Growing Closer to God Pt 27

A Living Sacrifice

We have been discussing Israel and their chosen status, but coming into Chapter 12 Paul again pivots and begins to instruct the Roman church how to properly live for God.

I have found many people state they are living for Christ, and desiring, a closer relationship to Him, but their God fits more into their desire for he is to be rather than surrendering to His desire. They claim to worship God, but their actions worship self. Paul is seeing this issue within the Roman church. They are making rules that please them and setting aside rules they don’t desire to follow. So Paul makes a 180 degree turn and begins to appeal to the Roman church to live a life centered on Christ.

Romans 12:1–2 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

There are two directives here in our verses this morning. The first is found in verse 1

Romans 12:1 ESV

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

The term appeal comes from the Greek word

Parakaleo

Which means to implore, urge, or beg.

It often dumbfounds me that Paul is found begging people to live right and to come to Christ. The American church and even I myself sometimes feels that if they want to be saved they should be given the truth and then the ball is in their court. But Paul doesn’t stop at asking. He humbles himself into a position of a begger pleading with them to receive Christ’s salvation.

this should be our response to this Christmas season. I understand that Christmas may or may not have been intended to celebrate Christ and that this isn’t the time of year that Christ was actually born, but the bible, specifically the Old Testament used times of celebration to bring to remembrance a time of Jewish people’s salvation. Whether it was crossing the the sea on dry ground. Receiving the 10 Commandments, or walking into the promised land there were set times to remind people just what God had done for them. It was a time to reflect on the love of Christ. But whether people celebrate Christmas to worship Christ or to bow to the idol of stuff Christmas is on everyone’s mind. What Paul is reminding us in this passage is that we aren’t living our life for ourselves, but we should be imploring or begging people to come to Christ. We should humble ourselves, which means put ourselves at a lower position to bring people to Christ.

So what Are some tangible ways to implore or beg and humble ourselves.

Living Sacrifice.

Philippians 2:3 ESV

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

An animal sacrifice in the Old Testament would literally hold the sins of the person sacrificing it. The willingness to take on their shame. The willingness to not be invited to family events or to be looked at with prestige. A begger even by today’s standards are considered more of a nuscence than anything else.

Jesus illustrates this through the knocking of a neighbors door seeking food t feed a quest. Jesus says knock until your annoying. I doubt that man came joyfully to the door with the needed supplies. The man had to sacrifice his pride. Had to become so annoying that the man would get out of bed. He was relentless. Jesus stated the man wouldn’t give out of the kindness of his heart, but rather would give just to get rid of you.

Would we shoulder the weight of someone’s hate to give people a chance to be saved? Would we sacrifice our pride to become annoying for Christ?

Pauls commands us to present our bodies.

This is almost Christmas perfect because present and present are the same words it’s the same as giving someone a gift. When you give yourself as a gift for Christ you lose all ownership of it. If I gift you a car the car is no longer mine. I can’t drive it when I want to. I don’t determine how or when it gets washed or goes to the garage for maintenance. I don’t determine where it’s parked or when it gets sold.

To present your self is to release your desires. What you think you should have or how you should be taken care of.

I have been asked how do we present ourselves to God? Paul answers this in verse two. I have never seen God give a command to us that he doesn’t show us to give it.

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

What is the subject of this sentence?

Your Mind

Christians state give Jesus your heart. Your heart holds your emotions, but your heart only goes where the mind leads it. If we surrender our minds—our hearts will follow.

The world aims to control your mind. They decide what news you read. They decide what TV shows can be watched. If the world controls your mind they control you.

When Moses went to the burning Bush the world had control of his mind. I’m not going to read right now but when you get a chance read it.

You’re standing before a bush that despite the fact that it’s on fire isn’t burning. You’re talking to God himself. What does Moses fear?

At First you would say Moses fears God. When God speaks Moses trembles and is afraid, but after that initial fear God calls him to a task and Moses states:

What would they say?

What do I tell them?

What would they think?

They don’t like me?

His focus is on everyone else BUT God. He fears everyone else above his fear of God so much so that he insults God in His discussion. who controls your mind? Do you put them or they in front of God?

Are you more worried about what people think or what God thinks? Are you willing to present yourself as a present? While with your family are you willing to annoy them for Christ? Are you willing to be the black sheep or are we more concerned with their acceptance?

We are called to sacrifice ourselves for God. To give it up for God. Not to be annoying for annoying sake, but if God calls are you willing to speak? Are you willing to sacrifice?

Romans 6:13 ESV

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

The very work we do should point to the glory of God. When you go to work you don’t work for a boss, or a company. You work for Christ. Are you surrending your hands and feet for Christ? Are you surrending