Hebrews 13
Hebrews 13:15-16
“15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased”.
Hebrews 13:15-16 (NIV)
"15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. 16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased".
Chapter 13 of Hebrews offers instructions for us to follow in our Christian journey and speaks to love, charity, sexual purity, and contentment. The unknown author additionally presents instructions for spiritual living, which include respecting spiritual leaders, maintaining sound doctrine, and stressing that Jesus and His truth do not change – warning against following other teachings. The chapter compares the old covenant and Jesus' ministry and encourages the reader to hold steadfast to His teaching and not that of the world. The writer ends the chapter with a blessing to his readers.
Today we will look specifically at verse fifteen. We are people of the New Covenant, and our altar is the cross, and our High Priest is Jesus. Scripture instructs us to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continuously. Praise is a sacrifice that means bringing our best (God commanded the best animals as offerings for sacrifice in the Old Testament) to Him, giving Him our full attention even when we seem overwhelmed by a difficult circumstance or season in our lives. Praise comes as we choose to honor God despite our pain. Praise keeps us focused not on our situation, but on: the One Who is the Banner which goes before us; the One Who Heals, the One Who is our Peace, the One Who is our Righteousness; the One Who is our Shepherd; the One Who Sanctifies us; God Almighty; God of the Covenant; Everlasting God; Mighty God; Most High; LORD.
The Old Testament and New Testament are rich with instructions related to praise and worship. One biblical reference states there are 334 verses about praise, and another reference states praise occurs 259 times and worship 188 times. The King James Version and the 1599 Geneva Version
tell the reader that God inhabits His people's praises in Psalm 22. Praise invites the Lord's presence, and He dwells close to us. This quote is from an A.W. Tozer devotion: "The modern Christian has lost a sense of worship along with the concept of majesty, and of course, reverence as well. He has lost his ability to withdraw inwardly and commune in the secret place with God in the shrine of his own hidden spirit. It is this that makes Christianity, and we have all but lost it." I do not know about you, but I need to withdraw inwardly and commune in the secret place with God. I desperately need that time of worship and praise. We are all created in His image, yet we are also uniquely different, and our praise and worship methods are also unique to us. Whatever genre of music and mode of worship resonates with you, the important thing is to offer it as a sacrifice of praise with your lips to Jehovah.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, guide us, teach us, enable us to find that secret place with You. Communion with You is necessary for breathing. Help us, in our human frailty, to comprehend Your majesty, to honor You with reverence, worship, and praise. Life without this abiding is empty, powerless, and does not honor You. We are Your children. We are part of Your royal priesthood. Forgive us when we do not offer praise and worship worthy of Your Majesty.
In the name of Jesus,
Amen