September 5, 2023

Today's Reading: Romans 11:33-12:8

Daily Lectionary: 2 Samuel 7:19-29, 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:16

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Romans 12:1)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Verbs matter. In Romans 12:2, there is one active verb (“present”) and two passive verbs (“be conformed” and “be transformed”). And then there is a verb form that flows from that being transformed (“testing-to-approve”). Either the world is working on us, conforming us to its shape–which is our natural shape as sinners; or God is working on us by His Spirit, transforming our natural ways of thinking to align with His. Either we will be living sacrifices for the sake of the world, or die as this world dies. 

In His mercy, God has grafted us into Christ, the Vine, though we Gentiles do not deserve it any more than the Israelites who reject Christ. In Christ, He has chosen you and had mercy on you, though you, like all people, were bound up in your disobedience to God. Jesus is the only sacrifice for sins, now and forever. So you do not offer your bodies, your works, your love for others as sacrifices for your sins, and hope it all shakes out in your favor on the day of judgment. Jesus already took care of your sins. 

Now you are turned toward others as living sacrifices–a strange contradiction! No sacrifice ever stayed alive. But covered in the mercy of God, you are given as a sacrifice for the sake of other people, as long as you live in this world. And since you are “holy and pleasing” to God in Christ, you can know what is “good and pleasing and perfect,” His will for you. Paul goes on to give some examples of what that might look like: prophesying (in right relationship to the Christian Faith); serving, teaching, exhorting and encouraging; in generous contribution, zealous leadership, and cheerful acts of mercy (12:6-8). God gives each of these gifts to the members of Christ’s body, to be used in humility for the sake of other people. 

The English translation calls all this our “spiritual worship,” but the word “spiritual” isn’t there (instead, it is something like “rational” or “reasonable”), and the word for “worship” can also be translated “service.” So we offer our bodies, redeemed and cleansed by Jesus, as living sacrifices of good works for our neighbors. And this is our “reasonable service,” according to God’s command, which tells us what works are actually good. This is the Christian life: God has had unfathomable mercy on us, which transforms our minds to think according to the mind of Christ; and we pour ourselves out for the good of our neighbors in our God-given vocations, according to the gifts He gives us. This work is good and pleasing to God because we are good and pleasing to God in Christ. And He who began this good work in us will bring it to its perfect conclusion in the resurrection. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

O Lord, You have had mercy on us in Jesus Christ, by His sacrifice for our sins. Continue to make us living sacrifices, poured out in love for one another. Amen.

- Pastor Timothy Winterstein is pastor at Faith Lutheran Church, East Wenatchee, Washington.

Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.

Study Christ's words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.