Breath Of Life
Ministries Presents
00:00:01.43\00:00:08.14
Sermon B532 Put
Your Whole Self In
00:00:08.17\00:00:12.11
[Breath of Life Theme Music]
00:00:12.14\00:00:19.68
PB:  Romans
chapter 12, verse number 1.
00:00:19.71\00:00:23.02
"I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:00:23.05\00:00:26.19
by the mercies of God,
that ye present your bodies
00:00:26.22\00:00:31.39
a living"--what,
everybody? Aud.:  Sacrifice.
00:00:31.43\00:00:34.13
PB:  "Holy and acceptable
unto" whom?    Aud.:  God.
00:00:34.20\00:00:36.83
PB:  "Which is your
reasonable"--what?    Aud.:
00:00:36.87\00:00:39.23
Service. PB:  Father, we thank
You, God, today for what we've
00:00:39.27\00:00:42.50
already experienced. But
we can sing, we can testify,
00:00:42.54\00:00:46.88
we can return offerings,
but we need a word from You.
00:00:46.91\00:00:50.05
Disappoint us not.
Hide me behind Your cross.
00:00:50.08\00:00:52.71
Forgive us of our
sins. In Jesus' name. Amen.
00:00:52.75\00:00:55.85
I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:00:55.88\00:00:59.72
by the mercies of
God, that ye present your
00:00:59.75\00:01:01.76
bodies a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable
00:01:01.79\00:01:04.49
unto God, which is
your reasonable service.
00:01:04.53\00:01:07.30
Put your whole self
in.    Let me take somebody
00:01:07.36\00:01:13.87
back to their
childhood right now.
00:01:13.90\00:01:16.37
Anybody ever
remember the hokey pokey?
00:01:16.40\00:01:19.87
Aud.:  Yes.   PB: 
It's that little song
00:01:19.91\00:01:22.38
and dance melody.
I've had to relearn it
00:01:22.41\00:01:24.18
since Danielle and
I have a two-year-old,
00:01:24.21\00:01:26.45
but it's that song
we used to sing when
00:01:26.48\00:01:28.85
we were kids. Let me test you.
00:01:28.88\00:01:31.15
Put your left
foot in, put your left
00:01:31.19\00:01:34.02
foot out, put your
left foot in, and you--
00:01:34.06\00:01:36.62
Aud.:  Shake it all
about.  PB: You do the--
00:01:36.66\00:01:38.89
Aud.:  Hokey
pokey.    PB:  And you--
00:01:38.93\00:01:40.76
Aud.:  Turn yourself
around. PB:  That's what--
00:01:40.80\00:01:43.50
Aud.:  It's all about.   
PB: All right, you're good.
00:01:43.53\00:01:46.37
All right, all
right.    [Aud. reaction]
00:01:46.40\00:01:48.50
PB:  And then
everybody would shout
00:01:48.54\00:01:49.94
"hokey pokey"! And
then you would continue.
00:01:49.97\00:01:53.01
Put your left arm in,
put your right arm in.
00:01:53.04\00:01:56.85
And then at the
end you would say,
00:01:56.88\00:02:00.42
put your whole self
in.   Well, in the text,
00:02:00.45\00:02:05.15
Paul says, present
your bodies, which is Paul's
00:02:05.19\00:02:09.59
way of saying put
your whole self in.
00:02:09.62\00:02:13.33
It's Paul's way of
saying that God wants
00:02:13.36\00:02:16.03
complete
surrender. That God wants
00:02:16.06\00:02:19.40
total submission.
Put your whole self in.
00:02:19.43\00:02:25.81
I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:02:25.84\00:02:28.14
by the mercies of
God that ye present your
00:02:28.18\00:02:30.95
bodies--putting
your whole self in--a
00:02:30.98\00:02:33.28
living sacrifice, holy
and acceptable unto God,
00:02:33.31\00:02:36.52
which is your
reasonable service.
00:02:36.55\00:02:38.35
Now quickly, let
me break the text down
00:02:38.39\00:02:39.65
so we can go home.
Whenever you see the word
00:02:39.69\00:02:41.79
"therefore"--everybody
say therefore.
00:02:41.82\00:02:44.46
Aud.:  Therefore.  
PB: Whenever you see
00:02:44.49\00:02:46.49
"therefore" in the
Bible, you should always
00:02:46.53\00:02:48.26
ask what it's there
for. When you come to
00:02:48.30\00:02:54.30
Romans chapter 12,
Paul is making a shift
00:02:54.34\00:02:57.77
now in this book
from doctrine to practice.
00:02:57.81\00:03:02.24
Paul establishes the
doctrine in the early
00:03:02.28\00:03:04.08
part of Romans, in
chapters 1 through 11,
00:03:04.11\00:03:06.68
but then moves to
application in chapter 12.
00:03:06.72\00:03:09.78
He makes this shift
with the word "therefore.
00:03:09.82\00:03:12.69
" Everybody say
therefore. Aud.:  Therefore.
00:03:12.72\00:03:14.92
PB:  Therefore is
a conjunctive adverb.
00:03:14.96\00:03:17.46
And remember, a
conjunction is a part of
00:03:17.49\00:03:20.30
speech that
connects phrases and clauses.
00:03:20.33\00:03:24.00
So then a
conjunctive adverb is a type of
00:03:24.03\00:03:27.27
adverb that joins
together two clauses.
