Word for Today: A Sacrifice of Service

#1 · March 31, 2009, 10:45 am

Quote from Forum Archives on March 31, 2009, 10:45 am
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I'd like to share with you an edited copy of a "Back to the Bible" message from the "Today's Bible Minute" series, available by Email from Back to the Bible. I have added the recommended reading to go along with the "Bible Minute", if you want to spend more than a minute or two in your studies.

As I consider in my own life what "reasonable service" is and what it means to me, I don't see God asking me to serve in anything that He has not given me the means to do. However, I do see that God calls me to serve Him fully and completely by using whatever abilities that He has given me to the fullest of what He has given, and not to withhold from Him.

If there is any area in which the vast majority of us fall short, sometimes far short, it is in this area. We give to God what is convenient to us and call that our "reasonable service". I have to challenge that, both for myself, and to ask you that question as well.

Now what we do with it is between us and God. I can't tell you what your "reasonable service" is any more than you can tell me what mine is. But between each of us, individually, personally, and privately, and God, if we really examine ourselves and lay our spirit bare before God, we will get a pretty good idea what that "reasonable service" is, and I suspect we come up short and in need, therefore this message is very relevant to nearly all of us.

Some of us may even be deeply involved in ministry. Doing stuff and offering our "reasonable service" may or may not be on the same page with what God has in mind. Read Revelation 2 if you want to understand that more. In Revelation 2, Jesus, speaking through the vision of John, an apostle confined to the island of Patmos, but once one of Jesus' most intimate disciples, writes about a church that has done much in the name of Jesus, but has "forgotten their first love".

No matter what, never forget the love and passion you had for Jesus - if, in fact, you have it. It should be stressed that a saving faith is necessary before any of this has any useful meaning.

My prayer is that we not only have a saving faith, but that we strongly and keenly desire to never lose that first love - but if we have, to rekindle that flame and seek to earnestly know and pursue our "reasonable service".

Yours in Christ,
Brian

Recommended Reading: Romans 12

Daily Bible Study

Date: Mar 31, 2009
Topic: Service/Servanthood, Obedience/Discipleship

Sacrifice of Service

In January of 1998, Alexandra Danilova died at 93. Alexandra left Russia in 1924 but never left its classical dance traditions. Orphaned at the age of three, Danilova fell in love with the stage. At the Ballet Russes in the 1920's and '30s, she soared as Odette in Swan Lake and sizzled as the street dancer in Le Beau Danube. As a teacher at the School of American Ballet, she inspired generations of dancers. "I sacrificed marriage, children and country to be a ballerina," she wrote, "and there was never any misunderstanding on my part: I knew the price."

This attitude of sacrifice--a willingness to give oneself to something totally--is what Paul is talking about in Romans 12:1. Let's see what he has to say.

What Does God Say?

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1, NKJV).

Write your definition of "living sacrifice."

Now, read the following Scripture verses and note why it is your "reasonable service" to present your body a "living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God."

"Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God" Romans 6:13 (NLT).

1. ______________________________________

"For God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body"

(1 Corinthians 6:20, NLT).

2. ______________________________________

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect" (Romans 12:2, NLT)

3. ______________________________________

"In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly" (Romans 12:6-8, NLT).

4. ______________________________________

My Thoughts

Someone has said that the problem with a "living sacrifice" is that it keeps trying to crawl off the altar. Maybe that's been your experience. If so, remember why we are called to make this sacrifice. Paul reminds us that it's because of the "mercies of God." God was moved by His love for us to show us mercy. Mercy means we don't receive what we deserve--eternal separation from Him. Instead, by grace, we receive the free gift of salvation. Such mercy deserves a living sacrifice.

Furthermore, it's our "reasonable service." Other translations say it's our "service of worship." Giving ourselves to God as a living sacrifice is a way we worship Him. Worship means to "show worth or value." We show God how much we value Him by giving ourselves to His service. It is the only reasonable thing to do in light of what He had done for us.

My Part

Let the following Scripture guide you in renewing your commitment to Christ, to pleasing Him with all your heart and to walking in obedience every day in every way.

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him" ( Romans 12:1, NLT).

