True Worship: Faith, Sacrifice, and Gratitude

Devotional

Day 1: The Ultimate Cleansing Through Christ's Sacrifice

The sacrifice of Jesus is the cornerstone of Christian faith, representing the ultimate act of redemption. Unlike the Old Testament sacrifices, which were numerous and insufficient to remove sin, Jesus' sacrifice was once and for all, making believers holy and perfect in God's eyes. This act of love and obedience is the only offering that can truly cleanse us from sin, and it calls us to place our faith in His completed work. As we reflect on this, we are reminded that nothing we do can add to His perfect sacrifice. Our faith should rest in the assurance of His finished work, freeing us from the burden of trying to earn salvation through our efforts. [25:06]

Hebrews 10:10-12 (ESV): "And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God."

Reflection: In what ways have you been trying to earn God's favor through your actions? How can you shift your focus to rest in the completed work of Jesus' sacrifice today?

Day 2: Faith and Obedience in Our Offerings

The story of Cain and Abel illustrates the importance of faith and obedience in our offerings to God. Abel's offering was accepted because it was given by faith, while Cain's was rejected due to a lack of faith and obedience. This narrative teaches us that true worship is not about the quantity or type of offering but the heart and faith behind it. God desires our worship to be rooted in faith and obedience, aligning our hearts with His desires. As we offer our lives to Him, we are called to do so with a heart full of faith, trusting in His ways rather than our own understanding. [59:22]

Hebrews 11:4 (ESV): "By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks."

Reflection: Consider an area in your life where you may be offering something to God out of obligation rather than faith. How can you realign this offering to be one of faith and obedience?

Day 3: Giving as an Expression of Worship

Giving is an act of worship that should be done with a heart of gratitude and faith. Our financial offerings, like our praise, are not about the amount but the heart behind them. When we give, we acknowledge that everything we have comes from God, and our offerings become a fragrant aroma to Him. This act of worship is not about earning His favor but expressing our love and gratitude for all He has done. As we give, we are reminded to do so with a heart full of faith, trusting that God will use our offerings for His glory. [42:59]

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 (ESV): "Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."

Reflection: Reflect on your current attitude towards giving. How can you transform your financial offerings into a true act of worship that reflects gratitude and faith?

Day 4: Emitting the Aroma of Christ

Our lives should emit the aroma of Christ through acts of love, forgiveness, and service. When we live in a way that reflects Jesus, our actions become a pleasing fragrance to God, drawing others to Him. This means embodying the character of Christ in our daily interactions, allowing His love and grace to flow through us. As we strive to live by faith, we are called to be the aroma of Christ in the world, serving as a testament to His transformative power in our lives. [01:17:04]

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (ESV): "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."

Reflection: Identify one specific way you can be the aroma of Christ in your community this week. How can you intentionally reflect His love and grace to those around you?

Day 5: Living by Faith, Not by Works

Our salvation is not based on our works but on Jesus' finished work on the cross. We are called to live by faith, trusting in His sacrifice, and to worship Him in spirit and truth. This means letting go of the notion that we can earn His love through our actions and instead embracing the freedom that comes from His grace. As we live by faith, we are reminded that nothing we do can add to His perfect work, and we are invited to rest in the assurance of His love and salvation. [01:19:39]

Galatians 2:20-21 (ESV): "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God, for if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you find yourself relying on your own efforts rather than trusting in Jesus' finished work? How can you begin to live by faith in this area today?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we focused on the profound significance of Jesus' sacrifice and the essence of true worship. We began by reflecting on the power of Jesus' sacrifice, emphasizing that there are only two ways to worship: God's way and man's way. God's way is through Jesus, the ultimate sacrifice, which is the only offering that can truly cleanse us from sin. The Old Testament sacrifices, though numerous, were never sufficient to remove sin; they merely pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As we read from Hebrews 10, we are reminded that Jesus' sacrifice was once and for all, making us holy and perfect in God's eyes.