00:03:27.30\00:03:30.54
Somebody's going to
get this in a minute.
00:03:30.57\00:03:32.37
In other words, Paul
is saying, you've got
00:03:32.41\00:03:34.98
the theory, but now
get the application.
00:03:35.01\00:03:38.68
Paul is saying,
you got the book sense,
00:03:38.71\00:03:41.08
now get some common sense.
00:03:41.12\00:03:43.35
In chapters 1
through 11, it tells all
00:03:43.39\00:03:46.29
that God has done.
But in chapter 12 it
00:03:46.32\00:03:50.13
tells what we ought
to do. Understand me,
00:03:50.16\00:03:53.56
theology was never
meant to be cold and lifeless.
00:03:53.60\00:03:57.33
It must always have a
practical application.
00:03:57.37\00:04:01.27
So what Paul is
saying with the word
00:04:01.30\00:04:03.20
"therefore" is simply this:
00:04:03.24\00:04:04.61
Based on
everything that I have said
00:04:04.64\00:04:07.11
in chapters 1
through 11, this is now
00:04:07.14\00:04:09.71
what you need to
do, in chapter 12.
00:04:09.74\00:04:12.28
The Christian life
is not based on what
00:04:12.31\00:04:14.82
you get from God,
but the Christian life
00:04:14.85\00:04:17.29
is based on what you give God.
00:04:17.32\00:04:19.89
Paul says, I beseech
you therefore, brethren.
00:04:19.92\00:04:23.12
Beseech comes from the
Greek root word parakaleo,
00:04:23.16\00:04:27.13
meaning to urge.
Everybody say urge.
00:04:27.13\00:04:28.76
Aud.:  Urge.   PB:  So
what Paul is saying is,
00:04:28.80\00:04:31.33
I urge you, brothers.
Notice the term brothers
00:04:31.37\00:04:35.37
or brethren, indicating
his affection for them
00:04:35.40\00:04:38.04
as members of God's
family. He's begging, then,
00:04:38.07\00:04:41.08
believers, not
unbelievers to do something
00:04:41.11\00:04:44.11
that has not yet been
done. I beseech you therefore,
00:04:44.15\00:04:48.95
brothers, by the mercies
of God. Let's stop there.
00:04:48.98\00:04:52.45
Paul does not say in the
text, I beseech you therefore,
00:04:52.49\00:04:56.22
brothers, by the
grace of God. Paul says,
00:04:56.26\00:05:00.10
the mercies of God.
Paul focuses on mercy.
00:05:00.13\00:05:06.60
Everybody say
mercy.   Aud.: Mercy.
00:05:06.63\00:05:09.24
PB:  But then why
mercy and not grace?
00:05:09.27\00:05:11.07
God's grace is
defined when we get what we
00:05:11.11\00:05:14.24
don't deserve. But
God's mercy is what keeps
00:05:14.28\00:05:18.11
us from getting what
we deserve. Let me try
00:05:18.15\00:05:20.68
that one more time.
Grace is when we get what
00:05:20.72\00:05:24.32
we don't deserve.
Mercy is what keeps us from
00:05:24.35\00:05:28.12
getting what we
deserve. Grace, then,
00:05:28.16\00:05:31.63
is when I get the
job and I was late for
00:05:31.66\00:05:33.90
the interview.
Mercy is when I keep the
00:05:33.93\00:05:37.00
job even when I'm
late to work. Are you
00:05:37.03\00:05:38.87
hearing what I'm
saying? Somebody's
00:05:38.90\00:05:40.77
still not getting it. 
 Let me try it this way.
00:05:40.80\00:05:42.37
Grace is getting
what we don't deserve.
00:05:42.40\00:05:45.37
Mercy is what keeps us
from getting what we deserve.
00:05:45.41\00:05:50.08
So when I think of
mercy, I'm reminded of the
00:05:50.11\00:05:52.48
man who stormed
into a photo studio,
00:05:52.51\00:05:55.28
complaining about the
quality of his photographs.
00:05:55.32\00:05:58.62
He slammed his fist on
the counter and said to the
00:05:58.65\00:06:01.76
photographer, these pictures
don't do my looks justice.
00:06:01.79\00:06:06.03
[Aud. reaction]   PB:  The
photographer then responded,
00:06:06.06\00:06:11.03
Sir, with a face like
yours, you don't want justice,
00:06:11.07\00:06:15.10
you want mercy. Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:06:15.14\00:06:18.94
[Aud. reaction]   PB: 
Mercy is when God keeps you
00:06:18.97\00:06:23.01
from getting what you deserve.
If we got what we deserve,
00:06:23.04\00:06:25.81
we'd end up in hell somewhere.
00:06:25.85\00:06:31.15
But thank God for God's mercy.
00:06:31.19\00:06:34.02
Do I have a
witness in this place?
00:06:34.06\00:06:36.09
Mercy woke
somebody up this morning.
00:06:36.12\00:06:38.73
Mercy let you have
something to eat this morning.
00:06:38.76\00:06:41.76
Mercy kept your heart
beating while you were
00:06:41.80\00:06:44.30
sleeping through the
night. Mercy kept you from
00:06:44.33\00:06:47.27
getting in a car
wreck on the way to church.
