The main privilege of the priest is access to God, to offer up spiritual sacrifices.
Spiritual sacrifices mean God-honouring work done because of Yeshua under the direction of the Holy Spirit and guidance of the Word of God.
1) Offering the strength of one’s body as an act of spiritual worship.
Romans 12: 1,2
“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. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
The term “mercies of God” refers to the divine grace which is God’s love, His righteousness and the gift of faith. Paul argues that because believers have received this they should “present their bodies a living sacrifice”. This means that they should use their bodies in God’s service. “Bodies” here refers to all members of the body, physical and mental, and by extension our entire lives.
We are to be a “living sacrifice”. Under the Old Covenant, God accepted the sacrifice of dead animals. That system is no longer effective whilst the Law of Moses remains in place; in fact, it is fulfilled by Yeshua.
Hebrews 9: 12 – 14
“Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
Using our physical and mental abilities, we who are in Christ provide acceptable worship through offering ourselves completely. These then become “instruments of righteousness” in God’s service, doing His will in accordance with His law. This is described as our “reasonable service”. The Greek term used here means “logical”.
We are not to be “conformed to this world”. i.e., moulded by the world’s system which is dominated by Satan. But rather we are to be active in “renewing of the mind”. That is develop a mind dedicated to God’s truth which will stand the test of time. We can resist the temptations of the culture around us by meditating on God’s truth and letting the Holy Spirit shape our thoughts and behaviour.
Thus, our every thought and deed can be an acceptable sacrifice to God.
2) Praising God.
Hebrews 13: 15
“Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of prayer to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”
Believers are to “continually” offer the “sacrifice of prayer”. But note that this praise to be offered to God goes through Yeshua. All our praise and prayer pass through Him before it reaches God the Father. Our precious Lord and High Priest removes all impurities and imperfections and adds His own virtue.
We are much more likely to offer this sacrifice of praise when we meet collectively. Thus, we should be as the next verse states: –
Hebrews 10: 25
“ …. not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day (of judgment) approaching.”
We are to give thanks to “His Name”. In scripture a person’s “name” often describes personal characteristics. We are to give thanks for specific gifts or instances of His loving kindness, but also for God’s very character – His compassionate and perfect consistency.
The only worship which God will receive comes from the lips of the redeemed and this sacrifice we should freely give.
Psalm 54: 6
“I will freely sacrifice to You;
I will praise Your name, O Lord, for it is good.”
3) Doing Good.
Hebrews 13: 16
“Do not forget to do good …… for with such sacrifice God is well pleased.”
Doing “good” is a pleasing sacrifice to God. This could involve acts of kindness towards people who are in distress of grieving. In doing things for others, we may find ourselves in a situation which makes us uncomfortable. Such actions may be stressful and not particularly in our own interest. Thus, they constitute a sacrifice.
Loving one’s neighbour is, of course, commanded in Leviticus 19: 18 and Matthew 19: 19.
James 1: 27
“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble …. “
1 John 3: 18
“My little children let us not love in word or in tongue, but indeed and in truth.”
4) Sharing our Resources.
Hebrews 13; 16
“But do not forget …… to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
An acceptable sacrifice to God is when we share our resources or possessions with those in need. For in this “God is well pleased”. It is the opposite of the rich young ruler whose wealth, accumulated for himself, became a stumbling block for him (Matthew: 19 16 – 22).
We are not necessarily speaking about money here. We could share hospitality, tools, the use of a vehicle, our time, or any abilities or skills we may have.
So many tv evangelists seem to seeking money, money, money ….
Let us contrast Paul’s attitude.
Philippians 4: 16 – 18
“For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. Indeed, I have all and abound. I am full, having received form Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”
The background to this is that the Philippians had sent financial help to Paul to aid him in the ministry. This gift was “a sweet-smelling aroma……. well-pleasing to God”. As in the Old Testament’s burnt sacrifices, every sacrifice provides a sweet-smelling aroma to God as long as it is given in the right attitude.
While he was pleased to receive the gift, what really delighted Paul was that the Philippian believers gave willingly from their resources. Thus, they were showing the evidence of the development spiritual ability to give. This would also be “well-pleasing to God”: an acceptable sacrifice.
Of course, in financial giving common sense must be applied. It is futile to give so much of one’s resources that one cannot pay for one’s own necessities. Equally we are only human; we must not give so much of our time and nervous energy that we become exhausted. We all have our limits.
5) Putting Effort into Introducing People to Yeshua.
Romans 15: 16.
“… because of the grace given to me by God, that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Paul’s “ministering” is rendering priestly service to God; an acceptable sacrifice. He seeks to make a very specific offering to God. Thes Gentile believers have been made “acceptable” because they have been “sanctified by the Holy Spirit”; that is set apart for God’s service.
Paul is looking to see Gentile and Jewish believers living harmoniously according to the teaching and example of Yeshua. This is what he wants to offer as a sacrifice.
Philippians 2: 17
“…. if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice ….”
Paul is pleased to offer to God his service in striving to bring people to Yeshua.
6) Sacrificing one’s own desires for the good of others.
Ephesians 5: 2
“And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.”
As God’s children believers ate to become more and more like God and Yeshua. Yeshua is our supreme example of self-sacrificing love for others. We should as well as we can imitate Him.
Yeshua took God’s wrath for human sin and surrendered His life that we might be redeemed from our sin, receive a new and holy nature and the power of the Holy Spirit
We are to be imitators of His great love in our newness and the power of the Holy Spirit, to demonstrate divine love.
We are to “walk in love” and thus resemble the Lord. We can offer an acceptable sacrifice and bring joy to God by giving ourselves for others.
In 1 Corinthians 13, we learn amongst other things that love is “kind”, “does not envy”, “does not behave rudely”, “does not seek its own”, “thinks no evil”, “does not rejoice in iniquity” and “bears all things”.
Luke 6: 27, 35.
“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you …
But love your enemies, do good and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.
A “great reward” will come from making this sort of acceptable sacrifice to God.
7) Prayer
Revelation 8: 3
“Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.”
The “prayers of all the saints” are thus an acceptable sacrifice along with the incense in the golden censer. These prayers before the altar seem to have an important role in the Lamb’s act of opening the “scroll” and the ensuing judgment. Specifically, these prayers seem to represent all that the redeemed have ever prayed concerning ultimate and final redemption.
All the prayers of the believers ascend to God the Father through Yeshua and become mixed with the incense; the fragrance and person of Yeshua. By the time prayers reach the Father they are flawless and perfectly effectual and are therefore an acceptable sacrifice.
Amen.