Sanctity And Service

Romans 12:1-2  I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  (2)  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

SANCTITY AND SERVICE

Text: Romans 12:1-2

"When the Titanic went down, a worthy woman took into the lifeboat, not her diamonds, but a bag of oranges. It will be very important, where we are going that we value the right things. Worship often makes us examine our luggage." (Leslie D. Weatherhead. Time For God. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1967, p. 50). How has our worship made us examine our luggage?

Christians cannot be transformed by default. That is an interesting term, "default". When we hear the term default, we usually tend to think about how a "failure" or a "lapse" of some kind has occurred. Default is the result of "neglect" or "delinquency". Many (if not all) of the answering machines that they make today have default message on them so that if the owner does not wish to record an "outgoing message" the machine will do one for you. It is called a default message. When it comes to worship, we have to put forth an effort because sincere worship does not happen by default.

The word "worship" comes from the words "worth + ship". Worship means adoration for our Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer---the Holy Trinity whom we seek to glorify and exalt.

Worship therefore involves the body, the mind and the will.

THE BODY

Do you remember what Paul says about being set free from a wretched sinful body of death? He mentions that in Romans 7:24.

1) Death analogy: Remember that Paul implies an analogy of how they would sometimes execute murderers by tying them to a corpse. That is indeed wretched.

2) Rap sheet: Who wants to be mastered by the power of sin and tortured by the guilt of sin as Satan constantly reminds you that you sinned and are not worthy of redemption of God’s redemption? Have you been delivered from that wretchedness yet? Or do you feel heavily burdened with the power of sin? How awesome is it that Jesus sets you free when you are truly penitent!

3) Caught: What did Jesus say the crew that was ready to stone the woman caught in adultery?

4)Scales: But, if we are honest with ourselves, don’t we still want to throw stones at other sinners? Don’t we hide the fact that we weigh and measure the sins of others while neglecting to apply the scales to ourselves? If God were to weigh every one of us on His scales we would be found wanting and wanting very badly (Daniel 5:27 paraphrased).

5) Disqualified: Jesus said “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone” (John 8:7). “They knew the thrill of exercising power to condemn; Jesus knew the thrill of exercising the power to forgive.” (Barclay). Immediately those legal experts and Pharisees were disqualified to throw rocks at another sinner and they went away one by one (John 8:9). That disqualification applies to you too! It also applies to me!

6) The Savior’s advice: What did Jesus say to that woman to the woman that was caught in adultery when they were ready to stone her? Jesus said “Go and sin no more!” Jesus didn’t say “Do your best.” No! Jesus said “Go and sin no more”.

7) Analogies: If you had been rescued from a burning house? Woud you turn around and walk right back in? Do you think that those that God rescued from Sodom and Gomorah would go back? (see Amos 4:11). Would you go back like a dog returning to his vomit? “Fools are famous for repeating their errors, like dogs are known to return to their vomit” (Proverbs 26:11 TPT). Do you know any fools like that? Have you ever been one of those fools?

8) Grace: We are saved only by God’s grace: Ephesians 2:8-9  For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  (9)  not by works, so that no one can boast (NIV).

What are we to do with this new found freedom?

Romans 12:1 gives us the answer. Isn’t presenting our bodies as living sacrifices that are pleasing to God and extension of the advice gave to go and sin no more? Someone paraphrased Romans 12:1 this way: I therefore beg of you, please, brethren, through the mercies of God, by a once for all presentation, to place your bodies at the disposal of God, a sacrifice, a living one, a holy one, well-pleasing, your rational, sacred service. (Kenneth S. Wuest. Greek Word Studies in New Testament). Would God be well pleased with the way that we present our bodies living sacrificially for Him?