Being the New
Testament Priests that Christ Saved us to Be
Hebrews 13:15
Nov 25, 2012 AM
Pastor Craig
Ledbetter
I.
Introduction (1Peter
2:5,9; Rev 1:5,6)
A.
I am standing in front of a
group of New Testament priests
B.
Not like the priests of the
Old Testament
C.
Nor like the priests of the
Roman Catholic Church
D.
Jesus Christ is our one
mediator between God and all men everywhere – He is our high priest. Jesus said
HE is the way, truth, life – no man can come to God but through Him!
E.
All believers, born again by
the Holy Spirit of God, have access to God now, through JUST Jesus, without
priests and rituals and religious ceremonies - Without lambs, bulls, goats,
temples, altars, or mediators between us and God
F.
So, if you are born again this
morning, you have been made into a priest (Rev 1:5,6), called by God to offer to
God not physical sacrifices, but spiritual ones! Much more powerful
sacrifices!
G.
This morning, we will have a
short course on being a New Testament priest, and on HOW we are to make the
spiritual sacrifice of praise to God!
II.
Background
A.
You Need a Good Reason
to Praise
1.
Because God is Good
(Psalm 106:1; 86:5; 145:8,9)
2.
Because praise itself is
powerful! Just How Important is Praise? I know how
important complaining and blaming and grumbling is to most of you! But how
important and MORE powerful is PRAISE?
a.
Powerful Praise Births Victory
(2 Chronicles 20:15-23) – praise is an act of faith
(2Sam 22:4)!
b.
Praise Stops the Advancement
of Wickedness (Psalm 7:14-17)
c.
Praise just focuses on God
(Psalm 18:1-3)
d.
Praise Springs Open Prison
Doors (Acts 16:25-26)
e.
It Worships God (1 Peter 2:9)
f.
It Pleases God (Psalm 50:23)
g.
God is evident when we praise
Him (Psalm 22:3)
3.
So, What are you
waiting for? Psalms 96:8, “Give unto the LORD the
glory due unto his name.”
a.
I notice how so many modern
Christians come to God wanting something FROM Him – okay. Their hands are in
a position of “give me” or “let the blessings fall on me”. It is like they are
waiting to hug some big ol’ fluffy teddy bear.
b.
It is never in a
position to show God or to give to God their heart.
c.
Worship is due to Him!
d.
Unbelief, distrust,
complaining, and murmuring rob God of His honour.
e.
The story is told of a
little old lady who entered a department store. As soon as she came in she was
surrounded by people. A band began to play, an executive pinned an orchid on her
dress and then handed her a brand new $100.00 bill. She was the one-millionth
customer to enter that store. The reporters with TV cameras gathered around to
interview her. “Tell me,” one asked, “just what did you come here for today?”
the lady hesitated for a moment then answered, “I’m on my way to the Complaint
Department.”
f.
God has showered us
with rivers of mercy and forgiveness.
g.
Yet, so often we are on
our way to the complaint department.
h.
God has given us
treasures worth more than all the world put together. We have been saved from
hell and given everlasting life in heaven.
i.
When we complain, we
become blind to all the blessings that surround us.
j.
You’re better than the
one-millionth customer. You have been gloriously and miraculously saved.
k.
God loves you as if you
were His only child!
B.
You Need a Gift
1.
A New Testament Priest
Needs a Gift (Heb 13:15) – Praise! The Sacrifice of “Praise”
2.
The Sacrifice of Praise
is Something We SAY – verbal, not suppressed and hidden!
a.
Like, “Praise the Lord! Thank
you Lord! I applaud you Father! I am grateful to you!”
b.
Murmuring and complaining
doesn’t bless God – as a matter of fact, it greatly angers God! It frustrates
God to no end when we gripe and complain!
c.
Arguing, and fighting doesn’t
bless the Lord! Contentious words are the norm these days instead of wholesome
words that edify and bless the hearer
d.
With God’s help, learn to
TAME/BIND your tongue, and especially your HEART so that you CAN offer praise
continuously
3.
Praise is a Free-Will
Gift to God (Psalm 54:6) – freely given to God!
a.
This is OUR chance to give
back to God something of great value… our applause, our gratefulness, our
appreciation for who he is and what He does - by our own choice!
b.
WE WERE SAVED TO WORSHIP
1)
Jeremiah 13:11, “For as the
girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the
whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they
might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a
glory: but they would not hear.”
2)
Do we hear?
3)
Ephesians 1:5,6,11,12, “Having
predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself,
according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his
grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 11 In whom also we have
obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who
worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to
the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.”
c.
We were born again to worship
the Lord.
1)
If you are not a willing
worshipper then you are a defective product.
2)
You are not doing that which
you were created to do!
3)
Sinners aren’t going to
worship.
