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Join the Youthworks Ministry Support Team as they discuss how to have an effective youth and children’s ministry in every church in conversation with local ministry workers as well as national and international voices.
Get in touch - effectiveministrypodcast@youthworks.net
This is part of our House Conference 2025
lead up series exploring the conference
theme, the cost and joy of sacrifice
across these three episodes, you'll
hear two conference papers and a group
reflection meant to help you move from
theological reflection to practical
ideas for discipling and ministering to
young people and children in your church.
Also, make sure you go back and
listen to our taster episode, episode
87, the cost and joy of Sacrifice.
House Taster 2025 for an accessible
introduction to sacrificial discipleship
in youth and children's ministry.
It's a great springboard before diving
into these deeper conversations, I.
. Welcome back to the Effective
Ministry Podcast, the podcast that
helps you have an effective youth and
children's ministry in your church.
My name is Al James.
I'm a youth ministry and high school SRE
advisor with YouthWorks in Sydney, and
today's episode is part of a special two
episode release ahead of house conference.
This year's conference theme is
the cost and joy of sacrifice.
And we're sharing two conference papers in
audio form to help you engage more deeply
with the content before we gather together
on the 26th to the 28th of August.
Very much looking forward to that.
These two papers really
compliment each other.
Dr.
Viv Chung's is a biblical studies
paper, digging deeply into the
language of sacrifice in the Bible,
old Testament and New Testament.
At times engaging closely with
the Greek and Hebrew text.
It's rich and rewarding, and the
payoff is strong and it'll give you
a really strong biblical foundation.
, Reverend Dr.
Graham Stanton's paper is a more
theological paper with a pastoral
edge, and it really explores the
beauty of sacrifice as an ideal for
Christian living, as well as exploring
some of the dangers in how we.
Think and speak about sacrifice and some
of the pitfalls that we might end up in.
At house, we wanna move from theological
and theoretical principles to the
practice of ministry, especially
ministry with young people and children.
And so as you listen, be thinking not
just about what these papers say, but
how their insights might shape the
way you disciple the next generation.
We really hope these episodes will
encourage you to reflect on God's word.
Think deeply about what it means to
follow Jesus and come ready for rich
conversations at House Conference.
In this episode, we'll
hear the cost and joy of.
Being a living sacrifice by a Dr.
Viv Chung.
Viv examines how the Apostle Paul uses
the idea of sacrifice in his letters
and what it means for us to live as
sacrifices for Christ today and what it
means for young people to do the same.
This paper digs deep.
At times engaging closely with the
Greek and Hebrew text of the Bible.
It's rich and thoughtful, and while
it might feel a little heavier than
your average podcast episode, we
encourage you to stick with it.
You'll come away with a deeper grasp of
what God's word says about sacrifice and
how that shapes not only our lives as
people engaged in youth and children's
ministry, but also the way we call
young people to follow Jesus as well.
Rosie Part 2: The cost and joy of
being a living sacrifice by Dr.
Vivian Chung.
Rosie Part 1: introduction at
a time when much of the current
culture is obsessed with the self.
It is tempting for those ministering
to young people to promote cheap grace
responsible for coining the term.
Bonhoeffer writes, cheap grace means grace
sold on the market like cheap jacks wears.
Grace is represented as the church's
inexhaustible treasury from which she
showers blessings with generous hands
without asking questions or fixing limits.
Grace without price, grace without
cost cheap grace is the preaching
of forgiveness without requiring
repentance, yet according to
Jesus, discipleship is costly.
It involves denying oneself,
taking up one's cross.
And following Jesus for the apostle
Paul, God's grace in redemption
means a new life of obedience.
He declares in Romans chapter six, verse
22, and now since you have been set
free from sin and have become slaves to
God, you have your fruit that leads to
holiness and its end is eternal life.
Indeed, Paul's conception of grace
centers on God's generous gift of
salvation to sinners, which fills the
believer with much gratitude and joy.
However, as one pays careful attention
to Paul's words, one soon realizes that
his understanding of grace encompasses
more than God's gift to the undeserving,
but extends to the returned gift
expected from the recipients of his
grace with true worship at its heart.
Thus Paul Exhorts in the
important letter to the Romans.
I urge you brothers and sisters, through
God's mercies to offer your bodies as
a sacrifice living holy and pleasing
to God as your reasonable worship.
Paul's writing is a rich mind for
uncovering the meaning of being a
true worshiper of the living God.
To offer oneself as a sacrifice
to him with its cost and joy.
With this in mind, the present paper
will examine the nature of being a
living sacrifice in Paul's writing.
It will conduct this
examination in three parts.
Part one will briefly explore Paul's
use of the metaphor of sacrifice
and its Old Testament background.
Part two will examine in detail four
references to sacrifice in Paul's writing.
Part three will synthesize the findings
to make observations concerning the
nature of being a living sacrifice
before outlining its implications
for ministry to young people.
One part, one sacrifice as a metaphor in
Paul and its Old Testament background,
the Greek word for sacrifice or
offering enthusia occurs five
times in Pauline literature.
