All on the Altar

Welcome to this edition of PowerPoint with Jack Graham a little later in the program will tell you how you can get a copy of Dr. Graham's brand-new book reignite first hears his message all on the altar.

Romans chapter 12 Romans chapter 12 is H what it means to live the Christian life and verse number one is our passage. It is our one single verse before we reverse one I should read verse 36 of the 11 chapter flowing out of this great doctrinal dispensational section actually here, for he says for from him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory and we should say all the glory forever and ever. Amen. And then verse one of chapter 12 and 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 or reasonable, logical worship or service. This is a famous passage of Scripture.

Many of us have known it all through the years. Present your bodies as a living sacrifice to God. There's so much truth transforming truth in just the short words in the very first verse of Romans chapter 12 one of the first things I remember in my life as a small boy. I mean really remember was going forward under a tent pitched in our little town in Arkansas. Having heard an evangelist preach the gospel and I went forward literally. Maybe you've heard of this are seated in movies on the sawdust trail there was sawdust on the ground like a circus tent and we had this revival outdoors and I can remember they called it in those days, and altar call and is a little boy. I went forward never to be forgotten in my life to that altar and surrendered my life to follow Jesus Christ. I became a public Christian I profess my faith in Christ. Fast-forward in my life a few years I was 15 years of age of the student And someone preached on the very text that I'm talking about today on giving your life unreservedly completely to the Lord. I sang a song I take hands off my life is no longer mine.

I take hands off my life, but it be forever thine hand that day, I walked forward and some my life to preach the gospel of Christ. It was life changing. Altering a bit on that altar a long time now and I can tell you is the very best place to be in life is the place of blessing in your life whether it is the altar of salvation are the altar of sanctification service surrendered to the Lord. We are to be all on the altar and be a living sacrifice to the Lord.

Now, unfortunately, we don't hear as much preaching along these lines in our generation. I don't know this because we want to make people feel less uncomfortable in church. We omitted some of the preaching of surrendering and sacrificing.

It sounds so stringent. It sounds so hard. It sounds so difficult so many pastors are backed off in preaching commitment and as a result. Unfortunately, we have now many in our generation who are consumer, Christian is like going to buy a car and you get the book, or you go online and you read about the option whether it is a warm up your steering wheel are warm up your sleeves are whatever all these options and so that's consumerism and we go to the grocery store or to the department store and we have many options today and we live in a pick and choose kind of environment. Unfortunately, that's what many are doing when it comes to their Christian faith and commitment is pick and choose is not full commitment is just optional. What I may do what I may not do what I say what I don't say is is optional time a Christian.

That's no way to live. When did we ever get the idea that it was optional are okay to be a part-time Christian to be a halfhearted believe, rather than a wholehearted full throttle follower of Christ.

So many think that commitment to follow Jesus Christ is just a contribution rather than a consecration of our lives to Christ that we can be happy and all in or no in partly in but not all in no what is that mean what is this living sacrifice. He says I beg you, I beseech you, I plead with you, I persuade you that you would be a living sacrifice, of course, we think of the sacrifices being something that's dead and sacrifice Old Testament sacrifices and this is the language of the temple and of the Old Testament sacrifices policy. You come to Christ and you make a full commitment to him by becoming a living sacrifice, not a dead one but a living one is so is both and when you think about it if Paul were to stand here today and speak to our site and share his own testimony, he may share the words of Galatians 220 I am crucified with Christ dead, crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ lives in me. That's a living sacrifice in that we have died to self and surrendered our self and sacrifice our selfish lies in order that we may live Jesus Christ. That is a living sacrifice, and three points to ponder this morning regarding that living sacrifice one this living sacrifice is personal personal Paul says look at verse one and Paul is the human author he speaking in behalf of God. So in effect, this is God speaking. And that's amazing in that the apostle says I appeal to you. This is a command for Christians to be all in all on the altar. A living sacrifice, but this command is not coerced. He says I appeal to you, and I've been a pastor long time and I've learned you can't force or coerce people to get off the fringes get off the sideline and get in the game because it's not a matter of coercion is not a matter of law or legalism is not law disgrace is not law is the Lordship of Christ, and it should be our goal to preach the Lordship of Christ that Christ is Lord of all and therefore he deserves and demand are all this is an invitation says okay James, I beseech you, literally. I beg you, I appeal to you therefore, brothers, he doesn't pull rank and say as an apostle.

