Sacrificial Giving Series

Text: Hebrews 13:15-21

Theme: Sacrificial Giving

Greetings: The Lord is good and his love endures forever!

Illustration:

Today, I would like to leave with you three spiritual principles based on Hebrews 13:15-21. The pleasing sacrifices, pleasing lives, and pleasing works of a believer in kingdom of God. The pleasing sacrifices based on Hebrews 13:15-16, the pleasing lives based on Hebrews 13:17-19, and the pleasing works in the kingdom of God based on Hebrews 13:20-21.

1. THE pleasing sacrifices: Praises and materials giving (Hebrews 13:15-16)

These two are pleasing sacrifices to God. The fruit of the lips, and the fruit of the hands. Both are outward expressions of the inner heart. The words of the lips and the deeds of the hands have come from the bottom of the heart. Your inner heart is expressed through your outer facial expressions.

The words of the Lips refer to our prayers, praises, songs, hymns, and gratitude to God. On many occasions we find it to confess the goodness of God within our family members relatives and friends. They are the immediate ones who know about our struggles, challenges, and confessions and stand with faith.

Spurgeon comments that we are called to pray without ceasing and praise without ceasing. Not only in this place or that place but in every place, we are to praise the Lord our God. Not only when we are in a happy frame of mind, but when we are cast down and troubled.

The following verses talk about the sacrifices of the lips. "Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!" (Psalm 107:21-22, ESV). "I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. This will please the Lord more than an ox or a bull with horns and hoofs." (Psalm 69:30-31, ESV).

“What proceeds from the lips is regarded as its fruit, which reveals the character of its source, as the fruit of a tree reveals the nature of the tree.” (Guthrie).

The fruit of the hands is helping others, comforting, hugging and consoling, and patting to encourage them others continually trust Jesus. Ephesians 2.10 says, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do”. Christians should be involved in good works and in generous giving to help others.

The following verses talks about these two sacrifices:

"Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High." (Psalm 50:14, ESV, Psalm 56:12). "I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people." (Psalm 116:17-18, ESV). "The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly, I will show the salvation of God!" (Psalm 50:23, ESV).

“It is through Jesus that we offer sacrifices of praise and sacrifices of good works and sharing to God. It is not just sacrifice that pleases God but sacrifices that are the result of faith in Jesus Christ and a life motivated by the Holy Spirit. We please God when faith in Christ expresses itself through praise that confesses the name of God, and through good works and sharing with others. Every time you lift up the name of God in praise or in testimony, and every time you do good to others in the name of Christ, you are pleasing God.” (Ron Latulippe, Baptist Pastor).

2. THE pleasing Lives with obedience and exemplary living (Hebrews 13:17-19)

Three spiritual sacrifices are mentioned here: Verbal praise. Doing good deeds. Sharing with others (koinonia).

Every born-again disciple of Jesus Christ should accept that first of all he or she is a believer in a local congregation. We need to take the role of an obedient believer and then become an exemplary leader in the immediate context.

As a Leader of the house, we are to live an exemplary life before the spouse, and children in seeking the presence of God, reading the word of God, attending Church services, doing the Lord’s ministry in whatever way we can, and earning the sustenance of the family.

Everyone is expected in the Lord to serve one another. We have a responsible role to play. Prayer life is the foremost example we can set for all. The author of the Hebrews says that he would like to live honorably in every way.

We are simply told to obey those who rule over us. When speaking on the authority of God’s Word, leaders do have a right to tell us how to live and walk after God. “A pastor, or leader should teach us to submit to God, not to himself.” (Chuck Smith). Cooperative conduct is not only a joy to leaders, but it is profitable for the whole body of the church. (Enduring Word Commentary).