TOPIC: Offering acceptable sacrifice

TEXT: PSALM 100: 3-4; Psalm 103:1; Romans 12:1-2

INTRODUCTION: God is LORD who made us and owns us. Passionately praising the Lord with all that is within us, is expected from every believer. It is to be totally consumed by His praise so that nothing of us is left. When this is done God takes over to intervene at the altar. As long as a man is still alive to himself, the possibility of God taking over is limited. God is a Jealous God who wants all the glory to Himself.  One of the characteristics of any altar is the sacrifice that is offered on it. Abraham took his only child of old age Isaac to mount Moriah totally yielding to the command of God, Moses left the palace as a prince to totally commit to live with the people of God, David would not offer what cost him nothing, Solomon offered thousands of bulls and rams, and God offered His only begotten son on the altar of Calvary. It thus appears that the sacrifice acceptable to a supervising spirit on any altar is a valuable one. When the supervising spirit of the altar is pleased, a solution is given to any petition or prayer. The goal is therefore to please the supervising Spirit of God each time we bring our sacrifice. He cannot be grieved as we have been advised “ And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” It takes a sacrifice to loose any seal around the destiny of a man and this points to an altar (Rev.5:8,9). Altars are needed for all significant milestones and the purpose is to acknowledge God and seek the next step in the journey of destiny.

  1. What is a sacrifice: A sacrifice is the means God prescribed for the faulty humans to demonstrate faith in Him. It concerns the way to approach God and finding acceptance by means of an acceptable substitute offered in place of the sinner and that bear the curse of sin. The measure of your sacrifice is the measure of your faith. When Adam sinned, according to God’s law he got the death sentence. However, God made a substitute, the lamb, to clothe Him, symbolizing Jesus. It is therefore what is lost, given up, renounced, injured, or destroyed especially for an ideal, a belief, or an end. It is an individual giving up a valuable thing for the sake of a higher thing e.g. a problem for a solution. It is an evidence of love and it is a spiritual conduct that honors God.

 

  1. Types of sacrifices: Israel had different types of sacrifices prescribed. Burnt offering-Jesus was perfect The grain sacrifice symbolized the bread of life; Peace sacrifice-blessings especially reconciliation to God; Sin offering- paid death penalty for sin with His blood; Trespass offering- died on the cross that every sin can be forgiven. All these had fulfilment in Christ who was the ultimate sacrifice. Under His umbrella, our sacrifice could be Restoring a brother, studying the word, fellowship, drawing near to Him and receiving His covenant, maintain His presence, to be  freed from guilt, to regain purity, and celebrate His saving work on our behalf. All sacrifices made by men are temporary in order to incur a benefit, the only permanent sacrifice is that of God. Man provides the sacrifice; God provides the fire when the sacrifice is right.

 

  1. Making of a living sacrifice: Since Jesus offered the ultimate sacrifice on Calvary, there is no other sacrifice anyone could offer. He remains the only man who had no sin and in whom God is well pleased. The bible enjoins that modelling after Christ, we should offer our bodies a living sacrifice which is acceptable. This is because of the many blessings We are the body of Christ and the question becomes how do we make it a living sacrifice acceptable. It is to dedicate our whole bodies to God. It is not looking at evil, tongue not speak filthiness, hand do no lawless deed but good works, almsgiving, mouth bless even those that despitefully use you; ears hear scripture. This is because sacrifice can only be done with what is clean. To be acceptable, it is to be unblemished, without spot, pure and holy, free from accusation. Jesus said satan could not find any no accusation against Him.