Giving God Your Absolute Best
Discovering Wholeness and Fellowship by Surrendering Your Finest to the Lord
Sermon Summary
This sermon addresses the common human tendency to give God leftover time, talent, and treasure rather than prime devotion. By examining the Old Testament peace offering in Leviticus 3, believers learn that sacred communion with God requires offering unblemished devotion and reserving the finest portions of life for the Creator. The message leads listeners to repent of half-hearted religion and embrace joyful, wholehearted stewardship empowered by the finished work of Jesus Christ.
Introduction
In a world driven by convenience, it is easy to adopt a lifestyle of spiritual leftovers. We often give our freshest hours to career, entertainment, or personal pursuits, while reserving for God only what remains at the end of a long day or busy week. Yet God never created us for a transactional or secondary relationship. In the book of Leviticus, God establishes instructions for His ancient covenant people to show them how deeply He values genuine fellowship and holy reverence. The peace offering described in Leviticus 3 was not a duty born out of terror or guilt, but a voluntary celebration of peace already received. Central to this ordinance was a non-negotiable principle: God claims the best. As we examine these ancient rituals today, we discover how the demands of the sanctuary speak directly to our daily schedules, financial choices, family leadership, and personal devotions.
Main Scripture
Leviticus 3:1-5
“‘ If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the LORD. He shall lay his hand on the head of his offering, and kill it at the door of the Tent of Meeting. Aaron’s sons, the priests, shall sprinkle the blood around on the altar. He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.
Leviticus 3 is central to understanding biblical worship because it details the regulations for the peace offering, or shelamim. While burnt offerings represented total surrender and sin offerings provided purification, the peace offering expressed restored fellowship, wholeness, and shared communion between God, the priests, and the worshipper. By requiring that every sacrificed animal be without defect and that the prime fat and inner organs be burned entirely for the Lord, God demonstrated that access to His presence is a holy privilege that demands our highest honor. Furthermore, this passage establishes the theological foundation for table fellowship with God, pointing forward to the ultimate peace established by Jesus Christ on the cross.
Main Sermon Points
1. Bring an Offering Without Any Defect
“‘ If his offering is a sacrifice of peace offerings, if he offers it from the herd, whether male or female, he shall offer it without defect before the LORD.
God specified that whether the worshipper brought an animal from the herd or flock, it had to be entirely without physical blemish. Offering a defective animal would signal disrespect toward the majesty and holiness of God.
The prophet Malachi later rebuked Israel for offering blind, lame, and sick animals to God, reminding them that offering leftovers to the King of Kings dishonors His sacred covenant.
In ancient Israel, an animal without defect represented significant material value. Selecting a flawless bull, lamb, or goat required deliberate sacrifice and cost. God calls His people to understand that true devotion is never cheap or casual; it reflects the incomparable worth of the God we serve.
Evaluate where you are offering God spiritual leftovers. Examine your morning routine, financial giving, and family worship. Commit to giving God your prime energy and focused focus rather than what remains after all other demands are met.
Quick Insights
- God deserves our absolute best, not our secondary leftovers.
- Flawless offerings reflect a heart that genuinely values God's holiness.
- True worship always costs something meaningful to the worshipper.
2. Reserve the Choice Portions for God
He shall offer of the sacrifice of peace offerings an offering made by fire to the LORD. The fat that covers the innards, and all the fat that is on the innards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, which is by the loins, and the cover on the liver, with the kidneys, he shall take away. Aaron’s sons shall burn it on the altar on the burnt offering, which is on the wood that is on the fire: it is an offering made by fire, of a pleasant aroma to the LORD.
The ritual required the priest to remove the interior fat and kidneys and burn them on the altar as the Lord's portion. In ancient thought, fat symbolized the richest, most valuable portion, while the kidneys represented the seat of affections and hidden desires.
Solomon echoes this principle by instructing believers to honor the Lord with their substance and with the first fruits of all their increase.
By claiming all the fat as His own, God established His priority over the richest parts of creation. The burning of these choice parts produced a pleasant aroma, signifying divine satisfaction when His people willingly surrender their central strength and innermost desires to Him.
Identify the fat in your life—your peak productive hours, primary skills, and financial first fruits. Decide today to dedicate these choice portions to building God's kingdom, serving your local church, and ministering to your family.
Quick Insights
- Surrendering your prime strength demonstrates true trust in divine sovereignty.
- God claims the innermost seat of human affection and motivation.
- Pleasing God requires placing His priority above personal indulgence.
3. Walk in Unbroken Peace and Communion
The priest shall burn them on the altar: it is the food of the offering made by fire, for a pleasant aroma; all the fat is the LORD ’s. “‘ It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.’”
The peace offering culminated in a sacred shared meal where God, the priests, and the worshipper partook of the sacrifice, demonstrating restored harmony and unbroken communion.
Paul reveals that Jesus Christ Himself is our ultimate peace, having abolished hostility and reconciled us to God through His sacrifice.
The ultimate goal of the peace offering was fellowship. God did not institute sacrifices merely to enforce rules, but to create a path for holy communion. By respecting God's boundary regarding the fat and blood, Israel maintained continuous fellowship with their Creator across every generation.
Rest in the peace that Christ has bought for you. Extend this peace into your daily relationships by forgiving others, seeking reconciliation in your family, and living out covenant integrity in your workplace and community.
Quick Insights
- Communion with God is the sweet fruit of sacrificial obedience.
- Jesus Christ fulfilled the peace offering to grant us eternal access.
- Living in divine peace empowers us to build peace in our homes.
Bottom Line
Giving God your absolute best means surrendering your prime time, talents, and resources to the One who gave His Son to make eternal peace with you.
Memorable Quote
God never accepts our spiritual leftovers because He never gave us leftover grace.
Theological Point
The peace offering illustrates the doctrine of reconciliation and divine priority, showing that holy communion with God is established through substitutionary sacrifice and sustained by yielding our finest treasures to His supreme lordship.
Prayer Guide
- Pray for a spirit of wholehearted devotion that refuses to give God half-hearted service.
- Ask God to reveal any areas where secondary pursuits have displaced His primary priority.
- Thank God for Jesus Christ, who became our ultimate peace offering through His blood.
- Seek God's help to honor Him with your first fruits, career, family, and resources daily.
Responding to God’s Word
Returning to our title, Giving God Your Absolute Best, we are reminded that our Creator is worthy of nothing less than our whole heart and finest devotion. The ancient Israelite who brought a flawless lamb to the altar understood that worship requires cost, reverence, and gratitude. Today, we stand on this side of the cross, where Jesus Christ offered Himself as the perfect, unblemished sacrifice to reconcile us to God forever. Because He gave His absolute best for us on Calvary, we are called to respond with living sacrifices. Let us turn away from casual, convenient Christianity. Whether in your business dealings, your family life, your private devotional time, or your service in the local church, yield your choice portions to the Lord. As you place your trust in Christ and honor God in every detail of life, you will experience the fullness of His peace and the joy of unbroken fellowship with Him.
