We Have an Altar

Hey man, thank you so much, John. Hebrews chapter 13 this morning, Hebrews chapter 13, thank you for the wonderful music. The ladies group, that was new line. Enjoy that fantastic song. And man, I love to see young people get involved and I appreciate that. So, very, very much. I know we've got talent in our young people that we haven't even gotten to see yet. So, I hope that we will and I hope if you can, let me just say, young people. If you can get up and sing in front of this. With these faces looking at you. You can do anything in life. You can do anything else. Alright, everybody on your side, when you start, Hebrews chapter 13 and two with them as we have mentioned about Miss Charlotte, Rick and Krista, have asked if you don't mind to give him at least a day. They're going to be traveling, they can't answer phones and all that. If anything, you wanted to send a text, they don't don't answer back and they they just need time to get home and then deal with all this and they just can't field a lot of phone calls. And so if you could help them out with that, just give him a little bit just because they just don't want to appear rude by, not answering or something of that nature. And so, I know that they would appreciate that help. We want to continue in their series of Alters. This may be our last one, I'm not sure that working on a few other things that but if God doesn't give Liberty for that. This may be one of our last. If Lord wants us to move on to something else. Today are subject, as we have an altar in this is good news for you, and it's good news for me. And this comes straight from the word of God. In Hebrews chapter 13. Let me do a little bit of not review, but if I can let's just take some things that we've learned. Let's wrap them together a little bit this morning. I just so that we can make sure everyone is caught up with. What we have talked about what is an altar and alter is a sacred structure upon which sacrifices and offerings are made. But that's basically the definition of an alter, the Hebrew word for alter is Miss back, which means literally a place of sacrifice. What was an altar made of in the Bible? Most of the time, stone or Earth mud kind of stuff was used wood would have been something that would have been used on? Map of the sacrifice not necessarily to build the sacrifice because then the whole Walter would burn down when they sacrificed. So it would be Stone Hearth that way they would normally use and the person in charge of the altar, not a particular family altar. But religiously in corporately speaking, a priest, was the person that was in charge of the altar, what were the different type of Alters? First there was the altar of burnt offering and that is where animals were sacrificed to symbolize atone for sin. Then there was the altar of incense, which is where sweet-smelling spices were burned as an offering to God, just isn't offering not asking forgiveness for send, but as an offering, and that's why in the New Testament, you'll hear things like it was a sweet-smelling saver to God. It means that God literally enjoys when you and I do things for God. Not asking him for anyting but we offer we willingly offer our love or commitment, our service. Our strength, our time. Our talents are treasure in the Bible says that is a sweet-smelling saver to God. It literally is is a picture of the altar of incense in the Old Testament. Then there was the altar of Thanksgiving. This was built to give, thanks to God for his Blessing. So there is literally sacrifice for sin atonement. There was the sweet-smelling Savor of a literally an offering to God and then there was a gratitude Altura. Thanks for alter appraised. Alter thanking God for what he has done. Now, what were the purpose of ulcers in the Old Testament, want you to get this? Number one, they were places to meet with God.

Places to meet with God s, they were places to worship God. It was a place where you could come to meet with God and altar was the place where you could come to worship God. And it literally had to be done that way in the Old Testament 3rd and alter was a place to make sacrifices to God, and that makes sense. We have talked about that numerous times fourth. They were a place of remembrance that altar would be a place where you could remember God did something great here. Almost a memorial type of alter. So, literally, an altar was, where you met God, where you worship God, where you sacrifice to God, and where you remembered God, that's important for you to know this. Because in the Old Testament, this is the purpose of altars. But in the New Testament, Jesus became our altar. He is our altar. We're going to show you this. So that means that Jesus is our altar. So now we can meet with God worship. God, remember God give to God and we can do it straight to God. We don't have to go through a sacrifice through an altar through a priest through the temple. We can now go directly to God.

