COMMUNICATING IS SUCH A SACRIFICE!

Hebrews 13:15-16
15By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

So, what are the sacrifices here? Praising, doing good, and communicating. Let’s focus on “communicating” as a sacrifice to God. I think of communicating as an investment of time and energy, and sometimes a hassle. God’s Words tells us we need to do this to please Him. Yet, we’re reluctant to take the time and energy many times.

Communicate in the Greek for this particular verse is “koinonia” which means to communicate, fellowship, communion, partnership, participation, distribution.

Communicate: www.thefreedictionary.com
1) to convey information about; make known; impart knowledge or exchange thoughts, feelings, or ideas
2) to spread to others; transmit as in an infectious disease/virus; to transfer
3) to have an interchange, as of ideas
4) to express oneself in such a way that one is readily and clearly understood
5) to be connected with one another; to make or have a connecting passage or route; to connect or join

Aren’t there people that you have cut off communicating with because it’s way too much work?...way too much hassle?...way too much energy?...you’re too tired to take time for someone? …too busy to keep up relationships? ...too tired or busy to attend or plan times of fellowship?

Maybe we’ve been hurt, so we avoid communication. We think it saves us from more hurt, yet, because we’re God’s creations, created for relationship, we’re shooting ourselves in the foot on this one. We are His family. We cannot live without communion, fellowship, communication, and relationship with one another and Him and expect to be healthy in body, soul, and spirit.

God brings people across our paths on purpose that He wants us to “communicate” with for some reason. We need to embrace the opportunities to “please” God. And, “communicating” pleases Him well.

Definition of “sacrifice”: www.thefreedictionary.com
noun:
1) the act of offering, losing, surrendering something to a deity in propitiation or homage
2) forfeiture of something highly valued for the sake of one considered to have a great value or claim
3) relinquishment of something at less than its presumed value
4) a loss entailed by giving up
5) the act of killing
6) in baseball, an “out” that advances the base runners
verb:
1) to forfeit one thing for another thing considered to be of great value
2) to endure the loss of
3) to give away for the sake of something or someone else
4) to dedicate, to give thought to, to give priority to, to pay attention to
5) kill or destroy
6) sell at a loss
7) in baseball, make a sacrifice bunt or sacrifice fly
8) in chess, to permit or force one’s opponent to capture a piece freely

As I pondered this Scripture and each definition of the key words, sacrifice and communication, it opened my mind and heart to a new realm of understanding.

The definition of sacrifice that stood out like a bolt to me was: in baseball, an “out” that advances the base runners. If we put ourselves “out” or “sacrifice”, it would advance the runners! Aren’t we all runners is the race? The sacrifice to honor God by obeying His Word, advances the runners. Wow!
1 Corinthians 9:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Philippians 2:16 Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

The definition of communicate that stood out was: to spread to others; transmit as in an infectious disease/virus; to transfer. Aren’t we supposed to spread God’s love? Shouldn’t we be infectious to all those around us? Can’t do that without communicating.

Does the schedule you keep please God? If you aren’t fitting in the communication, fellowship, participation, relationships, etc., how can you be pleasing God? He asks us to praise Him, do good, and communicate. That’s what pleases Him.

Pleasing the Father: Heb. 11:6; Heb. 13:16; Prov. 16:7; Rom. 8:8; 2 Tim. 2:4