Sacrifice

In our common use of the term, sacrifice is a term of substitution. We think of one thing in order to obtain something of greater value. Parents sacrifice a fancy new car to save money for a childs education. A base ball player executes a "sacrifice bunt" to give a team mate an opportunity to score a home run. In the Old Testement a sacrifice was an act of worship by which the blood of an animal was shed to obtain forgivness from sin, Which is of far greater value. All the sacrifices of the Old Testement anticipated God's ultimate sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for the sins of the world. So why did God require sacrifices in the Old Testement ? and why were they so bloody ? We read in Leviticus 1:1-13 "Lay your hand on its head so the Lord will accept it as your substitute, ths making atonement for you" We also read in Exodus 24:6-8 " Then Moses sprinkled the blood from the basins over the people" Also in Leviticus 17:11 " It is the blood, represnting life that brings you atonement" The sacrifiacial system reminded Israel of the seriousness of sin before there holy God. The sacrifice symbolized the person's desire to be forgiven for sin and thus be restored to God and receive new life. A life had to be given up (The Animal's) so that a life could be spared (the person's) The blood of the sacrifice had to be poured out in substitute for the another. Why does god say "I desire mercy and not sacrifice" We read in Isaiah 1:11-13 " I am sick of your sacrifice [they] are all sinful and false". In Amos 5:21-27 I hate the hypoccrisy of your religious festivals and solemn assemblies, instead I want to see a mighty flood of justice." The sacrifice was an important part of worship for the Israelites. But when their worship became mere ritual without sincerity, it was worthless in God's eyes, He desires sincereity from us just as much. What does it mean to say, "Jesus is the Lamb Of God"? We read in John 1:29 "Look there is The Lamb Of God" who takes away the sins of the world. Just as a lambs blood brought about forgiveness in the Old testement, So the blood of Jesus through his death on the cross takes away the sins of the world. In Hebrews 9:11-15 we read "He took his own blood, and with it secured our salvation forever". The sacrifice of Christ's shed blood replaced once and for all the blood of lambs and bulls. In 1 Peter 1:18-19 we read "He paid for you with the precious life blood of Christ the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. The death of Christ, confirmed by his shed blood was the precious price paid for our salvation.
What kinds of sacrifices are we called to make? In Geneses 13:9 we read "Take your choice of any section of the land you want". Like Abram, sometimes we need to give up something we want in order to keep peace in the family. We read in Ruth 1:16 "I will go where ever you go and live where ever you live". Ruth was willing to leave her home land to look after Naomi, Such a sacrifice showed her understanding of what is really important. In Matthew 19:29 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 have eternal life. Following Jesus involves personal sacrifice. What kind of sacrifices are dangeroused for us to make? In 1 Samuel 3:13 we read "Because his sons are blaspheming God and he has'nt disciplined them". We also read in 2 Samuel 11:15 "Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is the fiercest, Then pull back so he will be killed ! Eli sacrificed his family life for his career, David sacrificed the life of anther man to hide his lustfull deceit. Sacrificing good for evil fulfills our selfish desires and leads to ruin. Well thats about it so keep on looking up to the light which is Jesus Christ and remeber Jesus loves you all and has a plan for your life. Sincerely in Christ. Clive (†_Matched_1†)