Summer Sunday Series
“Christianish”
Part 3- Sacrifice & the Christianish
Introduction:
So, three weeks ago we kicked off this Summer Sunday Series by asking, “Are you Christianish?” And by Christianish we mean having the appearance of Christianity (in certain areas of your life), but not necessarily the substance of Christianity in your heart.
And we posed four big questions that you can ask yourself to help determine if you are Christianish:
• First, “Am I more concerned with being the kind of Christian others think I should be than I am with actually being like Jesus?”
• Next, “Have I compartmentalized my life to the extent that Who Jesus is affects part of my life, but leaves many areas essentially untouched?”
• Then, “Does my feeling of success as a Christian largely depend upon completing a checklist of rules and regulations?”
• And finally, “Do I think that by attending Sunday worship faithfully, paying tithe, and completing the checklist that I have fulfilled my Christian obligations?”
Then we learned that being Christianish doesn’t end well, and that it’s really important to measure our lives by the right standard, by the person of Jesus Christ.
Then last week we examined the concept of sin as it’s viewed by the Christianish, and we learned that though the Bible clearly teaches what sin is, that Christianish people take a different view.
We learned that most people think that there are certain big, bad, and terrible sins that should be avoided at all costs, but there are others that are other, smaller, socially acceptable sins. So, while the Big Six like adultery, fornication, homosexuality, abortion, denying the faith, and forsaking sound doctrine are to be avoided at all costs, we’ll practice the little ones with impunity. Little sins like pride & jealousy, gossip & backbiting, greed & materialism, lying & deception are seen as more acceptable, but they’re actually more dangerous. We’ll accept them and engage them and excuse them so readily because they seem like reasonable elements of real life…but they’ll destroy us.
Breaking out of the cycle of acceptable sin requires both the Word and the Spirit. We need to immerse ourselves in study of the Word, and not simply content ourselves with reading it. And we need the Holy Spirit to make that Word alive in our hearts and to empower us to represent Jesus in the world.
Today we’re continuing this immensely enjoyable series by talking about the subject of Sacrifice & the Christianish.
I. The Concept of Sacrifice
It’s not often that we can jump right into a Sunday Message without spending a little time on the definition of terms...just to be sure that everyone, Christian or no, religious or no, is able to start on the same page. But, we can today because the concept of sacrifice is one that generally needs no definition. The concept of sacrifice is so deeply ingrained in humanity that the idea is known and understood in every culture...no matter how primitive or advanced.
The idea is well represented in our language; terms like “scapegoat”, “sacrificial lamb”, and “burnt offering” are used in reference to everything from someone who is set up to take the fall for another to a well-blackened supper. Even in our secular culture from time to time you’ll hear someone say, “Well, I guess this is just my cross to bear.” We speak of military, police, and firefighters who’ve lost their lives in the line of duty as having made the “ultimate sacrifice”. And we speak with respect of those parents who have “sacrificed” to feed, clothe, and educate their children.
We know almost instinctively that the concept of sacrifice is one of loss; we don’t gain anything by sacrificing. We know that a sacrifice and an investment aren’t the same thing. We know that an investment is made with the expectation and hope of some kind of profit, but that a sacrifice is offered out of love, gratitude, devotion, and adoration. An investment is made with an eye toward gain, but there are no strings attached to a sacrifice.
II. Sacrifice & Scripture
Ok…I’m sure that most of us realize that the Bible is saturated with references to the idea and practice of sacrifice. In fact, it’s hard to read very much of the Bible and not bump into a reference to it. It’s hinted at as early as the third chapter of Genesis when the writer records that “the LORD God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.” The phrase “garments of skins” implies that animals lost their lives to provide a covering for Adam & Eve, and some theologians believe this is the origin of the concept of blood sacrifice in the Bible.
From this possible initial reference the concept of sacrifice blazes through the rest of the Scripture, with over 700 direct references to the idea...and that doesn’t even begin to take into account the oblique references to sacrifice and the ideas that are related to it, like atonement, redemption, and consecration. That’s a lot of references! The weight of the numbers alone testifies to how important the idea of sacrifice is in the Bible.
But hey...don’t worry...we’re not going to launch into an exhaustive and exhausting study of sacrifice by reviewing hundreds or even dozens of references. I’m just going to take the liberty of summarizing some common elements that become very noticeable when you do review the references. And if you’re a note taker, these might be worth jotting down.
First, sacrifices were organic; they consisted of things like certain animals, grains, olive oil, and wine. The sacrifices that God would accept from the Israelites were all connected to life. They were either animals that could be eaten by humans, or they were non-animal products that were considered staples in their culture...things that supported human life. So, sacrifices were organic.
Next, sacrifices were of a certain quality; they had to be the best of a thing. A sacrificial animal had to be “without blemish”...without flaw. Grain and oil and wine had to be of the best quality, and of the “firstfruits”...the initial harvest, the first pressing.
Then, sacrifices were proportionate; everyone gave the best of what they had. So, the rich and the poor didn’t offer the same sacrifices. For example; for a sin offering, the rich had to offer a bullock. The middle-class had to offer a lamb. The poor could offer a turtle-dove (think, “pigeon”). And the very poor could bring a handful of flour. The Old Testament system of sacrifice didn’t require you to offer what you didn’t have.