00:06:47.30\00:06:49.34
Somebody say
mercy.   Aud.: Mercy.
00:06:49.37\00:06:51.17
PB:  Is there anybody
thankful for God's mercy?
00:06:51.21\00:06:53.58
[Aud. reaction]   PB:
 You see, we're living
00:06:53.61\00:06:55.81
in an age where
people don't like or act like
00:06:55.84\00:06:57.11
they need mercy.
But somebody knows,
00:06:57.15\00:06:59.31
you wouldn't be
here today if it weren't
00:06:59.35\00:07:00.98
for the mercy of
God. So stop looking cute,
00:07:01.02\00:07:03.65
wise and otherwise, you ought to
00:07:03.69\00:07:05.99
thank God for God's mercy.
00:07:06.02\00:07:09.29
But what I love
about the Apostle Paul
00:07:09.32\00:07:11.19
in the text is, he
does not reduce this
00:07:11.23\00:07:14.20
declaration to one
mercy, but he mentions
00:07:14.23\00:07:17.90
mercies in
plurality. Mercies. I beseech
00:07:17.93\00:07:23.17
you therefore,
brothers, by the mercies of God.
00:07:23.20\00:07:27.18
Jeremiah said,
"Morning by morning,
00:07:27.21\00:07:29.64
new mercies I see."
It is because of God's
00:07:29.68\00:07:33.62
mercies that we are
not consumed. Somebody's
00:07:33.65\00:07:36.69
going to get this
in a minute. We're not
00:07:36.72\00:07:38.65
talking about
mercy in the singular,
00:07:38.69\00:07:40.59
we're talking about mercies.
00:07:40.62\00:07:43.09
What does that
mean for us today?
00:07:43.12\00:07:44.66
It's not that God has
given you a second chance,
00:07:44.69\00:07:48.23
but God has given
you chance after chance
00:07:48.26\00:07:52.63
after chance. And
let me throw this in.
00:07:52.67\00:07:56.54
It's not the
people who are the holiest
00:07:56.57\00:07:58.21
in the room that
need to praise God,
00:07:58.24\00:08:00.88
it's the people
who've done all kinds
00:08:00.91\00:08:02.74
of stuff that
need to praise God,
00:08:02.78\00:08:05.61
because you know
if God had given you
00:08:05.65\00:08:08.68
what you
deserved, you wouldn't be
00:08:08.72\00:08:11.19
in this sanctuary
right now. [Aud. reaction]
00:08:11.22\00:08:13.82
PB:  And you ought not
care what anybody says,
00:08:13.86\00:08:16.52
you ought to thank God
for the mercies of God.
00:08:16.56\00:08:20.60
They are brand
new every morning. Oh,
00:08:20.63\00:08:23.40
you don't want to
act like you don't
00:08:23.43\00:08:25.00
know what I'm
talking about. Somebody,
00:08:25.03\00:08:26.63
you got your car
through the mercies of God.
00:08:26.67\00:08:28.70
Your credit was
jacked, but God gave
00:08:28.74\00:08:32.37
somebody mercy, and
gave you a car anyway.
00:08:32.41\00:08:36.31
And every time
you get in that car,
00:08:36.34\00:08:38.51
even if it's a
hooptie, you ought
00:08:38.55\00:08:39.95
to say thank You,
Jesus.   [Aud. reaction]
00:08:39.98\00:08:42.58
PB:  You ought to
drive down the road
00:08:42.62\00:08:44.82
thanking God. Thank
You, God. Thank You, God.
00:08:44.85\00:08:48.72
Everybody else
looking at you like you've
00:08:48.76\00:08:50.36
lost your mind.
But you ought to thank
00:08:50.39\00:08:52.43
God for His mercy,
because you know if
00:08:52.46\00:08:54.93
it had not been for God's mercy,
00:08:54.93\00:08:58.03
you'd still be
walking. You'd still be
00:08:58.07\00:09:01.40
catching rides. You'd
still be riding the bus.
00:09:01.44\00:09:05.01
But it's because of
God's mercies that we
00:09:05.04\00:09:08.61
are not consumed.
Great is God's faithfulness.
00:09:08.64\00:09:12.31
Somebody's financially
clear because of God's mercies.
00:09:12.35\00:09:16.72
You ___ before you
left, but praise God for
00:09:16.75\00:09:17.99
God's mercies.
Somebody's enrolled in Oakwood
00:09:18.02\00:09:21.22
right now because of
God's mercies. Don't get cute,
00:09:21.26\00:09:24.56
don't act like you're
all that and then some
00:09:24.59\00:09:26.19
and a bag of chips.
You are here because
00:09:26.23\00:09:27.73
of God's mercies.
Somebody ought to be locked
00:09:27.76\00:09:30.40
up in jail cell right
now, but God gave you mercy.
00:09:30.43\00:09:35.07
You're living in mercy.
You're driving in mercy.
00:09:35.10\00:09:38.21
Your apartment is
mercy. Your house is mercy.
00:09:38.24\00:09:42.14
Your job is mercy.
Your education is mercy.
00:09:42.18\00:09:46.35
Your health is mercy.
Your marriage is mercy.
00:09:46.38\00:09:50.12
You should have had a
nervous breakdown by now,
00:09:50.15\00:09:53.76
but God gave somebody mercy.
