Worship is not just for church. Romans 12.1

‘Which church is the right church?’  ‘Where should I take my kids to Sunday School?’  ‘Oh, yeah, we’ve been meaning to find a new church, but with sports and stuff, it just hasn’t happened.’  ‘Kinda stopped going because I just couldn’t relate, I know I should go back … where should I go?'

Hold the phone. 

I am sure you have noticed the big push to get back to basics—at least, in mid to upper class areas.  A lot of folks are feeling so harried by their daily pace, they long for the simple life.  ‘No surprise then that one of the best-selling women’s magazines is called “Real Simple.”  Organic is in; in fact, if an item has the word ‘organic’ on it, the retailer can charge more for it—including tee shirts made from organic cotton, whatever difference that makes.  What does the ‘push for the simple’ and ‘finding just the right church’ have in common?  Indirectly, Paul addresses both in Romans 12, verse one.

“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.”

Worship is not so much about the church you attend, though I pray you attend a church in which your heart grows wings as you worship the King . . . nor is worship confined to the portion of music that many parishioner’s think of as ‘worship time’ . . . Those are limited definitions, and not what the Holy Spirit had in mind when he moved Paul to address the topic in this letter to the church at Rome.  Go back and look, because his words are just as alive and applicable to you and me today.  ‘I urge you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.’  Paul makes it clear, he makes it simple:  we are to

     worship God by living a life that is holy and pleasing to him.           What about the sacrifice part?  Well, endeavoring to live that way is our sacrifice offered to him.  By its very definition, sacrifice costs something, doesn’t it? 

‘Hmmm … holy—what do you mean by that?  And I mean, come on—like that’s really possible.  And let’s just say I wanted to become more holy, what does that mean?  Do I gotta go to the temple, get some holy underwear, get rebaptized, or what?  People will think I’m weird, that’s for sure.’  All of these are thoughts that run through our minds, if we are honest. 

Yes, let’s be real—that’s pretty popular these days too—the concept of holiness has dropped from our popular culture.  I never saw it on any of my four children’s vocabulary tests, never saw it when ‘character counts’ was discussed.  And besides, does God really expect sinful creatures to be holy??

The answer is yes.  Simply, God said, ‘Be holy, even as I am holy.’ 

Here’s where the confusion sets in, I think.  Holiness is not really something we do, it is something God does in us, if we desire it.  Let’s think of the two coaches I mentioned recently—new to the whole matter of an individual faith in Christ—should I write them a letter and tell them how to get holy?  Yes, and here’s the letter: 

"Dear Brian, when you told God that you wanted more of him in your life . . . that you wanted him to lead your life, and that you realize that you need what Jesus did on the cross for you … well, the Holy Spirit took up residence inside you.  Yup, Christianity is the only faith where the Supreme Being comes to reside in his followers  … that’s wild, isn’t it?  The way you get to know about God is reading what he has said to you from the Bible—that’s how you learn how he works in the lives of believers, what he thinks of you, how he loves you, and how he will direct your life.  In the Scripture, you learn about his plan for mankind, and how the story ends, too.  And then, there is this divine, supernatural thing that goes on . . . kinda’ like a joint venture between the Holy Spirit, the Scripture and you.  Let’s leave it at that for now…that’s a good start on how holiness happens.”

Worship is not just for church . . . oh no, it is about our offering up a life that is holy and pleasing to God!

Christine

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