Romans 12: 1 I exhort you, therefore, brothers, in view of God’s mercies, to offer yourselves as a sacrifice, living and set apart for God. This will please him; it is the logical “Temple worship” for you. 2 In other words, do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh. Instead, keep letting yourselves be transformed by the renewing of your minds; so that you will know what God wants and will agree that what he wants is good, satisfying and able to succeed. 3 For I am telling every single one of you, through the grace that has been given to me, not to have exaggerated ideas about your own importance. Instead, develop a sober estimate of yourself based on the standard which God has given to each of you, namely, trust. 4 For just as there are many parts that compose one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function; 5 so there are many of us, and in union with the Messiah we comprise one body, with each of us belonging to the others. 6 But we have gifts that differ and which are meant to be used according to the grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, use it to the extent of your trust; 7 if it is serving, use it to serve; if you are a teacher, use your gift in teaching; 8 if you are a counselor, use your gift to comfort and exhort; if you are someone who gives, do it simply and generously; if you are in a position of leadership, lead with diligence and zeal; if you are one who does acts of mercy, do them cheerfully.(Complete Jewish Bible)
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"I am asking you to show up!" Simply put, that's the heart of St. Paul's appeal as he calls each and every one of us to present our bodies--our whole selves--to the mercies of God's grace. I imagine Paul was especially aware of believers as individual bodies, but also as members of the larger body of Christ because of his own experience of trying to do all things well. Paul's calling and gifts, he learned, were to do--not everything--but certain things. The calling was to preach and teach for the sake of people like us, ones who have also been welcomed into the family of God by adoption. Paul encourages all of God's people to celebrate the variety of the gifts which each of us has been given. This is our spiritual worship--teaching people teach; preaching people preach; serving people serve; loving people love. With minds renewed by God we show ourselves to be the ones whom God made us to be. We are unique persons with unique gifts who show up and do "our thing" for the sake of others.
Blessed are you, O God, giver of all good gifts and maker of all your people. Send us forth in peace, knowing we are gifted people with good gifts to share. Amen.
Jennifer Obermueller, '99
Pastor, St. John's Lutheran Parish of Bendena & Lancaster, Kansas
Romans 12:1 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.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function,
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;
7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;
8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. (New Revised Standard Version)
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"I am asking you to show up!" Simply put, that's the heart of St. Paul's appeal as he calls each and every one of us to present our bodies--our whole selves--to the mercies of God's grace. I imagine Paul was especially aware of believers as individual bodies, but also as members of the larger body of Christ because of his own experience of trying to do all things well. Paul's calling and gifts, he learned, were to do--not everything--but certain things. The calling was to preach and teach for the sake of people like us, ones who have also been welcomed into the family of God by adoption. Paul encourages all of God's people to celebrate the variety of the gifts which each of us has been given. This is our spiritual worship--teaching people teach; preaching people preach; serving people serve; loving people love. With minds renewed by God we show ourselves to be the ones whom God made us to be. We are unique persons with unique gifts who show up and do "our thing" for the sake of others.
Blessed are you, O God, giver of all good gifts and maker of all your people. Send us forth in peace, knowing we are gifted people with good gifts to share. Amen.
Jennifer Obermueller, '99
Pastor, St. John's Lutheran Parish of Bendena & Lancaster, Kansas
Romans 12:1 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.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function,
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith;
7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching;
8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. (New Revised Standard Version)
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Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55108, United States
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