Well, the scripture which I'll
bring before you this morning is found in Hebrews chapter 13,
verses 15 and 16. Hebrews chapter 13, verses 15
and 16. By Him, therefore, let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit
of our lips, giving thanks to His name. but to do good and
to communicate. Forget not, for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased. We have in these verses two great
sacrifices which are well pleasing to God. The first has to do with
God. By him, therefore, let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit
of our lips, giving thanks to his name. The second has to do
with our neighbor. But to do good and to communicate,
forget not. Although one has to do with God
and one has to do with our neighbour, they are both of them sacrifices
to God. For with such sacrifices, God
is well pleased. These are spiritual sacrifices,
gospel sacrifices, offered to God and well pleasing to Him. You know, there are other sacrifices
with which God is not well pleased. Proverbs 15 verse 8, the sacrifice
of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of
the upright is his delight. God does not delight in the prayers
of the wicked. Hypocritical worship is an abomination
to him. Again in the Proverbs, the sacrifice
of the wicked is abomination. How much more when he bringeth
it with a wicked mind? Even those sacrifices which were
offered under the law are not acceptable in the sight of God. Will I eat the flesh of bulls
or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving and
pay thy vows unto the Most High. Psalm 50. In Psalm 51 we read,
O Lord, open thou my lips and my mouth shall show forth thy
praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice,
else would I give it. Thou delightest not in burnt
offering. Isaiah uses very strong language. He says, He that killeth an ox
is as if he slew a man. He that sacrificeth a lamb as
if he cut off a dog's neck. He that offereth an oblation
as if he offered swine's blood. he that burneth incense as if
he blessed an idol. Now these were all sacrifices
which were offered under the law, but God does not delight
in them. And this is the whole thrust
of Paul's epistle to the Hebrews, to show the superiority of the
gospel dispensation over the legal dispensation, to show that
Christ is superior, to all the angels in heaven, and to Moses,
the man of God, to show that the priesthood of Christ, which
is after the order of Melchizedek, is superior to the Aaronic priesthood,
to show the superiority of Christ's sacrifice over all the legal
sacrifices, those sacrifices which were offered under the
law. The key word in this epistle
is better. Better. a better testament, a
better covenant, better promises, better sacrifices, a better and
an enduring substance, a better country that isn't heavenly,
a better resurrection, better things, and so on. We read of
a more excellent name, a more excellent ministry, a more excellent
sacrifice, The Holy Spirit shows us in this
epistle the superiority of the gospel to the law. The law had
a shadow of good things to come, but in the gospel we see the
very image, the very substance of those good things. The law
had a shadow, but the gospel has the substance. And what is
the substance? Well, it's Christ himself. For
the law, having a shadow of good things to come and not the very
image of the things, can never, with those sacrifices which they
offered year by year continually, make the comers thereunto perfect.
The sacrifices of the law could never take away sin. They were
merely the shadow of the great sacrifice which Christ would
offer up as our Great High Priest. For it is not possible that the
blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when
he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering
thou wouldst not, but a body hast thou prepared me. In burnt
offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
Then said I, Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written
of me, to do thy will, O God. Again there in chapter 10, verse
11, and every priest standeth daily ministering and offering
oftentimes the same sacrifices which can never take away sins.
