与基督同活
希伯来书十三章9至14节
9你们不要被那诸般怪异的教训勾引了去；因为人心靠恩得坚固才是好的，并不是靠饮食。那在饮食上专心的从来没有得着益处。
10我们有一祭坛，上面的祭物是那些在帐幕中供职的人不可同吃的。
11原来牲畜的血被大祭司带入圣所作赎罪祭；牲畜的身子被烧在营外。
12所以，耶稣要用自己的血叫百姓成圣，也就在城门外受苦。
13这样，我们也当出到营外，就了他去，忍受他所受的凌辱。
14我们在这里本没有常存的城，乃是寻求那将来的城。
信息分享
我们先要记着，这封书信是写给犹太人基督徒的，他们似乎非常怀念和渴望回复耶路撒冷圣殿昔日的光彩及敬拜生活。
作者指出：「我们有一祭坛，但不是在地上那荣耀的圣殿；反之，它是在城外一个叫各各他的地方」(12节)。
在城门外的那个小小山头，正是基督被钉十架的地方。而且，基督也自言祂是受咒诅的，因为旧约说过：「凡挂在木头上的，都是受咒诅的。」
要犹太人基督徒认同基督，并不是一件容易的事。可是，作者在这里却向他们发出明确的挑战：「虽然城门外那个地方，被世人所鄙弃，但我们却要走出去，与基督认同。」对犹太人基督徒来说，这行动可能意味着与他的家人或家族决裂。它可能会带来误解，嘲笑，甚至是逼迫或排斥。但福音却要求信徒来到这个地方；人若接受基督，就可能要为此而付上代价，因为它正是救主为我们舍身，让我们得着救恩的地方。
这真理至今没有改变。我们若要与基督相交，就必须来到祂受苦的那个地方。这可能意味着不再与世俗为伍，在生活中见证自己已经与基督合而为一。
然而，这却不是表示我们要与世隔绝，不屑与世人为伍。这种心态只是律法主义和自义自大的表现。新约教导我们，人若与基督相交，就当与弟兄和好，学习彼此相爱。并且，我们还要努力在世人面前活出美好的见证，传扬福音真理。
祷告：
主啊，求你加添我的力量，使我能不惜付上代价，也要与你结伴同行。
OUR PLACE WITH CHRIST
Hebrews 13:9-14
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.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp.
12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
14 For here we have no continuing city, but we seek the one to come.
Message
Here is one of the closing challenges of this great epistle. Are you willing to take your place openly with Christ? Where is that place?
Remember this letter was written to Jewish Christians who seemed to be missing and even longing for the splendour and the action of the great Temple worship in Jerusalem.
The writer says 'We have an altar, but it is not in the glorious earthly temple. It is outside the city at a place called Calvary' (v. 12).
That little hill on which Christ was crucified was outside the city wall. More than that, Christ himself was considered to be cursed because the Old Testament said 'Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree'.
It would not be easy for a Jewish Christian to identify himself with Christ. But the challenge here is plain. 'Let's take our place with him, even if it is the place of rejection by the rest of the world.' For the Jewish Christians this might mean the breaking of family ties. It could mean misunderstandings and even suffering and ridicule. But this was the place to which the gospel called the believer. The cost had to be faced if Christ was to be received. The place of the Saviour is also the place for the saved.
That is still true today. If we are going to know true fellowship with Christ, then we must take our place with him. It means separating from the world that crucified Christ and letting it be known that we are one with him, no matter the cost.
This does not mean separation from every other Christian as some people have tried to make it mean. That only leads to legalism and spiritual pride. The New Testament teaches us that to be in fellowship with Christ means also to be in fellowship with God's people wherever the truth of the gospel is preached. We will be living together in eternity. Why not start recognising each other now?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord help me to take my stand with you and for you today, no matter the cost.