“Before the Sacrifice”

• The meanest people in the world.
• The most hateful people in the world.
• The most upsetting people in the world.

Religious folks have an air of respectability. The image of decency. However, this is on the outside. This is for public display. But inside their hearts, there is burning hatred… there is evil… there is unconfessed sin… they outwardly profess godliness but they deny the power of God (2^nd Timothy 3:5). However, religious folks can be some of the most dangerous people in the world.

Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, the religious folks persecuted, criticized and crucified Him. Jesus did not have a problem with sinners. He did not mind the prostitutes, the publicans, the tax collectors, and the winos. Jesus hung out with winos, but we don’t want to do that. That is a problem. Jesus went to those people and told them that the kingdom of God was coming.

• Religious Folks secretly arrested Jesus
• Religious Folks falsely convicted Jesus
• Religious Folks handed Jesus to Pilate
• Religious Folks crucified Jesus

If there is one thing we need in 1999, we need a revival FROM religion. We need revival from caring more about how you look than how your serve.

• We need revival from caring more about formalism than worship.
• We need revival from caring more about legalism over love.
• We need revival from caring more about showmanship over discipleship.

Jesus told them the greatest commandment, which was to love the One and True God… the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This God is our provider, our sanctifier, our banner, our healer, our peace, our companionship and our righteousness.

We also need to love other people more than we love ourselves. Those two principles are the essence of the law.

Remember when the religious scholar came to understand what Jesus was saying? He said, "You are correct. There is only one God and none other than He." You can’t pick & choose or mix & match with God. You can’t have one god on Saturday and another god on Sunday.

In verse 33 of our text, we see this religious scholar.

In Leviticus chapters one through seven, we see examples of burnt offerings, grain offerings, fellowship offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. They killed bulls, rams and pigeons. They sacrificed flour, grain and olive oil. They offered up goats, doves and (of course) lambs.

These offerings were acts of praise and/or acts of repentance for sins committed. They brought the children of Israel closer to God. We need to worship God and seek forgiveness for our wrongs. In verse 33, all of our worship, praise and repentance means nothing if we don’t love God and our neighbor. You can sacrifice all of the bulls, goats and rams you want… it means nothing without love.

• Time out for phony religion
• Time out for hypocritical religion
• Time out for lily-livered religion

Don’t try to impress people. The only one who matters is the One Who died on the cross, rose again, and sits at the Right Hand of God.

We need to get serious about our faith.

If you live an unholy life, you may hit high C’s but you will not get the blessing. Some of us increase our giving (and that is okay) but we should not want people to know what we give. The Bible says it is not a matter that other people should know about.

If you don’t love God and your neighbor, you are wasting your time in church. You need to love God and also live holy or you won’t be a blessing to the church.

God does not tell you to shack up before marriage

God does not tell you to be homosexual or lesbian (those are abominations to God).

Don’t bring that into the house of God. We need standards within the house of God. God is looking for more than sacrifice and praise. He wants a people who will love Him, embrace Him and obey Him.

1^st Samuel 15:22 says that to obey is better than sacrifice.

Psalm 51:16-17 says that God does not desire sacrifice or burnt offering… He wants a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

We need to fall down at the altar and cry, "Lord, I’ve been playing in the church too long and acting out in the church too long. Mold me, make me, shape me according to your will."

Hosea 6:6 says that God wants a people who will obey Him… serve Him… love Him.

• It is time out for formalism.
• It is time out for dried-up religion.
• It is time out for sitting with your hands folded
• It is time out for sitting with your arms folded
• It is time out for sitting with your legs crossed
• It is time out for sitting with your eyes closed
• It is time out for saying, "I did my duty by going to church in the morning."
• It is time out for dead religion.

If you put the love of God first and love your neighbor, you can offer three sacrifices.

1. Sacrifice for Sin
   This is Jesus… the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world. Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.
   
2. Sacrifice of Service
   Giving your time and talents to the kingdom of God. God gives us talents. If you do not use them, you will lose them. If you love God, you cannot help but want to serve the Lord and do good for someone else.
   
3. Sacrifice of a Song of Praise and Thanksgiving
   When the Lord has saved you and is using you, you have to open your mouth and praise him with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. See Ephesians 5:18-19. When it comes to the blessings of God, we need to praise the Lord. What goes in must come out.