I declare to you the comes alongside like a good brother puts his arms around his and says let me talk to you about something about being a living sacrifice. That's the mentality here.

The 12th chapter verse one I beseech you, I beg you, I persuade you as brothers and sisters in Christ that you would come and bring your life completely and totally to Christ is personal. Jesus deserves mile one of the most repeated identities of the believer in the Scripture is a servant of Christ, a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. You say how does the onus. First Corinthians 619 and verse 20 as well. What do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit that you are not your own that you are bought with a price. The precious blood of Jesus. Therefore glorify God with your body, which is the Lord which belongs to the Lord yells consecration is is not the act of giving something to God giving our lives to God is giving our lives back to God who already has it to begin with. Consecration is is giving God what is already here and that's all we are and all we have are persons or possessions or personalities are activities and behaviors is personal, deeply personal and is because of the mercies of God you see that phrase there. The multiplied mercies is plural. The mercies of God, all the mercies of God, the apostle would point back to all these great salvation blessings in Romans chapter 1F you just didn't fly over it quickly with the book of Romans. The first three chapters is all about man's sinful condition and judge guilty before a holy God that all is said that there is none righteous, no not one. Paul is like a prosecuting attorney is he's writing these words and pronouncing ultimately God pronounces the whole human race broken and ruling in sinful and under judgment that the first three chapters.

Glad it doesn't end there. Chapters 4 and five Roman speaks of our salvation by grace through faith. The justification that's up big word every believer should know justification.

It means that we are declared righteous by a holy God. Even though we are simple. God has deposited to our bankrupt account.

His righteousness, his goodness, he is justice and we are say we are no longer living in condemnation. We are free we are forgiven we are then empowered because the next verse, chapter 6, seven and eight of Roman speaks of the work of site location and and the Holy Spirit who lives in our lives, empowering us and enabling us to live this Christian life and to live rather than a life of defeat to live a life of victory. All these mercies because of what Christ has done for. We bring our lives for listening to PowerPoint with Jack Graham in today's message all on the altar. Bring fresh passion and joy to your faith. Dr. Graham's newest book, reignite an intimate account of how God led Dr. Graham to one of the darkest seasons of his life. Whether you're facing disappointment, doubt, depression, or heartache. Reignite offers insights to encourage you in your pain and help fan the flames of faith in your life and it's our way to thank you for your gift to PowerPoint so call today to get your copy of reignite as thanks for your support: 800-7954 627-2000 795-4627 can also text the word PowerPoint 231-3131. And don't forget to visit Jack Graham.org where you can shop E store. Give a gift online or sign up for Dr. Graham's free daily email devotional our website again is Jack Graham.Margie.

Now let's get back today's message all on the altar. Now, lest you think this whole idea of sacrificing the render is it you know sackcloth and ashes and frowns on your faces. Know the surrender of your life to obedience to offer your life in obedience to God brings great joy. The only way to live because when you give your life to God unconditionally. All hands off. Then he gives it back to you in ways that you you can't even imagine Jim Elliott. Another great missionary of yesteryear said he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep a gain what he cannot live what is this living sacrifice is personal is Abraham commanded to take his son Isaac. The sound of the promise and sacrifice on the altar, not understanding why would tears in his eyes was prepared before God delivered his son with the hand of an angel. He was prepared to take his son's life because is always on the altar and you know God didn't want his son, God wanted Abraham is Moses who chose rather than to be identified with the children of Egypt and to live and royalty in Egypt, he chose to be identified with his own people. The Jewish people surrendered his life left the world behind to follow his guardians up on the backside of the desert in the middle of nowhere burned out thinking his life was over and then God spoke to him out of the bush that burned and burned and would not burn out the great I am in their barefoot in the desert he breathe again.

