A Living SacrificeSample

"Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality." (Romans 12:13 ESV)

I love the account of the early church in Acts 2:42-47 ESV:

"And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved."

In this passage you see the community I talked about previously, marked by love and a concern for each other. And it was so attractive that it led people who didn’t know Christ to want to die to their old ways and receive this beautiful life they were witnessing in these living sacrifices.

Again, this is a radical shift to our old way of thinking, where you look out for yourself because no one else will, or we only help people if they deserve it or in exchange for something they do for us. No! This is not the way of Christ. A life of a living sacrifice is marked by generosity and hospitality.

If we are not acting this way, it's time to check to see if we've crawled off the altar.