A ministry of Back to the Bible

Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>

Dear friends,

I'd like to share with you an edited copy of a "Back to the Bible" message from the "Today's Bible Minute" series, available by Email from Back to the Bible. I have added the recommended reading to go along with the "Bible Minute", if you want to spend more than a minute or two in your studies.

As I consider in my own life what "reasonable service" is and what it means to me, I don't see God asking me to serve in anything that He has not given me the means to do. However, I do see that God calls me to serve Him fully and completely by using whatever abilities that He has given me to the fullest of what He has given, and not to withhold from Him.

If there is any area in which the vast majority of us fall short, sometimes far short, it is in this area. We give to God what is convenient to us and call that our "reasonable service". I have to challenge that, both for myself, and to ask you that question as well.

Now what we do with it is between us and God. I can't tell you what your "reasonable service" is any more than you can tell me what mine is. But between each of us, individually, personally, and privately, and God, if we really examine ourselves and lay our spirit bare before God, we will get a pretty good idea what that "reasonable service" is, and I suspect we come up short and in need, therefore this message is very relevant to nearly all of us.

Some of us may even be deeply involved in ministry. Doing stuff and offering our "reasonable service" may or may not be on the same page with what God has in mind. Read Revelation 2 if you want to understand that more. In Revelation 2, Jesus, speaking through the vision of John, an apostle confined to the island of Patmos, but once one of Jesus' most intimate disciples, writes about a church that has done much in the name of Jesus, but has "forgotten their first love".

No matter what, never forget the love and passion you had for Jesus - if, in fact, you have it. It should be stressed that a saving faith is necessary before any of this has any useful meaning.

My prayer is that we not only have a saving faith, but that we strongly and keenly desire to never lose that first love - but if we have, to rekindle that flame and seek to earnestly know and pursue our "reasonable service".

Yours in Christ,
Brian

Recommended Reading: Romans 12

Daily Bible Study

Date: Mar 31, 2009
Topic: Service/Servanthood, Obedience/Discipleship

Sacrifice of Service

In January of 1998, Alexandra Danilova died at 93. Alexandra left Russia in 1924 but never left its classical dance traditions. Orphaned at the age of three, Danilova fell in love with the stage. At the Ballet Russes in the 1920's and '30s, she soared as Odette in Swan Lake and sizzled as the street dancer in Le Beau Danube. As a teacher at the School of American Ballet, she inspired generations of dancers. "I sacrificed marriage, children and country to be a ballerina," she wrote, "and there was never any misunderstanding on my part: I knew the price."

This attitude of sacrifice--a willingness to give oneself to something totally--is what Paul is talking about in Romans 12:1. Let's see what he has to say.

What Does God Say?

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1, NKJV).

Write your definition of "living sacrifice."

Now, read the following Scripture verses and note why it is your "reasonable service" to present your body a "living sacrifice, holy acceptable to God."

"Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God" Romans 6:13 (NLT).

1. ______________________________________

"For God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body"

(1 Corinthians 6:20, NLT).

2. ______________________________________

"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect" (Romans 12:2, NLT)

3. ______________________________________

"In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly" (Romans 12:6-8, NLT).

4. ______________________________________

My Thoughts

Someone has said that the problem with a "living sacrifice" is that it keeps trying to crawl off the altar. Maybe that's been your experience. If so, remember why we are called to make this sacrifice. Paul reminds us that it's because of the "mercies of God." God was moved by His love for us to show us mercy. Mercy means we don't receive what we deserve--eternal separation from Him. Instead, by grace, we receive the free gift of salvation. Such mercy deserves a living sacrifice.

Furthermore, it's our "reasonable service." Other translations say it's our "service of worship." Giving ourselves to God as a living sacrifice is a way we worship Him. Worship means to "show worth or value." We show God how much we value Him by giving ourselves to His service. It is the only reasonable thing to do in light of what He had done for us.

My Part

Let the following Scripture guide you in renewing your commitment to Christ, to pleasing Him with all your heart and to walking in obedience every day in every way.

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him" ( Romans 12:1, NLT).

A ministry of Back to the Bible