LIVE TO GIVE
Spiritual Gifts • Sermon • Submitted
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· 81 viewsIn this lesson Pastor Bogan explains what it means to live one's life sacrificially unto God.
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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.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
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.
Romans 12:3
Romans 12:1
In this passage the Apostle Paul admonishes us to live sacrificially unto God. How does one live sacrificially? Let’s be honest, living is not something we would normally associate with the word sacrifice. Sacrifices, particularly Old Testament sacrifices, were slain or killed. Therefore, one would think that if we’re called to be “sacrifices,” then we should be expecting to give up our life (or give up living). To most people sacrifice has nothing at all to do with living!
Well, we might FIRST ask...
Well, we might FIRST ask...
In this passage the Apostle Paul admonishes us to live sacrificially unto God. How does one live sacrificially? Let’s be honest, living is not something we would normally associate with the word sacrifice. Sacrifices, particularly Old Testament sacrifices, were slain or killed. Therefore, one would think that if we’re called to be “sacrifices,” then we should be expecting to give up our life (or give up living). To most people sacrifice has nothing at all to do with living!
What is Living?
What is Living?
"Living” is not something we would normally associate with the word sacrifice. Sacrifices, particularly Old Testament sacrifices, were slain or killed. Therefore, one would think that if we’re called to be “sacrifices,” then we’re expected to give up our life (or give up living)
This is exactly what people associate with the Christian life. Very few people associate the Christian life with “living.” Living is a word that better characterizes life in the world. The world really knows how to “live.” To the world “living” is about experiencing and enjoying everything good life has to offer (homes, cars, food, drink, people, places, etc.). If the world says this is the best car to drive, we want to drive it. If the world says this is the best home to live in, we want to live there. If the world says this is the best place to visit or the best people to know, we want to go there and we want to meet them. Everything good, and everything truly great we want to have it and we want to experience it. Why? Because we haven’t lived until we do!
Very few people associate the Christian life with “living.” Everyone knows that you don’t become a Christian to “live.” Living is a word that better characterizes life in the world. The world really knows how to live. To the world “living” is experiencing and enjoying everything good life has to offer (homes, cars, food, drink, people, places, etc.). If the world says this is the best car to drive, we want to drive it. If the world says this is the best home to live in, we want to live there. If the world says this is the best place to visit or the best people to know, we want to go there and we want to meet them. Everything good, and everything truly great we want to have it and we want to experience it. Why? Because we haven’t lived until we do!
This is exactly what people associate with the Christian life. Very few people associate the Christian life with “living.” Living is a word that better characterizes life in the world. The world really knows how to “live.” To the world “living” is about experiencing and enjoying everything good life has to offer (homes, cars, food, drink, people, places, etc.). If the world says this is the best car to drive, we want to drive it. If the world says this is the best home to live in, we want to live there. If the world says this is the best place to visit or the best people to know, we want to go there and we want to meet them. Everything good, and everything truly great we want to have it and we want to experience it. Why? Because we haven’t lived until we do!
If this is what “living” means to you, you will never know life until your mind is renewed!
If our goal is to live unto ourselves, I would agree on this definition of life. But, no one lives unto themselves.
This might be true if our goal is to live unto ourselves. However, no one (no real believer, that is) lives unto themselves!
For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.
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.
Living unto God, or “life” in the eyes of God is not about enjoying all that life has to offer, but about knowing God!
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Living unto God, or “life” in the eyes of God is not about enjoying all that life has to offer. Instead, it’s about knowing God!
Living unto God, or “life” in the eyes of God is not about enjoying all that life has to offer, but about knowing God!
Living is KNOWING
Living is KNOWING
And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
You haven’t truly lived until you have known God!
Life has always been (even from the beginning) a product of man’s interaction with God (“He breathed into man’s nostrils…and man became a living soul/being”)! Therefore, you haven’t truly “lived” until you have known God! In fact, no relationship compares to the one we can have with God. (This is why there will be no marriages in heaven!) Therefore, whether we’re married or single we have the ability to know/experience the greatest life possible, but we must renew our mind to realize it!
KJV 1900
Life has always been (even from the beginning) a product of man’s interaction with God (“He breathed into man’s nostrils…and man became a living soul/being”)!
To all you single people, you already know/have the greatest relationship (love) anyone can ever experience. You simply do not KNOW it because your mind is still tuned into the world.
Life has always been (even from the beginning) a product of man’s interaction with God (“He breathed into man’s nostrils…and man became a living soul/being”)! In fact, no relationship compares to the one we can have with God. (This is why there will be no marriages in heaven!) Therefore, whether we’re married or single we have the ability to know/experience the greatest life possible, but we must renew our mind to realize it!
Living is not just about knowing; it’s also about giving!
The word “know” speaks of relationship. True life has always been a product of our interaction/relationship with God (“He breathed into man’s nostrils…and man became a living soul/being”)! No relationship/experience compares to knowing God. (This is why there will be no marriages in heaven!) Moreover, everyone has the opportunity to experience this life (married or single).
