Sermon Message

The burnt offering was placed entirely upon the altar. Nothing was held back. Nothing was reserved for later. Everything belonged to God. As I read that, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Is that how I come before the Lord?" Have we become experts at giving God pieces of our lives while protecting the parts we don't want Him to touch? We ask Him to bless our families, but have we surrendered our homes? We ask Him to direct our steps, but are we willing to walk where He leads? We ask Him to use us, but only if it doesn't inconvenience us. God has never asked for a percentage of your life. He has always desired all of it.

The grain offering was different. It wasn't offered because someone had sinned. It was offered because someone recognized the goodness of God. Before Israel enjoyed the harvest, they acknowledged the One who provided it. I wonder how many blessings have become so familiar that we've stopped thanking God for them. We thank Him for the new house but forget to thank Him for the roof we've had for years. We pray for better health while overlooking the strength we still possess. We ask for another opportunity while ignoring the doors He's already opened. Gratitude has become rare because entitlement has become common. The more we believe God owes us something, the less we appreciate what He's already done.

Then there was the peace offering. This offering wasn't about getting something from God. It was about enjoying fellowship with Him. That challenges me because it forces us to ask a difficult question. If God didn't answer the prayer you've been praying this week, would you still spend time with Him? If the promotion never came, if the healing took longer than expected, if the financial breakthrough was delayed, would He still be worthy of your worship? Sometimes we have reduced our relationship with God to nothing more than a conversation about our needs. Yet every healthy relationship spends more time enjoying one another than making demands of one another.

The sin offering reminded Israel that sin could never be ignored. Something had to die because sin always carries a cost. Today, we rejoice because Jesus became our sacrifice once and for all. We don't have to bring another lamb because the Lamb of God has already been offered. But while the sacrifice has changed, repentance has not. We cannot expect intimacy with God while refusing to deal with the very things that separate us from Him. We ask Him to pour out His Spirit while holding on to bitterness. We ask Him to enlarge our territory while refusing to forgive. We ask Him for revival while avoiding repentance. God has never been interested in covering what we're unwilling to confess.

The guilt offering took it one step further. It wasn't enough to simply acknowledge wrongdoing. If someone had been harmed, restoration had to take place. Isn't that what genuine repentance has always looked like? It's more than saying, "Lord, forgive me." It's allowing God to change the way we live. Sometimes the prayer we've been praying has already been answered, but we're standing in the way because obedience has been delayed. There are conversations we've avoided, forgiveness we've withheld, commitments we've neglected, and steps of faith we've postponed. We keep asking God to move while He's waiting on us.

As I studied these offerings, one thought kept returning to me. Before God's people ever asked Him for anything, they honored Him with something. They never assumed they could casually enter His presence. They understood that worship always came before requests.

David understood this when he declared, "Neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing." If our worship costs us nothing, have we really worshiped? If our praise is only offered when life is good, is it really praise? If our obedience is only given when it's convenient, is it really surrender?

Church, I'm not suggesting we bring sacrifices to an altar. Jesus settled that forever. But I am suggesting that before we ask God for another blessing, we ought to bring Him an offering He still desires. Bring Him your thanksgiving before your request. Bring Him your obedience before your opportunity. Bring Him your repentance before your petition. Bring Him your worship before your wish list. Bring Him a heart that is fully surrendered.

The next time you bow your head to pray, don't let your first words be, "Lord, I need..." Let your first words be, "Lord, thank You." Before you ask Him to change your circumstances, acknowledge His goodness. Before you ask Him to open another door, thank Him for every door He's already opened. Before you ask Him to carry another burden, remember the burdens He's already carried.

We serve a God who delights in blessing His children. But let's never become so familiar with His grace that we lose our reverence for His presence.

Don't just come asking.

Don't come empty-handed.

Come with praise.

Come with thanksgiving.

Come with repentance.

Come with obedience.

Come with a surrendered heart.

Because when you understand who He is, you'll realize that before He deserves your petition...

He deserves your offering.

DON'T COME EMPTY-HANDED