Spiritual Sacrifices[1]
(1 Peter 2:5, John 4:19-26)
Two weeks ago, I preached about the characteristics of a successful church based on the description of the first church in the Acts of the Apostles. These six characteristics are Bible study, fellowship, communion, prayer, worship, and generosity.
Last week, I preached about the priesthood of all believers. Jesus Christ, through his life, death, and resurrection once and for all did away with the separation between God and human beings. We have no need of priests separate from all believers because Jesus as high priest is all we need. Together we are a holy priesthood who are to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
This week, I’m going to focus on the phrase “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” from 1 Peter 2:5. This three-sermon series started with the characteristics of a successful church according to the first church, then moved inward to the role of the members of a church as priests, and will move inward again to what those members of a church do to grow as disciples. We began with the church, moved inward to the role of the members as a whole, and will now move inward, again, to what the members do as individuals of a church.
1 Peter 2:5 states, “[Y]ou also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” We members of this church are like living stones being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood. We are to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. So, what are the spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God that we as disciples of Jesus Christ are supposed to be offering to God?
It turns out that there are different opinions about this topic. I did a little research and discovered that different people have differing ideas about what spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God are. I found one article, though, that I thought was more thorough than the others, written by the Rev. P. G. Matthew. I will share with you what Rev. Matthew believes are spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, our high priest.
1) Self-consecration: We are to dedicate ourselves to the service of God. The first commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mt. 22:37).
#568 Take My Life and Let It Be, verse 1
2) Obedience: Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Psalm 40:6-8 says, “Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, ‘Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart’.” Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Christians, by offering obedience to God in their lives and conversation, do what the apostle calls offering their bodies to be a living sacrifice…”.[2]
#584 Have Thine Own Way, Lord, verse 1
3) Praise: We are to praise God continually. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through [Jesus], then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
#77 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, verse 1
4) Prayer: 1 Thessalonions 5:17 exhorts Christians to “pray without ceasing.” Psalm 141:2 presents the beautiful image of our prayers rising like incense to God: “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you . . .” .
#623 Sweet Hour of Prayer, Sweet Hour of Prayer, verse 1
5) Sharing of treasure, both with those inside the church and with those outside the church: Hebrews 13:16 says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Galatians 6:10, says, “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.” And let us not forget Matthew 25:37-40: “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me’.”
#429 Let Your Heart Be Broken, verse 1
6) Ministerial and missionary support: “The Philippian church shared their material goods with their minister and missionary, Paul. Their gifts were ‘a fragrant offering [to God], an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God’ (Ph 4:18). [When] Christians are faithful in this sacrificial service, ministers [are] well-supported and missionary enterprise[s] flourish.”[3]
#721 Shine, Jesus, Shine, verse 1
7) Witnessing: The reading from 1 Peter from last week states, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (9). Share with others what you have found in God.
#498 I Love to Tell the Story, verse 1
8) Family life: After the giving of the commandment to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might,” Moses told the Hebrew people, “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Dt 6:6-9). Pass on your faith to your children. Nurture in them a love of God and a sense of the sacred.
#764 We Give This Child to You, all verses
9) Work: Everything we do is to glorify God, including our professional work. Luther said, “If a person was justified by faith in Christ, then . . . any work was God’s work, whether it was ploughing the field, milling the corn, sweeping the house, or bringing up children.”[4] Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters . . .”.
#644 God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending, verse 2
10) Death: When we die, we are to die in faith. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 says, “As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
#687 Shall We Gather at the River, verse 1
These, then, are the things we, as priests, can do to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. God at work in us enables us to do these things. As we turn our will and our lives over to God, God’s power is enabled to work in and through us to glorify him and to do his will on earth. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever” (Eph 3:20). Amen.
Sermon preached by the Rev. Amy Johnson at the Canton Community Baptist Church, Canton, CT, Sunday, May 21, 2017, the Sixth Sunday of Easter.
[1] Matthew, P. G. “The Priesthood of All Believers,” 1996, http://www.gracevalley.org/articles/Priesthood.html
[2] Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards , Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1986), 943.
[3] Matthew, P. G. “The Priesthood of All Believers,” 1996, http://www.gracevalley.org/articles/Priesthood.html
[4] James Atkinson in Service in Christ, ed. James I. McCord and T.H.L. Parker (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1966), 84.
