Altar Of God In The New Testament

I. EXORDIUM:

Are you an offering? Are you an altar of GOD?

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show that we are the New Testament altars of GOD under Grace.

IV. TEXT:

Genesis 8:20 (Amplified Bible)

8:20 And Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean [four-footed] animal and of every clean fowl or bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Hebrews 13:10 (Amplified Bible)

13:10 We have an altar from which those who serve and worship in the tabernacle have no right to eat.

Hebrews 13:15 (Amplified Bible)

13:15 Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.

V. THESIS:

I am a living sacrifice and an altar of GOD in the Age of Grace.

VI. TITLE:

Altar of GOD in the New Testament

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Moses (commonly accepted)

B. Date written: 1450 - 1410 B.C.

C. Purpose: The book of Origins

D. To whom written: People of Israel

E. Main theme: Man's sin and the initial steps taken for his redemption by a divine covenant made with a chosen race whose early history is here portrayed.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

F. Keyword: Beginning

G. Key verse: First Messianic Promise,—Genesis 3:15.—Thompson Chain - Bible Book Outlines

Genesis 3:15 (Amplified Bible)

3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her Offspring; He will bruise and tread your head underfoot, and you will lie in wait and bruise His heel.

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. We build an altar - our first response

"And Noah built an altar to the Lord"

The context of the "altar" on the New Testament came from the Greek word: "thusiasterion" meaning:

1. a place of sacrifice

2. the altar for slaying and burning of victims used of

The progressive development of the "ALTAR" in the Bible.

1. A physical altar to offer burnt offerings and sacrifices: the altar of whole burnt offerings which stood in the court of the priests in the temple at Jerusalem.

Sacrifice to be placed: animals

Genesis 8:20 (Amplified Bible)

8:20 And Noah built an altar to the Lord and took of every clean [four-footed] animal and of every clean fowl or bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

2. Altar of incense in the Holy Place - the altar of incense which stood in the sanctuary or the Holy Place.

Sacrifice to be placed: animals

Exodus 37:25 (Amplified Bible)

37:25 And [Bezalel] made the incense altar of acacia wood; its top was a cubit square and it was two cubits high; the horns were one piece with it.

3. The Cross - metaphorically, the cross on which Christ suffered an expiatory death: to eat of this altar, i.e. to appropriate to one’s self the fruits of Christ’s expiatory death

Sacrifice to be placed: The Perfect GOD-Man - CHRIST JESUS, Lamb of GOD

Philippians 2:8 (Amplified Bible)

2:8 And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!

4. We are the altars -

Sacrifice to be placed: Living sacrifice

Hebrews 13:15 (Amplified Bible)

13:15 Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.

Romans 12:1 (Amplified Bible)

12:1 I APPEAL to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the mercies of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1 (The Message)

12:1 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

That's why I remember a song that says "We are an offering!"

B. We prepare and offer ourselves as offering

"and took of every clean [four-footed] animal and of every clean fowl or bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar"

1 Peter 2:5 (Amplified Bible)

2:5 [Come] and, like living stones, be yourselves built [into] a spiritual house, for a holy (dedicated, consecrated) priesthood, to offer up [those] spiritual sacrifices [that are] acceptable and pleasing to God through Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 13:15-16 (Amplified Bible)

13:15 Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.