Spurling Silver: We Have an Altar, Hebrews 13:10-16

We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. ¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. ¹⁴For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. ¹⁵Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. ¹⁶But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

OUTLINE:

The Altar

We have an altar...

"We", then meant, the Hebrews, Jewish Christians.

Now, "we", means all Christians, Jew and gentile alike.

However, their idea, and our idea, of the word, altar, was quite different.

Our idea of an altar is steps or benches at the front of the Church.

They thought of an altar as a structure of stone for making sacrifices with fire.

Both, instruments of worship.

Now, thanks to Jesus, when we put together, our text, “We have an altar,” for Christians then and now, means the same.

We have an altar, in the shape of an old rugged cross.

Now, this may feel and sound irreverent, but that altar, that cross, in and of itself is nothing.

Even though we love the hymn, “The Old Rugged Cross,” that very same cross, most likely, absorbed the blood of sinners condemned to death, before and after it soaked up the innocent blood of the Lamb, shed for the remission of sin, once for all.

It’s not about the altar, or cross, but the Sacrifice laid upon it.

So, the Holy Spirit continues saying, “those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.”

We have an altar, it’s highly exclusive.

Those who cling to a sacrificial religious system, are excluded from receiving Christ as Messiah, as Lord, as King.

No one can serve religious tradition and eat at the Lord’s table. By your tradition you make of none effect the Word of God. Mark 7:14.

No one can serve two masters. Matt. 6:24.

The Way to this Altar, is highly exclusive.

As Jesus said in the Parable of the Wedding Feast: Many are called, few are chosen. Matt. 22:14.

The King prepared a wedding feast, but those He called refused to come.

He invited again, “The table is set, the meal is prepared, come to the wedding.”

But they scoffed and went about their business. Some surrounded the servants who delivered the invitation. They mocked them, doxed them, spit on them, kicked out their taillight, ran over them, beat them, killed them.

When the King heard, He sent His army and killed those murderers and burned down their city.

Then, He said, “My wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.” So, He sent others, “Go into the highways and byways and as many as you see invite them all.”

So, they went and invited and the wedding hall was filled.

But when the King came in to see the guests, He saw a man not wearing a wedding garment.

A man invited but who refused to change, he chose infiltration rather than assimilation.

“Friend” said the King, “how did you come in without a wedding garment?’

Did he sneak in some other way? Did he not come through the Door where wedding garments were given? Or did he simply refuse to comply?

The man was speechless. For there is no answer for lawlessness.

Then the King said to the servants, “Bind hand and foot this intruder, this illegal alien, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matt. 22:11-13.

Then, Jesus concluded the parable saying, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

We have an Altar.

It's very exclusive.

The invitation to the Altar is extended to all.

Matthew 11:28-30
“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus clearly tells us that all are invited, but with very specific requirements:

Come to Me. (Specific Person and Place).

Learn of Me. (Attention, education, discipleship).

Take My yoke. (Work, duty, responsibility).

My burden (His heart, desire, will).

I AM the Way, the Truth, the Life, no one comes to the Father but by Me. John 14:6.
I AM the Door of the sheep, all others who come some other way are thieves and robbers. John 10:1-10.

The invitation to the altar is extended to all, who will enter by the exclusive Door, the One and Only Way, Christ Jesus.

Lady Liberty extends a similar invitation.

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!

Lady Liberty lifts her lamp exclusively for all who enter beside the golden door.

All others who come some other way, are thieves and robbers, to be bound hand and foot and cast out... even amidst rioting, weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth.

We have an altar that paves the exclusive Way to heavenly citizenship.

All others, who bow at some other altar, or serve another tabernacle, or temple, or mosque, or synagogue, or church, or political party, have no right to eat, from the fruit thereof.

Like Jelly Roll said upon accepting a grammy: “Jesus is for everybody. Jesus is not owned by one political party... Jesus is Jesus. Anybody can have a relationship with Him.”

Jelly Roll gave glory to Jesus not fearing reproach.

Like Moses.

Hebrews 11:25-27
choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the (Grammys and all the trophies) treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible.

Jelly Roll rolled without fear of being ostracized, cast outside.

Like our text:

¹¹For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. ¹²Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. ¹³Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.

The Outsiders

To benefit from the altar of the blessed blood of Christ we must be willing to step:

Outside our camp, our family, friends, our in-crowd.

Outside our gate, our security blanket, our comfort zone.

Matthew 10:37-39
He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁸And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. ³⁹He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Would you follow Christ if it meant losing your life? (It does).

Matthew 16:24
“If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.

Would you follow Christ if it meant being hated?

John 15:18-20
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

Feel uncomfortable? Like an outsider?

Good. We should.

This world is not our Home, it's where we search for it.

The Seekers

¹⁴For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.

Our examples, our faithful ancestors, were seekers, wandering this earth as strangers, pilgrims, outsiders in search of a Heavenly Homeland, whose Builder and Maker is God. Hebrews 11:9-16.

Philippians 3:20
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ

John 14:2-3
In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

Revelation 21:1-2
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

Therefore, since we are simply passing through, how then should we live?

The Sacrificers

¹⁵Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God...

We have an altar.

Altars are for worshipping by sacrificing.

Romans 12:1
I beseech you by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Do you remember when King David was directed by the Lord to build an altar on the threshing floor of Araunah?

David offered to buy the property, but Araunah offered to give it to David.

David insisted he purchase it saying:

2 Samuel 24:24
I will not offer the Lord from that which cost me nothing

That altar on that spot turned out to be the very spot where Solomon would build the temple. It was adjacent to Mount Moriah, where Abraham raised the knife and was willing to sacrifice his son Isaac. The place we know today as Golgotha, the place of the skull, Calvary, where Jesus bled and died for you and me.

Wow. What wonder working Power is hidden within our sacrificial seed.

... that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name (words). ¹⁶But do not forget to do good (ways) and to share,(worth) for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.