1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:08,040 The three offices are the office of prophet, priest, and king. 2 00:00:08,040 --> 00:00:14,880 As we observed last week, our Lord Jesus Christ wonderfully fulfills each of those offices. 3 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:22,900 He is the prophet spoken of by Moses in Deuteronomy 18.15 when he told the people that there would 4 00:00:22,900 --> 00:00:30,520 come a prophet from among them and that they should give close heed to what he had to say. 5 00:00:30,520 --> 00:00:36,520 At least twice in the book of Acts, the apostles clearly understood that to be a prophecy of 6 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:37,520 the Lord Jesus Christ. 7 00:00:37,520 --> 00:00:39,760 He is the prophet. 8 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:47,920 I remind you of the band of men sent from the priests and Levites in Jerusalem to inquire 9 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,680 of John the Baptist as to who he was. 10 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:53,640 They said, are you the Christ? 11 00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:54,640 He said, no. 12 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:58,640 They said, are you then Elijah? 13 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:01,640 He said, I am not. 14 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:02,640 What then? 15 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:04,720 Are you the prophet? 16 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:07,440 Thinking of that verse, he said no. 17 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,200 And they said, well who in the world are you? 18 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:15,280 He went on to say, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the 19 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,440 Lord. 20 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:27,240 You see even those men sent out from the priests understood who the prophet was to be. 21 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:30,880 The Lord Jesus Christ is that prophet. 22 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,880 Then the Lord Jesus Christ is the great high priest. 23 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:42,120 Jesus, the Son of God, has passed through the heavens and there in his heavenly session 24 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:47,440 he intercedes before the throne of God for us as our great high priest. 25 00:01:47,440 --> 00:01:50,360 He is the leader of our priesthood. 26 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,000 And then he is the king. 27 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:56,980 The Bible calls him the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 28 00:01:56,980 --> 00:02:01,200 When he returns to the earth at the close of the tribulation period, it will be as the 29 00:02:01,200 --> 00:02:02,920 king. 30 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:10,400 He will come on his white charger and across his body will be emblazoned King of Kings 31 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:12,480 and Lord of Lords. 32 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:18,920 And he will put down all other authority and will rule with a rod of iron as prophesied 33 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:20,840 throughout the Old Testament. 34 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:28,600 He will establish the kingdom for a thousand years upon the earth. 35 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,960 Because you and I who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ in this age are identified with 36 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:40,600 him, there is a sense in which we too have responsibilities relating to each of those 37 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,120 offices. 38 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,440 Our key text for this thought is found in 1 Peter chapter 2. 39 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:55,160 I invite your attention there to the ninth verse. 40 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:58,680 First Peter chapter 2 verse 9. 41 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:08,400 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, 42 00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:14,160 that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into 43 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,800 his marvelous light. 44 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:24,520 Now we see there that we are called that we may proclaim God's excellencies. 45 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:26,840 That's the work of a prophet, isn't it? 46 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:31,880 One who proclaims, who tells forth the glories of the Lord. 47 00:03:31,880 --> 00:03:39,200 And so there is a sense in which we are called to be prophets in that general sense. 48 00:03:39,200 --> 00:03:40,800 And then he uses the word royal. 49 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:45,000 He says we are a royal priesthood. 50 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:51,680 To Timothy the apostle writes and says, if we suffer with him we will also reign with 51 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:53,600 him. 52 00:03:53,600 --> 00:03:58,680 We have that privilege by the grace of God to be joint heirs with Jesus Christ of all 53 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:06,000 that he will inherit, including the kingdom, so that we will reign with Christ. 54 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:11,440 And so we have in a sense the office of king or of royalty sharing the throne with our 55 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:13,320 Savior. 56 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,880 And then he uses that very noun priesthood. 57 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:19,440 He says we are a royal priesthood. 58 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:25,280 As that thought that we're zeroing in on on these Sunday nights, you and I who have trusted 59 00:04:25,280 --> 00:04:29,680 the Lord Jesus Christ are priests. 60 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:32,960 We often think of ourselves in various roles. 61 00:04:32,960 --> 00:04:39,680 We think of ourselves as servants or as ambassadors of Jesus Christ or as good soldiers who fight 62 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,880 the good fight of faith. 63 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:47,500 But we don't often think of ourselves as priests, do we? 64 00:04:47,500 --> 00:04:52,920 And yet our priesthood is one of the most important aspects of our function in this 65 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:54,760 world. 