Worship Through Sacrifice
Open Your Bible
Romans 12:1-2, Psalm 51:1-19, Luke 7:36-50, Hebrews 13:15-16
BY Melanie Rainer
My toes tend to curl when I hear the word “sacrifice.” My toes curl when I’m uncomfortable, when my anxiety spikes, or when I see something gross or gory flash across the television screen. It’s involuntary, like the knee-jerk reflex test at my annual physical. There’s some sort of connection in my brain between the word “sacrifice” and the feeling of danger and discomfort.
I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad reaction, but one that gives me pause when I think about today’s readings. Even the notion of “worship as sacrifice” feels a little primitive, conjuring up images of priestly rites and clean animals and fires and blood.
The Old Testament sacrificial system depended on an exchange: the clean blood of an animal exchanged for a person’s uncleanness. Psalm 51 shows David’s prayer of repentance after his sin with Bathsheba. It is full of references to the sacrificial system but hints at the salvation to come: “You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering” (v.16).
We no longer have to offer blood sacrifices to draw near to God; rather, Jesus has served as the sacrifice. Hebrews 10 gives us all the assurance of this blessed truth: “By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time” (v.10).
Ritual sacrifice is no longer required from us, but as we read today, sacrifice is presented as a form of worship. Throughout the New Testament, we see sacrifice exhorted and explained. It is part of our life of worship, our response to who God is and what He has done for us.
The beautiful story in Luke 7 shows a sinful woman offering her finest perfume to wash the feet of Jesus. Her sacrifice is monetary, but she also lays down whatever pride and fear she must have had. Given the scornful cynicism of the Pharisees who watched her, her actions must have cost her substantially more than an alabaster jar of fine perfume.
In Romans 12, Paul calls believers to sacrifice by living differently than the present age. “Do not be conformed to this age,” he writes (v.2). Reflecting on what it would truly mean for me to live differently than the world also makes my toes curl.
Hebrews 13 gives us two more examples of sacrifice: praise and good works. Philippians 4 commends financial offerings as sacrifice (v.18). And Mark 12 tells us that loving God and loving our neighbor are more valuable than burnt offerings (v.33).
Sacrifice looks like submission to God as He renews my heart, mind, words, service—my whole life—to better reflect His perfect character and boundless mercy. I am called to sacrifice my sinful nature, my active temptations, and my selfishness in an ongoing act of worship and praise to God, whose sacrifice alone makes me worthy to stand before Him.
32 thoughts on "Worship Through Sacrifice"
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This week has been filled with God challenging and pursuing my heart to bring me back to him after a season of rebellion. I had been feeling so much shame and guilt for what I had done that I could hardly bring myself to even talk to him anymore because I thought surely he must not want to hear from me when I’m actively pushing him away and doing the exact opposite of what he said. But God. He finally got a hold of my heart and ripped me free from the sin that so easily entangles. This morning I decided that I wanted to start reading SRT again (it’s been a few months) and I started this plan. I clicked on this reading, seeing it was at the top and as I was reading, it was like God speaking his forgiveness and his mercy into my heart. It was exactly what I needed to hear but as I was reading the comments, I noticed the date was today’s date. Instead of starting at what I thought was the beginning of the plan, God lead me to today’s reading because those were the words he wanted to speak into my heart. Wow…
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Welcome back! ❤️ God is so gracious!
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God bless you, sweet Amarose!
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Isn’t that just like our God?! To put before us exactly what He wants us to hear and what we need to hear! Thank you for sharing.
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❤
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He’s always waiting right where we left Him, ready to put us back together! ❤️
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The story of the woman with the alabaster box is one of my favorites. I love how Mary is not ashamed to cry in front of the Lord and in front of anyone. Her tears are a genuine symbol of love and worship for Jesus Christ. I am a serious crybaby. Every time I feel the spirit it makes me emotional and I can’t ever control my emotions. After reading the story of Mary I realized she was not ashamed of her emotions of Christ and expressed them openly. This really opened my eyes of not being ashamed to shed tears openly for Christ as well. We should never feel ashamed of “wiping his feet with our tears”. Since then I have told many woman To never apologize for crying openly when they feel the spirit. Honest tears are a form of worship, gratitude, and love towards or Savior.
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I am the same way! I tear up at anything that moves me – whether it be witnessing kindness, seeing beauty in nature on my drive home, or hearing any kind of moving story.
