Ibadah Pagi, Senin 03 Agustus 2026
A Living Sacrifice
Roman 12: 1-2 Mon August 3rd, 2026
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
A Living Sacrifice
“I urge you, brothers and sisters”
The Greek word is parakalo = I beg you, I plead with you. This is pastoral, not commanding. In response to thank you, making some request.
This is the motivation. Not guilt. Not rules. We obey because God has already been merciful to us.
“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
In the Old Testament, sacrifice meant an animal that died on the altar.
But Paul says: You are to be a LIVING sacrifice. What does that mean for us here?
How we should live?
For Lecturer: Your body is your voice in the classroom. Your preparation at night. Your patience with a slow student. Your research and writing. When you teach faithfully, not just for salary, that is worship. That is a living sacrifice.
For Academic Staff:
Your body is your service at the admin desk, in the library, in finance, in cooking. When you serve with excellence and a smile, when you help a student who is confused, that is worship. God sees it as a holy offering.
For Students:
Your body is your presence in class, your notes, your assignment, your prayer in the dorm.
When you study not just to pass, but to be equipped to serve the Church, that is worship. When you live holy in this community, that is pleasing to God. Paul calls this “your true and proper worship”.
Worship is not only Sunday. Worship is not only in this Chapel Room. Worship is about all of our activities from from breakdown until night. Worship is living set apart for God.
Question for us: Is my daily work an offering to God, or just a routine?
- BE TRANSFORMED, NOT CONFORMED –
v.2 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The world has a pattern. What is the pattern?
Shortcut pattern: Do the minimum to get the grade.
Competition pattern: See your classmate as rival, not sister.
Distrustful mode/Cynical pattern: “Education doesn’t change anything.”
Busy pattern: No time for prayer, no time for Word.
Paul says: DO NOT CONFORM. Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mold.
Instead: BE TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your mind.
How?
Transformation happened by learning, practicing, move forward.
Right here. In this seminary. Through the Word: Daily reading, preaching, chapel. Let Scripture re-shape how you think about women, about mission, about service.
Through Community: Iron sharpens iron. When a lecturer corrects you in love, when a friend prays for you, your mind is renewed.
Through Obedience: Apply what you learn – keep practice your Organ Music, Teach Sunday School. And the result?
“Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is”
God’s will is not a mystery we guess. It is good, pleasing, and perfect.
When our minds are renewed, we can see:
This course is God’s will.
This difficult student is God’s will.
This quiet service behind the scenes is God’s will.
Reset your thinking day by day through the Word (reading, hearing, practicing), community (correction, prayer), and obedience (obey the Lord faithfully, follow the rule). Then you’ll know God’s will plainly: it’s good, pleasing, and perfect. Amen
(Pdt. Maruhum Simangunsong, M.Th)
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