66 00:04:54,760 --> 00:04:57,760 You are a priest. 67 00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:59,480 Male or female, it makes no difference. 68 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,560 Young or old, we are all called to be priests. 69 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:08,320 There is not a class of people who are set aside to be the priests. 70 00:05:08,320 --> 00:05:11,560 All of us together are priests. 71 00:05:11,560 --> 00:05:14,920 That's why we talk about the priesthood of the believer. 72 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:21,240 As we saw last week, we have been consecrated by God to that office. 73 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:26,200 We drew a parallel between the Old Testament priesthood and ours. 74 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:31,320 In the Old Testament, those who were priests had to be born into the right family, didn't 75 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:32,520 they? 76 00:05:32,520 --> 00:05:38,040 They had to be of the tribe of Levi if they were to serve in the tabernacle, and if they 77 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:43,880 were to be priests, they had to be born into the family of Aaron within the tribe of Levi. 78 00:05:43,880 --> 00:05:50,180 Likewise, you and I, by our birth into God's family are priests. 79 00:05:50,180 --> 00:05:56,080 Every one of God's children at this age is consecrated to that office by birth. 80 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:59,540 And then in the Old Testament, those priests, as they were set apart to their office, had 81 00:05:59,540 --> 00:06:01,800 to be washed. 82 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,800 They were bathed. 83 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,440 Likewise, you and I have experienced a washing. 84 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:15,260 It is called the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit in Titus 3.5. 85 00:06:15,260 --> 00:06:19,900 We have been washed from our sins in the precious blood of Christ. 86 00:06:19,900 --> 00:06:23,320 So we are qualified and consecrated in that sense as well. 87 00:06:23,320 --> 00:06:27,640 In the Old Testament, the priests had to have proper clothing. 88 00:06:27,640 --> 00:06:32,280 That clothing was fashioned by God. 89 00:06:32,280 --> 00:06:36,840 It was prepared, and the people wore it. 90 00:06:36,840 --> 00:06:40,000 You and I have clothing spiritually by which we stand before God. 91 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,520 It is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. 92 00:06:43,520 --> 00:06:49,480 That is the desire of the apostle in Philippians 3.9 where he says that his desire is to be 93 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:53,760 found in Christ having his righteousness. 94 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:58,760 The psalmist ties together with that in Psalm 132, verse 9, when he says, Let thy priests 95 00:06:58,760 --> 00:07:03,960 be clothed with righteousness. 96 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:08,240 And finally, the Old Testament priesthood was anointed to the office with a very special 97 00:07:08,240 --> 00:07:10,160 anointing oil. 98 00:07:10,160 --> 00:07:14,220 And as we saw last week, we too have been anointed by God. 99 00:07:14,220 --> 00:07:20,520 And the anointing that we have is the Holy Spirit who is in us as our teacher. 100 00:07:20,520 --> 00:07:27,920 He is our anointing by which we have been set apart by God to this high order of the 101 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,440 priesthood. 102 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:36,280 And so we have been consecrated to that office, every one of us, just as surely as the sons 103 00:07:36,280 --> 00:07:41,440 of Levi and Aaron were set apart in the Old Testament. 104 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:46,560 And because we have been consecrated and set apart, we have the privilege of full access 105 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,680 to God. 106 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:56,520 We stand in such wonderful grace that God allows us to come into his presence at any 107 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:59,160 time we desire. 108 00:07:59,160 --> 00:08:04,900 The word access in the New Testament refers to one who is given the privilege of standing 109 00:08:04,900 --> 00:08:09,400 before royalty because of his connections. 110 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:14,480 He stands there because of somebody he knows who has gotten that access for him. 111 00:08:14,480 --> 00:08:18,880 And of course, because the Lord Jesus Christ has passed through the heavens into the very 112 00:08:18,880 --> 00:08:23,720 presence of God where he stands at the Father's right hand, we have one who has opened the 113 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:28,840 way for us and has given us access in the presence of God. 114 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:33,800 And so as priests, we are consecrated to the office and we have been given full access 115 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,800 to God himself. 116 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:39,900 No longer is there a veil that shuts us off from God. 117 00:08:39,900 --> 00:08:46,400 No longer must he hide himself from us because of his holiness, but because of the death 118 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:50,080 of the Lord Jesus Christ and his resurrection. 119 00:08:50,080 --> 00:08:56,040 The way has been opened into the very presence of God and we, by his grace, are fitted to 120 00:08:56,040 --> 00:09:02,120 enter into his very presence and to commune with him. 121 00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:04,760 Marvelous privilege. 122 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:10,320 And now tonight we want to take up this matter of our responsibilities as priests. 123 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:16,040 The Old Testament priests had the responsibility of offering up sacrifices and there were many 124 00:09:16,040 --> 00:09:18,960 different kinds of sacrifices. 125 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:23,440 Most of the sacrifices involved the shedding of blood, but not all of them. 126 00:09:23,440 --> 00:09:30,520 There were drink offerings, there were meal offerings, there were offerings of she's, 127 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:36,600 of grain, but whatever the offering was, the person who brought the offering brought it 128 00:09:36,600 --> 00:09:40,640 to the tavernacle, later the temple gave it to the priest and then it was the priest's 129 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:48,200 responsibility to carry through with the sacrifice, through the offering up of whatever the gift 130 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,240 was that the person had brought. 