Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
Philippians 2:17 NKJV
Upon reading this Scripture a few years ago, I was really intrigued as to what Paul meant by ‘being poured out as a drink offering’. I understood that various sacrifices and offerings were made to God in the Old Testament, but I was under the impression that these sacrifices had all ceased when Jesus offered Himself as the final perfect atoning sacrifice for sin. I also understood that Jesus was the ultimate ‘drink offering’ because He willingly poured out His blood for us. Leviticus 17:11 tells us that the life of the flesh is in the blood. The bible also tells us that the blood of Jesus was shed for us, to redeem us (Ephesians 1:7); to justify us (Romans 5:9); to cleanse us (1 John 1:7); to sanctify us (Hebrews 13:12); and to bring us near to God (Ephesians 2:13).
Because we function as a kingdom of priests under the New Covenant, this means that we can still willingly offer sacrifices to God, but these are spiritual in nature.
You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 2:5 NKJV
Spiritual sacrifices include things like prayer and intercession, fasting for others, as well as using our time and our resources to do good and help others. A sacrifice will always cost us something. Let me offer some examples: we may sacrifice sleep in order to pray and intercede for a brother or sister in Christ who needs prayer. We may sacrifice our time in order to meet with and encourage another believer who may be going through a hard time. We may sacrifice food in order to fast for someone according to God’s revealed will and purposes. This may look different from person to person based upon what the Lord has asked of them.
In a nutshell, ‘being poured out as a drink offering’ means that we willingly choose to live a life of continual spiritual sacrifices, from a place of Christ like love. Jesus was the ultimate ‘drink offering’ and He set the pattern for all of us to follow. He willingly lay down His life for us:
By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1 John 3:16 NKJV
This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
John 15:12-13 NKJV
I used to wonder how we could lay down our lives for our friends. I thought the meaning was literal, but God has since then helped me understand this Scripture correctly. Laying down our lives for our friends means living a life of sacrifice. It means cultivating the same ‘Lamb nature’ as Jesus – which is one of meekness, purity, and a life laid down in sacrifice.
We know that Jesus willingly gave Himself as the atoning sacrifice for sin, however He also showed us how to offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. When Jesus walked on the earth with His disciples, He went around doing good, seeking His Father’s will (John 5:30), and spending time in prayer (sometimes through the night – Luke 6:12). Scripture tells us that Jesus was moved with compassion for people, and in His love for them, He healed them (Matthew 20:34/14:14), cleansed them (Mark 1:41), fed them (Matthew 15:32), and raised the dead (Luke 7:13-15).
The apostle Paul followed this same pattern of loving others and putting their needs before his own, as we can see from the following scriptures:
I thank God, whom I serve with a pure conscience, as my forefathers did, as without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day.
2 Timothy 1:3 NKJV
So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us.
1 Thessalonians 2:8 NKJV
Night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith.
1 Thessalonians 3:10 NKJV
Perhaps as you read this message, you too would like to be poured out as a drink offering. God will never put pressure on anyone to do anything, instead He patiently waits for those who willingly offer themselves to Him. If you let Him know that you have a willing heart and willing hands, He will reveal His perfect will for you to do. He will teach you how to be poured out as a drink offering for the good of others. Thank You precious Jesus.
Until next time – Goodbye and God bless.