Living Sacrifices: Embracing Grace and Transformation

Paul’s words to the Roman church remind us that our lives, in view of God’s mercy, are to be lived as living sacrifices—holy, pleasing, and wholly devoted to God. This is not just about avoiding evil, but about clinging to what is good, honoring one another, and living with a fervent, faithful spirit. The call is to genuine love, patience in affliction, joy in hope, and faithfulness in prayer. We are to bless even those who persecute us, to rejoice and mourn with others, and to overcome evil with good. These are not just moral aspirations, but the outworking of a life transformed by God’s grace.

Reflecting on Ephesians, we see that God’s plan is to bring all things together in Christ. In Jesus, we see the fullness of God, and as his body, we are called to display that fullness to the world through unity. Yet, Paul reminds us that this life is not achieved by our own effort. We were all dead in our sins, walking a road that leads to death, often unaware of our true condition. Like the workers at Chernobyl, oblivious to the invisible danger, we too are often unaware of the deadly effects of sin. From childhood, selfishness and sin are second nature, and no amount of effort or goodness can save us.

But God, rich in mercy, steps in. Even when we were dead, he made us alive with Christ. Salvation is a gift—unearned, undeserved, and often incomprehensible. God not only rescues us from death, but seats us with Christ, lavishing love and purpose on us. This grace is extended not just to the “good” but to those we might consider beyond hope—people like Paul, or Mitsuo Fuchida, the architect of the Pearl Harbor attack, who found forgiveness and new life in Christ. God’s grace is scandalous, reaching even those we struggle to forgive.

We cannot boast in our salvation; it is entirely God’s work. Our response is to live as people who have been forgiven—thankful, gracious, and eager to extend the same grace to others. Grace is costly, and our lives should reflect its value. We are called to unity, to good works prepared in advance for us, and to show the world the fullness of God by the way we love, forgive, and live in the name of Jesus.

Key Takeaways

• 1. True Worship Is a Life Surrendered, Not Just a Ritual Paul urges us to present our bodies as living sacrifices, which means that worship is not confined to songs or Sunday gatherings, but is the daily offering of our whole selves to God. This includes genuine love, honoring others above ourselves, and serving with zeal even in hardship. Such a life is only possible when we are transformed by the renewing of our minds, not conformed to the world’s patterns. This transformation is the foundation for knowing and living out God’s will. [54:48]
• 2. Sin’s Power Is Universal and Subtle, But God’s Grace Is Greater No one is exempt from the effects of sin; it is as pervasive and invisible as radiation, quietly leading us toward death even when life feels normal or successful. Our attempts to be “good enough” or to save ourselves are ultimately futile, as we are all spiritually dead apart from Christ. Yet, God’s grace intervenes, not because of our merit, but because of his great love and mercy, making us alive with Christ. [66:14]
• 3. Resurrection Is God’s Work Alone—We Bring Nothing But Need The vision of dry bones in Ezekiel and the parable of the drowning swimmer both illustrate that we are utterly powerless to save ourselves. Just as dead bones cannot will themselves to life, and a drowning man cannot rescue himself, so too our salvation is entirely the work of God. Our only hope is in the “but God” moment—when God, rich in mercy, acts on our behalf and brings us from death to life. [71:36]
• 4. God’s Grace Offends Our Sense of Justice—But It Is the Heart of the Gospel Stories like Paul’s conversion or Mitsuo Fuchida’s salvation challenge our assumptions about who deserves grace. God’s love reaches even those we might consider enemies or beyond redemption, reminding us that grace is not about worthiness but about God’s character. If we struggle with the idea of God forgiving “the worst,” it may reveal more about our understanding of grace than about God’s limits. [77:31]
• 5. Grace Demands a Response—A Life of Thankfulness, Forgiveness, and Purpose Having received such unearned grace, we are called to live differently: to extend overwhelming kindness, forgiveness, and unity to others, just as God has done for us. Grace is costly—it cost God his Son—and should not leave us unchanged. Our lives should reflect gratitude, a willingness to forgive, and a commitment to the good works God has prepared for us, showing the world the fullness of God through our unity in Christ.
  