What was the significance of altars in the Old Testament? These facts altars were a physical representation of man's relationship with God. For a man to have a relationship with God. There had to be an altar.

Did you hear me? In the Old Testament for a man at all, to be able to communicate or have any kind of relationship with God. There had to be an altar, In the New Testament, Jesus became our altar. That means now there is no way for you and I to get to God. Accept Jesus Christ. We have to have an altar to get to God, and that's what Jesus became. Now knows the secondly altars remind us that even though we are sinners, we can still have a relationship with the holy God, you know, the Old Testament, a person would have come to an altar, they would come full of sin guilt and all these things, but they would sacrifice on that altar. They would have an atonement for their sin on that Altar and they could step away forgiven It's a reminder and Alters our reminder to you. And to me that, even though we're Sinners, we have been saved by the grace of God, and even though we're Sinners, we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ. Notice third office, teaches, that sacrifice is an essential part of our faith. Why? Because when you and I make a sacrifice to God, it is a reminder, a picture, an illustration to him. Of the sacrifice Jesus. Gave to God the father Jesus, became the sacrifice for my sin in your scent. He became the sacrificial lamb. So when you and I make a sacrifice to God, it literally is a picture of Christ. It reminds him of his son. Notice fourthly altars are a powerful reminder that we need to say. We need a savior. Why does there need to be an officer? Will because we're Sinners. Why does it need to be a sacrifice? Cuz me, and atonement for our sins. That reminds me. I'm the center. I'm the one that needs him. He doesn't need us. We need him and officers are a reminder of that. So it's good. All these things in the Old Testament, you'll say that's just Old Testament. Yes, but they're a picture of something, the reminder of something there are profitable for something. It reminds us that we need to save your favorite. Mine doesn't even though I'm a sinner, I can still have a relationship with God through the blood of Jesus Christ.

I know, there were two altars in the Tabernacle. Many of you have a kind of started a little bit about the Tabernacle in different things in the inner parts of the Tabernacle there were two officers that one, there was the Brazen Altar and this was made out of bronze and it was used for sacrifice for atonement. But noticed, there is also the altars of incense, the altar of incense in the Tabernacle and these offers were made out of gold and they were used to burn incense. They were a picture of atonement and they were a picture of intercession in the temple. Now why you say preacher, why do we not need a sacrificial altar? Anymore. It was what you and I do here in 2023. I am.

British racing sake. We started this series amazing little fake rocks and stuff made like a picture of an altar, but I don't have to get up every morning and and have a Old Rock Altar. And I don't have to put wood on that thing and go find me a lamb and I don't have to sacrifice and burn that lamb and ask God to forgive my sins, I don't have to have those kind of ulcers anymore. Why is that? Because we don't need physical Alters as they did in the Old Testament, the Old Testament. Let me explain this the Old Testament sacrifice system. Please get this cuz a lot of people misunderstand. It was not about an animal's blood, taking away your sin. Instead it was about sending the sins of the people back to God and that's why repentance is so important. Listen, we don't come and say, hey I got some sand, Guardian to get rid of it. Thank you. No, we repair. Because the whole animal sacrifice wasn't about. Okay, well, we're just at 20% know, the whole point of that animal sacrifice was we were sending our sins back to God. It's a repentance. And that means that you and I just get down, say God, forgive me for such such. And then we just keep going right back and doing it there. Must be repentance for our sin. What is repentance? It doesn't just mean that I feel bad about it. That's guilt repentance means that I turn. I Repent, I change directions. That's what repentance is in a person's life. All of our talk about all should be a reminder that we need repentance in our churches.

Look at me, dear friend, if there's no repentance sin remains,

You can have all kinds of vultures but if there's no repentance, the sin is still there.

She's a preacher. What are you trying to say? All this changed in? Jesus came Hebrews chapter 13 where you're at, first has to be on the screen for you. Let me explain this passage and we'll let you go this morning. We were safe. Jesus Christ the same yesterday today?