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice, for sins forever,
sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforth expecting
till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering
he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. The Lord Jesus Christ. Our great
high priest offered up himself as the great sacrifice to make
atonement for the sins of his church, his people. He has offered
the one sacrifice for sins forever. And that sacrifice was his own
body on the tree as Peter says, who his own self bear our sins
in his own body on the tree. And as it's written again here
in Hebrew, so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. This sacrifice which the Lord
Jesus Christ has offered up was a once and for all sacrifice,
a once and for all sacrifice That is a once and for all time
sacrifice. Not a once and for all people
sacrifice, as some would have it, but a once and for all time,
never to be repeated sacrifice. This is emphasized time and again
here in Paul's epistle to the Hebrews. For such an high priest
became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,
and made higher than the heavens, who needeth not, as those high
priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then
for the people's. For this he did once, when he
offered up himself. The Apostle says in chapter 10
that we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus
Christ once for all. And again in that 10th chapter
he says that there remaineth no more sacrifices, no more sacrifice
for sin. No more sacrifice for sin. There
is no other sacrifice for sin. And so we must note as we consider
and these gospel sacrifices this morning from the words of our
text. These sacrifices are not sacrifices for sin. No amount
of praise, no amount of thanksgiving, no amount of any form of religious
worship, no amount of chapel attending, no amount of doing
good, of giving to the poor, of communicating to others, can
ever take away sin or atone for sin. not the labour of my hands can
fulfil the law's demands, could my zeal no respite know, could
my tears forever flow, all for sin could not atone, thou must
save and thou alone says Augusta's top lady under the law there
were not only burnt offerings, sin offering the trespass offerings
all of which were offered on account of sin, the transgression
of the law but there were also other sacrifices which were offered
such as the peace offerings which were offered in order to express
gratitude for mercies received as seen in Leviticus chapter
7 verse 11 And this is the law of the sacrifice
of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the Lord, if
he offer it for a thanksgiving. Then he shall offer, with the
sacrifice of thanksgiving, unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened
wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, and of
fine flour fried. Besides the cakes he shall offer
for his offering, leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
of his peace offerings. These peace offerings, you see,
were offered for thanksgiving. not to make atonement for sin.
Now, no doubt it would have been objected against
the Christians of the first century by the unbelieving Jews that
the New Testament church had no priest. But Paul here shows
in this epistle that the Lord Jesus Christ is our high priest
and a greater high priest than ever the Jews had under the law.
Chapter 7, verse 23. And truly they were many priests,
because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death,
but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able to save
them to the uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever
liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became
us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made
higher than the heavens, who need if not daily as those high
priests to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then
for the people's. For this he did once when he
offered up himself. Oh, but we have a covenant, say
the Jews. We have a better covenant, says
Paul. In chapter 8, verse 10. For this
is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after
those days, saith the Lord. I will put my laws into their
mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them
a God and they shall be to me a people. And they shall not
teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying,
Know the Lord. For all shall know me from the
least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember
no more. In that he saith a new covenant,
he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth
old is ready to vanish away. But we have the temple, and all
the temple worship boasts the Jews. Where is your temple? We have a greater and more perfect
tabernacle, not made with hands. That is to say, not of this building,
says Paul in chapter nine, verse 11. Where are your sacrifices for
sin? Ask the Jews, will we have a better sacrifice? Answers Paul,
chapter nine, verse 12. Neither by the blood of goats
and calves, but by his own blood, he entered in once into the holy
place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the
blood of bulls and of goats and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling
the unclean sanctify to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall
the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself
without spot to God purged your conscience from dead works to
serve the living God. But where is your altar? Verse 10 of this chapter, we
have an altar whereof they have no right to eat which serve the
tabernacle. Christ is our water. Christ is
our water. Now an altar is for sacrifice,
is it not? And so, although there remaineth no more sacrifice for
sins, there are yet nevertheless sacrifices which are to be offered
under the gospel. Just as under the law there were
other sacrifices offered besides those which were offered on account
of sin and transgression. There were the peace offerings.
So there are yet sacrifices to be offered under the gospel. By him, therefore, let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit
of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and
to communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased. We know firstly that these sacrifices
are offered by or through Jesus Christ. that is upon him as our
altar. Remember it is the altar which
sanctifies the gift. These sacrifices are offered
as it were upon him as our altar and through him as our mediator. For there is one God and one
mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. and so
these sacrifices are acceptable to God for his sake who is the
altar that sanctifies the gift the Puritan John Owen makes this
comment in his commentary on Hebrews he says there is a profane
opinion and practice in the papal church about offering sacrifices
of prayer and praise to God by others as by saints and angels,
especially the Blessed Virgin. But are they our altar? Did they
sanctify us by their blood? Did they suffer for us without
the gate? Are they the high priests of the church? Have they made
us priests unto God, or prepared a new and living way for our
entrance unto the throne of grace? It is on account of these things
that we are said to offer sacrifice by Christ, and it is the highest
blasphemy to assign them unto any other. And we would say,
are men to that? Absolutely, for there is one
God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
For as we have it here in the words of our text, by Him, therefore,
let us offer the sacrifice. And secondly, seeing that we
have these greater spiritual blessings under the gospel, these
better, these more excellent things, then let us leave behind
that which belongs to the law. This is what is meant by the
word therefore. It's referring to what's been said previously.
