Sacrifice I. Introduction A. A topic of significant import in Christianity 1. A major component of religion throughout history 2. Through Christ's we can have forgiveness of sin 3. Sacrifice! B. Sacrifice: "To offer to God in homage or worship, by killing and consuming, as victims on an altar; to immolate, either as an atonement for sin, or to procure favor, or to express thankfulness; as, to sacrifice an ox or a lamb; to destroy, surrender or suffer to be lost for the sake of obtaining something; to devote with loss; to destroy; to kill," (Webster's) C. In short: sacrifice is to "suffer loss" D. Two major categories: sacrifice for sin, sacrifice for God E. The Bible is full of examples and descriptions of sacrifice F. Let us examine them now II. Animal Sacrifice A. From almost the beginning, man offered animal sacrifices to God (Abel in Genesis 4:3-4) B. Sacrifice in Other Nations 1. In idolatrous religions, it was believed that gods needed humans to feed them via sacrifice 2. The true God, however, does not need man to feed Him, since if He needed to eat, all the beasts are His (Psalm 50:7-15) C. There were many purposes for sacrifice in Israel 1. Sin offering: the most well-known offering, a bull offered to God for atonement for sin (Exodus 29:10-14) 2. Burnt offering: while the sin offering is just the fat, liver, and kidneys, a burnt offering is the burning of a whole animal to God, representing more of a suffering of loss (Exodus 29:15-18) 3. Wave offering: breadstuffs or an animal part offered to God, done so through the waving of such an offering in the air to God, and is then burnt (Exodus 29:23-25) 4. Firstfruits offering: bringing in of the first portion of the harvest as an offering of thanks (Leviticus 2:12) 5. Peace offering: an offering to receive salvation from God, either for past or future actions (Leviticus 3:1) 6. Guilt offering: a sacrifice to atone for wrongdoing that incurred guilt (Leviticus 5:18) D. There also were many kinds of offerings 1. Food offering: an offering of any form of food (Exodus 29:25) 2. Drink offering: a libation of liquid, generally wine, offered to God as part of an overall offering (Exodus 29:40) 3. Money offering: The half-shekel tax for the Temple (Exodus 30:13) E. The sacrifices served two main purposes 1. For the Israelites to recognize the seriousness of sin and the need for blood to be shed to atone for sin (Hebrews 9:7) 2. For the Israelites to incur material loss in praise to God, and as a consequence of their sins III. Examples in the Old Testament A. Throughout the OT we find examples of sacrifice B. For our edification, let us look at one positive and one negative example C. Positive: David 1. 2 Samuel 24 2. David sins by numbering Israel, given the choice of punishments, chooses the hand of YHWH 3. God stayed the hand of His angel at the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite 4. David was told to build an altar there, and Araunah offered to give him everything (2 Samuel 24:18-23) 5. David, however, would not make offerings to God that cost him nothing and paid for it all (2 Samuel 24:24) 6. David recognized that sacrifices require a suffering of loss D. Negative: Malachi 1. Malachi 1:6-8 2. The Israelites were not offering to God the best of their flocks, but the worst 3. in doing so, they showed God no honor 4. They were condemned for doing such IV. Was Sacrifice Sufficient? A. The system of animal sacrifice apparently became rather ritualized in ancient Israel B. Throughout its history, sacrifices were continually offered, yet the Israelites were more often unfaithful than not C. The hypocrisy displeased God D. Isaiah 1:10-17 1. God loathed the sacrifices of Israel because of their iniquity 2. "Yet God commanded them to sacrifice" 3. Yes, but He also commanded them to live in a certain way! E. Hosea 6:6 1. Quoted in Matthew 9:13 2. Does it mean that Israel was no longer to sacrifice? No. But God expects faithfulness in the greater things as well as the lesser things (Matthew 23:23) V. Sacrifice in the New Testament A. The sacrifices for sin, formerly animal sacrifices, now has been made by Jesus Christ 1. Hebrews 7:25-28 2. Hebrews 9:11-15 B. The whole system of animal sacrifices has now been replaced by the singular act of Jesus Christ C. Since one of the two major categories of sacrifice has been completely taken over by Christ, how much more are we expected to fulfill the other category? D. How do we, then, sacrifice for God? E. The Scriptures 1. Ephesians 5:2: we are to walk in love because of Christ's sacrifice for us 2. Romans 12:1: the worship of our spirit to God is to be a living sacrifice for Him 3. Hebrews 13:15: singing and praising God considered sacrifice to Him F. To sacrifice for God is to suffer loss G. We can suffer loss for Him in many ways H. Living 1. We are to live righteously because of Him 2. 