Altars & Offerings (Living Sacrifice Part 2)
The Costly Nature of Worship
In Scripture, worship is never portrayed as convenient or passive—it is costly. From the life of Abraham to the leadership of Joshua, we see again and again that stepping into the promises of God requires obedience, surrender, and sacrifice. Worship is not merely a song; it is a response to God that demands something from us. And yet, it is in this very offering that God meets His people in power and provision.
Crossing Over Through Obedience
The story of Joshua leading the people of Israel across the Jordan River after forty years in the wilderness is a powerful picture of God's faithfulness. Joshua had been ready decades earlier, but fear and disobedience delayed the promise.
Still, God returned to Joshua with the same invitation: "Arise..." (Joshua 1:2, ESV). The promises hadn’t changed—but neither had the condition for receiving them.
The call was simple but profound: “Be strong and courageous... and be careful to do according to all the law” (Joshua 1:7, ESV).
Obedience was the bridge to the promised land. The promises are God’s to give, but obedience is ours to offer.
Abraham’s Offering: Worship That Withholds Nothing
Joshua’s courage had a legacy. His great-great-grandfather Abraham modeled what wholehearted worship looks like in Genesis 22. God asked Abraham to offer Isaac, his beloved son—the son of promise. It was a test, but also a revelation: worship means not withholding. The moment Abraham raised the knife, God intervened, providing a ram in Isaac’s place. Abraham named that place “The Lord will provide” (Genesis 22:14, ESV).
What was Abraham doing? He was worshiping. He said it plainly: “I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you” (Genesis 22:5, ESV). Worship is offering. And in Abraham’s case, it was offering the most precious thing he had, refusing to withhold even the promise itself.
The Battle for Worship
God still calls His people to costly worship. There is a battle for worship—especially in places that feel resistant or spiritually hard. In those places, God is looking for people who will press in, build altars, and prepare sacrifices of praise.
Costly worship may not always feel natural, but it is beautiful in God's eyes. Worship that costs nothing is not worship at all. Like Abraham, we are invited to bring what is most valuable—our obedience, our surrender, our yes.
Sacrifices in the New Covenant
Though Jesus was the final sacrifice for sin, the New Testament is still full of the language of offering. Not for atonement—but for worship. We are invited to offer spiritual sacrifices that are pleasing to God:
Our Lives – When we pour ourselves out to encourage and build up others in the faith, it is an offering (Philippians 2:17).
Our Resources – Giving financially to support the church and the mission of God is described as a fragrant offering (Philippians 4:18).
Our Praise – The fruit of our lips, our spoken and sung worship, is a sacrifice that pleases God (Hebrews 13:15).
Our Good Deeds – Doing good and sharing with others is called a sacrifice (Hebrews 13:16).
Our Bodies – Presenting our very selves as living sacrifices is the core of New Covenant worship (Romans 12:1).
Each of these is a modern-day altar where we bring something costly and lay it before God—not to earn His favor, but to respond to His mercy.
Consecration: The Practice of Sacrificial Worship
To be consecrated means to be set apart. It’s the process of intentionally making room for God in every area of our lives. It involves fasting, prayer, and daily surrender. It means letting go of what is good so that we can receive what is better. When we fast, we say to God: You are worth more than comfort. When we abstain from certain habits or pleasures for a season, we say: You alone satisfy.
Just like Israel was called to consecrate themselves before crossing into the Promised Land, we are invited to consecrate ourselves as a way of preparing for what God wants to do in and through us.
Worship That Costs Something
In the end, worship always has a cost. But as we lay our lives, our time, our energy, and our resources on the altar, we discover the joy of true intimacy with God. He fills what we surrender. He meets us at the altar. And the blessings that follow obedience are far greater than anything we could have held on to.
Reflection Questions:
Is there anything God is asking you to lay down that you’ve been withholding?
Which of the five spiritual sacrifices speaks most to your current season?
What might it look like for you to embrace consecration in a fresh way this month?