Living Sacrifices

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer yourself as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship.

-Paul, Romans 12:1

There are a few key words here: Body, Living, Holy and Acceptable (to God).  Let's take a look at each one of these individually.

Body:  Why would God want our bodies anyway?  The Old Testament always said that the best bull or the best sheep or the best goat was to be sacrificed.  He can't possibly mean that, can He?  We're overweight, or underweight, or ugly, or awkward, or short, or tall, or _________.  That's not the point!  Christ is the only sacrifice good enough to remove the sin of the world (and each individual...don't forget that it's a very personal sacrifice Christ made for you...not just for us), and He made that sacrifice already.  That debt is paid.  He's not calling you to bear the weight of the sins of the world (or even of just yourself).

Living:  This is not a call to die!  We are called to live for Jesus.  It's true that some of us will die in the name of the Lord (and as strange as that sounds, that will please Him greatly), but that is not a necessity for God and is far from the norm.  (You don't get excluded from heaven because you died of a heart attack in a Ruby Tuesday's.)  The point is to make your life about Jesus.  Think about Jesus.  Talk about Jesus.  Etc. Etc. Etc.  Live for Jesus!

Holy:  As is written in Romans 6:13, use your body for the will God.  Accomplish righteousness with your hands and feet and mouth.  (Philippians 4:18, Hebrews 13:15, 16) 

Acceptable to God:  Your motives are as important as your actions.  Just because you do good deeds doesn't mean that you are glorifying God.  Make it known that God is your purpose for the actions.

All these things together make up a worshipful life.  Make much of Jesus as you serve people in love.  That is how you present yourself as a living sacrifice to God.