We explored the story of Cain and Abel, highlighting the importance of faith in our offerings to God. Abel's offering was accepted because it was given by faith, while Cain's was rejected because it lacked faith and obedience. This story illustrates that God desires our worship to be rooted in faith and obedience, not in our own understanding or efforts. True worship is not about the quantity or type of offering but the heart and faith behind it.

We also discussed the concept of giving as an act of worship. Our financial offerings, like our praise, should be given with a heart of gratitude, recognizing that everything we have comes from God. It's not about the amount we give but the sacrifice and faith behind it. When we give to God, it should be a fragrant offering, pleasing to Him, not out of obligation or to earn His favor, but as an expression of our love and gratitude.

Finally, we were reminded that nothing we do can add to the sacrifice of Jesus. Our salvation is not based on our works but on His finished work on the cross. We are called to live by faith, trusting in His sacrifice, and to worship Him in spirit and truth.

Key Takeaways

1. The Ultimate Sacrifice: Jesus' sacrifice is the only offering that can truly cleanse us from sin. The Old Testament sacrifices pointed to this ultimate act of redemption, emphasizing that nothing we do can add to His perfect work. Our faith should rest in His completed sacrifice. [25:06]
2. Faith and Obedience in Worship: Abel's offering was accepted because it was given by faith, while Cain's was rejected due to a lack of faith and obedience. True worship requires us to align our hearts with God's desires, offering our lives in faith and obedience. [59:22]
3. Giving as Worship: Our financial offerings should be acts of worship, given with gratitude and faith. It's not about the amount but the heart behind it. When we give, we acknowledge that everything we have is from God, and our offerings become a fragrant aroma to Him. [42:59]
4. The Aroma of Christ: Our lives should emit the aroma of Christ through acts of love, forgiveness, and service. When we live in a way that reflects Jesus, our actions become a pleasing fragrance to God, drawing others to Him. [77:04]
5. Living by Faith: Our salvation is not based on our works but on Jesus' finished work on the cross. We are called to live by faith, trusting in His sacrifice, and to worship Him in spirit and truth, knowing that nothing we do can earn His love. [01:19:39]
** [79:39]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[23:26] - The Power of Jesus' Sacrifice
[25:06] - Once for All: Jesus' Perfect Offering
[26:12] - Communion: Remembering His Sacrifice
[27:24] - Celebrating Redemption
[36:49] - Worship in Spirit and Truth
[39:31] - The Alpha Course Invitation
[42:59] - Giving as a Fragrant Offering
[45:39] - Stepping into the Unknown
[49:21] - Faith and Creation
[51:52] - The First Sacrifice
[54:19] - The Blood of Jesus
[56:58] - The Nature of Sin
[58:06] - Cain and Abel: A Lesson in Worship
[59:22] - Faith and Obedience
[60:57] - God's Way vs. Man's Way
[64:12] - The Sacrifice of Praise
[65:45] - Performance vs. Faith
[77:04] - The Aroma of Christ
[79:39] - Living by Faith
[85:58] - Invitation to Faith
[86:49] - The Aroma of Worship
[88:04] - Offering Our Praise

Sermon Clips

There were millions of animals sacrificed in the Old Testament. None of them ever were worthy to take away one sin from our lives. They all pointed to the one sacrifice. I want to read to you out of the book of Hebrews chapter 10, verse 5. Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said, sacrifice an offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for Me. [00:22:57] (29 seconds)

But when this priest has made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, He will have made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ. And He will have made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ. He has offered for all time one sacrifice for sins. He sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time, He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool. Because by one sacrifice, He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. One sacrifice. [00:24:28] (32 seconds)

You can't say, God, I gave. No, where did you get that? Where did you get the strength, the breath, the wisdom, the grace to have the job that you do and the abilities that you have? They're all God given. So when we give to God, back to God, we're giving Him what already belongs to Him. So it's not like He's indebted to us. But He smells the sacrifice that you worked hard and then you gave from that hard work. And that's sacrifice. That's why the Bible talks about offering to God. The sacrifice of praise. [00:43:58] (34 seconds)

