JESUS LIVE A LIFE OF SACRIFICE

merriam-webster.com

: an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially : the killing of a victim on an altar

: destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else

Leviticus 22

 17 The LORD said to Moses, 18 "Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: 'If any of you—either an Israelite or an alien living in Israel—presents a gift for a burnt offering to the LORD, either to fulfill a vow or as a freewill offering, 19 you must present a male without defect from the cattle, sheep or goats in order that it may be accepted on your behalf. 20 Do not bring anything with a defect, because it will not be accepted on your behalf. 21 When anyone brings from the herd or flock a fellowship offering to the LORD to fulfill a special vow or as a freewill offering, it must be without defect or blemish to be acceptable.

Hebrews 10

1The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. 2If it could, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. 3But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins, 4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

   "Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

      but a body you prepared for me;

 6with burnt offerings and sin offerings

      you were not pleased.

 7Then I said, 'Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—

      I have come to do your will, O God.' “ 8First he said, "Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them" (although the law required them to be made). 9Then he said, "Here I am, I have come to do your will." He sets aside the first to establish the second. 10And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Romans 12

1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Looking at all of this in context we can see that Paul, trained as a Pharisee and expert of the Leviticus Law, was viewing the concept of "sacrifice" as a complete destruction or death to self. This is what Jesus did. He literally became the perfect sacrifice, through suffering, excruciating pain and death, in order to save us from ourselves. In fact the word "excruciating" means "out of the cross". The suffering upon the cross was so severe, they had to make up a new word to describe it.

We in the 20^th century can have a skewed view of the idea of what sacrifice is.

We may say to ourselves “I didn’t have cheese on my burger. That was a sacrifice”.

 This is not a biblical sacrifice.

Or even worse, we may look at privileges and blessing of fellowship and our relationship with GOD as a sacrifice:

“I came to Devo instead of watching football. I’m sacrificing to GOD.”

“I had my quiet time this morning instead of sleeping an extra hour. I’m so sacrificial.”

 “I went on a date with a brother I would never really be interested in to be giving. I’m a sacrificing sister”

“I always serve in kingdom kids, ushering, choir, you fill in the blank. My sacrifices are better than sister X’s.”

Going back to Romans 12:1-2, we see that it is GODs Will for us to be transformed in our Hearts and Minds into the likeness of His Son.  

Transformed means :  merriam-webster.com

a: to change in composition or structure b : to change the outward form or appearance of c : to change in character or condition

This requires a daily death of self and daily living for GOD. It’s all about choice.

Being a living sacrifice is our spiritual act of worship to God because we are of aware of Jesus' sacrifice for us.  Gratitude for Jesus' sacrifice for us personally should cause us to continually change and transform the way we live our lives. We should be always changing and renewing our minds so we can worship God in a good and pleasing way.  It all goes back to Jesus’ command for us to love one another as He loves us. (John 13:34-35).

Changing our lives will require sacrifice.  Sometimes it hurts to change, but it is necessary if we want to live faithful lives for GOD.

Surrender your lives to God for the opportunity to serve Him and others.

Remember, sacrifice is surrender of something for the sake of something else.   In this case it is surrender of our hopes, dreams, desires or whatever the case may be for us in order to be Christ like and pleasing to GOD.

Are we truly living sacrificial lives for God?  We can only do God's will when we are living sacrifices. 

Notice how Peter addresses this topic:

2 Peter 1

3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

 5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

 10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let us die to self and willingly allow the sacrifice of Jesus to fully transform our hearts and minds to be like Him in everything we think, feel and do.

Give yourselves to GOD as a living sacrifice and in doing so give yourselves to the benefit of one another building up the Bride of Christ until the day He calls us.

Let us have the right view of sacrifice. Let us truly be living sacrifices because of Jesus sacrifice for us.

He is worthy.

The Lord’s Supper is a time to remember Jesus' incredible sacrifice for us and to really exam ourselves and what our response to that sacrifice will be.

What will you do with His Sacrifice?

And to GOD be the glory.