Time 5

Romans 12:1

Last year several of us from church went caroling in area nursing homes. We weren’t the best of singers, but we sang with heart. It was wonderful to see the faces of so many people in these care facilities delighted to hear the familiar carols of the season.

We could have sent cards to these nursing homes. We could have purchased small gifts to be passed out to some of the residents. But instead we offered ourselves and our time and our efforts. We felt that this was in line with what Paul has to say in Romans.

What does Paul say we should do? Why should we do this? What are we doing when we offer ourselves as living sacrifices?

Our time of caroling was more than just a time of fellowship. It was more than a time of singing. It was more than a time of sharing the spirit of Christmas. By offering ourselves in this way we were worshiping God. We were living out what Paul spoke of.

This seems to be at the heart of the Christmas holiday. Many incorrectly believe the tradition of presents at Christmas comes from the fact that the Magi brought gifts to the baby Jesus. But really, the idea of giving gifts is based on the gift that God gave us.

Christmas celebrates the gift of Jesus, the baby born in Bethlehem who would grow to be a man. As a man Jesus offered his body as a living sacrifice for our salvation.

Just as we should reflect the selfless giving that God demonstrated with the birth of the Christ child, we should also reflect the whole purpose of Christmas. We should reflect the idea of the living sacrifice. This should be how we worship God.

As we celebrate Christmas we should be sure that our celebration is more than just the exchanging of expensive gifts. We should take time this holiday to give of ourselves. We can be living gifts, living sacrifices. And as we offer our time and efforts to benefit others we are worshiping God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you give the gift of sacrifice this holiday?

Costly Grace 4

Romans 12:1

If you say the word “Lent” to just about anyone the first thought that usually comes to mind is that this is a time of sacrifice, a time to give up something for 40 days. But if we see Lent as only that then we are only seeing part of the picture.

The idea of giving something up is an exercise in self-denial, a process of learning to put your focus not on human, material and temporary things, but instead on heavenly, spiritual things. But most people miss that second part.

Jesus said in Mark 8:34 that we are to deny ourselves – give up human desires – but in their place pick up the cross. This is the second half of the Lenten experience.

Lent is more than a time of sacrifice and giving up. It is a time of also taking on challenges. Once we are able to deny the human desires that are so strong in us, we can fill that void with spiritual endeavors.

Our 40-day journey to Easter is a time where we are confronted with the need for each of us as Christians to take on an attitude of costly grace. Costly grace is more than sacrificing those bits and pieces of life that are unnecessary anyway. Costly grace is taking on an attitude of holy giving, of living the way Jesus lived by investing ourselves completely and whole-heartedly in the work of God.

Costly grace means doing the work of Jesus in our society today. It means standing up against injustice. It means offering your whole self to the benefit of the needy, and to those who are spiritually empty, who need that relationship with God.

Paul has something to say about sacrifice and costly grace in his letter to the church in Rome. What should be our sacrifice? If we give our bodies as sacrifices, what holy act are we doing?

Notice that Paul says that our bodies should be “living sacrifices.” We are not simply to die for a good cause, but we are to live for the service of God. We are to act and do and perform works of mercy and compassion. In so doing we are worshiping God in our behavior, worshiping God in our very being.

Lent is more than an exercise in giving up. It is a lesson in taking on the life of a Christian, living out the love of God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: Where is your living sacrifice needed in the world around you?

Wave Offering 2

Romans 12:1-2

Our most recent Bible study spent some time discussing how to live within God’s will. We talked about the need for us as Christians to seek first what God wants from us, what He expects us to do. It is not always clear when we are trying to make decisions about our lives and our finances, our plans and our desires, what exactly would please and serve the Lord.

The solution is to pray. When deliberating on which way we should go and what we should do the best way to start is to pray to God and ask plainly for some indication of the direction we should head. We all agreed that we have each, at one time or another, felt some nudge this way or that and a sense of peace when we felt the decision was within God’s will.

In his letter to the Romans Paul offers some instruction. What does he urge? What attitude should we have? What is the result?

In looking at the offerings that can be made to God the most common thoughts turn to possessions. If we want to give something to God our first thoughts often turn to money or material items. I should allow God to have this much money. I will allow God to use my car for His service, or my tools.

We often overlook the best gift we can give to God. We forget that what God frequently needs most is us.

We are to offer ourselves as sacrifices – not necessarily laying down our lives in death to serve a holy cause – but to offer how we live and behave as an offering. If we can set our own selfish desires aside and we can resist the temptations of this world – temptations to fame, success, wealth – then we can transform ourselves into a holy offering to God. We can put God first in our lives, changing our attitude to one of intentionally living under God’s will, His influence and His teaching.

The best offering to God is an offering of yourself as a living sacrifice, one who obeys God and shares His love.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you be a living sacrifice?

Transformed 5

Romans 12:1-2

Whenever the term “peer pressure” is mentioned one of the most frequent thoughts is that of teen cultures. Young people are usually thought of as the people who must fight against the pressures of being like all the others, of fitting in. Do you have the right clothes and the right shoes? Do you like the right music?

But even Christians can face the struggles of peer pressure. It seems that there are more and more variations on Christian thought, more and more watered down beliefs. There seems to be an increase in attitudes of good behavior being “good enough” to be acceptable, and even earn us a spot in heaven.

In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul is addressing people who are attempting to live out a new faith, a new way of believing and worshipping. They were also a people being persecuted by their society. The pressure to conform, to become like everyone else and take part in acceptable societal practices must have been great.

What does Paul urge? What are we NOT to do? What are we to do? What benefit is there in that?

The life of a true, believing Christian is not always easy. It is tempting to fall in with society and go along with what is popular, what is current and acceptable. In a dog-eat-dog world it is tempting to try to be one of the dogs and not a lamb of God. Setting yourself apart and standing up for your convictions can make you a target for much criticism.

But, as Christians, we need to not conform to the world – that is, go along with what is comfortable and acceptable. Instead we are to be transformed – that is, we should allow our faith to change us. The deeper we go in our faith, the stronger we become. And the deeper we go in faith, the easier it will become to understand (“test and approve”) God’s will for us and the world.

The concept of sacrifice often conjures up an image of a single act, but we are called to be living sacrifices. We are to live each day as devoted Christians, faithful believers trying to live out the teaching of Christ. This is our spiritual act of worshipping God.

DAILY CHALLENGE: How can you work to be transformed?