Neither Will I Offer Burnt Offerings . . . of That
True love for Jesus will cost us something, but it is worth it to gain Him and everything we have renounced, purified and transfigured.
F.B. Meyer emphasizes that true love for God requires sacrifice, as demonstrated by God's own costly love for us through Jesus Christ. He explains that loving Christ involves self-denial, the relinquishing of personal desires, and the willingness to face social and financial costs. Meyer encourages believers to embrace the joy of giving everything to God, just as Mary did with her precious ointment, and to recognize that what we give up for Christ is ultimately regained in a transformed way. He reminds us that while sacrifices may lead to loss in the eyes of the world, they result in a deeper relationship with Christ and eternal rewards.
Text
Neither will I offer burnt offerings . . . of that
which doth cost me nothing. 2 Sam. xxiv. 24.
GOD'S love to us cost Him something. He spared not his own Son, and that Son spared not his blood. But how little our love to Him costs us! Let us understand that where there is true, strong love to Jesus, it will cost us something. Love is the costliest of all undertakings.
It will cost us Self‑denial. Christ and self are perfectly incompatible; to have the one we must be prepared to surrender the other. The heart subtly schemes to hold both; but it does not deceive Christ. He knows in a moment when we have preferred to spare ourselves and to sacrifice Him, or to obey Him and sacrifice ourselves. We know it also. At first we may find it an effort to count all things but loss for Him; but as we go on doing it, and drink in the fresh air that breathes about the mountains of self‑denial ‑‑ above all, as we see the smile of pleasure on his face ‑‑ our hearts leap with joy, and we love to give Him everything, not thinking of the cost, any more than Mary did when she broke the alabaster box of very precious ointment. After all, it is but fitting that we offer our bodies "a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God."
It will cost us Companionships. Those who knew us will pass us with averted faces. It will cost us hard‑earned money; for we shall realize that we have no property in anything that we possess. It will cost us high repute amongst our fellows. But what shall we mind if we gain Christ? You cannot give up for Him without regaining everything you have renounced, but purified and transfigured. Did not the Lord say so? And did He not add a hundredfold, with persecution. Let us heartily respond, "Lord, Thou knowest all things: Thou knowest that I love Thee! "
Sermon Outline
- The Cost of Love
- Our love to GOD costs us little
- The Cost of Self-Denial
- The Rewards of Self-Denial
- We gain Christ and everything we have renounced, purified and transfigured
- We gain a hundredfold, with persecution
Key Quotes
“Love is the costliest of all undertakings.” — F.B. Meyer
“We know it also. At first we may find it an effort to count all things but loss for Him; but as we go on doing it, and drink in the fresh air that breathes about the mountains of self-denial -- above all, as we see the smile of pleasure on his face -- our hearts leap with joy, and we love to give Him everything, not thinking of the cost, any more than Mary did when she broke the alabaster box of very precious ointment.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- We must be willing to surrender ourselves for Christ, even if it means giving up our possessions and relationships.
- We will gain everything we have renounced, purified and transfigured, and a hundredfold, with persecution, if we give up for Christ.
- Our love for Jesus should be willing to count all things but loss for Him and drink in the fresh air of self-denial.