http://virb.com/gospelcopter Virb 2.0 (@gospelcopter) en http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239706 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 18:00:04 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239706 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239694 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:53:27 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239694 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239681 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:30:55 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239681 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239478 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:31:41 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239478 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239466 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:08:42 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239466 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239446 Fri, 25 Jan 2008 12:48:27 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/audio/239446 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531349 ]]> Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:14:32 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531349 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531348 ]]> Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:14:26 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531348 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531347 ]]> Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:14:21 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531347 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531346 ]]> Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:13:56 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531346 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531345 ]]> Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:13:48 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531345 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531092 ]]> Fri, 25 Jan 2008 13:40:21 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/photos/1531092 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/posts/text/434611 without bringing a sacrifice--they are simply purchasing them after they arrive! And worse, their leaders approve of this. In their approval, they are condoning and aggravating their people's laziness and indifference toward God. The temple is no longer respected as a place of sacrifice, but has become a place of trade where a "sacrifice" can be bought as well as sold. Truly this is thievery, for they are robbing God of his due sacrifice (Matthew 21:13, Mark 11:17). It is startling that after seeing what is happening, Jesus stops and takes time to braid cords together into a whip to use--this is clearly well thought out anger. Now, we'll look at a similar situation: "You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand?" says the Lord. "Cursed be the cheat who has a male in his flock, and vows it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished. For I am a great King," says the Lord of hosts, "and my name will be feared among the nations." - Malachi 1:13b,14 Here, we see a people that has indeed pledged the firstfruits of their flocks, but instead bring "that which is blemished". This is not laziness, but carelessness--they "cheat" God, and expect Him to accept it. It is clear that God is not happy about this, in fact He places a curse upon they who did this, Dr. John Piper calls this, "the curse of careless worship". This should be sobering to understand. We must not take sacrifice lightly. Once again we are reminded that when we do not give God the sacrifice due His name, we are robbing Him (Malachi 3:9). Next we examine when empty religion gets in the way of our sacrifice: Why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, "Honor your father and your mother," and, "Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die." But you say, "If anyone tells his father or his mother, 'What you would have gained from me is given to God,' he need not honor his father." So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God. You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. - Matthew 15:3b-9 These people have added onto what God has revealed. They have decided to clarify where God apparently wasn't clear. In doing this, they have completely lost view of loving their neighbor and only see a set of rules. Conveniently, their rules include one that allows them to say they tithed the money they were going to use to take Mom and Dad out to dinner. Religion has become a set of excuses to be a jerk. "I was going to give you something, but I already sacrificed it to God." They may be trying to do what they believe God wants them to do, but their heart is nowhere near God. Our heart is what moves us to true sacrifice, for it is the wellspring out of which our lives flow (Proverbs 4:23). And surely, our sacrifices will be evidence of where our heart has led us. As Jesus said, "Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:31, Luke 12:34). Last, let's look at a man who gets it right--a man after God's own heart: And David said to Ornan, "Give me the site of the threshing floor that I may build on it an altar to the Lord, give it to me at its full price, that the plague may be averted from the people." Then Ornan said to David, "Take it, and let my lord the king do what seems good to him. See, I give the oxen for burnt offerings and the threshing sledges for the wood and the wheat for a grain offering; I give it all." But King David said to Ornan, "No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the Lord what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing." - 1 Chronicles 21:22-24 This is one of the most convicting passages of Scripture for me personally. Every time I read this, I think about the comfortable life I live, and the pitiful sacrifices I make. Because of the stain of sin, our sacrifices are worthless. I'm reminded, though, that it is God who has removes my heart of stone and gives me a heart of flesh. It is also He alone that can cleanse me from all my idols (Ezekiel 36:25-26). Without God intervening, we can make no sacrifice worthy of being accepted by a Holy God. It is His ultimate sacrifice that enables us to live new lives of sacrifice to Him. That's what makes the Gospel so upside-down. God wants what is best for us--Himself! He is the only thing sufficient to satisfy us. God stopped down to our level and became a man, the man Jesus Christ, so that we may be reconciled to Him. Cleansing the stain of sin, taking our punishment, and living the life we could not live. Let us not forget the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes! Once we have that in mind, and a life of grace, instead of empty rules, ahead of us let us remember these four things regarding sacrifice: A true sacrifice is inconvenient. A true sacrifice is vigilant. A true sacrifice is passionate. A true sacrifice is costly. Peace B w/U, Josh]]> Sat, 26 Jan 2008 14:22:47 -0800 http://virb.com/gospelcopter/posts/text/434611