WE HAVE AN ALTAR

SERIES: LIVING BY FAITH.

TEXT: HEBREWS 13:10-16

The trouble in many churches is not the pastor or the church program. The trouble is “lack of altar” and “broken altars” in the lives of God’s people.

• The purpose of an altar is :-

1. Worship.
2. Sacrifice.
3. Giving of offerings.
4. Praise.
5. Making covenants.

• Altar is the meeting place between the physical and the spiritual. All people, believers and non-believers know that the spiritual controls the physical.
• That is why those who do not have Jesus Christ result in contacting forces of darkness for one thing or the other.
• That is why sinners bath themselves with special soaps, rub themselves with special ointment in an attempt to attract the spiritual to come to their aid.
• The altar is where the physical contacts the spiritual that is the place where human beings goes to contact either God or demons.
• The altar we are talking about is the altar of the Lord.
• Whether it is God or demons that you want to contact, you are expected to prepare a place where the two of you can meet.
• The building of the altar is the responsibility of the worshipper.
• The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:10, “WE HAVE AN ALTAR.” Our altar of worship is not like they had in the Old Testament.
• Our altar of worship is a place we can come and offer up the fruit of our lips that confess His name-Heb. 13:10-16. Let us learn:-

Our altar of worship is..

A PLACE OF PROMISE-Gen. 8:20-22.

• Noah built an altar to worship God after the flood had destroyed the earth.
• At this altar God spoke to Noah and gave His entire creation a promise.
• “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord…..never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.”
• Noah’s altar became a place of promise.
• God appeared to Abram “To your offspring I will give this land.” So Abram built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.”-Gen. 12:7.
• Abram’s altar became a place of promise. We have an altar of promise!!

We will never be alone-Heb. 13:5-6.

• Jesus Christ told us in John 14:18, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.”
• Our God is Omi-present. He is everywhere all the time.
• Don’t pray “God be with us” instead pray, “Thank you Lord for being with us.”
• We have an altar of promise that we can come to and be assured that we are never alone.

We have a hopeful future-Jer. 29:11

• Not only are we alone, but the Omniscient God, who knows the past, present and future has a plan-His plan for us includes prosperity and protection.
• His plan includes a hopeful future-Matt. 6:25-34.

OUR ALTAR OF WORSHIP IS A PLACE OF SACRIFICE-Gen. 22:9-13.

• Abraham was living out the promise that God had given him.
• He and Sarah had finally bore their first son to carry on this promise and now God has asked Abraham to sacrifice his only son.
• We have an altar of sacrifice.

A living sacrifice-Rom. 12:1-2.

• A living sacrifice is that which seeks to please God through a holy lifestyle.
• A living sacrifice is the one that refuses to conform to the world’s standard and allows the spirit of God to change them from the inside out.
• Our altar of sacrifice begins by living our lives inside and out, in holiness and dedication to God.

A dying sacrifice-1^st 15:31. I die daily.

• Paul was dying to the status quo, to reputation, to financial security, to pursuit of his career.
• Paul was most educated of his time. He had very close political ties, but he died to all these privileges.
• We have an altar of sacrifice that we must come to a die to our own ambitions and pursuits, die to our reputations, financial security and careers.
• The difference between the living sacrifice and the dying sacrifice is the cost.
• The living sacrifice is walking with God in a quiet personal way.
• Dying sacrifice is when God asks you to let your, “Isaac” die at the altar. “Isaac” is that which is dear to you.

OUR ALTAR OF WORSHIP IS A PLACE OF WITNESS-Joshua 22:26-28.

We have an altar of witness between you and God-Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25.

• Jesus Christ Himself stands before God as our witness!!
• He is interceding on our behalf to God. He actually stands in the gap and speaks to God as our witness.
• We have an altar of witness where Jesus stands before God the righteous judge as our defense.

A witness between you and others-Matt. 10:32-33.

• When we come to this altar of witness, the witness between you and those that need God.
• It is an act of humility that shows we can’t make it on our own.
• It is a witness that says that we don’t have the strength, but we know who has the strength, Jesus Christ and we meet Him at the altar.

OUR ALTAR OF WORSHIP IS A PLACE OF REFUGE-1^st Kings 1:51.

• Solomon had just been appointed king as his father David had died-1^st Kings 2:28.
• Adonijah with the help of Joab and Abiathar, rose up and tried to appoint himself king.
• When King Solomon came to town as the new king, Adonijah was afraid for his life. He ran to a place of refuge and safety.
• He ran to the temple and took hold of the horns of the altar, Joab did the same.
• We have an altar of refuge-Psalm 46:1-3.
• We have an altar of refuge where we are protected from our enemies, where we get rest when we are weary, strength when we are weak and help for all our troubles.

OUR ALTAR OF WORSHIP IS A PLACE OF THE SUPERNATURAL-2^nd Kings 18:19-39.

• We see God’s supernatural power on Mt. Carmel.
• The altar of Elijah was supernatural altar.
• From morning to noon the prophets of Baal were crying out, cutting themselves with swords and nothing happened!!
• Elijah then prepared his altar and even poured water all over the altar, the sacrifice and all around.
• Elijah called God’s fire down, the supernatural happened-1^st Kings 18:36-39.
• We have an altar where the supernatural should be natural.
• Our altar should be a place where the gifts of His Holy Spirit are manifest.
• Our altar should be a place where families are rebuilt, finances are provided for, bodies are healed of sickness, addictions are freed, lives are changed through the miracle working power of God.
• We have an altar where our Omnipotent God dwells and desires to bring fire from heaven upon His people.

CONCLUSION

• We have an altar like they never had.
• We have an altar of promise of everlasting love and hopeful future.
• We have an altar of sacrifice, where God our father gave His only begotten son for you and me.
• We have an altar of witness where Jesus Christ Himself stands before God as your witness and advocate.
• We have an altar of refuge where we go for refuge, safety, rest, strength and protection.
• We have an altar that is supernatural where God works wonders and miracles.
• Our altar is the CROSS of JESUS CHRIST.
• At this altar (Cross) lives are changes, restored, renewed and refreshed.
• Today come to this altar-offer to God the fruit of lips that confess His name.
• Come to this altar and offer to God your life.
• Commit your life to Him, your worship to Him everyday.