In verse 10, We have an altar whereof they have no right to
eat which serve the tabernacle. For the bodies of those beasts
whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest
for sin are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus also that
he might sanctify the people with his own blood suffered without
the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto
him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here we have
no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore
let us offer the sacrifice by him therefore let us offer the
sacrifice we are to leave behind those weak and beggarly elements
that's how paul in galatians describes the things which belong
to the law those weak and beggarly elements in galatians chapter
4 verse 9 But now, after that ye have known
God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak
and beggarly elements? Whereunto ye desire again to
be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months,
and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have
bestowed upon you labouring vain. Now if we are to leave behind
us the things of the law than how much more the things of paganism. I don't believe there is anything
more offensive to God than the mingling of paganism with Christianity. There is nothing more offensive
to God than the mingling of the pure and holy religion of Jesus
Christ with paganism and pagan worship and pagan holy days.
For as much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible
things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received
by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of
Christ. And that is as true for Gentile as it is for Jew. In the third place, let us consider
who they are who are to offer up these spiritual sacrifices.
By him, therefore, let us, says the apostle, let us offer the
sacrifice of praise to God. Who are the us? They are those
for whom the Lord Jesus has obtained eternal redemption. They are those for whom He now
appears in the presence of God. They are those whose consciences
are purged from dead works to serve the living God. They are
those who are sanctified by the blood of Christ, who are going
forth unto Him and who are seeking a city to come. Wherefore Jesus,
also that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered
without the gate, led us Go forth therefore unto him without account,
bearing his reproach, for here have we no continuing city, but
we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually. Under the law, it
was the priests who were to offer up sacrifices. under the Gospel,
the Lord Jesus Christ has sanctified His people and made them priests,
that they might offer up spiritual sacrifices to God through Him,
unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,
and have made us kings and priests unto God and His Father. To Him be glory and dominion
for ever and ever. Amen. Says John in the Revelation. Peter says in his first epistle,
ye also as lively stones are built up a spiritual house and
holy priesthood. to offer up spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. And he goes on to tell us what
those spiritual sacrifices are. 1 Peter 2 verse 9. But ye are
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation,
a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. and in the next verse 1 Peter
2 verse 10 he tells us something quite remarkable which in time
past were not a people but are now the people of God which had
not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy here again we see the superiority
of the gospel dispensation over the legal dispensation you see
the priesthood is not now limited to a very small part of ethnic
Israel or the Jewish nation. It now comprises all those who
have obtained mercy through our Lord Jesus Christ, both men and
women, Jew and Gentile. Do I believe in women priests?
Yes, I do. I believe in the priesthood of
all believers. Women are to offer these spiritual sacrifices of
which we're speaking, as well as men. And as to Gentiles being
made priests, this mystery was witnessed by the law in the writings
of the prophets. See for example Isaiah 66, And
they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles, we read in verse
19, and then in verse 21, And I will also take of them for
priests and for Levites, saith the Lord. Yes, Gentile priests
and Levites. Gentile priests and Levites.
This scripture is fulfilled in the Gospel Church. This is that
chosen generation being elect according to the foreknowledge
of God the Father. This is that royal priesthood
being made kings and priests by the Lord Jesus Christ and
sanctified by His offering. Oh, this is that holy nation,
that peculiar people which is sovereignly and graciously quickened
into newness of life by the gracious and sovereign operation of God
the Holy Ghost. Now we note that under the law
the offering usually involved the slaying of the creature.
