Is Your Life A Living Sacrifice? Series

Is your life a “Living” Sacrifice Do you think more highly of yourself than God? Do you use God’s gifts that are given to benefit the church?

During his reign, King Frederick William III of Prussia found himself in trouble. Wars had been costly, and in trying to build the nation, he was seriously short of finances. He couldn’t disappoint his people, and to capitulate to the enemy was unthinkable. After careful reflection, he decided to ask the women of Prussia to bring their jewelry of gold and silver to be melted down for their country. For each ornament received, he determined to exchange a decoration of bronze or iron as a symbol of his gratitude. Each decoration would be inscribed, "I gave gold for iron, 18l3." The response was overwhelming. Even more important, these women prized their gifts from the king more highly than their former jewelry. The reason, of course, is clear. The decorations were proof that they had sacrificed for their king. Indeed, it became unfashionable to wear jewelry, and thus was established the Order of the Iron Cross. Members wore no ornaments except a cross of iron for all to see. When Christians come to their King, they too exchange the flourishes of their former life for a cross. Lynn Jost.

Have you indeed exchanged your former life to and for the “cross of Christ”?

Do you think more highly of yourself than God?

For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. [4] For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: [5] So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Romans 12:3-5

God’s intent was to save us not for us to think of ourselves more highly than we should.

This is to all believers in the world “every man that is among you.”

Each of us needs to work at humility to God our creator.

We have a natural tendency to think too highly of ourselves.

Are you today suffering because of conceit, pride, and arrogance. Your own... ·importance ·looks ·popularity ·position ·ability ·performance ·wealth ·possessions ·opinions ·education ·goodness ·title

Far too many even within our churches esteem themselves way too highly and think themselves better than others.

Instead we are to think of ourselves soberly; in a balanced, sane manner.

We evaluate ourselves by sober and sane judgment, not the worlds standards but God’s.

God is saying: Thinking too highly of yourself is insane

Don’t you know that each person is important to God; every person is meaningful and significant to God’s kingdom work.

Why should we walk humbly before others you might ask?

Because everything that we are and have comes from God for HE has “dealt to every man the measure of faith.” This means and includes both...

·the gifts and abilities God gives to a person.

·the faith and drive or confidence to use the gifts.

Working faith is the ability and drive within a person to serve God, by contributing to life and society.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).

“For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7).

We have only received a measure. None of us has a full measure, so we are all required to do the work that God lays before us.

“But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephes. 4:7).

God tells us HE gifts every person, not just one nor a few persons. None have a monopoly on any gift or ability. We are not more important, such thoughts are insane.

True believers are one body in Christ, the most beautiful picture of the body of Christ in Scripture.

“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others” (Phil. 2:3-4).

“Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10).

“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).