October 30, 2022

Online Worship for Reformation, Sunday October 30, 2022

Preacher:
Passage: Romans 12:1-8
Service Type:

Sermon for Reformation – Sunday October 30, 2022
Calvary/Marquette ● Soli Deo Gloria

Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Romans 12:1–8 (NKJV)
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

In the Name of Jesus Christ,
Dear Fellow Redeemed in Him –

For Lutheran Christians it all began on October 31st, 1517…when an Augustinian Monk named Martin Luther walked through the streets of Wittenberg, Germany…his destination…the door of the castle church. Martin Luther was no rebel. He never intended to make a name for himself or establish a new denomination bearing his name.

He was looking for a discussion, a debate. He believed earnestly that certain church rites were in opposition to the teachings found in the Bible. He didn’t believe that that the church should be in the business of selling God’s Forgiveness. After all, that forgiveness was freely given by a gracious God.

When Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses (think of them as 95 discussion points) he was looking for a scholarly debate. He believed that the matter would be discussed reasonably and was certain that the Godly result would be certain reforms.
He didn’t believe that he would do the reforming…He believed that God would accomplish it within the Roman Catholic Church.

In the Lutheran Church, October 31st is not Halloween…it’s Reformation Day. We remember how God used different men, including Martin Luther, to restore the central teaching of the Bible – Justification by Faith – to its rightful place in the church. So we confess today that we are justified by faith alone – faith in Christ, which is a gift of God worked by God’s Grace alone – through the testimony of the Scriptures alone.

On this Reformation Sunday, let me ask: “Do we need another Reformation Today?” Is there a need for significant change in the Christian Church in general and in the Lutheran Church in particular?

The World around us says… “Yes!” We are told today that we need a reformation…but what they mean is that we need to change our message to agree with society. The politically correct tell us that we can’t speak of true and false teaching. There are others that say we need to be more open-minded and accept homosexuality as an ‘alternate lifestyle’ and to give our stamp of approval to same sex marriage. We are urged to ‘re-interpret’ the Bible until our teachings conform with societies views.

So…Do we need a Reformation? Why did the first Reformation take place? It took place because the church of that day had in large part left God’s Word behind…or at least elevated church tradition over God’s Word. Have we departed from God’s Word or stopped proclaiming the ‘whole counsel of God’ (cf. Acts 20:27)?

If we have departed from God’s Word or replaced it with tradition; if we have elevated reason and emotion over Scripture…then we do need a Reformation. But, if the Gospel of Christ is still being proclaimed in truth without error and the Sacraments are being used according to Christ’s institution and command…then there is no need of a reformation within the church…at least not of the church’s teachings. While the world around us urges us to depart from the Word of God, Jesus words of promise still ring out from John’s Gospel (John 8:31-32):

“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

Each generation must re-discover and re-learn the truths of God’s Word for itself. It is important that each of us study God’s Word so that each can say with conviction: “I believe...because the Bible says so.”
The more we immerse ourselves in Holy Scripture and make the Word of Truth our own…the more we will grow in faith and understanding.

On the other hand, if we are not diligent to continue in Christ’s Word…and if we instead mold ourselves after this world’s ideas and ideals…then we will need more than a Reformation…we will need to undergo a Transformation. The Word of God before us this morning speaks of that necessary Transformation, that change in attitude and life which the Holy Spirit works through the living and powerful Word of God.

May the Spirit of God begin and continue that transformation in us today through His Word. Amen.
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How many times do you make a sacrifice? We don’t use the word very often today, when we do we think of a sacrifice as a one-time thing. Once we sacrifice something, it’s no longer ours, we’ve given it up.

How many times do you give an offering? Even though there are more than 50 envelopes in the box, we give an offering once, right? We don’t give the same offering every Sunday, but a different one each time. An offering, like a sacrifice is given only once.

So please notice then that the sacrifice mentioned by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul in the 12th Chapter of Romans is described…not as a one-time sacrifice, but an ongoing activity…

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

This sacrifice, this offering…is to be an ongoing thing. It’s called a living sacrifice, a reasonable (thoughtful, genuine, heart-felt) service. This offering is not given once, folded up in an envelope. This is to be a daily offering, for we are here encouraged to present ourselves, our own bodies to God for His use and His service.

