| “LIVING SACRIFICE; LOVING SERVICE” Lent 2—Second in a series on Member Privileges Isaiah 58:6-11; Romans 12:1-21 Olivet Covenant Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, PA © Rev. Linda Jaymes, 2/28/2010 |
Last week we started to explore what we might call “the existential question” for the Church, the question of why we’re
here. First and foremost, we said that the primary purpose of the Church is to worship God. Regardless of any other reasons
why we may come to worship, we ought to come for the love of God, because God alone is worthy of our worship.
Today we’re going to be looking at another very important purpose and privilege of the Church, namely, ministry. The
Church exists to minister to people, and ministry is all about demonstrating God’s love to others. Every time we reach out and
help meet people’s needs, we are doing ministry. Every time we try to heal the spiritual, emotional, relational or physical hurts
of others in the name of Jesus, we are doing ministry. Every time we extend ourselves even a little bit, like giving a cup of cold
water in Jesus’ name, we are doing ministry. And I hope that everyone here understands that Jesus has called every one of us
to the work of ministry. I may be the Pastor, but we are all ministers of Jesus Christ. Last week we ordained and installed our
deacons and elders, which means we set them apart for specific tasks within the church. But that doesn’t mean that everyone
else can just sit back and watch them do all the work. God calls people into the church and gives each of them at least one gift
to be used ministering in some way to the needs of others, both inside and outside of the church.
There are so many New Testament scriptures that speak to this particular privilege of church membership that I found it
hard to decide which one to focus on this week. In fact, most of the New Testament can be viewed as a ministry manual,
because over and over again, through the life and work of Jesus and then later through the lives of his disciples, scripture tells
and shows believers what ministry is and how to do it. But I chose this particular chapter from Romans because it paints such
a beautiful, idealistic picture of what the whole faith community engaged in ministry is supposed to look like.
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul has laid out Christian doctrine and theology in his inimitable and persuasive
way. But in chapter 12 he finally gets to the “therefore,” the part that tells us what we are to do because of what we believe.
All of that theology and doctrine; all that we believe about God’s love and grace and the salvation offered to us in Christ has a
hollow ring to it if we do not follow up those beliefs with action. Doctrine is sterile if it does not issue in a new quality of life.
Creeds are lifeless if they aren’t linked with emotion and will. Even long before Jesus Christ, the prophet Isaiah called Israel to
account for a lifestyle in which they practiced personal spiritual disciplines like fasting but failed to carry out ministries which
would bless others. Isaiah very specifically reminded Israel that God’s people are called to do both: to be holy and to minister
to the oppressed and hungry and lost and naked and homeless. God’s people were never given the option to choose just one of
the above.
The apostle Paul understood this. For Paul there was no possibility of divorcing theology from ethics. Faith and action,
belief and service are absolutely and inseparably linked together. Ministry that blesses others is the logical and natural outflow
of a life that is no longer conformed to the pattern and values of this world, but to the mind of Christ. When Christ’s love and
the Holy Spirit’s power touch and change our minds and hearts, we are transformed and called to be Christ’s ministers in the
world.
And so here in Romans 12 we have the picture of that kind of ministry, carried out by people who are transformed and
renewed to do his will. It is the picture of the perfect church, the church that understands why it was called into being and
what it is to be about in ministry and service to Jesus Christ. In this perfect church we find members who offer themselves as
living sacrifices. That is, their offerings are not the slaughtered animals of the old Jewish sacrificial system, but their own
lives. And it is a picture of lives which are not so much “laid down” as “taken up” and lived as the Lord intends, in service to
Him. This perfect church is made up of members who aren’t conceited. They don’t think of themselves more highly than they
ought to, or for that matter, more lowly, either. This perfect church thinks soberly, seriously, honestly about who they are and
whose they are; they acknowledge the gifts God has given them and they learn how to use them in ministry for the good of the
community.
The members of this perfect church minister perfectly to one another. Their love is sincere, they are completely devoted
to each other, they discern what is good and evil and they don’t dwell on what is wrong but cling to what is good. They honor
one another above themselves. And they never lose their spiritual fervor for serving the Lord. They are joyful in hope, patient
in affliction and faithful in prayer. They share with God’s people in need. They practice hospitality. They rejoice at others’
good fortune and share each others sadness. Social standing means nothing to them, for they associate with everyone on an
equal basis. They live in complete harmony with one another, and do what is right in the eyes of everyone. This perfect
church has all their ministry bases covered, and covered perfectly. In fact, they minister so well that they have learned how
to bless not only those who love them but also those who persecute them. They even refuse to take revenge, and instead
minister to their enemies by taking care of their needs.