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Oops, I didn’t mean to post that so soon! Anyway, yes, in the past year or so I’ve often held back tears in church during worship or communion too. But I also love reading about Mary’s unashamed emotions before Jesus and being reminded that such strong feelings can be poured out to God in worship rather than stifled out of fear of looking foolish or too emotional. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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So true!! I haven’t thought about that before, thanks for sharing!✨
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Thanks Churchmouse. I am blessed by your comments. Love the way you said to sacrifice self awareness for God awareness.
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It is hazy out right now. The condensation on my window distorts my view of what is just beyond the glass. The thick humid air is nearly visible and without stepping onto my porch, I know breathing in the moisture will be laborious and add heaviness to my work and my walk. Isn’t that what my life is like when I carelessly let the sin of this world influence my spirit? My view gets distorted and the work and my walk become heavier to bear. I can see that David felt the same burden from his sin. He knew the lightness of God’s goodness and the clarity of God’s divine heart. It was not God that created the haze in David’s life, but David’s desire to be conformed by this world. But by God’s grace, David knew that God was still there even though he’d lost sight of Him. David repented and trusted in God’s faithfulness—not just believing, but knowing that God’s love was still shining brightly on him, his beloved child. I, too, step out into the heat of sin in this world and suddenly realize that my view is distorted and lose my focus, but David’s God is my God too. He refreshes my spirit with His love and His truth. His mercy lightens my heart and with clarity I sacrifice my sinful ways and walk, instead, in the bright light of His glory and goodness. Thank you, for once and for always, welcoming me into your life-giving love. I don’t just believe, I know that my God has faithfully replaced the haze of my life with the light and brightness of His Son!
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Thank you for this poignant analogy. We’re on vacation in Florida and it will help me turn my focus on God’s grace as I continually re-experience the humidity, reminding me of how God’s grace refreshes.
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Reflecting on what sacrifice will look like in my day to day. Grateful for the reminder that sacrifice has many facets. The great forgiveness I have received…my response of gratitude should always be great. Even in the challenging seasons of life. Gratitude at times can be a sacrifice. May my response always be a graceful act of worship to you Jesus.
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Thank you for your insight, Churchmouse. All of this hit me square in the face! You definitely are a blessing to all.
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SRT ladies, fellow and former teachers, I have written your names down and have committed to pray for you in your service to God and his children at least weekly, more as He lays you on my heart. What a blessing to be united, even over the internet, in our calling and service to our King. Your kind words and encouragement were blessings from God and I thank both you and especially Him. (I am also checking out the Sabbath series as that was an area God worked in my heart this summer, thank you.)
Churchmouse, beautifully said…a sermon preached that we step forward in obedience to live.
As we lay down “self” – washing His feet with our tears (pure, emptied, cleansing, Crazy Eight life), pouring forth the very best that we have (in substance and soul), drying it with our hair (not wasting an ounce of what He provides us to pour forth)…may the fragrance, the beautiful aroma of Christ, penetrate all to His glory and honor.
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❤️
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Let’s be honest, I have first world problems. Sacrifices for me in the United States look much different than sacrifices elsewhere. Defining sacrifice, true sacrifice, is difficult because I so seldom offer what I think would be a true sacrifice. Oh I offer my time, my talent, my treasure but how truly sacrificial are they? Offering a sacrifice in the Old Testament required the shedding of blood. For sure I haven’t done that. So it is with great interest that I read the Scriptures for our reading today. What did his say is an acceptable sacrifice? He says “a sacrifice pleasing” is an offering of:
My body, holy (set apart)
A broken spirit
A humbled heart
Lips that confess His name
Doing what is good
Sharing what I have.That’s sacrifice? I was thinking it’d be something more dramatic. But perhaps God desires these because they require the essence of sacrifice in their simplicity. The daily laying down of me in order to exalt Him. Choosing His way, not mine. Praising Him when circumstances and emotions make that hard. Looking at my possessions as His for using to further His kingdom. Setting aside my pride because I am nothing without Him. Seeking His face more than promoting my own.
These don’t seem grand but they are certainly doable, wherever I am. And perhaps that’s the real sacrifice. The sacrifice of self awareness for God awareness. Being aware of the little opportunities to serve Him wherever I am, in whatever way I can, as quietly as I can. So today I will look for little altars He puts in my path. I will humble myself and offer what I can at that moment. For others. For Him. Because sacrifice of me exalts Him. And I think He will be pleased.
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Amen!
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