The Pleasing Aroma of Living Worship
Text: Romans 12:1-2
In Genesis 8, we see the life of Noah, a man noted by God as “a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God”. Noah was a man of God in the corrupt days and world in which he lived. He fearfully obeyed God in building a great ark that would rescue him and his family from the destroying flood. In chapter 8 we see Noah coming out of the ark 377 days after the flood began. When Noah came out of the ark, he did something very significant: “Noah built an altar to the Lord..” His first act was to build an altar of worship to the Lord and offer some animals as burnt offerings. Noah did this to express thanksgiving and worship to the Lord Almighty. Genesis 8:21 says “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma..” Was it that the Lord was pleased by the aroma of a burning animal? No. It was more so that the Lord was pleased by Noah’s heart of worship and his offering of worship to Him.
Later in the Old Testament we see where God had commanded Israel to offer burnt offerings in their worship as a pleasing aroma to the Lord. The offering was laid across the altar, fire consumed it and the pleasing aroma reached heaven—and God was pleased.
Today, in the age of the Church, as believers, we are not called to offer burnt offerings of animals. We are not to bring a sacrifice—but now WE ARE the sacrifice. We now offer ourselves, our lives as sacrifices unto God. In doing so, there is a pleasing aroma that reaches the throne of God far greater than any animal sacrifice. This aroma is lifted up through believers who will allow their total life to be an offering of worship; whose lives are on God’s altar and consumed with holy fire. They cry out from their innermost being: MAY MY LIFE BE WORSHIP TO YOU LORD! MAY MY LIFE BRING GLORY TO YOUR NAME!!!
Through the words of Paul we will learn of the Pleasing Aroma of Living Worship.
Where does this “pleasing aroma” come from? How does it come?
I. The pleasing aroma of living worship comes from the life completely offered up to God.
Paul says in verse 1 “I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to OFFER your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God…”
In view of the mercy they received from God, Paul calls them to offer their bodies-their lives-their all to God as a LIVING SACRIFICE.
Dead animals won’t do it anymore. WHY? The Perfect Sacrifice—the Lamb of God—Jesus was offered on the cross.
Our sacrifice is living—it is to be constant, moment by moment—every day—not some days, some months or certain holidays.
God demands a life that is fully consecrated—fully separated to Him for His pleasure and purpose.
He demands a life that is totally given over to Him—offered up to Him in surrender and obedience to His will an His way.
God is calling for lives that will be lived as a daily expression of worship to Him.
This means a life that will worship Him in all of our actions, our attitudes, our motives, our words, our thoughts—everything.
Across our heart and life should read the words: “TO THE GLORY OF GOD”!
Our bodies—our lives –are to be offered as “holy and pleasing to God..”
Paul spoke in a day when immorality and perversion was all around. He spoke in a day of loose morals and ungodliness—not only in the world—but also in the Church.
Paul preached a message of complete commitment to God and His holiness.
Paul boldly called for bodies and lives to be given over to the will of God—not the ways of this evil age.
LISTEN TO THIS CALL IN ROMANS 6:11-13
Notice, Paul says “Count yourselves dead to sin…do not let sin reign in your mortal bodies…Do not offer the parts of your body to sin..”
Then what does he say in verse 19: “..Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness, SO NOW OFFER THEM IN SLAVERY TO RIGHTEOUSNESS LEADING TO HOLINESS”.
He was saying “Just as you used to live your life for sin and wickedness-and offered your body and life to ungodly ways—NOW offer your life completely to God—be a slave to righteousness—being made holy before God.”
This goes beyond the physical body—it goes beyond the outward parts. God calls us to offer every part of us in worship and obedience to Him.
Paul said “this is your spiritual act of worship”.
Worship is not just a Sunday and Wednesday activity—it is not a song and dance. It is more than singers, drums and tambourines. WORSHIP IS LIVING LIFE ABANDONED TO GOD EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! THIS IS THE ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP!!
Jesus said the greatest commandment was : "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”.
