Hebrews 13:9-16

The whole old Jewish system of worship through animal sacrifices has been fulfilled and abrogated by Christ. But what does that mean practically? Does it just show what my worship is NOT—namely, bloody, ritualistic, and costly? No, it means way more than that…

1. It shows me that my most important nourishment is grace for my heart rather than food for my body (vv 9-10). The old system of slaying an animal resulted in an abundance of food for the worshiper (cf. 1 Cor 9:13; 10:18). But this new worship through Christ provides me with a feast of grace.
2. It shows me that my identification with Jesus, who is my sacrifice, costs me (vv 11-14). In the old system the worshiper would burn the sacrifice outside the camp (v 11; cf. Ex 29:14). Similarly, Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice outside the city (v 12). And we who worship Him must so treasure Him and the future He offers (v 14) that we will also “go to Him outside the camp” (v 13). The result of that kind of treasuring Christ and identifying with Christ is that we will “bear the reproach that He endured.”
3. It shows me that my sacrifice isn’t occasional but continual (v 15). The old system required sacrifices on a regular basis, fairly frequent but certainly not continual. Christ is so magnificent, my sacrifice to Him—namely, my praise to His name—ought to flow incessantly.
4. It shows me that my worship involves my whole life, not just the occasional ceremonies and corporate gatherings (vv 15-16). The old system had a pretty limited scope of what worship included. But in Christ, my words of thanks (v 15), my mundane acts of obedience (v 16), and my hospitality toward others (v 16) all are transformed into expressions of worship.

Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine
Demands my soul, my life, my all!