Rebuild The Altar/Sacrifice

Rebuild the Altar Part 4

Sacrifice

Altar/OT Sacrifice

Functioning as a temporary means to cover human failure

Old Testament sacrifices were ritual offerings, primarily of unblemished animals or grain, made to God to atone for sin, express worship, give thanks, and restore fellowship

 The main purpose was for reconciliation. But we now have Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice so we when talk sacrifice now a days its not so much an effort for reconciliation or to make mends, restore fellowship but it is more of act of worship, gratitude, to advance the gospel, bring glory to God and attention to his power

We are not saved because of our sacrifice we are saved by Jesus sacrifice

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Mark 14:1-9

14 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.”

3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.

4 Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, “Why this waste of perfume? 5 It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages[a] and the money given to the poor.” And they rebuked her harshly.

6 “Leave her alone,” said Jesus. “Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. 7 The poor you will always have with you,[b] and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. 8 She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.”

When it comes to sacrifice now its more accurately defined as 

Sacrifice is offering something to God that cost us

“You will never stumble into anything significant”

Just like anything else in life if we want to achieve something great we have to give up something of great cost and when it comes to growing closer to Jesus, winning others to Jesus, advancing the message of Jesus in an extraordinary way it’s going to cost us

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The Christian life should be marked by moments of significant sacrifice

Examples-forgiving someone when they don’t deserve it, hosting a small group, giving a saturday, tithing, using your vacation time for a mission trip

If we are are going to step into sacrifice like Mary we have to be willing to give up something that cost us 

Axe/Brut (resembles some of our sacrifice) vs expensive perfume the lady used (explain significance of how much it was. The monetary value was nothing compared to the intrinsic value. One scholar said that it could have been intended to pour out on her grooms feet)

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We respond to God’s love for us by giving him something we love

Mary of Bethany knew how much Jesus loved her, that he was God, and she loved him so much and that’s why she didn’t think twice about doing what she did even though there were negative opinions in the room

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Don’t worry about other people’s opinions of your sacrifice

Luke 9:4

4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them

People who do not love Jesus and are not in step with the spirit are most likely not going to celebrate your sacrifice

You can’t understand Christ centered sacrificial living if you’re not living for God so don’t let that deter you

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Romans 12:1

12 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.

Is our life aligned with Romans 12:1?

In this series we have been discussing worship its been a big focus but the best thing we can do is align ourselves with Romans 12:1

Songs mean nothing if its not aligned with posture followed up with sacrifice

Ephesians 5:2

2 and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Are we walking in the way of love? Loving one another, loving strangers, loving foreigners, loving God with all of our heart. If we are then sacrificial living will be a bi product. If we do not love we will be able to act out living sacrificially. Without true love, unconditional Christ centered love there can be no sacrifice.

Jesus went to the cross because he loved us. 

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Seize the moments.

Mary seized the moment that she had with Jesus. She wasn’t going to let it slip away. How often do we allow ourselves to miss opportunities to live sacrificially? 

God is calling us to break the jar.

When we pour out everything to Jesus we get everything he has for us

We experience the celebration but resist the sacrifice

If you sacrifice I promise you you’re going to see fruit

A farmer does not have a funeral for the seed

You’re sacrifice is a seed of obedience that will sprout into an eternal impact

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Our sacrifice might not make sense to the world just like Mary’s, people are going to have their opinions but we can’t let that deter us from living sacrificially, we have to walk in love, we have to love God and love other sacrificial living will be natural for us if we do this. We have to sacrifice what cost us rely on Jesus as our sustenance We must know that our sacrifice will bring us closer to the Lord and create huge impacts