I want to be a red bottom for Jesus!

Romans 12:1-3 - I don’t know about you but I LOVE SHOES! I love shoes so much that I transformed an extra room in my house into a shoe closet with shelves from the ceiling to the floor to house my shoes. Women in general love shoes. We are somehow wired that way. No matter how many pairs we have, we want more – although we only have two feet, we cannot have too many pairs of shoes. In the world of shoes, red bottom shoes, a trademark of Louboutin – are the crème de la crème of shoes, so much so that an average pair of Louboutins can run anywhere from $495 to $6,000. Author Danielle Steele is said to own 6,000 pairs of Louboutins and has been known to buy 80 pairs at one time. WOW! What makes these Red Bottoms so appealing? 1. They are exclusive – Any shoe that costs $495 to $6,000 you better believe is exclusive! Louboutins are worn by women who don’t want to see their shoes on everyone else. And those that can really afford it, will make sure that their Louboutins are custom made so that NO ONE else will be able to have their shoe! That’s some exclusivity!!! 2. They are expensive – I don’t know about you but I can’t imagine spending $495 on one pair of shoes. As much as I love shoes, it’s just not going to happen. Truly Louboutin is targeting the upper class – and definitely isn’t concerned about my little pennies! 3. They exemplify the Louboutin brand – Louboutin has that signature red bottom shoe – he has it copywritten and has and will fight any shoemaker that puts a red bottom lacquer on their shoes. Why did he do this? He wanted to protect his brand – he wanted his shoes to stand out from everyone elses. He wanted that red shoe to automatically be connected to his name. 4. But one thing the Red Bottom shoe has the capability to do is EXCLUDE it’s accessibility to everyone because of it’s cost - Every woman won’t be able to strut in a Christian Louboutin shoe. Therefore, some women who are fortunate enough to own a pair might just possess an heir of superiority when it comes to possessing these coveted beauties. I believe Paul is talking about these same principles in Romans 12:1-3 Romans 12:1-3 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. Paul is explaining to the church in Rome that because He is merciful, God brings salvation to both Jews and Gentiles. He has just finished in the previous 11 chapters presenting a solid theological foundation on so many doctrinal truths and now in Chapter 12, he will outline some very practical ways for both Jew and Gentile to live out that salvation that they have been graciously given by God. I would suppose that if we want to be the crème de la crème for the Lord, out of all the shoes we can parallel our walk to – it has to be the Red Bottom shoe – Our walk is Exclusive! 1. Exclusive – I beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. a. If we are presenting our bodies exclusively to God then surely we don’t have time or energy to present it anywhere else! God wants our body – the Greek word for body is Soma – which means corpse – Paul is saying when you present your body (your corpse) to God it must be presented as a living sacrifice. 1. He tells us what to bring: our bodies as a living sacrifice • OT sacrifices were dead but Paul is stating that we must present a living/dead sacrifice – meaning that as the word says we are to be alive to Christ but our flesh must be dead, our desires must be dead, we must be dead to the world’s agenda • We can’t say we belong to Jesus and do our own thing • We can’t act one way in front of the church folk and then another on our jobs or in our homes. 2. He tells us how he wants it – holy and acceptable! – We can’t just give him what’s left after we do what we want. We make everything else a priority over God. Our jobs – we give them our bodies for 8 or more hours every day, but one hour for bible study is cumbersome. When it comes to our family – we are present at every game, recital, or event. We go to every Homecoming, but we aren’t interested in getting involved in ministry because we just don’t have the time. Yet our bodies are presented in front of the tube for every episode of the latest reality show, you name it we are up to date on watching it – but we can’t present our posture in prayer for 30 minutes, or take time to tell someone who is lost about Jesus. He wants your body HOLY – set apart – and acceptable – because of all that He has done for you, it’s the LEAST you could do!!!! Our Walk is Expensive! 2. Expensive – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, a. Don’t you know that your ability to be in the family of God, your access as a joint heir with Christ, your very salvation was expensive? It cost something! It is free to you but it cost Him everything! It cost Him separation from His Father. He was humiliated, He was falsely accused, He was murdered – just for you! So you can’t live any kind of way! You can’t do anything you want, you can’t go to those places that bring Him dishonor, you can’t say everything that comes to your mind and then say “Oh, that’s just the way I am! I say what’s on my mind” Everything on your mind isn’t holy! If you brought me a pair of those pretty Louboutins – a shiny black pair – about 5 inches with the red bottom shining with perfection and I took those shoes, that you gave me, that cost $495 – and I threw them in the back of my closet – not in the pretty box or shoe bag it comes in, but just tossed them in the back – you would feel some type of way! Why? Because they were expensive and I act like I’m not appreciative. Well, how does God feel when we take this gift of salvation that He sacrificed His only Son for – and we dishonor it, we are careless with it, we act as if His precious blood were not shed for it? – You can’t conform to this world – your calling is higher – you were bought with a price – an expensive price so You have to get your mind renewed– think on those things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report think on these things! Work out your soul’s salvation with fear and trembling. Let this mind be in you that is also in Christ Jesus – you can’t cheapen the grace of God by living life on your own terms. 3. Our Walk Exemplifies Jesus Christ! that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. We are in this world and not of this world so while we are here our lives must exemplify the Master! This shows the world around us God’s good, acceptable and perfect will for mankind. You are a Red Bottom, you represent the king of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the potentate of Paradise, the lily of the valley, the bright and morning star! Stop strutting in unforgiveness, stop strutting in gossip, stop strutting in envy and jealousy, Start strutting in love, Start strutting in grace, start strutting in patience. Be an example to those who don’t believe. Just like those Christian Louboutins you have been branded – Jesus wants you to stand out from all the rest – He has put His name over your life! He expects that you will exemplify the Blood that covers your life! Walk in victory, Walk in faith, 4. Don’t use your walk to Exclude others 3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. The Louboutin Red Bottom Shoe Excludes others but being a Red Bottom for Jesus we must Embrace others! God has given every man a measure of faith – we are all at different levels of faith, of life, growth, and so on. Paul says not to think more highly than you ought to think, but think soberly, be humble, be grateful for where God has placed you, knowing that it is not about you, it is only by His grace that you are where you are – embrace your brothers and your sisters right where they are. Don’t look down on them because they are still struggling with certain things – they require your love, your humility and your patience just as God grants you patience each and every day in your mess! It’s time for us to start showing the world around us who we belong to. But we can’t be a Red Bottom Shoe for Jesus, living like a pair of hand-me-downs in the bargain bin at the thrift store. I want to be a Red Bottom for Jesus – don’t you?