He burned again.

God called him and sent him.

Moses said, I'll go this shepherd boy by the name of David put his personal risk life at risk to stand up to a giant all for the glory of God. That's all in ladies where all your all in as well. Esther, who chose to stand with her people and his support her people Israel, though it could cost her her life.

She said if I perish, I perish all in. Is Isaiah high standing high at the altar of God in heaven, and having his life transformed there in the presence of God and what God said to will go for me is Isaiah say here in my Lord, send me all in his Mary teenage girl told by an angel that she would be the mother of God, the Virgin mother of Jesus.

When she couldn't understand it or explain it. She simply said you none to be Lord, according to your will, all in is the apostles Peter and John the rest. James you lay down their lives. Having seen the risen Christ, they became flaming torches living sacrifice for the Lord Jesus Christ. All ultimately martyred for Jesus because they were all in the apostle Paul, the author these words, he put his life or his mouth. What coming near the end of his third missionary journey journey facing sacrifice and surrender and martyrdom. He said my life is not valuable to me only thing I care about is whether this gospel gets preached that I finish my course with joy all in question is are you all in my all simple. As for missionaries that asks for apostles tasks for Bible heroes – four preachers – for full-time people again who gave any of us. The idea that being a Christian was part time all in not a fringe person but a faithful person to God and to the people of God, the church of God.

The ministry of Christ. The proclamation of the gospel is not only personal is physical.

He did say present your bodies a living sacrifice. Now to explain that it means your whole life because your life is in your body, your breath is in your body. So your brain is in your body, your personality, everything, everywhere you go, your body goes with you so give your body put your physical body in action to the service, the reasonable, logical service of God is physical. We've already given you one scripture that describes that. Let me give you a few more.

First Corinthians 619, glorify God in your body, but what's this one. Philippians 120 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but with full courage now is always Christ will be honored in my body whether by life or death scroll back in Romans to Romans 613. Do not present your members. Your body to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God same language.

All for yourself. Present yourself. Give yourself to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments of righteousness. Second Corinthians 410 always carry in this body of death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies say in our spirits true in our souls. Yes, but our bodies, the temple of the Holy Spirit are to honor God. First Thessalonians 44 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor so that body of yours is not your own, and is made for more than passion and plumbing or pleasure. Your body is made for God, your body is God's.

He said your mind so we all take care the temple Sunday.

That means physically without that we ought the right exercise well. Rest well take care of our bodies physically, but, ultimately, is the spiritual challenge of making sure that our bodies are presented to God in righteousness and holiness, and that we honor God.

What we see what we say what we do when we were children.

Some of us were taught the little chorus.

Be careful little ways. What you see. Be careful little ears what you hear.

Be careful little mouth, what you say be careful little hands little feet what you say what you do where you go, what a beautiful lesson to teach God's children of all ages, and when you give your body to God, he will never miss use it or abuse it. Because when you surrender your life completely to the Lord your body to God your life to God and that surrender God would choose for you what you would choose for yourself, his will, the good and perfect will of God for your life God wants what is best for you always, and the blessings of God will flow in your life when you bring your body to God. You bring what you have included your pain and your failures, your flaws, your foibles and you bring it to him. And that's the final thing the living sacrifice is not only personal and physical is perpetual is in our daily everyday lives. The way the message translation or paraphrase gives this verse is really good.

This is the message. Romans 12 one. So here's what I want you to do, God helping you take your everyday, ordinary life, your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life and place it before God as an offering. In embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.

That's good. You're walking around everyday life.

For you see Christianity is not just churchgoing life is everyday life all in life all my days all in. That's a living sacrifice his personal is physical is perpetual is a living sacrifice is on the last and logical sector in view of the mercies of God, God all for listening to PowerPoint with Jack Tran in today's message all on the altar, chances are you faced your share of crisis meeting or even in the fight of your life right now. Or maybe you're simply feeling exhausted by the busyness of life and sent the spiritual strength. Whatever you're facing.

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