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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!

CHRISTIAN DUTY

Introduction 

Luke 17:10–“So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”

Read Romans 12:1-2

The believer is to present his body as a living sacrifice to God. Everything he has and everything that He is, is to be dedicated to the worship and service of God.

Anything less than a total sacrifice and total devotion is short of God's glory. i.e. It is sin. So, when discussing the believer's relationship to God, the Apostle Paul was strong in his exhortation to the Roman believers and to us!

In verse 1 we see Paul strongly urging them and us with regard to our commitment to the Lord.

Note the words "I beseech you". It means “I implore you, urge you, beg you”. What is being said here is not said to the world. It is being directed to brothers in Christ: "I beseech you therefore, brethren."

The word "therefore" launches a new subject for discussion. But it connects what is about to be said to what has already been said.

What has been said in the book of Romans thus far is this:

1.             The world desperately needs to get right with God

                 (Romans 1:18-3:20).

2.              The way for the world to get right with God is now clearly revealed through God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The way is justification by faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ and having God count one's faith as righteousness (Romans 3:21-5:21).

3.              Because of that, the believer in Christ has been sanctified, that is, set apart to God and set free from sin to life eternal by the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit (Romans 6:1-8:39).

4.              Believers, who make up the Church, are now God's choice to carry the Gospel of His Son to the whole world (Romans 9:1-11:36).

This is the glorious message Paul has just finished sharing with the Romans of how much God loves us and of what God has done for us. That is what is meant by "the mercies of God." The mercies of God to us who believe are overflowing; they are beyond anything any person could ever desire.

Just think about what God has done for us:

1.              God has met our desperate need to get right with Him!

2.              God has provided the power to be set free from the terrible bondage to sin in this life and provided a way for us to live with Him eternally!

3.              God has given us the most glorious purpose to live:

That of proclaiming the good news of His Son, of how sinners can be set free from sin and death and be able to live eternally.

Therefore, in light of the mercies of God, of all this that God has done for us, it is reasonable for God to expect us to give ourselves as a living sacrifice, that is, to devote ourselves to Him.

Tonight as we begin to look at this, I want us to answer these questions.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO SACRIFICE?

WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF SACRIFICE?

I.               OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE MEANT THAT SOMETHING OF VALUE WAS SET APART FOR GOD.

Sacrifice was something that was planned according to that which was acceptable with God.

                 A.         That Which Was Set Apart For God Was To Come From The First Fruits. 

Exodus 23:19–“19 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring into the house of the LORD thy God.”

Exodus 34:26 The first of the firstfruits of thy land thou shalt bring unto the house of the LORD thy God.”

God is the one who set the parameters of what an acceptable sacrifice was and is.

                              God doesn’t want our leftovers, He wants our first fruits!

                              Let’s apply that to giving our lives as a living sacrifice:

                              1.          God Deserves The First Day Of Our Week.

                                           We ought to plan our schedule accordingly!

                                           Sunday belongs to God!

                              2.          God Deserves The First Fruits Of Our Working.

                                           We ought to plan our finances accordingly.

                                           The Tithe belongs to the Lord!

That Which Was Set Apart For God Was To Come From The First Fruits.

                 B.         That Which Was Set Apart For God Was To Come From The Best That One Had. (Leviticus 22:19-25

As you look at the Old Testament sacrifices to God, they not only chose from their first fruits, they chose from their best.

                              In fact, God chided His people when they failed in this area!

Malachi 1:8–“8 And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts.”

Malachi 1:14–“But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.”

                              Again, God set the parameters for sacrifice!

                              God deserves first class, don’t you think?

                              Shouldn’t we give Him of our best?

OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE MEANT THAT SOMETHING OF VALUE WAS SET APART FOR GOD. (The First, The Best)

II.             OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE MEANT THAT SOMETHING OF VALUE WAS OFFERED TO GOD.

(2 Samuel 24:21-24)

David understood this principle. If it doesn’t cost me anything, then it is not a sacrifice!

III.            OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE WAS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD.

God ordained the Old Testament sacrifices for Israel!

Exodus 19:5–“5 Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine:”

Jeremiah 7:23–“23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.”

                 God ordained the New Testament sacrifices for the Child of God too!

IV.            OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE WAS AN ACT OF CONSECRATION AND WAS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY OBEDIENCE.  (Isaiah 1:11-18)

King Saul – 1 Samuel 15

V.             OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE WAS AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE. (Exp. – Noah)

Psalms 54:6– “6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O LORD; for it is good.”

Hebrews 13:15–“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

VI.            OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE WAS AN ACT OF DEVOTION OR WORSHIP.

                 In fact, they could not properly worship without sacrifice. 

1 Samuel 1:3–“3 And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sacrifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh.”

2 Kings 17:36– ‘36 But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice.”

Conclusion

There are some other things that I want to say about our duty to sacrifice.

OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE MEANS THAT SOMETHING OF VALUE MUST BE SET APART FOR GOD.

Are you giving God what is first?

                 Are you giving God what is best? 

OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE MEANS THAT SOMETHING OF VALUE WAS OFFERED TO GOD.

                 If it doesn’t cost you anything, there is no sacrifice in that!

OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE TO GOD. He requires it of us and if we are going to be obedient, we must give it to Him.

OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE IS AN ACT OF CONSECRATION AND IS TO BE ACCOMPANIED BY OBEDIENCE.         

                 To obey is better than to sacrifice! Are you being obedient?

OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE IS AN ACT OF THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE.

If we are thankful for what God has done for us and we truly want to praise Him, we will have no trouble with sacrificing ourselves to Him.

 OFFERING A PROPER SACRIFICE IS AN ACT OF DEVOTION OR WORSHIP.

If our sacrifice is unacceptable, then our worship will also be unacceptable.

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NOTICE:   THESE SERMONS ARE FREE TO BE USED BUT ARE NOT TO BE SOLD!