Romans 11:33-12:8

Living Sacrifice

            Practice makes perfect. It was the phrase I heard over and over again in all areas of life. If you were going to become good at something, you had to practice. You had to put in the time to learn what you needed to learn, to be able to do what you needed to do. No one in their right mind would show up to a competition for something they’ve never done before, as if you’re just going to pick it up in the five seconds before you perform. It doesn’t matter if it’s sports, music, dance, school, work, or any other subject, practice makes perfect. You have to mess up first. You have to fight through the embarrassment of being terrible before you can ever be good. You have to practice your skills and hone them in order to improve. It’s the same thing for our faith. You don’t become a Christian and suddenly know everything you need to do. It takes practice, learning, and messing up first before you begin to build the muscle memory to swing for the fence on a regular basis. If only I could tell you the number of times I’ve heard Christians ask me about how to become better at witnessing, or how to be better at reading the bible, or anything that a Christian ought to do, then you might eventually see the pattern. Practice makes perfect. If you want to act and behave like a Christian, then you ought to practice first. You better be willing to toughen it out through the mess ups, the embarrassments, the hours of learning necessary to build those skills and “muscles”. Don’t expect a quick tutorial or a shortcut. Practice makes perfect.

            For we’re diving into our Epistle reading today as Paul makes an impassioned plea to his fellow believers to live just as we believe. Yes, faith and life only work when it’s hand in hand. Thus, if we want our life to reflect our faith, then maybe we need to learn this first:

BY GOD’S GRACE, LET US LIVE AS THOSE REDEEMED IN CHRIST!

I.

            When I was in high school, I was always very active in my church youth group. I made several really good friends through church. Now, growing up where I did, it also meant I saw many of them throughout the week at school. While we may not have been in the same classes, I enjoyed seeing my church friends and catching up when we could. The only problem was that they didn’t act like my church friends at school. At church was one mask, and school was another. And I feel like that is a problem most of us have. When we leave church, we take our church mask off so we can go back to being the other “us” during the week. This is why St. Paul writes, “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,” Romans 12:1. If we’re not living according to God’s holy law all the time, then which one is the real you? Is it the mask you put on for one day, or the one you wear the rest of the week?

            For the biggest question to ask yourself is this: If someone runs into you who doesn’t know you from church, would they know you’re a Christian? Would your life, your actions and behavior, and the way you speak clearly communicate your faith in Christ to them? Or would you appear just like anyone else in this world? Indeed, it’s no secret that we all struggle with sin. We all have fallen short. We don’t live the life God intended for us all the time. We are all guilty at one point or another of hiding our faith when we’re supposed to boldly confess Jesus, like St. Peter does. For as Christians, we must put the life of sin behind us. No longer can we embrace the habits and customs of this world. Cursing, swearing, lies and deceit, sexual immorality, and the like. If we talk the talk, we must also walk the walk. For as St. Paul wrote earlier in Romans, “How can we who died to sin still live in it?” Romans 6:2. For our life must change. Our habits must change. Our priorities must change. For life is no longer about me, me, me. But now we must put God first, and our neighbor before ourselves. 

II.

            Let us learn then not to be burdened with sin and the law, but with grace! For God has given us grace to unshackle us from the cares of this world. He has freed us to live as those redeemed in Christ. Every time we sin, every time we fall short of being the Christian God wants us to be, he offers us forgiveness for the sake of Christ. There’s nothing that God tells us to do, that he hasn’t done himself first. Thus, we need to hear again how Christ has come in the flesh, how he offered up himself in our place, how he went to the cross to die for you and me, and now is risen and lives now and forever! Furthermore, it’s God who renews us in both body and mind to live the life he desires for us. Just as Paul wrote, “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,” Romans 12:2. We’re not to fall back into our sinful ways, but to be transformed into the new man by God. All this, God does by washing you clean in your baptism, by preaching Jesus into your ears, by feeding you at his table, by joining you together with his family in the Church.

            For this is where life changes. When your whole being, your life is redefined by God and around his church, you don’t even need to think about what you do. You’ll just do it! By God’s grace, we will live the life God intends for us. This is where our own unique talents come in. As St Paul said, “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. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them,” Romans 12:4-6. God has blessed each and every one of us with our own talents and skills. Now, he brings us to a place to use them. So, I challenge you to answer this question, how can you use your knowledge, talents, and skills for the benefit of God and his Church? For when we, though many, come together and serve as one, we boldly confess to the world that Jesus is our Lord and God!

            So, by God’s abundant grace, may we continue to grow as those who have been redeemed by Christ. May we let go of our past mistakes, not fearing sin, nor its shame, but rather trusting in Christ, may we grow up into Christ in all that we say and do! In Jesus’ name! Amen!