131 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:55,960 The priests of the Old Testament made their living doing that. 132 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:59,000 They had no land to farm. 133 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:04,520 When the nation was divided up among all the tribes, the tribe of Levi got nothing, but 134 00:10:04,520 --> 00:10:09,520 yet God provided for them in a very wonderful way through the sacrifices that were brought 135 00:10:09,520 --> 00:10:12,200 to the altars. 136 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:17,160 They were able to take from some of those sacrifices to provide for their needs, for 137 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:18,400 their families. 138 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:23,400 That was God's way of providing for the priests of the Old Testament. 139 00:10:23,400 --> 00:10:27,960 Now we today have sacrifices that we are to offer up too. 140 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:33,800 We are not to bring turtle doves and lambs and goats and bullocks to church and sacrifice 141 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:35,720 them on the communion table. 142 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:40,960 Indeed, the table that we have before us here, before the pulpit, is simply a reminder to 143 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:48,760 us of the Lord's table, which is a memorial of the great sacrifice offered once and for 144 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:49,760 all. 145 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:55,080 There is no longer a need for the offering up of that kind of a sacrifice for sin. 146 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,120 Jesus Christ has offered himself once and for all. 147 00:10:58,120 --> 00:10:59,480 He has dealt with sin. 148 00:10:59,480 --> 00:11:01,100 That is over. 149 00:11:01,100 --> 00:11:05,080 When he comes back the second time, it will be not to deal with sin, but to bring salvation 150 00:11:05,080 --> 00:11:09,280 for those who look for him. 151 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:13,560 What then are the sacrifices that we are to bring? 152 00:11:13,560 --> 00:11:14,560 Would you turn? 153 00:11:14,560 --> 00:11:15,760 Well, we're here in 1 Peter. 154 00:11:15,760 --> 00:11:21,840 Let me just back up to verse 1 of 1 Peter 2. 155 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:26,120 In the context, you'll see that it speaks about the spiritual sacrifices we're to offer. 156 00:11:26,120 --> 00:11:34,000 Therefore, putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, 157 00:11:34,000 --> 00:11:40,840 like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word, that you may grow in respect 158 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:45,640 to salvation if you've tasted the kindness of the Lord. 159 00:11:45,640 --> 00:11:53,480 When coming to him as to a living stone rejected by men, but choice and precious in the sight 160 00:11:53,480 --> 00:12:05,080 of God, you also as living stones are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood 161 00:12:05,080 --> 00:12:12,520 to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 162 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:18,000 So it clearly says here that we are to offer up sacrifices, but there's that adjective 163 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,000 describing them. 164 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,600 They are spiritual sacrifices. 165 00:12:22,600 --> 00:12:25,760 They're in the realm of spiritual things. 166 00:12:25,760 --> 00:12:32,760 It affects the material, but we don't bring blood or meal or sheaves of grain. 167 00:12:32,760 --> 00:12:36,400 We bring to the Lord spiritual sacrifices. 168 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:40,100 Very real. 169 00:12:40,100 --> 00:12:46,080 Now turn over to Hebrews chapter 13 where we pick up this same theme. 170 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:50,840 What a marvelous book Hebrews is. 171 00:12:50,840 --> 00:12:56,520 So much of it is tied together with Old Testament imagery that unless one has some kind of a 172 00:12:56,520 --> 00:13:04,120 background in the book of Leviticus particularly, it's difficult to understand the book of Hebrews. 173 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,700 It has a lot of Jewish connections to it. 174 00:13:07,700 --> 00:13:14,200 And that is true with the passage we're going to read which is in chapter 13 verse 10. 175 00:13:14,200 --> 00:13:21,120 He says, we have an altar, we Christians, we have an altar from which those who serve 176 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:25,920 the tabernacle have no right to eat. 177 00:13:25,920 --> 00:13:30,400 Now because of what I've said previously about how the priests were provided for, perhaps 178 00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:34,060 that gives you some insight as to what this verse means. 179 00:13:34,060 --> 00:13:38,600 We have an altar and that altar is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. 180 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:45,000 It clearly says that those who still serve the tabernacle, that is that earthly Judaism 181 00:13:45,000 --> 00:13:51,600 with all of its ritual and ceremony, those who are still a part of that system, he says, 182 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:56,560 have no right to eat, spiritually speaking, of our altar, the Lord Jesus Christ. 183 00:13:56,560 --> 00:14:03,280 They cannot share in Christ because they are involved in that Judaism. 184 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:07,960 He says, for the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy place by the 185 00:14:07,960 --> 00:14:14,080 high priest as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. 186 00:14:14,080 --> 00:14:15,080 That is true. 187 00:14:15,080 --> 00:14:19,000 You go back to Leviticus and you'll see that God ordered that in the sin offering, which 188 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:25,520 is one of the offerings brought, the body of the animal was to be burned outside the 189 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:26,880 camp. 190 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,320 The blood was brought inside the tabernacle and offered in the prescribed manner, but 191 00:14:30,320 --> 00:14:32,560 the body burned away from the camp. 192 00:14:32,560 --> 00:14:34,000 Now why was that? 193 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:37,640 Was it because the body represented that which was unholy? 