A Call to Authentic Worship

Romans 12:1–8 NIV84

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer 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. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Just as a blacksmith works tirelessly to shape a piece of metal into a useful tool, so too does God work tirelessly to shape us into the people he created us to be. And just as the metal must be heated and pounded, stretched and twisted, so too must we undergo trials and challenges in order to be transformed. But just as the finished tool is strong and useful, so too will we be strong and useful when we offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God, allowing him to shape us into his image. Let us embrace the heat and the pounding, the stretching and the twisting, knowing that God is using it all for our good and his glory.

1. Authentic Worship means offering our bodies as living sacrifices

Paul urges us to offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This means that we must surrender our lives to God and allow Him to use us for His purposes. We are called to live a life that is set apart for God, a life that is pleasing to Him.

This means that we should offer our lives to God, dedicating every aspect of our being to Him

This is not a one-time event, but a daily surrender of our will to God's will

We must remember that we are not our own, but we have been bought with a price

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 “19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.”

When we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, we are acknowledging that God is the Lord of our lives, and we are willing to follow Him wherever He leads

This means that we are to offer ourselves to God completely, holding nothing back

We are to surrender our will, our desires, and our plans to Him

Prov 19:21 “21 Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”

This requires humility and a willingness to let go of our own desires and preferences, and to trust in God's plan for our lives

We must offer ourselves willingly, just as Christ offered Himself for us on the cross

When we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, we are making a commitment to live our lives for God's purposes

When we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, we are saying to God, "Here I am, use me for your purposes."

2. Authentic Worship calls us to not conform but to be transformed

Paul tells us to not conform to the pattern of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds

This means that we must actively seek to align our thoughts and attitudes with the mind of Christ

We must be intentional about renewing our minds through prayer, study of the Word, and fellowship with other believers

It is important to note that this process of transformation is ongoing

Transformation is not a destination but a journey

We must be fully engaged in this journey every day of our lives

We are not meant to become complacent, but rather we should be constantly seeking ways to submit ourselves to God's will and allow him to shape us even more

When we offer ourselves up to God as living sacrifices, we will be able to live out our purpose and serve others in a way that brings glory to God

Let us embrace the heat, the pounding, the stretching, and the twisting, knowing that God is using it all for our good and his glory

As we continue to offer ourselves up to God and allow him to shape us into his image, we will become the strong and useful tools that he has created us to be

When we do this, we are transformed from the inside out, and our lives become a reflection of Christ's love and grace

This means that we must change the way we think, our attitudes, and our behaviors

We must be willing to let go of the things of this world that hinder our relationship with God and embrace a new way of living that is in accordance with His will

We are called to live differently from the world

We are to be set apart and holy, reflecting the image of Christ in everything we do

This means that we must not allow the world to influence our thoughts, actions, or decisions

Instead, we must renew our minds through the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit

The renewing of our mind means that we must change the way we think and see things

We must allow God to transform our minds so that we can understand His will and His ways

This is an ongoing process that requires us to study His Word, pray, and seek His guidance

We must no longer conform to the values and ways of the world, but instead, we must align our thoughts with God's thoughts

As we renew our minds, we will begin to understand God's will for our lives

We need the help of the Holy Spirit to guide us and empower us to live a life that is pleasing to God

We must be open to the leading of the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work in our lives

Transformation comes as we immerse ourselves in God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us

Our minds are renewed as we learn more about who God is and what He has done for us

Transformation is not a one-time event but a lifelong process

When we are transformed, we will begin to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God

We will become more like Christ, and we will be able to fulfill the purpose that God has for our lives

3. Authentic Worship calls us to an intimate relationship with God

We are told that we will able to discern the will of God

As we offer ourselves as living sacrifices, resist conformity to the world, and renew our minds, we will be able to discern God's will for our lives

Discernment comes as we seek God in prayer and through His Word

It's important to note that discerning God's will is not always easy, but as we trust in Him, He will guide us

This means that we must seek to know God's will for our lives and be willing to obey it

We must be willing to live a life that is in accordance with His will and trust that He has our best interests at heart

We are called to live a life that is set apart from the world

We are to be holy, as God is holy

This means that we must be intentional about avoiding the things that would lead us away from God's will

We must be diligent in guarding our hearts and minds, and we must surround ourselves with other believers who will encourage and support us in our walk with Christ Being able to discern the will of God requires that we be in constant communication with Him through prayer and study of His Word

When we seek His will above our own, we are able to make decisions that align with His plan for our lives

This brings us peace and purpose, and enables us to live a life that is pleasing to Him

The renewing of our minds will help us discern God's will for our lives

An intimate relationship with God will give us a clearer understanding of what God wants us to do and how He wants us to live

An intimate relationship with God will help us discern right from wrong

When we discern God's will, we can live our lives with purpose and direction

4. Authentic Worship call us to use our gifts for the body of Christ

Be humble and work together

In verses 3-8, Paul talks about the gifts of the Spirit and how they are to be used within the body of Christ

He lists several gifts, including prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and showing mercy

Each gift is given by God for the common good, and we are to use our gifts to serve one another

Humility is vital in the body of Christ

Do not think more highly of yourself—be humble

We are all part of the same body

We need each other, and we must work together to accomplish God's purposes

Each of us has a role to play, and we must use our gifts to build up the body of Christ

We have the roadmap for how we should live our lives as Christians

We are to offer ourselves as living sacrifices, resist conformity to the world, renew our minds, discern God's will, use our gifts for the body of Christ, and be humble and work together

These instructions are not suggestions, but rather commands that we must obey if we want to grow in our relationship with God

Let's make a commitment today to live out these truths and to follow God wherever He leads us