Stewardship of Life

The book of Romans is unique in that Paul had never been to Rome. He hoped to go, but he never made it there. And since this wasn’t one of the churches that Paul founded, he isn’t writing to answer a question or a concern. Some think that he was writing to prepare for a visit, hoping that he could establish a base in Rome to reach out to Western Europe, since he had nearly finished his evangelistic work in the east. So, Romans is unique for Paul, almost a systematic theology. Here we have, more clearly than we have it anywhere else, what Paul believes about God, covering the relationship of God with humankind, why God came incarnate in Jesus into the world, the relationship of the community of believers, and the role of the church in the world.

Much like the third section of our worship service, “Respond to God,” Paul’s letters end with a section of practical advice. Romans 12, that we read this morning, is the beginning of Paul’s practical advice to the church of Rome. And since this letter isn’t addressing any particular concern, we have here what Paul believes the purpose of the church to be. This is how Christians should live…according to Paul’s understanding, remembering he is writing less than 30 years after Jesus’ death, likely important advice for us.

“Offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God,” writes Paul. Remember, the church at Rome was mostly Gentile. And the Greek world-view was that bodies were to be shunned and preference and attention given to the spirit. So, Paul is saying, discipleship isn’t all about your mind or your heart or your spirit. It is about what you do with this vessel that you have been given to make a difference with – your body is holy and pleasing to God, and offering what you can do with it to make a difference in the world IS your spiritual act of worship.
Worship isn’t only the hour you spend at church. Worship isn’t only the time you spend in devotion. Worship isn’t only the quiet time you spend in prayer. Worship is everything you do. Worship is how you spend your life. Worship is living every moment in response to God’s abundant generosity. It is living life cognizant that you have been given this moment, this breath,…and you are a steward of it.

William Barclay writes about Paul’s advice, “True worship is your passion being God and doing God’s will in the world.”…” When people are passionate about something, they commit themselves completely to whatever it is that matters most [to them]. “

You know, God could have commanded that the world be transformed. Instead, he invites us to be a part of it.
Barclay goes on to say, “The true worship, the really spiritual worship, is the offering of one’s body, and all that one does every day with it, to God. Real worship is not the offering of elaborate prayers to God; it is not the offering to God of a liturgy, however noble, and a ritual, however magnificent. Real worship is the offering of everyday life to God. Real worship is not something which is transacted in a church; real worship is something which sees the whole world as the temple of the living God and every common deed an act of worship.”

When our worship in this space concludes we prepare for true worship in the world as we Respond to God. We give our tithes and offerings, we sing a hymn of dedication, we receive an Invitation to be Disciples in the world. In one of the liturgical resource books put out by PC(USA), each section of worship is described. It describes the role of the Offering this way, “Having prayed for the world, we put ourselves where our prayers are. In grateful response for the abundance of God’s grace, we offer ourselves to be instruments of God’s peace, love, and justice. As stewards we give from what God has given us, acknowledging that the world is not ours but God’s.”

John Ortberg tells about what happened when he was part of a small group of youth that started putting themselves where their prayers were. This was their prayer:

“Use me, God. Show me what my part is in the transformation of the world. Take hold of my head, my heart and my hands and use me for your purposes.”

The church was small. The youth group was smaller. They wanted to make a difference in the world. What could they do? They started praying.

Pretty soon, they came to the conclusion that they had a lot of friends at school who were unchurched. They didn’t go to church anywhere, never had, never did. They decided to start a program that would be an entry point, something that would be attractive, something that would draw these friends in. They had a gym they could use. But that was about it.

John says, “I’ll never forget when one of the first students spoke up and said, ‘Well, I can play a musical instrument if that would help.’ Another said, ‘I can sing.’ We said, ‘That’s great. We need that. You do that.’ Another student spoke up: ‘I can’t sing or play an instrument, but I can set up music stands and microphones.’ ‘Great, we need that too.’

During one brainstorming session a girl adjusted her chewing gum and said, ‘Well, did you ever think about using drama?’ The blank expression on my face told her that where I came from, people didn’t talk much about drama. She explained, ‘It’s where you put on a little skit that’s tied into the message you’re going to give. If we had drama, the meeting wouldn’t just be talk, talk, talk.’ ‘It’s all yours.’

Another student stepped up. ‘I’m kind of a leader of people. If we decide to break the group up into subgroups, I could lead one of those.’ And another said, ‘I can’t do any of that, but I’m artistic. I could make banners and help decorate the gym.’

We had one skinny fifteen-year-old kid who asked if he could do the lighting. I didn’t know what he was talking about. We already had lightbulbs in the auditorium. He got a bunch of pipes and stood them up, and then got some car headlights – I think he got them off his mother’s Buick – and some other spotlights and wired them all together to create stage lighting. Sometimes during the program they’d start sparking and smoking. But we had lights!

The point is this: Everyone in that original group made a contribution. And do you know what the result was? We felt like everyone in that group really mattered. Not just in the theological sense; each person was important in the practical sense. There was an interdependence, a sense of ownership, a sense of investment.”

What would God lead us to do and be if we prayed that prayer at Farmington Presbyterian? “Use me, God. Show me what my part is in the transformation of the world. Take hold of my head, my heart and my hands and use me for your purposes.”

Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday. We celebrate the gift of the Holy Spirit, whose work is to draw us together as the church to work together so that our impact in the world is greater than each of us working individually. Wear red, and when you put it on, pray, “Use me, God. Show me what my part is in the transformation of the world. Head, heart, hands…use me for your purposes.”

Our paraments will be white because the Table will be set for the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Every time we come to this Table, we pray, “We offer ourselves as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us.” We offer ourselves in the same way that Christ offered himself. We lay aside our will for God’s will, in the same way that Christ prayed, “Not my will, but thine.”

So this week, prepare by praying. What is your part in the transformation of the world? Are you open to being used by God? And come prepared to receive the power of the Holy Spirit as you offer yourself as a holy and living sacrifice at Christ’s Table.