And forever. I love it. Let me ask you this. Why is Jesus is sacrifice? Why is it Superior? Why do we no longer need this? Why is his sacrifice so much better? Whenever one let me let me explain this for we even get into Hebrews here. What did it say? Jesus Christ. The same yesterday today and forever. Number one is this listen to me, once you get this Jesus the sacrifice on the cross. Why is it so much better than the Old Testament? Sacrifice of a lamb on a rock. Alter, listen to me. Please get the number one. Jesus is sacrifice was voluntary.

Can I tell you something? There weren't sheep lining up like please sacrifice me. I want to try.

Another word for person had send, they chose a lamb, they took it, it was involuntary. They that lamb that she didn't have a choice. But when Jesus sacrificed, it was his choice. Pietro's 2. Number to because his sacrifice was once and for all. You see every time you sacrifice with a lamb to get atonement for sin, you start sending again. Now you got that send free when Jesus became the sacrifice. That was the last sacrifice that would ever be needed percent. It was once and for all instead of being a temporary solution, it was an eternal sacrifice. Number 3, because Jesus is the high priest.

Bible says he's our high priest. So, get this, this means we don't need a mediator. We don't need a priest. We don't need an altar, we don't need a sacrifice. We don't need a lamb because Jesus is all of that. Do you use the altar? He is the sacrifice. He was the sacrificial lamb. He is the priest in control of the Altar, and then she's just according to Hebrews became our altar. He's everything.

So, let's look, if you would a one, I want you to see.

Please get this number one. Want you to see Jesus Our Redeemer. And Hebrews. 30:8 looking for say, Jesus Christ. The same yesterday today and forever. That means Jesus is not a temporary fulfillment. He is in Eternal fulfillment. Because he's our sacrifice and he's the same yesterday. He's the same today. He's the same forever. He's Eternal and he never changes. It got me, the reason his sacrifice his eternal is because he's eternal,

So the first thing we noticed in Hebrews about this, we need to know about Jesus that he is the same yesterday today and forever known as Lee. Jesus is our Reliance, he should we rely be not carried away with the Iverson strange Doctrine for. It is a good thing that the heart be established with Grace. Not with Meats. No, this is not pushing a vegetarian lifestyle. Not with this is, please don't take scripture out of context. Please keep it in the right car.

He says, with Grace, not with me switch, have not profited them. That have been occupied there in this word meets here is a term for animal sacrifice. It means that whole process of sacrificing, an animal and the temple for sacrifice of sin. No notice what he says, he says, don't be carried away with strange Doctrine. He said it's a good thing that you are Redeemed by Grace, not by some animal sacrifice. That's how they did it back then, but Jesus came. Now, what is this mean, everyone? That means we rely on Grace. Not works. You and I don't get saved because we go to the work building. Alter put an animal, do all the work we get saved because Jesus did all the work it's called race. Different your day today. You say, you don't know what I've done, I've really blown it, but Jesus loves you and he wants to show it to you, he became to be became your sacrifice so that you could be saying we rely on Grace, not work notice. Secondly, we focus on the heart, not the head. He is saying the sacrifice was all about knowledge but it wasn't the heart. When Jesus came loose. And that's why we talk about salvation involving the heart, it for years, we filled meatloaf will say something. I like ask Jesus to come into your heart. That is that it's a metaphor. What does it mean? That means that we're asking Jesus to save me but when you and I asked, Jesus to save us the Holy Spirit indwells us. He lives in us. What does he live in your kidney?

He lives in your soul, your spirits, that's the heart. That's what we call it. So that's what we mean by when we say that. So, that means this we go by Grace, not by works. We focus on the heart, not the head noticed early, we follow truth, not tradition. You see, the tradition was. This is what you do. You build an altar, you put, you put an animal on there and you burn that you sacrifice, but that's tradition. Jesus came. Now he has shown Grace. Now so we follow truth. Not that old tradition.

