We are impressed with sacrifice. With the war going on in Iraq, we hear stories of heroism such as men diving on a grenade to save others. And we are impressed. We’re just not sure if we want to sacrifice. Because sacrifice costs something, it always involves a price. We are called to be living sacrifices. We are going to look at three passages of Scripture which use the language of sacrifice to describe our life as a believer.

Romans 12:1-2 tells us that we are to offer our bodies to God as ‘living sacrifices,’ which is part of our worship of God. We know that Jesus offered himself on the cross to die for our sins – once and for all. Our sin is covered and we are saved by grace. Jesus sacrificed himself for us. Now our sacrifice is our life, not our death. And it is not to gain salvation, but an outgrowth of it – ‘in view of God’s mercy.’

1 Peter 2:4-5 tells us that the church is not the building, but it is God’s people. And we are a kingdom of priests who ‘offer spiritual sacrifices’ which are acceptable because of what Christ did for us. And these sacrifices are simply our service to God, and it always will cost us something – that is what a sacrifice is. As David said in 2 Samuel 24:24, “I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” We offer to God what is valuable to us – our own selves. I am often amazed how much discipline and effort we will put into hunting, as we chase the elusive buck. We do so with a purpose and a goal in mind. How much more dedicated we ought to be as we follow the call of Jesus to follow him.

What keeps us from living lives dedicated to God and being a living sacrifice?

1. Unbelief – We just don’t see, or feel the truth of God and so begin to lose our vision for our life with Jesus, and choose to sit on the bench. In other words, we stop living by faith – which is by nature not sight. We say with the father who has a son with an evil spirit in Mark 9:24, “I do believe, help me overcome my unbelief!”

2. Sin/Idolatry – Those things in our lives which distract and draw us away from God. Good things can sometimes become idols: sports, kids, finances, and so on. A profound truth is that when we dedicate ourselves to Christ, he often sends us back to these things, but with proper priorities and perspective.

Hebrews 13:15-16 calls us to the sacrifice of praise and worship, and then to the sacrifice of good works/sharing. God is pleased with these things. Our sacrifice involves both contemplation and then action. We praise God, and then we serve others. Both are our living sacrifice to God through Christ.

May we dedicate ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. May the next step be clear for us personally as we continue our journey with Christ.

Pastor Tim, September 23, 2007