1 Corinthians 11:1: Christ is our ultimate example, and no sin was found in Him 3. We must shun the evil and cling to the good (Galatians 5:19-23, Romans 12:6) 4. Giving up the pleasures of sin is a sacrifice! I. Financial 1. The Macedonians, in order to assist the brethren in Judea, gave even beyond their means (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) 2. The quantity is not as significant as the quality; Mark 12:41-44 3. One need not give directly to God to give for Him: by helping those who are in need, either within the faith or without, you in fact give to Him (Galatians 6:10, Matthew 25:34-40) J. Temporal 1. Time is certainly something we can give for God 2. Many times people need assistance not with things or money but enjoy being with other people, or have people help them do things 3. All the money in the world, with no one spending time doing the work of the Lord, does little for His cause K. Being expended for God 1. 2 Timothy 4:6-7 2. Paul may be speaking of being martyred for the faith... 3. ...but we all should be "poured out" as a sacrifice for God! 4. We should be exhausting ourselves for His cause! VI. Conclusion A. We have examined the nature of sacrifices in the Bible B. There is a major difference between the Old and New Testaments C. There were all kinds of sacrifices required of the Israelites that were completely taken out of the way by Jesus Christ D. Since He has done so much for us, should we not do whatever we can for Him? E. Should we allow it to be said that the Israelites were more willing to provide sacrifices for God than those redeemed by His Son? F. Let us all consider how we can better sacrifice for God G. Invitation/songbook Scripture, Meditation, and Application 1: But Abel brought some of the firstborn of his flock – even the fattest of them. And YHWH was pleased with Abel and his offering (Genesis 4:4). From the beginning of humanity people have felt compelled to offer something before God to thank Him for what He has done and/or to attempt to atone for sin. Both Abel and Cain thus felt compelled to make offerings. This impulse in humanity is well placed. Any time we make offerings to God, we are offering some kind of sacrifice. How are we to sacrifice for God? 2: This is the law for the burnt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the guilt offering, the ordination offering, and the peace offering sacrifice, which YHWH commanded Moses on Mount Sinai on the day he commanded the Israelites to present their offerings to YHWH in the desert of Sinai (Leviticus 7:37-38). In the Law of Moses expectations were established for a host of offerings. We are familiar with the burnt offering for sin and the sin offering, but there were also offerings of grain, for guilt, to ordain priests, thank offerings, and a peace offering. Israel was given specific instructions regarding these offerings. They were to suffer the loss of these things before God to honor Him appropriately. How can we honor God through sacrifice? 3: For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings (Hosea 6:6). It would seem the Israelites continually offered sacrifices and offerings. Yet many times the prophets would denounce the people for presuming sacrifices and offerings, on their own, were sufficient to maintain a relationship with YHWH. All their sacrifices were for naught if they persisted in alienation from YHWH, serving other gods and not heeding His law. YHWH wanted His people to recognize Him as God and to trust in Him, and thus make offerings, not make offerings so they could do whatever they want. How are we tempted to act as Israel did in regards to sacrifices? 4: Therefore I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice – alive, holy, and pleasing to God – which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1). On the cross Jesus offered Himself for our sins. In Christ we are not called upon to make offerings of food or animals on altars before God. Instead, we are to reckon ourselves as the offering and sacrifice: we are to suffer the loss of our material resources, our time, our energy, perhaps even our own lives for the sake of God in Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom. God is greatly pleased by and honored with such sacrifice. Why is sacrifice an important aspect of the Christian faith?