Don't you love this? Passage in Hebrews? Did we come the number 3? We see Jesus as our Redemption note, look at verse 10 years. Our whole thing here is our whole theme You don't need an animal sacrifice altar. Look what it says we have an altar. We have an altar. Where are they? Have? No right to eat which serve the Tabernacle for the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought in the sanctuary by the high priest for send are burned without the can't wear for Jesus. Also, He's our altar, then he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered. Without the gate is a preacher. What is this mean? I'm going to leave this first. I just for a second under Jewish law when you sacrificed an animal force in no, part of that animal was supposed to be eaten. But after the sacrifice, it was supposed to be burnt outside of the camp because it was an animal sacrifice that have been sacrificed for sin. Everybody with you say, Amen. Here's the whole point. Now, if you're going to subject yourself to the law, instead of Grace, then you have no way to eat the gospel. Why? Because the gospel was furnished by Jesus Christ. Him being the sacrifice. According to the Old Testament. Whoever what, you know, the animal that was used in the sacrifice, had to be burned outside the camp, but Jesus who became our sacrifice was Barry. He was crucified buried, but he rose again and that means this, that is under the Old Law. I can't partake of that sacrifice, because it was $0.04, but Jesus became our sacrifice, he defeated that L and the grave, he conquered sin. So now we're not under the Old Testament, we don't have to take that sacrifice in casting out, he is our sacrifice and now we can eat freely from Jesus Christ. You say pretty sure that sounds technical. It is technically, it's called Doctrine. Baptist don't like Doctrine. It keeps them from lunch and they don't like doctor.

But you need to go to a church that teaches you Doctrine. So what does this mean? Notice in this pasture real quick. Like a 12 first, we see the price of our Redemption with his own blood. That was surprised. He is eternal pure Holy Blood. That was the price of our Redemption notice. Secondly, the pain of our Redemption, he suffered without the gate. What does it mean? It means when Jesus came they rejected him, It means when Jesus came, what are they, do, they crucified him, they wouldn't give them his rightful place as the head of the temple. What they did is they made him suffer without they pushed them out. They rejected him, they crucified him. And that was the pain that he came, they rejected and they kill, they say, they sacrificed him crucified on the cross. Why did he do this? Notice thirdly, the purpose of our Redemption verse 12 that he might sanctify the people. That's the whole purpose. So the price was his own blood. The pain was that he would Suffer Without the gate but the whole purpose of it was so that he might sanctify you and me.

We have. And alter. And it's Jesus Christ. Look at me. So what that means is we no longer need a physical alter,

Because of that, there are some that take off with that and they'll tell you don't need all offers nowadays. And they're correct. When we say that, you do not need a physical alter to put an animal sacrifice on because of your sin, Jesus is our altar. He he was to sacrifice, he's already covered it. He's already provided forgiveness, so we don't need to build a physical alter, but there are things called spiritual altars. And the spiritual altar is simply when you communicate with a spiritual altar. Is simply when you give your offering to God, a spiritual offering a spiritual altar is literally when you give the sacrifice of praise to God, you see you and I do still need altars. Not for a torment of sin. Jesus is our own But because we want to praise God. For what he's done. So let's continue in the passage. I love this notice. If you would the responsibilities, we've been given looking for a 13. Let us go therefore unto him without the camp. Bearing his reproach. Noticed that he suffered without the gate, he became a sacrifice. So what's our responsibility now, number one is to serve go forth unto him. What does that mean? Follow him your everything in your life should be centered around him. Leave that Old Testament law in the temple and go outside of the Camp. Freedom from law to Grace.

What's 4 of us?

