Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 2048
Delivered on Lord’s Day Morning, October 14, 1888
“By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15.
IT is instructive to notice where this verse stands. The connection is a golden setting to the gem of the text. Here we have a description of the Believer’s position before God. He has done with all carnal ordinances and has no interest in the ceremonies of the Mosaic Law. Brethren, as Believers in Jesus, who is the substance of all the outward types, we have, henceforth, nothing to do with altars of gold or of stone—our worship is spiritual and our altar spiritual—
“We rear no altar, Christ has died;
We deck no priestly shrine.”
What then? Are we to offer no sacrifice? Very far from it. We are called upon to offer to God a continual sacrifice. Instead of presenting in the morning and the evening a sacrifice of lambs and on certain holy days bringing bullocks and sheep to be slain, we are to present to God continually the sacrifice of praise. Having done with the outward, we now give ourselves entirely to the inward and to the spiritual. Do you see your calling, Brethren?
Moreover, the Believer is now, if he is where he ought to be, like his Master, “without the camp.” “Let us go forth therefore unto Him without the camp, bearing His reproach.” What then? If we are without the camp, have we nothing to do? Are we cut off from God as well as from men? Shall we fume and fret because we are not of the world? On the contrary, let us the more ardently pursue higher objects and yield up our disentangled spirits to the praise and glory of God.
Do we come under contempt, as the Master did? Is it so, that we are “bearing His reproach”? Shall we sit down in despair? Shall we be crushed beneath this burden? No, verily—while we lose honor ourselves, we will ascribe honor to our God. We will count it all joy that we are counted worthy to be reproached for Christ’s sake. Let us now praise God continually. Let the fruit of our lips be a still bolder confession of His name. Let us more and more earnestly make known His Glory and His Grace. If reproach is bitter, praise is sweet—we will drown the drops of gall in a sea of honey.
If to have our name cast out as evil should seem to be derogatory to us, let us all the more see to it that we give unto the Lord the glory due unto His name. While the enemy reproaches us continually, our only reply shall be to offer the sacrifice of praise continually unto the Lord our God. Moreover, the Apostle says that, “Here we have no continuing city.” Well, then, we will transfer the continuance from the city to the praise—“Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually.” If everything here is going, let it go. But we will not cease to sing. If the end of all things is at hand, let them end. But our praises of the living God shall abide world without end.
Set free from all the hamper of citizenship here below, we will begin the employment of citizens of Heaven. It is not ours to arrange a new Socialism, nor to set up to be dividers of heritages. We belong to a kingdom which is not of this world, a city of God eternal in the heavens. It is not ours to pursue the dreams of politicians but to offer the sacrifices of God-ordained priests. As we are not of this world, it is ours to seek the world to come and press forward to the place where the saints in Christ shall reign forever and ever.
You see then, Brethren, that the text is rather an unexpected one in its connection. But when properly viewed, it is the fittest that could be. The more we are made to feel that we are strangers in a strange land, the more should we addict ourselves to the praises of God, with whom we sojourn. Crucified to the world and the world crucified to us, let us spend and be spent in the praises of Him who is our sole trust and joy. Oh, to praise God, and still to praise Him—and never to be taken off from praising Him—let the world do what it may!
This morning my great business will be to stir you up, dear Friends, as many of you as have been made kings and priests unto God by Jesus Christ, to exercise your holy office. I shall, to that end, first, concerning the Christian, describe his sacrifice. Secondly, examine its substance. Thirdly, commend its exercise. And fourthly, commence it at once.
I. First, then, concerning a Believer, let me DESCRIBE HIS SACRIFICE. “By Him, therefore,.” See, at the very threshold of all offering of sacrifice to God, we begin with Christ. We cannot go a step without Jesus. Without a Mediator we can make no advance to God. Apart from Christ there is no acceptable prayer, no pleasing sacrifice of any sort. “By Him, therefore”—we cannot move a lip acceptably without Him who suffered without the gate. The great High Priest of our profession meets us at the sanctuary door and we place all our sacrifices into His hands, that He may present them for us.