194 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:38,640 No. 195 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:45,800 It's because that it was a holy sin offering and the camp was unclean and God didn't want 196 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:47,840 it coming into the camp. 197 00:14:47,840 --> 00:14:52,640 So he ordered that that body be burned out there outside the camp. 198 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:55,400 That's what he's referring to in verse 11. 199 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:56,400 Now he applies that. 200 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,800 He says there's a meaning that we are to get from that, verse 12. 201 00:14:59,800 --> 00:15:07,560 For Jesus also that he might sanctify the people through his own blood suffered outside 202 00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:08,560 the gate. 203 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:15,400 Of course, his blood was offered before the Father and through that blood we are set apart 204 00:15:15,400 --> 00:15:16,400 unto God. 205 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:21,560 But it says that Jesus also suffered outside the gate. 206 00:15:21,560 --> 00:15:24,680 Of course, geographically that was true, wasn't it? 207 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:30,360 It was outside the city walls of Jerusalem where he died on Calvary. 208 00:15:30,360 --> 00:15:34,000 But there's a spiritual meaning to that. 209 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:39,080 He died outside the gate of Judaism. 210 00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:47,360 He was rejected by that religion and those who followed it with those rituals and the 211 00:15:47,360 --> 00:15:48,320 ceremonies. 212 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:53,320 He died outside the gate of that legalistic religion. 213 00:15:53,320 --> 00:16:00,600 And so he says, hence let us go out to him outside the camp bearing his reproach. 214 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:06,600 And actually what the writer here is saying to these people who were believers but who 215 00:16:06,600 --> 00:16:15,840 were still tempted to be a part of the Judaistic rituals, he says to them, leave those rituals. 216 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,000 Leave it behind and go outside the gate. 217 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:21,880 It'll mean suffering reproach, but that's where you belong because that's where the 218 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:23,760 Savior died. 219 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:28,040 Leave behind that legalistic religion in which you've been involved. 220 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:32,480 There's a tremendous application here for us folks. 221 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:40,760 I believe that we as believers today need to leave dead religion behind. 222 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,240 There are some people who try to put their foot into two camps, among the Lord's people 223 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,640 and then among those who deny the Lord. 224 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:51,700 And I believe that that is inconsistent with New Testament teaching. 225 00:16:51,700 --> 00:17:00,220 The command from God to us is that we too should go outside the camp bearing his reproach 226 00:17:00,220 --> 00:17:05,960 beyond the walls of legalistic religion, beyond the walls of religious systems that deny the 227 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,220 work of Jesus Christ for sin. 228 00:17:09,220 --> 00:17:15,540 Leave that behind, have nothing to do with it anymore and bear his reproach. 229 00:17:15,540 --> 00:17:20,200 He says, for here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city which is 230 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:22,000 to come. 231 00:17:22,000 --> 00:17:26,440 The city of Jerusalem is very, very important to the Jewish people because of all that it 232 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:27,440 entailed. 233 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:32,680 But he says the city that we're concerned about is not a city in this world, but we're 234 00:17:32,680 --> 00:17:38,200 looking for a city whose builder and maker is God, the New Jerusalem. 235 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:43,760 And then in verse 15 he goes on to say, through him, that is through the Christ who offered 236 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,560 himself for our sins that he might sanctify us. 237 00:17:47,560 --> 00:18:00,760 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the 238 00:18:00,760 --> 00:18:06,480 fruit of lips that give thanks to his name. 239 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:15,560 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. 240 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:21,720 Now if you look closely at those last two verses that we read, you will find three spiritual 241 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:28,360 sacrifices which we are to offer up as believer priests. 242 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:35,840 The first one mentioned is the sacrifice of praise, of praise to God. 243 00:18:35,840 --> 00:18:44,560 He says, in other words, what I mean is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 244 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:50,400 He speaks about praise or thanksgiving as being the fruit of the lips. 245 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:57,440 In other words, somewhere there's been seed sown that now is bearing fruit on the lips. 246 00:18:57,440 --> 00:18:58,440 And where is that? 247 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,960 Well, it's in the heart. 248 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:07,240 The seed has been sown in the heart of gratefulness to God and appreciation to God. 249 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:13,000 And because that kind of good seed has been sown, he says, let it bring forth fruit on 250 00:19:13,000 --> 00:19:20,240 our lips now giving thanks to the name of God. 251 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,440 What a marvelous thing it is to praise the Lord. 252 00:19:22,440 --> 00:19:25,600 It is a pleasant thing. 253 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,460 It will lift the spirit. 254 00:19:28,460 --> 00:19:37,040 When you are down, and all of us go through emotional cycles when we are up or down, when 255 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:41,920 you are emotionally feeling down, that is a good time to praise the Lord. 256 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:46,240 Because through that praise, God will lift your heart. 