4)
½-hearted Christians aren’t
going to worship the Lord.
5)
It will only be those
who really love God.
6)
When it comes to worship it is
either going to be “Thy will” or “My will” be done.
7)
Are you going to fulfil the
purpose you were created for?
8)
YOUR choice, every minute of
every day!
C.
It Needs to be a
Sacrifice – It must be costly or it is not worship
1.
It is a Sacrifice by a
believer! A Very Costly Effort – That’s why it is called a “sacrifice”
2.
It should be our BEST Gift
a.
We are supposed to take our
best gifts, and give them to God as a gift to Him because He has been so good to
you!
b.
How can He get anything LESS
than our best?
c.
So, is your thankfulness your
best? Do you praise God with all your being?
d.
Do we even REALLY mean it?
e.
No wonder praise and
thankfulness is commanded – because we don’t do it naturally (
3.
It will rarely be easy
a.
It will be a sacrifice to do
it. But if you do it of your own free-will, it has priceless value!
b.
It takes a whole lot more
effort to find a way to praise God than to complain! To bless the Lord when we
don’t know why something is happening to us!
4.
What do you see in your life?
a.
As a pastor was talking to a
group of men, he took a large piece of paper and made a black dot in the center
of it with a marking pen. Then he held the paper up before the group and asked
them what they saw.
b.
One person quickly replied, “I
see a black mark.” “Right,” the preacher replied.
c.
“What else do you see?”
Complete silence prevailed. “Don’t you see anything other than the dot?” he
asked. A chorus of no’s came from the audience.
d.
“I’m really surprised,” the
speaker commented. “You have completely overlooked the most important thing of
all—the sheet of paper.”
e.
Then he made the application.
He said that in life we are often distracted by small, dot-like
disappointments or painful experiences, and we are prone to forget the
innumerable blessings we receive from the hand of the Lord. But like the sheet
of paper, the good things are far more important than the adversities that
monopolize our attention.
D.
You Need an Altar
1.
A place where our gift is
given to God - A Sacrifice Needs an Altar
2.
Every sacrifice in the Old
Testament was given on a public altar – a pile of stones that would mark a place
where worship took place!
3.
The “altar” of a Christian, is
not a pile of stones, but ultimately, is a public place
a.
In your heart – begins here –
rebuild this altar of praise!
b.
In your home!
c.
In our church!
d.
On your job, or at school –
everywhere!
e.
The lips of a Christian should
naturally honour God, and bless those around them! If they don’t, then they need
to be converted, and used for PRAISE!
4.
Many “altars” are broken down
(1Kings 18:36-39)
a.
Maybe a new altar to you
b.
Maybe an old altar that has
fallen down and needs to be repaired!
E.
You need a proper
attitude – your clothing
1.
You HAVE to be Right With God
(Psalm 51:15-17)
a.
You cannot bring an offering
with a critical spirit, or when you know someone has a problem with you – as a
matter of fact, you WON’T offer praise when you have a bad attitude or critical
spirit!
b.
You cannot come to God with
wicked imaginations, or just any ol’ way that you feel like it
c.
What did you bring to church
this morning?
d.
We need to pray, “God, open my
lips. For they have been silent to long.”
2.
Broken and contrite heart! Not
proud, arrogant, calloused, hard, unyielding! But soft!
3.
Wearing a Garment of praise
(Isaiah 61:3)
a.
Some people spend HOURS
getting ready to go out – to meet someone – even just to go shopping!
b.
And you tell me you can’t
(WON’T) spend time making sure your HEART is right before you head out into the
world, or before you talk with your husband or wife, or children???
c.
People ought to SEE a garment
of PRAISE on you – not a set of fangs or a baseball bat!
4.
Clothed in humility (1Peter
5:5)
F.
You need a set time –
every morning and evening (1Chron 23:30)
1.
We OUGHT to Praise God ALL THE
TIME!
a.
David said in Ps 34:1 “I will
bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually
be in my mouth.”
b.
In the good times, bad times,
hard times, rough times, night times, day times
2.
But make it your habit to set
aside your mornings and evenings as time when ONLY praise comes out of your
lips!
G.
I’m handing out a Page
with these three categories on it for you to write in. Three gifts of praise to
God. Three things or events that you thank God for
III.
Message
A.
The Easy Gifts of
Praise
1.
Good things that God has done
and blessed you with
2.
Amazing things, People in your
life
3.
When we FEEL like being
thankful – like praising God
a.
When a prayer is answered
b.
When you get a job
c.
When someone gives you a hug
and says they love you and are thankful for you in their life!
4.
And you just redirect that
praise to God
5.
So easy, and so wonderful!
6.
When it is EASY to thank God,
and praise God, and worship God, and appreciate what he is allowing in your
life, that is when you are GIVING the EASY Sacrifice of Praise! Nothing wrong
with that either!
