Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.
I found myself asking the other day in regard to the Christmas story, where was the altar? I realize that’s a strange question, but let me explain. Most of the time when God showed up with a message for his people an altar was built and an animal sacrifice was offered. The word “altar” actually means, “a place of slaughter.” Check it out. Noah built an altar when he came out of the ark and God gave him a new covenant accompanied by a rainbow. Abraham built an altar when God appeared to him in Shechem as he was entering the land of promise and he proceeded to build an altar on at least three other separate occasions; all related to encounters with God. Of course there’s the famous altar rebuild and sacrifice before God answered Elijah with fire on Mount Carmel in his confrontation with the prophets of Baal. I could go on, but you get my point. Most of the time, when people in the Bible had an encounter with God they set up an altar of sacrifice.
So we have these marvelous historical recordings of God showing up in three of the four Gospels in relationship with coordinating the arrival of our Messiah, but no blood sacrifices and no stone altars to acknowledge the ocasion. I think this is significant for two reasons: number one, Christ was to be in the words of scripture, “the lamb slain before the foundations of the world.” (Rev. 13:8) Never again would it be necessary to offer a blood sacrifice for the sins of humanity. Christ’s words on the cross, “it is finished,” signaled the end of the animal sacrifice system; Christ was the final blood sacrifice. Hey, I know you don’t want to think about this at Christmas, but the whole reason we can celebrate advent without being knee deep in blood sacrifices is because the Messiah was the perfect lamb. Think about this as you see all the beautiful lights and color that the Yuletide season affords us. I wish we had time to talk about how the current call out culture is needing the lamb of God, but I think the lack of mercy that has become vogue is a direct result of not acknowledging that God has laid on Christ “the iniquity of us all.”
The second reason that we don’t see any stone altars with sacrifice and fire is because the altar of what scripture calls, “The New Covenant,” has now moved into our hearts. But don’t think there were no altars in the story of advent because actually the most significant altars in history are in the Christmas narrative. Where were they? The Christmas altars weren’t on the hills of Jerusalem or in the fields of Bethlehem, they were in the hearts of “the Christmas people,” like Mary, Joseph, Zechariah, Elizabeth, a band of shepherds, Simeon and Anna. These altars weren’t for a sacrifice to die for sins though, but a launching point to live for Christ. The Christmas altar was not a place to sacrifice for transgressions but a place to dedicate for service.
Now, don’t think I am saying there was coercion or threat from the heavenly messengers that showed up to Mary, Joseph and all the others, it was more like scenes from “Mission Impossible.” “Good morning, Mr. Hunt. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, involves the recovery of a stolen item designated ‘Chimera.’” The Christmas people didn’t put themselves on the altar as an act of of divine judgment, which is what the altar represented up to that point. The “Christmas people” laid themselves on the altar of opportunity,” which is how you can’t help but see serving God when you realize his mercy. It’s like that new Verizon commercial where the kid is announcing the benefits and the moderator says, “he gets it, he gets it.” The Christmas people, “got it,” that’s why they said stuff like, “I am the Lord’s servant, may it be to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)
So this year when you go have your own quiet time, go to Christmas service or gather around the Christmas tree, think about building a Christmas altar in your heart where you will say a simple yes to an assignment that will bring the savior to your world. Like the altars of Noah, Abraham, and Elijah, the altars of Christmas aren’t one and done altars but they are regular check ins for receiving God’s strategic plans for our lives. Life at a the Christmas altar of living sacrifices is the greatest gift you can give your family, your friends, and your world. That’s all I have to say about that.
Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year