Of which four are used metaphorically,
unlike the reference in one Corinthians
chapter 10, verse 18, which denotes
literal sacrifices offered to God
and eaten by the people of Israel.
The other four do not represent
sacrifices in this literal sense.
In Romans chapters 12 verse one,
sacrifice refers to your bodies.
In Ephesians chapter five,
verse two, it represents what
Christ has given up for us.
In Philippians two, verses 17 and
chapter four verses 18, it denotes the
material gifts sent by the Philippian
believers to Paul for his needs.
Additionally, in Philippians chapter
two, verse 17, Paul speaks of himself
as being poured out as a drink offering
upon the Philippians as sacrifice.
This paper will focus on these four
references since it's primarily concerned
with the nature of being a sacrifice
in relation to Christ and his people.
1.1,
sacrifice as a metaphor.
A metaphor as S defines is that
figure of speech, whereby we speak
about one thing in terms which are
seen to be suggestive of another.
Put differently.
Lako and Johnson explain it as
understanding and experiencing one
kind of thing in terms of another.
By connecting two entities
that are otherwise unrelated.
A metaphor is capable of
producing new meaning and
understanding of our experiences.
To analyze the metaphor of sacrifice in
Paul, this study will adopt the approach
taken by Gupta in his study on Paul's
cultic metaphors, which draws upon
the work Lakoff, Turner and Johnson,
on modern conceptual metaphor theory.
As in Gupta's study, this paper will
analyze Paul's metaphor by identifying
their source domain points of correlation
and target domain before discussing
the meaning created by the metaphor.
The source domain is a
cognitive field from which we
find metaphorical expressions.
It's generally the known entity.
The target domain is a cognitive field
that needs to be understood better.
One domain is mapped onto the other based
upon some points of correlation that
exist between the two cognitive fields,
1.2
clusters of cultic language
around references to sacrifice.
Accompanying the four references
to sacrifice under investigation
are appearances of other cultic
languages in their immediate context.
These are tabulated below, and
you can find them in your paper.
The word cult derived from the Latin
cultus denotes worship or reverential
homage rendered to a divine being,
or beings often expressed through
external rights and ceremonies.
The cultic language used in these
passages suggests that the Old
Testament sacrificial system is
the source domain from which the
metaphor of sacrifice is drawn.
Although sacrifices and offerings
were commonplace in the cultic
practices of the ancient Greco-Roman
world, the Old Testament is the most
probable background for Paul's use
of the sacrificial metaphor here.
The reason is that in Paul's
understanding that, , the God, he
and other believers worship is the
God of Old Testament scripture.
Thus, in continuity with the Old Testament
theme of worship, Paul's sacrificial
language likely has its roots in the old
1.3
Old Testament Background
sacrifice is fundamental to
worship in the Old Testament.
As gain observes, according to the Old
Testament, sacrifice was a key way to
access, worship and interact with God.
The Hebrew term for sacrifice,
kuban is based on the root.
KB conveys the activity of approach.
Therefore, the essence of what
made an activity system a sacrifice
was the element of approaching the
transcendent deity to offer something
to him through ritualized activity.
In simple terms, ritualization refers to
the implementation of specified strategies
to make something holy set apart for God.
While sacrifices and sacrificial
rituals appear frequently in the Old
Testament, the most comprehensive
guidelines regarding the types of
sacrifices and the correct procedures
for performing them are found in
Leviticus Chapters one through seven.
Here it describes the five main types
of sacrifices, burnt offering, grain
offering, fellowship or wellbeing
offering, sin offering and guilt offering.
The sacrificial system in the Old
Testament is complex as different types
of sacrifices and associated activities
may be embedded in an individual ritual.
Moreover, this system serves many
purposes, gain helpfully, summarizes.
God was seen to have instituted
sacrifice as a powerfully evocative.
Multipurpose means for a faulty human
beings to demonstrate faith in him,
draw near to him, receive his covenant
to become his holy people, maintain
his presence with them, be freed from
guilt, regain purity, and celebrate
his salvific actions on their behalf.
Several characteristics of sacrifice
in the Old Testament are worth noting.
First, acceptable sacrifice involves
the approach of God through an
ordained process of sanctification.
The sacred nature of
sacrifice acknowledges God's
transcendence and holiness.
Second, a sacrifice is a transaction
that involves transferring something
of value from a human being to God.
Eberhart notes that comment.
To all five types of offering
outlined in Leviticus.
Chapters one through seven is the burning
of the sacrificial material on the altar.
The smoke of the sacrifice ascending
to heaven, signifies transfer to
God and is regarded as pleasing.
Aroma killing an animal is not an
essential element of sacrifice.
Since grain offerings, which consist
of grain, oil and frankincense
are acceptable and may even
substitute for animal sacrifice.
What is presented to God, however, should
be extravagant and should reflect the
worshiper finest offerings akin to what
one would serve a distinguished guest.
David's words in two Samuel
chapter 24, verse 24.
