1 Peter 2.4-5
“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”
What are spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ? Sacrifices in this context refer to your daily offerings to God. They are the things you do, the words you speak, the worship you offer to God, the songs you sing—when you do them by faith in response to the Lord’s presence in your life.
Here is additional insight from scripture:
Bodies
In Romans 12.1 Paul says that we are to present our bodies “as living sacrifices holy and acceptable to God which is our spiritual service of worship.” That means that everything we do should be done as an act of worship in response to God.
Whether we eat or drink or hammer nails or drive a car or make a meal or program a computer or read a book or shoot a basketball or mend a shirt—whatever we do with your body, we should do to the glory of God.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)
Praise and Thanks
Your daily offerings to the Lord include your praise and thanksgiving to him, both alone in your own private worship and praise, as well as with other believers in group worship.
“Continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to his name.” (Hebrews 13.15)
Acts of Love
Your sacrifices and offerings to the Lord are also your acts of love, giving, and sharing. In Philippians 4.18 the apostle, having received gifts of support from the Philippian church, says this: “I received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God.”
And in Hebrews 13.16 we are commanded, “Do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
The big message is that the way we live and work every day should be an offering—a spiritual sacrifice—that is pleasing to God.
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17)
