Sacrifice of praise

So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood. So let us go out to him, outside the camp, and bear the disgrace he bore. For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come. Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. Hebrews 13:12-15

Christians do have spiritual access to God because of what Jesus accomplished at the cross when He became the great sin offering. To be reminded by this sacrifice prompted by God’s love is what will nourish and refresh the souls of those that placed their faith in Christ. They feed on the relationship they have with God by faith. From the text, the author of Hebrews emphasized the fact that Jesus died outside the walls of Jerusalem. “The place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, so that many people could read it” (John 19:20). The crucifixion of Jesus outside Jerusalem marvelously symbolized His rejection by the Jewish community. It showed how much they detested the sacrifice and the new order instituted that centered in Christ. This pointed to an inescapable truth that anyone who wanted to receive the offering of Christ had to come outside the stakes of the religious rituals and systems and leave the sacrificial regulations behind. In so doing we surrender our security and we begin to court danger. We must endeavor into new territory under the flag of Jesus without fearing ridicule from unbelievers. Bearing the disgrace of commitment to Jesus brings eternal reward. Christians live for the future, not the present. No matter how appealing life in the present is, believers are looking for the city that is to come. Christians look for a reward which lies ahead. While waiting for the promised return of Christ, Christians must continue to present a sacrifice of praise. This praise is to be constant. Praise then is not dependent on our circumstances. God’s glory, not our comfort, is to be our desire. God is not pleased by animal sacrifices, but by believers who acknowledge his goodness, greatness, and mercy. “Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you. You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God” (Psalm 51:15–17).

Blessings