PRESENT YOUR BODY AS A LIVING SACRIFICE
PRESENT YOUR BODY AS A LIVING SACRIFICE
By Evangeline Unity Esaaba Folson
ROMANS 12: 1 – 2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies as 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 the good, and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Technically, everything that is presented as a sacrifice is dead or is killed. The animals the Israelites sacrificed to God for the forgiveness of their sins were all killed. When idol worshippers make sacrifices to their gods, all the animals used as sacrifices are killed.
How can we present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice? We must:
- Die to self (put God first in everything) Matthew 6: 33, Mark 10: 2 – 3.
- Take up our cross daily and follow Jesus. Luke 9: 26, Matthew 10:37-39
- Obey the great commission. Matthew 28:19-20
DIE TO SELF
This means you have to put God first in all you do. Your needs and desires come second to obeying God’s will.
MATTHEW 6: 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.
The verse above says if you “seek first the kingdom of God”, that is if you put God first in all you do, all the other things including your needs and desires will be provided.
MARK 10: 28 – 30
Then Peter began to say unto Him, so, we have left all, and have followed thee.
And Jesus answered and said, verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospels,
But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the world to come eternal life.
According to the passage, above the rewards you receive when you put God first are numerous. God would take care of you, if you present your body as a living sacrifice and do all you can to glorify Him and win souls for His kingdom, at the expense of losing the pleasures of life.
TAKE UP YOUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW JESUS
LUKE 9: 23 – 26
And He said to them all if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow me.
For whosoever will save his life will lose it but whosoever will lose his life for my sake the same shall save it.
MATTHEW 10: 37 – 39
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my Sake shall find it.
The two passages above emphasize that trying to save your life or caring more about the issues that seem important in life would rather work to your disadvantage. However, if you daily deny yourself of the pleasures of life and present your body as a living sacrifice to God, you will be blessed greatly by God.
MATTHEW 28: 19 – 20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Be concerned about God’s message to the world and devote your life to serving Him. The passage from Matthew 28 is Jesus’s last words to His disciples. This confirms the fact that preaching the gospel daily to save souls is of utmost importance to God. He says as we obey the Great Commission. He will be with us always. That is, He will provide all we need, the grace and knowledge we need, the funds, the people, the strength, and open doors to enable you to preach the gospel.
All we need to do is obey His word and take a step of faith, in spite of unfavorable circumstances.
CONCLUSION
Ponder on the words of this hymn:
- Hark the voice of Jesus crying
“who will go and work today?
Fields are ripe and harvest
Waiting who will bear the
Sheaves away? Long and loud
The Master calls on us,
Rich reward He offers free;
Who will answer gladly
Saying, “ Here am I,
Send me, send me”?
4. Let none hear you idly
Saying, “there is nothing
I can do, “ while the
Lost of earth are dying,
and the Master calls for
you; take the task He
gives you gladly; let
His work your pleasure
be; answer quickly
when He calls you,
“Here am I, send me,
Send me”.
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