The
writer of Hebrews declared there was “no
continuing city” for
those who “go forth” “without the
camp, bearing” Jesus'
“reproach” which
referred to the Hebrew writer and his readers. In
chapter thirteen and verse fifteen of Hebrews the writer challenged
his readers to
“offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually”
where we read:
By him
therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually,
The
verse begins, “By
him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God
continually,....”. The
writer began with the words, “By him”
which means
“through and by means of Jesus” “therefore”
or “then, accordingly, consequently and these things being so”,
“let us offer”
which means “carry, put and bring to the altar” “the
sacrifice”
or “victim” “of praise”
which means “of a thank offering” “to
God” which
refers to “the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God
the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “continually”
or
“constantly and always”. Because the writer of Hebrews and his
readers had “no continuing city”
here on
earth but rather “one to come”,
they should posture themselves always in positions of “offering
sacrifices”
of “thanksgiving” to
God.
The
verse goes on to say, “...that
is, the fruit of our
lips giving thanks to his name”.
The writer
continued with the words, “that is”
or “which
is to say”, “the fruit”
which means “the works, acts and deeds” “of
our lips”
which refers to “the speaking mouth” “giving
thanks” or
“saying the same thing as another, agreeing, assenting and
conceding” “to his name”
which means “the name is used for everything which the name covers,
everything the thought or feeling of which is aroused in the mind by
mentioning, hearing and remembering”. It is “the
fruit of our lips”
that “gives thanks”
to God's “name”
that becomes our “sacrificial
offering”
Him.
When
we think through these words in Hebrews, we should discover a natural
response of “praise and thanksgiving” for those who
believe in Jesus Christ and the “future home” He has planned for
them. “The fruit of our lips” is when we “give thanks
to” God's “name”, and this becomes one of the
greatest “sacrifices” or “offerings” we can give to
the Lord. Let us “give thanks” to God the Father and Jesus
Christ His Son for the salvation plan that is offered to everyone who
will believes in this great remedy for our “sins” and
“eternal abode”.
Next
time the writer exhorts his readers to “do
good and to communicate”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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