THE EARTHEN VESSEL BECOMES A LIVING SACRIFICE
“…Brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies (EARTHEN VESSEL) a living sacrifice,
holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service…” (Romans 12:1 KJV).
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God GAVE the LARGEST
donation ever RECORDED in all HISTORY. “…God… GAVE his
ONLY….SON…” (John 3:16). And his Son GAVE his
LIFE. “….the Son of Man came …to GIVE his
life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28).
It wasn’t the donation of Jesus’ money, or
material possessions, or clothes, or time that mattered as much as the donation
of his life. He GAVE his LIFE because he knew “…he [would be]…“crowned with glory and honor.” …”
(Hebrews 2:9 NLT). And one day “… [he would also
be]…elevated …to the place of highest honor …”
(Philippians 2:9-10 NLT).
God, the father, knew
“…when
he (Jesus) sees all that is accomplished by his anguish, he will be satisfied. And because of his experience, my righteous servant (Jesus) will make it possible for MANY
to be counted righteous, for he will bear all their sins…”
(Isaiah 53:11 NLT).
When the right donation is
GIVEN, God will say, “WELL DONE.” “…The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this
small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate
together!’” (Matthew 25:21 NLT).
GIVING your body or EARTHEN VESSEL as a
LIVING SACRIFICE is an OFFERING and there is no GREATER donation than this. “….the Son of Man …[GAVE] his life…" (Matthew
20:28). “…If you try to hang on to your life, you will
lose it. But if you GIVE UP YOUR LIFE for my sake and for
the sake of the Good News, you will save it…” (Mark 8:35 NLT).
“…I assure you that everyone who has GIVEN UP [whatever]… for MY SAKE and for the GOOD NEWS, will “RECEIVE NOW” in return a hundred times…– along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life...”
(Mark 10:28-31 NLT).
GIVING your body as a
living sacrifice means to offer it, donate it, or dedicate it willingly and completely to
God. . “…Do not let any part of your body (or earthen vessel) 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 (or whole earthen vessel) as an
instrument to do what is right for the glory of God…” (Romans
6:12-13 NLT).
GIVING your body (earthen vessel) as a
living sacrifice is a demonstration of your love for God and your appreciation
for all he has done for you. “…If the
Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up
Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth
in you. Therefore, brethren,
we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die:
but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live…”
(Romans 8:11-13 KJV).
GIVING your body (earthen vessel) as a
living sacrifice will reveal both is an outward (conformation) and inward
(transformation) offering. “…Be not
conformed to this world: but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:2 KJV).
How do you conform or
transform? It starts by hearing the word of God. “…Faith cometh
by HEARING… the word of God…” (Roman 10:17 KJV). “…THE WORDS THAT I SPEAK unto you, they ARE SPIRIT,
and they ARE LIFE…” (John 6:63 KJV). Next, you study the word in order
for it to dwell in your hearts abundantly. “…STUDY to shew thyself approved
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word
of truth…” (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV). “…Let the WORD
of Christ dwell in you richly” (COLOSSIANS 3:16 KJV). Thirdly, meditate on
scripture every chance you get; day or night. “Keep this Book of the Law always on your
lips; meditate
on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.
Then you will be prosperous and successful” (Joshua 1:8 NIV). “…His delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night…”
(Psalms 1:2 KJV). And, finally, if you can, memorization helps you hide the
word in your heart. “…Wherewithal shall a
young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With
my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word HAVE I HID
in mine heart, that I might
not sin against thee…” (Psalms 119:9-11 KJV).
Hearing, studying,
meditating, and memorizing the Word of God will heavily assist, the indwelling
Holy Spirit, in conforming and transforming you into true Christlikeness. “…All scripture is
given by inspiration of God,
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof,
for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” (2
Timothy 3:16 KJV). “…So that the man of
God may be adequate, equipped for every good work…” (2 Timothy
3:17 NASB).
Therefore, “…May he
(God) equip you with all
you need for doing his will. May he
produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is
pleasing to him. …” (Hebrews 13:21 NLT).
Allowing scripture to conform and
transform you; with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit, empowers you to “….prove what is that good, and acceptable, and
perfect, will of God…” (Romans 12:2 KJV).
It starts with GIVING
your body (earthen vessel) as a living sacrifice. “…Brethren,
by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies (earthen vessel) a living sacrifice …”
(Romans 12:1 KJV). “…which is your
reasonable service…” (Romans 12:1 KJV).
