Original Entry: May 4, 2008
McMinnville, OR
Through
Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the
fruit of lips that confess his name. And
do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God
is pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16
If he
offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering
he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers
made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded
and mixed with oil. Along with his
fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of
bread made with yeast. Leviticus 7:12-13
Nothing is
sacred in the Ramos household when it comes to material objects. Of all of the “stuff” I own Shana constantly
teases me about my adamant stance to keep the antlers hanging in the garage. Those rafters contain the antlers of every
buck I have ever harvested.
Each set
of antlers, no matter how small (some are pretty small), conjure memories of
the sacrifice of that animal on my behalf.
In the hall way of my home is mounted the trophy of all trophies; the
Web Bull. This Pope and Young scoring
bull was the first animal I ever harvested with a bow. Whenever I see him a few
names comes to mind. Names of men whose generosity allowed a hunt to happen
that would never have been possible.
So when I
look at the Web Bull I silently thank God for a few friends who sacrificed much
so that a bull elk would be sacrificed for my personal pleasure.
That is
just one of the many reasons I keep my antlers!
Hebrews 13:15 admonishes men to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit
of lips that give thanks to His name.”
Initially this passage had me stumped. What’s so hard about giving
praise and thanksgiving to God?
Then I stumbled upon Leviticus 7:12-15, " `If he offers it as an
expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer
cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast
and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil.
Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering
with cakes of bread made with yeast. He is to bring one of each kind as an
offering, a contribution to the LORD; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles
the blood of the fellowship offerings. The meat of his fellowship offering of
thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; he must leave none of it
till morning.”
From what I understand about this
passage, before the priest could make the peace offering he had to make an
offering of thanksgiving. This offering
was thanking God for the ability to even make an offering of peace. In other words, the priest had to be thankful
for the opportunity to sacrifice.
Where is
this rabbit trail going? Here it is. If
it weren’t for the sacrificial offering of Jesus, a man would never be able to
serve, give, or love.
Jesus’
sacrifice is man’s great opportunity. In
Him, by Him, and through Him is the only way that we have our life and
being. To make a sacrifice on behalf of
someone else is not only our calling but privilege as well. What a great honor to represent Jesus as we
serve others. It is a privilege that
deserves thanksgiving from lips of those men grateful for the opportunity to
serve, give and love.
