Becoming A Living and Holy Sacrifice

I am ordinary. Jesus is extraordinary. Amid the mundane threads of my being, an extraordinary essence exists, a divine promise whispered through the ages. It is the promise of transformation, of transcending the limitations of the old humanity to embrace the extraordinary life breathed into me by the Spirit of Grace, the New Humanity.

Through the timeless promise of God's Grace, I am beckoned into the eternal love of Christ, where my ordinary self finds renewal and purpose in the boundless expanse of His love.

I am ordinary, and that is not a knock. As I confess my ordinariness and weaknesses, Jesus, through the Spirit of Grace, exchanges my ordinariness for His extraordinary life–HE TRANSFORMS ME from the inside out. This is the promise of ETERNAL LIFE IN CHRIST.

“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. 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.” Romans 12:1-2

God, our Father, calls us all to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and follow Jesus. Jesus, our ONLY Rabbi, Teacher, and Redeemer who lives, wants to TRANSFORM all of us into His image, to be extraordinary like our Father in Heaven, and to glorify our Father as He moves through our ordinary lives.

"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you." John 13:13-15

Our Father, the King of Righteousness, calls us to surrender our entire being to KING JESUS. It's not a demand but an invitation to trust in His Grace and believe in His love's transformative power. My FAITH is in God’s Grace, working through the love of Christ IN ME. Therefore, I willingly surrender all of myself, my entire life, heart, mind, and soul to JESUS, knowing that in His hands, I am safe and I am being transformed into His image of love.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galatians 2:20

In the profound 'Great Exchange of Grace,' Jesus, RICH IN MERCY, took all my sins, failures, and shortcomings upon Himself. In return, by FAITH, I have received Jesus’ humility. It's not just a transaction; it's a DIVINE act of LOVE AND MERCY. In His humility, I lay down my life, and by the Grace of God, I am being transformed into the image of God, a transformation that is both humbling and awe-inspiring–I REST IN HIM.

“God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus has given us access to the Throne of Grace to meet all our needs. By surrendering everything in my life to the Lordship of my Master, Jesus, I place myself as a living sacrifice before our Father.

The Greater Works of Jesus Christ

As I openly confess everything to Jesus, including all my weaknesses, strengths, opinions, judgments, and understandings, He enlightens me by Grace. In all gentleness and love, as I surrender everything to Jesus, He exchanges HIS GLORY for mine, which is no glory at all. Jesus, the only RIGHTEOUS ONE, is making everything RIGHT to the Glory of God.

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 1:6

By Grace, working through FAITH, and looking like LOVE, Jesus will make everything right in your life, too. Humble yourselves and ask for His Grace. He will take your selfishness and give you His PEACE in His Humility. When we allow Jesus to do this in ALL OF US, he calls it His GREATER WORKS–can you imagine?

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

As Jesus works HIS GRACE into our surrendered life, He works in His FAITH into our hearts. By Grace, Jesus gives us His assurance in the Father. Jesus gives us His faith, confidence, hope, and strength by Grace. We humbly ask King Jesus to transform us into His image of RADICAL GENEROSITY and SELF-GIVING LOVE and to bear His LIGHT of LOVE to SHINE IN THIS WORLD. By Grace, God brings us His goodness in exchange for our disGRACE.

“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” 1 Peter 6:6-7

As we present ourselves to God in the humility of Jesus, confessing our sins and weaknesses, Jesus HEALS US. He transforms what is broken and makes everything RIGHT. Jesus, the King of Righteousness, fixes our lives. By Grace, Jesus fixes everything we confess and hand over, starting with our attitudes, understandings, and knowledge.

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15:13

As we humbly ask the Holy Spirit to SHINE GOD’S LIGHT into our hearts, minds, and souls, He will reveal and remove all forms of darkness (SIN/SELF). It is the job of the Holy Spirit to make us Holy. We cannot make ourselves HOLY. But as we humble ourselves and confess our sins, HE IS FAITHFUL to save us and to make everything RIGHT.

“and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.” Colossians 3:10

Made in God's image and likeness, we are designed to flourish, grow, and thrive in Humility and Grace as God transforms our ordinary lives into HIS EXTRAORDINARY LIFE. He then gets all the GLORY and the HONOR for our transformation.

“May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

Our daily choice, moment by moment, is GRACE or SELF. As we live our ordinary lives and choose to walk humbly IN CHRIST, in faith, expecting Him to transform our weaknesses into His strengths, HE WILL DO IT.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20

GRACE or SELF?

As followers of Jesus Christ, we have two choices. Allow God to supply your every need by Grace, working through faith and looking like love, OR do everything independently, living your ordinary life under your own power and wisdom yet hoping for an extraordinary outcome.