By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain. By faith he was commended as a righteous man when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks even though he's dead. Now let me just take you back. We started with creation there in Hebrews. By faith we understand the worlds were created out of things that were invisible. So creation, he makes Adam and Eve. That's chapters 1 and 2 of the book of Genesis. Chapters 3, Hebrews doesn't mention. That's where Adam and Eve fall into this temptation, sin, the serpent, and, and the world changes. [00:50:16] (39 seconds)

Faith is always tied to obedience. If you say, I'm a believer, then it means you're an obeyer. If you're not an obeyer, then you're saying you're not really a believer. Unbelief means disobedience. It means a denial of being dependent on or trusting in God. It's not that I'm not smart enough. To be an unbeliever is a choice to not believe. Cain chose to say, I'm going to worship God the way I think. I understand. I'm going to worship God. [01:00:22] (37 seconds)

But pride caused him to be defiant. And he doesn't give God what God expects, which is obedience and faith. Again, God is not pleased with a second. Cain could have given a sheep. But if he didn't. If he didn't give it in faith, it would be in vain. Are you with me? It's not magic. It's not like it's not in the sacrifice that made it important or pleasing to God. That's what Jesus said. Animals sacrifices. God never had pleasure in them. He doesn't delight. Oh, good. They're killing more sheep. No, he delighted in the obedience of the worshiper that said this should be me. [01:02:09] (42 seconds)

God's not interested in the amount of the sacrifice. He's interested in the wholeness of the heart that gives it. So you give a lot and do it grudgingly, you get no credit with God. Better that you didn't give it. Say, fine, I won't give it. That's between you and God. He doesn't need your money. You need his blessing. You don't buy it with your money. You position yourself by sowing your seed to reap the harvest from your money. It's offering. When I praise God and I don't want to, the Bible calls it a sacrifice of praise. [01:02:29] (38 seconds)

The smell of sacrifice out of a grateful heart. Now, again, it's a stench in his nostrils. If we're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this, we're doing this. If we are doing things like Cain giving God what we want to give him, not regardless of what he desires, regardless of what he expects, and you just be happy with what I give you, you ought to be happy with that. You should be happy. I'm going to do it my way, the way that makes sense to me. Well, you're not God, and worship isn't about us. It's about him and honoring him. He loves what smells. [01:18:39] (40 seconds)

Jesus is the chocolate and he's the aroma. I, only thing I give to God is things that smell bad. But when I give Jesus back to the father and what Jesus is doing, there's an aroma. So we're going to offer our praise as incense this morning. We don't burn it as a church. I pray that we don't burn it as incense. We don't burn it as a church. I probably would do it. Tried it one time and somebody had an allergic reaction to the, to the incense and had to go out. And I thought anaphylactic shock or something. I was like, great. Killed somebody at the vineyard trying to burn incense. So no more incense at the vineyard. But I love it. I know other religions do that and whatever they mean with it, but to God, when we worship, it's incense. [01:28:04] (41 seconds)

What an honor we have to be able to worship you without, without, without, without, without, without, without, without, without having to kill something, without having to prove something, without having to earn something, but trusting in the blood of Jesus that took our place and makes us holy. It's hard to think about being holy, Lord. We know our weaknesses, our struggles, but in Jesus, you see us holy, righteous, dressed in fine linen. That's grace. That's good news. And we say, glory, adios, glory to your name. Bless your people, Lord. Give them a great day. Let your presence linger, Lord, with each one and draw them closer to you. In Jesus' name, and all God's people said, UIO starts right after. If you're a first -time guest, I'd love to meet you in the, in the front, come to the cross and get prayer. Love to have you. God bless. Have a great day. [01:37:02] (72 seconds)

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