Success Requires Sacrifice

John 12:23–26 ESV

And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

1 Peter 4:12–19 ESV

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And “If the righteous is scarcely saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Intro: I believe that God is looking for someone to show himself successful in. God is looking more than you are looking for success. For you it is mostly self-motivated reasons. For God it has to do with souls. Do you know that it is beneficial to Heaven for you to succeed.

2 Corinthians 4:5–7 ESV

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

God desires for you to succeed however it must be his way.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Success equals change. Something must die. You must leave something, quit something.

Success Requires Sacrifice

Success – is a noun; it is a place a thing; something we obtain; take hold of;

To have this Noun you will need to sacrifice soemthing

Sacrifice-

The OT testifies to a complex sacrificial system; a number of words reference different kinds of sacrificial offerings. The most basic term is זֶבַח (zebaḥ, “sacrifice”; Lev 7:16) from the root זָבַח (zābaḥ, “to slaughter”; 1 Sam 6:15). Such an offering involved the killing of the sacrificial animal, which would then be placed on the altar (מִזְבֵּחַ, mizbēaḥ; Lev 1:8). the עֹלָה (ʿōlâ, “whole burnt offering”; Lev 1:3) in which the entire animal was offered and burned; the שֶׁלֶם (šelem, “peace offering”; Lev 3:1); the פֶּסַח (pesaḥ, “Passover sacrifice”; Deut 16:2), the Passover sacrifice of the lamb; the מִנְחָה (minḥâ, “the gift offering”; Lev 2:1), usually of grain or some other produce; the קָרְבָּן (qorbān, “offering”; Lev 2:1). The last two are general terms for offerings, including offerings not only of livestock and produce, but also of valuables like gold and silver (Num 7:13; 2 Chr 17:11). Minḥâ can be used to indicate a gift from one person to another (Gen 33:10) or a tribute sent to a king (Judg 3:15)

They all require the slaughter or complete surrender of something

The NT testifies to the ongoing reality of sacrifice in the temple in Jerusalem during the life and ministry of Jesus (Luke 2:24; 13:1) and to other sacrificial practices of the Graeco-Roman world (Acts 14:13). The Greek term θυσία (thysia, “sacrifice”) is used to describe a sacrifice or an offering made to a deity (Herodotus, Hist. 1.50; 1 Cor 10:18–20). The word προσφορά (prosphora, “offering”; Acts 21:26) comes from the verb προσφέρω (prospherō, “to bring forward”; Matt 5:23), indicating an offering brought in to be presented in the temple. The Greek term ὁλοκαύτωμα (holokautōma) refers to a whole burnt offering. The NT applies the OT concept of sacrifice to Christ. The letter of Hebrews presents Christ as the fulfillment of the sacrifice of the Day of Atonement (Heb 9:28; 10:12), and the Gospel of John (1:29) similarly presents him as the “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world”; 1 Cor 5:7 presents Christ as the fulfillment of the Passover sacrifice.

Sacrifice is required for success and to be successful means something has changed

Something must die (or end) in order for there to be change. Something must stop or cease to exist. There must be an absolute change for Success.

If part of it still exist, it is technically the same just a little different. God isn’t looking for a little change. God requires sacrifice. You got to commit to this to get it.

Ephesians 5:8–11 ESV

for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

So wait what does God want us to sacrifice

Sacrifice What

What does God need from me? What do have that God is in NEED of? Nothing

So what does God want us to Sacrifice? What does God want us to put on the alter?

Someone once said “God don’t want your sacrifice he wants your Obedience”………aahhhh that is sacrifice. Doing what God wants and abandoning what I want , is a sacrifice. So what is keeping you from doing what God has asked you to do?

Is it what you would have to give up? Maybe it is having let go of vengeance or your idea of how you will become successful. What anchors you to the shore. What prevents you from pushing out to the deap.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 13:16 ESV

Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Is it Sharing?

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

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 worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Is it living Holy?

Is it giving up your way of thinking or …just your way.

Proverbs 21:3 ESV

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

Is it doing righteousness or is it being Just when everyone else isn’t?

Hosea 6:6 ESV

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

Consistent love?

Or Getting to know God spending time in His presence?

Ephesians 5:2 ESV

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

Is it having to Love people? Giving yourself for others?

Philippians 2:4 ESV

Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

is it considering others before yourself

1 Samuel 15:22 ESV

And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.

Obedience is it Obedience are you willing to sacrifice what you want in life for the plan God has for you?

Psalm 51:16–17 ESV

For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Are you not willing to be broken.

Or is it no willing to be Contrite (feeling or expressing remorse or penitence; affected by guilt)

Philippians 2:17 ESV

Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.

Is it that you don’t want to be the drink offering that could be rejected as Christ was rejected

Luke 9:24 ESV

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Is you life more valuable than what God has for you? Or is it you don’t trust him with your best interest?

Galatians 2:20 ESV

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Your Life is required of you. You must be born again to be saved when you are born again ….

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Hebrews 13:15–16 ESV

Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Do you give a praise because he is worthy whether he has done yet or not. A sacrifice of praise are you willing to offer him your complaining and wining for a praise?

You gone have to put something on the alter

Something has die for your success in God

Success Requires a Sacrifice

You have lay that thing on the alter you know what it is

What ever it is lay it on the alter.

Leave it at the alter

(Call them to the Alter)

Your Success requires a sacrifice

And when you do here is what you can expect

Deuteronomy 28:1–14 ESV

“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field. Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground and the fruit of your cattle, the increase of your herds and the young of your flock. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out. “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you. They shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you. The Lord will establish you as a people holy to himself, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the Lord your God and walk in his ways. And all the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of you. And the Lord will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your livestock and in the fruit of your ground, within the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give you. The Lord will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands. And you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. And the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you shall only go up and not down, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you today, being careful to do them, and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I command you today, to the right hand or to the left, to go after other gods to serve them.

Do want to that do you want those blessing in your life?

Then put it on the Alter

Commit to it. And keep it.