Our Sacrifice Of Thanksgiving

Fall of 1621

Plymouth Harbor, England Set sail from Plymouth Harbor, England September 9 1620.

Time of Thanksgiving declared

I. God’s people have always been grateful.

“thanksgiving” appears is in our text ... Lev. 7. II. The first time the word “thanksgiving” appears is in our text ... Lev. 7.

Leviticus 7: 12-13 If he offers it by way of thanksgiving, then along with the sacrifice of thanksgiving he shall offer unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of well stirred fine flour mixed with oil. 13 'With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving, he shall present his offering with cakes of leavened bread

God ordained a sacrifice as the way His people were to thank Him. Leviticus 7: 16 But if ( since ) the sacrifice of his offering is a votive or a freewill offering, it shall be eaten on the day that he offers his sacrifice, and on the next day what is left of it may be eaten;

God was always very strict about HOW it was offered. III. No matter what the sacrifice, God was always very strict about HOW it was offered.

Leviticus 10: 1 Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on it and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. 2 And fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.'" So Aaron, therefore, kept silent.

Exodus 30: 7 You shall put this altar in front of the veil that is near the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is over the ark of the testimony, where I will meet with you. 7 Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; he shall burn it every morning when he trims the lamps. 8 When Aaron trims the lamps at twilight, he shall burn incense. There shall be perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generations. 9 You shall not offer any strange incense on this altar, or burnt offering or meal offering; and you shall not pour out a drink offering on it.

Leviticus 16: 12 He shall take a firepan full of coals of fire from upon the altar before the Lord and two handfuls of finely ground sweet incense, and bring it inside the veil. Revelation 8: 5 Then the angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar, and threw it to the earth; and there followed peals of thunder and sound

People in our era share the disrespectful attitude of Nadab and Abihu toward God. Leviticus 10: 3 Then Moses said to Aaron, "It is what the Lord spoke, saying, 'By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, And before all the people I will be honored.'

will be interested in the heart of the worshippers. IV. God was, is, and always will be interested in the heart of the worshippers.

Ephesians 5: 19 but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; 20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; 21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ. ( I will be treated as holy, )

Any form of worship that is not from the heart does not treat God as holy. Matthew 15: 8 This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me. 9 But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of men.

As we approach God in thanksgiving, let us make sure we do it from the heart. Hebrews 13: 15 Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Psalm 100 : Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing. 3 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. I Corinthians 11: 26