Living Sacrifices to God

Intro:

Turn in your bibles once again this morning to the book of Romans 12.

Romans 12 gives us the keys to kingdom living. It outlines how to become a living sacrifice to God, how to serve with spiritual gifts, and how to behave like a Christian.

Surrender to Christ is intended to be accompanied by change in the life of the person who surrenders. This no doubt can be challenging at times, but it is a worthy and worthwhile pursuit. I believe that we should walk in sincerity of faith before the Lord, and today I want to teach you how.

The kingdom message is a message of consecration to God. It is one where we give up the throne of our heart, the control of our life, and we learn to yield our lives to His will.

To consecrate your life to the Lord means that you are choosing to set yourself apart to the Lord through devotion to the worship and service of God.

The Apostle Paul in Romans 12:1–2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

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Submit:

Let’s break this down.

The word beseech means to plead with or beg earnestly.

Paul is begging and pleading with believers to present themselves to God as a living sacrifice. The word present means to make yourself available or accessible to God. The first way we do this is by dying to ourselves.

Remember that we must die to our own ways and desires, and learn to serve the purposes of God in our life.

It is possible for a person to believe in God and yet not really serve his purposes. God desires for us to be holy (morally pure). When we do this it brings pleasure and satisfaction to God.

The truth this morning is that we have to make a decision to live an all in life in Christ. We can’t afford to have one foot in the kingdom and one foot in the world. God wants us all in, but ultimately it is a decision that is extremely personal. No one can go all in for you.

Something we need to understand about the kingdom of God. There is no group projects where one does the work and all get the same grade. We serve together, but we are judged and rewarded by our individual effort.

To present yourself to the Lord is an act of your will. Living Holy and set apart before the Lord is a choice. What is interesting is that Paul says, presenting ourselves as a living sacrifice is our reasonable service. For those who have declared Jesus as Lord, this is the only reasonable response.

Romans 12:2 gives us the key to the surrendered sacrificial life.

It says, Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world,

What does it mean to be conformed to this world? Being conformed to the world is about becoming assimilated into the world system. Assimilation is a process in which you take on the language, attitudes, habits, and culture of a group of people.

Conformity to the world means your lifestyle, speech, language, attitudes, and habits have lead to you to function in a culture opposite of the Kingdom of God. Behaviorally and socially you are the same as the world.

The culture of the world is seen in Galatians 5:19–21.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

God call us out of conformity and into transformation. How are we transformed? Romans 12:2.

Romans 12:2, “but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,”

Transformation is the result of hiding the word of God in your heart, and putting it into practice. When we read the word, and obey it’s command we begin to change in our outward appearance and expression. We begin to assimilate into the culture of the kingdom of God. The word affects our language (how we speak to people, refraining from profane speech), It shifts our attitudes, and habits.

These changes are not a work of the flesh through our personal effort. They are a work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

When we hide God’s word in our heart, the Holy Spirit aids us by helping us to apply the word to our lives. John 16:13.

He leads us and guides us into all truth, John 16:13 “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

Why does He aid us?

Because you and I need to “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Its not enough to know that God speaks to others. You need to learn to hear God speaking to you. Its not enough to know that God heals people. You need to experience the healing power of God. Its not enough to hear the wisdom of others, God wants to reveal it you.

I don’t want you to hear about it, I want you to experience the fullness of transformation for yourself.

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Apply:

Now understand that there is another layer to transformation in the kingdom of God. We are called to live holy and set apart to God, but more than that we are to serve God with Spiritual gifts. God has given to every person spiritual gifts. Romans 12:3-8.

Romans 12:3–8 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry (serve), let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

The gifts given by God are for the benefit of others, and the advancement of the kingdom of God. The gifts given to us by God are intended to be used. Paul says, having then gifts differing according to the grace of God that is given to us, let us use them.

If God has given you prophetic understanding, then share it. If God has given you a heart to serve, than find the place that fuels you and serve.

If God has given you the ability to understand the scripture and you can teach, then share the gift and teach others.

If God has given the ability to exhort and encourage others. Do it with cheerfulness.

If God has entrusted you with great material resources, use it to advance His purposes. I believe in this area if you will build God’s house, He will establish yours.

If God gives you the gift to administrate/lead and you can organize, direct, and implement plans to lead others. Then utilize the gift.

If God has filled you with compassion for others, than demonstrate it with cheerfulness.

Understand, there is someone out there that needs what God has placed in you. If you don’t use it they might miss an opportunity to encounter the goodness of God in their life.

The key to effectiveness and the use of our gifts is humility. Gifts are given to build up and serve others. We can’t effectively use them to serve others if we are filled with pride, anger, or offense.

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Close:

As we close this message the final portion of Romans 12:9-21 gives us a baseline for Christian behavior.

Romans 12:9–21 “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

This final portion of scripture shows what assimilation into kingdom living looks like. My prayer today is that we would allow the grace of God given to us through the word to transform and lead us into kingdom work.

There is nothing greater for our lives than to serve God’s purposes. Our reasonable service to the Lord is to present ourselves as a living sacrifice.

Altar:

1) If your here today and you are saying Pastor I am ready to go all in. I want you to come the altar and make a commitment to the Lord. I tell you again this is personal. No one can do this for you.

2) If you are here and you have yet to surrender your life to Christ. Service in the kingdom begins with submission to Christ.