“The Life That Comes from Christ”

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8

How often have we heard others say that they don’t come to church because they don’t like religion – and all because of some ill-conceived perception that they have of what God is demanding from them? They are unable to see any benevolence in the Lord whatsoever, and they are unwilling to offer any back. One of the aspects of grace that John Wesley experienced is described as “Prevenience”. Prevenient Grace is God’s calling us, encouraging us, desiring that we might be in relationship with him. Unfortunately, too many folks see this more as a pursuit than as a call.

In the late 19th century, a poet by the name of Francis Thompson wrote a piece entitled “The Hound of Heaven”. It was about a man who felt as though he was being pursued all his life, but was never actually attacked. In one line, we read “Fear (was) not to evade, as Love (was) to pursue.” As strong as the pursuit was in his life, there was no fear of harm that might come to him, for the only sensation that he felt was Love. He knew that he wasn’t worthy of that love, and he wasn’t sure of what to do about it.

At the end of the piece, Thompson writes “Shade of his hand, outstretched caressingly? Ah, fondest, blindest, weakest, I am he whom Thou seekest.” It was no longer a pursuit that he felt, but the hand of God being offered to him, because he was the one who God desired.

The most basic premise of Christian faith is that the only sacrifice that the Lord desires from us is the gift of our love and dedication to his way, and the only “pursuit” that is underway is carrying us in the direction of holy perfection.

Read Romans 12:1-2

We are living in an age of “overlap” – the age of Messiah has begun, but the age of “earth” has yet to end. The world entices us to remain unchanged and uncertain. Paul uses the term “pattern” to describe the world’s way – a model that is enjoyable, pleasurable, consistent – a way that has been followed by the vast majority of people for thousands of years. Jesus’ way, on the other hand, is about change. It isn’t about momentary and personal gratification, but rather is imbedded in the hand that is “caressingly outstretched” to us, pleading for us to leave the path of devastation and follow his way of life.

One Biblical paraphrase translates verse 2 like this – “Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.” Good advice! The only mold that we should ever enter is the one that conforms us to the way of Christ. Jesus would have us be transformed in the likeness of God, just as we were created in his image (Genesis 1:26-28).

The Lord’s way doesn’t demand or coerce or threaten – it offers, it encourages, it seeks, it promises the very best of eternity. It changes us completely; it refreshes our minds and hearts; it exchanges this brief and finite existence for one that is eternal and Christ-like. It’s a transformation that is not only renewing, but is one that is able to welcome the Holy Spirit as a guide and encouragement for our lives. The life and way of the world can, and does, leave us high and dry most of the time, but the Lord’s way is one of unity and security. Christ promises that we will never be abandoned, (Hebrews 13:4-6), that we will never be left as orphans without a relationship in him (John 14:18-19) but the world offers us no such promise.

Paul ends verse 2 with the thought that by conforming our hearts and minds to God’s way, we will gain an understanding as to what God’s will is for our lives. Without Jesus, we can’t have the Spirit, and without the Spirit, we will never know the Lord’s will and way. John 14:15-17 tells us that if we love Jesus and keep his commandments, the Father will send the Spirit to be with us. But that the world will never experience the Spirit, because they have turned away from Christ.

Read Romans 13:3-5

Now, Paul turns to what the Church must be about. The Church, the body of believers, is to be humble, for that is the only attitude that can enable us to truly worship the One, Living and Glorious God. For most people, that is the personal sacrifice that they have to make when they give their lives to Christ – and it’s difficult! Humility is not a revered attribute of the world! They want us to be strong and decisive and committed to ourselves. The apostle calls us to be self-judging, to see just who we truly are – and to do it honesty through faith in the truth of God, not by the fabrication of earth.

Have you ever tried to actually do that? To truthfully evaluate your life through the lens of Christ? Faith in Jesus Christ will never allow us to view anything through the “rose-colored glasses” of earth. But with clarity of vision, a view of the life we lead will be nothing if not humbling and sobering, and maybe even a little embarrassing! Will a “truthful vision” of our life reveal a full and honest participation as a member of the Body of Christ? Or will this vision show that we have fallen far short? Do we honor and encourage the participation of others in the Body, or have we pushed them out of the way because we know that they can never do “it” (whatever “it” is!) as well as we can? Do we encourage and enable others, or do we only enable ourselves? Do we see ourselves as “first” and “best”, or as “last” and “unworthy”?

Paul tells us that each of us is a single member of the whole, and that the gifts and abilities that we have are owned by the entire Body. Think about this for a minute. Each of us is not only incomplete without the others, but the things that we think that we can offer to the Church are not ours to control – that others are just as important and gifted as we are, and maybe more so! The United Methodist Church is going through a difficult and revealing period of self-examination right now, and we are discovering that many in the church are heading out in their own selfish way, and are demanding that the “whole” agree with them. I don’t think that this is the form of “unity” that Paul is advocating for.

So what is wisdom – what is it that will lead us to the truth of God? Is it based in the intellect that each of us was born with, or must it be founded in a Christ-like transformation? The problem with human wisdom and intelligence is that it can be so diverse and self-serving that it only creates divisiveness and chaos, and destroys each and every sense of cohesiveness.
The only time that “wisdom” unifies is when it is perfect, and the only perfect wisdom comes from Almighty God. Belonging, such as in the Body of Christ, requires surrender and sacrifice – not in a worldly way that builds us up, but in a divine way that gives our all over to the Lord, and gives him permission to make us whole and complete through him, and with the Church.

So what does that mean for our church in general, and for us specifically? Ephesians 4:1-6 speaks to this far better than I could. The passage tells us to work together in love, not obligation. It tells us to embrace the concept of personal surrender, and to dedicate ourselves in unity – unity in the Spirit, not in our humanity. We read that there is only one body, one Spirit, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all. The only place that we show up in this entire series is in the body, and even that must be based in the authority and majesty - and unity - of the Triune God.

Read Romans 12:6-8

This sounds very similar to chapter 12 of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, as well as Ephesians 4:11-13, in which he talks about the Body being made up of many parts, none of which are more important that the others. He tells us that each of us has a gift to share, and that we should never presume to use gifts that we haven’t been given, but are to encourage and help others who do have those gifts and are being called to use them.
The one important difference in these verses from Romans, is that Paul includes an authority with each gift. We are given these gifts according to God’s grace. In other words, God, and God alone, determines who receives what, and how each is to use the gift that is given. Throughout the passage, he pronounces the gift, and then places the authority to use it upon each one specifically.

The Lord is granting authority to use the gifts that we are given in his name, but there is no authority to use personal abilities, ones that are not God inspired or blessed, in his name. Conversely, there is no permission to either withhold the use of these divine gifts, or to use them for our own gratification. It is the Lord’s gift, and his decision as to how they are to be shared with the world.

This is what living in and for Christ is all about. It’s putting Jesus first, giving him complete authority to govern and lead and delegate his will to our lives. It’s putting the hopes and desires of others ahead of our own. It’s accepting the guidance and authority of the Holy Spirit over who we are and what we are to do. And it is about rejoicing in the fact that by the surrender of our own agendas, our own plans, our own prestige, our own wisdom and authority, that we can live as one within the Body of Christ, bringing honor and praise to the mighty name of Jesus.

The life that comes to us by faith in Jesus Christ is not a solitary or self-gratifying one – it is one that is unifying, and victorious, and is a blessing to all the world. Wouldn’t it be incredible if we actually worked to do that some day?