Last week we heard the call of Almighty God to stand in awe of his majesty and glory—to gaze in wonder and amazement at his goodness and mercy that extends even to sinners—but to also look with fear and trembling at his righteous judgment over sin.
This week we hear that this awe that we feel in our heart when it comes to the goodness and might of God will show up in our lives in two ways: in words of praise for who God is and what he has done-- and in good works that God equips and empowers us to do for others—so that our entire lives are offered up to God as living sacrifices.
These words that we hear today from the apostle Paul are an excellent corrective to the false teaching that equates faith with mere knowledge—that because we know the details of Jesus’ life or because we know some theological terms that we are believers.
BUT THAT IS NOT FAITH! The devil knows all the details about Jesus and is in hell and will remain there. What we learn today from God’s inspired, inerrant Word is that a true and living faith in Jesus (which stands in awe of the goodness and might of God) is readily seen in a person’s life—in what we say and do. Paul wrote:
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
These words of praise from the apostle Paul come at the end of eleven chapters of very carefully laying out God’s salvation of sinners. Paul wrote about mankind’s sin and God’s gift of a Son. He wrote about God’s verdict of “not guilty” spoken upon all of those who believe in Jesus and the difference that makes in our lives. He wrote about the freedom that we have in Christ and God’s promise that no matter how bad things get- -he is working all things for our good and that he has always planned to bless us.
Paul’s Spirit-inspired response to all that he had just recounted were these words of praise that we just read—praising God for the riches of his grace and his wisdom and knowledge that had been perfectly ordering the affairs of the entire world so that we can be saved.
How can a Christian do any less than praise God and extol his saving name when we consider that God has known us and loved us from eternity—planned for our salvation—given his Son into death—and perfectly ordered our life so that we would come to faith and remain in faith unto our life’s end! How is it possible for someone to truly believe this and remain silent in their praise of God? It is not possible!
Far, far from ever doubting God- or questioning his ways-or standing in judgment of how he has accomplished our salvation—all we can do is join the apostle Paul in praising and glorifying God for his greatness and goodness that extends even to us.
All that God has done for us is, from beginning to end, a pure gift from the hands of a loving God without any merit or worthiness on our part—apart from anything we have ever done or ever could do. Our life, our salvation, our eternal future -are due to God’s grace alone and to him be the glory forever and forever!
IT IS BECAUSE all that we are- and all that we have- and all that we hope to be- flow from his mighty and merciful hands- that we can then offer back to God what he has already given to us—our very lives, body and soul as a living sacrifice. Paul wrote:
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. 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.
Just as it is impossible for us to remain silent when gazing in awe at the mercy and judgment of God, so it is impossible for us to withhold anything from him—including our own lives. No sacrifice of ours is too great for our Savior who gave himself for us!
When we really understand and believe that our life, our salvation, our eternal future is a gift of God’s grace—that all that we have and are and hope for exists only because of him—how can we not devote ourselves wholly to his service in whatever place he calls us -in whatever manner he chooses for us?
The Christian stands at the foot of the cross in faith and says to God: from this moment on-- my life—cleansed and sanctified and made whole by the bloody sacrifice of your Son Jesus—now belongs to you-- and I offer it up to you in thanksgiving for all that you have given me.
This- is- the- only- possible –response- of a heart that truly believes in Jesus --and it is completely different than what we see in the world around us and completely different from those who are only posing as Christians but are hypocrites.
The world around us tells to put ourselves first—to live for ourselves. False Christians tells us that God exists to serve us and give us what our flesh desires.
But the child of God knows nothing of these lies! We have been utterly and completely transformed by the goodness of God in Christ and we have a brand new way of thinking about our own lives.
We no longer see ourselves as standing at the center of the universe, masters of our own destiny, bowing to no will but our own. But now we bow the knee to the God who, from everlasting to everlasting, has known us and loved us and destined us to be his own precious children and we gladly acknowledge him as our sovereign king.
We do this—not out of fear—not out of compulsion—not out of a desire to get something from God or manipulate God—but we offer our lives to God out of love and thankfulness for what he has already done for us—ready to do his perfect, fatherly will—discovering moment by moment and situation by situation—that living by God’s design really is the only way to a meaningful life here on earth.
Marriages endure the test of time because Christian couples submit to one another—husbands loving their wives and wives respecting their husbands. Friendships and families are blessed because they stand ready to forgive and be forgiven. We discover that God really is able to provide for us as even as we give generously back to him in tithes and offerings.
We are at peace in their souls because we don’t carry around a burden of worries and anxieties and guilt—and on and on it goes—stepping out in faith according to God’s will—rejoicing in the gifts that he has given us. Paul wrote:
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
A big part of being transformed by the renewing of our mind- and living according to God’s will- involves humility—seeing the truth about ourselves. Far from being lifted up by pride at the blessings we have as Christians, we are humbled by the blessings we have been given.
The prideful person looks to themselves, believing they are the source of their blessings-- but the humble person looks to God and knows that they do not even have a next heartbeat apart from his will. This is why pride is incompatible with saving faith. We know that there is nothing that we possess—not even the smallest part of life—that did not come from God’s almighty and generous hands. But interestingly enough, humility is also the reason why we can be honest in acknowledging our gifts and abilities.
We know that we are not the source of them—God is—and so we are free to acknowledge that we have this or that blessing—this or that ability—and give God the glory for it—and see that gift or ability NOT as a monument to ourselves and our hard work and our efforts-- but as a way to serve others and do good for the church and bring glory to God. Paul wrote:
For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
As little room as there is for prideful boasting in our lives—so is there no room for prideful comparisons between ourselves and other believers. God has uniquely equipped each of us to serve in a particular place and time and way in the church that no one else can fill --and so each believer is needed and valued in the church.
None more necessary than another. None more important than another. But each of us is important to the life of the church and the welfare of our fellow believers.
To illustrate this, Paul uses an example that is common to his letters—that of a single body with many parts—each of them playing a vital role for the whole body—each of them connected to one another.
That is the truth about Jesus and those who are a part of him by faith. Not only are we a valuable part of him—but also of one another. And so not only do we serve one another- but we care for another as Christians because we are a part of one another. Paul wrote:
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
God’s grace not only reached out to us and made us a part of his people through faith in Christ—but his grace bestowed upon each of us particular gifts that are to be used to build up the church -and serve others -and bring glory to God.
Paul mentions gifts of serving and teaching and giving and leading and helping and preaching. This list is not exhaustive by any means but just a few of the gifts that God’s gives to us for the sake of others, to be used to his glory.
You will also notice that there is nothing miraculous in these gifts that God gives—nothing that requires super-human effort on our part-- but only a Spirit-filled desire to use the gifts that God has given us.
And so in closing today, let me ask you: How has God gifted you? What gifts and abilities and skills and interests do you have—AND—just as importantly--how are you using them to serve those around you- and bring glory to God- and build up this congregation?
WE are the living sacrifices that God desires- and he has redeemed us and gifted us for that purpose. And so just as concretely as we know what financial gift we will put in the offering plate this morning—each of us should have a ready answer for what we do as individual members to benefit the whole body of Christ in this congregation.
Standing in awe of the goodness and mercy and righteousness of God—we are called by God to serve him with lips of praise and lives of service-to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, using our God-given gifts to serve others. Amen.
