Purpose of Mercy

19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ. 21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

God desires that we are more than just living in this world as dead unmoving, inanimate christians.

What is the key to being an animate, serving christian?... We must remember 1. The commandment "Be holy as God is holy, 2. The mercy of God

In our need of mercy God expressed his mercy by sending His son to take our place

But recognizing the mercy of God is only the beginning, we must mature, and seek the Lord!

To serve God as he desires we must present our bodies as a sacrice, deny the form of the world, and accept the form that God prescribes.

Be a Sacrifice

If we want to serve God, we must be as a living sacrifice… but it is beyond denying ourselves. It’s more about our presentation to God!

Are you a presentable sacrifice?

Characteristic of an old testament sacrifice.

best of the best, willingly given, to be without blemish… voluntary, fine quality, unscathed.

Voluntary

To be a sacrifice, it needs to be voluntary… God does not force us to be saved, he does not force us to serve… but there can be reprecutions to disobiediance.

Matthew 16:24 KJV 1900

24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

High quality, without blemish… HOLY & acceptable

Are you walking in the light as He is in the Light?

Holy = to be set apart; “Holiness as applied to people or things is a relational concept. they are holy to the Lord (baker dictionary).”

We are made Holy upon salvation in a positional sense before God… However our walk needs to be sanctified day by day. “daily take up your cross”.

Hebrews 10:10 KJV 1900

10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Hebrews 10:14 KJV 1900

14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

“To present our bodies as a living sacrifice, we need to recongize what the savior did in offering us the mercy that we need. By doing this we ought to be motivated to present ourselves Holy, acceptable, living sacrifices. Christ humbled himself, we must humble ourselves… Then we can truly serve the Lord.

Be Not Conformed

To be a living sacrifice it is a daily walk… The challenge is that we still have to battle daily against the flesh to fulfill the will of God.

Where is our focus & Where is our desire?

Conforming to the world?

Conform = “to be similar or identical; asl: to be in agreement or harmony (merriam-webster)”

The world

1 John 2:15–17 (KJV 1900)

15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

Lust of the flesh

The diesires of the fleshly things. food, sensual lusts, etc.

lust of the eyes

The shiny things in the world

pride of life

The prestige of the world.

Conformity is driven by desire.

Matthew 6:19–21 KJV 1900

19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Our conformity is based on where our treasure lies. Therefore if our treasures are of the world, we are sensual & fleshly, unholy to the lord… naturally we will conform to the things of the world. It is where our most desired treasure is.

Living in the world is easy with conformity. attracting the world is easy with conformity…. If we desire to Serve the Lord we can not dive into the mud, take part in the things of the world

Be Transformed

God desires something more… God desires that we are transformed to do His will, to serve Him

Transformed?

Transformed = to change in character or condition: convert… be changed completely.

2 Different types of transform = false appearance of transformation, a literal change

Animals do this… bears = make look big… caterpillars = transform into something new

As we are transforming we are renewing our mind- because of where our treasure lies…

Romans 6:15–18 KJV 1900

15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. 16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? 17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

We can serve holy and acceptable because of the change our savior made.

How to maintained a renewed mind?

Galatians 5:16–17 KJV 1900

16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Through transformation (salvation), we are no longer slaves to former lust, but set free because of the love that God loves us with. Therefore, desiring to fulfill His desire we abstain from the flesh and seek the spirit.

Effects of walking renewed

We can discern the will of God… serve him

Proverbs 3:5–8 KJV 1900

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths. 7 Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the Lord, and depart from evil. 8 It shall be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones.

As we are obediant to the Lord, we do not conform to the world. Rather we transform to the will of God, which happens because of a renewed mind. With this renewed mind we can serve God to the fullest and discern His will.