1 Peter 2:5-6 NLT
[5] “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. [6] As the Scriptures say, “I am placing a cornerstone in Jerusalem, chosen for great honor, and anyone who trusts in him will never be disgraced.”
Stones and priests! Anther gem to ponder!
The Bible uses many pictures to describe God’s people. Sheep is one of the favourites.
Psalms 100:3 NLT
[3] “Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.”
‘Sheep’ conjours up the idea of rather silly animals who follow any leader in large flocks, who need a shepherd’s perpetual care because they can’t make it on their own, who are vulnerable and defenceless against predators, who even need to be led to pastures and water… all rather negative attributes but true of many people!
Jesus also used the metaphor of the shepherd and his sheep.
John 10:11 NLT
[11] “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep.”
However, His description of sheep and shepherd says little about sheep but much about Himself and His relationship to His sheep. He is ‘good’ in all His dealings with the sheep, leading, feeding, caring, protecting, and giving His own life for His sheep.
What about stones and priests? Quite the opposite of sheep! A new dimension has crept into our understanding of God’s people. We are now much more than sheep, needing the care and protection of a shepherd. We have taken on a sense of responsibility, something to do because of who we are.
We are a temple, a place of worship, built together of living stones, fashioned to fit perfectly to form the vibrant, living ‘house’ where God dwells by His Spirit. Each stone is a temple, a heart where God is worshipped in daily thoughts and activities. Each stone is part of the temple, doing life together for God’s glory.
‘Together’ is the operative word. This temple is bound together with the mortar of God’s love.
John 13:34 NLT
[34] “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”
Colossians 3:14 NLT
[14] “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.”
This temple is also a holy nation. It has one theme in all its worship… the GOODNESS of God. He called us out of darkness, forgave our sin, gave us a new nature, and set our feet on the solid rock of His truth.
He also gave us a new ‘profession’, royal priests in this temple. We are priests of the King of kings. The role of these priests is to offer sacrifice.
1 Peter 2:9 NLT
[9] “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.”
All the sacrifices in the Old Covenant pointed to, and are summed up in Jesus, and are redundant now because Jesus came to be the perfect human, atoning sacrifice for sin. The New Covenant has a new set of sacrifices which all believers, as priests in this new temple, offer to God as our acceptable worship.
There is a sequence to these offerings which we will explore together. We begin with the sacrifice David discovered to be the one sacrifice that sets the tone for all other sacrifices.
- A broken spirit.
Psalms 51:16-17 NLT
[16] “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. [17] The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.”
A broken spirit in Hebrew implies a spirit that has been crushed, torn apart, or collapsed. Why does God require a broken spirit?
The spirit of man in his natural state is defiant and rebellious. Sin is the expression of our rebellious nature. Sin is the barrier between us and God. He cannot fellowship with those who are stubbornly set against Him.
That spirit needs to be broken, crushed and collapsed into submission and obedience, hence the need to present to God a new heart of compliance in the place of rebellion. Without this recognition and confession that God is right and we are wrong, we cannot offer any other sacrifice that is pleasing to God.
Brokenness can have an additional side to it. When the resistant spirit, like the spirit of an ‘unbroken’ horse, is collapsed, the animal is said to be ‘broken in’, taking a bit and bridle in submission to its rider.
God requires the offering of a ‘broken’ and a ‘broken in’ heart that pleases Him so that all other sacrifices are offered from a spirit that in harmony with Him.
- A thankful heart
Hebrews 13:15 NLT
[15] “Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.”
A broken spirit is followed by a thankful heart, a heart that sets aside its own concerns to focus on the one who deserves the praise. He alone has done everything then has made us who we are and has brought us to where we are. We are to recognise, value, and appreciate what God has done for us and express our gratitude in praise.
Gratitude cancels complaining and discontent and replaces it with a true appreciation of God’s unending goodness to us.
He even works for our good in the worst of circumstances.
Thanksgiving turns doubt and fear into confidence and trust. Thanksgiving is the language of faith.
- Good works
Hebrews 13:16 NLT
[16] And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.
Paul reminds us that we are created for the purpose of doing good works.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT
[10] “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
What are the ‘good things’ we were created to do? To sum up, we are to do the opposite of all the bad things we did before. We are to love, not hate; we are to give, not take; we are to forgive, not retaliate; we are to say “No”, not “Yes”, to selfishness and “Yes”, not “No” to serving one another in love.
- Our bodies as living sacrifices.
Romans 12:1 NIV
[1] “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
Paul’s “therefore” leans back on all he has already taught his readers about God’s grace in Christ. For this reason, we have an obligation to present to God our physical bodies. Why?
He made them to be His temple; through our bodies we either fulfill our evil desires or we worship God in everything we do; by giving God our bodies, we trust Him to keep us from trespassing into forbidden territory; we do the good works He created us to do with our bodies.
Sacrifice does not mean that we give up something of value to us. Rather, it means that we exchange something we have for something better. When we present our bodies to God, He gives us the promise of holiness and a resurrection body that will never die.
Romans 8:11-13 NIV
[11] “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. [12] Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. [13] For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”
- Our resources
Philippians 4:16-19 NLT
[16]”Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. [17] I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness. [18] At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. [19] And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”
Once again, the sacrifice of generosity reaps its own reward. God is never indebted to anyone. He uses people to meet other people’s needs and, in turn, He rewards those who are generous with their resources by giving them more to give again.
We create a current with our currency. Jesus said, “Give and it will be given to you…”
2 Corinthians 8:14 NLT
[14] “Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal.”
2 Corinthians 9:8, 10 NLT
[8] “And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others….
[10] For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.”
Above all, what we give away becomes a deposit in the bank of heaven. Our hearts will follow our giving, towards where God is, in heaven.
Matthew 6:19-21 NLT
[19] “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. [20] Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. [21] Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.”
Paul instructed Timothy…
1 Timothy 6:17-19 NLT
[17]” Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. [18] Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and generous to those in need, always being ready to share with others. [19] By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may experience true life.”
This is the way God’s economic system works in the kingdom and… He gets the glory.
2 Corinthians 9:13 NLT
[13] “As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them and to all believers will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.”
So, God has given us ample opportunity to express our love for and gratitude to Him in practical ways that build our faith and glorify Him.