(1 Peter 2:5, John 4:19-26)
Two weeks ago, I preached about the characteristics of a successful church based on the description of the first church in the Acts of the Apostles. These six characteristics are Bible study, fellowship, communion, prayer, worship, and generosity.
Last week, I preached about the priesthood of all believers. Jesus Christ, through his life, death, and resurrection once and for all did away with the separation between God and human beings. We have no need of priests separate from all believers because Jesus as high priest is all we need. Together we are a holy priesthood who are to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
This week, I’m going to focus on the phrase “spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God” from 1 Peter 2:5. This three-sermon series started with the characteristics of a successful church according to the first church, then moved inward to the role of the members of a church as priests, and will move inward again to what those members of a church do to grow as disciples. We began with the church, moved inward to the role of the members as a whole, and will now move inward, again, to what the members do as individuals of a church.
1 Peter 2:5 states, “[Y]ou also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” We members of this church are like living stones being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood. We are to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. So, what are the spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God that we as disciples of Jesus Christ are supposed to be offering to God?
It turns out that there are different opinions about this topic. I did a little research and discovered that different people have differing ideas about what spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God are. I found one article, though, that I thought was more thorough than the others, written by the Rev. P. G. Matthew. I will share with you what Rev. Matthew believes are spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, our high priest.
1) Self-consecration: We are to dedicate ourselves to the service of God. The first commandment is to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Mt. 22:37).
#568 Take My Life and Let It Be, verse 1
2) Obedience: Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Psalm 40:6-8 says, “Sacrifice and offering you do not desire, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, ‘Here I am; in the scroll of the book it is written of me. I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart’.” Jonathan Edwards wrote, “Christians, by offering obedience to God in their lives and conversation, do what the apostle calls offering their bodies to be a living sacrifice…”.[2]
#584 Have Thine Own Way, Lord, verse 1
3) Praise: We are to praise God continually. Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through [Jesus], then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
#77 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, verse 1
4) Prayer: 1 Thessalonions 5:17 exhorts Christians to “pray without ceasing.” Psalm 141:2 presents the beautiful image of our prayers rising like incense to God: “Let my prayer be counted as incense before you . . .” .
#623 Sweet Hour of Prayer, Sweet Hour of Prayer, verse 1
5) Sharing of treasure, both with those inside the church and with those outside the church: Hebrews 13:16 says, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” Galatians 6:10, says, “So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.” And let us not forget Matthew 25:37-40: “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?” And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me’.”
#429 Let Your Heart Be Broken, verse 1
6) Ministerial and missionary support: “The Philippian church shared their material goods with their minister and missionary, Paul. Their gifts were ‘a fragrant offering [to God], an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God’ (Ph 4:18). [When] Christians are faithful in this sacrificial service, ministers [are] well-supported and missionary enterprise[s] flourish.”[3]
#721 Shine, Jesus, Shine, verse 1
7) Witnessing: The reading from 1 Peter from last week states, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (9). Share with others what you have found in God.
#498 I Love to Tell the Story, verse 1
8) Family life: After the giving of the commandment to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might,” Moses told the Hebrew people, “Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblem on your forehead, and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Dt 6:6-9). Pass on your faith to your children. Nurture in them a love of God and a sense of the sacred.
#764 We Give This Child to You, all verses
9) Work: Everything we do is to glorify God, including our professional work. Luther said, “If a person was justified by faith in Christ, then . . . any work was God’s work, whether it was ploughing the field, milling the corn, sweeping the house, or bringing up children.”[4] Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters . . .”.
#644 God, Whose Giving Knows No Ending, verse 2
10) Death: When we die, we are to die in faith. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 says, “As for me, I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
#687 Shall We Gather at the River, verse 1
These, then, are the things we, as priests, can do to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God. God at work in us enables us to do these things. As we turn our will and our lives over to God, God’s power is enabled to work in and through us to glorify him and to do his will on earth. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever” (Eph 3:20). Amen.
Sermon preached by the Rev. Amy Johnson at the Canton Community Baptist Church, Canton, CT, Sunday, May 21, 2017, the Sixth Sunday of Easter.
[1] Matthew, P. G. “The Priesthood of All Believers,” 1996, http://www.gracevalley.org/articles/Priesthood.html
[2] Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards , Vol. 2 (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1986), 943.
[3] Matthew, P. G. “The Priesthood of All Believers,” 1996, http://www.gracevalley.org/articles/Priesthood.html
[4] James Atkinson in Service in Christ, ed. James I. McCord and T.H.L. Parker (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1966), 84.
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