What a perfect church, ministering through living sacrifice and loving service. But does it sound like any church you
know? Probably not. The truth is that we’re not there yet. No church is. And sometimes, that can be discouraging. In fact,
trying to live up to the picture of the perfect church of Romans 12 seems an impossible task. Sometimes the body of Christ
more closely resembles the inept churches reflected in those lists of church bulletin bloopers. I know you’ve seen them:
--"Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't
forget your husbands".
--Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and
requests tapes of Pastor's sermons.
--The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are afflicted with any church.
--Remember in prayer those who are sick of our church and community.
--A new loudspeaker system has been installed in the church. It was given by one of our members in honor of his wife.
--The “Over 60’s Choir” will be disbanded for the summer with thanks.
--Please welcome our new Pastor, a caring individual who loves hurting people.
--Applications are now being accepted for 2-year old nursery workers.
--On Thursday there will be a meeting of the “Little Mothers Club.” All women wishing to be Little Mothers will meet with
the Pastor in his study.
These are just examples of some comical errors made by churches—but we all know that churches are guilty of more
serious sins. Either way, this isn’t exactly the picture of the church in ministry that we see in Romans 12, is it! But before we
get too discouraged, we need to remember that the actual church in Rome that Paul was writing to never achieved the ideal
either. Still, the challenge for every church is to strive in that direction. To try. To discover the ministry that God is preparing
us to do, and then doing it the best we can. In addition, we must keep the ideal ever before us, so that every time we are
tempted to criticize, we bless instead. And every time we start to think that ministry is what someone else is supposed to do,
we remember that God has called each of us here and has given us gifts to be used in loving service. We keep the ideal in front
of us so that every time we begin to think that presenting ourselves as living sacrifices to God in ministry is more than we can
live up to, we dare to trust that the Lord who has loved us and saved us and called us into service is the same Lord who is also
able to equip us to will and to work and to do his good pleasure.
.
Ministry isn’t so much about our abilities as it is about our obedience and God’s power. Very few elders and deacons, and
pastors for that matter, start out with a clear understanding of the ministry they are called to do. Very few start out with the
training they need to do it. Most of the time, people have to grow into ministry, and we learn by doing, by experience. It takes
time, it takes courage to try new things, and it takes grace, sometimes the grace to fail so we can learn from our mistakes and
start all over again. What really matters in ministry is that we respond to God’s love for us in Christ by dedicating whatever
gifts we have in unselfish service to God and others. Through our living sacrifice and loving service, there is no limit to the
blessing we can bring to Christ and others, as God accomplishes his purposes through us.
Too often, I think, the church forgets that doing ministry is a privilege. Too often we think of it as a chore. Too often we
let obstacles get in the way, instead of remembering that we are called to press on to the goal before us. Too often, we lose
sight of why we do ministry at all, and we need to be reminded that we do it for love, for the love of God in Christ our Savior,
Lord and King. Too often we forget that when we do it to the least of the brethren, we do it to—and for—Him. And that is a
privilege.
Maybe an illustration will help us remember this biblical principle. There is a legend told of a desert wanderer who found a
crystal spring of unsurpassed freshness. The water was so pure he decided to bring some back to his king. Barely satisfying
his own thirst, he filled a leather bottle with the clear liquid and carried it many days, under the desert sun, before he reached
the King’s palace. When he finally laid his offering at the feet of his sovereign lord, the water had become stale and rank due to
the old container in which it had been stored. But the king would not let his faithful subject even imagine that it was unfit to
drink. The king tasted it with expressions of gratitude and delight, and sent that loyal heart away full of joy. After he had gone,
his advisors sampled it and expressed their surprise that the king had even pretended to enjoy it. But his profound response set
them straight. He said, "It was not the water I tasted, but the love that prompted the offering."
Many times our attempts at ministry and service are rather shabby, too. They are marked by multiple imperfections yet the
Master looks at our attitudes and motives and says "It is good. Well done, good and faithful servant." Jesus looks beyond our
bloopers and sees not what we are but what we can be in Him. And He asks us to do the same with each other, to overlook
each other’s shortcomings as we “practice” ministry on each other and on the outside world. The important thing is that we
keep practicing. After all, they say that practice makes perfect, so maybe if we practice long enough, we will get there. And
even if we don’t, even if we never become the perfect church, at least our living sacrifice and loving service will be a blessing
to Christ and to one another and to all to whom we minister in Jesus’ name.
