Day 860: Outside the box - Hebrews 13 vs 7 - 15

7-8 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.

9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them. 10-11 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. 14-15 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:7-15 English Standard Version

In this last chapter of Hebrews the writer calls his readers, most of whom were probably from a Jewish background, to worship God in ways that would be acceptable to Him. In vs 1-6 he said that this included putting love into action, showing hospitality (even to strangers), rejecting all immorality, and keeping their life free from the love of money. Worship is not a feeling, or a Sunday thing. It's the gratitude, love and praise we express to God which flow from a lifestyle that seeks every day to walk in ways that are pleasing to Him. What is a big help we have in coming to know what things are pleasing to God? (vs 7-8)

God gave the Church people who taught His word, and who lived lives that would be an example for us to follow. The same Jesus who had saved and changed the lives of His disciples was the one they could trust in their days, and indeed the one we can still trust today. He hasn’t changed in any way. He is still a gracious, loving Saviour who brings us to know the Father. Why is this important? (vs 9)

Because, from the earliest days of the Church, there have been people who have messed up the gospel message by teaching things that Jesus never taught. As the writer says, they took their eyes off God's mercy - and focussed on people's merits. This had become a strong part of Judaism. In vs 9-11 he mentioned how the Jews made a big issue of outward things like eating only certain food, and performing certain rituals. It's like washing the outside of our body, but having hearts that are still full of all sorts of unclean things. So, apart from following the example of faithful leaders, what else does he urge his readers to do? (vs 13)

He calls them to be prepared to go outside of the expectations and demands of their fellow Jews who had not believed on Jesus Christ for salvation. They no longer needed to follow the strict dietary laws and rituals associated with worship in the temple. Jesus had said to a woman from Samaria: “A time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. A time is coming, and has now come, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.” (John 4:23-24) So the writer called his readers to think outside the box – and to venture outside the camp.

What is the great encouragement and motivation he gave them to be willing to be different from others, and to even go through hard times for being different? (vs 12-15)

He reminded them of how Jesus was willing to be cast out of the camp, and go to a cross of suffering and shame in order to bring us into God's fold. He also reminds them that Jerusalem, and indeed the world we live in, is not eternal. It's not the final destination. He says that we, as Christians, have our eyes and hopes fixed on a city which is to come. So let us never stop praising God, and believing on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, we will be outside the camp of this world’s ways – we will be thinking outside of their box – but we will be in the company of those who brought to us the true word of God.