Be Living Sacrifices
September 14, 2003 • By Ed Wrather
SW09.14.03am
Romans 12:1-2.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your
reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. - Romans 12:1-2.
INTRO: We are fortunate in the USA to have so many dedicated self-sacrificing
health professionals.
1. Whenever I am around them I marvel at their dedication and the number of
hours they work each week.
2. Every day while I was hospitalized the doctor made it back by to see how
his patient was doing even on the weekend and even on a holiday.
(1. Most days his nurse practitioner would be by as well to keep up
with my progress.
3. One evening we had waited until 10pm and the doctor had not yet come by.
My wife decided she would go to the waiting room down the hall and
find something to eat.
(1.
Dr. Zuerker saw her leaving and joked,
“You gave up on me didn’t
you?”
4. We talked with two older nurses that shared they had been working as
nurses for forty years.
5. After having experienced their care and level of expertise I could only be
amazed that they were still working and had such joy in their work and
not talking of retirement.
6. A much younger nurse said at the mention of the older nurses having forty
years of service,
“forty years?” “Forty years?” “I can’t do this
for forty years, its too hard.”
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7. I know I couldn’t do it for forty years either because it seemed to be an
extremely difficult way to make a living.
8. What made the difference between the older nurses and the younger nurses?
9. They didn’t say but reading between the lines it appears to be a sense of
calling along with a desire to serve; a sense of self-sacrifice. A
willing ness to sacrifice. Even a joy in sacrifice.
10. The two older nurses had an understanding of sacrifice because to still
be working in such a difficult profession they would have needed to
make many sacrifices.
(1. It is this type of sacrifice, and all consuming sacrifice of our
lives that the apostle Paul was speaking of in Romans 12:1.
11. Of course, we will face periods of discouragement even when we love our
career or profession. Paul was using it in terms of living our lives
as children of God.
I. I like that the apostle uses the term “reasonable.” It is only reasonable
that we experience some sacrifices in living the Christian life
because
(1. - we have the example of our Lord giving the greatest sacrifice
of all.
1. Any sacrifice that I can make or that you can make pales in comparison to
that of our Lord Jesus.
(1. Who suffered and died on the cross taking the weight of all sins
past, present, and future upon Himself.
(2. As Paul writes in
2 Corinthians 5:21, “For He made Him who knew
no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of
God in Him.”
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2. In light of the sacrifice of our Lord - whatever sacrifice or sacrifices
we may make with our lives in living our the Christian life is
only
“reasonable.”
3. Whenever we feel discouraged in our careers, or professions, or jobs I
believe it would help us to remember that our entire lives should be lived
out in sacrifice to our Lord.
4. Our lives should be
“living sacrifice(s),” “holy,” and
“acceptable” -
uncomformed (
Romans 12:2a) to this world.
5. Our lives should be a living sacrifice to the extent that it causes others
looking at our lives to pause and marvel at our level of dedication
and service. At our sacrifice.
6. In the marveling there should be something that will indicate that we
belong to God and this is the reason for our sacrifice bringing glory to Him.
7. I do not know whether the two older nurses were Christians but I pray that
they are - they appeared to be Christians in the way they were living
their lives.
(1. If they had mentioned their faith in Christ I would have readily
understood their sacrifice.
8. Let us always be willing not only to live our faith out through our
sacrifices but also through our verbal testimony whenever and wherever we
may have the opportunity (I am preaching to myself again!).
9. The apostle also wrote in the book of Romans:
“For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for
everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Romans 1:16).”Page 4
(1. Which is very similar to what Paul writes in
2 Corinthians 5:20.
Just prior to Paul saying,
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be
sin for us” -
1. Paul said,
“Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as
though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be
reconciled to God.”
10. Paul says he is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Not only is
he not ashamed of the Gospel - Paul says he and we are ambassadors for
Christ - He says,
“we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to
God.”