  ** [82:53]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [54:48] - Paul’s Call to True Worship and Love
• [56:02] - Living Out Genuine Love and Hospitality
• [56:24] - Overcoming Evil with Good
• [57:15] - Paul’s Story: From Persecutor to Apostle
• [58:04] - The Unbelievable Grace of God
• [59:07] - God’s Plan: Unity in Christ
• [64:08] - The Dead-End Road of Sin
• [64:51] - Chernobyl and the Invisible Danger of Sin
• [66:14] - The Universality and Subtlety of Sin
• [68:36] - Ezekiel’s Vision: Dry Bones and New Life
• [71:36] - The Parable of the Drowning Swimmer
• [73:26] - “But God” Theology: Made Alive in Christ
• [76:39] - The Scandal of Grace: Mitsuo Fuchida’s Story
• [82:53] - Responding to Grace: Living Forgiven
• [85:00] - Closing Prayer and Invitation

Bible Reading

Romans 12:1-2, 9-21 (ESV) — > I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
> ...
> Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
> Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
> Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
> Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV) — > And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.
> But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
> For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ezekiel 37:1-6 (ESV) — > The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

Observation Questions

1. In Romans 12, what does Paul say is our “true and proper worship”? What does it look like in daily life? ([54:48])
2. According to Ephesians 2, what was our spiritual condition before God intervened? What words or images does Paul use to describe this? ([01:13:26])
3. In the vision from Ezekiel 37, what is the state of the bones before God acts, and what does God do to change their condition? ([01:08:36])
4. The sermon mentioned that God’s grace is “unbelievable” and “scandalous.” What stories or examples did the pastor use to illustrate this? ([01:16:39])

Interpretation Questions

1. Why does Paul connect worship with offering our whole lives as a “living sacrifice” rather than just religious rituals? How does this challenge common ideas about worship? ([54:48])
2. The sermon compared sin to invisible radiation at Chernobyl—something deadly but often unnoticed. What does this analogy suggest about the way sin operates in our lives? ([01:04:51])
3. The story of Mitsuo Fuchida and Paul both highlight God’s grace to people we might consider “beyond hope.” What does this reveal about God’s character and the nature of grace? ([01:16:39])
4. Ephesians 2 says we are “God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works.” How does this shape the way we see our purpose after receiving grace? ([01:14:59])

Application Questions

1. Paul urges us to “not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” What is one area of your life where you feel pressure to conform, and what would it look like to let God transform your thinking there? ([54:48])
2. The sermon described sin as something that feels “natural” and even enjoyable at times, but ultimately leads to death. Can you identify a pattern or habit in your life that seems harmless but may be quietly pulling you away from God? What would it look like to address it? ([01:06:14])
3. The pastor shared stories of people who received grace that seemed “undeserved.” Is there someone in your life you struggle to forgive or believe God could forgive? How might God be inviting you to extend grace to them? ([01:16:39])
4. Ephesians 2:8-9 says salvation is a gift, not something we can earn. Are there ways you find yourself trying to “earn” God’s approval or love? How can you remind yourself this week that you are saved by grace? ([01:13:26])
5. The sermon challenged us to respond to grace by living with thankfulness, forgiveness, and unity. What is one practical way you can show overwhelming kindness or forgiveness to someone this week? ([01:22:53])
6. The vision of dry bones in Ezekiel shows that only God can bring life from death. Is there an area in your life or someone you know who feels “beyond hope”? How can you pray or act in faith for God to bring new life there? ([01:08:36])
7. The pastor said, “Our lives should reflect gratitude, a willingness to forgive, and a commitment to the good works God has prepared for us.” What is one “good work” you sense God might be calling you to step into right now? ([01:14:59])