How can we offer "burnt offerings" of praise in our modern Christian walk? Key Verse “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.” (Hebrews 13:15) Old Testament Foundations • A burnt offering was fully consumed on the altar (Leviticus 1:9). • Its smoke rose heavenward as “a pleasing aroma to the LORD,” symbolizing total surrender. • The worshiper kept nothing back; every part belonged to God. Fulfillment in Christ • Jesus is “a fragrant sacrificial offering to God” (Ephesians 5:2). • His once-for-all sacrifice opened the way for believers to become “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:5). • Our praise, then, is not a token gesture; it mirrors the completeness of the ancient burnt offering—everything on the altar, nothing reserved. What Burnt Offerings of Praise Look Like Today • Constant: “His praise will always be on my lips” (Psalm 34:1). • Costly: praise in pain or uncertainty (Psalm 50:23). • Christ-centered: declaring what God has done through the cross and resurrection. • Corporate and personal: in gathered worship (Colossians 3:16) and in private moments alike. Practical Expressions • Verbal thanksgiving—spoken, sung, written. • Obedient living—aligning choices with Scripture even when inconvenient (John 14:15). • Generous giving—time, resources, service (Philippians 4:18). • Evangelistic witness—lips that “confess His name” before people (Matthew 10:32). • Fruitful endurance—steadfast faith under trial (James 1:12). Inner Attitudes God Honors • Brokenness over sin: “A broken and a contrite heart…You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). • Gratitude for grace: Hosea 14:2 equates “the fruit of our lips” with sacrificial bulls. Words of heartfelt thanks replace ritual animals. • Joyful reverence: glad submission to God’s holiness (Psalm 100:2). Living Sacrificially Every Day • Present your body “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1). • Moment-by-moment surrender—work, study, parenting, leisure all placed on the altar. • Continual reliance on the Holy Spirit, whose indwelling fire keeps the sacrifice burning (Romans 8:13–14). Final Thoughts Burnt offerings of praise in the New Covenant are wholehearted, all-consuming responses to Christ’s finished work. When our lips, lives, and loves are placed entirely at His disposal, the aroma rises heavenward just as surely as smoke from the ancient altar, bringing glory to God and joy to His people. |
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