Courageous – 4

Courageous – 4

Subject – Sacrifice or Worship

By Rick Welborne

2 Samuel 23:20-23 (NLT2)
²⁰  There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.
²¹  Once, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.
²²  Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors.
²³  He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.

--I have tried to be courageous in my preaching here at Life Church and today will be one of those days. I have, for many years, wrestled with the concept of us being sacrificial to the Lord. 

1. Serving God is a Privilege.

--When I hear others and even hear myself, saying the word sacrifice, in the context of serving Christ, I have always felt uneasy or actually what I think to be conviction. 

--I think many people make a fundamental mistake in the way they view their relationship with God. We focus on what we have to give up and fail to see what we gain. 

--A relationship with God (a real relationship), is the ultimate win/win situation. Let me cut through the chase. I don’t think there is any such thing as sacrifice when you are a follower of Christ. 

--Wait a minute, Pastor Rick, doesn’t the Word of God tell us this:

Luke 9:23-24 (NKJV)
²³  Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
²⁴  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

--I will be the first to agree with anyone that we will certainly experience temporary loss but I don’t think anyone has ever sacrificed anything for God. 

--Why? Because we all get back more than we give up. And if you get back more than you gave up, have you really sacrificed anything at all? 

--On December 4, 1857, David Livingstone gave a speech at Cambridge University:

Livingstone – People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending much of my life in Africa…Away with the word in such a view and with such a thought! It is emphatically no sacrifice. Say rather it is a privilege. Anxiety, sickness, suffering, or danger now and then with a foregoing of the common conveniences and charities of this life may make us pause and cause the spirit to waver and the soul to sink; but let this only be for a moment. All these things are nothing compared with the glory which shall be revealed in and for us. I never made a sacrifice.

--A confirmation from the Word that confirms and reiterates what Livingstone is saying:

Romans 8:14-18 (NKJV) ¹⁴  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
¹⁵  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father."
¹⁶  The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
¹⁷  and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
¹⁸  For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

--Let me sum up these five verses; 14. It is a privilege to be led by the Spirit of God. It is a privilege to be sons and daughters of God. 15. It is a privilege to call God Father.

--16. It is a privilege to have Holy Spirit confirm we are the children of God. 17. It is a privilege to suffer with Christ so we can be an heirs with God and Christ.

--17. It is a privilege to suffer now because of what comes later. God’s glory. Serving God is a privilege, not a sacrifice.

2. It is in Your Best Self-Interest to Always Obey God.

--This is what I meant when I said a relationship with God (a real relationship), is the ultimate win/win situation. Your obedience to do what God says is the best thing you can do for yourself.

--Again, you have never sacrificed anything for God but have had the privilege to obey Him and serve Him. Your return is always so much greater than what you give. Verse please.

Matthew 19:27-30 (NLT2)
²⁷  Then Peter said to him, “We’ve given up everything to follow you. What will we get?”
²⁸  “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
²⁹  And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.
³⁰  But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then. 

--Peter said to Jesus…we have sacrificed everything to follow you. Jesus, I serve at the church several hours a week. Jesus, I sacrifice a $100 a month for missions.

--Let me just say here, if you give $25, $50, $75, $100, or even $500 a month to missions on top of your tithe that already belongs to God, and you still go out to eat multiple times a week…is it really sacrificial?

--If we give $50 a month to missions and our cable bill is over $200 a month, have we really sacrificed anything? Yes, you have given but you have not sacrificed anything.

--We have so much here in the US that I think we have lost perspective on what sacrifice really is. Remember, if you are getting more back than you have given, it is not sacrifice.

Luke 12:48 (NLT2)
⁴⁸ When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.

--Math has never been my favorite subject but God’s math blows my mind… everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life. 

--Help me understand this, Jesus. Whatever I give up for your sake, your cause, your mission, I will receive a hundred times as much back plus eternal life. Please sign me up! FP card please!

--It is in Your Best Self-Interest to Always Obey God. Whatever I have the privilege of giving to God (my life or my possessions) in this life will only bless me in this life and the one hereafter. Example:

Philippians 2:5-9 (NLT2)
⁵  You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
⁶  Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.
⁷  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form,
⁸  he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
⁹  Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 

--I know this for sure…the only regrets that we will have in heaven will be…why didn’t I seek Him more, why didn’t I give Him more, why didn’t I obey Him more.

--Whatever I give (not sacrifice) to Him, I am just making a deposit in Heaven which will be mine to enjoy for all eternity. It’s so hard for us to see past this life.

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
¹⁹  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;
²⁰  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
²¹  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

3. Living Sacrifice or Spiritual Act of Worship

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)
¹  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. 

Romans 12:1 (NIV)
¹  Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. 

--I could not get away from these questions. Is living for God just reasonable service or is it our spiritual act of worship? Service or worship? I believe this is key to our understanding.

--Is it a sacrifice to live for Jesus and to give to Jesus or is it a privilege to serve Him with all our hearts? If we get more back than we give, is it a sacrifice at all?

--I think of poor widows in our church who have fixed incomes of $800 to $900 a month. No help from family and they ask nothing from their church. No one out gives these ladies.

--They buy their groceries, pay their utilities, pay their insurance, and take care of all their other needs without grumbling and complaining about what they do not have. I am blessed, Pastor Rick.

--First they tithe and give to missions every month $50-100. A sacrifice? No, it’s a privilege! Their secret!

Psalm 27:4-6 (NKJV)
⁴  One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple.
⁵  For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
⁶  And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me; Therefore I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.