In addition, GIVING
your body (or earthen vessel) as a living sacrifice is also a form of worship. Worship is the
attitude and expression you ascribe to someone you deem VALUABLE or WORTHY of
praise or adoration. “But ye are a chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew
forth the PRAISES of him who hath called you out of darkness into his
marvellous light…” (1
Peter 2:9 KJV).
Another form of worship
is submission or servanthood. By surrendering to the Lordship of Christ, which
is actually surrendering to God’s love, you are GIVING your body (earthen vessel) as a living sacrifice. Jesus
definitely did “…NOT come
to be served, but to serve, and to
give His life a ransom for many...” (Matthew 20:28 KJV). “…Father, …not My will, but Yours be done…" (Luke 22:42-43 NIV). “… [Jesus]…humbled himself and became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross…” (Philippians 2:8
KJV).
“…You Samaritans know very little about the
one you worship, while we Jews know all about him, for salvation comes through
the Jews. But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in
spirit and in truth. The
Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For
God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth…”
(John 4:22-24 NLT).
True worship and true
worshippers happen within the context of spirit and truth. “…the SPIRIT of God dwell in
you…” (Romans 8:9 KJV). “…thy word is TRUTH…” (JOHN 17:17 KJV). “…It is
God which worketh in you … to
do of his good pleasure”
(Philippians 2:13 KJV). “I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth (empowers) me.”
(Philippians 4:13 KJV).
This kind of worship calls for
the authentic engagement of both the heart and body.
“…Bless the Lord, O my soul: and ALL that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless
the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…”
(Psalm 103:1-2 KJV). “…And
David was DANCING
before the LORD with ALL his
might…” (2 Samuel 6:14 NASB). “…..Love the Lord thy God with ALL thy
heart and with ALL
thy soul and with ALL thy mind and with ALL thy strength: this the first commandment. …”
(Mark 12:28-31 KJV).
King
David was a true and sincere worshipper. He prayed and asked God to help him be a
worshipper. “…Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live
according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may HONOR (worship) you…”
(Psalm 86:11 NLT). God complimented David. “…He (God) raised up
unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son
of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will…” (Acts 13:22 KJV).
God does GREAT things for his people. Therefore,
God totally merits the adoration, reverence, devotion, honor, and worship that
is DUE his name; especially for “WHO” he is and “WHAT” he has done!! “…When the Lord turned again the captivity of
Zion, we were
like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and
our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done GREAT THINGS for them. The Lord
hath done GREAT THINGS for us; whereof we are glad…”
(Psalm 126:1-3 KJV).
If you pay attention to
the gospels you will see that apostles taught constantly about all the things
God has done for mankind through Christ. For instance, “… the
mercies of God … ”
(Romans 12:1 KJV).
His MERCIES are received
through forgiveness of sins, justification by faith, unmerited grace, right
relationship with God, peace with God, and the gift of the indwelling Holy
Spirit. “…It
is of the Lord's MERCIES that we are not CONSUMED, because his
compassions FAIL NOT. They are NEW EVERY MORNING…” (Lamentations
3:22-23 KJV).
God is “... RICH IN MERCY…” (Ephesians 2:1-5 KJV). “…because
HE DELIGHTETH IN
MERCY…”
(Micah 7:18 KJV). “...O
give thanks unto the LORD; for he is
GOOD; for his MERCY endureth
for ever” (1
Chronicles…” 16:34 KJV).
“…he is good; for his MERCY endureth for ever…” (2 Chronicles
5:13-14 KJV). “…The Lord is…plenteous in MERCY…”
(Psalms 103:8 KJV). “…Great is his MERCY toward them that fear him…”
(Psalms 103:11 KJV). “…The MERCY of the Lord
is from everlasting to everlasting …” (Psalms 103:17 KJV).
In addition, the bible
further teaches how you should respond to all he has done for you through
Christ. “…Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after
the flesh. …”
(Romans 8:11-13 KJV). “…Be not
conformed to this world: but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…” (Romans 12:2 KJV). “… present your bodies (earthen vessel) a living sacrifice …”
(Romans 12:1 KJV).
GIVING
your body (earthen vessel) as a living sacrifice is
not an act of duty, but a gesture of love. “…Everything we have has come
from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!
…” (1 Chronicles 29:14 NLT).
We show our love for God by
GIVING our bodies (earthen vessel) as a living sacrifice
BECAUSE he FIRST gave his body for us and he FIRST loved us. “…He Himself bore OUR SINS in His BODY on the cross…” (1 Peter 2:24
NASB). “We love, because HE FIRST LOVED US…” (1 John 4:19
ASV). “…Herein
is love, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US...” (1
John 4:10 KJV). “For God SO LOVED the world, that he GAVE…” (John
3:16). God “…SPARED NOT his own Son, but delivered him up FOR US ALL…” (Romans 8:32 KJV).
