Living Sacrifice, A Paradoxical Paradigm for Christian Living,pt1-Romans 12:1

Justinian Von Welz was a baron in the Netherlands in the 1600s. He unsuccessfully pleaded with the state church to bring the Gospel to the world, and was stigmatized as 'a dreamer.' His response was a determination to go himself to Dutch Guinea (now Suriname, South America). He renounced his title of baron and his estates, and gave himself, going at his own expense to Dutch Guinea, where he soon filled a lonely missionary grave. He said, "What to me is the title 'well-born,' when I am one born again in Christ? What to me is the title 'lord,' when I desire to be a servant of Christ? What to me to be called 'your grace,' when I have need of God's grace, help and succor? All these vanities I will away with, and everything besides I will lay at the feet of Jesus, my dearest Lord, that I may have no hindrance in serving Him aright." Constantly in Paul's writing he calls upon the mercy of God shown in the sacrifice of Christ to be the motivation for the saints' own sacrifice of worship and service. 'Walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma' (Ephesians 5:2). While some Christians have been called to die for Christ in their service of Him, all have been called to live for Him. Join us this coming Lord's Day for our study "Living Sacrifice, a Paradoxical Paradigm for Christian Living" (Romans 12:1-2).