Romans 12:1-2

Introduction.

We give our selves to a lot of things, trying to please our selves.

Now is gonna ask us to give our selves to God and therefore please Him.

The verse start with 2 little words, Therefore.. That means is has a connection with everything it has been said in chapters 9-11. Where he has been addressing the topic of grace of God, through the salvation in Jesus Christ.

Now in response to that, he is gonna ask us to give something. We are gonna give ourselves to God.

When somebody is nice to you, and gives you something, (specially when is something you were not expecting) you want to thank him some how. If your parents work hard to give you something you gonna give thanks and give them something in response.

Rom. 12.1.2

GIVE YOUR SELF COMPLETELY TO HIM

Because we have received Grace now He ask us something in response to that. We were dead and now we are alive. What are you doing about it?

Rom. 6:13 Tampoco presenten sus miembros al pecado como instrumentos de iniquidad, sino preséntense ustedes mismos a Dios como vivos de entre los muertos, y presenten sus miembros a Dios como instrumentos de justicia

Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice. -Sacrifice. Its impossible not to think about the sacrifices from the Old Testament. People of God used to make sacrifices for the forgiveness of their sings. The animal was a victim. When we read sacrifice, it means a living victim. Also, the reason why Paul says this: -Some other religions in those days use to make sacrifices, now we are talking about other religions back in the day, you will always see religions making sacrifices for somehing, we see that today.. People making sacrificies to false gods, but here the word for sacrifices is the greek word thysia, it means victim, which just means the service of a christian. To be a living sacrifice is the service of a true Christian in response of his grace and mercy. It also means offering.

So now we understand the verse like: Because of God’s grace and mercy upon us, now dedicate your service completely to Him, of course not a dead victim, but an alive person, and that service has to be:

-Holy and pleasing to God -Not pleasing men, but pleasing God. Col 3:23-24 Everything you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord, and not for people.

This is your true and proper worship -Worship is not music, in fact my definition of worship is Romans 12:1-2

-Its a way of living where you give everything in response of who God is. -This is our true worship. What is our true worship? - By the context we see that Paul has been talking about our life of service completely dedicated to God. That is worship. We could find a lot of definitions of worship, but in simple words its serving God with everything we got. Its being a living sacrifice. -Worship is serving, worship is sacrifice, worship is obedience. -Things that as humans we don’t like.

Ilustrar. equipo de soccer. lo daba todo.

I urge you

We like to give everything we got to other things. (examples)

Why do we look like Jesus if we do this? Because he gave everything he got for us.

He didn’t give up when he was on his way to the cross.

Ilustration. Running the race.

DO NOT CONFORM YOUR SELF TO THE WORLD

What does this word means? Conform. Do not let the world get in his mould. Do not let the world make you like them

Ilustracion. haciendo alcancias. Mostrar fotografia de un molde. Paul is saying, dont let the world make you part of their mold / pattern

Dont let the culture of the world manage the way you act

Dont let the culture of the world to manage the way you think

Dont let the culture of the world decide for you

You let the world of God decide what’s best for you.

Story of 3 man standing when everybody else was worshiping a false god.

Basically what they are doing, is this: There is a person that has been mold into the image of the world, that is why he is worshiping a false god, because he has been conform to this world, or he has been mold into the world.

Then there is another person that has been mold into the world.

Then we have another person that is saying, because they are doing it, I must do it too.

Until you see 3 people doing exactly what Paul is saying. Do not conform to this world.

When somebody follows what others are doing, just because it seems to have good results that is called pragmatism.

PRAGMATISM.

Rom. 12.2. “do not conform to this world”.

SBC hispanic churches.

Student ministry and pragmatism

Summary of 2 points.

Do not conform to this world and do not fall for pragmatism,

We do not always have to be thinking what we can do in the your ministry to make it more fun, we do not always have to be thinking what can we adapt or adjust so its more creative for them, what can we offer to them, instead of that, you come with a heart of offering something to God.

The ministry is not to please what the youth wants, we are here to do what God wants.

We do not have to make fun plans for the youth, God already has plans for the youth.

Always ask your self if we are doing something because is biblical or if we do it by tradition

Always ask your self if we are doing something because is biblical or because everybody else is doing it?

Lets not follow pragmatism.

Instead of conforming into the world, we must conform into the image of God.

BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND

Rom. 8.7 The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so.

Going back to Rom. 12.2 “Do not follow the mentality of the flesh. Flesh is a word we use to talk about our sins, and about humanity.

We want to be less like humanity and more like God.

CONCLUSION

When you do these things, you will know exactly what pleases God, you will know what gives Him glory.. You will be following His will.