GodReflection: Life in the Holy Presence
Sacrifice has always been on the historical landscape of the Holy.
However, with the cross event the one who offered the sacrifice shifted from man to God. Man no longer takes lambs to the priest.
It was by God’s ultimate sacrifice of His Only Lamb Son on a Calvary’ cross that every gift offered by faithful patriarchs and priests of God upon alters through all prior centuries saw their fulfillment.
So the New Testament church was given life through the gift of the Holy Sacrifice. Her members felt the grandeur and the forgiveness of that act to the extent that believer took on the use of a new word.
For first century believers sacrifice is a past tense gift of the Holy on their behalf. Rather than sacrifice they begin to use a Jesus word.
Disciples of Jesus responded to sacrifice with the word give.
When they looked at the portrait of their Master his word rang true.
Jesus came to give rest (Matthew 11:28), to give a free gift (Matthew 10:8), the give living bread and his life for the world (John 6:51).
Just as in their time, today we see Jesus continue to give mercy, forgiveness, grace, peace, life that is complete, the promise of perfect rest and a Sinlessness eternity in the next reality—and all within the Holy presence.
Thus, God followers no longer give a sacrifice upon an alter but in place of the sacrificial gift we looked for ways to give others the reflection of Jesus’ gift that we have received. To give as Jesus gave is to live within the presence of the gift of the Holy Sacrifice.
I look back and read that New Testament Christians gave. They gave grace. They gave love. They gave mercy. They gave living water. They gave bread. They gave care. They gave forgiveness. They healed. They gave help. They taught. They baptized. They gave friendship.
There has never been a magic pill to make that sort of life style easy. I shouldn’t assume that men and women of the first century were perfect in their actions. They were just as human as I am human.
There must have been times when weakness, frustrations, exhaustion, and life cause them to be less than they were called to be.
However, I would guess that the overall theme and tenor of their lives was their giving spirit. They gave not from commands but because they lived life in the shadow of the gift of the Holy Sacrifice.
As the timeline of church history began to unwind, Paul used the metaphor of sacrifice as he wrote to Jesus followers in the city of Rome. He reminds them of the power of the gift. Using the language of sacrifice he envisions the giving language of Jesus when he writes:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship (Romans 12:1.)
Because of what I understand of God’s mercy I am to become a living gift. It is in that act—wherever my feet touch God’s earth—as I interact with those who cross my path that I worship.
In that context life within the gift of the Holy Sacrifice adds a richer texture to worship than limiting worship only to an hour designated on a church sign—as important as that might be—don’t you think?
Stay tuned.
Dr. Gary J. Sorrells
A GodReflection on Life Within the Gift of the Holy Sacrifice
Gary@Godreflection.org www.GodReflection.org
God Reflection 