How are we called to serve God? The ancient Levites knew what to do – carry the Ark and Tabernacle around and help the priests with the sacrifices and ceremonies. Later, they were called to be singers and gate keepers in the Temple. But because they were born into the tribe of Levi, their manner of service was obvious to them.

So, what about us New Testament Christians? As Paul explains in today’s passage, our service is at the same time more varied and more comprehensive. For verse 1 says that we must offer up our bodies, all that we are and all that we have, to the God Who gave up everything for us.

But how do we live this out in our everyday lives? That depends on what abilities we have. But whether we are called to teach or to lead, whether we are called to give our money or our mercy, we are to make the most of whatever God has given us.

But why should we be so focused on the glory of God and the needs of others? Because of the radical transformation the Holy Spirit works within all who trust in Christ. For if we confess that we are sinners in need of Jesus to save us, that necessarily involves admitting that we are no better than anyone else. And as we bow the knee to Christ, submitting to Him as Lord of our lives, that requires us to put Him first, setting aside our desires in order to do His will. As verse 3 says, instead of thinking too highly of ourselves, we must consider ourselves to be nothing more than servants of Christ and of other people.

But there’s another way our minds need to be transformed – we must stop thinking of ourselves as isolated individuals and remember that we are intimately connected to everyone else who trusts in Christ. In verses 4 and 5, Paul reminds us that we are as joined to Christ and to other believers as the different parts of body are joined to each other.

So, let’s get our attention off of our own needs and desires. And let’s stop pretending we can be lone Christians. Instead, let’s do all we can to glorify God and to love one another today. That’s the only way we can truly be part of the Body of Christ.

Romans 12:1-8 (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.
2 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.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he 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 the members do not all have the same function,
5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;
7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;
8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.