The Saturday after Misericordias Domini Sunday
Posted on May 10, 2025 by under
Scripture: Hebrews 13:7-21 (NKJV)
13:7 Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct. 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 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. 15 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. 16 But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
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.
18 Pray for us; for we are confident that we have a good conscience, in all things desiring to live honorably. 19 But I especially urge you to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.
20 Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Devotion
When Jesus goes out and finds lost sheep, often He finds them not wandering alone, but with many other sheep in the ‘care’ of a hireling. Those sheep who hear Jesus’ voice and follow Him will often find themselves fleeing their previous fold in which they were fed with “various and strange doctrines” which do not profit. The author of Hebrews says that we ought to expect those who remain in false-teaching churches to heap scorn and reproach upon those who leave. So it was when the believing Jews left the corrupt synagogues, and so it is today.
But if Christ is “outside the camp,” then we must go to Him. He provides a better altar, where we are sanctified by the sacrifice of His Body and Blood. He places over us good pastors, who actually do the hard work of watching over our souls, instead of taking the path of least resistance.
Christ’s flock is one in exile. It may lack the comfort of an institutional sheep pen. It may not provide the sense of security that comes from being surrounded by multitudes of other sheep. But it is the only flock which can claim to be led by the Good Shepherd, who is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Collect: God, Who, by the humiliation of Thy Son, didst raise up the fallen world: Grant unto Thy faithful ones perpetual gladness, and those whom Thou hast delivered from the danger of everlasting death, do Thou make partakers of eternal joys; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