257 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:52,040 And then when you are emotionally on top of it, what a pleasant thing it is to allow that 258 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:57,980 praise just to overflow from your life, to express it to God. 259 00:19:57,980 --> 00:20:05,120 When was the last time that you created your own spiritual song and sang it to the Lord? 260 00:20:05,120 --> 00:20:07,040 God doesn't care if you're on tune. 261 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:09,960 God doesn't care if it rhymes. 262 00:20:09,960 --> 00:20:16,960 The next time you are alone driving the car, maybe it should be alone the first time, or 263 00:20:16,960 --> 00:20:23,280 perhaps you are in the shower where nobody can hear you, why don't you try to sing a 264 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:29,480 song out of your own heart to the Lord, a spiritual song, a song that comes out of your 265 00:20:29,480 --> 00:20:31,320 own spirit. 266 00:20:31,320 --> 00:20:39,320 Be a composer and allow that song of praise to bless you and to bring honor and glory 267 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:41,420 to God. 268 00:20:41,420 --> 00:20:42,640 Music is a part of praise. 269 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:45,920 I think it's very difficult to separate the two. 270 00:20:45,920 --> 00:20:55,820 We can speak our praise and we should do that, but music is such a natural augmenter to praise. 271 00:20:55,820 --> 00:20:58,760 We see this in the Old Testament a number of times. 272 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:00,560 You look at Psalm 150. 273 00:21:00,560 --> 00:21:04,400 It is a psalm of praise to God over and over again. 274 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:06,260 Hallelujah, hallelujah. 275 00:21:06,260 --> 00:21:10,920 And then it says, praise the Lord on the various instruments that it lists. 276 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:16,960 I look forward to the day when Skip will be able to have an orchestra here, even for our 277 00:21:16,960 --> 00:21:22,120 services, and people who will just regularly be playing along with our hymns. 278 00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:28,000 It blesses me whenever we have instrumental accompaniment and when we have special music 279 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,380 on instruments. 280 00:21:30,380 --> 00:21:34,020 We may not always know the words. 281 00:21:34,020 --> 00:21:39,840 When we do, and I think it's important that those who play instruments remember that it 282 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:44,600 helps us to appreciate the song more when we know the words. 283 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:50,160 But we can allow our spirits to soar to the Lord as we hear that music. 284 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:54,160 I love to hear Mark play the organ. 285 00:21:54,160 --> 00:22:00,800 He's able to lift our hearts in such a marvelous way in the prelude and during communion. 286 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:02,520 I know many of you have expressed that. 287 00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:06,800 How music causes our hearts to be caught up to God. 288 00:22:06,800 --> 00:22:11,520 Just turn back with me a moment to 2 Chronicles 7. 289 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:16,920 Here's a worship service I doubt that we'll ever be able to duplicate. 290 00:22:16,920 --> 00:22:21,400 In some respects, we wouldn't want to. 291 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:39,200 In 2 Chronicles 7, the temple has been finished, and Solomon has prayed a great prayer of dedication. 292 00:22:39,200 --> 00:22:44,240 We knock Solomon sometimes because of the latter years of his life. 293 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:49,480 Certainly he declined, and it's tragic to see what happened to that man who learned 294 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:53,920 from his father David to fear the Lord and then turned from that. 295 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:56,600 But there was a time in his life when Solomon walked close to God. 296 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:59,800 As a matter of fact, after he finished praying this prayer, there was fire that came down 297 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:00,800 out of heaven. 298 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:04,280 I don't know when that happened to you the last time, but I don't remember the last time 299 00:23:04,280 --> 00:23:08,320 it happened to me. 300 00:23:08,320 --> 00:23:16,240 Now it says that Solomon offered a sacrifice of 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. 301 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:21,320 Do you know how much blood that is? 302 00:23:21,320 --> 00:23:27,720 The blood was flowing through the temple. 303 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:32,280 And then in verse 6 it says, And the priests stood at their posts and the Levites with 304 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:38,280 the instruments of music to the Lord, which King David had made for giving praise to the 305 00:23:38,280 --> 00:23:42,060 Lord, for his loving kindness is everlasting. 306 00:23:42,060 --> 00:23:47,440 Therefore he gave praise by their means, while the priests on the other side blew the trumpets, 307 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,120 and all Israel was standing. 308 00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:52,320 You get the picture here? 309 00:23:52,320 --> 00:23:54,720 There's a great praise service going on. 310 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:59,760 The animals are being sacrificed in obedience to God and as an indication of the people's 311 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:02,560 love and trust in the Lord. 312 00:24:02,560 --> 00:24:03,560 That's a marvelous thing. 313 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:07,520 And then you've got all these priests standing around with musical instruments and trumpets 314 00:24:07,520 --> 00:24:10,720 and they're blowing them in a great chorus. 315 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:11,720 It wasn't practice. 