.
Timothy has now been released
with whom if he comes shortly,
I will see you.
We dealt with verse 24 last week
so I won't say anything about it.
Just read it.
Salute all them
that have the rule over you
and all the saints.
They evitedly salute you.
And then the writer of Hebrews
ends the book of Hebrews
and we will end our study
in the book of Hebrews
Let's pray together, may we?
Heavenly Father,
Lord, we thank you for this
amazing book,
the book of Hebrews.
And we thank you for the great truths
we've learned in this book.
And though we may not remember everything,
help us to remember that Jesus is better.
He's better than the Old Testament.
He's better than the sacrifices.
He's better than Moses and Abraham
and he helps.
Lord, help us remember that
because he is better,
we should give our lives to him.
Lord, I pray you help us with that.
Help us to think about these
New Testament sacrifices
that we can offer as New Testament believers
and help us to be willing
to offer them up to the Lord.
Thank you for allowing us
to study the Bible together,
the freedom to look at these passages,
learn them and study them.
In the matchless name
of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Well, we're going to have
Brother Moses come up and lead us
in a final song.
Just want to remind you
of a couple of things.
First of all, of course,
thank you for being with us
as we finish the book of Hebrews.
I know some of you are going to ask me
what book are we going to start next week
together.
But I just want to remind you
of a couple of things.
First of all, don't forget
we have soul winning tomorrow at 2 p.m.
But also our big soul winning rally
Saturday morning.
We'd love for you to join us
for soul winning time.
And then also there's a baby shower
this Saturday, July 23 p.m.
for Ms. Arisa Boyan.
So make sure you don't forget about that.
And then, of course,
if you've not yet signed up
for the final song.
Turn to your song books,
page number 355.
Page 355, we're going to sing
What a Friend We Have in Jesus.
Page 355.
And let's go ahead and sing it out
on the first.
What a friend we have in Jesus
All our sins and griefs to bear
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer
Page 355.
Let's sing it out on the second.
Have we trials and temptations
Is there trouble anywhere
We should never be discouraged
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share
Jesus knows our every weakness
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Let's finish it strong on the last
Are we weak and heavy weighted
Cumbered with a load of care
Precious Savior, still our refuge
Take it to the Lord in prayer
Do thy friends despise forsaking
Take it to the Lord in prayer
In His arms He'll take and shield me
Thou will find us all is there
Great singing.
If you're a guest and you have any questions
about salvation, church membership or baptism,
you can see pastor in the front.
And can I please have Brother George
close this one with a prayer.
Thank you.