Living Sacrifices
If you have spent any time at all reading the Bible, I am sure you have noticed some of the many times we are implored to sacrifice for God. Of course, in no way could any of us match God’s supreme sacrifice in the giving of His Son for our salvation. But, nevertheless, we are to follow our Lord’s example of sacrifice in such a way that it does evidence our gratitude for what He did for us.
While preparing this message, I examined my sacrifices for the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t like to ask others to do what I haven’t done and had a hard time coming up with a satisfactory answer. When Jesus was on this earth, He had no place to lay His head. That doesn’t mean He didn’t have a place to sleep. It means that He actually had no bed of His own. I have a comfortable bed in which I sleep and it belongs to me. There were times when Jesus had no food. I always have food to eat. If I don’t, it’s my own fault because there are at least a half-dozen supermarkets within a short distance from my home. Jesus worked long hours each day healing, preaching, teaching, and doing good. There are times when He could hardly stay awake because of so much activity for God the Father and others. Rarely do I find myself in any of these circumstances.
For a number of years, my wife and I have given half of my salary to God’s work, supporting churches and missionaries in various parts of the world. But we still manage to save a little each month. Hopefully, we won’t ever have to burden others for financial help. Of course, we are always completely dependant on the Lord and could do nothing without His care and help. In no way do I think our small acts of service for our Lord are sacrifices. I recall a few times when I had to get up out of a sick bed to speak at services that had been prearranged. I don’t think of that as a sacrifice, but rather an obligation. On the other hand, I know some missionaries, serving God in various parts of the world, who actually put their lives on the altar for God. Any sacrifice I make, in no way compares with theirs.
So often we quote Bible verses, but do we really live them? Paul wrote, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God (Romans 12:1-2).. Paul is begging us to present our bodies a living sacrifice.
The word body here is not simply the body of flesh in which we live. It means body, soul and spirit. It has to do with all you are and all you possess. If you are a Christian, all of you and your possessions belong to God. All should be used for His glory: your car belongs to the Lord, your house belongs to the Lord, and your money belongs to the Lord. Are they being used as sacrifices for the Lord? They are His, if you have presented your body a living sacrifice to God. This is every believer’s responsibility. It isn’t only for certain people like your pastor, missionaries, or church officers. It is for you, if you are a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. We are not simply to admire those who are doing a wonderful work for God. We are responsible to do our own work for the Lord, because Romans 12:1-2 was written to all of us. It is our reasonable service.!in Just as in the marriage ceremony we made certain vows of commitment to our spouse, so it is in our relationship to Christ. Sacrifice for our Savior should be as natural for believers as eating and sleeping.
What are a few of the sacrifices Christians should be making? First of all, we should give Him time each day, as we read and study His word and pray. Then we should take time to do acts of service such as witnessing to people who need the Gospel, visiting the sick, and helping the aged. The Christian life is more than receiving, it is giving. We should be sacrificial in the use of our money for Christian work and benevolence. We should give to our church first, and then to whatever the Lord leads us to support. Some people talk of the tithe. Personally, I have never thought of the tithe as a sacrifice for God. It is not called a sacrifice in the Scriptures. It is an offering to God. It actually belongs to God. I have heard people say, “Give until it hurts.” Some people give very little and it hurts. I like to think of giving until it blesses. Jesus said, It is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 2!0:35). There is a blessing in the sacrifice of our income that cannot be known in any other way.
I think, too, we need to be sacrificial in what we say. How often we offend people, sometimes without even knowing it. We need to pray daily that God will make us a blessing through our speech. Ask God how you can be a greater blessing for the Lord. Remember, Jesus said in Matthew 16:24, If any man come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. That obligation falls upon every one of us the moment we receive the Lord. We are not here to live for ourselves. We are here to live and sacrifice for Jesus who gave His all for us.
I received a letter from a mission board telling of one of their missionaries whom I had met some years ago at a missionary conference. At that time, she was a young lady just out of school, planning to go to the mission field for her first term. From the letter, I learned that after more than thirty years on the field, this missionary had to return home, stressed out and broken in spirit, because of all the pressure of her labor on the field. For all these years she has literally been a living sacrifice for God. The Lord has done a remarkable work through this servant of God. Her sacrifice has not been in vain, nor will ours, but we must redeem the time knowing that the days are evil. Every day the Lord gives us a new opportunity to be a living sacrifice for Him.
If you are a believer, for whom are you sacrificing? Be sure you are sacrificing for Christ. You may be a church member, but are you saved? Have you had a heart experience with God? If you were to die in the next five minutes, would you go to heaven? Do you have doubts? You can know for sure. Jesus said, He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life (John 3:36). Belief is more than a head acceptance of Christ. It is a heart acceptance of Him as we surrender our life to His control. It is putting Christ on the throne instead of ourselves. After that commitment, we are to become living sacrifices. Have you had this experience? If not, tell Christ you are through with your own way, and that you want to follow Him.
J. Allen Blair
What you can do to be saved:
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, and thy house (Acts 16:31). That's good news!
Sin Is A Virus!
by Pastor Geoffrey Janes
Have you ever had a computer virus? I’m sure you or someone you know has had to deal with the misfortune of trying to get rid of one. Those computer viruses have a way of getting into your computer, causing all kinds of unexpected disruptions. I have spent the last several days trying to remove ad ware from a laptop we have here at the church. I have read articles, downloaded spy ware remover, and have applied many diagnostic tools on that laptop. But somehow, somewhere, hidden deep within the files on that computer, is a little program that waits until it is ready, and starts opening internet pop-up boxes all over the screen.
Sometimes, in our own lives, we allow sin to remain dormant. Somewhere, deep down inside, we have an area in our lives that we are hiding from God. Of course, we can’t really hide from God, but we surely do try. And those small areas, left by themselves, inevitably pop up at the most inopportune times, causing us to do things we will later regret. We need to be on guard against sin. We need to protect ourselves from the devastating effects of tiny hidden sins in our lives.
Just like that laptop, which has a file on it somewhere that causes strange and unexpected things to happen, you have a tiny area of your life that needs to be cleaned. Ask God for guidance as you begin to remove from your life those areas that are not pleasing to God. Search me, O God, and know my heart (Psalm 139, 23).
A Book for Your Gift
The book for your gift in the month of May, 2005 is, Living Faithfully, a study in 2nd Peter. We're interested in helping you learn God's Word through this devotional commentary by Dr. Blair.
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