The original sacrificial system of the Levitical Priesthood was regulated by the Law of Moses. It was instituted as a temporal atonement for sin, and to allow sinful man to approach and worship a Holy God: "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine." (Leviticus 20:26). These daily, weekly, monthly and yearly sacrifices would ultimately be fulfilled by the perfect and complete sacrifice of Jesus Christ. That is, a one time sacrifice and for all: "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:28-29). What a blessed hope and glorious promise that we all patiently and eagerly await, and with great anticipation, my beloved brothers and sisters!
The apostle Paul seals the deal by this confirmation: "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." (Titus 2:13-14). Had it ever occurred to you that you are SPECIAL? That's precisely what's being expressed in Paul's words "peculiar people", and with direct, 24 hours a day, seven days per week and anytime access to a Holy God. We must understand and realize, however, that this is in the context of a Kingdom perspective: this identity is exclusive to Kingdom people and that means us.
With such a distinction, there are specific expectations and obligations, and beginning with a standard of living a life in accordance with the will, wisdom, purpose and plan of God. Jesus Christ volitionally and sacrificially offered Himself at Calvary, and on a wooden cross (indelible symbols of salvation). He would miraculously and supernaturally rise from the dead on the third day, and by the power of God (the Holy Ghost). This was foretold by Christ Himself: "And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again." (Mark 8:31).
I'd like to state in some detail, what the word "sacrifice" means in this context: To suffer a loss, to give up, to offer, to dedicate, to surrender or to exercise self-denial for a greater cause, for something of greater value and for the greater good of something or someone. Now, I will consolidate, translate or even reduce the forgoing definition to a single word, LOVE. How can that be? Well, the Word of God teaches the following: "Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." (Romans 13:8-10).
We who are born again, or born from above, as Christ taught Nicodemus (John 3:3), have inherited this sacrificial trait. Now, as we arrive at the conclusion of this narrative concerning the foundational subject of SACRIFICE, our position and condition as Kingdom people proclaims us to be identified as follows: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:13-16).
My beloved brothers and sisters, based on what's been stipulated above, we must become and remain Living Sacrifices. Please understand that I am being a bit facetious in saying this: the nature of such a sacrifice does not imply the acquisition or usage of a physical cross. However, it is a statement directly referencing the above meaning of the word "sacrifice". Scripturally, the apostle Paul characterizes how and to what extent one is a Living Sacrifice: "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. 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." (Romans 12:1-2)
Jesus Christ became, and will forever more be known as our precious, empowering, life-giving and life-sustaining "suffering servant", and the GREATEST expression of "GOD IS LOVE": "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:7-8)
ISAIAH 53:
1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?
2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.
9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Commenti