I will not offer burnt offerings to
the Lord my God, that cost me nothing
Encapsulates this understanding.
Third sacrifice is grounded in
the social concept of reciprocity.
Sacrifice is generally offered in
the hope of receiving relational
or material benefit from God, or
is a response of gratitude towards
God for his gifts and blessing.
God though is considered the patron in
the relationship and the blessings he
bestow far outweigh what humans can offer.
Thus, the sacrifice is a token expression
of devotion, loyalty, and thankfulness.
Furthermore, some sacrifices such
as mandatory tributes and expiratory
remedies function as a token debt payment
rather than simply as a gift in some.
Sacrifice which concerns?
Approaching God with a costly
offering dedicated to him through an
ordained process of sanctification
is an essential part of worship.
In the Old Testament, it signifies a
token expression of homage and devotion
grounded in the context of reciprocity.
Having briefly explored the Old
Testament sacrificial system, the
source domain from which Paul's
metaphor of sacrifice originated.
This paper will now turn its attention
to the target domain, Christ and his
followers, and the points of correlation
in the four references in Paul's writing
to explore the meaning of this metaphor.
Rosie Part 2: Part two, four references
to sacrifice in Paul's writing.
2.1.
Romans chapter 12 verse one.
Romans chapter 12, verses one to
two is the key passage in Paul's
letters that contains the metaphor
of sacrifice applied to believers.
So then I urge you brothers and sisters,
through God's mercies to present your
bodies as a sacrifice, living holy and
pleasing to God, which is your reasonable
worship, and do not be conformed to this
age, but be transformed by the renewing
of the mind in order that you may test
and approve what is the will of God,
which is good, pleasing and complete.
In this passage, Paul portrays the
believers as worshipers and urges
them to offer their own enlivened
selves as a sacrifice to God.
The cultic language used in Chapter
12 verse one helps the hero establish
the points of correlation between
the source domain, worshipers and
sacrifice, and the target domain
believers and their own selves.
These are mapped out in the diagram below,
and you can find the table in your paper.
2.1
0.1
believers as worshipers.
In Romans chapter 12, verse one,
Paul is addressing believers,
brothers and sisters, those called
God's holy people who are in Rome,
encouraging them to offer worship.
The word para Stasi meaning to offer
bring present is commonly used in
Greek literature with the language
of sacrifice in a cultic context.
Coupled with the word larene, which
denotes cultic service or worship.
Paul paints a picture of believers
approaching God in personal
devotion and paying homage to him
by offering gifts of sacrifice.
This offer of worship is a
response to God's generous gifts
as indicated by the conjunction.
So then in Romans chapter 12, verse one.
This conjunction connects logically
the earlier chapters of the letter to
what follows and signals a transition.
In Paul's argument, the preceding
chapters, Romans chapters one
through 11, contains an outline of
the gospel that brings salvation.
In these chapters, God takes center stage
as a benevolent patron who gives his
son and his spirit, and the accompanying
gifts of justification and righteousness,
redemption and freedom, hope of glory,
eternal life, and spiritual gifts.
According to Paul, these gifts are
bestowed upon undeserving sinners.
The worship to be offered as Paul
instructs in Romans Chapters 12 through
15 is thus a response to God's grace.
This understanding is further supported
by Paul's evocation of God's mercies in
Chapter 12 verse one, which emphasizes
the undeserving nature of God's favor
and the pitiful state of its recipients.
While God is unmistakably the principle
gift giver in the gospel presented in
Romans, Paul does not neglect human
response in the economy of grace.
Representing this fundamental
theme of grace are the words, ous,
charisma, demy, dur, and duram.
They're meaning number of occurrences
and references in Romans are cataloged
in the table below, and you can
find this in your paper as well.
Scattered throughout Chapters one through
11 are references to people's return,
gifts, or failure To give thanks In
chapter one, verse eight, chapter six,
verse 17, and chapter seven, verse 25.
Paul gives thanks to God in chapter
four, verse 20, Paul reports Abraham
as heaven giving glory to God.
By contrast, Paul condemns
people for failing to glorify
God or give thanks to him.
Meaning that humans are expected
to return thanks to the creator
and worship and serve him.
So the theme of grace in Romans is
not limited to God's giving of gifts
to the undeserving, but includes
the recipient's expected response to
God's grace for ancient societies,
reciprocity in gift giving was the norm.
Barclay observes from ancient
literature that the gift recipient
was expected to return the favor in
Greco-Roman and Jewish societies.
He further notes that the sense
of obligation in reciprocal gift
giving creates a social bond
between the giver and the recipient.
Paul's original hearers would therefore
have understood his message of grace in
Romans as one that encompasses both God's
gifts and the reciprocating response
of recipients to give back to God.
Moreover, they would have appreciated
the bonds generated by God's
grace and reciprocal gift giving.
As noted earlier, the opening of sacrifice
in the Old Testament is grounded in
the social framework of reciprocity.
Unsurprisingly, Paul's instruction
on worship in Romans 12 verse one
reflects the same basic understanding.