It was so in the case of the peace offerings which were offered for Thanksgiving As we mentioned earlier, we have
the detail of the slaying of the creature in Leviticus chapter
3, verses 3-5 for example. And he shall offer the sacrifice
of the peace offering, an offering made by fire unto the Lord, the
fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon
the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them,
which is by the flanks, and the call above the liver, with the
kidneys, it shall he take away. And Aaron's sons shall burn it
on the altar upon the burnt sacrifice, which is upon the wood, that
is on the fire. It is an offering made by fire
of a sweet savour unto the Lord. So there was to be the slaying
of the creature. So it is under the Gospel. There
must be the slaying of the creature. That is inwardly and spiritually. There must be the sacrifice of
a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart. O Lord, open thou my lips, and
my mouth shall show forth thy praise. For thou desirest not
sacrifice, else would I give it. Thou delightest not in burnt
offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken
spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou would not
despise. Before the showing forth of God's praise, there must be
the slaying of the creature. the inward slaying of the creature
to any creature hope, that is, any hope in self. There must
be the slaying of the creature to any creature righteousness
or self-righteousness. There must be the slaying of
the creature to any creature religion, any religion that is
of the flesh. These are the sacrifices of God,
a broken spirit and a broken and a contrite heart that will
not despise. The inwards, you see, were to
be placed upon the altar. Now the creature will not slay
itself. This is only something which
God can give. The creature will not slay itself.
The flesh will not crucify itself. The slaying of the creature takes
place when the law of God, specifically the Ten Commandments, is applied
to the heart and to the conscience by the spirit of the living God
as Paul said in Romans chapter 7 for without the law sin was
dead for I was alive without the law once but when the commandment
came sin revived and I died oh there must be the slang of the
creature of all creature religion And when and where there is that
real conviction of sin, then there will be a real turning
to God and real prayer to God. O Israel, return unto the Lord
thy God, for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. take with
you words and turn to the Lord say unto him take away all iniquity
and receive us graciously so will we so will we render the
calves of our limbs. Iniquity is taken away in the
shed blood of the crucified Saviour, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is the only purgatory
for sin. There is no other atonement for
sin, no other sacrifice for sin, but the blood of Christ. And
where there is the application of that precious blood to the
conscience, there will be the purging of the conscience from
dead works to serve the living God. Isn't that what Paul says
here in Hebrews chapter nine and verse 13? For if the blood of bulls and
of goats and the ashes of heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifyeth
to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the
living God? Ah, then there will be the rendering
of the calves of our lips, then there will be the true serving
of the Living God with sacrifices of thanksgiving and of praise
through our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, let us go on in the fourth
place and the final place to consider more particularly these
two great gospel sacrifices, which we have in the words of
our text. By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of
praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips,
giving thanks to his name, but to do good and to communicate. forget not for with such sacrifices
God is well pleased the first of these sacrifices has to do
with God as we said at the very outset by him that is by the
Lord Jesus Christ therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise
to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks
to his name and we note the word continually Continually. This sacrifice is to be offered
continually at all times and in all seasons. Continually. In times of prosperity and in
times of adversity and affliction. When it is convenient and when
it's not convenient. I remember reading a biography
of the late John Marshall, who was for over 40 years the minister
at the Congregational Chapel in Hemel Hempstead. He was a
good man and a good preacher. Apparently on a family camping
trip he would begin the morning with the singing of a psalm of
praise. His children were embarrassed because the people in the other
tents would hear them and so they asked their father to sing
quietly or to read the psalm. His response was to say that
he was not ashamed to sing the praises of God no matter who
heard. when it is convenient, when it
is not convenient, in times of temptation and in times of persecution. Think of the martyrs of the Reformation
who went to their deaths singing the praises of God. Yes, they
even sang psalms as the very fire was consuming their bodies. Let us offer the sacrifice of
praise to God continually, continually. The Lord Jesus, the Lord our
God, he blesses us continually, does he not? Should we not then
praise him continually? Blessed be the Lord who daily
loatheth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation, seer.
The Lord our God is worthy of continual praise. From the rising
of the sun unto the going down of the same, the Lord's name
is to be praised. O let the redeemed continually
praise the Father for that redemption which Christ has procured for
them, and which the Holy Spirit has applied to their hearts.