B.
The Hard Gifts
1.
These will be the times when
you lacked blessings, and God seemed to skip over you
2.
PRAISE God anyway, simply
because HE is good
3.
Loss of things, and loss of
people, friends, even family
a.
Job lost everything, in TWO
waves of disaster! And praised God as a worthy sacrifice
1)
Job 1:20,21 Then Job arose,
and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and
worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I
return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name
of the LORD.
2)
Job 2:10 But he said unto her,
Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good
at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin
with his lips.
b.
Paul suffered the loss of all
things, AND he counted it all as but dung!
1)
Php 3:6-8 Concerning zeal,
persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law,
blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea
doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ
2)
GLAD to see it all go since
they were replaced with just Jesus!
4.
When it is HARD to thank God,
and praise God, and worship God, and appreciate what he is allowing in your
life, that is when you are GIVING the Hard Sacrifice of Praise!
C.
The Impossible Gifts
1.
The taking away of things that
you love - Abraham and his son Isaac (Genesis 22:1-12)
2.
The experiences and times that
you hated to go through
a.
That you believe were the
worst possible times in your life
b.
Yet now you know that they
were carefully allowed by God in your life – there was never a time that God was
not at work, working everything out for GOOD
3.
Joseph believed this (Gen
50:20)
a.
When his own brothers wanted
him dead and ended up selling him into slavery for a few pieces of silver – that
was HARD
b.
But then when his slavery
turned into prison and prison into death row and about to be executed for crimes
which he was totally innocent of – well THAT was IMPOSSIBLE to thank God for (at
least naturally) – but Joseph did it anyway!!!
4.
When it is IMPOSSIBLE to thank
God, praise God, worship God, and appreciate what He is allowing in your life,
that is when you are GIVING the Impossible Sacrifice of Praise!
D.
Praise belongs to God, not
because it is easy, hard or impossible, but because He is worthy
– it is due unto Him!
IV.
Conclusion
A.
If you are born again this
morning, you have been made into a priest, called by God to offer to God not
physical sacrifices, but spiritual ones! Much more powerful sacrifices!
B.
This morning, I have given you
a short course on being a New Testament priest, and on HOW we are to make the
spiritual sacrifice of praise to God!
C.
Will you offer the sacrifice
of praise this morning?
D.
Can we make church this
morning, a time of spiritual sacrifices?
E.
You Have Some Good
Reasons to Praise
1.
Because God is Good
(Psalm 106:1; 86:5; 145:8,9)
2.
Because praise itself is
powerful!
F.
Praise is your Gift –
some honouring words from your heart that you choose to say!
G.
It Will Almost Always
be a Sacrifice – at high cost to the worshipper
H.
You Have an Altar –
starts in your heart, then at home, and then everywhere!
I.
You will need a proper
attitude – proper clothing
1.
Broken and contrite heart! Not
proud, arrogant, calloused, hard, unyielding! But soft!
2.
A Garment of praise (Isaiah
61:3)
3.
Clothed in humility (1Peter
5:5)
J.
Set a time – every
morning and evening (1Chron 23:30)
K.
Have you filled out
your Page with these three categories on it for you to write in. Three gifts of
praise to God. Three things or events that you thank God for
1.
The Easy Gifts of
Praise
2.
The Hard Gifts
3.
The Impossible Gifts
L.
Let’s present them now!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
HANDOUT ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Being the New Testament Priests
that Christ Saved us to Be
Hebrews 13:15
A.
You Have Some Good
Reasons to Praise
B.
Praise is your Gift –
some honouring words from your heart that you choose to say!
C.
It Will Almost Always
be a Sacrifice – at high cost to the worshipper
D.
You Have an Altar –
starts in your heart, then at home, and then everywhere!
E.
You will need a proper
attitude
F.
Set a time – every
morning and evening (1Chron 23:30)
My Three Gifts of
Praise to God
A.
The Easy Gifts of
Praise
1.
For
the Good things that God has done and blessed you with
2.
When
it is EASY to thank God, and praise God, and worship God, and appreciate what he
is allowing in your life, that is when you are GIVING the EASY Sacrifice of
Praise!
B.
The Hard Gifts
1.
These will be the times when you lacked blessings, and God seemed to skip
over you
2.
Loss
of things, and loss of people, friends, even family
3.
When
it is HARD to thank God, and praise God, and worship God, and appreciate what he
is allowing in your life, that is when you are GIVING the Hard Sacrifice of
Praise!
C.
The Impossible Gifts
1.
The
taking away of things that you love –
like with Abraham and his son Isaac , and with Joseph
2.
The
experiences and times that you hated to go through
3.
When
it is IMPOSSIBLE to thank God, praise God, worship God, and appreciate what He
is allowing in your life, that is when you are GIVING the Impossible Sacrifice
of Praise!