THE BURNT OFFERING
Passage: Exodus 29:15 – 18
Memory Verse: Genesis 22: 1 – 18
“He said to his servants, stay here with the donkey
while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back
to you.” [Genesis 22: 5 NIV]
HOW DOES THIS OFFERING RELATE TO TH CALL TO OFFER OURSELVES AS LIVING SACRIFICES
We learnt in Genesis 22: 1 – 4, that when Abraham was
told to offer up Isaac, who was his only son and heir to the promise which is
by faith, obeyed and believed God to know best.
Now, when he was
going to the mountain up along with his son, he made a remarkable statement to
his servants who were with him. He said “We go to worship” (Genesis 22:5).
Abraham saw the burnt offering as an act of worship and servitude. As believers
we also are admonished by God to offer ourselves as living sacrifices (Roman
12:1).
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s
mercies, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.”(Romans 12:1
NIV)
Even as the
offering was to be given wholly and not only a part of it, so also are we
believers supposed to take our everyday, ordinary life, sleeping, eating, going
to work and walking around life and place it before God. It is only when, we
believers give ourselves fully to God that we can end up being to Him a sweet
smelling savour (a sweet or pleasing aroma), even as Christ gave Himself for us
an offering and a sacrifice unto God (Eph. 5:1 – 2).
A believer must
not have in mind that somethings must only be done on Saturdays, Sundays, Xmas
and Easter celebrations. A believer must know that his or her life is to be a
continual burnt offering. A believer’s Sabbath is not only the day he goes to
fellowship with his Local Assembly but he or she has entered into a perpetual
Sabbath, even as Christ is our Sabbath and we are in Him. (Colossians 2:16 –
17, Romans 14:5 – 8).
BE A LIVING SACRIFICE
One thing to note
as believers is that though we are being admonished to give our live as living
sacrifices, it is in our very own interests to do so. This is because, by
giving our whole selves to God, we are actually giving ourselves wholly to His
perfect plan for our lives, which is for our own good. This must be our
everyday and mind set, to worship God by giving ourselves wholly to Him.
One of the main
reasons why we find this difficult to do is because, we forget that fact that
we are not our own. We were bought with a price and we do not belong to
ourselves. This, we must glorify God, both in our bodies and in our spirits
which are all God’s (1 Corinthians 6:11-20).
To be a living
sacrifice means to surrender all things to God and acknowledge Him as both Lord
(Master) and Christ. It is only when we acknowledge His Lordship that we can
submit to His authority. To be a living sacrifice, in plain terms, means to
submit, thus, to live as such means to daily submit to God’s headship and
authority and obey Him at all times.
Submission is
never a pleasant thing to do. It means subjection of one’s will, foregoing some
pleasures and joys, obeying at all times and dying to desire of the flesh. It
is virtually impossible to do. But the only way it can be done is to
acknowledge the Holy Spirit who is at work in you and His power which works
mightily in you (Philippians 2:13).
It is never our doing
but God who causes us to triumph. When He causes us to walk in that victory
parade, we become to Him a sweet scented and exquisite fragrance of Christ (2
Corinthians 2:14-15). Fellowship is key if we intend to make this a reality.
We are alive unto
God ad dead to sin. Our bodies are not ours but the Lord’s. Though we have our
wills and desires, yet we are to submit it wholly unto God, just as a burnt
offering is wholly consumed by fire. By so doing, we are bond to walk in His perfect
plan for our lives and hence walk in the benefits thereof.
Shalom!!!
#The_Grace_Factor
#Prayer_Factory
#Redefining_The_Church
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