_A living sacrifice_. That is in contrast with the dead offering of
the Old Testament sacrifice. Suppose for a moment that it would have
been possible for an offering to have been presented in the Old
Testament times and then after that for it to have lived again; it is
inconceivable that this offering would have been put to any unholy use.
I have many times tried to imagine the surprise of the son of the widow
of Nain and the daughter of Jairus after their being raised from the
dead. They certainly could not have lived selfish, sinful lives again,
and I am sure that Lazarus when once he had been in the grave and was
raised at the voice of the Master could never again have been worldly
and unclean. But let it not be forgotten that we are a risen people;
we were crucified with Christ, we died with Christ, we were buried with
Christ, we have risen with Christ! How then ought we to live?
In one of our western cities a minister told me recently of a young man
who had graduated at a school for stammerers and came to see him one
day. Keeping time with his fingers in the use of his words he said
slowly:
"I--want--to--speak--to--you." Without following his method of speech
through I will quote what he said: "I have for a long time wanted to be
a Christian and was ashamed to attempt to speak when it was so
imperfectly done, but now I have graduated and I have the control in
part at least of my speech, and I have come to you to-day to make my
confession, for the first use I make of my voice must be the confession
of him who loved me and gave himself for me."