It is to love the Lord completely--- inwardly and outwardly.
It is to worship Him beginning in our heart and spirit and mind—but also with our lifestyle. HOLINESS STARTS FROM THE INSIDE AND WORKS OUTWARDLY!!!
As we offer ourselves completely to follow Him, love Him and do His will—our lives release a sweet aroma that brings God pleasure and glory!!!
II. The pleasing aroma of living worship comes from the life that is divorced from the world.
To be divorced means to be “separated, severed, or broke away from”.
To live for Christ and to live a live of living worship unto God—one must be divorced (separated) from the ways, the desires and passions of this world.
WE CANNOT BE A LOVER OF GOD AND A LOVER OF THE WORLD!!
WE MUST CLING TO THE ONE AND RENOUNCE THE OTHER!!
In verse 2 Paul, under the authority and inspiration of the Holy Spirit commands “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but b transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
First, he calls us to not “conform to the pattern of this world”.
We are not to play the game of the world, or buy in to its ways and thoughts and ungodly philosophies. WE MUST NOT RESEMBLE THE WORLD IN OUR LIVES!!!
Believers in Christ must not make the world the pattern for living and lifestyle.
The ways of God and the ways of the world are in complete opposition. The world despises all that is godly and holy.
We must despise all that is sinful and impure.
The pleasing aroma will never come from a life compromised with sin.
We are called to be conformed to a greater glory: Romans 8:29 “For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of HIS SON”!!
The Church, all followers of Jesus, are called to resemble the likeness of Christ. THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR THE CHRISTIAN!!!
As we grow closer to Christ, the world will begin to become less and less attractive. We will begin to lose the desire for worldly ways.
We will hunger for holiness—hunger to become more and more like the Master.
He is to be our pattern—our model—our blueprint.
We are to not only conform to the world but also “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”.
Before Christ as Lord, our minds were stained and ruled by all that is sinful, wrong and worldly. It was a mind controlled by the sin nature.
But now in Christ, our minds must be renewed. This comes as we consistently pour ourselves into the Word of God—hiding the Word in our heart and seeking His Presence and will in prayer.
The Holy Spirit in us begins to change our thinking and mindsets and transforms our lives toward godliness and righteousness.
We will live in the manner in which our mind is influenced. If our mind is set on the things of God—we will offer a life dedicated to God. If our mind is set on sin—we will be devoted to sin.
Romans 8:6 “The mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace”.
A life of living worship will be separated from the influence and ways of an ungodly society—and fully bound to the ways of Jesus Christ.
III. The pleasing aroma of living worship comes from the life that knows and obeys the will of God.
Verse 2 “Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will”.
Notice Paul says “Then”. Only after one has offered himself as a living sacrifice, refused to conform to the pattern of this world and being transformed in their mind can he/she know the perfect will of God.
You cannot know God’s will and plan until your life has been given into His hands and under His Lordship.
“To test and approve” is to discern and know what His will is—what He requires.
Ephesians 5:17 “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is”. God wants us to know His will, understand and follow completely.
As our life is conformed to the likeness of Christ and our minds are being renewed—particularly through the Word and prayer—we will be able to discern what He requires and humbly obey it.
We can know His will by studying and obeying His Word and seeking Him in prayer.
OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S WILL IS NOT OPTIONAL FOR THE BELIEVER. IT IS A MANDATE. HEAVEN WILL BE HAD ONLY BY THOSE WHO LOVED HIM TO DO HIS WILL.
For anyone who does not feel they need to listen and heed His Word, listen to these words of Jesus: “Not everyone who says to Me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but ONLY he who DOES THE WILL of my Father who is in heaven”.
The true servant of Christ will offer living worship and a pleasing aroma to the Lord as they wholeheartedly commit to His will and His ways.
ANY WORSHIP TO GOD THAT IS OFFERED WITHOUT OBEDIENCE TO HIS WILL IS LIKE A ROTTEN STENCH IN HIS NOSTRILS AND REJECTED BY HIM!!!