So, what is our responsibility first to serve him? Notice second to suffer?

going to him without the camp and bear his reproach

My suffering, my willingness to bear his reproach. Look at me, folks is My Sacrifice to him. He's my alter what I do for Christ. Is my offering to God. Everybody got it. Listen, every time and Usher here. Change their hands out. Welcomes people. They come fonsi that was their halter. That. That was their sacrifice to God. That's an offering but they're just sitting up to God because God redeem me he became my alter, he's my salvation. Now, I don't have to go build a rock Altar and put an animal on it and put wood on it, just to let God know. I Want To Praise Him. Now I can just Praise Him. I don't have to do that to say, thank you, God. I know because of Jesus Christ can just say, thank you, God.

Everything you do is an ultra sacrifice to God. Everything you do in his name. That is our responsibility. Notice the reward looking for 14 for here. We have no continuing City but we seek one to come like, this isn't your home Heavens, your Charlotte home now. Just never was our home.

We seek a continuing City. We're just basically people that are putting up camp for a while. But we're heading home. Noticed this. This is not listed it and we're done. Notice this? What is our response to be Hebrews? Look at this passage, we have an alter Jesus suffered without the camp. He did this for us. It's a permanent sacrifice now. Okay. So what should our response be looking for us? 15? This is great by him. Therefore what I mean by him by Jesus Christ because he's our altar by him. Therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God. Continually that is the fruit of Our Lives. Giving, thanks to his name. What is this mean? Follow real quick and noticed. This number one is to praise continuously.

Praise conditionally. How do I praise? I Praise by him. The only way I can praise God. It's because of Without Christ I couldn't talk to God. I couldn't approach God because I was a sinner and he's a holy gone but because of Jesus Christ. Now, under that condition, I cannot phrase So, praised condition of the second phrase willingly. Offer a sacrifice noticed. This word in here at the end. Giving thanks to his name offer the sacrifice give to his name. It means to praise willingly Garden. Say hey, can you bring me a little bit, please? That's what fathers have to do. Everyone's father, their kids like they have done all this. Can you thank me? Play Christmas. They go, they go hug. Mom, 30 times. Then on the way out to give Dad a little half of his. Thanks for everything.

Listen, God doesn't want to ask for our praise. God doesn't want to beg for us to praise. Our praise should be willingly. Notice third, praise continually. It literally says, offer the sacrifice of praise to God, continually That's our sacrifice, our praise, that's our incense to God. notice for flea, praise vocally, the fruit of our lips, Hey, listen, people at work. I know that nowadays, you can't have an Evangelistic Crusade at work or you're going to get fired. But people at work, can't hear you, praise God.

And your family can't hear you. Praise the Lord. And how many, you know, our lives going to be about praising God. The sacrifice, the fruit of Our Lives praising God, continually that they need to hear it. Your kids need to hear it. Your family needs to hear it or praise God for that. God is that thank God for what he's done. You know, I appreciate any time. I'm sure that they're not the ideal Independent Baptist, but I'm thankful that when an athlete gets a moment, he will praise the Lord. I Want To Praise Jesus, I appreciate that. I don't always know who is God. But when they say Jesus our lord, it's a little bit different. noticed this phrase specifically, To his name. And no one else has. Let us offer the sacrifice of praise.

Say his name. It's all about him. He's our sacrifice. We now have an offer.

And it's Jesus Christ.

Look at me. All the way back, Abraham. Isaac and Jacob Abraham sets up an altar It begins to move sets up another alter. All of a sudden fam and comes into the land, he should have stayed there and been faithful, but he took off and bad things happened. When he finally got back to where he was supposed to be, he put up that altar again. Any praise God. That he said, Lord, forgive me. God, I want to start over. Look at me, you and I don't have to go build a rock altar to do that. Why do we have here? An altar? Because this is simply a place for you to come as your own altar. Jesus is your altar, this is not your altar, Jesus is your altar, but this is a place to come and humble yourself before Jesus your altar. That's why it's called an altar. Everybody make their saying that but dear friend you can say Lord, I'm sorry and get your life right were sitting right there in that seat. But why are these here is some, it's an act of humility. It's an active accountability, that's why we're here.

