Romans 12 part 2

Walk in Humility

Romans 12 part 2

Fourth Sunday of Lent

The 40 days that many churches around the world prepare themselves to celebrate Jesus resurrection.

I would like to continue with our series on the book of Romans.

This book is considered Paul’s masterpiece, a very well-constructed summary of Christian Theology.

Considered by many one of the most important books ever written on the Christian faith.

We are now on Romans 12

Last week we cover the first two verses

Rom 12:1 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.

Therefore

Romans 1-11 we learned that we are all sinners, we fell short of the glory of God

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Rom 5:8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He forgave us, justified us and sanctify us.

Therefore present your bodies as Living sacrifice.

This is not about a dead animal

Is about making a complete surrender of oneself - body, mind and spirit - to God.

Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

How do we present ourselves as living sacrifices, resist to be molded by the values of this world , and renew our minds so we can prove God’s plan and purpose for us?

Let’s pray

Walk in humility. Romans 12:3-8

1 Use sober judgment

Don’t exaggerate the way you think about yourself.

Rom 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Don’t have an exaggerated view of yourself, or too low of an expectation of yourself, be humble. Think with a sound mind.

Peter is a good example of someone thinking too highly of himself

Mar 14:29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.”

Mar 14:30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

Mar 14:31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same.

Jesus knew Peter, and the others much better then themselves.

Gideon can be our example of someone with a very low expectation of himself.

Jdg 6:12 And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.”

Remember Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.

Jdg 6:15 And he said to him, “Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.”

In his eyes he was nobody.

A exaggerated view of our selves can lead us to do something God didn’t ask us to do, and a low view of ourselves, can lead us to miss our call.

Many years ago I met this young pastor, who is a great preacher, I just listen to one of his messages, and he still good, but this time his message caught my attention, I could hear humility in what he was sharing, years ago he was pretty arrogant.

I remember the last conversation we had, I went to see him about raising funds to go to Switzerland with my family, he told me if I was not able to raise $50 thousand dollars in a regular speaking engagement like he was able to, I should not be in missions. I never made that kind of money with any of my sermons, except one time for our church preservation, one donor from one sermon gave us $3.5 million dollars, I remember asking him what was that I said that moved him ? he told me, I wanted to make sure I would file that sermon in a special place, it was not what I said, God spoke to him, I didn’t remember what I said. Money is never my motivation to be a missionary or a pastor, I would do it for free.

This is one of the great things about Youth with a mission, they not only serve for free but they pay money to do it.

Some times when we see God using us, in a powerful way, we begin to think that we are that good, we deceive ourselves and begin to have this distorted view of ourselves.

What a powerful message that was, or all these people got healed with by my prayers, or I have helped all these people, I’m something special, better than everybody else.

People with a high or low view of themselves can become very discouraging to others, they can be a tool in the hands of the enemy.

Think of yourself with sober judgment

2 We are part a body, not an island.

Rom 12:4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,

Rom 12:5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

We are part of a body

Paul describes the body this way in

1Co 12:12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

1Co 12:13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

1Co 12:14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many.

1Co 12:15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.

He talks about the ear and the eye.

1Co 12:18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

1Co 12:19 If all were a single member, where would the body be?

1Co 12:20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

1Co 12:21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

We can see how silly would be for our body’s to work this way, makes no sense and it is impossible.

We were chosen to be mutually dependent, not a little island unto ourselves, maybe it sound safer, but is not God’s design for us,

Simon and Garfunkel on their song I’m a Rock, I’m an Island, express this sad world view. I just dated my self, You can tell how old I am. I will be 65 on the 26.

They ended their song like this

I am a rock I am an island [Verse 4] I have my books And my poetry to protect me I am shielded in my armor Hiding in my room Safe within my womb I touch no one and no one touches me [Refrain] I am a rock I am an island [Outro] And a rock feels no pain And an island never cries

God didn’t call us to be an island

1Co 12:26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

1Co 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

3 Use your gifts to serve others.

Rom 12:6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

Use the gift God has given you.

We need each other

Prophecy is not only about future events, is a message from the Lord.

Paul’s definition of prophecy is in

1Co 14:3 But [on the other hand] the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification [to promote their spiritual growth] and [speaks words of] encouragement [to uphold and advise them concerning the matters of God] and [speaks words of] consolation [to compassionately comfort them].

Prophecy according to your faith, in some churches people give the word of the Lord very frequently, some people have the gift, others are just trying.

Be clear in your presentation, Is the word of the Lord, something you know in your heart or is an impression or an image in your mind, just be humble.

This example is about a word of Knowledge but will give you the idea.

Years ago I was praying for this 37 year old lady with Dr. Bruce Thompson, he the expert very supportive of me but I was just there, to say amen and see God’s miracles like He always did. This lady looked very rough she was a farmer dressed more like a man, she came for prayer but it seems like she was not receiving anything, than I saw the word pig, written in white, so I shared with her, I said I don’t have a prayer but the word pig came to me, I was going to ask her if that meant anything to her, but just as I shared my image she burst into this fit of rage, punch the wall next to my face, she was very angry, but as she did this she fell on the ground crying, and manifesting some demonic possession, what happen was, she grew up in a farm, she was raised by relatives after her parents died in a car crash, they treated her like a slave, they abused her sexually and they called her a pig.

By sharing the word I saw, I pressed a very sensitive button in her life By the grace of God that was what she needed to get in touch with her heart, and the deep bitterness she was carrying against her family, we took authority over the demonic manifestation, she was able to forgive them, and she was set free.

If I had presented that word, in a different way If I said this is the word of the Lord, or God is showing me you are a pig I would only add to her rejection and pain.

Deliver the prophecy in proportion to your faith, my faith it was little, I had no idea what that meant, so I deliver in all humility, that’s all God needed.

Rom 12:7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;

People who love to serve, serve.

If you are good in explaining the word of God do it in humility.

Rom 12:8 or he who encourages, in the act of encouragement; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy [in caring for others], with cheerfulness.

Walk in humility

Use sober judgement

Be a member of the Body of Christ

Use your gifts to serve others

Have you asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Joh 3:16

To receive Him we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner, I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke itand said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks thiscup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.