Downtown Mitchell First UMC
310 North Rowley, Mitchell, SD 57301
Rev. Keith Nelson, Lead Pastor
keith@downtownfirstumc.com
I am so glad that I live and work in the day and age in which I do. This is not to say that we are living in the perfect age. Certainly, we all know that is not the case. There are enough struggles in the world and in our own nation to keep us all humble and stretching to do better. No, I’m glad I live and work in the Church in the time-period I do because of all the blood mentioned in the Old Testament.
I’m currently reading from the book of Exodus in my morning time with God. I’m almost to the end of the book and it’s talking about getting the place of worship set up. There’s lots of blood being put on things – splashed here and splashed there, this ear lobe and that toe, this altar and that utensil, etc. Next, I’ll be reading Leviticus which also goes into great detail about sacrifices. It’s not that I’m squeamish about blood, it’s more about the slaughtering of the animals to get the blood that is used in the purification rituals.
I do understand the significance of the Old Testament sacrificial system. The intent was to help people see and understand the value and the importance of following God’s laws and directives. If you didn’t follow the laws that are intended to help you live in God’s ways, well, there would be consequences and it would cost you something. Sometimes something significant! The point wasn’t just to make a ritual so people could get “clean” again through the sacrifice. The real intention was about helping people realize the value of right or righteous living. Thus, experiencing the value and beauty of faithfulness to God.
So, in the midst of my reading about the Old Covenant sacrificial system I also happened to read a bit in Paul’s letter to the Romans in the New Testament. In Romans 12:1, Paul writes to the Jesus followers in Rome, “I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service.” (CEB) So, what is this type of sacrifice that Paul is referring to?
In the old covenant sacrificial system a sacrifice could only be offered once. The bull, goat, ram, or whatever would be slaughtered, its blood poured out, and then the gift or offering was usually burned. End result, that creature / offering could never be used or offered again. It was sort of a once and done thing. However, Paul is talking about something unique, something very new.
Paul instructs the Christians that if they are going to make an offering to God, make it something that is ongoing, something continual, even something that is life changing. Paul writes, “present your bodies as a living sacrifice.” In other words, this is a sacrifice that can be offered over and over again, even every day. I believe that is exactly the point Paul is trying to make. Every day we have the opportunity to present our bodies and our entire selves to God for God’s purposes.
I wonder how it would affect me, or any of us, if every day I/we took a moment to say, “God, I present my eyes to you. I present my lips and tongue to you. I present my ears to you. I present my mind to you. I present my heart and hands to you. I present my thoughts and attitudes to you. I present my legs and feet to you. Etc.” What a reminder that would be that my life isn’t just about following rules or going through the motions, my life is about serving God. This practice would be a reminder that my entire being is given over to God as an offering saying, “God, use me.”
I once heard a speaker say, “The problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar.” This is so true, but the other side of the coin is true as well. A living sacrifice means we have the opportunity to continually place the offering of ourselves before God saying, “Use Me! I am yours!” Today, consider yourself a living sacrifice. How might God use the gift of you today??
Pastor Keith