In Romans, the reciprocal nature of
grace and the resulting relationship may
be further observed in chapters five,
verse 20 through chapter six, verse 23.
In chapter six, verse 14.
The gift recipients are described
as under grace, having been freed
from sin, they have become slaves
to righteousness, slaves to God.
They're obliged to offer all
parts of their bodies to God as
instruments of righteousness.
And thus the gospel expounded in Romans
chapters one through 11 describes
both God's grace in saving undeserved
sinners and the obligation of those
indebted to God's grace to give
him thanks and worship in return.
It is within this context of grace
that Paul urges believers who are
indebted to God to offer him worship.
2.1
0.2
enliven selves to be offered
a sacrifice for worship.
Paul Exhorts believers to present their
bodies as a sacrifice In his hero's minds,
Paul's instructions may conjure up images
of animals being slaughtered at the altar,
so that death becomes the main point of
correlation between the source domain
sacrifice and the target domain bodies.
However, Paul's words in chapter
12 verse one, quickly put this
idea to rest as he qualifies.
Sacrifice with four descriptions,
living holy, pleasing to God,
and your reasonable worship.
These descriptions constituting
the key correspondences between Old
Testament sacrifice and the believer's
bodies will now be explored in turn.
2.1
0.1.
Living participation in Christ made
alive by the Spirit and belonging to God.
Paul's choice of the word living
in Romans 12 verse one, signifies
more than simply being not dead.
The concept of life is significant in
this letter with the noun life occurring
14 times and the verb live 23 times.
While life may denote present to
earthly existence in Paul's writings,
Scott notes that more frequently,
Zoe is used in Paul to mean something
other than mere physical existence.
It refers to a unique quality of
life which comes through faith in
and union with Christ nine times.
It is combined with aios.
To mean eternal life, a life
qualitatively different from life as
it's presently known, a life bestowed
by God as part of the age to come.
Given this special meaning of life
in Paul's writing, living in Romans
12 verse one, likely denotes the
quality of being made alive by
the spirit as one participates in
Christ's death and resurrection.
The close correspondence between
Paul's words here and those in
chapter six, verse 13 confirms this
understanding listed below are the
two passages with corresponding words
highlighted to show their similarity.
Romans chapter 12 verse one.
So then I urge you, brothers and
sisters, through God's mercies to
present your bodies as a sacrifice,
living holy and pleasing to God,
which is your reasonable worship.
Romans chapter six, verses 12 through 13.
So then do not let sin reign in your
mortal body in order to obey its desires,
nor present your members as instruments
for sin, but present yourselves to
God as from the dead and now living,
and your members of your bodies as an
instrument of righteousness to God.
Paul's exhortation in Romans
chapter 12 verse one reiterates
his earlier instruction in
chapter six verses 12 through 13.
The word present in chapter 12 verse
one, recalls chapter six verses
13 through 19, where it appears
five times and nowhere else in the
letter until chapter 12 verse one.
Both passages speak of their enlivened
selves as what believers are to present.
To understand this concept in chapter
12 verse one, then one needs to examine
chapter six verses one through 23
in chapter six, verses one through
23, living relates to eternal life
gifted by God in Christ as believers
accompany Christ in his death.
They participate in the salvation
history effects of Christ's death
as marking and affecting the end
of the rule of sin and death.
Freed from slavery to sin and death.
The believer's body is no longer
subject to sin nor belongs to it.
Instead, believers have become slaves
of God and are given eternal life.
The word body as good elucidates
functions as a summary or symbol of
the whole of our lived experience.
When we present our bodies to
God, we give not just our physical
bodies, but our entire being.
The body itself and what we do with it.
This understanding is clearly displayed
in chapter six verses 12 through
13, where Paul connects yourselves
and members of your body explicitly.
The focus here is on what one does
with the body in this present life.
Therefore, to present oneself
to God as living means to count
oneself dead to sin by not obeying
sins desires in the mortal body.
But consider oneself alive to
God by offering every part of the
body to him for righteousness.
In other words, it is to be
like Jesus, that in the life
he lives, he lives for God.
Paul goes on to explain in chapter
eight verses nine through 11, that
although the body is subject to death,
the spirit of life dwells in believers.
He will make alive their mortal body
just as he raised Christ from the dead.
Presenting oneself to God, thus involves
giving back to God what rightfully
belongs to him as enabled by redemption
from sin and death as observed earlier.
This notion of transfer, giving something
of value to God is a fundamental character
of sacrifice in the Old Testament.
Paul's reiteration and reframing of his
instruction in chapter six verses 12
through 13 in terms of sacrifice helps
highlight this aspect of transfer.
As those who are alive to God,
believers must transfer ownership
of their entire being to God,
even though it already belongs to
him because of his saving grace.
2.1.
Point two 0.2.
Holy set apart for God's purpose,
according to Romans chapter 12, verse
one, beside being alive, your bodies
to be offered to God must also be holy.
The adjective holy.
Means sacred, being dedicated or
consecrated to the service of God.
