The Living Sacrifice: Being the Body of Christ- Part One

Two options:

Romans 12:1–2 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

Homiletical Idea: our true worship is our lives

Intro:

A.W. Tozer “Sometimes I go to God and say, "God, if Thou dost never answer another prayer while I live on this earth, I will still worship Thee as long as I live and in the ages to come for what Thou hast done already. God’s already put me so far in debt that if I were to live one million millenniums I couldn’t pay Him for what He’s done for me.”

At this point Paul is transitioning from theological discussion into practical application. How does one respond to all the great things that God has done? To live as a living sacrifice. It is the only appropriate response for believers.

Paul has already dealt with God’s mercy to sinners in sending His son to die on the cross for our sins. Now we deal with our obligation to what done has done for us.

Paul deals with the what and the how?

What is a live of spiritual worship to God-

Romans 12:1 CSB

Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.

How we actually accomplish this?

Romans 12:2 CSB

Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.

This call is counter cultural- because it is living not for self but for God

Our lives our are worship therefor:

-Living Sacrifice

The heart of worship is understanding the gift that God has given us and living a life of constant gratitude and response to it.

Will we conform to the world, living for our own selfish desires, or will we live the life of Worship to God?

What does it look like to live a life of worship to God:

Offer our bodies- this is to surrender both our inward and outer beings to God’s control. He is the head

It is the laying down of our own desires make making God the

Illustration- Have you ever watched the olympics? The best divers and gymnasts from all over the world come and preform acts that seem impossible yet our eyes see it. The Major rule that they have come to understand is that where their head goes, the rest of their bodies will eventually follow.

following God pattern is to allow Him to control the direction of our lives- Much like the famous song, “Jesus take the Wheel”

Be a nonconformist- We don’t just fit the mold of the world around us.

the word conform (summorphizo)- to make of like form with another person or thing.

For Christians it is like trying to fit the square peg into the round whole

Paul knew what it ment to be a nonconformist

Jesus knows what it mean to live a life that doesn’t go with the status quote and to live a life doesn’t conform to the culture- Even to the point of death.

Now it is important to understand that It means only in matters of faith.

Persecution that comes for Faith is bless (According to Jesus in Matthew)

persecution that happens because of our own personalities or rebellion against authority- Is not living for God.

We constantly resist the pressures of the world

When we offer our entire self to God, we become less like this world and more like Jesus

Our light shines brighter, be become an anoint sacrifice for the Glory of God.

Proverbs 14:12 CSB

There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.

When we conform to the patterns of this world we go on the path that leads to death

Just simply turn on the new and see the ways of this world, Or the fruit of the way of this world

War

Violence

abuse

rape

Gender confusion

Suicide

The list could continue- But God’s was leads to life and life abundantly-

It doesn’t come from just following everyone else, but it comes From knowing the mercies of God and responding to them.

Daniel 3:13–16 CSB

Then in a furious rage Nebuchadnezzar gave orders to bring in Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. So these men were brought before the king. Nebuchadnezzar asked them, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, is it true that you don’t serve my gods or worship the gold statue I have set up? Now if you’re ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, drum, and every kind of music, fall down and worship the statue I made. But if you don’t worship it, you will immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire—and who is the god who can rescue you from my power?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied to the king, “Nebuchadnezzar, we don’t need to give you an answer to this question.

Renew our Minds- Know the truth of God’s word which doesn’t change and live the truth. Be transformed by the truth,

to be renewed is to have the garbage of this world that tries to cling to us stripped off

Boats and barnacles

Leaches attach themselves to us and we need the truth of God’s word to remove them and keep us in the truth.

Ephesians 4:22–24 CSB

to take off your former way of life, the old self that is corrupted by deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, the one created according to God’s likeness in righteousness and purity of the truth.

When we renew our minds according to the truth of God’s word, we experience complete transformation from the inside out- A change of Heart, then of mind, and lastly of action.

Romans A Living Sacrifice to God / 12:1-8

Renewing (anakainosei) refers to a new way of thinking, a mind desiring to be conformed to God rather than to the world. We will never be truly transformed without this renewing of our mind.

To be transformed- (Metamorphoo)- to change to another Form- From death to life, Dark to Light

To become different- undergo a complete change which, under the power of God, will find its ultimate expression in our character and conduct- it is the inward change.

Plato’s allagory of the cave- From darkness to light- we seethings differently we live differently because we know the truth and it has set us free

How do we do accomplish this?

Romans 12:1- “By the mercies of God” or Through the compassion of God- It is our response to the Mercy and the Fruit of the Mercy of God

Our Christianity is not based on our effort, but because of our Christianity, we are a new creation, we walk in right relationship with God.

We like Paul boast in the Cross, and we rely entirely on God’s mercy.

The grace that saved us is the Grace that sustains us , and transforms us into Jesus.

Conclusion: When we live as living Sacrifice, we end up living like Jesus-

Our prayer becomes “Not my will but yours be done”

We do the works of the Father because we walk with Him leading the way, we have sacrificed our own selfish desire and now are we are an anointed instrument in His hand

Just like Christ we live lives of sacrifice unto God for His glory.