There is nothing we do, as believers, that's more important than to gather with the people of God for the right worship of God. Yet we’re not free to dream up our own ideas on how to do this. The acceptable way of worshiping God is instituted by Him and limited by His revealed will—what’s known as the regulative principle of worship. The normative principle, by contrast, argues that what’s not forbidden in worship is allowed, which is why movie clips, plays, and skits are often used in church. But how thrilling it is for Christians to simply obey God, coming together with one heart and voice, to worship Him as He prescribes! 

 

Sermon: https://churchandfamilylife.com/sermons/67bc0b7a79981074d5abdfe5

The Apostle Paul teaches us a very powerful principle. If God has your body, He has everything. That's why the apostle Paul says in Romans 12, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. This is obviously an extremely practical everyday street level verse because it addresses every moment of your life. This is practical Christianity.

I recall many, many years ago a pastor, John Stott, said that he began the day dedicating his body To the Lord. Here is his prayer heavenly father I pray that I may live this day in your presence and please you more and more Lord Jesus, I pray that this day I may take up my cross and follow you Holy Spirit, I pray that this day you will fill me with yourself and cause your fruit to ripen in my life. Now this actually has some biblical warrant to it. For example, in Psalm 5.3, David declared, my voice you shall hear in the morning, oh Lord, in the morning I will lift up my prayer unto you and will look up. In Isaiah 26.9, Isaiah cries out saying, with my soul I have desired you in the night, yes, with my spirit within me I seek you early.

In Psalm 63 verse one, David declares the vision for his life. It begins in the morning. God, you are my God. Early will I seek you. My soul thirsts for you.

My flesh longs for you. So that's why the apostle Paul says, I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. What does it mean? It means to hand yourself over to God. It's to put your heart under His authority, your will, your emotions under His authority.

Now, The apostle gives the reason for this by the mercies of God. This command arises out of God's mercies. It's like what David said in Psalm 116 Verse 12, what should I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? God is so kind, God is so merciful because his mercies are new every morning, because he's merciful to his children, then present your bodies as a living sacrifice. That actually happened in the execution of Polycarp.

He was urged by the proconsul to take an oath to reject Christ. He said, I will let you go, just revile Christ. And Polycarp answered, for 80 and 6 years I have been his servant and he has done me no wrong and how can I now blaspheme my King who saved me? If God has your body, He has everything. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.