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TEXT: HEBREWS 13:15-16 | OFFER YOUR SACRIFICES
INTRO
EXPLANATION: The author of Hebrews has walked us over the last few weeks through the altar that is the cross of Christ.
While there were some doing religious things like offering animal sacrifices in the name of God, it had neither the blessing or the approval of God.
In truth, they were doing religious things for appearance sake, and the writer stated so clearly in v.10, “We have an altar”
That altar was the cross of Christ.
It is that altar on which we lay our very lives down to Christ.
It is the altar that is the motivator for our Christian lives!
Because of what He did, we can serve Him!
Because of what He did we now have the privilege to stand in the place of the priest!
With that royal access we were challenged in v.13
And in case you lose sight of the cross, he gave that beautiful promise in v.14
We aren’t home yet!
Now as the writer concludes his thoughts, he wants again invites us back into that royal throne room that we now have access to as royal priests.
He begins by reminding us of where this all began… “By Him therefore!”
Because He left the glories of heaven and came to earth
Because He faithfully lived on this earth and was tempted in all points as we are yet without sin.
Because He willingly allowed Himself to be taken by the multitude
Because He allowed Himself to be accused, mocked, and beaten
Because He gave His body to be broken by that cat of nine tails and that crown of thorns
Because He laid down His life on His own when He stretched out His arms on that cross.
Because He took upon Him the iniquity of us all
Because He died… for YOU and for me!
Because He gives us that promise of eternity in heaven.
You and I have a responsibility to step into the royal throne room each and every day of our lives and offer some sacrifices.
The first sacrifice the writer directs us to is...
V.15, A SACRIFICIAL WORSHIP
EXPLANATION: We are to offer the sacrifice of praise!
But lest we think this was a flippant prayer that was said before they ate
Don’t forget the background leading up to this.
He just challenged these believers to go without the camp bearing Christ’s reproach!
It was those that were written about in Hebrews 11:33-38
It was Peter who was crucified upside down
It was Thomas who was speared through by four soldiers
It was Philip, Andrew, Bartholomew, and Simon who died on a cross
It was James, the son of Alphaeus, and Matthew who were stoned to death
It was James, the son of Zebedee, who was beheaded.
It was Judas, the other disciples, who was stoned to death
It was Paul who was beheaded by Nero.
It was Stephen who was bitten and then stoned by the crowd
It was John the Baptist who was beheaded by Herod
It was John the disciple who was exiled to a prisoners island.
It was Mark who was drug to death by horses in the streets of Alexandria
It was Luke who was hanged in Greece
Yes, it was those who understood what it meant to suffer for Christ
Those who knew what it meant to bear His reproach.
It was those who lived with the promise of heaven!
And it was those who knew when v.15 means when it talks of offering the “sacrifice” of praise continually.
Because each one met their end, praising their Savior!
APPLICATION: WBC, what does it take to stop your praise?
It’s easy to praise God when things are going well!
It’s easy to praise God when work is good and the family is healthy!
It’s easy to praise God when you are happy and life is easy
And we should praise God in those times!
But for too many Christians, the only time praise comes from their lips is when things are going good.
But we are commanded to offer the sacrifice of praise “CONTINUALLY”
The truth is most of us have no idea what it truly mean to sacrifice, and to praise God through it!
Sacrificing carries with it the connotation that is costs something!
ILLUSTRATION: It’s Peter and John who were taken and threatened not to speak or talk about Jesus.
There response was simple: Acts 4:19-20
ILLUSTRATION: The reality is most of us don’t really love God as much as we say we do.
Because we talk about the things we truly love
Have you ever seen a young engaged couple before they get married.
Usually they won’t stop talking about that guy or girl
It consumes their conversations.
It’s both cute and annoying.
Some of you love the outdoors
Some of you love Fox News
Hopefully you love your kids… Your spouse!
It’s evident because you can’t help but talk about them!
APPLICATION: The reality is, If you and I talked about God as much as you and I say we love Him, this town would be turned upside down.
But if we would be honest… most of the time we aren’t great at offering the sacrifice of praise.
We don’t really think about the altar of the cross, and we forget about the promise of heaven.
And life get’s difficult, and instead of turning to praise we turn to complaining.
ILLUSTRATION: Job didn’t get everything right, but there is one thing we can definitely learn from his example.
You see Job didn’t have any “things” to praise God for.
Everything he owned was gone.
He couldn’t thank God for his house… his family… his job… his servants… it was gone!
And yet we find those incredible verses in Job 1:20-21
Because Job knew something we so often forget… the sacrifice of praise isn’t based on what we have...
The sacrifice of praise is based on Who God is.
APPLICATION: And as we talked about in our study through James… God is always good and He is always right.
And He is always worthy of your sacrifice of praise!
Oh friend, Hebrews 13:15
Friend as a royal priest it is our duty to offer sacrifices to God… and the first gift we find is Sacrificial Worship.
And the final sacrifice the writer of Hebrews gives us here in this passage is:
V.16a, A SACRIFICIAL WORK
EXPLANATION: This is an interesting phrase.
He says don’t forget to “do good” and “to communicate”
The Greek word for “do good” has the sense of doing good to others.
There’s a lot of ways we can “do good” for one another.
We can serve.
Jesus certainly gave us that example on the night before His crucifixion when He took the towel and washed the disciples feet.
He demonstrated what it was to serve others
We can forgive
To give forgiveness to someone who may not ask for it and probably doesn’t deserve it is one of the greatest demonstrations of Christ’s work in our heart!
It’s a powerful example of doing good to someone!
But in this passage, the writer dives further into this idea of “doing good” when he says “to communicate”
Now in our time we view that as meaning we should talk to each other.
And the Lord knows there are some that could grow in that area!
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