We have all seen them – those pro-athletes who give an enthusiastic fist-pump at the completion of an impressive play. Like the quarterback, who gives the fist-pump after throwing the long touchdown pass. Or the pitcher, after serving up the three pitch strikeout. Or the golfer, who sinks the amazing sixty-five foot putt. Or the basketball player, who hits the half-court shot at the buzzer. With adrenalin surging, emotions out of control, a state of frenzied euphoria results in the animated fist-pump. And the crowd goes crazy!

What is it that pumps your fist? What is it that causes you to experience that adrenalin rush that results in the fist-pump of excitement?

For those of us who profess to be Christians, let me make the question a little more specific: “When was the last time you gave Jesus a fist-pump?” I realize that may sound a bit strange, but, humor me for a moment, and give this some serious thought.

To the Christian, Jesus Christ should be the most important person in the world. He should hold first place in all of our relationships,  in all of our endeavors, in all our ambitions, yes, in all of life. If I truly embrace the Biblical truth that I am to do everything I do to His glory, and my ultimate goal in life is to be conformed to His image, then He, and He alone, deserves every “fist pump” I ever give. He should bring more excitement and enthusiasm to life than any other person or thing.

In every relationship – husband/wife, parent/child, employer/employee, neighbor/neighbor, etc.; in every endeavor – education ambitions, career advancement, personal goals/objectives; in every activity – mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, writing that paper, preparing that presentation, etc. etc. In short, in EVERYTHING!

So how does that look? What does that entail? To put it as simply as possible, it looks like Romans 12:1-2. It is there that the Apostle Paul said, “Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” (HCSB)

We are admonished to give ourselves as living sacrifices. What a powerful image! In the Old Testament, God demanded of His people, Israel, that they offer dead sacrifices. It was the shedding of the blood of sacrificial animals that was required by the law. The emphasis was on the horrific consequences of sin – death – and the necessity of the shedding of blood for the atonement of that sin. The sacrificial animals, specifically the Passover Lamb which was offered at the feast of Passover, served as a graphic portrayal of God’s judgment against sin. And yet, the blood of that sacrificed animal served as an even more graphic portrayal of the fact that God had provided a means of providing atonement for His people.

The New Testament shows clearly that Jesus Christ fulfilled the requirements of the Passover Lamb, and thus died once for the sin of humanity. Thus, we no longer are required to offer blood sacrifices because Jesus, our High Priest, has entered the Holy of Holies with His own precious blood, securing once and for all, not atonement (the covering over of sin), but propitiation (the appeasement of God’s wrath toward sinful man). Therefore, God does not require a dead sacrifice, but rather a living sacrifice – each person who trusts the saving power of Jesus’ blood. That certainly deserves a fist-pump for Jesus, don’t you think?

So now, I show my fist-pump for Jesus by doing what I am instructed to do: give my body as a living sacrifice. I accomplish that by the renewing of my mind, taking upon myself the mind of Christ, as Paul teaches in Philippians 2. That means I no longer do what the world tells me to do, but rather I do what God’s Word tells me to do. I no longer look like the world, think like the world, act like the world, but I strive to follow the instructions of God’s word as it gives directions for life.

The conclusion of the matter is simply this: we are to give Jesus the fist-pump of our lives by giving our lives to Him. As we learn more of His will by searching His Word, we live our life according to His will, and that will result in our being able to “discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

Fellow Christian, fellow pilgrim passing through this earthly life, let’s give Jesus the fist-pump He deserves! Let’s give Him our lives as living sacrifices that He might use us for His glory.