14. Bringing it all Together

Intro

We’ve been talking about a whole lot of new things and big words; context, interpretation, dangers to avoid, things to remember, and so much more. I know what you’re thinking, “Information overload!!! My brain can only take so much!” Don’t worry, keep at it, you’ve learned so much! Today, we’re going to study Romans 12 together putting all we’ve learned to practice.

P.S. – Don’t be afraid to mark up these verses!

What is “Therefore” There for?

“I beseech you therefore,”

What does “beseech” mean? (Urge, exhort. “I beg you to do this!!!”)

What should be our first reflex when we see “therefore”? (When you see a therefore, go and see what it’s there for)

Usually, a therefore would be linked to a few verses not too far back in the book, but Romans 12 starts a new section in the book, so the therefore goes all the way back to the start...

Romans chart

- The Bad News (1:1-3:20)

All men are sinners, fallen short of God’s glory and condemned in sin.

- The Good News (3:21-5:21)

We can be forgiven by faith in Jesus Christ.

- Growing with Christ (6:1-8:17)

Our relationship with Christ, with sin, with the Law, with the Spirit.

- Victory with Christ (8:18-39)

We are freed from the Law and from our sin, therefore we enjoy a close relationship with God and victory over all things.

- Israel & the Gentiles (9:1-11:36)

Israel has been cast off for a time because their unbelief, now the Gentiles are brought in, but God’s amazing grace will bring Israel back in.

Therefore in vs. 1 = Because of all these things I just wrote to you about, present your bodies a living sacrifice.

Investigating Terms

We’ve talked a whole lot about words in this series; we talked about figures of speech, meanings, and how to study them. Let’s keep going in Romans 12 by breaking down the words, what they mean, and how they work together to make these incredible verses.

Romans 12:1 NKJV

1 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.

We know that Paul is urging someone to do something, but who is he urging? (brethren)

Who’s the brethren? (Believers)

Up to this point, we know that; based on everything he shared so far in Romans, Paul is begging us believers to do something.

What is that thing Paul is begging us to do? (present our bodies a living sacrifice)

That’s a loaded one! Let’s break the words down together.

I want to know better what “present” means and how its used in other verses, do you know of a tool in your Bible that might help? (Concordance!

“Present” in the concordance

Ephesians 5:27 NKJV

27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

What picture comes to mind when you see this word in Ephesians? (Presenting, like presenting a gift to an important person)

The President of U.S. comes in town...

- What kind of gift will you bring? Cheap? No effort? Or valuable? Hours of thought and labor?

The word “present” seems to be like handing something valuable over to an important person...

Jude 24 NKJV

24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,

What about this one, what picture comes to mind? (Same thing to me...)

So, when we’re talking about Romans 12:1, Paul is begging us to hand something that is valuable to us over to God.

What is it that we’re supposed to present? (Our bodies… Hmmmm)

How valuable is your body?

If you don’t have your body, what do you have? (Nothing!)

So, what is God asking of us here? (He wants our everything!)

What does that “presenting” look like? (A living sacrifice)

Is a living sacrifice a bit strange to you? Why might that be a bit confusing?

Think OT priests, what did sacrifices look like then? (Killed the animal)

Was there ever a living sacrifice in the Old Testament times? (No)

So, what might Paul mean here for us? (Permanency to our sacrifice, it’s not a one time thing, it’s a whole life lived in giving your whole body to God)

Step back a second, why should we sacrifice EVERYTHING to God? (by the mercies of God)

Old vs. New sacrifices page

Old - Animals slain, sacrifice cut up, burned up (temporary), based on legal obligation, death is not defeated

New - Living sacrifice, whole sacrifice, Living (permanent), based on God’s mercy, eternal life celebrated

Up to this point, what’s everything we know about verse 1?

Based on all Romans and on God’s mercy to us, Paul is begging believers to hand over their whole lives to God

Their lives become a permanent sacrifice

My will, my ambitions, my comfort is all handed to the Lord.

Continuing on in vs. 1, what does that sacrifice look like on the practical scale? (Holy, acceptable to God)

“which is your reasonable service.”

Reasonable = rational

Firefighter saves your life, your siblings, and your dog...

How would you react?

The least we can do is say thank you and repay him for his great service to us.

God has saved our eternal souls

How long is eternity? (Forever)

If God saved our forever souls, is it really a big thing to give our temporary lives to Him? (Absolutely not! Paul says its the least that we can do.)

Insights Through Consultation

In vs. 2, Paul tells us something we should avoid, what is that? (conformed)

Concordance for “conformed”

Illustration: Homemade popsicles

“And do not be conformed to this world”

Cross references “a”

- 1 John 2:15

How does this verse help us understand Romans 12:2?

So, we’re told not to be shaped to this world…

But what does “world” mean? It can’t mean the “earth” right? (Take a look at a commentary)

Believer’s Bible Commentary

“Age” = Society’s ideas, practices, conduct...

- Gender ideology

- Evolution

- Inclusion

- Scrap marriage

Paul says, “don’t be shaped into that mold!

Instead of being shaped in the world’s mold, what should be transformed, how does that transforming happen? (By the renewing of your mind)

“Renewed” in concordance...

What does God want us to renew? (Mind)

THink the way God thinks

How am I going to do that? (Be in the Word)

What happens as a result of doing these things (end of vs. 2)? (Prove the good, acceptable, perfect will of God)

When you walk with God, His will is not mysterious, He will play it out right before you as you walk with Him.

Application

Live sacrificed to the Lord

Don’t be shaped to the world’s shell

Be in the Word!