Sacrifices We Still Need to Offer – To Do Good and To Share

    Over the past two weeks we have looked at Hebrews 13:15 where we find the command to “continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name,” and this week we will dig into the next verse in Hebrews 13:

“But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16 NKJV)  

    Within these two verses, we quickly see how much of ourselves need to be involved in offering these sacrifices: our lips (words of praise), our minds (thankfulness), our hands (to do good), and our hearts (to see a need and share).

Do not forget to do good…

    We are the workmanship of our gracious and merciful God, who created us in Christ Jesus for good works; He prepared good works for us to do so that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10). Walking in these good works means to live in them; doing good is the standard we hold our lives to.

“Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.” (Proverbs 31:10-12 NKJV)

    We are to not grow weary while doing good, because a harvest will come if we do not give up, so we need to do good to all whenever opportunity arises, and make especial effort toward fellow Christians (Galatians 6:9-10, see also 1 Corinthians 15:58).  

    The apostle, Paul, reminds Titus repeatedly to be ready for every good work (Titus 3:1). He tells him a few verses later, that he should affirm constantly that those who believed in God should be careful to maintain good works because these things are good and profitable to men (Titus 3:8), and in his closing words, he states: “And let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.” (Titus 3:14)  

…and to share

    Jesus, in teaching a certain ruler in Luke 18:12-23, told this man that even though he had been obeying the commandments from the Law since he was a child, there was still something he lacked. Jesus instructed him to sell all that he had and distribute to the poor; in doing this and following Jesus, he would have treasure in heaven, but instead of being happy to now know how he could inherit eternal life, the man became sorrowful because he was very rich.

“Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life.” (1 Timothy 6:17-19 NKJV)

    One of the very first things we see the church doing in Acts 2 is selling their possessions and goods, and dividing them among all, as anyone had need (verse 44). These new Christians had all things in common, they shared everything so everyone had what they needed, and didn’t have to worry about material things. We see this again in Acts 4:32-37, where members of the church who had land or houses, sold them and gave the money to the apostles to distribute to anyone who had need – this act of sharing resulted in no one among them lacking anything.  As you read through the remainder of the New Testament you will find multiple occasions where individual Christians and churches shared with other Christians to benefit the spreading of God’s word and to help relieve them during a crisis (ex: Acts 11:27-30, Romans 15:25-26/2 Corinthians 8:1-7, Philippians 4:15-16).

    Remember, for everything God asks of us, He always provides a way: “God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” (2 Corinthians 9:8) – God provides all we need to do His will, we simply need to employ our heart and hands to do it! And when we do good and share from the abundance God gives us, people will abound in glorifying God and in giving thanks to Him (2 Corinthians 9:10-13)!

    Are you ready to do good and to share with others? With such sacrifices God is well-pleased! He always does His part, let’s be sure we are doing ours!

You can do it! So can I!!