Let us pray.
here. First and foremost, we said that the primary purpose of the Church is to worship God. Regardless of any other reasons
why we may come to worship, we ought to come for the love of God, because God alone is worthy of our worship.
Today we’re going to be looking at another very important purpose and privilege of the Church, namely, ministry. The
Church exists to minister to people, and ministry is all about demonstrating God’s love to others. Every time we reach out and
help meet people’s needs, we are doing ministry. Every time we try to heal the spiritual, emotional, relational or physical hurts
of others in the name of Jesus, we are doing ministry. Every time we extend ourselves even a little bit, like giving a cup of cold
water in Jesus’ name, we are doing ministry. And I hope that everyone here understands that Jesus has called every one of us
to the work of ministry. I may be the Pastor, but we are all ministers of Jesus Christ. Last week we ordained and installed our
deacons and elders, which means we set them apart for specific tasks within the church. But that doesn’t mean that everyone
else can just sit back and watch them do all the work. God calls people into the church and gives each of them at least one gift
to be used ministering in some way to the needs of others, both inside and outside of the church.
There are so many New Testament scriptures that speak to this particular privilege of church membership that I found it
hard to decide which one to focus on this week. In fact, most of the New Testament can be viewed as a ministry manual,
because over and over again, through the life and work of Jesus and then later through the lives of his disciples, scripture tells
and shows believers what ministry is and how to do it. But I chose this particular chapter from Romans because it paints such
a beautiful, idealistic picture of what the whole faith community engaged in ministry is supposed to look like.
In the first eleven chapters of Romans, Paul has laid out Christian doctrine and theology in his inimitable and persuasive
way. But in chapter 12 he finally gets to the “therefore,” the part that tells us what we are to do because of what we believe.
All of that theology and doctrine; all that we believe about God’s love and grace and the salvation offered to us in Christ has a
hollow ring to it if we do not follow up those beliefs with action. Doctrine is sterile if it does not issue in a new quality of life.
Creeds are lifeless if they aren’t linked with emotion and will. Even long before Jesus Christ, the prophet Isaiah called Israel to
account for a lifestyle in which they practiced personal spiritual disciplines like fasting but failed to carry out ministries which
would bless others. Isaiah very specifically reminded Israel that God’s people are called to do both: to be holy and to minister
to the oppressed and hungry and lost and naked and homeless. God’s people were never given the option to choose just one of
the above.
The apostle Paul understood this. For Paul there was no possibility of divorcing theology from ethics. Faith and action,
belief and service are absolutely and inseparably linked together. Ministry that blesses others is the logical and natural outflow
of a life that is no longer conformed to the pattern and values of this world, but to the mind of Christ. When Christ’s love and
the Holy Spirit’s power touch and change our minds and hearts, we are transformed and called to be Christ’s ministers in the
world.
And so here in Romans 12 we have the picture of that kind of ministry, carried out by people who are transformed and
renewed to do his will. It is the picture of the perfect church, the church that understands why it was called into being and
what it is to be about in ministry and service to Jesus Christ. In this perfect church we find members who offer themselves as
living sacrifices. That is, their offerings are not the slaughtered animals of the old Jewish sacrificial system, but their own
lives. And it is a picture of lives which are not so much “laid down” as “taken up” and lived as the Lord intends, in service to
Him. This perfect church is made up of members who aren’t conceited. They don’t think of themselves more highly than they
ought to, or for that matter, more lowly, either. This perfect church thinks soberly, seriously, honestly about who they are and
whose they are; they acknowledge the gifts God has given them and they learn how to use them in ministry for the good of the
community.
The members of this perfect church minister perfectly to one another. Their love is sincere, they are completely devoted
to each other, they discern what is good and evil and they don’t dwell on what is wrong but cling to what is good. They honor
one another above themselves. And they never lose their spiritual fervor for serving the Lord. They are joyful in hope, patient
in affliction and faithful in prayer. They share with God’s people in need. They practice hospitality. They rejoice at others’
good fortune and share each others sadness. Social standing means nothing to them, for they associate with everyone on an
equal basis. They live in complete harmony with one another, and do what is right in the eyes of everyone. This perfect
church has all their ministry bases covered, and covered perfectly. In fact, they minister so well that they have learned how
to bless not only those who love them but also those who persecute them. They even refuse to take revenge, and instead
minister to their enemies by taking care of their needs.
