We have been looking Romans 12 which is teaching us to present ourselves to God as living sacrifices. Faithfulness to the Lord means not being conformed to this world (cf. Romans 12:2), thinking about others and ourselves properly as we use our gifts (cf. Romans 12:3-8), loving others with hypocrisy (cf. Romans 12:9-10), and maintaining our zeal for the Lord (cf. Romans 12:11). But what does faithfulness look like when life is hard? What does it look like to be living sacrifices during affliction and hardships? Much of the rest of Romans 12 is going to address what life on the altar looks like during difficult times. Our lesson today will focus on the directions given to us in Romans 12:12. The apostle Paul gives us three directions for how to be living sacrifices when suffering.
Rejoicing In Hope (Romans 12:12)
The first instruction is that being living sacrifices means rejoicing in hope. Perhaps one of the questions we have is this: how are to be joyful Christians when life can be so terrible? What Paul points us to is hope. But it is important to think carefully about what we are to be hoping for so that we can be rejoicing in hope no matter the circumstances we face. But the way to have joy is to focus our attention on what lies ahead. Paul wrote to Titus that we living godly lives while “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). The writer of Hebrews reminds us that Abraham lived in tents as “he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (Hebrews 11:10). What I want us to see is that Christian joy is never grounded in the present circumstances. Christian joy is always grounded in God’s promised future. This is the consistent message in the scriptures. Paul told the Corinthians, “In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy” (2 Corinthians 7:4). How did Paul do this? He was not looking at his present distress but at future joy. How were Paul and Silas singing while in prison? They were not looking at their present distress but at future joy. In fact, you might remember that part of the fruit of the Spirit is joy (cf. Galatians 5:22). The writer of Hebrews tells us that Jesus was looking at the joy that was set before him (cf. Hebrews 12:2).
Friends, if our hope is here, then we are not going to be able to be joyful and rejoicing because bad things are going to happen. There is nothing in the scriptures that says that we are going to avoid trials and suffering. In fact, the scriptures tell us the opposite. We are told that it is through many afflictions and tribulations that we must enter the kingdom of God (cf. Acts 14:22). If we are looking for joy in this life, then we are not going to be rejoicing. But if we are looking for the joy that is set before us, then we will have every reason for joy. We rejoice in the hope that there will be a day when God wipes tears from our eyes (cf. Revelation 21:4). I do not understand how this will exactly work. But we trust the scriptures that God has the power to soothe our pain and heal our hurts. There will be no more pain, nor crying, nor mourning. Being faithful people means that we derive our joy from the life to come, not from what this present life can give us or does not give us. We can hurt today and still have joy for what is to come. We may ache within us because of the pains of this life. But we will not be discouraged and we will rejoice because of the hope that is set before us.
Persevering In Tribulation (Romans 12:12)
This leads us to Paul’s second instruction. Being living sacrifices means persevering in affliction and suffering. This does not mean that we are not hurting. This means that we are not giving up. I love how the apostle Paul holds these two ideas in balance. Listen to 2 Corinthians 4:8-9.
We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (2 Corinthians 4:8-9 ESV)
Notice that Paul does not pretend that they are not suffering. He says that they are afflicted in every way. He says that they are perplexed and do not understand. He says that they are persecuted and struck down. But what does Paul say about these things? He says that we are not crushed even though we are afflicted in every way. He says that we are not driven to despair even though they are perplexed. He says that they know they are not forsaken by God even though they are persecuted. He says that they are not destroyed even though they are being struck down. Our hope gives us this endurance. We are faithful while we are hurting. But we will not let our hardships lead us to quit. There is a patience in our afflictions. We are going to ride this out no matter where it goes or how long it takes.
When my kids were little we would take them to some amusement parks in Orlando. If you have ever been there then you know that these theme parks know how to trick you. You can look at a line and think that it is not very long when you are deciding if you are going to go on one of their rides. So you get in line and when it looks like the line is about to end, you come around the corner and see what looks like miles of more lines. Just when you thought you were at the end, the line veers around a corner and the waiting continues. Why do you persevere this “tribulation”? Why do you continue to patiently wait? We wait patiently for the joy that is set before us. Friends, there are so many times when a trial looks like it is going to come to an end only to find out it was just another turn in the line and we have to keep waiting. Our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
Constant In Prayer (Romans 12:12)
So how do we rejoice in hope and remain patient in affliction? The third instruction greatly helps us. Being a living sacrifice means we will be constant in prayer. God’s repeated solution to our hardships is to pray. In the final hours of Jesus’ life, what did he do? Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and prayed. Then he checked on his disciples and prayed again. Then he checked on his disciples and prayed again. The first Christians in Acts 1 devoted themselves to prayer (cf. Acts 1:14). We told to pray at all times in the Spirit (cf. Ephesians 6:18). We are told to continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving (cf. Colossians 4:2). When Jesus told the parable about a persistent widow in Luke 18, he told it so that his disciples would pray always and not lose heart (cf. Luke 18:1). God is constantly telling us that the strength we need comes from constant prayer.
Why do we stop praying? The problem is not that we never pray. The problem is that we are not constant in prayer. What are the reasons that we are not constant in prayer? I think one reason why is we think that prayer is not working or that God is not listening. However, Jesus prayed three times leading up to his arrest. Paul prayed three times regarding the thorn in the flesh. Maybe what we are seeing is that we might be missing one of the purposes of prayer. Sometimes we think of prayer simply in terms of getting what we want. Jesus prayed if it is possible for the cup to pass from him. Paul prayed for the thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to be removed from him. Why did Jesus keep praying if the answer was no? Why did Paul keep praying if the answer was no? I think what we are learning is that prayer is not merely about trying to get what we want but renewing our strength to endure through conversations with our heavenly Father.
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16 ESV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7 ESV)
Prayer is to help us and strengthen us through the times when God says no. Prayer is to help us have the patience and perseverance in affliction. Prayer reminds us to look forward to the joy that is before us and not for happiness in this life. Prayer also allows us to share our sorrows with our Father and confirms our trust in him. We must not miss the mercy, grace, and peace that we are promised by turning to our Father in prayer. We need to go back to prayer. Do not give up on prayer. Do not give up on God. Do not give up on talking to your Father in heaven.
Message
Life on the altar means we have three responses to our hardships. We will be rejoicing in hope, persevering in our afflictions, and constant in prayer. Here is the important question that we need to challenge ourselves with. What determines my joy? If my joy is being affected by the cares and problems of this world, then we are failing to put our hope in God and the future he has promised for us. We can be struck down by this life but not driven to despair because we have a hope that no one and nothing can take away from us. If God controls our joy, then we will hold on to him no matter what. If the circumstances of life or other people control our joy, then we will let go of God when life’s hardships come. So challenge yourself. What determines my joy? Is my joy in Christ or is my joy about what I have or what I do or how my life goes? We will not endure if our joy is not found in Jesus. We cannot be living sacrifices found holy and acceptable to God if we do not move our joy from the world to Christ.