You should have been dead,
00:09:53.79\00:10:00.20
but praise God for mercy. Crazy,
00:10:00.23\00:10:03.40
but praise God
for mercy. Suicidal,
00:10:03.43\00:10:09.00
but God gave you
mercy. Anybody been
00:10:09.04\00:10:10.61
through what
you've been through should
00:10:10.64\00:10:11.87
have lost their mind by now.
00:10:11.91\00:10:14.38
I don't know about
you, but all I need
00:10:14.41\00:10:15.88
at Oakwood is a
hundred radical praising
00:10:15.91\00:10:17.48
folks who don't
care what anybody thinks,
00:10:17.51\00:10:20.62
who don't care
what anybody says,
00:10:20.65\00:10:23.65
who don't care
who's looking at you.
00:10:23.69\00:10:26.62
You're just glad you're
not in a hospital somewhere.
00:10:26.65\00:10:29.62
[Aud. reaction]  
PB:  You're just glad you
00:10:29.66\00:10:31.43
don't have needles
hanging out of your arms.
00:10:31.46\00:10:33.50
Oh, you don't care
what the elders say,
00:10:33.53\00:10:35.63
the deacons say, the choir.
00:10:35.66\00:10:37.80
If it had not
been for God's mercy.
00:10:37.83\00:10:42.54
I will bless the
Lord at all times.
00:10:42.57\00:10:46.47
His praise shall
continually be in my mouth.
00:10:46.51\00:10:49.68
Somebody ought to praise
Him. Thank Him now for mercy.
00:10:49.71\00:10:52.98
Can I throw this
in? I might as well,
00:10:53.01\00:10:54.35
it's raining outside.
You ain't going anywhere.
00:10:54.38\00:10:55.85
Let me say this.
When you see people raise
00:10:55.88\00:10:58.55
their hands in
church, you don't know what
00:10:58.59\00:11:01.16
they're raising
their hands about.
00:11:01.19\00:11:03.36
When you see folk
clapping and shouting
00:11:03.39\00:11:05.73
and amening in
church, don't judge them.
00:11:05.76\00:11:08.80
You don't know what
they're shouting about.
00:11:08.83\00:11:10.80
Oh, I feel my
health coming today.
00:11:10.83\00:11:14.37
[Aud. reaction]   
PB: Somebody's mama
00:11:14.40\00:11:16.81
is praising God for the
mercy over their child\,
00:11:16.84\00:11:20.78
the mercy over their son,
the mercy over their daughter,
00:11:20.81\00:11:24.28
the mercy over
your health. That's why,
00:11:24.31\00:11:26.28
when I think of
the goodness of Jesus,
00:11:26.31\00:11:28.12
and all He's done for
me, my soul cries out.
00:11:28.15\00:11:33.39
I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:11:33.42\00:11:41.46
by the mercies of
God, that ye present
00:11:41.50\00:11:44.80
your body a living--what,
everybody?   Aud.:  Sacrifice.
00:11:44.83\00:11:47.67
PB:  Now, let's be
clear and true to the text.
00:11:47.70\00:11:49.24
The expression
"living sacrifice" is set
00:11:49.27\00:11:52.57
against the
backdrop of the Old Testament
00:11:52.61\00:11:54.94
sacrificial system.
We had an Old Testament
00:11:54.98\00:11:59.41
sacrificial
system. In order to receive
00:11:59.45\00:12:01.78
forgiveness from sin
back in the Old Testament,
00:12:01.82\00:12:05.05
the sin bearer had
to bring a sin offering.
00:12:05.09\00:12:07.82
Symbolically, the sin
bearer would place his
00:12:07.86\00:12:10.36
hand on top of the
head of the sin offering.
00:12:10.39\00:12:12.79
The throat of the
sin offering was slit.
00:12:12.83\00:12:15.00
Blood came
streaming down. There was then
00:12:15.03\00:12:18.63
forgiveness of
sin, because remember,
00:12:18.67\00:12:20.77
there could be no
forgiveness of sin
00:12:20.80\00:12:22.50
without the shedding of blood.
00:12:22.54\00:12:24.04
Jesus Christ had not come yet,
00:12:24.07\00:12:26.17
so the lamb was the type;
00:12:26.21\00:12:28.58
Jesus was the anti-type.
00:12:28.61\00:12:30.78
We had the Old
Testament sacrificial system,
00:12:30.81\00:12:35.08
but then came
Jesus. See, we don't talk
00:12:35.12\00:12:40.39
about the sanctuary.
I've got to do a better
00:12:40.42\00:12:41.92
job of that in teaching that,
00:12:41.96\00:12:43.06
because the Sabbath
is not the distinctive
00:12:43.09\00:12:44.93
doctrine of the
Adventist Church.
00:12:44.96\00:12:46.80
It's the
doctrine of the sanctuary.
00:12:46.83\00:12:48.46
I wish I had a
witness in this place.
00:12:48.50\00:12:50.57
[Aud. reaction]  
PB:  Then came Jesus,
00:12:50.60\00:12:52.57
the Lamb of God
which taketh away the
00:12:52.60\00:12:55.74
sins of the
world. It was Jesus who
00:12:55.77\00:12:58.67
offered Himself
up as a sacrifice.
00:12:58.71\00:13:01.28
Jesus was both the
offeror and the offeree.