What a perfect church, ministering through living sacrifice and loving service. But does it sound like any church you
know? Probably not. The truth is that we’re not there yet. No church is. And sometimes, that can be discouraging. In fact,
trying to live up to the picture of the perfect church of Romans 12 seems an impossible task. Sometimes the body of Christ
more closely resembles the inept churches reflected in those lists of church bulletin bloopers. I know you’ve seen them:
--"Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Don't
forget your husbands".
--Barbara remains in the hospital and needs blood donors for more transfusions. She is also having trouble sleeping and
requests tapes of Pastor's sermons.
--The outreach committee has enlisted 25 visitors to make calls on people who are afflicted with any church.
--Remember in prayer those who are sick of our church and community.
--A new loudspeaker system has been installed in the church. It was given by one of our members in honor of his wife.
--The “Over 60’s Choir” will be disbanded for the summer with thanks.
--Please welcome our new Pastor, a caring individual who loves hurting people.
--Applications are now being accepted for 2-year old nursery workers.
--On Thursday there will be a meeting of the “Little Mothers Club.” All women wishing to be Little Mothers will meet with
the Pastor in his study.
These are just examples of some comical errors made by churches—but we all know that churches are guilty of more
serious sins. Either way, this isn’t exactly the picture of the church in ministry that we see in Romans 12, is it! But before we
get too discouraged, we need to remember that the actual church in Rome that Paul was writing to never achieved the ideal
either. Still, the challenge for every church is to strive in that direction. To try. To discover the ministry that God is preparing
us to do, and then doing it the best we can. In addition, we must keep the ideal ever before us, so that every time we are
tempted to criticize, we bless instead. And every time we start to think that ministry is what someone else is supposed to do,
we remember that God has called each of us here and has given us gifts to be used in loving service. We keep the ideal in front
of us so that every time we begin to think that presenting ourselves as living sacrifices to God in ministry is more than we can
live up to, we dare to trust that the Lord who has loved us and saved us and called us into service is the same Lord who is also
able to equip us to will and to work and to do his good pleasure.
.
Ministry isn’t so much about our abilities as it is about our obedience and God’s power. Very few elders and deacons, and
pastors for that matter, start out with a clear understanding of the ministry they are called to do. Very few start out with the
training they need to do it. Most of the time, people have to grow into ministry, and we learn by doing, by experience. It takes
time, it takes courage to try new things, and it takes grace, sometimes the grace to fail so we can learn from our mistakes and
start all over again. What really matters in ministry is that we respond to God’s love for us in Christ by dedicating whatever
gifts we have in unselfish service to God and others. Through our living sacrifice and loving service, there is no limit to the
blessing we can bring to Christ and others, as God accomplishes his purposes through us.
Too often, I think, the church forgets that doing ministry is a privilege. Too often we think of it as a chore. Too often we
let obstacles get in the way, instead of remembering that we are called to press on to the goal before us. Too often, we lose
sight of why we do ministry at all, and we need to be reminded that we do it for love, for the love of God in Christ our Savior,
Lord and King. Too often we forget that when we do it to the least of the brethren, we do it to—and for—Him. And that is a
privilege.
Maybe an illustration will help us remember this biblical principle. There is a legend told of a desert wanderer who found a
crystal spring of unsurpassed freshness. The water was so pure he decided to bring some back to his king. Barely satisfying
his own thirst, he filled a leather bottle with the clear liquid and carried it many days, under the desert sun, before he reached
the King’s palace. When he finally laid his offering at the feet of his sovereign lord, the water had become stale and rank due to
the old container in which it had been stored. But the king would not let his faithful subject even imagine that it was unfit to
drink. The king tasted it with expressions of gratitude and delight, and sent that loyal heart away full of joy. After he had gone,
his advisors sampled it and expressed their surprise that the king had even pretended to enjoy it. But his profound response set
them straight. He said, "It was not the water I tasted, but the love that prompted the offering."
Many times our attempts at ministry and service are rather shabby, too. They are marked by multiple imperfections yet the
Master looks at our attitudes and motives and says "It is good. Well done, good and faithful servant." Jesus looks beyond our
bloopers and sees not what we are but what we can be in Him. And He asks us to do the same with each other, to overlook
each other’s shortcomings as we “practice” ministry on each other and on the outside world. The important thing is that we
keep practicing. After all, they say that practice makes perfect, so maybe if we practice long enough, we will get there. And
even if we don’t, even if we never become the perfect church, at least our living sacrifice and loving service will be a blessing
to Christ and to one another and to all to whom we minister in Jesus’ name.
Let us pray.
