The Living Sacrifices

Introduction

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Tonight, we are going to continue our study in the Book of Romans.

And as we continue to push forward, our focus tonight is going to be on chapter 12, the first 8 verses.

But before we get into that, we need to button up the very last part of chapter 11.

If you remember, from last couple of weeks, when we got into chapter 11, we have been talking a great deal about God’s attitude toward and how God has been dealing with not only the Gentiles but also the Jewish people.

We’ve been talking about how the Jewish people were feeling somewhat slighted by God and feeling as if God had rejected them.

And Paul has spent a great deal of time trying to help them work though this and letting them know that this, was in fact, not the case at all.

Paul has been over it with them, time and time again, trying to get them to realize that God had not rejected them, but rather God wants them to be the leaders and examples of what it means to be a follower of God.

That God wants them to realize that Jesus IS the Messiah, the one they had been looking for for hundreds of years.

And he goes back and forth but both challenges toward them and encouraging words towards them.

And as he wraps up chapter 11, Paul actually offers them a great deal of hope that is to come.

In verse 25, Paul starts out this way . . .

Romans 11:25 NIV - Anglicised

25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.

So, what he is getting at here is that what they are experiencing is no surprise to God.

It was what God knew all along would happen.

So, like everything else, God uses it to accomplish a purpose.

A much greater purpose than the Jews or even the Gentiles could ever realize or imagine.

And that purpose was to open the door for all people to come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

Jew and Gentile alike.

But, there is coming a day when all who will accept Jesus will have made their choice.

And when that day comes . . .

Romans 11:26–27 NIV - Anglicised

26 And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.”

So, the remnant of Israel that is left.

That remnant that has accepted Jesus Christ.

That remnant that has put their faith in Him.

That remnant that trusts in God, will be saved, just like what God’s word recorded all the way back in Isaiah.

But for now . . .

Romans 11:28–32 NIV - Anglicised

28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

And all Paul is saying here is that God’s love and mercy is universal.

He is again stating in different words that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile.

That we are all the same.

Lost and undone without Jesus Christ.

Alive and saved through Jesus Christ.

Each and everyone one of us.

God’s promises are irrevocable—they can’t be taken back.

God’s judgement is also irrevocable—it can’t be taken back either.

So, we choose either life or death, salvation or judgement.

All of us, Jew and Gentile alike.

And then Paul here finishes up chapter 11 with a prayer for them all.

He writes . . .

Romans 11:33–36 NIV - Anglicised

33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counsellor?” 35 “Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.

Which marks a closure to an entire section here of Romans.

Because in chapter 12, Paul is going to shift gears just a bit.

He has established that we are all the same.

And all of our hope is found in Jesus Christ and only in Jesus Christ.

And how he is going to start issuing a universal challenge to all who call Jesus Christ Lord and Savior.

So, starting out in Romans 12:1, Paul writes this . . .

Scripture Focus

Romans 12:1–8 NIV - Anglicised

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Transformed Into Living Sacrifices (vs 1-2)

So, now we begin to see Paul starting to tell these new Jesus followers—we call them Christians what they are supposed to be doing.

How, they are supposed to be living their lives.

And what their lives are to look like and reflect.

Again, he starts out . . .

Romans 12:1 NIV - Anglicised

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

And now, what Paul is doing here is, he is pulling it all together so that both the Jews and Gentiles could understand what a Christian life should look like.

Again he tells them to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, which “sacrifice” is something they understand.

The Jews knew what it was to sacrifice and offer offerings to God in the temple.

Things like the Day of Atonement and the festival sacrifices.

The Gentiles in this pagan society, knew what it was like to offer sacrifices to the pagan gods that were out there.

Jesus paid the price and established the Way, but God wants us to give Him our all and all.

And they struggled to understand how they could give themselves to God.

If salvation is a free gift, how can we know we are saved?

If it is all by faith how can we know?

Well, this is how we know.

In verse 2 he says . . .

Romans 12:2 NIV - Anglicised

2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

And to understand the point Paul is trying to make we have to understand and put the two verses together.

When Jesus saves our soul, the Holy Spirit begins to transform us, from the inside.

The Holy Spirit, renews our mind.

The Holy Spirit enables us to shake off the pattern of this world, in that we no longer conform to it.

We, honestly, don’t fit it any more.

This makes us different people and then we can test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

And what Paul means by test and approve here is that we will know and do God’s will.

Not out of force but because it becomes part of our nature.

Even when God’s will goes against our will, we know right from wrong and then we make a choice.

And the Holy Spirit helps and enables us to make the right choice.

And because sometimes God’s choice is not what we would choose or not what we want.

Sometimes it is the hard path and not the easy path, through it we become living sacrifices.

Which then becomes our spiritual act of worship.

We have a fundamental misunderstanding of worship sometimes.

We think that worship is tied to a building and a few songs and maybe a sermon.

Worshiping God is simply offering ourselves fully to God, in every situation and every circumstance.

It is not tied to anything other than our giving ourselves to God.

That is our spiritual act of worship!

And we do all of this in view of God’s mercy, or through God’s mercy.

Meaning that we trust that God so loving and merciful and we trust God for all things.

And we are willing to give everything to God, because we trust God.

Knowing that through His mercy, he will not let us down.

Don’t Get The Big Head (vs 3)

And then Paul begins to build on this point.

In verse 3 he writes . . .

Romans 12:3 NIV - Anglicised

3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

In other words, just because God chose you and transformed you.

Just because God desires a relationship with you.

Just because things are going well and you are on top right now—doing it all right.

Don’t get the big head. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement.

And this is important to remember because none of us are above falling.

We may be on top right now at this moment but oh how quickly we can fall down again.

And remember, we didn’t get on top on our own.

God lifted us up from the fiery pits of hell and put us where we are.

And don’t get “above your raising” like the old timers used to say.

Or, don’t think that the role/task that God has called you to is more important than anyone else’s.

Operate within your calling and within the level of spiritual maturity you are at.

Paul says we are to operate in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

And that’s important because when we step outside of that, we get ourselves in a mess.

We get out of bounds and outside where God wants us to be.

We start thinking that we are invincible and that the Church can’t survive without us.

Spiritual Gifts (vs 4-8)

Which is why Paul brings up what he brings up next.

He says starting in verse 4 . . .

Romans 12:4–8 NIV - Anglicised

4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

So, Paul is telling us that God has a specific calling for all of us.

God has given each person different Spiritual Gifts.

Gifts that are supposed to be used for His kingdom and to help others find Him.

And even though society likes to value certain gifts over others, that is not so with God.

All gifts that are from God are equally important because all gifts are designed to further the Kingdom.

And our job is to discover what our gifts are.

And then use those gifts for the kingdom.

All the while keeping in mind that everyone else’s gifts are just as important and just as valuable.

And we should be supporting one another in the development of everyone’s gifts.

So, as we finish tonight there are a few questions we need to ask.

First, have we offered ourselves to God fully?

Are we presenting ourselves to God as our Spiritual Act of Worship?

Are we grounded in Christ?

Do we know what our spiritual gifts are?

Have we even looked yet?

And if we do know, are we exercising them?

If the answer to any of these questions is “no” or “I don’t know” then why not?

Why are we not seeking God’s guidance and God’s mercy?

Why are we not exercising our Spiritual Gifts?

What is holding us back?

Only you and God can answer those questions.

Tonight, before logging off, can you commit to spending some time with God this week discovering those things?

Will you do that?

And of course if you need prayer, need to talk, I’m just a message or phone call way.

And don’t forget to tune in on Wednesday for our Midweek service.

Have a great week and stay safe!