00:13:01.31\00:13:05.51
Jesus is both the High
Priest and the Lamb of God,
00:13:05.55\00:13:09.62
and because Jesus died for me,
00:13:09.65\00:13:12.45
I don't have to
go confess my sins
00:13:12.49\00:13:15.76
to another man.
Because Jesus died for me,
00:13:15.79\00:13:20.73
I don't have to go
tell my business to
00:13:20.76\00:13:23.90
another man in a
window. I don't have to
00:13:23.93\00:13:26.53
tell you what I did
so you can go and get
00:13:26.57\00:13:29.44
forgiveness for me.
But I can go in for myself,
00:13:29.47\00:13:33.44
I can go in by
myself and boldly go to
00:13:33.48\00:13:38.11
the throne room of
grace. If we confess our sins,
00:13:38.15\00:13:42.15
He is faithful and
just to forgive us of our
00:13:42.18\00:13:45.05
sins and cleans us
from all unrighteousness.
00:13:45.09\00:13:47.26
Paul says, present
your bodies a living what?
00:13:47.29\00:13:50.89
Aud.:  Sacrifice. 
 PB:  A living what?
00:13:50.93\00:13:52.43
Aud.:  Sacrifice.  
PB:  But a living sacrifice
00:13:52.46\00:13:55.60
sounds like an
oxymoron. How can a
00:13:55.63\00:14:01.14
sacrifice be
living? How can that which
00:14:01.17\00:14:06.71
is supposed to be dead be alive?
00:14:06.74\00:14:10.88
The term "living
sacrifice" is somewhat
00:14:10.91\00:14:14.08
a contradiction in
terms, because animals
00:14:14.12\00:14:17.35
that were sacrificed
were always first killed;
00:14:17.39\00:14:21.16
then burned, cooked or
eaten. Has Paul lost his mind?
00:14:21.19\00:14:28.63
What does Paul
mean, a living sacrifice?
00:14:28.66\00:14:34.30
Paul's definition of a
living sacrifice means,
00:14:34.34\00:14:38.11
put your whole self
in. It's a whole-self
00:14:38.14\00:14:42.04
commitment of one's life
to God. Paul says in essence,
00:14:42.08\00:14:47.82
put your whole self in,
even to the point of death.
00:14:47.85\00:14:53.12
You see, in the Bible
there are two living sacrifices
00:14:53.15\00:14:55.92
that are recorded. These
two examples give us a clue
00:14:55.96\00:14:58.39
as to what it means to
offer a living sacrifice.
00:14:58.43\00:15:00.80
Both were acts of
worship. The first was Isaac.
00:15:00.83\00:15:04.23
The first what whom,
everybody? Aud.:  Isaac.
00:15:04.27\00:15:05.93
PB:  The second was Jesus.
The second was whom, everybody?
00:15:05.97\00:15:08.20
Aud.:  Jesus.      PB:  Now,
remember in the Old Testament
00:15:08.24\00:15:11.51
a dead sacrifice was forbidden,
because priests couldn't
00:15:11.54\00:15:15.44
touch dead things. It
had to be a living sacrifice.
00:15:15.48\00:15:20.18
In the Tabernacle, when
you came through the door,
00:15:20.22\00:15:22.45
there was a piece of
furniture there called the
00:15:22.48\00:15:25.19
Altar of Burnt Offering.
The sacrifice had to be
00:15:25.22\00:15:28.42
laid on the altar,
alive. The altar was there,
00:15:28.46\00:15:35.76
the sacrifice was on
the altar, still alive.
00:15:35.80\00:15:40.24
If it weren't alive
when it was offered up,
00:15:40.27\00:15:43.57
it wasn't
accepted. This is why Abraham
00:15:43.61\00:15:47.61
brought his son,
Isaac, alive to Mount Moriah,
00:15:47.64\00:15:52.31
that he might be a
living sacrifice and
00:15:52.35\00:15:56.12
be offered up for
sin.   This is why Jesus
00:15:56.15\00:16:00.42
couldn't die when he
was being beaten and whipped
00:16:00.46\00:16:03.29
in Pilate's judgment
hall, because He had to be
00:16:03.32\00:16:06.49
a living
sacrifice. If it were dead,
00:16:06.53\00:16:10.50
God wouldn't
touch it. It had to be a
00:16:10.53\00:16:13.80
living
sacrifice. Somebody's still
00:16:13.84\00:16:16.54
not getting it.
Think about this friends,
00:16:16.57\00:16:18.57
you're smart folk.  
When Isaac was offered
00:16:18.61\00:16:21.94
up to be a sacrifice,
remember, Isaac wasn't
00:16:21.98\00:16:25.35
a little boy. Isaac
wasn't a kid. Isaac was
00:16:25.38\00:16:31.02
old enough to fight his
father and beat his father,
00:16:31.05\00:16:35.62
because remember
Abraham had Isaac at an old age.
00:16:35.66\00:16:40.46
Which means then,
Isaac was strong enough to
00:16:40.50\00:16:44.73
take Abraham out.
But Isaac became obedient
00:16:44.77\00:16:49.50
unto death, because he
had to be a picture of Christ.
00:16:49.54\00:16:52.64
Not somebody who was
taken against their will,
00:16:52.67\00:16:55.88
but somebody who
was obedient unto death
00:16:55.91\00:16:58.55
and became a
living sacrifice. So then,
00:16:58.58\00:17:01.38
Isaac willingly put
himself on the altar
00:17:01.42\00:17:05.02
and was willing to die
in obedience to God's will.
