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“The Turning-It-Over” Point
Romans 12:1-2 and Nehemiah 9:1-3
October 29, 2006

Last week, you discovered your identity in Jesus Christ – those of you who were here, tell me that it was a wonderful word of hope and encouragement.  I want to thank Dale Thomas, our Lay Leader, for putting together a powerful worship experience.  And instead of moving forward with our study of Nehemiah, I feel the Spirit moving in a different direction – to build on what happened here last Sunday. 

You see, I believe it is not enough to feel secure about our identity in Christ – we’ve also got to be committed to His ministry, which is to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.  And before we can be used by God to transform the world – we must be transformed ourselves!  This morning, I want to share a word from Paul’s letter to the Romans, Chapter 12, verses 1-2. 

Opening Prayer

SERMON

A family from a remote farm area was making their first-ever visit to a big city.  They walked into a grand hotel and stood in amazement at the impressive Lobby.  After checking in, they left the reception desk and came to the elevator entrance.  Now, they had never seen an elevator before – didn’t have a clue what it was.  The father and his young son just stared at it, unable to figure out what the massive door was for. 

Standing there, they watched as an old lady hobble towards the elevator and stepped inside.  The door closed after her.  About a minute later, the door opened – and out stepped a stunningly beautiful young woman. 

Dad nudged his son and with urgent excitement, he whispered, “Quick, boy!  Go get your mother!” 

How many times have we wished that we could change our lives that fast and easily?  Wouldn’t it be something, if straightening our lives out was simply a matter of finding the magic door?  Go in one side all hobbled and broken – come out the other side with your act together and your best foot forward.  Just push the right button and take a ride to something better. 

“Quick, boy!  Go get your mother!”  Wouldn’t it be great if life could be transformed that easily? 

Well, we all know that elevators are not transformers – they can take you up and down, but they cannot take you inward.  And inward is where the problem lies – am I right?  Jesus once said, “The Kingdom of God is within you.”  And that is correct.  But he could’ve also as accurately said, “The kingdom of darkness is within you.”  For that is true as well.

The kingdom of darkness – that place inside each one of us where character flaws and bitter addictions multiply like Lemmings; where we hide our secret fears and failures, the guilt and shame that we don’t want others to see.  Why, we don’t even want to face them ourselves!  How do we deal with the kingdom of darkness that lies within every human heart? 

For Paul, the answer is not in an elevator, but at the altar.  He wrote, “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.”  When Paul talks about transformation, he uses the language of Temple worship. 

In New Testament times, in the center of the Temple court in Jerusalem, was a great stone altar.  People brought their most prized livestock to the altar – the very BEST they had to offer.  The priest placed those gifts on the altar and killed them in such a way that only God could derive any benefit from them.  They were sacrificed. 

Paul says, “Present yourself as a living sacrifice.”  And he yokes that statement with another: “Do not be conformed to the world but be transformed. . .”  For Paul, sacrifice and transformation go together – we are transformed at the altar.  What does Paul mean?  How are we to present ourselves as a living sacrifice?  And what happens at the altar that transforms and changes our lives?  Those are the questions I want to deal with this morning. 

First, we look at the meaning of the word, “sacrifice.”  Some imagine sacrifice means deprivation.  Like some rigorous training routine before a race – you deprive yourself of everything that might hinder you.  A few weeks ago, before my annual physical examination, I decided to skip the customary bacon and eggs for breakfast on Saturday morning.  I knew my doctor would be checking my cholesterol.  Some of us imagine that sacrifice means self-deprivation, or giving up things we typically enjoy.

Others say “sacrifice,” and they mean punishment.  They figure that if you do something wrong, eventually, it’ll catch up with you.  We all have to pay the piper.  So we want to know, "What's the fine, what’s the penalty? What loss will I suffer as result of my sins; what is my sentence?  My sacrifice?"

But I don't believe Paul is talking about deprivation OR punishment.  When Paul refers to sacrifice, he’s talking about surrender.  In his time, when worshippers placed their sacrifice on the altar, they gave up all ownership – all claim to it.  You didn't put a return address on the back of a lamb.  You didn’t put your gold coin in the offering plate with a string tied to it.  The altar was the place where you turned it over – gave it up, gave it away. Each sacrifice was surrendered to God.

Surrender. Think about it: to whom or what have YOU surrendered your life?  To what do you pledge your allegiance?  Is it your work?  Your bank account?  Your family?  Your house?  Is it a hobby?  A habit?  Or an addiction?  What have you surrendered your life to?  

Most of us imagine that we have clear title to our lives – but if we read the fine print carefully, we’re bound to find that there is a lien on the property. Perhaps it’s an old wound or grudge, a persistent habit or a compulsive drive has staked its' claim and will not let us go.  Well, we’re not alone!  Paul knew about the fine print.  He also knew that surrender is never a question of "IF."  It’s always a question of WHEN, to WHAT, or to WHOM.

