Pursuing Lives of Worship and Service in Community

When the letters were written by the apostles to the various churches of the day, they didn’t contain the headings, chapter breaks, and verse breaks that are found in the modern day bible. Often times, the flow of these letters can build to a climactic point the author was attempting to make. The book of Romans is one of these letters and a verse in chapter 12 has its foundation made in the previous 11 chapters. Before we look at the verse in chapter 12, let’s take a walk through Romans to see the foundation Paul is laying in order to give a command to the followers of Christ.

Paul begins in chapters 1 through 3 speaking of the wrath of God that is and will be poured out on unrighteousness. He explains that each human being has the law of God “written on their hearts” v2:15. That all men “have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” v3:23. The letter turns to the work of Christ, that Christ “died for the ungodly” v5:6. That “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” v5:8. The end of chapter 5 makes the connection between our being born in the likeness of Adam, a sinner, and Christians having “God’s abundant provision of grace” and “life through the one man, Jesus Christ” v5:17. The Old Testament law, in fact, has its purpose and fulfillment in Christ: “The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more” v5:20. Chapter 6 explains that we were once “slaves to sin” v6:17, but now Christ has “set us free from sin” v6:22 and we have become “slaves to God” v6:22. In this new life as a slave to God, Paul realizes that even he finds that “when (he) wants to do good, evil is right there with (him)” v 7:21. He asks “Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God- through Jesus Christ our Lord!” v7:24-25. Paul continues his glorious explanation of the gospel with writing that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” v8:1, that we have “received the Spirit of son ship” v8:15, that “glory will be revealed in us” v8:18, that “God works for the good of those who love Him” v8:28, that “we are more than conquerors through him” v8:37, and nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” v8:39. Chapters 9-11 then tell the amazing story of God’s plan for humanity, focusing on the sovereign Lord who works all things according to his purpose. The entire 11 chapters end with an amazing summary of the glory of God:

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
"Who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?"
"Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?"
For from him and through him and to him
are all things.
To him be the glory forever! Amen.

The letter could have ended there being an amazing telling of the true God of the universe, who is working out all history according to his plan of redemption. But we know this letter did not end here. The 11 chapters were written as a foundation for what comes next:

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)

The deep and powerful foundation of God himself now becomes the grounds for the response of God’s people to Him. In view of God’s mercy that was held high in the previous eleven chapters, a response of whole hearted worship is commanded by Paul. Because our God has created all things, is working in all things, and pours grace into our lives, it is a correct response to live a life of sacrifice to Him. This a high calling and a demanding command. What should this look like practically?

As a start, we can say assuredly the Christian life does not merely consist of attending a weekly worship service or being casually involved in religious things. It should be the aim of every Christian to live every aspect of their life as a follower of Christ. From marriage, to fatherhood, to being in the workplace, every sphere of our life should find its direction and meaning in the lens of Paul’s words. What does it mean to offer my body as a living sacrifice as I raise my children? What does it mean to offer my body as a living sacrifice as a neighbor? What does it mean to offer my body as a living sacrifice in the workplace? This is why we use the word pursuing. We must be active in pursuing a life of worship to the Lord in all things. It is our hope that we would grow more and more into a community of believers that lives with this focus as a response to what God has done, is doing, and will do in our lives. Would you join us in pursuing lives of worship and service to the Lord?

Large group meets Sundays 9:30 - 11 beginning June 13th

We've reserved a room at the Hampton Inn on 18th Ave near Walmart to begin to meet together as a larger group.

The room is reserved from 8:30 until 11:30 but as of right now we plan on meeting from 9:30am until 11am.  Mark it down.  Childcare will be provided for children 4 years old and under.

Sunday June 13th is coming up quickly.

Community and Outreach Events

One of our small group focuses lately has been to pray for specific unsaved friends.  This has been a highlight for me personally.  I love hearing the prayers that have been prayed asking God to open eyes to who He is.

We are going to be doing a few events in the summer just for the purpose of building community and getting to know those that we all have been reaching out to.  We've planned these outreach/ community events for the following dates:

June 18th
July 17th
August 8th

There is now a link to the calendar on the right under "useful links".  Take a look at the calendar from time to time to see what else we have coming up.

proclaiming the gospel to believers and non-believers

For the past few weeks Shane and I have been blogging about the five p’s of Bend City Church.  Today, as I am sitting in our Romanian apartment, I am posting my blog about “proclaiming the gospel to believers and non-believers”.