00:17:05.05\00:17:09.06
So, he's asked, Isaac, how
could you do it? Isaac said,
00:17:09.09\00:17:15.36
it would have been better
for me not to have been born
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.23
than for me to have been
born and not do the will of God.
00:17:17.27\00:17:21.07
So here comes a grown man,
climbing up on a sacrifice.
00:17:21.10\00:17:30.31
And so Isaac said, Daddy, I
see the knife. I see the wood.
00:17:30.35\00:17:37.32
But where's the sacrifice?
And so there Isaac is,
00:17:37.35\00:17:43.36
laid up on the altar
as his father begins to
00:17:43.39\00:17:47.23
strap his son
down. A living sacrifice,
00:17:47.30\00:17:51.47
tied to something
that's killing you.
00:17:51.50\00:17:55.90
That's what it means
to be a living sacrifice.
00:17:55.94\00:18:00.31
That if you walk with
God, sooner than later in
00:18:00.34\00:18:04.51
your walk with God,
sometime in your life,
00:18:04.55\00:18:07.45
God will allow you
to be tied to something
00:18:07.48\00:18:10.69
that's killing
you.   [Aud. reaction]
00:18:10.72\00:18:13.86
PB:  Put your whole
self in. When Jesus told
00:18:13.89\00:18:21.16
His disciples that
you're going to have to
00:18:21.20\00:18:22.96
be willing to take up
your cross and follow Me,
00:18:23.00\00:18:24.77
some people think
that Jesus was merely and
00:18:24.80\00:18:27.57
only talking about
wood. But the cross that
00:18:27.60\00:18:30.74
you live on is not
wood. Somebody's cross today
00:18:30.77\00:18:36.34
is a child who won't
obey. And you're loving a
00:18:36.38\00:18:40.68
child who won't love
you back. You're tied to it,
00:18:40.72\00:18:44.35
you can't get away
from it. And whatever,
00:18:44.39\00:18:47.22
say whatever you
want, but if it weren't
00:18:47.26\00:18:49.09
for that child, you
wouldn't pray like you pray.
00:18:49.12\00:18:51.93
You wouldn't fast like
you fast. We're talking
00:18:51.96\00:18:54.00
about a living
sacrifice. So then, God is using
00:18:54.03\00:18:56.73
that disobedient child to
make you a living sacrifice.
00:18:56.77\00:19:00.90
somebody today is married
to a mean, inconsiderate,
00:19:00.94\00:19:08.81
thoughtless, selfish
somebody. And you're tied to it.
00:19:08.84\00:19:13.95
You haven't been
loved in years. You've been
00:19:13.98\00:19:18.05
treated like dirt,
talked to any kind of way.
00:19:18.09\00:19:22.16
But you're tied to it.
You're a living sacrifice.
00:19:22.19\00:19:26.56
You come to church,
you're dressed up in your suit,
00:19:26.59\00:19:29.63
in your dress, in
your tie, in your hat.
00:19:29.66\00:19:32.73
You got your perfume and
cologne on, you smell good.
00:19:32.77\00:19:35.94
Your hair is good. Your
nails are good. But you've
00:19:35.97\00:19:38.61
got a cross back at your
house that you go to every day,
00:19:38.64\00:19:44.11
and you're tied to it.
And I know you can't say amen
00:19:44.15\00:19:47.48
too loud because some of
you are sitting next to your
00:19:47.52\00:19:49.15
cross right now. Do I
have a witness in this place?
00:19:49.18\00:19:52.39
[Aud. reaction]   PB:  But
I'm going to tell you this.
00:19:52.42\00:19:56.46
'Cause you all know
me and Danielle's story,
00:19:56.49\00:19:58.33
how we lost our baby
girl years ago. I am learning
00:19:58.36\00:20:02.10
in my life that God
knows exactly what kind of
00:20:02.13\00:20:05.93
flesh you need, cross
you need, to kill your flesh.
00:20:05.97\00:20:11.17
And God will tie you
to it. Can we be real?
00:20:11.21\00:20:16.91
God will tie you to a
job where you keep training
00:20:16.95\00:20:21.72
other folk, and they
keep getting the position you
00:20:21.75\00:20:25.39
trained them for, and
you're being mistreated but
00:20:25.42\00:20:28.76
you can't quit,
because you're tied to it.
00:20:28.79\00:20:32.16
This is when you learn humility.
00:20:32.19\00:20:36.20
This is when you
really learn how to pray.
00:20:36.23\00:20:40.47
This is when you
really learn what it means to
00:20:40.50\00:20:43.97
be a living sacrifice.
And everybody up in here
00:20:44.01\00:20:49.18
has a cross. You want
out, but it seems like
00:20:49.21\00:20:54.95
you can't get out.
You're a living sacrifice.
00:20:54.98\00:20:59.35
Tied to something or someone
that you can't get away from.
00:20:59.39\00:21:05.53
But I heard Job say
something. What did you say,
00:21:05.56\00:21:10.57
Brother Job? "Though he slay
me, yet will I trust in him."
00:21:10.60\00:21:18.04
It's not working
right now but I trust Him.
00:21:18.07\00:21:22.31
I'm not happy right
now, but I trust Him.
