21 Days of Prayer: Day 10
Worship - Living Sacrifices
"...present your bodies as a living sacrifice..."
READ ROMANS 12:1-2.
As we have seen, worship takes many forms. We have looked at worshipping through the preaching of the Word and through singing praises. Is this it? Is this all there is to worship? Is singing and listening to a sermon enough? Does worship just happen on Sundays? Obviously, Paul would say to us, “No. There is more! Worship is about your whole life, every aspect, giving glory to God!”
In the Book of Romans, Paul builds a doctrine for the church in Rome. He is teaching them deep theology and practical living. The first eleven chapters are the doctrinal foundations of our faith. The final five chapters deal with the practical aspects of how to live out the doctrine and theology. The pivot from theology to practice, from doctrine to duty, is worship.
In (Rom. 11:33-36), Paul writes a beautiful doxology:
“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.”
What is the only biblical response to this explosive doxology of the greatness and glory of God? 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” (Rom. 12:1). In other words, our response to the greatness and glory of God is, and can only be, worship. But, what does this worship look like? What form of worship is pleasing to God? What is the basis and the result of this kind of worship?
Worship must be rooted in the mercies of God. Paul is appealing to or begging the Romans, and us, on the basis of the mercies of God, to present ourselves as living sacrifices. What are “the mercies of God” to which Paul is referring? The answer is found in a conjunction: “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” (Rom. 12:1). Paul is connecting what he is saying in this verse to what he has already said in the first eleven chapters. Based on the doctrine and theology in (Rom. 1-11), we understand that all we are, have, and hope to be is simply by the mercy and grace of God. Here are some of the mercies that Paul describes in (Rom. 1-11): forgiveness of sins, justification by faith, peace with God, union with Christ, freedom from sin and the law, adoption as sons and daughters, possession of the Holy Spirit, election to salvation, no separation from Christ’s love, salvation made available to both Jews and Gentiles, etc. In other words, the mercies of God are compiled in the Gospel! So, the basis of our worship, the foundation by which we are able to worship, is the Gospel!
Worship requires complete surrender and sacrifice. Paul is very quick to remind us that worship requires something from us: sacrifice. In order to be a living sacrifice, you must give up yourself or surrender yourself to Christ. In other words, if worship costs you nothing, then it is not truly worship. Worship requires complete surrender and sacrifice. It is costly. It requires us to, as Jesus said, “deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Paul even alludes to this in (Rom. 6 and Gal. 2:20); we have died with Christ. Worship requires not just our “Sunday best;” worship requires everything! Complete surrender; not just some area of our lives that we are willing to do without. Complete sacrifice; not just what is comfortable.
Worship requires hard work. Paul continues to write that this living sacrifice must be “holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom. 12:1). The two qualifications of presenting ourselves to God is that our sacrifice must be holy and acceptable. This requirement in itself requires extremely hard work. We are to be holy and what pleases God. This means that our lives are to reflect Christlikeness in a way that brings honor and glory to Him. Paul goes even deeper by saying it is “your spiritual worship.” The word used for worship is “latreia” which is literally translated as “service.” Obviously, Paul is referring to the Old Testament sacrificial system that offering sacrifices to God as an act of religious service. The difference is that we do not bring a sacrifice, but we are the sacrifice! So, it is a daily effort to present ourselves as living sacrifices which is incredibly hard work. Placing yourself on the altar every morning is not an easy or natural act. It requires hard work. In other words, worship does not just consist of Sunday morning; it consists of the moment your eyes open every morning to the time you finally close them to sleep. Worship is the life we live, but only if we live in a way that is holy and acceptable.
Worship results in a changed life. Lastly, Paul encourages us: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind . . .” (Rom. 12:2). Worship, true worship, changes you! If it does not change you, then it is not worship! In every instance in Scripture, whenever someone truly experienced God (worship), they were completely transformed; some even experienced a complete change name. Think about the worship experiences throughout Scripture: Abraham offering Isaac, Moses at the burning bush and on Mt. Sinai, Elijah hiding in the cave, Isaiah experiencing the revelation of God’s glory and holiness, Peter, James, and John at the transfiguration of Jesus, Saul on the road to Damascus, John in the Book of Revelation, etc. True worship changes you by:
1. Keeping you from being squeezed into the mold of the world. You will not look like the world (those who do not follow Christ).
2. Renewing your mind. Your thoughts will be completely transformed and your focus will be on Christ.
3. Allowing you to discern the will of God. You will never know what God wants for you until He receives worship from you.
Personal Questions:
1. Let’s begin with a simple question: Why do you worship God? What is your motivation in worship?
2. Is your worship based on the “mercies of God” or based your personal preferences? (i.e. “I like this song, so I will sing” or “I feel good today, so I will worship) How does the Gospel affect your worship?
3. What is the cost for your worship? What are you willing to sacrifice or surrender to truly experience God in worship?
4. Do you reserve worship for Sundays or do you seek and strive to worship every day in every way? What does your worship look like?
5. Is your life different after you experienced God in worship? What has changed? Can others see the difference?
Prayer Points:
Pray that you will seek to understand the basis of true biblical worship and that you will understand the “mercies of God” present in your life.
Pray that you will surrender yourself completely to Christ as an act of worship.
Pray that worship, both private and public, will result in a life-change for you and the Redeemer Faith Family.
Pray that others may see that you have experienced God and have been changed, so they may see the greatness and goodness of God leading them to the Gospel.