O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy
endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord
say so, whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy. All the angels in heaven are
continually praising God Those who are redeemed from earth,
who are redeemed from among men, surely have more reason than
the angels of God to praise him. If the angels praise him, how
much more those who are redeemed. And we notice too that this sacrifice
is offered verbally and vocally. Let the redeemed of the Lord
say so. whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy. Our
text reads, By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of
praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving
thanks to his name. Or as it is in the margin, By
him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,
that is, the fruit of our lips, confessing to his name. Confessing
to his name. Prayer. is the highest and the
most solemn act that any creature can perform. The creature addressing
his Creator. And this is the sacrifice which
believer priests are to offer up under the New Covenant. Pray without ceasing In everything
give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you. Prayer is likened to incense
and sacrifice. In Psalm 141, let my prayer be
set forth before thee as incense and the lifting up of my hands
as the evening sacrifice. and surely all those who have
a saving interest in Christ's spiritual kingdom will be much
in prayer for that kingdom. In Psalm 72 we read of Christ
and his kingdom, He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence
and precious shall their blood be in his sight and he shall
live. Now here is the death and resurrection
of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has redeemed his people by
his death and he now lives. and he shall live and to him
shall be given of the gold of Sheba prayer also shall be made
for him continually and daily shall he be praised and so we
have it here in the words of our text by him therefore let
us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the
fruit of our lips giving thanks or confessing to his name this
is the first of the two sacrifices which are offered under the gospel
the second we have in verse 16 but to do good and to communicate
forget not the first has to do with God this has to do with
our neighbour now see here the amazing condescension of our
God the good that we do to and for others, the Lord looks upon
as a sacrifice rendered to himself. Consider this also. When we do
not good, when it is in our power to do so, and when we do not
communicate, when we have the opportunity and the ability,
we are robbing God of that sacrifice which is due to Him. the French reformer John Calvin
says when therefore love does not prevail among us we do not
only rob men of their rights but God himself remember the proverb he that
hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord I use the word remember quite
deliberately because our text says doesn't it but to do good
and to communicate forget not Forget not. Oh, we're so prone to forget.
We're so prone to forget those who are in need, those who need
our help. Why? Because we are so taken up with
our own needs, with our own cares and concerns. The apostle at
the beginning of this chapter reminds us not to forget and to remember. Let brotherly love continue,
be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have
entertained angels unawares. Remember them that are in bonds
as being bound with them and them which suffer adversity as
being yourselves also in the body. Well we need these reminders,
we need these continual reminders because we're so prone to forget,
we're so prone to forget because we are so taken up with our own
concerns. The story is told in America
of a woman who was dying. Before she died, she called her
young son to her bedside. His name was James. She said
to him, I want you to be James III. The lad grew up and eventually
he went to college and when he was asked his name, he always
said that his name was James III. His fellow students were
very curious and they asked him if it had something to do with
English history. Was he descended from royalty?
One suggested that he might be the third child in the family
with the name of James. He said no. He told them what
his mother had said to him before she died. And he gave this explanation. Christ must be first. My neighbour
second. Myself the third. And so I am
James the third. How we need to be reminded continually
of these things. You see, the world says, look
after number one. That's what the world says, isn't
it? Look after number one. As Paul writes to the Philippians,
for all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's.
And he commends the believers there at Philippi, doesn't he? In chapter four, verse 14, he
says, notwithstanding, ye have done well that ye did communicate
with my affliction. Now you Philippians know also
that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from
Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving
and receiving, but ye only. For even in Thessalonica, ye
sent once and again unto my necessity, not because I desire a gift,
but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. but I have all
that abound, I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the
things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a
sacrifice, acceptable, well-pleasing to God. These works of mercy are better
than the Old Testament sacrifices. As the Lord said to the Pharisees,
but go ye and learn what that meaneth I will have mercy and
not sacrifice and see what Micah says wherewith shall I come before
the Lord and bow myself before the high God shall I come before
him with burnt offerings with calves of a year old Will the
Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands
of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for
my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
He hath showed thee, O man, what is good, and what doth the Lord
require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk
humbly with thy God. Well, these then are the two
great evangelical sacrifices, which are to be offered by the
believer priests of the New Testament, thanksgiving and almsgiving,
prayers and praises to God. And as we have opportunity to
do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household
of faith. These sacrifices are well pleasing
to God. for with such sacrifices God
is well pleased. And these sacrifices are well
pleasing to God by the virtue of the one by whom and through
whom and for whose sake they are offered, even our Lord Jesus
Christ. By him, therefore, let us offer
the sacrifice continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving
thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate
forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.