Surrendered Faith? (Romans 1:2-4, 12:1-2)

Surrendered Faith? (Romans 1:2-4, 12:1-2)

Intro)

Do You know of the fast food chain, Chick-fil-A (They closed Lord’s Day!) ?

I read an article about Chick-fil-A in a Christian newspaper. The title was, “The Chick-fil-A run by the CEO with biblical values, and the hardships continue because of it.” It is a model Christian-enterprise fast food chain that closes all of its restaurants on Sundays.

While maintaining biblical principles and values, excellent taste and service are the distinctive features of Chick-fil-A. It was reported in the Wall Street Journal that, “Chick-fil-A has been number one in the Fast Food Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) since 2015. This index is an important measure of employee friendliness and cleanliness of restaurants.

However, despite being a good restaurant, as the title says, the article was about how Chick-fil-A was facing hardship. The reason for this is that the company supports traditional marriages of Christian values. And so, it is widely known that they support organizations that are against homosexuality.

So it is said that they are being attacked by angry individuals, organizations and politicians who support homosexuality and LGBT. So they were actually kicked out of several college campuses, and San Antonio Airport in Texas also banned the opening of a Chick-fil-A restaurant. They are facing these hardships.

What’s surprising is that a company in these situations would be expected to see decline in business, but Chick-fil-A says sales have tripled over the past decade. So now, it is the third largest fast food chain after McDonald’s and Starbucks.

But the last part of this article was very impactful: “For Christians and businesses run by Christians, can it be that the failure to succeed is not from being too ‘Christian’ but from not being Christian enough? Are Christians running their businesses in accordance with biblical, Christian values and principles? It’s something to reflect on.”

The reason I introduced this article to you is to tell you that you can be rich if you trust in Jesus, your business will be successful, or… you know that that’s not what I’m telling you, right? Rather, it’s to tell you that it’s not easy to live out the biblical principles and values. In fact, you may face hardship.

But, through this story we see that there’s more than enough reasons or worth in living this way. And, it shows us that we ought to live this way. It shows us that God is pleased by this way of living, and ultimately, it also brings joy and benefits to other people and ourselves.

Body)

 Romans 12:1. Those who have surrendered faith will live as living sacrifices: “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.”

I’d asked you to think about the sacrifices in the Old Testament. They killed the animal and sprinkled the blood around the alter, separated the body by parts, cleaned it and put it on the alter. They burned the sacrifice in the fire and offered it to God as fragrance offering. That’s why they lit the fire. But, what if suddenly the sacrificial animal gets up and jumps off the alter because it was too hot? That’s unimaginable.

This is precisely what living sacrifice is. All that you have are already given to the Lord. Your life, your property, your children, your future hope, your business, your worries, your fears. They are given to the Lord. They have all become His. This is the life of a living sacrifice.

So some people think that it is not easy to live as a living sacrifice. So they feel burdened by it. They think that, sure, the Bible says this and that, but it’s impractical and impossible to live in this world according to the Word. Rather, they think it is wiser to live moderately compromising with the world.

But what did the last part of the article say? “… Can it be that the failure to succeed is not from being too ‘Christian’ but from not being Christian enough?” It says to think about this.

If we express this in context of today’s text, it’s saying that Christians are failing to succeed because they are not living as living sacrifice. They’re failing to succeed because they are not being Christian enough.

So we just have to focus on one thing – to really become holy living sacrifice. In fact, when we become a living sacrifice, these words that we are to become holy living sacrifice are not burdensome, but, rather are words of blessing.

So today’s text Romans 12:1 starts with therefore. Let’s read it again. “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.”

This is chapter 12 of the book(or letter). So then, what is therefore referring to? This is the conclusion of the contents of Romans chapters 1 to 11. So, you must know the contents of chapters 1 to 11 to understand this. So, we should to review the important points from these chapters. The most important passage in Romans is 1: 2-4 which we read together today. Why? It is because it tells us what the gospel is which we believe and is saved by.

Let’s take a look: “the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” Amen.

It explains what “the/this gospel” is. It says that the gospel has been already spoken through the prophets in advance, and not about anything else, but about the Son. This message is very important. So, it didn’t happen all of a sudden, but it had been revealed through the prophets in advance.

What was the message of this gospel? It was about the Son. In the flesh, he was born of David. The Son of God came into the body of man. This is incredible. But unfortunately, people did not recognize him.

The reason the apostle Paul wrote the Romans was to explain this gospel. How do we know this? As written in scripture, as prophesied by the prophets, he rose from the dead. There’s no other reason.

We don’t believe in Jesus hoping for a happier life. In fact, we don’t believe for the hopes of receiving salvation and go to heaven by believing in him. When we encounter the resurrected Jesus and recognize that this is the Son of God, we can’t do anything else but bow down before him. We cannot but believe.

Of course, when we believe in Jesus, there are many spiritual and physical benefits that we receive. But we do not believe in Jesus because of these things, but the moment we actually recognize that Jesus is the true God, we cannot deny but believe him as our Christ, our King. This is a surrendered faith, and this is the beginning of true faith.

Then, today’s passage Romans 12 begins here. “Therefore,” it says to give your body as living sacrifice that pleases God. So, what it means to be a living sacrifice is to believe in Jesus who died and rose again as your master and king.

That is why we ought to live a life of obedience to His Word. That is why our life becomes holy worship unto God. Everything we do in this world, big and small, does not end in this world anymore. Just as God receives this worship service today, everything we do become worship lifted up to God. Amen.

So now, working in the workplace is not just a means of making money, but a worship service to God. Studying is not just about getting into the school or job you want but studying itself is a worship service to God.

So then, how worthy/valuable is our life? All things, big and small, are meaningful. Cooking for the family is a worship unto God. Even doing the dishes and cleaning the house is a worship of life and goes up to God. It’s all because we are living sacrifice already given unto God.

 Colossians 3:23 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”It’s not only talking about church work, but what you do at home, in school, at work. It’s because the Lord is the one who gives us the rewards of the inheritance. Our reward is the inheritance stored up in heaven & earth!!!

Con)

So, like chick-fil-A, we do all things according to biblical values and principles without compromising. They do not follow biblical things in hopes of making their business successful. We obey the Word because we are holy living sacrifice.

This is because the reason we believe in Jesus is not for the blessing, for success, for a happy life.(You will be Alike, 3John 1:2, Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth & more, more!)

The reason we believe he is God is because he is God. And we are living sacrifice that cannot assert anything of my own.

What is amazing is that all we’ve done was becoming living sacrifice by believing in Jesus as our master. But what results from this faith is that this tremendous treasure transcends our lives. We are able to enjoy salvation, eternal life, heavenly inheritance, peace and joy and contentment of heaven through Christ Jesus. Amen.

061819 Young moon, Lee