Again, this description is characteristic
of Old Testament worship sacrifices
deemed acceptable, must undergo an
ordained process of sanctification.
Paul considers believers as
already sanctified from the outset.
He addresses the Roman believers
as saints or holy ones.
In one Corinthians chapter one, verse two,
Paul describes those who are called holy
ones as those sanctified by Christ Jesus.
In this sense, believers have
gone through the process of
sanctification through Christ's work.
Their identity has been radically altered.
In one Corinthians chapter six,
Paul Contrasts who the Corinthian
believers were the unrighteous ones
to who they are, the holy ones.
He asserts that they were washed,
sanctified, and justified in the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by
the spirit of our God, and describes
their bodies as temples of the Holy
Spirit who dwells in the believers.
Thus understood, believers are in the
state of holiness, fit for God's presence.
They are consecrated for God's
service and dedicated to the
purpose of bringing God glory.
Yet in Romans chapter 12, verse one,
being holy is more than just a reality.
It is also a goal.
Paul urges believers to present
their bodies as a holy sacrifice.
Once again, Romans chapter six is helpful
for understanding Paul's meaning here.
Paul says in Chapter six, verse 19,
now present your members as slaves
to righteousness for holiness.
And in chapter six, verse 22, he states,
and now having been freed from sin and
become slaves to God, you have your fruit
for holiness and its end is eternal life.
The four holiness in these verses
indicates that holiness is a goal where
living in righteousness and purity leads.
So then what believers present to
God must undergo the process of
sanctification by the Holy Spirit.
They must rid their body and all
its parts of impurities, such as
idolatry, sexual immorality, greed,
drunkenness, slandering, et cetera.
Instead, they should yield every part
of their being to God as consecrated
instruments for his service and glory.
This is the holy sacrifice.
Believers are to.
Rosie Part 3: 2.1
0.3,
pleasing to God, acting
according to the divine will.
In Romans chapter 12, verse
one, the third attribute of the
sacrifice is pleasing to God.
Duet notes that this phrase is employed
elsewhere by Paul to depict actions
consistent with the divine will.
Of course, all three depictions
of sacrifice in Romans chapter
12 verse one are interrelated.
Presenting oneself as living alive
to God and holy set apart for
his purpose is pleasing to God.
Paul's characterization here not
only resonates with the Old Testament
Rosie Part 2: Description of sacrifice
as a pleasing aroma to God, but
also contrast sharply with prophetic
messages concerning God's rejection
of sacrifices from disobedient Israel.
Again, this backdrop in Israel's
history, which is the issue of discussion
in Romans Chapters nine through 11,
Paul's language of acceptable worship.
In chapter 12 verse one,
bears heightened significance.
The worship Paul has in mind is distinct
from the Levitical sacrificial rituals.
In the context of Romans, what cannot
please God is being in the flesh
or having the mindset of the flesh.
In Romans chapter eight,
verses one through 13, the
flesh represents that which is
diametrically opposed to the spirit.
The natural orientation of the
flesh is hostile to God and
cannot submit to God's law.
It stands to reason then that
walking according to the spirit with
one's disposition characterized by
life and peace would please God.
Accordingly.
Paul instructs believers
in chapter 12 verse two.
Do not conform to the present age,
but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind so that you may discern
what is the good, pleasing and
perfect will of God to please God.
One must be able to discern God's
will and act according to it.
Okay.
Ultimately, the worship Paul wishes
believers to offer is genuine praise
and obedience to God's will, enabled
by the spirit expressed in the
bodily reality of everyday living.
2.1
0.4,
reasonable worship, extravagant token.
The last description, your
reasonable worship, in Romans
chapter 12 verse one, stands in
our position to the entire phrase.
To present your bodies as a sacrifice,
living holy and pleasing to God, so
that the former sums up the latter.
Greek philosophers use the term Locos to
denote the rational faculty in humans,
and the stoics propagated the idea that
worship should conform to reason here.
Then in Romans chapter 12, verse
one, Paul is appealing to reason.
Logically, the abundant mercies God
has bestowed upon his people as creator
and redeemer mean that nothing short of
surrendering one's entire self to God
for his service and honor is good enough.
Worship thus conforming to
David's notion that sacrifice is
necessarily costly for the worshiper.
The believer's offering must be
extravagant, though it's only a
token since one can never reciprocate
God's generous grace in kind.
2.1
0.3
summary in Romans chapter 12, verse one.
Paul uses sacrifice as a metaphor
drawn from the Old Testament cultic
system to illuminate various aspects
of worship he expects from believers.
While Paul is not speaking of literal
sacrifices such as animals or grains
or other material goods to be burnt at
the altar, there is much correspondence
between the Old Testament sacrifice
and the enlivened selves that believers
are to offer God in their worship.
As in the Old Testament worshipers are
to approach God with extravagant gifts
that are deemed holy and acceptable
in response to God's immense grace.
Such worship is focused on God
as believers transfer to him what
already belongs to him with the goal
of bringing him pleasure and honor.
