FRAGRANCE OF WORSHIP

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Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord smelled a soothing aroma. Then the Lord said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake...nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done". (Gen. 8:20-21 NKJV)

Cain and Abel brought their offerings before the Lord; the Lord accepted Abel's offering but rejected Cain's offering. Why? There was a clear difference. Cain's offering had an aroma detestable to God while Abel's offering had a fragrance delectable to God! In those days of old, offerings were burnt on an altar set in a manner that enabled the smell to rise up high to heaven, to God! God responded differently to the aroma He smelled. Cain's aroma was foul because it rose from: 1)unclean heart; 2)unclean source-the ground; 3)grudgingly; 4)sparingly; 5)without shed blood. Abel's was vice versa.

In the opening text, notice that Noah followed Abel's pattern of sacrifice: 1)from heart of gratitude; 2)clean animals; 3)willingly; 4)generously; 5)with shed blood. The result - the sweet smelling aroma rose up to God, a fragrance pleasing to Him! And the consequence - God spoke from His heart: “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake...nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done" (vs. 21).

Jesus Christ came and offered His body without sin and shed His blood as a once and for all sacrifice for the sins of man. No more do we need animal sacrifices for the atonement of our sins. His was the perfect sacrifice - clean, pure, offered in unconditional love, and with His own blood. Believers are partakers of His body and blood in Holy Communion, and have received His Spirit. By this same Spirit, we cry, "Abba Father", lifting up Holy hands offering our sacrifices of praise and worship to God. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father' (Col. 3:16-17 NLT).

When we come to God in worship, it is by the Spirit in us that we offer sacrifice of worship from clean hearts. Without Him our sacrifice would lack the fragrance that rises up, is accepted by God and brings back His promises for our lives (Gen. 8:21). Hear what the Bible says in 2 Chr. 13-14: ' _indeed it came to pass, when the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice...and praised the Lord, saying: “For He is good, For His mercy endures forever,” that the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud, so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God'._ That is the fragrance of our worship of the Almighty.



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