You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. Psalm 51:16 (NIV)
Ritual Sacrifice and Its Contradiction – Part 2
Go to PART 1
There’re all these ideas about what and how we sacrifice for God. I’ve been told that I need to sacrifice my time, money, dreams, ideas, desires – so much sacrifice – lay it all down on the altar. The Bible is littered with talk about the ritual, meaning, and practicalities of it. There is an endless amount of commentary, theological writings, articles and ideas on sacrifice – we almost seem obsessed by it, many laying claim to its meaning and outworking. There’s a literal sacrifice – bringing something pure that costs the giver and placing it on an altar, or killing it as part of a ritual. Then there’s sacrifice of self: The laying aside of our own rights, needs and desires for the betterment of another, the community, the Kingdom.
Fuelling the conversation, the Bible seems to make contradictory claims about it. You can pick and choose a single verse and build an argument from it, but if you pull all the verses and stories about sacrifice together and put them side by side, it will make your brain hurt. A blood sacrifice was required for the atonement of sins, but at the same time, again and again, we hear whispers of God not desiring a sacrifice. He wanted relationship over ritual. So which is it? Does he need a sacrifice? Or does he just need us?
Yes.
The Bible is many different stories and events that come together to form ONE story. A narrative about humans growing in their understanding of the Divine and how they collide/connect/belong with him. It’s a romance, thriller, tragedy, horror, suspense, action, drama, comedy all thrown in together telling the most vivid and incredible story of our divine dance with God. So what does the narrative tell us?
Essentially, sacrifices were used to pay debts. And not just at the temple. It was used in every sphere of life – moral, monetary or religious. Sacrifices were made to atone for lack, pay the gap between what someone had and what was required of them to give. Often sacrifice became purely ceremonial; people thought that it, and it alone, would please God – bridge the gap. But the divine longs for the heart of man. For Him, it’s always been about heart. Yet, we hide out hearts from him (often our notions of sacrifice aid our hiding), and at the same time, are blinded from seeing God for who he really is.
God is not a debt collector, but a debt-redeemer.
Jesus was our living sacrifice. His humble submission to the violence of man, his vulnerability, and refusal to force his way, dominate and control, shows us what sacrifice is really about. Jesus didn’t sacrifice himself out of ritual; He did it out of love. He was sent in love. He lived in love; he died for love, and he rose by the power of divine love. He sacrificed his life to show us that the means never justifies the end.
His sacrifice didn’t scream, “See how much you lack?” It declared “See how much I love!”
Humanity was seeking significance through religion and ritual; acts, deeds, and service (we still do). Christ walked the road of sacrifice for us once and for all. No longer can we perform a ritual or a rite as a token of our devotion God; there is no sacrifice required to pay the debt. There is no debt. They have been paid, closed, settled.
We can live pure in deed, have glowing reputations, be successful, know the Bible inside out, give all we have, or be rich and influential, and none of it will be enough. It’s not why Jesus came.
“For the source of your pleasure is not in my performance or the sacrifices I might offer to you. The fountain of your pleasure is found in the sacrifice of my shattered heart before you. You will not despise my tenderness as I humbly bow down at your feet.” Psalm 51:16-17, The Passion Translation.
Go to Part 3 – Hide and Seek and Making a Mess of Things »
[vcex_image_grid columns=”3″ pagination=”false” thumbnail_link=”custom_link” link_title_tag=”true” custom_links_target=”_blank” overlay_style=”title-category-visible” columns_gap=”5″ img_hover_style=”fade-out” image_ids=”20934,20935,20937″ custom_links=”https://itunes.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1239768002?pt=118656308&ct=blog%20footer&mt=8,https://www.pktfuel.com/dailyemail,https://www.pktfuel.com/support” img_height=”350″]