00:21:22.34\00:21:26.48
I'm frustrated right
now, but I trust Him.
00:21:26.51\00:21:29.92
The devil is
beating me up and down,
00:21:29.95\00:21:32.79
but I still am going
to trust Him. I'm all in.
00:21:32.82\00:21:37.09
I'm sold out. I
put my whole self in.
00:21:37.13\00:21:40.86
I'm a living
sacrifice.   [Aud. reaction]
00:21:40.90\00:21:44.07
PB:  I'm almost
done. Today God isn't
00:21:44.10\00:21:48.47
interested in animals,
He's looking for people
00:21:48.50\00:21:52.44
who will be sold out
to Him. H wants us to be
00:21:52.47\00:21:55.44
living sacrifices,
not dead offerings.
00:21:55.48\00:21:58.51
When an
offering was made to God,
00:21:58.55\00:22:00.28
it was set apart
and completely devoted.
00:22:00.32\00:22:02.12
God wants us to put
our whole selves in.
00:22:02.15\00:22:04.59
If you're going to go
to hell, go first class.
00:22:04.62\00:22:08.32
[Aud. reaction]    PB:  If
you're going to go to hell,
00:22:08.36\00:22:12.86
go sleep with some folk, go
kill some folk, go first class.
00:22:12.89\00:22:16.56
But don't play church. Don't
play God. Don't play yourself.
00:22:16.60\00:22:22.10
It's all or nothing. God
cannot use a dead sacrifice.
00:22:22.14\00:22:28.24
God wants a living
sacrifice, because God can't
00:22:28.28\00:22:32.08
use anything that is
dead.  A whole lot of folk
00:22:32.11\00:22:34.18
are in the church but
they're dead. And I'm not
00:22:34.22\00:22:37.19
talking about who
jumps up and down, either.
00:22:37.22\00:22:39.29
A whole lot of folk
have their names on the roll
00:22:39.32\00:22:41.06
but they're dead. In the
number, but dead. No zeal,
00:22:41.09\00:22:44.73
no passion, no
life, no enthusiasm,
00:22:44.76\00:22:47.23
no Pentecostal fire
for the Lord. Just dead.
00:22:47.23\00:22:49.73
The frozen chosen,
first church of refrigeration.
00:22:49.76\00:22:53.60
[Aud. reaction]   But God
doesn't want anything dead.
00:22:53.64\00:23:00.54
God's not dead. God's
alive. I beseech you brothers,
00:23:00.58\00:23:08.82
by the mercies of God
that ye present your bodies
00:23:08.85\00:23:13.82
a living sacrifice,
holy and acceptable unto God,
00:23:13.86\00:23:18.76
which is your
reasonable service.
00:23:18.79\00:23:20.06
Now quickly, God
wants holy sacrifices,
00:23:20.10\00:23:23.10
not unholy sacrifices.
And don't get it twisted,
00:23:23.13\00:23:26.30
because there's a difference
between holy and unholy,
00:23:26.33\00:23:28.34
because everything that
talks like holy is not holy.
00:23:28.37\00:23:31.17
Everything that walks
like holy is not holy.
00:23:31.21\00:23:34.01
Everything that acts
like holy is not holy.
00:23:34.04\00:23:36.34
Everything that
shouts like holy is not holy.
00:23:36.38\00:23:38.85
Holiness is not about how
high you jump when you shout,
00:23:38.88\00:23:41.68
but holiness is about
how straight you walk when
00:23:41.72\00:23:44.09
you come back down.
Holiness expresses the
00:23:44.12\00:23:47.72
awesomeness of God and how
God is working in our lives.
00:23:47.76\00:23:51.89
Unholiness is what
people pass off as religion
00:23:51.93\00:23:55.06
that is designed to
impress others about
00:23:55.10\00:23:57.60
something about
ourselves.   You see, when you
00:23:57.63\00:24:01.94
give so that somebody
else sees what you put
00:24:01.97\00:24:04.37
in the offering plate,
that designed to impress.
00:24:04.41\00:24:09.14
That's why our tithe
offering envelopes are
00:24:09.18\00:24:11.18
closed so nobody
can see what you put in.
00:24:11.21\00:24:13.28
Come on, say
amen. When you carry the
00:24:13.31\00:24:15.45
Bible just so people
can see you carry the Bible,
00:24:15.48\00:24:17.59
that's designed to
impress. When you come
00:24:17.62\00:24:20.42
to church just to be seen,
that's designed to impress.
00:24:20.46\00:24:23.43
But when you present
yourself a living sacrifice,
00:24:23.46\00:24:27.13
holy and acceptable
unto God, you're not trying
00:24:27.20\00:24:30.60
to impress but
you're trying to express.
00:24:30.63\00:24:33.44
Express how much you
love God; express how
00:24:33.47\00:24:36.50
much you know God, because
to know Him is to love Him.
00:24:36.54\00:24:39.61
To love Him is to obey Him,
to obey Him is to worship Him.
00:24:39.64\00:24:43.35
And they that worship Him, must
worship Him in Spirit and in
00:24:43.38\00:24:47.72
truth. We have not worshiped
God until we've given our
00:24:47.75\00:24:49.88
whole selves to Him.
