Offer your body as a living sacrifice to God

Romans 11:25 – 12:2

Key verse 12:1

Good morning. Thank God for the 2021 summer bible conference last week. Thank God for using us to sing a special song “you are the vine”. It was so beautiful to see people from age 7 to age 70s all together to praise God as one body. You know, actually when I received an email about special songs from the conference preparation committee, I was not sure if we should sing since we are small and I wanted to take a break during the conference. I was not sure if I should ask M. Jacob and M. Esther to join our singing. But I saw how pleasing it was when we offered our mouth as a living sacrifice to God. Especially, I thank God that M. Jacob, he said even though he was not good at singing, to offer his singing to God, he practiced a lot and he sang very well: “you are the vine, we are the branches, keep us in abiding in you”. Should we sing a special song every summer bible conference? In today’s passage, Apostle Paul finished the second part of chapter 11 and began chapter 12. The book of Romans is divided into two parts: ch 1 through ch 11 is theory part about the gospel and ch 12 through ch 16 is about practice part: how we should live after we were saved. Especially in today’s passage, Paul encouraged believers to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice to God.  

  1. Paul praised the wisdom of God

Look at verse 25.  “I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in”. Paul expected that Israel continued to harden themselves. But their hardening will not last forever. They will be hardened until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. I do not know what the full number is. It could be 1 M or 1 Billions. The point is that God works out for the salvation of the Gentiles until the full number is reached. Then, in God’s time, at some point, the door will close as in Noah’s time, God waited for Noah to build his ark in 120 years and then he shut the door of the ark in. From 1st century to 21st century, the gospel has preached to all over the world: First, Israel, Samaria, minor Asia, Europe, America, Latin America, Africa, Oceania, and Asia, now except Muslims countries. When the gospel is freely preached among Muslim countries, the full number of the Gentiles will be met in God’s expectation. Then, all Israel will be saved too. Look at verse 26. Paul said “and in this wayall Israel will be saved.” We do not know how all Israel will be saved. But God promised through Paul’s lips. He will save all Israel by his way. Israel rejected God, nevertheless, why does God care so much about them? Look at verse 28 and 29. “As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but “as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”. Because they are his elected people. Because they are loved people on account of the patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. A long time ago, when they lived on earth, no one sought God. But when God called Abraham in Genesis 12, even though Abraham did not know much about God, he put his trust in God and became the patriarch. And then, God promised him that he would be the God of all descendants after him. Since then, God has kept his promise. That is why verse 29 says: God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. Irrevocable means not cancelled or not void. Even though Israel was rebellious and stubborn against God, they were still God’s children. Who of any parents cut off their parents and children relationship even if their children do not listen to their parents? In Luke 15, the second son wasted all his father’s money. Yet, when he returned to his father, the father ran to hug him, kissed him, and gave him a ring: sign of his son. This is how God treats his people. People say “once a marine, always a marine”. Once a child of God, always a child of God. When Paul realized all these things, he was so amazed. He could not but praising God. So look at verse 33. “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” He praised God’s wisdom and his knowledge. Israel did not listen to God even though God spoke to them kindly, then he warned them, then used Assyria, Babylon, Rome to humble them. Yet, they did not turn back to God. According to Jesus, Israel did not repent even when they were thrown into the furnace of fire. Matthew 13:42 says “and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”. How can God make such stiff-necked people return to him? Through blessing the Gentiles, and making Israel jealous of them so that they may come back to God. When Paul thought about this, he was overwhelmed with God’s wisdom and he praised God.

  • Therefore

Look at verse chapter 12:1. It starts with “therefore”. “Therefore” is the summary of chapter 1 through chapter 11. In chapter 1, Paul introduced the gospel of God. The gospel is not what Paul made up himself but it came from God. What is the gospel? It is about Christ Jesus. In the gospel, there is the power of God who brings salvation to everyone. Also in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed. In chapter 2, God made it plain to people to know about God but even though they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him. As a result, their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. People lived in their sinful nature. Eventually, all the Gentiles are under the wrath of God. How about the Jews? God gave them the law, but they did not observe the law. In God’s sight, they were also under the power of sin. Paul concluded that there is no one righteous not even one before God. God brought his way of righteousness: by faith in Jesus. To support this, Paul used Abraham’s case: In Genesis, he was very old yet he believed in God’s promise. Then, God credited his faith as righteousness in God’s sight. In the same way, when we believe in Jesus who died on the cross for our sins, we will be justified before God. Then, Paul compared Adam with Jesus. Through Adam, sin and death entered the world. But through Jesus, God’s grace and eternal life entered the world. Also in chapter 6 and 7, sin did not die but we have died to sin. We have died to the law. In this way, we are married to our new husband Jesus. We need to serve God in the new way of the Holy Spirit. Then, Paul asked: if the law did not bring the righteousness, why did God give the law? Using his own sin problem, Paul said through the law, he found coveting is a sin. The purpose of the law is not to make us righteous but to make us realize we are sinners and we need a Savior. In chapter 8, there is no condemnation for those who are in Jesus. Through the Spirit, we become the children of God. The Spirit intercedes for us then, he shouts “who shall separate us from the love of God?” In chapter 9-11, he turned his attention to his people Israel. He was very sad because while the Gentiles accepted Jesus and tasted God’s kindness, his people Israel rejected Jesus and were brought into God’s wrath. But God opened his eyes to see the secret of God’s wisdom: when the Gentiles hardened themselves, he bore them with great patience and saved them. Similarly, right now Israel hardens themselves like the Gentiles, God will show the same kindness and the same mercy upon Israel that all Israel will be saved in God’s time.

