Heb. 13:10-25, Maintaining our Testimony in Trials (2)

We have noted that those who serve at the altar of Judaism have no right to eat at the altar of Christ.  The food at Christ’s altar is spiritual food.  Jesus spoke of faith in Him as eating His flesh and drinking His blood (John 6:48-58).  Paul also spoke of the “communion of the body of Christ” when he spoke of the altar of Christ and the altar of demons (1 Cor. 10:14-22). 

In Hebrews, when we are invited to the altar of Christ, that “altar” is not found in the city or the palace or some other place of great beauty.  Instead, we are told to go to Him outside the camp.  In the OT all the unclean things were outside the camp: the bathroom, the cemetery, the place of execution, the leprosarium, the city dump and so on.  Like Christ, who despised the shame of the cross, so we must “go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.”  We must not set our affection on this world, and the pleasures of this city.  Rather, “we seek the one to come.”  What an incredible picture.  Meditate on this.  The altar of Christ is the cross where He hung in shame, and in love and grace for sinners and sin.

These thoughts lead to the thought that, just as the priests and Levites had a ministry of offering sacrifices, so we are priests at the altar of Christ and we too have sacrifices to offer. 

·       Sacrifices of praise.  Instead of complaining about their trials and the pain they were experiencing, they needed to regularly give praise to His name.  What a great testimony of grace when God’s people, in their trials, are filled with thanksgiving to God.

·       Sacrifices of good works.  Specifically, they needed good works that involved sharing with others.  When in a trial we tend to be overly concerned about our needs and wants.  Christ did not do such a thing.  His sacrifice was the greatest gift ever given.

The letter concludes in a similar fashion to what we see in Paul’s letters.  There is a request for prayer (13:18-19) and some personal notes (13:22-25).  But tucked in the midst of this is a marvelous prayer of benediction.  Because of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, we are assured that God will bring us to the completion He has in mind for us.  Because of this, the human author can pray that God will, in fact, do that, for the glory of Christ.  This is a great prayer to pray for your believing kin as well as for your brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.