Climbing Back On The Table Of Slaughter

Serving as an Old Testament priest could not have been a job for the faint of heart. When they had to offer blood sacrifices it had to have been a bloody gruesome experience. To take a sacrificial lamb and place it on the altar and then kill it. Blood flowed freely. The sacrifice had to be held in place until the life ebbed away. The suffering sounds of the lambs as the knife pierced the flesh and the crying out of lambs dying filled the air.

I am convinced this is the picture Paul had in mind when he penned Romans 12:1.

Romans 12:1 (ESV)
1  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice. In other words, offer, donate, sacrifice your body to God. What Paul exhorts us to do is to daily climb back on the altar or literally the table of slaughter to offer Him our lives. To willingly, voluntarily climb upon that table of slaughter to yield our lives as a sacrificial offering.

Why would anyone ever do this. In response to the mercy of God fully displayed in the death of Jesus on the cross. [Eph 1:7] [Rom 5:8-9] What other legitimate response could there be to the cross except that the people of God lay our lives down on His altar as a sacrifice. We make ourselves available to do His bidding. We surrender our lives and wills to Him. Climbing upon that table of slaughter is a dying experience for us all. It is death of flesh and embracing of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to live through us. It means surrendering all rights to ourselves. A sacrifice had no rights. They died for a greater purpose. You and I climbing daily on the altar and dying to self is for God's greater purpose.

Notice Paul wrote "present your bodies as a living sacrifice." Notice that word living. This is not a one time act for us. This is a daily willful decision. Daily we choose to yield ourselves to Jesus again. Daily we choose to climb back on the altar. Daily we climb back on that gruesome table of slaughter to offer our lives in Jesus' service.

This is worship in its highest form. This is service to Jesus at its best. This is what God wants from all  His followers.

I taught on this passage last night. I meant every word of truth in this verse. When I finished I walked off to the front row on my left. I went to last seat on the aisle to be alone while others prayed. Sitting there I prayed this prayer, "Jesus, if nobody else in this room intends to live this truth I do. I am giving You my life and my yes right here. Do with me as You please. I lay my life down again."

Only time will tell what such a prayer will mean in the long run. In the short term I again climbed on the table of slaughter this morning. My life is offered to Him. Will you offer yours?