Distinct from the Old Testament.
However, Paul's instruction is based
on the believers assured status and
present experience of being made alive,
holy, and acceptable through Christ.
The yielding of their bodies as
consecrated instruments for God's
service is thus the logical outworking
of this new status in Christ.
Although it requires active
participation from believers, it is
nonetheless enabled by God's spirit.
2.2,
Ephesians chapter five, verse two.
The second reference under
investigation is found in
Ephesians chapter five, verse two.
Therefore be imitated as God as
beloved children and walk in love
just as Christ also loved us and gave
him himself fast as an offering and
sacrifice to God for a pleasing aroma.
2.2
0.1,
the metaphor of sacrifice.
The three descriptions offering
sacrifice and pleasing aroma are
cultic language associated with the
Old Testament sacrificial system.
In Ephesians chapter five, verse two,
they're applied to Christ metaphorically.
There are several clear points of
correlation between the source domain,
old Testament sacrifice, and the
target domain, Christ's own self, which
are mapped out in the diagram below.
You can find this in your paper.
The first point of correlation
is the cost of sacrifice.
In Ephesians chapter five, verse two,
Paul says that Christ gave himself
for us as an offering and sacrifice to
God, as Campbell helpfully points out.
While we might be quick to assume
that this self-giving act of love
refers to Christ's death on the
cross, it could also refer to his
entire life and ministry after all.
Philippians chapter two, verse six
through 11, views across as part
of a larger narrative of Christ's
self humiliation and service.
Since Paul names Christ as the paradigm
for believers to follow as indicated by
the conjunction cathos, it is likely that
Paul has in mind more than Christ's death.
The point is that walking in love the way
Christ did entails significant costs, and
as already noted, sacrifices are costly.
The second point of correlation is the
goal of sacrifice, which is to please God.
Although the self-giving of Christ
is for us, it is focused upon
God for his pleasure, just as
sacrifices and offerings are burnt
to produce a pleasing aroma for God.
What we have learned so far from
Ephesians chapter five, verse two,
concerning the metaphor of sacrifice
is consistent with what we have
seen in Romans chapter 12 verse one.
Whether it is applied to Christ
or believers, sacrificial
language highlights the costly
and theocentric nature of worship.
2.2.
Point two, the paradigm of sacrifice.
The novel element concerning sacrifice
In Ephesians chapter five, verse two is
the notion that Christ's self-giving is
the paradigm for believers to follow.
This is represented in
pictorial form below, and you
can find this in your paper.
The main thrust of Paul's instruction in
Ephesians chapter five, verse one through
two is to walk in love as Christ did.
Paul mentions walk seven times in
Ephesians three times as exhortation.
In this chapter, it pertains to how one
conducts one's life, comports oneself,
behaves and lives according to Paul.
As God's beloved children believers are
to conduct themselves in Christlike love.
By mapping sacrifice onto Christ's
self-giving love, Paul has created a new
meaning and experience for his heroes.
Following Christ's example, believers
Worship consists in the everyday conduct
of giving oneself to others in love.
As one looks closely at Romans,
chapters 12 through 15, one
sees a similar pattern, emerge.
Immediately following his instruction
in Romans chapters 12 verse one, to
present your bodies as a sacrifice.
Paul outlines concrete ways
for believers to do so.
He urges them to serve others in humility,
to do right and submit to authorities,
and to accept and bear with one another.
Above all, he emphasizes the centrality
of love that touches every aspect
of life, including being devoted
to others, sharing with others in
need, and practicing hospitality.
Being willing to associate
with those in lowly position
and repaying evil with good.
For Paul, love is a
fulfillment of the law.
Moreover, Paul's instructions in Romans,
chapters 12 through 15 are interspersed
with references to being like Christ.
In sum by applying the metaphor of
sacrifice to Christ's self-giving.
In Ephesians chapter five, verse
two, Paul not only highlights the
costly and theocentric nature of
worship, but also provides a tangible
example for believers to follow
2.3.
Philippians chapter two, verse
17 and chapter four, verse 18.
The third and fourth references to the
metaphor of sacrifice found in Philippians
chapter two, verse 17 and chapter four,
verse 18 will now be examined together.
But even if I am poured out like a drink
offering upon the sacrifice and service
of your faith, I'm glad and rejoice
with you all and in the same way, you
should also be glad and rejoice with me.
Philippians chapter two,
verses 17 through 18.
I have all things in
full and have abundance.
I'm amply supplied, having received
from Aphrodite, the things from you
as a pleasing aroma, an acceptable
sacrifice pleasing to God.
Philippians chapter four, verse 18.
You can find a diagram in your paper, 2.3
0.1,
cost and joy of sacrifice in
Philippians chapter two, verse
17 and chapter four, verse 18.
Paul employs cultic language such as.
Pour out like a drink offering
sacrifice, cultic service and pleasing
aroma to depict his own ministry.
And the Philippian Believers contribution.
The cost of their sacrifice is evident
in Paul's reference to himself as
being poured out and to the Philippians
material gifts being so lavish that
Paul has all things in full, has
an abundance, and he is made full.