That is why Paul warns us NOT to surrender our lives to earthly things:  “Do not be conformed to this world.”  Instead, he encourages us to surrender our lives to God – the only one who can transform us into the likeness of Jesus Christ.  "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice."  

Richard Fairchild tells the story of an Army colonel who had been a heavy drinker for 35 years.  During that time, he maintained the temperament of a particularly vicious sergeant long after he had become a Colonel.  But once he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, his whole demeanor changed.

He was describing his conversation experience to a group of medical people – and told them of his personality change since he became a follower of Jesus.  Once he’d been rash and hot-headed; now he was calm and self-controlled.  Once he’d been severe; now he was considerate.  Once he’d been selfish and self-serving – now he was compassionate and concerned for others.

A psychiatrist in the audience, protested.  He argued that personalities are so firmly set in early life, NO ONE can really change.  He added that there was no way the colonel – at his age – could have undergone such a radical transformation. 

"Well,” replied the Colonel, "that may be true.  But I am under new management – I answer to another authority – the highest and truest there is."

What does it mean to surrender to God?  The old colonel said it well – you place yourself under new management; you answer to a higher authority.  You deliberately, decisively, and daily turn the keys of your life over to God.  

As one who likes to be “in the driver’s seat,” I struggled with the concept of surrender to God.  I worried that surrender would be a sign of weakness.  I have learned that is NOT the case at all!  When we surrender to God, it is not an abdication of our responsibility; it is a submission to His authority.  (repeat).  Surrender is that point where I conclude that the most responsible thing I can do for myself is to make my life the responsibility of Jesus.  Because, you see, Jesus is far more capable of managing me, than I am.

I remember when our son David was 2 years old and went in for surgery to have tubes put in his ears.  He had suffered so many infections, that both his eardrums were burst and he'd lost 60% of his hearing.  I wept because he looked so tiny as we turned him over to the nurse.  I had never felt so helpless; but I knew the best thing I could do was to turn him over to the medical team; relinquish control and entrust him to the doctors.  He was literally my living sacrifice.

How could I do it?  Well, I knew that for all my love and concern for my son, the resources I had to offer him, were not sufficient to his need.  The doctors were better equipped to care for him than I could at that moment.

And friends, the truth is, that for all the self-esteem, the self-care, the self-help, the personal resources and the commitment you may have to your well being – you will never be able to care for yourself as well as the Great Physician can!  So Paul encourages you to surrender yourself to God’s care.

Surrender is the most profound way of admitting how totally dependent we are upon God.  In fact, the most powerful, life-changing words we can ever say are, "I surrender all."  And that becomes the turning point in our lives – when we realize that we cannot go it alone.  When we acknowledge that we cannot live a life that is pleasing to God and healthy for ourselves BY OURSELVES.  I've tried it – and I’ve found that my way is no way at all.  

I am learning that if I have any hope of wholeness, it must come wholly from God.  So I surrender – each and every day to Him.  I turn my sleeping, my eating, my work and my leisure over to God as a living sacrifice.  And what happens?  My life is being changed, transformed as I finally, fully, daily say: "Okay, God. I am yours. Do as YOU will, with my life today."

Some years ago, a young man wanted to make some needed changes in his life, so he went into a church and sat down in the sanctuary for a while.  He took out a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote down a long list of all the changes he intended to make – it was a whole page of good intentions.  Then he signed his name at the bottom, walked up and placed it on the altar, then sat down again in the sanctuary.

In the quiet of that place, he sensed the voice of God speaking softly in his spirit.  And the more he tuned in and listened, the more he was certain God was saying, "You've done it all wrong, son.  You’ve done it all wrong.  I want you to go back up there and get the piece of paper and tear it up.  Then I'll give you another instruction."

So, the young man got out of his pew, walked up to the altar and did as the

Lord told him.  He sat back down and waited for God to instruct him.  Eventually, God impressed upon his heart and mind these words, "Now Son, take a piece of paper, sign your name at the bottom and let ME fill in the rest."

Friends, you know what you have written on the PAST pages of your life – when you’ve tried to be in control. You know what you’ve tried to erase, what you need to cross out, where the smudge marks are.  You know the pages of your past that are crumpled or tear-stained.  You know what you've written on the past.

But you do NOT know what is yet to be written for your future -the rest of today and all of your tomorrows.  Those pages are still blank -yet to be filled.  This morning, in the quiet beauty of this sanctuary, the ALTAR is right here. And God is extending this invitation to you, “My beloved children, why not take your life, sign your name to it at the bottom – and trust ME to fill in the rest?”

As we sing our closing hymn “I Surrender All” – #354.  Write your name on that blank piece of paper – and bring it to the altar.  Surrender your life –

Covenant Prayer:  #607

Benediction:  Paul says, “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. And do not be conformed to this world; but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Amen!

Rev. Tonya Arnesen

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