316 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,480 It wasn't tune-up time. 317 00:24:13,480 --> 00:24:18,680 They were all playing and someone was conducting it and the music was lifting the people's 318 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:20,840 praise to God. 319 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,520 What a marvelous thing that is. 320 00:24:23,520 --> 00:24:28,080 One of the reasons that we are exploring new formats for worship here on Sunday night is 321 00:24:28,080 --> 00:24:36,320 because we believe that as we hear from God and his word, that it causes us to want to 322 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:40,160 respond to the Lord. 323 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:44,120 And it seems like it would be a natural thing, doesn't it, as we hear from God and the word 324 00:24:44,120 --> 00:24:51,240 then to spend 15 or 20 or 25 minutes singing to the Lord and reading scripture and praising 325 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:52,240 God. 326 00:24:52,240 --> 00:24:56,000 Doesn't that seem like the right thing to do? 327 00:24:56,000 --> 00:24:58,120 At least it does to me. 328 00:24:58,120 --> 00:25:03,440 And with the instruments playing and the people joining and singing, the fruit of lips giving 329 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:05,560 thanks to God. 330 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:07,880 But it's not just when we're together that that is done. 331 00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:13,920 It's any time at all we may offer the sacrifice of praise to our Lord. 332 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:23,840 Now back to Hebrews 13 where we see the second of the sacrifices. 333 00:25:23,840 --> 00:25:27,920 He mentions our service for the Lord. 334 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:34,000 Verse 16, and do not neglect doing good. 335 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:38,960 Bearing the Lord just by doing good works, that is a sacrifice. 336 00:25:38,960 --> 00:25:42,880 Have you ever thought about that? 337 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:47,640 That cup of cold water, so to speak, that you share with the person in need, done in 338 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,760 Jesus' name, is a sacrifice unto the Lord. 339 00:25:50,760 --> 00:25:54,420 It is good work that brings praise to him. 340 00:25:54,420 --> 00:25:59,920 That meal that you prepare for the one who is sick, or that card of encouragement that 341 00:25:59,920 --> 00:26:05,320 you send, or that Sunday school class that you teach with faithfulness, that small church 342 00:26:05,320 --> 00:26:10,800 where you're involved in evangelism or in the visitation of people who are part of the 343 00:26:10,800 --> 00:26:13,840 class or the guests who visit in our church. 344 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:20,000 All of the things that we do, these are good works which are sacrifices on our part unto 345 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:21,920 God. 346 00:26:21,920 --> 00:26:26,240 He says, and do not neglect doing good. 347 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:31,440 He mentions even in the first part of this chapter such a simple thing as showing hospitality. 348 00:26:31,440 --> 00:26:34,040 He says, let love of the brethren continue. 349 00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:40,280 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without 350 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:41,280 knowing it. 351 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:45,600 That's an interesting comment, isn't it? 352 00:26:45,600 --> 00:26:49,680 I think this involves, too, the exercise of the spiritual gifts that God has given to 353 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:50,680 us. 354 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:57,720 Again, over in 1 Peter we have these instructive words in chapter 4 and verse 10, as each one 355 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:03,800 has received a special gift, talking about the special Spirit-given ability that God 356 00:27:03,800 --> 00:27:07,920 has given us to serve him for the benefit of the church. 357 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:17,080 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards 358 00:27:17,080 --> 00:27:20,320 of the manifold grace of God. 359 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:25,520 Whoever speaks, let him speak as it were the utterances of God. 360 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:31,600 Whoever serves, let him do it as by the strength which God supplies, so that in all things 361 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:37,360 God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever 362 00:27:37,360 --> 00:27:38,360 and ever. 363 00:27:38,360 --> 00:27:39,360 Amen. 364 00:27:39,360 --> 00:27:43,720 You see, as we exercise the spiritual gifts that God gives to us, whether they are gifts 365 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:53,160 of speaking or gifts of serving, as we faithfully employ those gifts, God is glorified. 366 00:27:53,160 --> 00:27:54,680 He's worthy of that. 367 00:27:54,680 --> 00:27:57,920 He's worthy of all glory forever and ever. 368 00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:06,760 As believer-priests, we offer up to the Lord sacrifices as day after day we do good works. 369 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:13,920 The kind deed that you do in the office there, which is unprompted, maybe even undeserved 370 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:21,520 by the person who has been spiteful to you, that extra forgiveness that you express to 371 00:28:21,520 --> 00:28:31,400 the one who has offended, the patience that you show, the faithfulness by which you care 372 00:28:31,400 --> 00:28:38,440 for those in your charge, your children perhaps, your wife, your husband, the good works that 373 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:43,920 we do, each one of those, God counts as a sacrifice. 374 00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:47,800 Throughout the day then, we offer up sacrifices of good works. 375 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:54,480 And then he mentions again in Hebrews 13 a third sacrifice, and here it is the sacrifice 376 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,440 of our substance. 377 00:28:56,440 --> 00:29:01,960 He says, and do not neglect doing good and sharing. 378 00:29:01,960 --> 00:29:05,640 He's talking here about our money. 379 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:09,480 He says that we are to share. 380 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:15,200 Turn over to Philippians chapter 4 verse 18 where the apostle speaks to those dear people 381 00:29:15,200 --> 00:29:17,400 about how they had shared with him. 382 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:24,840 In Philippians 4 18 he says, but I have received everything in full and have an abundance. 383 00:29:24,840 --> 00:29:31,360 I am amply supplied having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent. 384 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:34,120 In other words, they had sent a gift. 385 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:40,800 As a matter of fact, they had sent two gifts to Paul to help him in his ministry. 