Back in Apostle Paul’s day the Hebrews
bought animals to sacrifice as an offering and NOW he was teaching them THEY
were to be the sacrifice. Sacrifices for sin required the death of an animal,
but ALL that ended with Jesus. “…Christ …. died for
sins ONCE for all, the just for the unjust…” (1 Peter 3:18 NASB).
“… Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;…”
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4 KJV).
“For the [Mosaic]…Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come
and not the very
form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer
continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would
they not have ceased to be offered, because the worshipers, having
once been cleansed, would no longer have had consciousness of sins? But in those sacrifices there is a reminder of
sins year by year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and
goats to take away sins…”
(Hebrews 10:1-4 NASB). “He
(Jesus, the word) is the atoning sacrifice for our sins…” (1
John 2:2 NIV).
“…God has
shown us a way to be MADE RIGHT with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the
writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are MADE RIGHT with God by placing our faith
in (or dependency upon) Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no
matter who we are. For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious
standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely MAKES US RIGHT in his sight.
He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our
sins. For God presented Jesus as the SACRIFICE for sin. People are MADE
RIGHT with God when they believe that (depend that) Jesus SACRIFICED his life, shedding his
blood. ….HE MAKES SINNERS
RIGHT in his sight when they believe in (depend upon) Jesus…”
(Romans 3:21-26 NLT).
Therefore, “… Present your bodies (earthen vessels) a living sacrifice …”
(Romans 12:1 KJV). “…which is your
reasonable service…” (Romans 12:1 KJV).
“Reasonable service”
is one that is equitable, just, and fair or the “least” you can offer;
considering what God has done for YOU. “Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person,
though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially
good. But God showed his great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still sinners…”
(Romans 5:7-9 NLT).
Believers are FREE from
the domination of sin “…Who will free me
from this life that is dominated by SIN? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord…”
(Romans 7:14-25 NLT). “…if the Son…shall make you FREE, ye shall be FREE indeed.” (John 8:36 KJV). “….Apart from Me, you
can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV).
Believers are NOW
EMPOWERED by the indwelling Holy Spirit to choose God’s ways. “For it is God who
works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose”
(Philippians 2:13 NIV). “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
(empowers) me.” (Philippians 4:13 KJV). “….Apart from Me, you
can do NOTHING…” (John 15:5 NIV).
Nonetheless, many believers
are not willing to choose to offer even their “…reasonable service…” (Romans 12:1 KJV). “…Choose
LIFE…” (Deuteronomy 30:19
KJV). “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve….”
(Joshua 24:15 KJV). “…The
highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who CHOOSE that way. …” (Matthew 7:13-14 NLT).
“…Jesus saith…I
am THE WAY … and THE LIFE…”
(John 14:6 KJV). “I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth (empowers) me.”
(Philippians 4:13 KJV).
Apart from Jesus, the
indwelling Holy Spirit, you CAN’T GIVE your “reasonable service.” (Romans 12:1 KJV). “….Apart from Me, you can do nothing…” (John 15:5 NIV). Even Jesus professed he could do NOTHING by
himself. “…the Son
can do NOTHING of himself [and said,]…I can of mine own self do NOTHING…...”
John 5:19, 30 KJV).
“…Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
The Son can do
NOTHING of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also
doeth the Son likewise…” (John 5:19 KJV). “…I can of
mine OWN self do NOTHING …
I seek not mine own will, but the will
of the Father which hath sent me…” (John 5:30 KJV). “… I lay down my life... No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of
my own accord. …”
(John 10:17-18 KJV). Christ “…humbled
himself and became obedient unto
death (inward), even the death of the cross (outward)…”
(Philippians 2:8 KJV). Two deaths: “Obedient unto to death” and “death on the cross.”
JESUS GAVE HIS EARTHEN VESSEL OVER TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE LORD AND HE ALSO SACRIFICED HIS EARTHEN VESSEL FOR THE PURPOSE OF THE LORD.
Peter and Paul were
living sacrifices too. Peter said, “…‘We’ve
GIVEN UP everything to follow you…” (Mark
10:28-31 NLT). Paul said, “….everything else is worthless
when compared
with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus [our]… Lord. For his sake I have DISCARDED everything
else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ…”
(Philippians 3:8 NLT).
Like
Jesus, Peter, and Paul, “… Present
your bodies (YOUR EARTHEN VESSELS) a living sacrifice …” (Romans 12:1 KJV).
“…which
is your reasonable service…” (Romans
12:1 KJV).
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