I have a mom that at 12 years old, came forward, a pastor came to her. She said why she comes to goes well I want to come be safe and she sees that congratulations, fill out this card. Never did anything else in that church? You come to the altar. That means you're saying Show. My mom kind of grew up in and up, going to a Christian College, with singing traveling, for a Christian College, in singing groups, she even got a reward called Miss Temple, which is what Momo's they can. I get to the leg, feels most Godly, you know, female student in the college. And if she wasn't one Sunday afternoon, she sit on a bench with her college roommate. Just taking a walk in a roommate, said, you know, I'm doing a paper and I'm the Baby Gotta write your test was up at when were you say? And my mom said, when I was 12 years old, I went forward in our church. When were you say, She said, love when I went forward and then the church the past, I found a car that's great. You went to the altar, but when did you get saved?

In 21 years of age or my mom is a sophomore in college. Realized. I've never been saved. I've been to a doctor many times. But I've never been saved. And that day, that Sunday afternoon, my mom bought her head and gave her heart to Jesus Christ. Look at me that alter won't save you. Jesus, the altar will.

Everybody got, it's a man. So, what should be our response to this altar? Singing. Praise to God, continue. Different. You need altars in your life. An altar is simply an act of your heart.

And altar is simply an act of your heart. Lord. I love you Lord. I want to serve you Lord. I praise you, you need altars in your life. You don't need a physical alter any more, you have, Jesus, we need spiritual. We need people that will have relationship with Jesus Christ. Look at me. What was the Old Testament? Altar, a sign of man's relationship to God. There was an intercession between the altering up. Now Jesus, is that intercession? That means. Now that look at me, you and I need to have relationship with God. We don't even have to build an altar now. All we have to do is talk to him. And love him. What's it about your head? Close your eyes, I've done my best to explain, Alters to you. And how they apply to your life in 2023.

You say preacher, I don't know that I would do anything different. Dear friend, please understand, it's not. Sometimes it's about doing something different. It's about understanding and appreciating what Jesus is done.

Today, I want to encourage you. You and I are. Praise God. Conditionally is only through Jesus. Where the praise God, specifically to his name. Where the praise God? Continually, the sacrifice of praise.

Difference between today and you do not know Jesus as your savior. I don't know how I could explain it any better. He came, he died. He shed his blood became the sacrifice for our sins. We now have a different alter Jesus Christ and he wants to save you, you see? Yeah, but I have a lot of sin. He was the sacrifice for that. He is, well aware of your sin and he loves you.

You say, pretty sure I'm saved and I know it. Well, maybe you Oughta get to an altar today? To think your altar. For what he's done. Make some commitments. Make some changes. Lord, I love you. I thank you for all that you've done. We ask you to bless in Jesus name or has about her. Eyes are closed at stand all over the building. All we're doing an invitation time is giving you the chance to set up a spiritual altar in your life. To respond to a Jesus said to you to respond, to what I said to you. It's called a relationship. It's called communication. When God speak to you through his word he wants us to respond to him. That's all it's a relationship.

Jesus has made it so simple for us now. We can just talk to him. Lord, I Thank you for all that you've done. Please bless. Lord, we give you praise continually. We're going to seeing if they sing a verse of this song, you come step out and come if you're here and you say I've been baptized I've been saved but feel like God wants me to join this church come today. Let us know we love to help you with that process. As they seen, you will be gone.

Sign in.

Then why does we're in? No hurry.

I want to encourage you. During every day of your life, you ought to be spending time at an altar.

It means that every day of your life, you want to be communicating with Christ spending time in his word. Praying letting him speak to you through his word, speaking to him through prayer. It's a communication. It's a relationship and it's possible because he is our all you should be doing that. if you don't spend time at that altar, you're going to die spiritually.

Lord, I Thank you for people for you blessed. Lord, help us to understand What you've done? Why you did it who you did it for? Do what our response should be. We love you in Jesus name. Amen, brother. Frank. Come on closes at