The words of Romans 12:1-2 are familiar to most of us: “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. 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” (NKJV). If you’re reading from the newer family of translations (ASV, etc.), verse 1 may say “which is your spiritual service.” The word translated “reasonable” does not have the idea of “logical” but rather that which is governed by the mind, probably in contrast to the merely external “service” of the Jews. But what is entailed in a “living sacrifice”?

Under the Old Testament law, sacrifices were killed when they were offered to God. It was a one-time act—the animal was killed and that was that. Under Christ’s law, our sacrifice is living—our very lives are to be given up to Him. That includes our money, our things, but so much more. To help us grasp just how far a living sacrifice goes, our Savior left us an example.

In Philippians 2:5-8 the Holy Spirit wraps up in a few words what the Lord sacrificed to save us from our sins. He gave up heaven to come to this earth. Can we even begin to imagine what the Son gave up when He left heaven? I’ve visited some places where brethren live without the luxuries we take for granted—electricity, running water, telephone, medical service, but does the contrast between the States and such places compare to the contrast between heaven and earth? I’ve lived a number of years in what I call the “Second world”—not a third world country, but not the States either, and I’m very glad to be back in the States. But Jesus gave up much more than that. He came to this earth, not as an angel, but as a man. He suffered not only the common problems and inconveniences of His age, but was despised and rejected by His peers and that not occasionally, but almost daily. His enemies were constantly out to trap Him. They denounced and blasphemed Him on every occasion they had. Ultimately, they had Him crucified, not because they overcame Him, but to fulfill God’s plan to save mankind. The same Jesus who told Peter, “Or do you think that I cannot now pray to my Father, and He will provide Me with more than twelve legions of angels?” hung on the cross, even as His enemies mocked Him, saying, “He saved others; Himself He cannot save” and “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross.” He could have descended from the cross at any moment, but He gave up His dignity, His majesty, His life for us.

Is there anything the Lord did not willingly give up for us? Anything we needed He freely gave, as a living sacrifice. Paul makes the application from this living sacrifice in 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.” If Christ died so we could live, how should we live? Should we not live for Him, in everything we do? I find it strange that the doctrine of mere mental assent that Jesus lived on this earth and that He is the Son of God is so widely accepted today. Jesus sacrificed everything for me and all He expects from me is to acknowledge His existence and deity? Such is not even logical, much less Biblical. Can we honestly think that showing up at the church building three times a week is all that’s involved in a “living sacrifice”? He died so we could live. Will He satisfied with six hours a week for Him? Foolish question, isn’t it?

That’s the example we have of the early disciples as well. Remember Peter’s statement, “See, we have left all, and followed You.” They left their jobs, their families, their “normal” lives to follow Him. Paul gave up all the advantages he and his parents had worked a number of years for: schooling at the feet of the greatest rabbi of his day and a zeal for God that allowed him to “advance in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers” (Gal. 1:14). I don’t think it unreasonable to believe Paul could have eventually become a member of the Sanhedrin, but he sacrificed all this for the Lord. When other Christians were in need, brethren “who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet, and they distributed to each as anyone had need” (Acts 4:34).

Perhaps the greatest illustration of what it means to sacrifice is that of the widow in Luke 21:1-4. The rich were casting their bags of coins into the offering, while a widow put in all she had—two half pennies. The application Jesus made of this is recorded forever—“all these out of their abundance have put in offerings for God, but she out of her poverty put in all the livelihood she had.” Is the point that we must give all? No, but that we must give until it “hurts”—if we are only giving from what we have left over, we are not sacrificing.

But what does it mean for me to sacrifice for the Lord, today in the United States in the year 2012? We can say that it means going beyond what’s comfortable for you, but how does that play out in my life? It means serving God where and how He wants me to, not just where and how I’m comfortable to serve Him. It means pushing myself beyond what “I’ve always done” into areas where “I’m just not comfortable doing that.”

I’m reminded of Marshall Davis, a preacher long deceased, who was raised in West Texas, where the humidity is less than 20% most of the year. He was asked to move to the Coast to help a church that was split on doctrinal lines, but neither group would budge. The first Sunday he told them, “I didn’t move here because I love the Coast, because I hate every inch of it. I didn’t move here because of the church situation, because where I moved from was far better. I didn’t move here for the money, because I was making more where I was. I moved here because this is where the Lord needs me to be.” Brethren, are we willing to make that kind of sacrifice, to go where the Lord needs me, not where I want to go?

Have you ever attended a worship service that was all in Spanish, or another language you didn’t know? “But I wouldn’t understand a word” or “I wouldn’t be comfortable in that situation.” Let me assure you, you would only be uncomfortable for a moment—my wife Dana still recalls the time they went to worship with the church in Chihuahua—not one of them knew any Spanish, but the brethren continued to offer them songbooks (all in Spanish) for ten minutes. But have you thought about what your presence would mean to your brothers and sisters? Most of the time, they are few in number and don’t see many visitors. Your mere presence is a great encouragement to them. They will go out of their way to make you feel comfortable—they realize the effort you are making and greatly appreciate it. If you have traveled any distance to be with them, your visit may be remembered (and discussed) for years.

What about preaching or teaching in another culture? How about teaching/preaching with a translator? Again, you may not be comfortable before you get there, but the brethren will do their best to put you at ease. Will your lesson be at “top of your form”? It may or may not be, but whatever it is, it will be greatly appreciated by your brothers and sisters in Christ and will probably be remembered for a long time. Trust me; it will also have an effect on you (for the better).

Am I willing to “give up” “our” preacher for a week or so, to allow him to go preach in an area where there are few congregations and “full-time preachers”? A trip of seven to ten days can make a great difference in many places. Am I, as a preacher, willing to “give up” a “paying Gospel meeting” for one which I will likely have to seek help to go to, or pay for myself? Among the four million English speaking people in the Eastern Caribbean there are presently three full-time preachers—is there room for those willing to go preach for a week? The problem is not the places needing your help, but the workers willing to go.

Making my life a living sacrifice means giving, but not just in the ways that I am most comfortable. Finding someone to take food to someone who’s sick is usually not too difficult, but what about finding someone to go clean that person’s house, or sit with that person right after he comes home from the hospital, while he still needs help to get to the bathroom, to get things from the other room, etc? Or just to visit him and check on him once or twice a week—to spend thirty minutes or an hour with them? Would you be willing to play cards or dominoes with him? What about mowing the grass, raking leaves, minor repairs around the house, etc? “But that takes time and I just don’t have the time.” Could it be you’re too busy with the important things and so have no time for the urgent?

Part of serving others is “becoming all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” I may need to change my dress at times; I might have to think about what illustrations I will use—wolves are unknown in most tropical climates, so need some explaining, for example. Talk about the subway or even trains produces no response on islands of the Eastern Caribbean—if they ever had trains it was so long ago, most people now living don’t remember them. I may have to eat something that I wouldn’t normally eat—armadillo, opossum, “chiwiri,” or foods prepared in a different way than I’m accustomed. I shouldn’t eat beef, but when I’m served it, I try to eat a respectable portion so as not to offend—I’ll pay for it later, but my physical discomfort is just part of becoming all things to all men.

Brethren, are we truly “presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice”? You alone can make that judgment and only you can change things if you are not. There is more work to be done in the Lord’s kingdom than all the “full-time preachers” can get to. What am I sacrificing for the Lord?