Mar. 16, 2025
“LIVE BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT”
“THE CHANGELESS TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD”
HEBREWS 13:8-17
In a constantly changing, unreliable world, Jesus remains the same. Only in Him can we place our faith, cast our hope, and know how to love.
*The Immutability of God- Hebrews 13:8-9
God’s immutability has been defined by one theologian as “God’s inability to change His divine nature or character or be altered by finite circumstances or events.”
Malachi 3:6 “For I am the Lord, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob.”
James says:
James 1:17 “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
So the author of Hebrews writes:
Hebrews 13:8 “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”
The unchangeableness of Christ’s character, nature, purpose, plans, and promises keeps believers in Christ from being swept away by the swift currents of “varied and strange teachings” mentioned in verse 9.
Hebrews 13:9 “Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines. For it is good that the heart be established by grace, not with foods which have not profited those who have been occupied with them.”
The word “various” of varied is from the Greek word “poikilos,” which is used to describe something that is diverse, variegated, or many-colored.
Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”
Colossians 2:16 “So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths.”
1 Timothy 4:3 “forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.”
1 Corinthians 8:8 “But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse.”
Nothing is the world is going to build you up but the Word of God!
*Sharing Spiritual Worship- Hebrews 13:10-17
- We Have An Altar to Use.
Hebrews 13:10 “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.”
Here “altar” is used as an image for the perfect sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
2. We Have a Reproach to Bear.
Hebrews 13:11-13 “For 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.”
Hebrews 10:4 “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.”
The author then draws special attention to the fact that Christ’s death outside the city was a mark of reproach vs.12-13.
Isaiah 53:12 “Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.”
Galatians 3:13 “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”).”
With Christ, we take up the cross of reproach through abuse, misunderstanding, and persecution:
Philippians 1:29 “For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.”
2 Timothy 3:12 “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.”
3. We Have a City to Seek.
Hebrews 13:14 “For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.”
“here we have no continuing city” vs.14. This is why we should never forget that we are longing for an unchanging reality grounded in God- “the city which is to come” vs.14.
4. We Have a Sacrifice to Offer.
Hebrews 13:15-16 “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. 16But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.”
God wants all of us:
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2And do not be 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.”
5. We Have Leaders to Follow.
Hebrews 13:17 “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”
False teaching has its leaders too. In fact, the Lord Jesus warned His disciples:
Matthew 7:15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.”
2 Peter 2:1 “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction.”
1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
Without these leaders, the church’s growth would be stunted and its members would be easily led astray into false teaching.
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