The Sacrifice of Praise
January 10, 2021 Message Notes
HEBREWS 13:15
NOTES
Sacrifice, in popular use, means you give up something you love for something else you love more.
Biblically, sacrifice was an object lesson about the costliness of sin, with the shedding of blood as a metaphor for spiritual death. It foreshadowed the atonement God would make to do justice and provide reconciliation for sinful people.
Christian worshipers were the only group known in the Roman world that did not make animal sacrifices. They believed that the death of Jesus was a final sacrifice that rendered all animal sacrifices unnecessary.
Following the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, Christians saw a new covenant at work – one sealed in the blood of God’s lamb, Jesus Christ.
Our bodies are the true temple of the Spirit where God lives when we receive Christ as our Savior.
“…offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”
ROMANS 12:1
Why are we to present our bodies?
It contains everything that makes you you – your will, mind, soul, heart, strength, your thoughts, memories, identity, and choices.
Lord, I give everything I know about me to everything I know about You.
The followers of Jesus used temple language of sacrifice to make spiritual offerings to God.
The heart of worship is living your life as an instrument surrendered to God for his will through you.
Why would anyone do that?
Because of God’s mercy and love – all that He did for us in Christ.
In each act of worship, we are placing ourselves like clay upon the potter’s wheel, offering our lives like iron to be forged by fire and shaped for significance.
There are different offerings we bring as those who worship in spirit and truth. We start with our lives and continue with our lips.
“Through Jesus, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.”
HEBREWS 13:15
Why do we offer the sacrifice of praise?
To express the lifestyle that Jesus modeled - one of continual fellowship with God.
Live your life in a posture of worship and fellowship with God.
“The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
LUKE 6:35
How can you tell what’s filling your heart?
By words coming out of your mouth. A sacrifice of praise is made from the heart through your mouth.
The contents of your heart change as you align your will with God’s will in Christ.
A sacrifice of praise isn’t when you say, Stuff went wrong. Praise the Lord anyway. It’s letting God weave his will into our lives. It’s us riding the wave of Jesus’ obedience and sacrifice into a way of life. It’s letting our thoughts be renewed and our minds transformed.
“Father, be the center of all things in me.”
The posture of your life is coming out of your mouth by faith and there’s power in that. Power in praise.
“…appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness…”
2 CHRONICLES 20:21
When you’re walking in step with God, praise brings walls down; praise wins spiritual wars.
God has given you a tool to do some climate control in your life through the sacrifice of praise.
“Consider it pure joy, brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
JAMES 1:2-4
How can you face the fire and come out not lacking anything? Offer the sacrifice of praise.
“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith – of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire – may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”
1 PETER 1:6-8
Imagine coming through whatever trials you are facing and coming out on the other side full of inexpressible and glorious joy. That’s the difference a sacrifice of praise can bring.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
2 CORINTHIANS 12:9
With the sacrifice of praise, you can defy the darkness and still be standing when the dust settles.
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
MATTHEW 5:11-12
The sacrifice of praise may not change your situation but it will certainly change you in your situation.
If you are feeling the fire, wondering why would I do this anymore, or thinking about throwing in the towel, don’t! Now is the perfect time for a sacrifice of praise.
Get out your playlist of praise, those songs you love that lift your heart and give your faith voice. Play them loud. Sing along with them. Count it all joy.
Let the fire forge you into something amazing.
In the midst of change and chaos, praise him. In the midst of hurt and hardship, praise him. Have faith in God, and voice it with your mouth.