Romans 12:1-2 – Living Sacrifice – Audio

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Text: Romans 12:1-2 (Reading by Andy Anderson)

You Are a Living Sacrifice

A sacrifice may be defined as something you give up in order to receive something better in return. When playing a board game, you might give up a piece in order to get a better piece or position in return. You may have to choose between two activities at the same time; something must be given up. When making a sacrifice to God, something must be given up of ourselves, a living sacrifice, in order to receive something greater from Him.

I. We must offer ourselves as a living sacrifice.

A. We are “living stones,” offering up “spiritual sacrifices (1 Peter 2:4-5).”

B. To be a living sacrifice, one must be dead to sin but alive to God (Romans 6:11-13; Galatians 6:14).

C. Our body and spirit belong to God (1 Corinthians 6:20).

D. Christ lives in us (Galatians 2:20).

E. The church at Sardis was not alive; it was dead (Revelation 3:1-3).

II. We must offer holy sacrifices.

A. The book of Leviticus describes just how holy each sacrifice to God should be, and how holy the priests are to offer them.

B. Today, Christians are a “holy priesthood (1 Peter 2:5).”

C. We are to be holy…

1) …for God is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16).

2) …and without blemish (Ephesians 5:26-27).

3) …and without blame before Him in love (Ephesians 1:4-8).

D. We are to serve God “in holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life (Luke 1:75).”

E. John tells us, “he who is holy, let him be holy still (Revelation 22:11)” as we prepare for the Lord’s coming.

III. Our sacrifices must be acceptable to God.

A. Abel offered a sacrifice acceptable to God, but Cain did not (Genesis 4:1-7).

B. Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they did not offer an acceptable sacrifice (Leviticus 10:1-3).

C. Abraham was willing to offer his son as an acceptable sacrifice to God (Genesis 22).

D. Today we are told what is acceptable to God through His Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Conclusion

Jesus Christ offered Himself as the perfect living sacrifice! He lived, died, and lives again! He is holy, and always does what is acceptable to His Father. Following His example, we must transform ourselves into a living sacrifice. We must live for Him, be holy, and do what is acceptable unto Him. His will for us is good, acceptable, and perfect. We can prove it if we offer ourselves as the right kind of sacrifice.