Living Sacrifices

With our text from Romans today we have transitioned out of Paul’s theological discussion and are now beginning to read his discussion of how God’s people put that theology – their faith – into action. I suggest that we read these instructions differently than the early Christians did. We have the great cloud of witnesses that listened to Paul and lived their lives as best they could according to Paul’s instructions. But, we also live in a much different world than the early Christians. It was a world of much greater hardship and violence than our world. It was a world where people learned to rely on others in their own families and close associates. Our society emphasizes the individual. You do not need others around you – in fact you are called to, “Pull yourself up by your boot-straps.” But that only leads to loneliness, resentment, and anger. Feelings that can explode with devastating consequences as we see almost on a daily basis. Paul calls us to live a life in community. That community is the body of Christ with Jesus at the head.

In these instructions Paul does not start out with the easy tasks we are called to do. Instead, he starts out at the end. He calls us to present our bodies as living sacrifices. This is in contrast to the old ways of religion. His reference to sacrifices would bring to mind either the sacrifices offered in Jerusalem by Jews, or the countless sacrifices offered to the plethora of gods at the many various temples that fill any Roman city. Paul is reminding Christians that we are to live differently than this. Our lives are to be given to God. This is not new to you. You have heard it said many times by myself and others. Unfortunately, it is something that we tend to forget. I suppose that is where sin is found. When we forget that God has made us, given us all that we have, and, despite our unworthiness, given us eternal hope, we start believing all the forces around us who try to convince os that we deserve all we have and much more because of who we are. But then, they are only trying to get you to give up those things that God has given you for false imitations of God’s gifts so they can live in the bounty of God’s gifts. If you are honest with yourself, you will note that many of the difficult times in your life are precisely those times when you were most selfish. They may even have been the times when you felt most alone.

God does not call us to be alone. God calls us into community – a whole body. This fact can be lost in some of the language about faith. The talk about “accepting Jesus as your personal savior,” or when people say they can worship God anywhere. These are not true statements. Our savior has chosen us, and calls us to gather together to praise God. As stated above, all this talk about individuals would not be understood by the early Christians. Remember how the first Christians tried to live together sharing all that they had. We do not know how long this community lasted. We do know that, like all human communities, they had difficulties and struggles. There have been many communities that followed who tried to live as the first Christians did. One of them was down the river – the Harmony Society. Their community is now an historical site.

While we do not choose to live as the first Christians did, we still are called to live as the body of Christ. We have not always done so. We have not always treated each other as God has treated us. We have not lived our lives as living sacrifices to God. Yet, we are still loved and cared for by God. We have squandered our inheritance upon our own desires. We have grieved God by our selfish lives. Yet God still showers God’s love upon us, provides for us, and watches over us. In thanks for all that God has given to you, present yourselves as living sacrifices. Use your gifts for the building up of the body of Christ. Flavor the world with God’s love. Your gift does not have to be earth-shattering. It just needs to be from the hope and faith Jesus has filled you with.