BECOMING A LIVING SACRIFICE
(Keeper Of The Vision)
Romans 12:1-4
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.
2 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.
3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
A PRESENTATION TO GOD
The word beseech in verse 1 is the Greek word \”parakeleo\” which means a call to
come near or to invite. It is not a command but a call to come close to God.
God placed us in the body of Christ, but we have to make a decision to come
close to Him. We have to break away from the world to get close to God.
John 15:4-5
4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
The only way you and I can get close to God is through the mercy He presented us with
through the death of His son on the cross. His mercy covered our sins so we are made
acceptable to Him. Without God\’s mercy we are doomed to the eternal hell.
Romans 9:15-16
For he says to Moses, \”I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.\”
16 It does not, therefore, depend on man\’s desire or effort, but on God\’s mercy.
The body that was birthed in the world was created new in Jesus Christ.
We have been set aside for God\’s own use.
Our bodies are the vessels God uses to perform His will on earth.
The good work God has begun in us can only be completed with the presentation
of ourselves wholly to God.
THE SACRIFICE
The first sacrifice that God made was in the Garden of Eden with the killing of
an animal to make a covering for the sin of Adam and Eve. This was symbolic of
sacrifice that Jesus would make on the cross.
Sacrifice became a command of God to man. Let me suggest that the
sacrifice offered to God was designed to keep man focused on God.
We need to keep in mind that God is the authority over our lives.
Abel\’s sacrifice was acceptable to God, but Cain\’s was not. Abel brought
the very best to God.
Genesis 4:3-5
3 In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord.
4 But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering,
5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor.
God does not tell us in Genesis why Cain\’s offering was not acceptable to Him.
Abel\’s offering required the killing of an animal, a blood sacrifice.
Cain\’s offering required no effort, just the picking of fruit from a tree.
It is not until we get to the New Testament that God explains His dissatisfaction.
Hebrews 11:4
By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead.
Cain brought an offering, but not by faith in God.
It is by faith that we accept Christ as our personal Savior. It is by faith in the Word
of God that we are to offer ourselves to God.
It is by faith in the Word that we recognize that we are sinful creatures in need of a
Savior.
The animal offered was dead, but God wants a living sacrifice.
Hebrews 10:3-4
But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins,
4 because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
THE PARDONING OF GOD
The pardoning of sin is by God Himself.
Salvation is by the Grace and mercy of God.
It by God\’s grace that we were chosen before the foundation of the world.
Grace is God\’s divine influence upon our heart and it reflection in our lives.
Mercy is God extending His help for the consequences of our sins. God
forgives the guilty.
It is grace that protects us and mercy that frees us.
To receive the pardoning God requires a confession of our sins.
It is God\’s love for us that opens the door for confession.
THE NEED FOR CONSECRATION
\”We must be holy and acceptable\”.
The word holy is the Greek word \”hagos\”, which means morally blameless.
We attain this attribute not on our own, but by being set apart by Holy Spirit
which purifies and sanctifies us.
It is the work of the Holy Spirit that make us acceptable to God.
The work on our part starts with a decision to please God.
Hebrews 11:6
6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
To each is given a measure of faith that we must use to please God.
Romans 8:13
For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live,
NIV
Colossians 3:5-6
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.
NEED FOR COMMITMENT
\”To present ourselves\” means to make a commitment.
The commitment we make to God sets us up for additional blessing
1 Peter 4:19
So then, those who suffer according to God\’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.
Acts 20:32
Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
To make a commitment we have to put our minds and bodies under control
Acts 20:32
Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified.
We must remember the moment we commit ourselves to God, Satan get busy
to undermine our efforts.
2 Corinthians 10:3-4
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
REASONABLE SERVICE
God did not call us out of the world to be inactive in the body of Christ.
We were called to glorify God with our service.
Romans 15:5-6
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
6 so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 5:16
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
To serve God requires a lifestyle change.
We cannot serve the world and God. We have to make a choice.
Romans 12:2
Do 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.
Ephesians 6:7-8
Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,
8 because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.
THE SACRIFICE YOU MAKE FOR OTHERS WILL BE RETURNED
What we do for others will bring joy and peace to your lives.
2 Corinthians 9:10-12
Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God\’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.
WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
Let me suggest that if we could get away from being selfish, we would
expand and broaden outlives.
We are all part of one BODY, the body of Jesus Christ. All of us are
building blocks in the Church of Jesus Christ. What we do for others
is returned and multiplied in many ways.
Rev. M. Mitchell
