Presenting Yourselves as a Living Sacrifice (Romans 12:1-10)
Sacrifice is a word that few people enjoy hearing about unless it is in baseball. When a runner is on third base and the hitter hits a deep fly ball to left field, he is credited with belting a sacrifice fly to bring the runner home.
Illustration: Recently, in the bottom of the ninth, Gary Sheffield, of the New York Yankees, came up to bat against Boston, knowing that even though he could swing for the fences, he focused on getting wood on the ball, to hit a sacrifice fly toward the "Green Monster Wall" in Fenway park in Boston, bringing home a much needed run.
Later than evening, one fan even reached out to punch Sheffield when Jason Varitek hit a triple along the right field foul line. Even then, the Yankees lost the game, but Sheffield did his job and he was credited with offering himself as a sacrifice for the good of the team.
Too few of us are willing to sacrifice to advance others on to heaven or maturity because of fear, selfishness or lack of obedience. Sometimes, it is necessary for soldiers in the Christian army to experience a wound or two in order to achieve victory. There are bound to be sacrifices made in the battle for Christ, His Kingdom and His righteousnes. (Matt 6:33,34) Must Jesus bear the cross alone and all the world go free? No there’s a cross for everyone and there’s cross for me.
Present yourself to God or you will end up offering yourself to one of many life’s vain pursuits, pleasures or personal interests.
Paul wrote to a group of Christians who were under heavy persecution in Rome these words, "I beseech you therfore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present yourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12:1)
Illustration: The Lord will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. —Psalm 84:11
Incredible as it sounds, Alexander Whortley lived in a mini-trailer 3 feet wide, 4 feet long, and 5 feet high until he died at the age of 80. It was made of wood, had a metal roof, and it housed him and all his meager belongings. No matter where he worked, Whortley chose to spend his life in that cramped space, even though larger quarters were always available.
I can’t imagine why anyone would choose to live in a box—certainly not if housing with far more elbow room were available. But are we allowing ourselves to be squeezed into narrow boxes of a different sort? Are we hemmed in by selfishness, an unforgiving spirit, bitterness, or sinful habits? Are we boxed in by unbelief with its coffin-like narrowness of vision, seeing only this little world and this brief lifetime as the hope-suffocating sum of our existence?
God wants us to live in the expansive joy of His strength, realizing the security of His protection and the blessing of His favor (Psalm 84:11). He lovingly urges us to dwell in the spacious mansion of faith, obedience and freedom in Jesus Christ. But to do this, we must, in obedience to the Lord, move out of our spiritual boxes and abandon the doubt, the guilt, and the fear that constrict our souls. —VCG
There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
Like the wideness of the sea;
There’s a kindness in His justice,
Which is more than liberty. —Faber
The fence of unbelief keeps us from enjoying the open fields of God’s grace. (Our Daily Bread)
Let us present ourselves to God in the following areas of life:
1. Time - Paul wrote, "Making the most of our time for the days are evil." (Eph. 5:15) Too few of us give our time to the serve the Lord with gladness. We are so busy that we forget our times are in His hands.
2. Talents - Jesus rebuked the man with one talent. The Lord said, "Take the one talent from the wicked and lazy man and give it to the man who has ten talents for to every who has been given much , much will be required. But to him who has little and does not do what he ought, even what he has will be taken away."
3. Treasures - Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where you treasure is there will your heart be also." (Matt 6:19,20) Let us be careful not to fixate our attention and energies on 401K programs and our IRA accounts that we forget that "Only one life will soon be past, only whats done for Christ will last."
4. Tasks - Paul wrote, "For whatever you do in word or deed to all in the name (for the sake, with the purpose of exalting, extending and elevating the name of Jesus) of the Lord Jesus. (Col. 3:16,17) Do your work wholeheartedly as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of your inheritance. It is the Lord Jesus Christ you serve and not men." (Col. 3:23,24)
5. Trials - James wrote, "Count it all joy when you encounter various trials, knowing that the trial of your faith, works patience. Let patience have its perfect work that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-5) Trials come to only make us strong. "Through it all... I learn to trust in Jesus, I learned to trust in God... If I had never had a problem, I would never know what faith in God could do." (Bill Gaither)
6. Troubles - Jesus said, "In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)No one is exempt from troubles. The Lord uses troubles to help us identify, imitate and inspire others to be more like the Master. As Jesus suffered for us, are we too much into our utopia expectancy that we cannot remember that Jesus said, "If anyone will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me. For whoever will lose his life for my sake, the same will save it." (Luke 9:23,24) Surely, none of us would insist that we must enjoy a trouble free life. For Paul wrote, "All who live Godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." Jesus rebuked the disciples for their little faith when they awoke Him during the storm. Jesus is able to calm the storms within and without if we will just call on our heavenly Father to take us through the storms to shores where He wants us to be. (Matt 8:1-14)
7. Talk - "Let your conversation be free from the love of money saying, the Lord is my helper, what can man do to me." Let your speech be with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer every man. Let us realize there is great power in the tongue to wound or to heal. Ask the Lord to help you harness your tongue like the rudder of a great ship to steer people to the Christ who pilots their way to green pastures of life. (James 3:15-19)
8. Travels - Let us go in to all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Teaching them to obey all that He has commanded knowing that He is with us always, even to the end of the age. It is nice to take a cruise to the Caribbean, but it is obedience to Jesus to travel to areas where the gospel is yet to be preached, lived out and exhibited for the world dying in their sins. (Acts 13:1-10)Paul embarked on the first of his many missionaries journeys with the backing of the church financially, emotionally and prayerfully. May we endeavor to partner with godly fellowships who can stand with us in our efforts to reach the lost and not be lone wolves.
