When I Give The Best Of My Service

We put our money in the plate and carry our Bible under our arm to be seen, but this thing ain’t about impressing, it’s about presenting. You don’t just lay your all on the altar, you lay yourself on the altar. You don’t just give God your problems, you let God know you are at His disposal. You don’t just ask Him to lay His hands on you, but you tell Him in words of an old familiar song, “Use me Lord in your service. I am willing to go all the way.” Can I get a witness in here? Oh brothers and sisters, Paul says you have to present. “Present your body a living sacrifice.” Don’t give Him something that’s dead and cold. Don’t give God your cold heart, a cold look and some dead service. Don’t show up with a mean look and an attitude in your heart. Don’t come in here dead and dry, cold and listless. Don’t be lukewarm in your praise and dead in your service. But God wants a living sacrifice. No dry bones, but something alive. God don’t want something to burn on the altar, but He does want somebody with a fire shut up in their bones.

Paul says, “Present your body a living sacrifice.” Oh brothers and sisters, when you tell Him to use your hands and use your feet, that’s a living sacrifice. When you cry out, “Here am I, send me,” that’s a living sacrifice. When you say, “Where He leads me I will follow,” that’s a living sacrifice. When it was time to save us, and when it was time to deliver us, God sent a living sacrifice. Can I get a witness? He didn’t send a committee to study the matter. He didn’t send a lamb to lay on the altar. He didn’t send a dove or a rainbow sign, but when it was time to save us, God sent a living sacrifice. Sent Jesus all the way from Heaven down here. God sent Jesus down through forty-two generations. Sent Jesus from the seed of David and the house of Jesse. He sent a living sacrifice. He sent Jesus to heal the sick and to raise the dead. He sent Jesus to give sight to the blind and joy to those in sorrow. God sent Jesus to preach good news to the poor. He sent Jesus, a living sacrifice.

Oh brothers and sisters, this same Jesus, walked out on the water, spoke peace to the storm. This same Jesus, fed the hungry and rebuked Satan. God sent Jesus, a living sacrifice. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. That’s a living sacrifice. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. That’s a living sacrifice. While we were sinners, Christ died for our sins. God sent Jesus, a living sacrifice. Paul says give God all you got and realizes the least you can give. Whatever you’re doing and you call it service, it’s not enough. Whatever you’re doing and you call it religion, it’s not enough. Even if you’re doing more than anybody else, it’s not enough. Until you present your body a living sacrifice, it’s not enough. Paul says, “reasonable.” Paul is taking about service and He’s talking about worship that makes sense. He’s not talking about where worship is, he’s talking about the quality of worship.

You see, some folk don’t shout and praise God until they are at a certain church or around certain folks. Paul is not talking about the place of worship, but rather he’s talking about the purpose of worship. Paul is talking about worship and service that makes sense. Some of what we do don’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense to serve the Lord with a frown on your face when the Bible says serve the Lord with gladness. It doesn’t make sense to sit still in the pew and be quiet in the service when the Word says make a joyful noise unto the Lord all ye lands. It doesn’t make sense to come out to the house of prayer, speak to everybody and don’t say nothing to God. Oh brothers and sisters, worship and service ought to make sense. Paul talks about “reasonable service.” He talks about service that makes sense. When Paul says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren,” Paul is saying, “Based on what I’ve said before, this is what you ought to do now. Since you have something from God, you ought to give something to God. Since the Lord has good to you, you ought to be faithful to Him.