Lev. 4-6 Acts 14

Acts 14:19-20
9 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead. 20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe.

In these scriptures I see God speaking about sacrifice. From the scriptures in Leviticus we learn that Aaron and the priests had to make special precautions as to how the animals were o be slain and how their blood was to be applied to the mercy seat. God even told him which animals for which sin. We see God covering the sins of the people until the Lamb of God, The sacrifice of God Himself could be made on that cross. Then we see in scripture that the sacrifice God wants is no longer the blood of animals, but we ourselves. Not our blood but our lives Rom 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship”. We are living sacrifices not slain animals but living sacrifices unto God Himself. In Acts we see Paul giving up his life to teach the gospel to a world that needed to know God. He is martyred for the Gospel only to be resurrected and martyred again later in his life. He died not once for the gospel but twice, He was truly a living sacrifice.

I am thankful God has not required of me (and hopefully does not) to be a martyr. Still I want to be a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Giving each day to God for His purpose and His direction and glory. Let today be a day like that.

May God bless you and keep you

Pastor Jack

Next reading Lev.7-9 Acts 15