Worship begins with Sacrifice

People to whom God is drawn…

Job – first one recorded – blameless and upright. Satan: he’ll curse you…after he loses it all:

Job 1:21-22   Blessed be the name of the LORD.

When our relationship with God is not based only on what He gives to us, but also in what we offer to Him, then we have a genuine love relationship with God. Love seeks what it can give. Love, but its very nature, is sacrificial.

Genesis 22:1-5  …we will worship and return to you.

We do not make sacrifices in order to remain in good standing with God. We sacrifice because we already HAVE  right standing with Him. Love is expressed through its willingness to sacrifice for the one loved.

Gen 22:14  Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.”

God loves to provide for the temporal needs of His children. But His most important provision is the means to draw near to His presence,  which is where the deepest needs of life are met and where we then have something to offer back to Him.

Ø  Jehovah Jireh has NOTHING to do with money and God’s provision

Moriahwas sanctified by this act

8 centuries later…DAVID

2 Sam 24:18-25   I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing.

Offering something to God which does not involve sacrificial cost is a nice gesture but is not yet true worship. Worship begins with sacrifice. The more it feelslike a sacrifice, the more love is expressed

10 centuries later…JESUS

Ø  The Son of David offered up , on this same mount, the ultimate sacrifice…

Psalm 22

Communion

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