‘Than Sacrifice’

‘Than Sacrifice’

To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.

Proverbs 21:3

How should we rank religious observance in our order of priorities?  If we are to understand it clearly, we must look to Christ to see how He ranked it.  As we consider the ministry of Christ, we find Him regularly attending the synagogue.  He observed the Passover, and participated in the practices which the Old Testament had prescribed, without giving way to the man-made additions which the religionists had superimposed over the original statements.  What He did emphasize, and what brought Him into conflict with the religious establishment, was the importance of true spirituality, as opposed to the more outward religious observance. This is where we want to arrive in our estimation of ‘sacrifice.’  The answer is not to abandon all religious practice and observance. That is not mutually exclusive to true spirituality. The answer is to engage in religious observances with the primary purpose of glorifying God by engaging with Christ. Therefore, Christ must be at the center of all we do in any religious practice in which we engage.  This will transform our approach to every one of the means of grace which, God has set before us. Christ is the Alpha and Omega of all religious practice. He makes it more than mere ‘sacrifice.’

Our Gracious Master and Our God,
we rejoice that You show us where to place our emphasis
in every area of life.
We praise You, that as we come to worship,
we can come seeking You most of all.’