A Living Sacrifice

For four months now, we have been digging into the Book of Romans, Paul's most extended letter and perhaps his richest in terms of Christian doctrine. One author describes it as “Paul's masterpiece on grace,” which succinctly captures his teaching of Jesus' indescribable gift to Jews and Gentiles who surrender their lives to Him. We have learned that grace should be a source of unlimited joy and peace for Christians because it is the result of God's great love for us, and there are no works we can do or need to do to receive it. We also learned that the law was not a path to salvation but a mirror showing us how much we need a Savior. Once we accept God's gift of grace, we become new creations infused with the Holy Spirit, the very presence of God.

So, how does this gift change us?

The first 11 chapters of Romans set the stage for the rest of the story, which begins in Romans 12. Paul now begins to illustrate what our transformed Christian lives should look like. It is a great yardstick to determine how impactful the Holy Spirit is in our daily lives, and, as I've shared in the past, the context of Paul's guidance makes it even more compelling. Rome was the largest city in ancient times and the center of what was then the most powerful empire in the world. Do you think learning how we are to live amid great worldly power and influence might have some meaning for Christians in America?

As I was preparing this message, I had a conversation with one of the newer members of the Mosaic family, Marcy Fenn. I was amazed by her exposition of Romans 12 and the real-life experiences she brings to this description of aspirational Christian living. We decided to collaborate on this chapter as the best way to deliver what Romans 12 teaches us. We like to try different things at Mosaic Church, in case you haven't noticed, and we're going to learn a lot and have some fun doing it.

Marcy and I look forward to sharing Paul's counsel with you this Sunday!

Blessings,

Ron