Majority of Christians have been wrongly churched to be just about as materialistic as the unbelievers however this sermon isn't about money but rather targeted at attacking money-centric error with the subject matter of 'offering' and to dismantle those, in Jesus’ name. To diismantle is to methodically and carefully destroy!
Historicity of Offering:
Cain & Abel were the first humans ever to make an offering; Gen 4:3-4 – see Hebrews 11: 4 (only Abel’s offering was acceptable!... why? In actuality though, God was the first ever to make offering – Gens 3:21 – in other to cloth Adam and Eve. This was antecedent to the cloth-of-righteousness which the perfect sacrifice of the Lamb of God would bring to mankind thousands of years from the Adam’ fall.
Under the Old Testament dispensation, Offerings were a synonym for Sacrifices – in other words, offering were almost always equal to sacrifice. Sacrifices in the Old Testament were of two broad types;
1) Unbloody types - e.g.
first-fruits and tithes
meat and drink-offerings
incense
20 Bloody types - e.g.
burnt-offerings
peace-offerings
sin and trespass offerings
Definitions of Offering:
The English dictionary defines offering as “something offered as a proposal/proposition… oblation, an act of contributing to the funds of a church or charity”.
However, it’s Hebrew origin is from a word mizbe’ah - meaning “to slay”. Now, to slay means to bump off … to kill intentionally and with premeditation. Where there is a slaying, there would be an altar – the first altar spoken of in the Bible is that of Noah, Gen 8:20. Then that of father Abraham in Gen 22:9, and came the divine injunction concerning altar in Exodus 20:24-25. In the tabernacle, and thereafter in the temple, two altars were erected namely;
The altar of burnt offering Exodus 30:28 . Also called the “brazen altar” – Exodus 39:39. And also called “the table of the Lord” - Malachi 1:7.
The altar of incense – Exodus 30:1-10. Also called “the golden altar” – Exodus 39:38, Numbers 4:11. On this altar sweet spices were continually burned with fire taken from the brazen altar. Morning and evening services were commenced by the high priest offering incense on this altar – the burning of incense was a type of prayer – Psalms 141:2, Rev 5:8, 8:3-4.
My bespoke definition is; “An offering is whatever good you can do in the context of your Christian faith and in the course of your walk with The Lord” – see James 4:17.
Bear in mind though that “good” defined is not down to your human senses and sensibilities . ‘Whatever good’ should be so defined by God as evidenced from scriptures – e.g. see Hebrews 12:15, Galatians 5:12.
Types of Offering - i.e. in New Testament context:
1) THOUGHTS – yours is a type of offering… Job 31:1
2) PRAYERS – yours time is a type of offering… 1 Sam. 12:23
3) YOUTH / VIGOUR / STRENGTH – yours is a type of offering… Ecclesiastes 12:1
4) AGED / EXPERIENCE / WISDOM / KNOWLEDGE – yours is a type of offering… Titus 2:4-7
5) RELATIONSHIP – yours is a type of offering… Ezekiel 33:26, Mal 2:15, 1 Pt. 3:6
6) SKILLS / ABILITIES / EXPERTISES – yours is a type of offering… 2 Chron. 2:13-14, Deut. 6:5
7) HOUSEHOLD – yours is a type of offering…Rom 6:11, Act 16:14-15, Josh 24:15
8) HUMAN BODY – yours is a type of offering… 1 Cor. 6:13-20, Rom 12:1
9) WEALTH / MONEY / TIME / POSSESSIONS – yours is a type of offering… Luke 6:38
10) LIFE – yours is a type of offering (a living sacrifice)… Luke 21:34, Col 3:3, 1 Cor. 15:31, Matt 22:37, Luke 14:26 - alas, too many Christians are in love with themselves – i.e. self conceited - to offer their live in any true devotional/commital sense to The Lord and for the warfare course of the Christian walk of faith.
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