The offerings of both Paul and the
Philippians perfectly illustrate the
paradigm of sacrifice outlined in
Ephesians chapter five, verse two.
In both cases, worship of God is expressed
in self-giving for others, whether in
practical help or ministry work, Paul
attributes the gifts they sent him through
Epaphroditus as a pleasing aroma, an
acceptable sacrifice, and pleasing to God.
With such costs involved, one may
mistakenly imagine an atmosphere of
gloom and glumness in Paul's tone.
Yet Paul speaks with sacrifice, with
great joy in celebration in the Old
Testament Festival, the celebrated
with sacrifices and offerings.
In Philippians chapter two
verses 17 through 18, we find
a similar sense of celebration.
Paul cannot make his joy any clearer.
Repeating the verb, Cairo rejoice
four times twice concerning his own
rejoicing and twice when encouraging
the Philippians to do the same.
2.3
0.2
purposeful partnership in
self-giving sacrifice brings joy.
No doubt.
Much of Paul's joy stems from observing
and experiencing the Philippians
generosity and care, which he understands
as an expression of their faith.
However, Paul's description in chapter
two, verse 17 and chapter four, verse
18 suggests that he has more reasons
than this for his rejoicing, his words.
I rejoice with you all likewise,
and you should rejoice with me,
signify a strong partnership between
him and the Philippians in the Old
Testament, the drink offering to
which Paul likens himself is something
that accompanies other sacrifices
to make the offering complete.
So Paul's description of himself as
being poured out like a drink offering
upon the Philippians sacrifice creates
a picture of purposeful partnership
where Paul's ministry compliments
that of the Philippians, so that
together they bring God worship, and
in this they can mutually finds joy.
Thus, Paul instructs them to rejoice and
rejoice with him, and conversely, to do
everything without complaining or arguing.
It is worthwhile to note that
in Romans chapter 12 verse one.
The word sacrifice is in the
singular, indicating that Paul has
in mind a partnership involved in
the believers worship, even though
they are to individually offer
their bodies to God for his service.
This collective act of worship in which
believers all contribute to form one
sacrifice is further illustrated in Romans
chapter 12 verses three through eight.
Here.
Paul speaks of each believer as part
of one body, and each part contributes
to the functioning of the whole.
When the believer exercises
his or her unique gift.
This understanding undergirds Paul's
rejoicing in Philippians chapters
two 17 through 18, as he speaks
appreciatively of the contribution of
the Philippians in supplying for his
needs, which enables him in his ministry.
In summary, Paul's references to sacrifice
in Philippians reinforce our understanding
that worship that pleases God is costly.
Although his sacrifice comes at a
tremendous personal cost, Paul finds much
joy in it because of his partnership with
the Philippians and his encouragement
from witnessing and experiencing
the outworking of their faith.
The Philippians are encouraged to
similarly rejoice as they consider
their material gifts and care for Paul
as a joint sacrifice with Paul In the
Philippians worship, they not only fulfill
others' needs, but also please God.
Thus, they are not to
complain, but to rejoice.
Rosie Part 3: Part Three.
Synthesis and Implications.
Having examined Paul's reference to
sacrifice as a metaphor, we will now
synthesize our findings and draw out key
implications for kids and youth ministry.
3.1.
Synthesis.
The cost and joy of being a living
sacrifice according to Paul.
The examination of the four
references to sacrifice applied to
Christ and his followers in Paul's
writings has been instructive.
First, we learned that this metaphor
drawn from the Old Testament cultic
system represents the approach
of God with something of value
dedicated to him for his pleasure.
Like a literal sacrifice.
The Believers' Act of Worship is
set within the context of grace,
whereby the worshiper gift is a token
expression of debt and gratitude
to God for his incomparable gifts.
Believers are to reciprocate in response
to God's gift of his son and spirit
with all the concomitant benefits.
Second, we learn that distinct
from the Old Testament sacrificial
system, believers are to offer their
own enlivened selves for worship.
This relates to the Believers' Daily
Conduct where they act in love, purity,
and righteousness with their whole being.
This way of life flows from the secure
identity of believers as God's holy
people, his beloved children made alive
by the Spirit as they participate in
the death and resurrection of Christ.
Worship therefore involves imitating
Christ's costly self-giving in his conduct
and ministry as the ultimate paradigm.
Third, we learn that believers
worship in partnership with one
another and find joy in the process.
Although worship involves an individual's
Christ-like self-giving, it is primarily
a collective effort that includes many
people's contributions through their
unique gifts in service for God's glory.
This partnership brings joy to
believers as each is supported by
others to fulfill their ministry, and
together their worship pleases God.
Furthermore, each benefits from
the others' generosity and the
encouragement that comes from
witnessing and experiencing the
outworking of others' faith.
In conclusion, Paul employs sacrifice
as a meaningful metaphor for
Christ himself and other followers.
Set within the framework of grace.
