JOHN SHIRK – Samuel confronted King Saul with these words in First Samuel 15:22. “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.”

The voice of the LORD had told Saul to destroy everything that belongs to the Amalekites.  But Saul and his army spared the best of the sheep and cattle.  He tried to justify his actions by telling Samuel that he had in mind to sacrifice them to the LORD.  That is the context of Samuel’s words, “To obey is better than sacrifice.” 

Today, Christians don’t follow the sacrificial system of the Old Testament because Jesus fulfilled the law by becoming our sacrifice once and for all.  Yet, we can still apply this verse into our lives through the various ceremonies and practices of the church.  Baptism and communion would be empty rituals without an obedient heart to God.  However, when love motivates us to obey the Lord, baptism and communion reflect a transformed heart that seeks to know Jesus.

That’s today’s Mission Statement for representing Jesus in the world today.

John Shirk

john@wjtl.com