DECEMBER RETREAT 2017

CALVARY IS REAL BIBLE CHURCH

DECEMBER RETREAT 2017

THEME: A LIFE OF SACRIFICE

BIBLE STUDY: A LIVING SACRIFICE

INTRODUCTION:

Text: Rom. 12:1-11; Lev. 1:3-9

Service or Ministry in God’s church does not come before the offering of our personal lives to Him as a living sacrifice. Indeed, this is what the LORD regards as our reasonable service. Any service or activity that does not proceed or emanate from a life, offered to God as a burnt offering, releasing unto God, an aroma of life, out of the roasting and burning on the altar, is unreasonable, un acceptable and actually an abomination unto the Lord.

God’s focus and interest  is first and foremost the incense of life that comes forth from our lives unto Him. It is this aroma of life that He then uses to spread abroad and about His knowledge everywhere through us (2 Cor. 2:14-16). A man serving at the altar whose inner life is rotten with sin and compromise, bringing forth a foul smell of worldliness is rather a disgrace and a sorrow to the Lord.

Perfumes of Christian activities; charismatic noise and stage performance cannot subdue  this stench from reaching the nostrils of the Almighty, who only desires truth in the inward parts (Psa. 51:6)

In this study, we shall examine the essence of being a living sacrifice before  service and how to keep burning on the altar and becoming  an aroma of life unto life in God’s hand. Purpose in your heart (as we study) to encounter God afresh. Head knowledge is of little significance in this matter; your heart is the heart of the matter. Pray at whichever point the Spirit of God brings a conviction to your heart.

AN ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE

Study one:

Rom. 12:1-2; Lev. 1:3-9

Analyze and apply the issues raised in Leviticus in bringing burnt sacrifice to the Lord, along with  Rom. 12:1-2

1.      It must be voluntarily presented and brought  to the door of the Tabernacle; Rom. 12:1; Lev. 1:3

            What does this imply for our lives  in becoming a living sacrifice unto God? Whereas the Old Testament believer presents something outside of himself, we offer our own bodies unto the LORD. Discuss this!

            Why must it be at the door?

            No one enters into God’s service until he has sincerely presented his life and his all at the altar of sacrifice.

2.      It must be holy and without blemish: Lev. 1:3; Rom. 12:1; 1 Pet. 1:15-16; Heb, 12:12-17; 2 Tim. 2:17-22; Eph. 5:26

Discuss practically this requirement of personal holiness (being without blemish) in becoming a living acceptable  sacrifice  in God’s hands.

Study two:

3.      It must be acceptable and actually accepted  before the LORD: Lev. 1:4; Rom. 12:1; Mal. 1:6-14

            “Put your hand on the head of the burnt offering” What does this imply for us? It is personal and you must hold it on  until it is accepted from your hand .

            Discus the Malachi passage in line with ourselves being the burnt offering , rather than some other substance we  can bring.

4.  “He shall kill the bull before the Lord…”Lev. 1:5-6; Lk. 9:23

No one else does it for him, not even the priest: What does this say about our offering?

It is not  a sacrifice until it is actually slaughtered skinned  (or flayed); cut in pieces and laid on the altar. Some only wave their lives before the LORD, present it as if to show; shout about it  but eventually withdraw it from the slaughter.

Discuss the practical implication of total surrender unto  death, until every part is skinned out of its covering and exposed to the fire  on the altar Isa. 53:7-12

Study three:

5. It must be laid on the altar Lev. 1:7-8; Lk. 14:33

Discuss the laying of the wood in order on the fire and the laying of the parts: What is the significance of this for us?

6.      “A sweet aroma to the LORD” Lev. 1:9; 2 Cor. 2:14-16

Discuss the fire treatment of  the sacrifice that releases a sweet aroma from it unto the LORD.

It is worthy of note, that until the fire comes on the sacrifice on the altar, it does not satisfy God. It only releases a bad smell of rotten meat. Every sacrifice so presented must be treated with fire, and seasoned with salt, otherwise, it would have no savour Mark 9:49-50; Lev. 2:13; Matt. 3:11

Study Four:

Things to note;

1.      We must offer to God our bodies before He can  use us in a concerted way. Our God presumes nothing. He is neither an oppressor nor a tyrant. He does not impose Himself on anyone.

2.      The Lord  reserves the right to reject any sacrifice which is not pleasing to Him. He is not obliged to accept any kind of sacrifice that one wishes to offer to Him.

3.      The living sacrifice which is pleasing God is holy. Something is holy when it is consecrated or dedicated to God. This implies a total separation  from any other use, limiting it only to God’s use.

4. Our service to God only  begins  to be reasonable when we offer Him our body as a living  sacrifice in the manner that is acceptable to Him.

5. To offer God one’s body  as a living sacrifice  translates practically to setting our hearts to do only what we can confirm that it is the Lord Who is using  us in this way for His own purpose. A living sacrifice ceases to  use his body  for himself, because  it no longer belongs to him. A life that is redeemed by Christ also  no longer belongs to the world, neither to any  other creature. We are living  but only uniquely and entirely to serve God. We die to any other service when we are reborn  in Christ.

CONCLUSION:

Our main thrust has been on what God calls our reasonable service. Every other assignment we may be given in the body is secondary to this. Offices and ministries in the body of Christ are only consequent upon this living sacrifice. Ministry is confused and bastardised in our midst today because many preachers were not first and foremost skinned out of their cover-ups and broken into pieces to be laid on the altar  such that every part of their lives have been salted with salt and seasoned with fire. An acceptable service can only be from an acceptable  and accepted living sacrifice.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER       

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid?

Your heart does the fire from above consume?

Are you burning within with the holy fire or do you only burn with passion within?

Is your life a sweet aroma of Christ unto God?

Does it spread abroad the fragrance of the gospel?