II. Paul says he is not ashamed - Have you ever been ashamed of the Gospel of
Christ?
1. Maybe it wasn’t anything you said. Most likely it wasn’t anything you
said but what you didn’t say that indicates how ashamed you were of your Lord.
2. You ran into someone down here at the store you knew you should invite to
church but you couldn’t bring yourself to do it.
(1. Or, it may have been a the post office that a friend, neighbor
came in at the same time
(2. but instead of grabbing the opportunity you chose to
remain silent and wait for another time to invite them to church or share
your testimony of how much Christ really means to you.
3. Silence is not the only way that indicate our being ashamed of the Gospel
although it is a close partner.
4. Think about Peter. Why Peter? Remember the rooster crowing? The denying of Christ three times?
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5. Not only did Peter deny Christ but he also tried to cover up that he was a
disciple of Jesus by the language he used.
(1.
Matthew 26:73-75, And a little later those who stood by came up
and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech
betrays you." Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not
know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the
word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will
deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.
6. Have you ever done what Peter did? You try to cover up that you are a
Christian by acting like a Christian wouldn’t act or by cursing and swearing
hoping they will not realize you are a Christian?
7. The fact is that our lives cannot be a living sacrifice if we are ashamed
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Don’t fool yourself!
III. Instead of being ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the apostle Paul
makes it clear that the opposite should be the case.
1. Instead of hiding, or disguising your faith you should go beyond being
just a mere spokesperson for Christ or sometime representative of Christ.
(1. No, God expects us to do what is only
“reasonable” concerning the
great sacrifice of our Lord and become His ambassador.
(2. Just as Matthew wrote in the beatitudes we need to take the
bucket off the top of the candle and let it shine.
1. Let your faith shine like a city set on a hill all lit up
at night.
2. Let’s look at those two verses in
2 Corinthians 5:20-21 again, Now then,
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through
us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made
Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
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3. The dictionary says of this word
“ambassador” -
A diplomatic official of
the highest rank appointed and accredited as representative in
residence by one government or sovereign to another, usually for a
specific length of time.
4. In each country with which the United States has full diplomatic relations
there is an ambassador from our country to that country.
(1. An ambassador is of the highest rank - there is no higher
representative of our country in another country then an ambassador.
5. Since the beginning of our country it has been a prestigious thing to be
an ambassador from this country to another.
(1. Relatively few people have actually had the opportunity to serve
as an ambassador of the United States of America.
6. We live in a great country but if you know Christ as your Savior your real
citizenship has already been transferred literally out of this world
and into the Kingdom of Heaven.
7. Paul writes in
Philippians 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven,
from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who
will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious
body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all
things to Himself.” - our citizenship is in heaven. Paul is proud of his Roman citizenship. But prouder of his citizenship in Heaven.
8. Not only are you an ambassador you are a representative of the greatest
Kingdom of all. Your Lord and Master is the King of kings, and
the Lord of lords.
9. You are a privileged person! You are a blessed person! You have been
given a position of great honor!
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10. When an ambassador from the United States of America visits the
government of another country - do you think that ambassador speaks with
fear?
(1. Do you think that ambassador tries to hide his credentials? Do
you think that ambassador tries to cover up by word or deed that they are
from the United States?
(2. Do you think that ambassador bows down before another countries’
leaders?
Never! Never! Never! Never! Never!
11. And neither should you, friend, in representing the Kingdom of Heaven.
(1. When serving as an ambassador it is time to present your
credentials.
(2. Let them know who you are; what you are; and Whom you represent.
12. Have no fear of them in the world (
1 John 4:4) - because you are an
ambassador of the greatest of all - with the full force and authority of all
of Heaven standing behind every word you say, and everything you do.
If you are speaking and acting in the Name of Jesus.
13. The fact is that our lives cannot be a living sacrifice if we are ashamed
of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
(1. If you are not willing to be true ambassador from Heaven above to
earth below. Don’t fool yourself!
