Re-Purposing Our Life

Hanging in the Balance

For everyone here today and everyone listening online we are between two phases in life. In one phase we are seeking something secure and peaceful so we have turned to Jesus. The other portion are people that are in a place of belief but trying to do things better. The life of a Christian is about constant improvement.

With that said, Paul begins chapter 12 with a Call to Action.

He urges us to:

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.

Do not conform

Be transformed by renewing your mind.

Live in a way that proves the good and perfect will of God.

God has a particular way that He wants us to present ourselves to Him. There is not purpose without praise and there is no worship without sacrifice.

God has expectations, it’s similar to the expectations that jobs have. Some jobs require a uniform. We typically know someone works for the post office because they wear the traditional USPS uniform. Police Officers wear a police uniform. Some employers require business casual or business professional. When you accept the job you buy in to the culture of the dress code. When we decide to give our life to Christ we buy in to the expectations!

God is not unreasonable, His expectations are not unattainable. Nonetheless even if we could present ourselves as worthy, we still would be unworthy because it was His son that gave His life so that we could have an opportunity at salvation in the first place.

Verse 1

The author begins this pericope with an urge or a strong encouragement. “I beseech”, it’s widely assumed that Paul’s purpose in writing chapter 13 was to create a theological ethic on an authoritative basis. In other words providing insight on the standard that God desires in how we live our life.

What is Paul urging us to do? Because of his compassion or by the mercies of God present ourselves in a certain way.

What does God expect in return of His compassion?

2 Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,”

Philippians 2:1 “Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,”

It’s typically one of two things. Based on the aforementioned text His compassion should promote us to have compassion on each other, but in this case the assessment is on ourselves. This text is promoting a sense of self accountability. It’s easy to assess the sacrifice of others but when you have to assess your own sacrifice you have no choice but to be honest with yourself. You know what your are presenting to God. You know if your sacrifices, your worship, and what you are giving to God is acceptable or not.

What Does it Mean to Present?

Everyday we wake up is an opportunity to present ourselves to God in a holy way.

What does your contribution in life look like to God? Despite what I’m going through, what life looks like, what am I presenting to God?

The root word of present in this text means to stand, how are we standing before God. What does our exhibit of life look like? It’s similar to a museum, when something is on display in a museum it’s presented in a way that provides the most information as possible. The area is well lit, it’s typically clean, and there’s usually context beside it to explain what we are looking at. How are we making ourselves available to God?

There is a certain way God expects us to make ourselves available, holy and acceptable.

Holy or in the sense of superior moral qualities and possessing certain essentially divine qualities in contrast to what is human.

God did not call us to be normal, God did not call us to be regular!

2 Timothy 1:9 “who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,”

The idea of acceptability is presenting ourselves in a way that is satisfactory unto God. It’s a manner in which we just do without question. It’s similar to when a parent asks you to do something urgent, they do not have time to explain, they just need you to do without question and know that God has our best interest at heart.

“This is our reasonable service” or “this is truly the way to worship Him”. This is where accountability comes back in, which is OUR reasonable service. Take ownership of how you present yourself to God. No one can present you to God, you have to present yourself. Reasonability is genuine, the world talks about being REAL, the realest thing you can do is present yourself in an honest way unto God.

How is This Accomplished

This can only happen through transformation. There is no worldly custom that will bring us closer to God. Meditating on His word, drawing closer to Him is the way in which we renew our minds in effort to prove this sense of goodness and acceptability to God.

The New Living Translation says “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of the world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think”.

Our journey to change begins with reconstructing the way we think. Some of us are stuck because we are thinking to small, some of us are stuck because our thoughts are filled with conforming based on comparison!

Here’s the awesome part! Your change will be noticeable, conforming is of no value because typically no one notices conforming, because it’s simply forming according to a pattern or model. You become just a copy! God didn’t create you individually to just be a copy. If I’m going to put in work it’s going to be for transformation, It makes no sense for me to put in work to look just like the world! If I’m going to strive to look like anyone it’s Jesus.

Transformation is noticeable, to change inwardly in fundamental character or condition. I’m modeling after what is superior to what the world displays. The world displays revenge, I transform to forgive, the world displays greed, I transform to be a good steward of what God has blessed me with. The world displays hate, I transform to love my enemies.

Transformation is the consequence of the power of the Holy Spirit. This guide changes the way I think.

Looking For Purpose

When I live my life in this way now I’m on track to learn what God’s will is for my life.

The will of God is pleasing and perfect! When I can’t find joy, when I’m not at peace it’s because I’m not in alignment with the will of God. Transformation also happens when I realize I can’t do this on my own and I must surrender and submit to will of God. I have to be honest with myself and what God has given to me. I can’t get caught up in how much or how little I believe God has given me I have to focus on the fact that He gave me something and what God gives is perfect and I’m expected to manage it properly.

Galatians 6:4-5 “But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load.”

This is my journey, no one can be a sacrifice for me. Jesus has already done that and I must act accordingly.

Our presentation takes preparation, this is an ongoing service, we have never sacrificed enough! We’ve all been offered grace and mercy, we’ve all be offered salvation, we’ve all been offered fellowship with God. It’s now our opportunity to use it properly so that our example is an example to others.