Sacrifice

Title: Giving It Up (Sacrifice)

Text: (Rom 12:1-2 NKJV) 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. {2} 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.

Introduction: Jack was out jogging one day and as he passed a cliff, he got too close and fell. Grabbing hold of a branch he was stranded. No way up and certainly no way down. He began to scream, “Hello up there can anyone hear me.” He yelled for hours and was about to give up when he heard a voice.

“Jack, Can you hear me?”

“Yes, Yes, I can hear you I’m down here.”

“I can see you, Jack, are you alright?”

“Yes, but...who are yo and where are you?”

“I am the Lord Jack, I am everywhere.”

“The Lord? You mean God?”

“That’s me.”

“God, help me, I promise that if you get me down from here, I’ll stop sinning. I’ll be a really good person and serve you for the rest of my life.”

“Easy on the promises, Jack. First let’s get you down, then we can discuss those.”

“I’ll do anything, Lord, just tell me what to do, okay?”

“Okay, let go of the branch.”

“What?”

“I said, let go of the branch. Just trust me, let go.”

PAUSE

“Hello, Hello, is there anybody else up there?”

**Aren’t we just like that? We want to serve God and we certainly want Him to save us, we just don’t want to give anything up to get with Him.

1. Paul says in our text that we should be living SACRIFICES.

‒ I thought sacrifices were in the Old Testament. They are, but Paul has brought back the idea.

‒ Sacrifice means to give up. Baseball season is coming soon. (Baseball sacrifice)

‒ Sacrifice is not only giving up, but it is giving up with a purpose of someone else benefitting from our giving up.

2. There are two things we are going to have to do in order to learn how to sacrifice. How do we let go? (Rom 13:13-14 NKJV) Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.

A. Let go of yourself!

1. Tell about the time I had to overcome fear in order to enjoy the zip line on the ropes course.

1. Once I let go, it was not so bad!

2. Our perceptions of things sometimes can kill our ability to enjoy the things of life–Real Christian life.

2. How many times have you said, “I want to respond to the Lord, but....”

1. “You see Lord, I have this friend...”

2. “Lord I would, but there’s this really good looking girl and I know if I serve you, she won’t like me.”

1. Biblical Illustration:_________

** All of the reasons (excuses) that we can think of are no match for letting go and letting God!

B. Cling to God and His way! (NKJV) {14} But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (NCV)14 But clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and forget about satisfying your sinful self."

1. It is time that young people take a strong stand for the Lord!

A. Realize your potential

2. We need young people in the Lord’s kingdom to stand and be counted.

3. Don’t forget your spiritual clothes in the morning when going to school.

**Letting go is good, but if we simply let go and do not fill our lives with something good, we will fail!

B. God’s ultimate sacrifice.

(2 Cor 5:21 NKJV) For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

A. What a sacrifice on our behalf!!

Conclusion: Would you respond to that sacrifice by giving your life to Him!?