If life (living) is knowing God, what is the greatest expression of life?
Paul’s admonition to the Romans was not just “live.” It was also to live “sacrificially.”
What are we living for?
What are we living for?
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.
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.
When we hear Jesus say, “I come that you might have life and that more abundantly,” we assume He means that He came that we might enjoy life to the full. In fact, if experience anything that doesn’t line up with this, we view it as a contradiction of God’s word/plan. But, this is only because we’re still thinking like the world!
When we hear Jesus say, “I come that you might have life and that more abundantly,” we assume He means that He came that we might enjoy life to the full. In fact, if experience anything that doesn’t line up with this, we view it as a contradiction of God’s word/plan. But, this is only because we’re still thinking like the world!
Whether that means eat, or they live to The chief focus of the Christian life is not personal enjoyment, but personal sacrifice.
There’s an expression, “You only live once.” But, what will we do with that life? In other words, what will be our chief focus in life? For some, life’s chief focus is to experience and enjoy life to the full. Surprisingly, many Christians have adopted this same focus. When we hear Jesus say, “I come that you might have life and more abundantly,” we assume He means that He came that we might enjoy life to the full. In fact, if we experience anything that does not line up with this idea, we view that experience as a contradiction of God’s plan for our life. But, this is because we’re still thinking like the world!
We LIVE TO GIVE
We LIVE TO GIVE
However, Paul does not tell us to live abundantly (as unto themselves). He tells us to live sacrificially (as unto God)! The Christian life is one where our chief focus is not on personal enjoyment, but on personal sacrifice. Moreover, the chief reason for adopting this way of life is the mercies (grace) we have received from God!
Paul doesn’t admonish believers to live enjoyably (unto themselves). He admonishes them to live sacrificially (unto God)!
The truth is, the chief focus of the Christian life is to give up our life, not enjoy life. Paul does not admonish believers to live enjoyably (as unto themselves). He admonishes them to live sacrificially (as unto God)! In other words, LIVING IS GIVING. The reason we are to adopt this attitude towards life has to do with the mercies (grace) we have from God.
As Paul writes, this is the least we can do considering the mercies God has shown us.
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.
Living is sacrifice, not enjoyment
Living is sacrifice, not enjoyment
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
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that we offer Him “living sacrifices,” the kind of sacrifices that are carried out, not merely through physical death, but through our service for God in our daily life and the the discharge of our spiritual gifts. This is the kind of “sacrifices” that God is well-pleased with.
The reason we adopt this attitude has to do with the mercies of God ().
The mercies of God were personified by the sacrifice of the Jesus Christ. Moreover, God’s sacrifice (mercies) have an intended goal—to motivate us towards personal sacrifice.
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
Sacrifice (giving) is the correct response to grace. There’s a lot of talk about grace, but what about our response to grace? What will we do or give?
The mercies of God were personified by the sacrifice of the Jesus Christ. Moreover, God’s sacrifice (mercies) have an intended goal—to motivate us towards personal sacrifice.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
If love is the proof that we have His life, what is the proof that we truly have His love?
Love towards others is not the means of our life, but the “proof” that we have recieved it. What is the proof that we truly have love towards others?
1 John
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Receiving God’s grace (through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ) demands a response—personal sacrifice from us. In fact, this is the only “reasonable” response that we can offer.
The love of God is perceived by an act of sacrifice (laying down one’s life for the brethren). Therefore, if we have truly received life from God, the right response is to lay down/sacrifice our life!
Proof that we love the brethren is we lay down (sacrifice) our life for them. Therefore, the right response for anyone who has received “life” from God is that they live sacrificially.
What are we to “sacrifice” if not our physical life?
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.
We’ve already talked about how we are to sacrifice our need for personal enjoyment. In addition to this, we must be willing to sacrifice all of our gifts.
But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
God is pleased when we “communicate” (share) with others what we have recieved, both naturally and spiritually. Living a sacrificial life unto God is not just about communicating and sharing our natural gifts with people, but it’s also about communicating and sharing our spiritual gifts with them.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Sacrificing (laying down) our life ( pleasure, enjoyment) is the proof that we truly love others. It is also proof that we truly have the grace and life of God!
The right response to God’s grace is sacrifice!
Give the spiritual, not just the natural
Give the spiritual, not just the natural
God is well-pleased when we communicate (share) with others what He has given to us. This includes both our natural gifts AND our spiritual gifts. Worship (living sacrificially) is not just about sharing natural gifts; it’s also about sharing spiritual gifts.
God is well-pleased when we SHARE (His life and grace), not just when we SERVE!
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Jesus didn’t just come to give His natural life; He came to share His spiritual life. Many are serving, but how many are truly sharing the grace/life of God with others?
KJV 1900
Acts 10:38).
KJV 1900