Some of you might read that and think a couple of different things.  First you might be wondering what I am doing in Romania.  I’ll save that for another time.  Second you might be wondering why I am talking about proclaiming the gospel to believers.  After all, you might be thinking, believers don’t need the gospel preached to them – they are already saved.

If believers want to live a life of faith then they need to be reminded of the gospel often.  So, I’ll expound on proclaiming the gospel to believers and I trust that it will be self-evident why we think it is important to tell unbelievers about the gospel.

Romans 1:5 NIV - Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

Paul had a mission.  That mission was to call people to obedience.  But it wasn’t just obedience.  Obedience by itself can be very dangerous. Obedience can be legalistic and self-righteous.  A person can obey in such that they are trying to earn God’s approval (legalistic).  Worse still, people can obey just for the bragging rights associated with doing something right (self-righteousness).  These examples lead to two different things.  Either a person feels like they will never measure up and gets disheartened or they feel like they do measure up and feel better than everyone else.

Paul’s mission was not just to call people to obedience.  Read the verse again.  It says that he was calling people to the obedience that comes from faith.  God is calling all people to a different type of obedience.  One that responds to all that God is for us in Christ.  Our obedience is a response to God’s acceptance of us through the cross of Christ not a means of trying to earn God’s acceptance.  This type of obedience leads people to humility because a person understands that they could never do enough to earn God’s acceptance.  Our acceptance is earned only through Jesus paying the price.  We believe and therefore we obey.

It is the gospel that reminds people that we need a savior and it is the gospel that reminds us that Christ is that Savior.  The gospel stirs up faith within believers.

Romans 1:16-17 ESV - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."

The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel - a righteousness that comes from faith.  I love the way that the ESV translation renders it.  It says that it is revealed from faith and for faith so that we can live by faith.  The gospel is revealed for faith.  If we desire to call people to an obedience that comes from faith then we desperately need to remind them of all that Christ has accomplished for us.  We need to remind them of the gospel.

Praying with utter dependence on Christ

Many things have been said about the importance of prayer and rightfully so. In order to review the importance of prayer, I thought it would be helpful to first start at a truth that lays the foundation for prayer. Namely, that we have nothing that we have not received from the Lord.

For an example of this truth, let's go to 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and 4. The situation is this. The Corinthians have apparently been experiencing the blessings of the Lord. At least in some part, the Corinthians have been puffed up by these blessings and it has caused divisions within the body. The body has been split as the individual members find pride in what their supposed group leader has done in the faith. It has gotten to the point where men are boasting over who they follow, whether it be Paul or Apollos.

Obviously, Paul is beside himself over this as both himself and Apollos know that they are nothing apart from Christ. Paul lays out a beautiful truth that as Christians we must constantly be reminded of:

For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you
have that you did not receive? (1 Cor 4:7)

These are not trick questions. Paul is just driving it back to the basics. The answer to the first question is Jesus. The answer to the second question is a resounding NOTHING. We have received nothing apart from the Lord. Paul is using this truth to battle pride in believers, but if we use this same truth to view the importance of prayer, it is equally powerful.

I think it best to pause here, and think about every detail of your life. Think deep. What do you have that you have not received? Whether it be material things, such as a house or car, or immaterial things, such as eyes to behold beauty, you have received it all. There is a giver for all things. The giver is God.

How does this truth affect prayer?

As we know from the Scriptures God does give good gifts because he simply is a good God. Sometimes these gifts are seemingly independent of prayer from his people (Matthew 5:45). At the same time, there is verse after verse that reinforces the fact that God, the giver of all things, hears prayer and gives in response to prayer:

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." (Matthew 7:7-8)

I don't know about you but I find this truth incredibly motivating
to pray. First, the awesome truth that nothing we have comes from any
other source than God Himself. Second, that this all powerful God
beckons us to make requests of Him so that He can answer our
prayers. So, I ask you to join us in praying in utter dependence of Christ
as we seek His will for His church.