(2. Unless you are willing to stand up and speak up for the Lord
Jesus your life is not a living sacrifice. Don’t fool yourself!
IV.
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1. It happened the last night of my stay in the hospital about 1am.
CODE
BLUE ROOM ### The person in the room across the hall was dead.
2. They tried to revive him but it was too late and death had come. Jeanie
had spoken with the family a few times and enjoyed visiting with them.
(1. I never met them because I was all tied down in my bed and unabl
e to even make it to the door way without help.
3. But I had heard the family visiting across the hall. I had heard them
laughing and enjoying each other’s company. They sounded much like my own
family when we all are able to get together.
4. But now the laughter was replaced by tears, sobs. Those sobs seemed to go
on forever. I wanted to get up and extend some comfort. I wondered
where the chaplain was.
(1. All I could do was pray - and so I prayed, and prayed, and prayed
until finally about 3:30am the sobbing finally stopped.
5. My nurse shared with me a few minutes later that the chaplain was delayed
by more bad news somewhere else before arriving at our hospital.
(1. After arriving home I read of another person who had also died
that same day in that same hospital. Most likely there were others who
died as well.
6. Do you remember the death and resurrection of Lazarus?
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“Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not
have died." Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came
with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He
said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to Him, "Lord, come and see."
Jesus wept (John 11:32-35).” 7. Lazarus too came from a good family. It was a family that enjoyed getting
together with some friends and having a good time laughing and
talking with each other.
(1. But in spite of the goodness of the family - death had still
visited them.
8. As the Psalmist asks,
“What man can live and not see death? Can he deliver
his life from the power of the grave?” 9. The fact is that unless the Lord comes in the clouds soon we will all see
death (
Hebrews 9:27). Is there any person, in all the world that can deliver
themselves from death, from the power of the grave?
10. I searched to find how old the oldest person was when they died but could
not find the record for sure. I did see several people lived into
their 120s.
11. We know people are living longer these days and I’ve personally known of
some people who lived beyond 100 years of age.
(1. There is apparently a couple that was actually married 100 years
before the husband died.
12. I’ve never heard of anyone living into their 150s in modern times. We do
know that life can to some extent be extended by good diets, miraculous
medicines, and the grace of God.
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13. We also know that in the Bible in the book of Genesis there were several
people who lived long lives. Methuselah was the longest lived
person of all. The Bible says,
“So all the days of Methuselah were nine
hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died.” (1. What happened to all these long lived people? They
died.
14. We need to remember that we need a Savior - the world needs a Savior. We
cannot save ourselves. We need to remember that unless the rapture
occurs we shall all die.
(1. But the Good News is that we have a Savior who is supernaturally
able to give us eternal life. As Jesus said to Martha,
“I
am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though
he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me
shall never die (John 11:25-26).”
15. Jesus then asks Martha the key question for her and for you,
“Do you
believe this?” I’ll ask you,
“Do you believe this?”
16. The apostle Paul writes of the mechanics of salvation in
Romans 10 where
he says beginning in verse nine,
“that if you confess with your
mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him
from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto
righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (verses
9-10). For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved
(verse 13).”
17. Friends, none of us will make it out of this world without our physical
bodies dying. How long before our family hears something similar
to what I heard just a few short days ago?
18.
CODE BLUE ROOM ### CODE BLUE ROOM ### Isn’t it time to call on the name of the Lord?
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19. Isn’t it time that we become the living sacrifices that we ought to be
and begin living like we are unashamed of our Savior?
20. Isn’t it time that we become the Ambassadors for Christ that we were
intended to be?
21. If we are not going to do it now when will we? Tomorrow, next week, next
month, next year?
(1. When do think the Lord would want you to begin really living like
a Christian? Being a living sacrifice, unashamed of the Gospel - an
Ambassador for Christ.
22. When - would the Lord have you to begin living like you know you ought to
live? Isn’t the answer today?
Right now?
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