386 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:47,920 And then he goes on to say, what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, 387 00:29:47,920 --> 00:29:50,120 well pleasing to God. 388 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:55,800 Do you understand that when the offering plate is passed and you put into that offering plate 389 00:29:55,800 --> 00:30:01,720 your gift, that that is a sacrifice to God? 390 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:05,960 It's not a tip for God. 391 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:09,000 It's a sacrifice. 392 00:30:09,000 --> 00:30:12,700 It's not something to soothe our conscience. 393 00:30:12,700 --> 00:30:14,480 It is a sacrifice unto God. 394 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:22,280 We are giving our substance for the work of the ministry. 395 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:25,040 Turn to Ephesians chapter 4 verse 28. 396 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:32,680 It's back a couple of pages here. 397 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:35,760 Let him who steals, steal no longer. 398 00:30:35,760 --> 00:30:40,440 What a terrible thing to write to Christians. 399 00:30:40,440 --> 00:30:48,280 There are interesting ways that Christians steal, even from God. 400 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:55,720 He says, let him who steals, steal no longer, but rather let him labor, performing with 401 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:58,500 his own hands what is good. 402 00:30:58,500 --> 00:31:02,080 There were some loafers in that day. 403 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:07,740 The Roman government did not have a welfare program that cared for them. 404 00:31:07,740 --> 00:31:13,240 And so the church cared for the needy in its fellowship. 405 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:18,360 And there were some people who were loafing and in that sense stealing from other believers. 406 00:31:18,360 --> 00:31:23,780 And so the apostle says, let those who are stealing stop it right now and let them work 407 00:31:23,780 --> 00:31:25,760 with their own hands doing what is good. 408 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:32,000 And then he goes on to give the reason so that they can be rich, no, in order that he 409 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:37,440 might have something to share with him who has need. 410 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:43,320 The reason that we are to be gainfully employed is to care for ourselves and our needs and 411 00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:49,840 so that we have leftovers that we may share with others who have needs. 412 00:31:49,840 --> 00:31:54,000 Have you ever thought about that as being a sacrifice unto God? 413 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:58,000 Some of you have because you have shared with people within our fellowship who have had 414 00:31:58,000 --> 00:31:59,120 financial needs. 415 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:02,440 That is well pleasing to God. 416 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,280 We need to learn the grace of giving in that way. 417 00:32:06,280 --> 00:32:11,580 And some of us may need to learn the grace of receiving in that way. 418 00:32:11,580 --> 00:32:16,200 When we have need, being willing to humbly say thank you and accept that as a provision 419 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:22,560 from God for us rather than being humiliated or embarrassed that someone may have seen 420 00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:29,080 that we had need and gave us a gift. 421 00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:32,300 The sacrifice of our substance to the Lord. 422 00:32:32,300 --> 00:32:41,640 I think it is worthwhile for us to turn to 1 Timothy chapter 6 where he says in verse 423 00:32:41,640 --> 00:32:48,680 17, instruct those who are rich in this present world. 424 00:32:48,680 --> 00:32:53,600 Now of course we think that that immediately leaves out all of us here. 425 00:32:53,600 --> 00:32:58,540 But it doesn't because you see if you took the general population of the world and put 426 00:32:58,540 --> 00:33:05,280 all of us in some kind of a chart we would find that every person here tonight is rich 427 00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:08,200 compared to the average Christian in the world. 428 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:14,020 We are fabulously wealthy in this land. 429 00:33:14,020 --> 00:33:21,240 Most people in the world do not earn in a year what most of us here earn in a day. 430 00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:24,100 That's the facts. 431 00:33:24,100 --> 00:33:27,520 We are responsible folks to God for the wealth that we have. 432 00:33:27,520 --> 00:33:29,800 It's true it costs more to live in this land. 433 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:30,800 God knows that. 434 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:37,720 But God also knows that we are blessed above any other people in the world with material 435 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:39,260 things. 436 00:33:39,260 --> 00:33:45,420 And he says, but those who are rich in this present world not be conceited or fix their 437 00:33:45,420 --> 00:33:52,800 hope on the uncertainty of riches but on God who richly supplies us with all things to 438 00:33:52,800 --> 00:33:53,800 enjoy. 439 00:33:53,800 --> 00:33:57,720 That's a marvelous thought isn't it? 440 00:33:57,720 --> 00:34:00,400 We ought not to be on a guilt trip. 441 00:34:00,400 --> 00:34:02,960 God gives us the things we have to enjoy. 442 00:34:02,960 --> 00:34:09,120 But we are not to go overboard on the enjoyment of our own things that we forget those who 443 00:34:09,120 --> 00:34:10,120 have need. 444 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:11,120 That's his point. 445 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:17,760 And he says in verse 18, instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous 446 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:24,000 and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the 447 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:30,040 future so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 448 00:34:30,040 --> 00:34:35,960 As you and I give to the Lord of our substance and we offer up that sacrifice to him, actually 449 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:40,840 what we're doing is establishing a savings account in heaven. 450 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:45,460 We are sending on ahead what we cannot keep here anyway. 451 00:34:45,460 --> 00:34:51,240 We are investing for the future, for eternity and how wise that is. 452 00:34:51,240 --> 00:34:55,820 We are to offer up the sacrifice of our substance. 453 00:34:55,820 --> 00:34:59,120 Are you doing that? 454 00:34:59,120 --> 00:35:06,040 Can you honestly say before God that what you have given him today on this Lord's Day 455 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:11,680 has been a sacrifice? 