Worship is the total commitment
00:24:49.92\00:24:53.05
of the person for the
total life. Anything less is
00:24:53.09\00:24:55.86
not genuine
worship. Listen to me good,
00:24:55.89\00:24:58.19
young people and
older saints today,
00:24:58.23\00:25:00.26
real worship is not
merely the offering of
00:25:00.30\00:25:03.10
elaborate prayers
to God. Real worship is
00:25:03.13\00:25:06.53
not limited merely
to giving and returning
00:25:06.57\00:25:08.87
tithe and
offerings. Real worship is not
00:25:08.90\00:25:11.21
merely singing
on the praise team,
00:25:11.24\00:25:13.04
singing in the choir,
teaching Sabbath school,
00:25:13.07\00:25:15.34
preaching a sermon or
listening to a sermon.
00:25:15.38\00:25:18.71
Real worship happens
when we confess our sins,
00:25:18.75\00:25:24.35
turn away from our
sins, and then offer
00:25:24.39\00:25:28.32
ourselves
completely and wholly to God.
00:25:28.36\00:25:31.79
Put your whole self
in. Offering ourselves
00:25:31.83\00:25:35.33
to God is not
something that can be contained
00:25:35.36\00:25:37.90
in a three-hour period.
Offering ourselves to God,
00:25:37.93\00:25:42.14
young people, is not
sowing wild oats during
00:25:42.17\00:25:45.31
the week and then
coming Friday night and
00:25:45.34\00:25:47.81
Sabbath morning and
praying for a crop failure.
00:25:47.84\00:25:50.48
A living sacrifice is
a sacrifice that is alive
00:25:50.51\00:25:56.48
and continuous in service.
This means worship occurs,
00:25:56.52\00:26:02.19
not just in this
church but in your dorm,
00:26:02.22\00:26:05.69
in your home, on your
job, in the classroom,
00:26:05.73\00:26:11.53
on the street
corner, in the world.
00:26:11.57\00:26:14.90
I beseech you
therefore, brethren,
00:26:14.94\00:26:17.94
by the mercies of
God that ye present your
00:26:17.97\00:26:20.84
bodies a living
sacrifice, holy and
00:26:20.88\00:26:23.38
acceptable unto God,
which is our reasonable service.
00:26:23.41\00:26:26.31
So let me close it this
way with this final line.
00:26:26.35\00:26:28.58
Service is the rent
we pay for the space we
00:26:28.62\00:26:31.92
occupy in the
world. The word "service"
00:26:31.95\00:26:35.29
is in the Greek
defined as latreia.
00:26:35.32\00:26:37.36
Everybody say
latreia.   Aud.: Latreia.
00:26:37.39\00:26:39.16
PB:  Which is defined
by our words ministry,
00:26:39.19\00:26:41.10
service or worship.
God wants us to present
00:26:41.13\00:26:43.37
our bodies a
living sacrifice, holy and
00:26:43.40\00:26:45.33
acceptable unto God,
which is our reasonable worship.
00:26:45.37\00:26:49.20
In other words, God
wants, and what he wants
00:26:49.24\00:26:53.27
is not just worship
for the sake of worship.
00:26:53.31\00:26:56.31
'Cause some of us
think we just come here and
00:26:56.34\00:26:58.25
worship and we're
just doing it for the
00:26:58.28\00:26:59.65
sake of worship. God
wants reasonable worship.
00:26:59.68\00:27:03.49
The word "reasonable"
is defined and derived
00:27:03.52\00:27:06.25
from the Greek word
logikos, which is the root
00:27:06.29\00:27:08.89
of our word
"logical." Paul is then saying,
00:27:08.92\00:27:11.86
what God requires
is logical worship.
00:27:11.89\00:27:15.13
God requires
worship that is the result
00:27:15.16\00:27:17.93
of rational
activity. God requires worship
00:27:17.97\00:27:20.87
that is the
product of a reasoning,
00:27:20.90\00:27:22.94
functioning mind.
It's my made-up mind
00:27:22.97\00:27:25.11
that makes me say
amen, it's my baptized
00:27:25.14\00:27:27.88
brain that makes
me say hallelujah.
00:27:27.91\00:27:30.01
God is the
author of intelligence.
00:27:30.05\00:27:33.55
God doesn't want
anything haphazard.
00:27:33.58\00:27:36.48
God doesn't
want anything that is
00:27:36.52\00:27:39.32
less than the
best. God wants logical,
00:27:39.35\00:27:41.46
rational,
intelligent, reasonable worship.
00:27:41.49\00:27:44.53
Worship that makes
you want to say amen,
00:27:44.56\00:27:47.13
but worship that
also makes you want
00:27:47.20\00:27:49.36
to say aha. Worship
that makes you want to serve,
00:27:49.40\00:27:51.80
but worship that also
makes you want to shout.
00:27:51.83\00:28:13.19
>:  Thank you for
joining us for another
00:28:13.22\00:28:15.26
exciting Breath of
Life television broadcast.
00:28:15.29\00:28:17.96
Tune in next
week at the same time,
00:28:17.99\00:28:20.23
as Dr. Byrd will deliver another
00:28:20.26\00:28:22.30
dynamic message from the Lord,
00:28:22.33\00:28:23.87
just for you. Until next time,
00:28:23.90\00:28:26.23
may God bless you.
00:28:26.27\00:28:27.54
END
00:28:27.57\00:28:42.58