“And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
2 Corinthians 3:18

We did not create ourselves, yet we live. We cannot save ourselves (life eternally with God in His Kingdom of Love). We are all going to die; at least our natural bodies will die. I believe we exist by God, for God, and we get our being by Grace through the Son of God, our Lord and Master, Jesus. The Word of God is our Father and our Creator. He created everything through His Word, through Jesus, and everything made was made for Jesus, the first and only authority–WE FOLLOW HIM.

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10

We are the Children of God by His will, purpose, and power. We are His image bearers of LIGHT and LOVE and commanded to SHINE. We shine when we surrender our will and our way and allow God’s Grace to transform us from the inside out. If we allow Him, God will use all our trials, tribulations, and afflictions in this world to exchange our weaknesses for His life and strength.

“so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” Romans 12:5

Jesus came to earth as an ORDINARY MAN. Jesus surrendered everything to His Father and lived by Grace, co-laboring with God and the Holy Spirit to redeem, re-establish, and restore THE TRUTH on the Earth. God raised Jesus from the dead through His obedience, making Him EXTRAORDINARY. Jesus was raised from the dead and now is in His eternal glorified state–as the firstborn amongst the dead. This means that as we follow Jesus by Grace, we are empowered to surrender our lives, pick up our cross, deny ourselves to the point of death, and persevere under trial, we too will be glorified. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life–FOLLOW HIM.

“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me." John 17:20-21

We are promised the RESURRECTED LIFE, living free eternally with our Father in Heaven, as children of God, we bring Glory to God. At the very least, our ordinary lives become extraordinary by Grace as we surrender all to the Father. This is His original plan, to walk and live in the Spirit, IN CHRIST.

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:2-3

We are called to give up our ordinary lives in exchange for Jesus’ extraordinary DIVINE LIFE, and this all happens by Grace, a free gift of God’s endless Mercy and unlimited LOVE. As a result, our ordinary lives are transformed into living examples of His RADICAL GENEROSITY and SELF-GIVING LOVE.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 3:3-4

Our choice is to BOW TO THE FLESH, to the culture, to the ways that seem right to a man, OR… to surrender everything and be transformed into the image of God by Grace. We seek Death or LIFE, culture or TRUTH, sin or GRACE, religion or LOVE.

“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” Romans 14:13

We are Individual Members of Jesus' Body

We, you and I, are like individual cells of the human body. You might be a LUNG CELL, while I might be a PANCREAS CELL. Individual cells derive our meaning, purpose, and value from the WHOLE BODY. We exist for the entire body and all the cells of the body, not the other way around. A lung cell exists to serve the whole body, every single cell. The PANCREAS CELLS need every lung cell, or the PANCREAS CELLS will die. The same is true about the LUNG CELLS. Without the pancreas cells, the LUNG CELLS would die.

“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.” Matthew 5:44-45

They have no similarities if you look at the LUNG and PANCREAS cells under a microscope. The lung and pancreas cells are entirely different in form and function. It would be easy for the LUNG CELLS to misunderstand the PANCREAS CELLS and vice versa. What about the EYE CELLS or the ELBOW SKIN CELLS? Why do GOD'S PEOPLE, individual members of Jesus Body get confused sometimes and forget they are individual parts of the same body?

“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:14

Without God’s Grace, the LUNG CELLS will reject the PANCREAS CELLS, declaring emphatically, “YOU ARE NOT LIKE ME!” In defense, the PANCREAS CELLS ignorantly point out their differences (pointing to the lung cells' inadequacies and shortcomings), thus criticizing, accusing, and rendering judgment.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

Both the LUNG and the PANCREAS CELL would die apart from the body. Each of us finds our meaning and purpose (joy and fulfillment) as a part of the body. If we dismiss each other in ignorance, we are cutting ourselves off from the body, and we, too, die. Without FAITH, it is impossible to please God.

“On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Romans 12:20

By Grace, we trust God, realizing that we are unique and extraordinary IN CHRIST as we come together in love and unity, DISPLAYING GOD’S GLORY in our unity and love for God and one another. Our Father wonderfully and marvelously formed us for His glory. He formed the lung and the pancreas cells. Who are we to make a judgment?

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Romans 12:21

Being FAITHFUL means we are grateful for our differences, diversities, and uniqueness. As we unite as ONE, Jesus TRANSFORMS US from ordinary to extraordinary–we get HIS LIFE. Together in UNITY, we all experience the effects of His Grace–ordinary people accomplishing extraordinary things, all for the glory of our Father.

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8

As we place our faith in God, His Grace, and His Word, we automatically reject envy, jealousy, and all forms of pride and ego. The EYE CELLS will no longer criticize the KNEE CAP CELLS, and the knee cap cells will no longer insist that the eye cells look like knee caps.