And finally, sacrifices were costly; whatever your economic status, the sacrifices were costly to you. No one, no matter how rich, got off cheaply when it came to sacrifice. Further, there was an emotional cost to certain sacrifices. The lamb that you offered was perfect in appearance, had been separated from the flock from its birth and raised by hand...so it was practically a pet. Then, you had to take it to the tabernacle and take its life yourself. And yes, it was supposed to bother you. Sacrifice wasn’t supposed to be easy.
So to summarize...and it’s important to remember...you had to sacrifice what was connected to life, what was valuable because it was best, what was proportionate...it was the best you had¸ and yes, it cost you emotionally to offer it...sacrifice hurt.
III. Sacrifice & the Church
“Alright then,” you may think, “that’s a lotsa semi-interesting stuff about sacrifice. I’ll be able to leave today with a pretty good understanding of the basic concept of sacrifice as it’s presented in the Bible. But so what? What on earth does that have to do with being a Christian?”
Why is it important to reacquaint believers with the basic concepts of sacrifice? Because it’s largely forgotten or ignored in the contemporary church...especially among those of us who are Christian-ish. To the Christian-ish, the Faith has morphed into a way to live a better life. The Faith of Christ Jesus is largely therapeutic...it makes them feel better, helps them have a balanced outlook on life. It’s a pathway to peace, contentment, and nice stuff.
And if we’re good, Jesus will see that more good comes our way! If we give, Jesus will see that more than we gave will come back to us! We view what we put into the faith as an investment; we expect to receive over and above what we’ve given. And if the return doesn’t exceed the “investment” we grow disappointed and angry. Some of us will even forsake the Way!
You know, Jesus referred to those who followed Him for a better slice of life as those who followed for “the loaves and fishes.” Here’s what every Christian¬-ish person needs to know; that at some point you have to stop following for the benefit and start following because you believe.
Look...there’s something that most evangelical preachers of all stripes, including Pentecostals, rarely tell people anymore; that Jesus always required something of those who would follow Him. Following Jesus always involved offering up something of one’s life. It always called for one’s best...the best that person had to offer. And it was always costly...it hurt. That sense of personal sacrifice in following Jesus isn’t talked about very much anymore. But even if it isn’t talked about, what makes us think that Jesus has stopped requiring it?
Look through the Gospels of those who were called to be Jesus disciples...look at the stories of those who came forward to offer themselves. Sometimes Jesus told them upfront what He required them to offer, and other times He left it to them to discover what discipleship would cost. But there was always a personal sacrifice that had to be made.
He told the 12, “Follow me and I’ll make you fishers of men!” Yay! Jesus will change your life! Yay! He’s going to make you into something powerful and grand! Yes. He will. And in the meantime you’re going to leave your homes, your families, your friends, your jobs & careers, your plans, your dreams, your loves...and you’re going to go where He tells you and do what He tells you and He’s going to be your Master and you’re going to be His servant. Following Jesus will cost you.
He told Zaccheaus, the crooked tax-collector, “I’m coming to your house,” which in the culture meant that Jesus was embracing Zaccheaus as His own. And while Jesus didn’t issue a particular command to him, Zaccheaus knew what following Jesus would mean to him. So Zaccheaus said, “I’m going to give half of all I have to benefit the poor, and to anyone I’ve cheated I’ll restore four times what I stole.” Following Jesus will cost you.
He told the mourning disciple who asked to go home and observe the customary burial rites for his father, “Let the dead bury the dead...come and follow me.” By this Jesus reinforced His teaching that if you love father or mother more than Him, you’re not worthy of Him. Following Jesus will cost you.
Jesus told the Rich Young Ruler, “Go and sell all you have and give to the poor, then come and follow me.” And He meant it...literally. Following Jesus will cost you.
He called Blind Bartemaeus to come to Him, expecting the blind man to get up from his place of safety and security and feel his way along to get to Jesus. One would think that a truly compassionate Savior would make things easy on the blind man! But following Jesus will cost you.
Closing:
If following Jesus hasn’t cost you something, if it doesn’t cost you something, then maybe you’re not really following Jesus at all. Maybe you’re only Christian¬-ish. And I say that because from the example of Jesus and all who followed Him in the New Testament, following Him calls for personal sacrifice. It’s what author Mark Steele called “The Painful Give”...the sacrifice of that thing you love, depend on, and trust in, more than you do Jesus.
And when you offer it, there’s nothing that says He’ll give it back. When an ancient Israelite sacrificed that cute little lamb he’d lovingly raised, it was gone. It didn’t come back. God didn’t give him four lambs back in its place. So when you offer Jesus that part of your life He’s calling for, expect what you offer to be gone. And you’ve got to be good with that...with the idea that what you’ve been called upon to sacrifice to follow Jesus is gone, it doesn’t belong to you anymore.
And you’ve got to believe that it’s worth it. Apparently the 12 believed it was, or at least 11 of them did. “We have left all and followed You,” they said to Jesus. No hesitation. No regrets.
So, what’s your “Painful Give”? What’s Jesus calling on you to sacrifice? What part of the life you live is He calling you to lay down?