456 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:15,440 Has it cost you something? 457 00:35:15,440 --> 00:35:20,720 You remember that David on one occasion, he was offered a piece of ground upon which to 458 00:35:20,720 --> 00:35:23,400 put the tabernacle. 459 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:25,040 The owner said, you can have this. 460 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:27,320 I'd just be so happy if you'd take it. 461 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:28,760 And David refused it. 462 00:35:28,760 --> 00:35:33,080 He said, I will not offer unto God that which cost me nothing. 463 00:35:33,080 --> 00:35:41,920 You see, David refused to offer unto God a sacrifice that did not cost him. 464 00:35:41,920 --> 00:35:45,640 He had to involve a sacrifice on his part. 465 00:35:45,640 --> 00:35:54,080 That's the kind of sacrifice of substance that pleases God and is acceptable to him. 466 00:35:54,080 --> 00:35:59,160 Now finally I'd like for you to turn just briefly to Romans chapter 12. 467 00:35:59,160 --> 00:36:04,680 And I say briefly because we'll be getting here to Romans chapter 12, oh, in a year or 468 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:08,200 two or three. 469 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:09,920 So I'm not going to go into a lot of detail. 470 00:36:09,920 --> 00:36:14,960 I just want to show you that there is one more sacrifice that the New Testament specifically 471 00:36:14,960 --> 00:36:17,640 says we are to offer. 472 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:19,000 And this is a familiar verse. 473 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:27,640 He says, verse 1, I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies 474 00:36:27,640 --> 00:36:38,900 a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 475 00:36:38,900 --> 00:36:48,800 The offering up of our bodies to the Lord is a worshipful sacrifice. 476 00:36:48,800 --> 00:36:51,840 He calls this sacrifice a living sacrifice. 477 00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:57,640 Now the priest of the Old Testament offered up the blood of dead animals because of the 478 00:36:57,640 --> 00:37:00,240 law. 479 00:37:00,240 --> 00:37:07,400 Because of the mercies of God, we are to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices. 480 00:37:07,400 --> 00:37:16,000 Now it's interesting, isn't it, that our bodies, we are in our bodies, we are called priests 481 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,200 and so we are. 482 00:37:18,200 --> 00:37:24,960 Our bodies are also called the temples of the Holy Spirit, 1 Corinthians 6, 19. 483 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:26,320 That's where God lives today. 484 00:37:26,320 --> 00:37:27,880 God does not live here in this church. 485 00:37:27,880 --> 00:37:29,620 Did you know that? 486 00:37:29,620 --> 00:37:33,360 If you want to write God, don't write him in care of Grace Church because he doesn't 487 00:37:33,360 --> 00:37:36,160 get his mail here. 488 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:38,600 God does not live in this building. 489 00:37:38,600 --> 00:37:40,920 God lives in you. 490 00:37:40,920 --> 00:37:46,260 You are his temple, his sanctuary. 491 00:37:46,260 --> 00:37:51,720 We are the priests, we are the temple, and we are the sacrifice. 492 00:37:51,720 --> 00:37:55,200 Isn't that interesting? 493 00:37:55,200 --> 00:37:58,280 The Lord Jesus Christ is the same. 494 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:00,980 He's the high priest. 495 00:38:00,980 --> 00:38:04,860 He offered himself as the sacrifice. 496 00:38:04,860 --> 00:38:09,800 In John chapter 2, he called his body the temple that would be torn down and raised 497 00:38:09,800 --> 00:38:12,880 again in three days. 498 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:15,800 What he is, we are. 499 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:21,400 We are to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices. 500 00:38:21,400 --> 00:38:25,280 That's the way the apostle looked at his own life. 501 00:38:25,280 --> 00:38:30,840 Over Philippians chapter 2, he pictures himself as an offering, in this case a drink offering, 502 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:33,840 which was poured out by the priests upon the altar. 503 00:38:33,840 --> 00:38:40,080 He said, if I am poured out as an offering upon the altar of your sacrifice and your 504 00:38:40,080 --> 00:38:43,280 service, then I rejoice. 505 00:38:43,280 --> 00:38:50,720 He looked upon his life as an outpouring of a sacrifice. 506 00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:59,040 Again over in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, he says, every day we bear about in our bodies 507 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:03,440 the dying, the death of the Lord Jesus. 508 00:39:03,440 --> 00:39:08,000 He says, we are persecuted, but we are not destroyed, and so on. 509 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:10,520 Every day we go through death to self. 510 00:39:10,520 --> 00:39:13,960 We experience death because of the reproach of the world. 511 00:39:13,960 --> 00:39:19,840 He says, we experience death like a sacrifice, but it's so that the life of Jesus may be 512 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:22,640 manifest through us. 513 00:39:22,640 --> 00:39:32,600 Do you see your body as God's body, or do you claim it as your own? 514 00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:38,280 It's his temple, and it's a sacrifice to be offered daily to him. 515 00:39:38,280 --> 00:39:43,200 That's why it's important to keep our bodies clean and pure. 516 00:39:43,200 --> 00:39:50,360 That's why it's important not to be involved in sexual immorality, which God forbids. 517 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:57,600 That's why it's important we not drug our bodies and destroy them. 518 00:39:57,600 --> 00:40:04,200 Every day we are to offer up bodies that are clean and pure and acceptable and holy unto 519 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:10,680 God so that he can live his life through us for his living sacrifices. 520 00:40:10,680 --> 00:40:14,080 Do you see tomorrow that way as you go to the office? 521 00:40:14,080 --> 00:40:16,920 I hope you will. 522 00:40:16,920 --> 00:40:19,720 We as believer priests have responsibilities. 523 00:40:19,720 --> 00:40:25,560 Among those, the offering up of spiritual sacrifices. 524 00:40:25,560 --> 00:40:29,360 Let's offer them up faithfully this week. 525 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:37,960 Father, teach us what it means to fulfill our priesthood. 526 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:48,960 Along with our serving, our soldiering, help us also to be offering up sacrifices that 527 00:40:48,960 --> 00:40:52,280 are acceptable and well pleasing to you. 528 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:59,280 We pray in Jesus' name, amen.