Choose GRACE or SELF--FEED YOUR ENEMY!

By Grace, God insists that we become, by Faith, all He created us to be: to practice RADICAL GENEROSITY and SELF-GIVING LOVE and love one another above ourselves. God, our Father, insists that everyone do this, to love one another above yourself.

"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10

Let’s agree to stop criticizing people who are not like us and stop dictating how people live–forgive instead. The heart cells are extremely important but they have no right to demand the brain cells to function exactly like the heart. Can you imagine the heart cells rejecting the brain cells because they look and act differently?

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,... For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;" Ephesians 2:4, 8

Ask God to grant you the Grace to deny yourself, empty yourself of ego and pride, let go of your own way, discard your own importance, agenda, and will, not think too highly of yourself, and let God’s Grace do all the work, making everything in your life right. Or, you can lean on your own understanding, continue to fight your battles, and defend your honor apart from God’s Grace–two choices. GRACE or SELF.

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." Matthew 16:24

Self-importance and all forms of selfishness are cancer cells. Selfishness is cancer. We have been called to humble ourselves and die to self, to let God’s Grace position us perfectly and make every aspect of our life RIGHT. Like Jesus, we, too, have to decide to let God’s Grace do its work, mainly because we can’t. By Faith, we trust God’s Grace and wait for Him to make everything right. We give all outcomes to Jesus and trust Him no matter what.

"And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it." Mark 8:34-35

As people attack us, reject us, and dismiss us as unimportant without value, we are given the perfect opportunity to deny ourselves, pick up our cross, and let the Grace of God do all the work on our behalf. Jesus promises His YOKE IS EASY. Bless everyone, especially your enemies, by Grace. Ask God to give you the boldness to go out of your way today, RIGHT NOW, and love your enemies by Grace.

"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you," Matthew 5:44

We are called and commanded to LOVE OUR ENEMIES, so let’s do it together, by Grace. Let’s be THE BEST FRIEND to the friendless ones. LOVE PEOPLE UNCONDITIONALLY and reject human systems of religion–like Jesus, REJECT ALL FORMS OF RELIGION OUTRIGHT. Be the strength for those who have no strength. Be the voice for those who have no voice. Seek out those who are hard to love, and by Grace, allow Jesus to love them through you. SURRENDER ALL. Sacrifice your own way for the sake of the Body. Lung cells, love and fully accept all pancreas cells, trusting your Father has a GOOD PLAN.

"For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:30

Be prepared to be like Jesus and love your enemies wholeheartedly. By Grace, feed your enemies and be prepared to give them a cold drink of water on a hot day. LOVE DESTROYS DARKNESS, so ask God for the Grace to love those you disagree with. GRACE, or SELF?

"And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

Grace empowers us to love those who persecute us and do all evil against us. LOVE DESTROYES EVIL. God’s goodness flowing through Grace in His PEOPLE destroys the works of the devil.

"the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.' 1 John 3:8

You owe nothing to anyone except a huge debt of God’s radical generosity and self-giving Love. Be prepared for Grace to love those lost and be willing to lay down your life for them.

Let us be God's radical love and transformative Grace, witnessing Jesus weaving together HIS NEW HUMANITY. As we surrender our ordinary lives to the extraordinary work of God's Grace, let us shine as beacons of LIGHT and vessels of His boundless love. In HIS UNITY in our diversity, let us embody the truth that IN CHRIST, our ordinary selves are transformed into vessels of extraordinary purpose, bearing witness to the glory of our Father in heaven. So let us walk humbly, love extravagantly, and live boldly, for IN CHRIST we are truly made new.

Five Things We Can Do to Help the New Humanity Church

1. Surrender as Living Sacrifices: In view of God's mercy, let us offer our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. This act of surrender is our true and proper worship, a testament to our faith in the transformative power of Christ's love.

2. Reject Conformity: Let us refuse to conform to the patterns of this world but instead be transformed by the renewing of our minds. By aligning our thoughts with the will of God, we unlock the path to discerning His good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives.

3. Embrace Humility: Following the example set by our Lord and Teacher, Jesus Christ, let us embrace humility in service to one another. Just as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, let us humbly serve and uplift one another, embodying the selfless love of our Savior.

4. Live by Faith: Crucified with Christ, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us. Through faith in the Son of God, we receive the gift of eternal life and the assurance of God's unfailing love. Let us live each day in the unwavering faith that God's Grace is sufficient for us.

5. Practice Radical Love: As recipients of God's boundless grace, let us extend that same Grace to others, even to our enemies. By loving sacrificially and unconditionally, we reflect the transformative power of Christ's love to a world in need of redemption.