More Acceptable

Proverbs 21:2-4

Verse 3  To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

    As we talked about a little bit yesterday, obedience isn’t solely about denying ourselves what we want nor is it about obeying just for the sake of obeying.

    Solomon understood that the Lord isn’t looking for obedience that is done just so we can say we obey Him.  When we are abiding in Him our obedience will be about giving Him the love that He desires through obedience.  As our key verse says today, doing what is right and just is more pleasing to the Lord than sacrificing.  This sacrificing had to do with the offering up blood sacrifices that were required as payment for sin.  So Solomon isn’t talking so much about the sacrifices we make to obey, but more about the issue of sin itself.

    God didn’t set up the sacrificial system because He was OK with the sinning.  He set it up with the knowledge that He would be sending Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.  He knew we would sin and even relish our sin and though He set up a system to remove the penalty for sin, He isn’t saying that it is OK for us to sin.

    Sin is never His plan for us.  His desire is always for us to live a life of obedience.  He has not only made a system for paying for sins, He has a system to keep us from sinning.  His system is easy to know, but harder to do.  This obedience that He calls us to, as we have said before, isn’t about just following His rules for living, it is about love.  Our love for Him and His for us.

    His love for us has Him withholding His wrath that our sin deserves, the least that we can do is show Him our love by obeying.  His ultimate desire is to see us living to please Him out of the love we have for Him.  Oh, that we would want to love Him enough to desire to obey Him radically.

Making It Personal

    Do you find yourself excusing your sin because you know that Jesus’ sacrifice paid the price?  Do you see your sin as something that reveals a lack of true love for God?  What does Jesus’ sacrifice mean to you?

Making It Personal Kids

    Why did Jesus die on the cross?  Does Jesus hate sin?  How should you feel about sin?

Closing Prayer

    Father, we have failed to see the truth of our sin.  We have failed to live out our love for You because we struggle to hate our sin.  Father, please give us a hate for our sin so that we can know how to fully love You and live in obedience to You.  In Jesus’ name, amen.