Living Sacrifices, Holy and Pleasing to God (May 7th 2009)

Hundreds of years before Christ was born, God set up a plan/procedure to handle the sin problem with His people. From the beginning, God said that the “price” or “penalty” of sin had to be paid for, and the only thing He would accept for the payment of sin is blood. Something had to die. So, God’s people would bring a lamb, a perfect lamb (one without any spots or bruises or any other blemishes) to the priest (the man who went to God for the people). The lamb was killed and the blood shed was presented to God as a sacrifice for the sins of the people. God saw the blood and “passed over them.” The people were forgiven once the blood was shed.

The focus here though is that the lamb cost them something. Their main food, clothing, and buying power were in these animals. A family’s wealth was determined based on their amount of livestock. God required something “precious” or “important” to be given to Him for the forgiveness of sins. Webster defines sacrifice as an “act of offering to a deity something precious.”

What Paul is begging in Romans 12:1-2, is that we present ourselves as Living Sacrifices. The lambs who were sacrificed gave their all – literally! As followers of Jesus, Paul said the least we can do is give God our all, everything! Based on all He has done for us, this is the least that we can do. Give your hands to God, give your eyes to God, give you feet to God.

But, notice, we’re no good to Him dead. God needs living sacrifices. But the only problem with living sacrifices is that they keep “crawling off the altar” (smile)! When everything is going well, when the bills are paid, when the family is acting right, when the job isn’t stressful, when there are no problems at the church – it’s easy to sacrifice. But when the hard times come, we find ourselves crawling off the altar. We don’t mind “sacrificing” the easy stuff! Sure, I’ll go to church Friday’s and Sunday’s; but if someone needs my help during the week? Well, that’s my “me time”! Or, “if you want me to be in charge of this, oh, great I’ll call the shots; but you need me to help behind the scene? Well, I don’t do that” Or, “I’ll sing in the choir, but help feed the homeless, nah.” Or, I’ll pray for her, but go visit her in the hospital, nah, I’m really busy.” When it’s not convenient or something we’d do anyway, we crawl off the altar.

God is looking for living, active, sacrifices! Your body isn’t your own, you have been bought with a price. Excuses like, “that’s not my personality,” or “I’m too busy, I’m doing too much already,” or “I’m just tired, I need a break,” just don’t cut it in this “Walk-With-Christ” thingy we signed up for. And, don’t bring God no junk! That’s what “holy and pleasing to God” means. It’s got to be a total sacrifice – give your all. It’s got to be a holy sacrifice – nothing filthy or done half heartily. And it needs to be delightful to God. Put a smile on God's face...