This metaphor underscores the essential
aspects of the costliness and theocentric
nature of worship, as well as its joy.
Although it appears only
occasionally in Paul's writings,
it is rich with significance due
to its practical implications.
3.2
implications for kids and youth ministry.
More specifically, the metaphor
of sacrifice in Paul's writing has
significant implication for kids
and youth ministry, several of
which will now be briefly discussed.
The aim of this final section is not
to offer a comprehensive review of all
possible implications, but to provide
suggestions and directions for further
reflection and contextual application.
3.2
0.1.
Change in perspective the
renewal of one's mind.
Ministry is demanding and challenging.
It can be unrewarding at
times and slow to see results.
The temptation for those serving in kids
in youth ministry is to complain and
grumble when faced with a difficult or
unattractive tasks or to hold back and
draw the line instead of giving our all.
Paul challenges us to
think and act differently.
He urges us to present our
whole selves as a sacrifice.
Worshiping God is what we are engaged in.
When we minister to others, we
must have a realistic expectation
that worship is costly because God
deserves nothing less than our all.
It involves Christ-like self-denial,
the extravagant giving of self and our
resources, which originated from God
and belonged to him in the first place.
As a sacrifice to God, our
goal in both daily conduct
and ministry is to please him.
Me.
My needs and desires must become
secondary replaced by seeking God's
glory first and doing his will with
the life and gifts given to us.
This will affect our decisions, including
ministry related ones, and may lead to
choosing a more difficult path and one
that the world would consider foolish.
Our perspective will necessarily change
rather than viewing what is before us.
From the world's perspective, we must
choose to do God's will from a renewed
mind, transformed by the spirit.
Paradoxically, costly
self-giving brings joy.
Paul says that a renewed mind will result
in believers approving God's will, which
is good, pleasing, and perfect, enabling
them to present themselves as a sacrifice.
When we no longer look to fulfill
our own desires, but live for God by
his mercies, for his sake, we will
find satisfaction even though this
may not be immediate, so Paul can
instruct believers to be glad in hope.
Patient in affliction, faithful
in prayer in chapter 12 verse 12.
3.2
0.2.
Worship as goal of discipleship
model and teach grace.
Like Paul, our ministry goal is
to see the young people we serve
bring worship and praise to God.
We want to see them glorify God by
presenting their whole selves to him.
But all too often we feel the pressure of
attracting young people to church and our
programs to simply see numerical growth.
It's easy then to also pare down our
message to something akin to cheap
grace, which is as Bonhoeffer explains.
Grace without price, grace without cost.
Paul's use of sacrificial metaphor
reminds us, however, that the gospel
message is one of reciprocal gift giving.
Thus, we must model and teach
grace properly so that on the
one hand, we do not shy away from
emphasizing repentance and obedience.
And on the other hand.
We do not end up with moralism or
ritualism, that somehow the basic
tenet of Christianity is reduced to
keeping rules or following rituals.
Instead, we live out and teach the
fact that we are beloved children
of God, enable by the Spirit to act
in love, purity, and righteousness
to please and honor our father.
In short, we follow Christ's example
and teach young people to do the same.
3.2
0.3
partner with others joy
of being one sacrifice.
The path of service can be lonesome,
especially as one feels the weight
of ministry responsibility or of
carrying the burdens of young people in
vulnerable and difficult circumstances.
Kids and youth ministry can take an
enormous personal and emotional toll.
While Paul does not fully address his
issue, his example and instructions
concerning being a sacrifice provide
useful suggestions and correctives, even
as he describes himself as being poured
out like a drink offering, he rejoices.
Like Paul, we can rejoice and find
encouragement in noticing the expressions
of faith in those we minister to.
It seems like common sense, but
articulating these encouragement to the
young people in our ministry orbit may
help strengthen all and cultivate joy.
Moreover, in an individualistic
world, we need to guard against the
tendency to work alone or as silos.
Paul's language in worship
focuses on the collective.
Many parts contribute
to form one sacrifice.
This principle can be applied in many ways
in a church and its network of ministries.
It is worth highlighting the fact
that young people are also part of the
church and must therefore be encouraged
to contribute meaningfully by serving
according to their individual gifts.
As all within the church work in
partnership with one another, making
known and fulfilling each other's needs.
Hardship could become easier to endure,
and joy could be found while suffering.
3.3
conclusion.
In conclusion, the metaphor of sacrifice
in Paul's writing richly encapsulates
the nature of worship as both costly and
joyous set in the framework of grace.
Believers as recipients of God's
immeasurable gifts are to offer themselves
in total surrender to God, reflecting
Christlike love and righteousness.
Worship as Paul illustrates, is not
a solitary endeavor, but a collective
expression of faith and partnership that
provides mutual support, encouragement,
and joy for those engaged in ministry,
particularly with children and youth.
Paul's use of the sacrificial metaphor
offers profound insights into the goal
of ministry, the message of grace,
and the importance of partnership.
Let us then.
Take heat of Paul's instruction to
present ourselves as a sacrifice.
Living holy and pleasing to God.