  • Offer your body as a living sacrifice to God

In verse 1 and 2, Paul urged believers two things: one is to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to God and the other one is to renew your mind. Look at verse 1. “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship”. After being saved, a big question is now for what? How should we live? Verse 1 gives us a clear direction. “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”. Paul used the OT animal sacrifice concept to explain why believers have to offer their bodies to God. In the OT, when people came to God, they offered animals to God as a sin offering. They brought an animal, and then killed the animal and burned it on the altar completely. That was a holy and pleasing sacrifice to God. In the same way, Paul said since we received the mercy of God, we need to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God. In the past, before we knew Jesus, we offered our bodies to sin. Then, we bore only shameful fruits. However, now, we are saved and called to offer our bodies to God: that is a living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, and that is our true and proper worship.

Before believing Jesus, Paul hated believers. He even joined in persecuting them. However, after being saved, he offered his body as a living sacrifice to God. He did not hesitate in offering his body to Jesus. 2 Timothy 4:6 says “For I am already being poured out like a drink offering”. When he offered his body as a living sacrifice, God was pleased with him. God gave him a healing gift that so many sick people received their health back through Paul. Also God used his intellectual talents to be an author of 13 books in the NT.

Our Lord Jesus offered his body as a living sacrifice to God. At the Gethsemane, when he prayed, he showed he had his own will. Yet, he struggled to deny his will. In the end, he obeyed God’s will. He shed his own blood and died on the cross. Then, how did God treat him? God was pleased with him and raised him from the dead. He made Jesus Lord of Lords and king of kings.

One time, Pastor Philip Brown told he had a stutter problem. When he was asked to deliver the Sunday message and even asked to go to China as a short term missionary, he worried a lot about his stutter issue. Then, M. Jacob challenged him to offer his mouth for the glory of God. He took it and offered even his stuttering tongue to God. It was a living sacrifice. Then, God was pleased with him. God healed his stuttering problem and now uses him to serve Washington UBF church in Maryland.

Often we ask, why my Christians life is so weak and has no power? Even though I have studied the Bible and attended SWS, there is no real change in my life? Verse 1 says: offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. When we offer our bodies to God fully, of course, we may have to sacrifice something. But at the very moment, there will be real joy. There will be freedom from the power of sin. There will be heavenly peace. Those who do not offer their bodies to God never experience this one unfortunately. Today, one problem in America, after being saved, believers are thankful to God but they are reluctant to offer their bodies to God. They do not want to sacrifice their bodies, their money, their times for God either. They are afraid of losing any of God’s blessing when they commit themselves to God. How can God be pleased with them? How can their life be holy and acceptable to God? When unbelievers see them, how do they think of them?

Back to verse 1, Paul said this is your true and proper worship. We do not worship God only on Sundays. God is worthy of our worship every single day: Monday through Sunday, 365 days, until we breathe our last. The funny thing is during the weekdays, when we live a life of worshipping God, on Sunday worshipping God is no problem. We are waiting for Sunday worship. But during the weekdays, when you do not live a life of worshipping God, on Sunday, all of sudden when you try to worship God, it is very hard.

Offering your bodies to God is a great privilege and honor. Not everyone has this great chance. Only those who are chosen, only those who are called, only those who are the remnant today, they received this excellent opportunity to offer their bodies to God as a living sacrifice. When I did not know about Jesus, I used to offer my body to nightclubs. I enjoyed this a lot but on the way home, I felt miserable, empty, and thirsty. However, by God’s grace, when I began to offer my body to God and campus mission, even though there were some sacrifices, even though physically I was tired, I felt great joy and happiness.

I heard Tia wants to join in our worship service in person once per month: She lives in Lewes: one and half hours away from here. In order to come, she has to sacrifice her study time on Sunday. Yet, she wanted to offer her body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. M. Ruth also wants to offer her body to God. She will have to drive many hours to pick up Tia and to give her ride back. Personally, I worry a lot about her driving, yet, she is willing to offer her body as a living sacrifice to God. She often quotes what David said in the OT: But the king David said “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”. (Samuel 24:24). May God bless Tia and Ruth and protect them from any harms.

Look at verse 2. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In the past, before we believed Jesus, we followed the pattern of this world. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 speaks about the pattern of this world. It says “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God”. However, once we believed Jesus, we should not follow the pattern of this world. But practically, every day, we live in this world and we live among the people of this world. How can we not conform to the pattern of this world? Paul says we need to be transformed by renewing our mind. Our mind is very mysterious. If we leave it as it is, since we have a sinful nature, our mind becomes lazy, corrupt, selfish, and deceitful. You just heard “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to God”, then you might think, “yes, from today, I will give my body to God”, then this afternoon or tomorrow, while you talk with your friends or watch news, you might be afraid that what if I am behind school study or what if I am behind this world while I offer my body to God? So we need to renew our mind every time. How can we renew our mind then? Through the words of God. Every Sunday, when we hear the words of God, it convicts you and renews your mind, Then you will be able to find the will of God upon you. Also every day through the daily bread, let the words of God speak to you and refresh your mind. Then, you are able to find God’s will – his good, pleasing, and perfect will for you.

Last Sunday, Joshua Kim from Philly UBF church shared his life testimony. He is currently 2nd year in dental school at Temple university. He thought his mom did not like him because she was very strict with him. But later through the words of God, for example, proverb 13:24 says “Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them.” Through the words of God, he realized his mom trained him out of love. Then, his mind was changed and actually accepted that God trained him to be a man of God through his mom. Then, God showed his good and perfect will for him: married with a beautiful woman of God, Johanna and pursuing a dentist career.

In conclusion, after being saved, there are two things we need to do: first, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Second, renew your mind through the words of God. I pray we may offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God that God may use us for his glory.