Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done. Gen. 8.20-21

This is the first time an altar is mentioned by name in the Bible. Noah created something on which he can offer sacrifices to God. Don't just think you can automatically offer something; you must do it in the prescribed way. Thought the evil inclinations of the human heart will try to say otherwise. God specifically blessed Noah because he makes this altar. So, what is an altar? We often think of the table at the front of a church. This is not what the Bible means by this word. In fact, when I first came to church this really confused me, I was invited to an ‘altar call’ but in my Pentecostal church there was no 'altar' at the front. This concept of an altar is throughout the bible and on an altar an atoning sacrifice is given that covers over sin.

We have an altar from which those who minister at the tabernacle have no right to eat. Heb. 13:10

We have an altar... but, where is it? This clearly altar isn't physical. Noah built a physical altar, as did Abraham and God appeared to him. David built a physical altar too. When Ezra and Nehemiah came back after the years of captivity one of the first things they did was to build the altar. They didn't re-create the temple while much later. God wants us to come to an altar, His altar. Sadly, most people are stimulated by physical things than nonphysical. I love taking people to Israel and showing someone something from the Bible. I love reading a passage of scripture and then pointing to an object or landmark and saying, ‘this is that’. People are usually impressed by seeing the places and objects physically. Some people are impressed by the great architecture of great churches and cathedrals. We think that because of these amazing sights we can sense God better and that's not true. We have a real altar, but we cannot see it in the natural.

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. Rev. 8:3

There is a physical and spiritual altar in heaven. This is the altar that we are at, it's a heavenly altar but what's being released on this altar is our prayers. God is receiving things from this altar; he isn't just receiving anything. Sometimes we get the impression that anything we do or say God will receive it. God receives only what is put on this altar.

The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Rev. 8:4

Anything put out on this altar is taken up by God as incense. If our prayers are genuinely put on that altar God hears them.

Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake. Rev. 8:5

Notice the pattern here: If we can put things on this real spiritual altar in heaven. The answer gets hurled back to earth. Jesus taught us to pray 'your kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.' but this only happens if we put things on this altar. This is why we call them altar calls; we want people to genuinely meet with God. I think that sometimes we come to God, and we pray to God, but many people never quite grasp that they are before the altar. In the Old Testament people only met with God when they came to the altar.

Consider the people of Israel: Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? 1 Cor. 10:18

The Corinthian church did a lot of talking yet they did not get a lot right. It is at the altar that we exchange things before God. We offer something but God also gives a portion to the priests. The highest level of service you can give is at the altar. When we give to God, we always get something in return. God's plan is for all his people to be at this altar and not just the priests. Everyone was supposed to give a sacrifice, and everyone was to receive back from God. In the Bible if you had not given food to God, you were not allowed to eat any of your food. We shouldn't ever take something for ourselves without first giving it to God. God's altar even came before a person's own needs, their harvest would be given to God before the people would take something for themselves.

Jesus gave everything to God, even his own body. Jesus gave his very self on the cross. Which as you may know, was the very same place where Abraham offered Isaac.

Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? James 2:21

We read this verse, but we miss out the word ‘altar’. What made Abraham righteous is not just his offering but also the place of his offering. Jesus was crucified on this very same altar, on the same rock, the same mountain. Today we are at an altar, and we should not come empty handed. Abraham and Jesus put everything on the altar.

And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. Luke 1:10-11

The worshippers were outside, but Zechariah was at the altar. The angel appeared only to Zechariah, not those outside worshipping. We are at a greater altar than what he served at. When Zechariah did this his payers were heard (:13). When we are at the altar God hears us there. If we need something from God, we have to get to the altar.

But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you,  leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. Matthew 5:22-24

What is Jesus saying here? The attitude of our heart is more important than what we are actually doing. Forget your gift, if your heart is wrong it would be better to leave this gift and go and put your attitude right. Remember, Jesus said this, it's more important that we love others than do the apparently righteous thing. We can’t do what should be meaningful while holding something against another. We must make sure our hearts are pure.

You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ Matthew 23:18

Jesus is getting really angry here. Which is greater the gift or the altar? Well, the altar, but how many people assess themselves by their gift, by what they are doing. Don't just assess what yourself or others are doing in the church. Judas did this with Mary, he said it was a waste, and it should be used for something else. Jesus said what she has done will be told whenever the gospel is preached. She gave it to Jesus, and Jesus said this was preparation for his death. Are we at this altar? Are we giving to Jesus and living as Jesus intends us to live? When we put something on the altar it belongs to God. You cannot take it back. There is a reverence here, we have to come to the altar. You might be reading this and thinking we'll what do I do then? We offer our incense. We give to God; we worship in spirit and in truth for this is what the father seeks. We love as Jesus wants us to live. We don't emphasis our gift, we don't assess the service of others or seek only what we can get. We give everything to God and in doing so our gift is sanctified.

• Adapted from Pastor Dave Jones’ Sermon 20/11/24