MEMORY VERSE: “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” – 1 Peter 2:5 (KJV)
BIBLE PASSAGE: Hebrews 13:15-16 (KJV)
LESSON INTRODUCTION: The Christian faith, like every other religion, involves components like a temple, altar, and sacrifices (Gen.4:3-4; 8:20; 1Sam.1:9). Spiritual sacrifices, however, replaced the material sacrifices of the Old Covenant (Ex.29:36). No longer do we offer bulls, goats, and lambs on the altar (Hebrews 10:1-11). Our worship today involves the offering of spiritual sacrifices. What are these spiritual sacrifices and who qualifies to offer them acceptably?
LESSON OUTLINES:
- WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES?
- OFFFERING ACCEPTABLE SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES
- WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES?
Spiritual sacrifices are continuous offerings from believers to God in faith. They are words or deeds motivated by a desire to glorify God alone (Heb.13:16). Just as the smoke of the incense ascended in the sanctuary in the Old Testament, so our spiritual sacrifices ascend to God (Ps.141:2; Rev.5:8). These include the believer’s prayers, praises, will, body, time, treasures, talents, and spiritual gifts.
Therefore, the fact that the incense was always burning means we should always pray (Lk.18:1; 1Thess.5:17). Fasting is also a spiritual sacrifice that aids the believer’s prayer (Dan.9:3). God created us to praise Him, and we must offer the ‘sacrifice of praise’ to Him continually (Heb.13:15). Just as Jesus surrendered His will to the Father’s (Lk.22:42), so should we, though it’s an ongoing battle (Rom. 7:18-20). Our talents and spiritual gifts are from God and should be offered for the perfecting of the saints, the work of the ministry, and the edification of the body of Christ (Eph.4:7, 12). Our treasures (financial/material resources) contribute to the spiritual sacrifices to be offered to God, the kingdom work on earth, the ministers of God, and the people in need (Phil.4:18; Prov.19:17; Gal.6:10).
- OFFFERING ACCEPTABLE SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES
Believers constitute the new priesthood (1Pet.2:9). Therefore, to offer acceptable spiritual sacrifices, we must appear before God sanctified (Ps.24:3-4; Lev.10:1-3). First, we must present our bodies as ‘living sacrifices’ (Rom.12:1-2; Gal.2:20). Our bodies are the temple of the Lord (1Cor.6:18-20). The believer’s body is yielded to God as an instrument of righteousness (Rom.6:12-13; 8:11-13). This implies that we are to maintain good sexual boundaries (Eph.5:3), refuse to use our bodies for theft, or to bring harm to another person (1Pet.4:15; Col.3:12-13). Second, spiritual sacrifices must be offered obediently (1Sam.15:22); willingly (2Cor.9:6); cheerfully (2Cor.9:7); timely (Eccl.11:6) and in reverence to God (Mal.1:8).
CONCLUSION: Sacrifice is part and parcel of worship. Jesus promised us rewards for every kind action done in His name (Mark.9:41).