How is it to be Offered?

The point: Ensure your praise is hearty and sincere, not merely 'burning lips' with a 'cold heart,' remembering that God sees all.

An analogy from Proverbs (paraphrased) comparing insincere praise to 'silver overlaid upon the vessel of dross' to warn against outward show without inward affection.

If God the Father is the object of our praise, then certainly that praise must be hearty and must be sincere. For that God is the God spoken of in Hebrews 4. All things are naked and opened before the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. We read in the Proverbs about the, and this is a paraphrase, about the man who has burning lips but a cold heart and he says it's like silver overlaid upon the vessel of dross.

18:58 - 19:29 Read in full sermon

The point: Ensure your praise is hearty and sincere, not merely 'burning lips' with a 'cold heart,' remembering that God sees all.

An analogy from the Old Testament economy, where incense only filled the tabernacle with fragrance when it touched live coals, illustrating that confession to God's name ascends acceptably only when it touches the 'live coals of a heart that believingly from the depths of its being embraces the revelation God has made of Himself.'

And what a tragedy it is to pray, to praise, to make confession in psalms and hymns and in prayer with apparent burning lips when there is no prayer. There is within but a barren and a cold heart. No, no, the incense in the old economy never filled the tabernacle with its fragrance until it touched live coals. And the incense of this confession to God's name ascends when it touches the live coals of a heart that believingly from the depths of its being embraces the revelation God has made of Himself.

19:30 - 20:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Discipline your thoughts and words upon waking to offer confession to God's name, acknowledging His preservation and mercies.

Martin distinguishes between two meanings of 'continually.' He contrasts the constant flow of electric power into a building with the regular, consistent habit of someone 'continually frequenting the local ballpark' to explain that the sacrifice of praise is to be offered with regularity and consistency, not without interruption.

There is not a moment day or night when that power is not coming into this building. Now He is not saying that from the time you wake up in the morning to the time you go to bed at night you are to be rendering the sacrifice of praise continually in that sense. But He is using the word in the sense that we would say that man continually frequents the local ballpark. That is, He goes there with some degree of regularity and consistency.

20:49 - 21:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Diligently and perseveringly offer praise, even when you don't 'feel like it,' recognizing that sometimes it is truly a 'sacrifice.'

A personal anecdote about a British friend who 'lost his voice praising God' after a distinct providence, illustrating the delight and intensity of praise when the heart is moved by God's goodness, even for a 'solid, unembarrassed Calvinist.'

And I'm using the word sacrifice making a play on the word. It's a delight to praise God. I got a letter yesterday from one of my British friends and the Lord had brought him a kind providence. And he said, I lost my voice praising God.

25:30 - 25:44 Read in full sermon

The point: In the midst of difficulties, opposition, and persecution, offer the sacrifice of praise, thanking God for His electing love, presence, and care, and for deliverance from hell.

An extended analogy comparing people who constantly seek sympathy to house dogs rolling over for a tummy scratch or cats brushing against legs for an ear scratch. This illustrates the 'itch for sympathy' that prevents some from offering the sacrifice of praise, as it requires relinquishing self-pity.

No matter whether it was the little turtle dove, whether it was a lamb, whether it was an ox, whatever it was, something that was yours had to be relinquished, before there could be sacrifice. And there is this element of the personal cost involved if we're to offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. For some of us, it will cost us our itch for sympathy. You know, we're like little house dogs that roll over on their back.

27:31 - 28:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Share your material blessings with those in need, as a specific form of 'communicating' that accompanies the sacrifice of praise.

A quotation from John Owen on the importance of 'communicating' (sharing material blessings) as an evangelical duty, explaining that God disposes people in various conditions (rich/poor) to exercise mutual graces like patience, trust, thankfulness, and charity, bringing glory to God.

The noun form, also meaning material blessings, Romans 15, 26, 2 Corinthians 8, 4, and 2 Corinthians 9, 13. So with most of the commentators, I concur that what the writer to the Hebrews is saying is this. Coupled with this sacrifice of praise, there must be this general disposition to well-doing, worked out according to your ability in your circumstances, but more specifically, there must be a sharing of your material blessings with those who are in need. You forgive me for quoting from John Owen again, but his insights to some of these things are so profound and helpful. I quote just one par...

33:46 - 35:02 Read in full sermon

The point: If you are unregenerate, recognize that your indifference to what pleases God reveals your heart's enmity against Him, and you need a new heart.

A personal story about one of his children cleaning the kitchen without being asked, solely to please her parents and receive their approbation. This illustrates the pure motive of a child of God desiring to please their Lord, which is the ultimate reason for offering the sacrifice of praise and doing good.

But move us into the activity with such sacrifices. God is well pleased. Just yesterday, one of my children did something that she was not asked to do. And she cleaned up the kitchen and put the dishes in the sink and wiped off the cabinets. And she couldn't wait to get mommy and daddy to come and see what she had done. Now, why did she do that? Well, she did it because for whatever reason that that particular time, the thing that was most important in her mind was doing something to please mommy and daddy. And that's all the reward she wanted was for us to come into the kitchen and say, that'...

41:32 - 42:18 Read in full sermon