The sermon delivered by Pastor Walker Tzeng, was from Romans 12:1-21 entitled “Worship in Spirit as a Living Sacrifice.”
In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng explicated Romans 12, exhorting members in practical aspects of the life of faith. While the core of faith is receiving grace, it’s also important God’s love to overflow in us, transform us, and put the love into practice in our walk of faith.
In Romans 12, Paul explains the Biblical foundation for practical aspects of faith as us being living sacrifices. The meaning of sacrifice in the Old Testament was never meant to be isolated rituals, but was always meant to point towards the heart of receiving forgiveness, repenting, and restoring our relationship with God.
Finally, Jesus Christ gave the ultimate sacrifice, restoring our relationship with God once and for all. Therefore, those of us who receive the Lord with faith, don’t need to give any more sacrifice, but instead our whole life is a living sacrifice, worshiping in spirit and truth.
Paul also explains that it’s only when we actually walk the life of faith, can we begin to discern God’s Will for me. It’s that God has all given us different spiritual gifts that should be used for the body of Christ. The body, the church needs all its parts, so everyone is so important and precious in building God’s Kingdom.
Perhaps in Rome, like America today, there were many believers thinking of themselves to highly or despairing that they are lower. We must remember that in the body of Christ, there is no higher or lower, but we are all serving by the irrevocable gifts and calling that God has blessed us with.
Romans 12 explains 7 spiritual gifts, 12 standards for living among brothers and sisters, and 12 standards for living with society. In the sermon, Pastor Tzeng explained each one by one, exhorting members to love one another, not take vengeance, and carry each other burdens.
In the New Year 2021, let us rely on God to help us walk with faith and reveal God’s glory and Kingdom in our church.