THE TRUTH ABOUT CHRISTIAN WORSHIP

 

Chapter 19​

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My Body as the First and Compulsory Offering

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Text

Rom. 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.

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​​​​Memory Verse

Gal. 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

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Introduction

As a Christian you are both alive and dead. You are alive in the world, but you are not of the world.

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Your spirit is alive by God’s will, but your fleshly will is dead. That means that you are led by the Holy Spirit instead of by your old desires. This happens when you willingly surrender to God’s word and let His Spirit over-ride your inborn tendencies (Rom. 8:16; Rev. 3:20).

 

God does not confine Himself to church buildings. He never lived there. He lives in people.

 

Objective
To see that the Christian is the purified vessel that carries God as His priest and prophet, replacing the animal sacrifices of the Old Testament.

Presentation

 

1. God Dwells Within Us
Just as God revealed Himself through Christ Jesus (John 14:6), He now chooses to reveal Himself through Christians who carry His life and message. Christ prayed that we would be one in Him and the Father:

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John 17:20-21 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”

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The Christian life is the life of God Himself (Eph. 4:17-18; Rom. 8:28-29). When people see you, they should see Him.

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2. The Living Christian Replaces Dead Animal Sacrifices
Under Moses, animals were sacrificed to bring relief and atonement (Lev. 7:8; Lev. 1:4). Now, our self-sacrifice - our life of service - shows mercy, which God prefers over ritual (Matt. 12:7; Hos. 6:6).

 

In the Old Testament, people laid hands on the animal to show that it represented them (Lev. 1:4). Today, that is symbolic of personal salvation. You present yourself as the offering (Phil. 2:12).

 

3. The Living God Indwells the Christian
God’s treasure - His life and presence - dwells in us (2 Cor. 4:7).

 

We are the temple of God and His Spirit dwells in us (1 Cor. 3:16).

 

We are God’s building, His dwelling place (Eph. 2:20-22). He lives in us to work through us for the world.
 

4. The Christian is God’s Priest and Prophet
A prophet speaks God’s words to people (Deut. 18:18-19). You are a royal priesthood, called to declare God’s praises (1 Pet. 2:9; Rev. 5:9-10).

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That means that you carry His presence and speak His word to a world that does not know Him.

 

Conclusion
God is Spirit, but He wants to work in the physical world. He does that through your body.

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No other offering can replace this one. The first thing He asks is your surrender - your heart and body, purified by His word, as a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1). 

Let Him have it.

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​​Evaluation Questions & Answers

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1. The Christian is both a living and dead person. How?

   • You are alive to God in your spirit, but dead to the old self and its desires. “I have been crucified with Christ… it is no longer I who live” (Gal. 2:20). You live in the world, but you are led by the Spirit, not by the flesh (Rom. 8:16).

2. How can God’s word become flesh again in our day?

   • Through us. Just as Jesus was the Word made flesh (John 1:14), we now carry that Word in our bodies. When we live out Christ’s teaching and let Him live in us, His word becomes visible again to the world.

3. God is invisible. How, then, can physical beings house Him?

   • Because He indwells us by His Spirit. Our bodies become His temple (1 Cor. 3:16). As we walk, talk, and serve, people encounter Him through us. We are His visible presence on earth.

4. According to Deut. 18:18-19, how can we define a prophet?

   • A prophet is someone who God raises up to speak His words.

   • Deut.18:18-19 18 I will raise up for them a Prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and He shall speak to them all that I command Him. 19 And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which He speaks in My name, I will require it of him.

   • A prophet carries and delivers God’s message.

5. But do you believe you are God’s prophet to the unbelievers? Why?

   • Yes. If you are in Christ, you are part of His body and a member of the royal priesthood (1 Pet. 2:9). That means you are called to speak His word and show His life to unbelievers so they can know Him.​

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Prayer

Father, thank You for choosing to dwell in me. Purify my body and heart to be a worthy home for You. Give me grace to live as a living sacrifice, carrying Your presence and speaking Your word to my generation. Amen.

 

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