Illustration: Just this week we witnessed the commissioning service of 43 college students from Trinity College of Florida who are presenting themselves as living sacificies as short term missionaries. Each one shared a prayer request about how they are asking God to use them for His greater purposes, pleasure and planning. What is holding you back from doing the same? All of this came as Rev. Les Harris of African Inland Mission, shared how he had just returned from teaching three missionaries couples who are headed in Libya to plant churches among Muslims, in a 120 degree Bible school in Chad. Les is 63 but he goes every year to Chad to teach for 3 months and now has his children ministering in Mozambique as a fruit that offering himself produced fruit in his children and beyond. Les represents five generations of missionaries that have offered themselves as living sacrifices to help be a part of transforming Africa from a hand full of believers to over 425 million in less than 150 years. There is joy in serving Jesus. Joy that triumphs over pain. Joy that fills our hearts with singing, every hour and every day.
Let us believe God for the results:
1. Transformation - God promises that He will transform us in ways that we become more like the Master with greater power, performance and productivity. Few people are experiencing higher levels of sanctification because they are not presenting themselves fully to the Lord with the above eight dimensions of life.
2. Teaching - Jesus said, "Every pupil when he is fully trained will be like His teacher." (Luke 6:40) Ask the Lord to multiply your teaching in to the lives of godly students who are eager to learn what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, excellent, admirable and praise-worthy, not only for this life but also for the age to come. (Phil. 4:8)
3. Testimonies - Paul encouraged people with the testimonies of the Thessalonicans when he wrote, "For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you to the whole known world." (I Thes. 1:7-9) May the Lord use our testimony of the great things He is doing in our life to enhance, enrich and extend the life of Christ in a greater way.
4. Tales told about us - In the book of Acts it was said of Peter, James and John, "Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and knew that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marvelled because they had been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13) Allow the Lord to use your life and lips to be a great testimony of the life of Christ shining out through you to a world suffering in darkness, despair and demoralization.
5. Trusting in God - Let us learn to trust in the Lord with ALL our heart and not rely on our own insights. IN all our ways, let us acknowledge Him as Lord and He will direct our paths." (Prov. 3:5,6)
6. Treasures in heaven - Let us remember what Paul wrote, "I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed to Him against that day." (2 Tim. 1:12) Paul was confident that he had many crowns in heaven awaiting him that would be treasures that would keep on giving for all eternity. Why would anyone want to get 4% in the bank when they could earn 3000%, 6000% or 10,000% in an eternal bank account in heaven? Ask yourself that question when you think about where you are investing.
7. Turning many to Christ - He who wins souls is wise. Prov. 11:30 - The godly are like trees that bear life giving fruit and those who save lives are wise. (New Living Translation) A godly person will exude God’s goodness and bring others to the Savior through their lifestyle and their witness. Do not fear others’ misunderstanding as we are called to be fishers of men if we follow Jesus. (Matt 4:19) Are you following Jesus?
8. Thankfulness in everything - Paul wrote, "Rejoice always, pray with out easing and in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (I Thes 5:16-18)
Song: Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the holy one. Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son. And now let the weak say I am strong. Let the poor say I am rich because of what the Lord has done for us. Give thanks. (How thankful are you this moment?) Do you spend fifteen minutes a day thanking God for all your blessings or do you take them for granted like most people. Remember, thanklessness is the first trigger to a downward spiral decline (Romans 1:18-28)
9. Tally of the eternal fruitfulness for God’s glory - Paul wrote, "Godliness is profitable for all things, not only in this life but also for the age to come." Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. (I Tim. 4:7,8) Most people are more interest in their financial tally or the tally of their favorite sports team or the tally of the number of friends they have. If you want a tally of your true fruitfulness just ask the Lord to measure your level of godly sacrifice and you will get a prescient view of what your reward will be like waiting for you in heaven. Personally, I do not want to live for eternity regretting the fact that I did not give all for Jesus. What about you?
Conclusion: I had never thought much about Jairus before. Oh, I had heard the story about this synagogue ruler, and I knew he had begged Jesus to come to his house and heal his dying daughter. But I never understood the depth of his sorrow. I never understood how his heart must have shattered in pain when a messenger came to him and announced, "Your daughter is dead."
No, I never comprehended his grief and anguish—until I heard those same words from a police officer who came to our house on June 6, 2002.
Jairus’ daughter was 12, and she died from an illness. Our daughter was 17, and it was an auto accident that broke our family’s heart.
Jairus’ daughter was restored to life by Jesus’ touch. My daughter Melissa—though we ache to know she wasn’t healed physically—was healed spiritually by Jesus’ sacrifice of love when she trusted Him as Savior early in her life. Now our comfort comes from knowing that her eternal existence with the Lord has already begun.
Two daughters. The same Jesus. Two different results. His loving and compassionate touch is a miracle that can bring peace to grieving hearts—like Jairus’, like mine, like yours. —Dave Branon
God took that one. And in my lonely heart
He poured His special peace, His tender love;
I cannot doubt that God has drawn me near
To trust Him more until I’m drawn above. —Morris
In every desert of trial, God has an oasis of comfort.(Our Daily Bread)
