New Years Resolution..Romans 12: 1-2

Romans 12: 1-2

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Another year is behind us and a new year is here, so what does it means for us?  These two verses are a perfect resolution on how we should begin the new year and each day of this new year.  A year is a measure of time made up of months, weeks, days, minutes, and seconds...all measures of time.  Paul's appeal is for us to use this time recognizing that time is a gift from God which we should use for His glory.

What would the world be like if everyone began each day with the intent to use God's gifts to us...talents, time, and bodies...to show our appreciation to Him (worship)?  If we live each day choosing to worship God by using our time according to His will; our families, our communities, our nations, and our world would be better, acceptable, and perfect.


Verse 2 tells us what it takes in order to be the living sacrifice Paul's calls us to be.  We must not conform to the ways of the world.  We must acknowledge that God's ways higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9)  When we are intentional about seeking God's ways we will be led to Jesus Christ and we will be receive the Holy Spirit.  With His Spirit, each day will be a day of transformation and renewal allowing us to discover and live in the will of God. 

Therefore, let this be our New Years Resolution:
 
By the mercies of God, let us present our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship.   Help us to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, so that we may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

The meaning of Christmas..."Eternal Life to all those You have given Him."

John 17: 1-5....After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed:

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. ² For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. ³ Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. ⁴ I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began."

As Jesus prayed just before His death He revealed the reason for His birth...Eternal Life for all who know God and Jesus Christ whom God sent! 

Verse 2 got my attention.  We always talk about the gift of Jesus as we celebrate Christmas, but here Jesus acknowledges that we were given to Him by the Father so that He can give us eternal life.  Through Christ, God has made available to us the gift of eternal life.  We are given from the Father to the Son, and our belief in Jesus brings Glory to God the Father.  Through Jesus, the gift of eternal life is made available.  

In Verse 4 Jesus prays that He is bringing glory to His Father on earth by finishing the work that God gave Him to do.  What was that work?  Our belief in Jesus is the completed work, so we who believe, are given to God by Jesus.   

As we think of Jesus' birth, we need to also remember that Christmas only matters because our belief in God and Jesus Christ reveals His grace and His love...and that our belief is a gift to both Father and Son. 

Our belief in God the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is a gift that glorifies God and it is a gift that we can keep on giving to the world so that all who come to believe will have eternal life.

There is another king, one called Jesus!

In the book of Acts, chapters 16 & 17, Paul is accused of causing trouble just because he showed up in towns. 

Acts 17: 6 & 7 says, " These men (Paul and other believers) who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here and Jason has welcomed them into his house.  They are defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus."

When Paul showed up with his message of grace and salvation through Jesus Christ, societies were upset and people were transformed by God's word.   What a reputation preceded Paul.  When he arrived, believers and non-believers expected the status quo to be stirred up.

Does Jesus' Church still "cause trouble all over the world" or has the church just blended into societies?  Do non -believers expect believers to bring a message that is in conflict with the norm or is the message one which conforms to the world?  If the church is not delivering God's word, why should we even show up.

This Christmas season we have the same message that Paul delivered..."there is a king called Jesus!"  We tell the Christmas story, but do we announce the King Jesus.  This is not a story to tell, it's an announcement to proclaim.  The angels didn't tell the shepherds a story about a baby's birth, they announced the Birth of the Messiah!