Seeking Jesus First - Feb. 3, 2023
As Jesus prepared Himself to be placed on an altar of sacrifice, He told His disciples, “Take and eat. This is my body… And this is my blood of the new covenant shed for the remission of sins.” This table of sacrifice prepared for us by Christ Jesus can only serve those who approach with faith in the one who was being sacrificed…
Those keeping the law of Moses had to put their trust in the law’s annual sacrifice in order to partake of its atonement. But they could have no portion in the atonement from a sacrifice in which they themselves would not accept.
“We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach. For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come. Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:10–16, NKJV)
The new covenant altar and offering from which we freely eat and drink by faith cannot be approached by anyone who rejects it. One must humbly admit that the old ways are no longer acceptable as they accept the new and living way provided by Christ Jesus.
Our new covenant sacrifice was not made in a temple made by the hands of men. It was made on a cross on a hill outside the city among foreigners with the old religious system watching and jeering. The old system had been taken over by wicked murderous men who loved power, wealth, politics and influence more than God. They keep their laws for the control it gave them over others (See Matthew 12 and Matthew 23). They had become the most wicked generation according to Christ Jesus’ own words.
So, Jesus carried His reproach “outside the camp” or away from the accepted religious people. He did this outside the gates of the city that He might sanctify all the people who would accept and believe His sacrifice covered them. Even so, we are not of that earthly city and prior religious system which was utterly judged and destroyed not long after (just as Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24, “This generation shall not pass until all be fulfilled.”).
But we are partakers of the new covenant table and altar which Jesus prepared for all who believe. We have the right to approach and be received and to receive from the bread and wine of this new altar and covenant. And once we have eaten of it , we have the right to be adopted as sons and to be received into everlasting life.
Therefore by Him let us continually offer praise to him by continually professing praise with thanksgiving that Jesus is The Christ, our LORD and Savior. This is how we honor His sacrifice. We do not need to offer more sacrifices on this altar as that would dishonor His body and blood. We need only to continue to partake of it with faith, praise and thanksgiving.
It pleased The Father to honor and glorify His Son by raising Him from the dead and to give us to Him as an inheritance. So we are raised with Christ from the dead and are seated with him in the heavenly places.
This is a beautiful truth that we all have believed and accepted. But look at the last verse quoted here: “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” It clearly states that god is pleased by other types of sacrifices not the burnt sacrifices of animals - but the sacrifice of doing good to others and sharing with others in the name of Jesus. Our Father in heaven is pleased when we do good things on behalf of our faith in the name of Jesus. We make Our Father in Heaven smile when we, out of a pure heart, do good and show kindness to each other - especially when that goodness costs something to our flesh (thus making it a sacrifice).
So let us lovingly serve one another and do it as worship unto God.
“Our Father, thank You for The LORD Jesus. We honor Your names. We give You praise and thanksgiving. Holy Spirit help us to see new places where we can care fro those around us with pure heart. Thank You.”