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“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1, ESV)

Pastor Abel’s sermon on this passage is titled, “I Receive or I Surrender”.

The book of Isaiah is sometimes said to be the ‘Romans of the Old Testament’ because in it, centrally in Isaiah chapter 53, we see the promise of the sacrificial Messiah who bears the sins of his people.

However, there are other parallels between the two books. For example, in chapter 1 of Isaiah, the prophet communicates God’s complaint against the rebellious people of Judah:

Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. (Isaiah 1:4, ESV)

God’s people had become corrupt, ceasing to follow his ways, and instead followed their own sinful desires. But, despite this, they still attempted to make a show of following God’s law, keeping ceremonies and festivals to God, while continuing to delight in their sin. God confronts this in chapter 1 again:

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.  “When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations—I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. (Isaiah 1:11-15, ESV)

Here, God expresses in a graphic way what Paul communicates in Romans 12:1. Namely, God does not value a religious show of cosmetic holiness. He values obedience. The sacrifice that pleases God is not a grand show, offering the fattest bull on the alter, coming to church in your finest clothes, or putting the largest paycheck in the plate. The sacrifice God wants the ‘living sacrifice’ of redeemed sinner.

For how can sinful men and women live such a life? It is only ‘by the mercies of God’ as Paul says. In Isaiah chapter 1, after confronting his people with their sin, this is what God says:

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” (Isaiah 1:18, ESV)

God extends his hand of mercy. This is how he has always worked. He offers forgiveness to sinners, calling us out of the life of sin and rebellion against him, calling us back into communion, and a life of sacrificial obedience to him. May we receive his mercy today and allow it to motivate us to pursue holiness, pleasing him in all we do.

 

Further Study

 

Questions

  • What stood out to you from the sermon?
  • What does it mean to present our bodies as a living sacrifice?
  • Why is God’s mercy the power behind a life of holiness?
  • When you hear that you can please God with how you live your life, what is your reaction?