Because Church is not a building

As we walk into the Sanctuary, the blueprint God gave Moses to build, we would come first into the courtyard. The first item in the courtyard is the altar of burnt offerings. This week we look back at the weekend before the COVID-19 lockdown came into effect. As we spent that Sunday cleaning up the church, we remembered how we were to walk into the courtyard with our sacrifice.

I appeal to you therefore brothers (and sisters), by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1

So we secured the new place of worship and together we helped to clean up the place. Young and old, we came together. In the year of the pandemic, when staying apart was how we care for one another, working together when the rules allowed was a rare moment worth documenting every minute of it. By giving up our time and labour to clean up the church, we were presenting to God our service, our living sacrifice.

Reflection on the church Sunday working bee by Isabelle (14)

To be a living sacrifice means to live a holy and pleasing life to God, letting yourself be transformed by God’s word, rather than being “conformed to the world”, as Paul says in Romans 12:1. In whatever talents, we have, we should use them for God’s glory. God has given me a healthy and working body that I can use to glorify Him. By helping out in the church’s garden, I am using the ability to walk and use my arms to be of service to God in cleaning up His church. This church was a miracle place that God has granted to us and we need to do our best to make this place as clean and neat as possible. In whatever we do, it should bring glory to God and blessings to others.

And he said to all, if anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.

Luke 9:23

We need to offer ourselves as a sacrifice to God daily. If we want to follow Jesus and be a true and loyal disciple of Christ, we must deny self, surrender whole-heartedly and follow Jesus.

By serving God in whatever we can do. God has provided us with life so we should live our life, reflecting His character and serving Him in our daily activities. If God has blessed you with a perfectly functional body, then use your physical abilities to bring glory to His name. If God has blessed you with the talent of singing, then use that ability to sing praises to Him! By continuing to use the talents that God has blessed you with now, He will multiply them if you can be faithful in using those talents (Luke 16:10). God will bless you with more talents and pour out His blessings when you serve God to the best of your ability.

What did the little ones think about the working bee?

“We like to help whatever we can for our church and we think the visitors will like neat and tidy garden.”, said Elijah (5) and Enoch (3)

What did the bigger kids think about the working bee?

“I was only a little bit tired after the working bee, but I liked it because I could do it with my friends. I wanted to do more.”, said Joshua (13)

“I was not tired as I was doing it together with my brothers and sisters. I felt good to see the results of working together for God.”, said Marco (12)

Reflection on the church Sunday working bee by Keira (14)

The things that we do to help out for the church inside and outdoors are related to being a living sacrifice, because God told us that we have been blessed with gifts big and small that we should use for reasonable and good works for Him, and even doing little things like cleaning the church garden are things that will make the church look clean and approachable, and by helping in the church garden we are using the working body God trusted us with for His church that will grow to bring others closer together.

If we want to willingly offer ourselves as a sacrifice to follow God, we must deny ourselves every day through all the exhaustion and stress that we go through throughout the day.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

We can be a living sacrifice by letting Jesus into our hearts and let Him lead and guide us, trust Him with everything we have, not let the world around us influence us from straying away from God and listen to Him when He asks you to change something small or something big like moving to a different country for missionary work. But anyone who is willing enough can be a living sacrifice with trust, love and faith in God.

What would be your living sacrifice for Jesus? Please leave your comments below. We will be looking at the next item in the Sanctuary’s courtyard next week, the bronze laver. Please follow us so that you will be notified when the next post is published.

Blessings,
El