Lives of Sacrifice

Lives of Sacrifice

Romans 12:1-21

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In view of this information, it should be easily recognized that there is a serious disconnect between what people say they believe and what they really believe.

It is not possible for a person to remain true to God and His Christ without continuing in His Word. That which is proclaimed by Christ and pours forth from the heart and will of God is written for our benefit.

I think there might be general agreement among us, on a surface level, that to be a friend of the world is to be an enemy of God. That seems to have some kind of biblical flavor to it, wouldn’t you say?

And yet when it comes right down to it; as we begin to explore beneath the thin veneer of what seems agreeable to all, there is found a world of difference in what is meant and believed.

The survey I shared with you suggests that this is true even among those who profess a belief in Christ and claim to be Christian. But we tend to overlook, or maybe even disregard these differences because of our own skepticism and post-modern mindset. So, we are unaware that a change is going on with us that is looking more and more like the world.

This mindset affects us in our workplace, our interpersonal relationships, our politics, and even in our churches. More importantly, it affects the way we perceive things like the constitution and meaning of life itself.

What I am trying to say is this: We Christians are loosing our grip on what is really real. We are loosing our grip, if you will, on God, and becoming more and more involved with the scheming centrifuge and pattern of the world that is intent on throwing us out of the heart of God. And for the most part, there is a seeming unawareness, or ambivalence at best, of our part in it.

How tremendously tragic this is when we consider the heart of God in its compassion and mercy toward us all. What pain it must cause Him to see His children, literally hell-bent on a course of destruction. Any parent who has watched a son or daughter go down such a path has probably got a real good idea of what it’s like for God. Especially when you have done all you know how to keep it from happening.

God has done even more! He has done everything-even the seemingly impossible-to keep us close to his heart. He gives us not only Jesus, but life and righteousness in His eternal Son. He gives us His own Spirit who is the transforming agent of our lives. And yet, the Word that conveys that Spirit and strengthens us is all but ignored, and certainly disbelieved, by so many.

Even so, the Word of God calls out to us in the mercy of the Almighty God. Give yourselves, body, soul, and spirit, to the God who gives you life. Give yourselves as sacrifices having been made alive in Christ, and know that you are holy and pleasing to God in him. So give yourselves totally and completely to the study of His Word, and let the Spirit of God totally and permanently change your mind about every aspect of life and living.

If we do this, we will most certainly be able to recognize the genuine will of God over-against the false and temporary schemes of human wisdom which shapes the pattern of the world.

I have purposely spent our time together today focusing on just the first two verses of Romans 12. The reason why is this: Everything that follows means absolutely nothing apart from the transforming mercy and will of our God. Amen.