Hebrews 13:11–16 (ESV) —
11 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 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. 15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
NOTE: In order to sanctify his own people, Jesus went outside the city gates. Jesus was outside the camp, sacrificed in unsanctified territory. This would have been hard for the Jewish person to hear, because it was a disgrace, but Jesus bore our disgrace, and we need to stand up and bear his disgrace. In the Jewish world, Jesus' name is treated with contempt by many. In the secular gentile world, the term "christian" is becoming increasingly so as well. But we are not trying to gain entrance into any earthly city, we have our own city, a glorious city, the New Jerusalem. It is a city built by God and it has rooms for us to live. It is our real retirement home. There is nothing on this earth which will compare to it. Instead of trying to live for the things of the world, we need to identify with Jesus and live for the things of God. We will not be disappointed.
PONDER:
- What am I really living for, wealth, comfort, fame, experiences, etc.?
- When will I release my grasp on the things of this world, and reach out for that which has real value?
PRAYER: Father, I pray for you to open my eyes to where I secretly grasp the things of the world. I don't want to live for petty things but for things that have real value.
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