Do we think of ourselves as an offering to God? When we rise from our beds and leave our homes, do we ask each day: “Lord, what can I do to serve you today?” “How can I serve you in Your Kingdom and carry out your will during this day?” If not, then it’s possible that the very thing we are here warned about is happening.

It could be that we are being conformed to this world, that our lives are being molded and fashioned according to the attitudes and ideas of this world. For while the Spirit of God urges us to offer ourselves as instruments, as tools in the hands of God for His Service…Satan and this world and our own sinful natures would have us use our bodies and minds to serve sin, to be self-centered. Is there any doubt that today…

 We are urged to do what makes us feel good, what seems right to us. Live for the day and live for the weekend. Live for today and have fun! He who dies with the most toys wins!
 We are encouraged to think highly of ourselves. If someone makes us feel bad about ourselves, avoid them! We are good people and should be proud of ourselves.

If from morning to evening we think only of ourselves, and seek nothing but advancement in this world…then we have been conformed to this world. We are being molded and fashioned according to this world’s image of success.

If this is the case then we don’t need a reformation...we will need a complete transformation.

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

How are we transformed? Is there a 12 step process? Can I buy a kit at the store that comes with vitamins?

No! It is necessary that God transform us by His Word, changing the way we think, by renewing our minds and wills, that we may prove what is good, acceptable and complete in God’s sight. This transformation is accomplished by the Holy Spirit through the word of God. It is God who changes the way we think, and live through the Gospel, the good news of what Jesus Christ accomplished for us. God prompts our love and service by revealing Christ’s Love and Service.

Jesus lived in perfect love toward God and was perfectly obedient to God’s Commandments. Jesus presented Himself, His own body to be offered up as the sufficient sacrifice for our sins and guilt. He has sent His Holy Spirit into our hearts and it is the Spirit that is at work in us to bring about a complete change of mind and heart and will through the Word of God.

He leads us to evaluate what gifts have been given us by God…not so that we can take pride in them, but so that we may use those God-given gifts in faith to serve God. This sacrifice, this offering of our bodies to God is to glorify Him, not ourselves…

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

It’s part of Christian maturity to recognize that our gifts and abilities are just that – gifts from God. Likewise, those gifts are not only to be used for our personal benefit, but to glorify God who gave them. Instead of boasting in our gifts we ought to boast in our God who has given them to us. There are a number of Godly gifts mentioned here…

What gift has God given you?
Prophecy – Has granted you understanding of His Word? Speak that Word in Faith in agreement with Scripture.
Ministry – (Service) Has you granted you the willingness to serve God’s people? Do so to God’s Glory.
Teaching -- Has he granted you the ability to teach? Do so to His Glory.
Encouragement -- Has he granted you loving concern and the ability to encourage? Do so to God’s Glory.
Wealth -- Has God granted you material wealth? Use His gifts not only for self, but also to His Glory to further His Kingdom.
Leadership -- Are you in a position of leadership? Lead diligently, in such a way that God is glorified.
Kindness -- Has God given you a kind spirit? Use that gift to lift the spirits of others that God is glorified.

Use the gifts that God has given you…not because you must but because you may! This presenting of ourselves to God for His service, to His glory – is not to be done of necessity or grudgingly – but in thanksgiving! We are encouraged to offer ourselves to God…because of His great mercy to us! Notice what was said in the very first verse:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Our service to God is to be prompted by His mercy. We are not urged to serve God to earn his favor or atone for our sins…but because God has had mercy on us in Christ. We have been plucked by a gracious God from the very gates of hell, and are now given opportunity to express our faith in love and glorify our Redeemer!

It is because of the mercies of God in Christ – because God offered up His only son into death to make us His own – that we may think of ourselves as newborn creatures whose purpose is to serve and glorify God.

How have we been doing? Have we been willingly presenting ourselves to God and looking for opportunities to serve Him? Have we been taking His Word with us out the door and into our lives? Have we been looking to His Word for guidance in all our decisions and direction in our conduct? Have we been using the gifts that God has given us to glorify Him?

If not…God forgive us for Jesus’ sake.

May God the Holy Spirit reform…even transform our minds and hearts through the Word of God, so that we seek, each day, to glorify God…not because we imagine that it will earn His favor…but because He has redeemed and saved us through the life and death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus.

May the same Spirit help us to evaluate our gifts and seek to use them to His glory.

May God grant us all His Grace that we continue in His Word, both Law and Gospel, so that a new reformation is never necessary, but that our transformation may continue day by day. Amen!

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