Responding to the Mercy of God

TEXT: Romans 12:1-2

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 (NIV)

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT)

Intro:

Paul is in essence saying, be committed and be Changed. These statements might sound legalistic to some. Paul is not saying this is optional. He is not begging them or pleading with them, but “I appeal to you, or I urge you,” are strong words which means here an “Earnest or urgent request.”

We can misunderstand this urgent request if we do not read what goes before.

Paul is saying, “In view of God’s mercy, present your bodies.” These mercies are seen in chapter 1-11 of Romans.

Here He unfolds the doctrine of Justification by faith. God treats the believer just as if he had never sinned. We are saved from God’s wrath and reconciled to God through Jesus death. We have peace with God (Rom.5:1)

Christ died for our sin while we are still in our sin.

We have been set free from sin and become slaves to righteousness. (Rom. 6:18).

There is no condemnation to those who are in Christ (Rom 8:1).

We are more than conquerors (Rom.8:37)

Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. (Rom.8:38-39)

IN chapter 11 he shows Israel had opportunity but lost out because of disobedience, but now you and I have opportunity because of God’s mercy. In fact everyone has opportunity. It is by faith.

We respond to the mercy of God firstly by

Commitment: Present your bodies as a living sacrifice.

Secondly by

Change: We are transformed by the renewing of the mind.

Yielding our bodies and mind to God must be seen as a privilege and a joy rather than a duty.

Because I am no longer under condemnation and because I now have eternal life. Because Jesus died in my place and freed me from sin and given me an inheritance as a son of God. Out of gratitude, out of love I give my whole life to serve him and bring others into this same freedom.

Only one life will soon be passed, only what’s done for Christ will last.

1. We respond to the mercies of God by;

Committing our bodies to Him

A. How do we do this

1. Wrong Ways -Doctrinal error

Always thought sacrifice meant death. I am prepared to die for you Lord.

Asceticism

This is still practiced in some parts of the world today.

Luther:

He plunged into prayer, fasting, and ascetic practices—going without sleep, enduring bone-chilling cold without a blanket, and flagellating himself. As he later commented, "If anyone could have earned heaven by the life of a monk, it was I. Then through in-depth study of Romans he discovered in the scripture the doctrine of Justification by Faith. This freed him totally from trying to earn salvation.

Antinomianism

For the first-century Greeks the body was of secondary importance.: what really mattered was the soul. So, doing what you feel and when you feel like and the abundance of temple prostitutes’ illicit sex was rampant. This form of Gnosticism crept into the church. To this gnostic satisfying the sexual appetite was the same as satisfying the appetite for food. Here, Paul in his two letters addresses this issue in the church at Corinth.

2. Right way - The Biblical way 1 Cor 6:19-21 NLT

Paul had to correct this dangerous misconception. He shows this analogy is false because your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Immoral conduct demeans the price paid to redeem sinners. Because Jesus is one with the believer’s spirit, it is unthinkable to involve Him in immorality. The believer has been purchased with the blood of Jesus they should therefore honour Him to whom they belong.

Body- Temple of the Holy Spirit

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Cor 6:19-21).

We are spiritual beings

We are spiritual beings Spirit, soul and body. Paul says, “May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess 5:23. When you are born again your spirit comes alive. When you are born again you become aware that life consists of more than this earthly realm. There is a haven where God dwells and there is a kingdom which is not of this world.

The body has 5 senses.

We can use these gifts and faculties for the glory of God. Because we live by the spirit the body should not dictate.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. (Rom.8:12-13).

Paul says he disciplines his body so that he is not disqualified. He uses the analogy of running a race. 1 Cor 9:27. Paul stresses the necessity of self-discipline. We must avoid the extremes as mentioned. Self control is one of the fruit of the Spirit. This is especially true when you have a high or when you are low.

3. Present it

Once for all

Present it -Holy

Set apart

Present it - Acceptable

That which God wills and recognises. We give ourselves out of gratitude, thankfulness, humility and love. (You can give your body to be burned but if you do not have love it profits you nothing.) You cannot please God by giving your body so as to earn points from God.

God resists the proud.

Illustration: Gary Greenwald

If you are broken, feel like the dry bones of Ezekiel's vision you are definitely acceptable to God. More so than the person who feels he has got it all together.

Illustration: Jonathan - tired from work. Method of relaxation lying on a couch and watching a series. God says to him take up your guitar and worship me. No Lord, that feels like work. Eventually he did take the guitar and the Spirit of God came down on him powerfully.

Illustration: Nick Vuyockec -no arms or legs.

B. Why we do we do this:

We are urged to do so because of God’s mercies. The love of God compels us. We do so because we love Him. His love in us stirs us to love him and give ourselves completely to him. It is an inner motivation that brings the reality of eternity with God into our lives.

Illustration: Kelly – J. Millers daughter. Giving up her relationship with someone just before marriage because he would not commit to Christ. Jesus Christ is her everything.

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. Just as it is said of Jesus, “A body you have prepared me.” So, we are the “body of Christ” and members in particular.

1 Cor 6:19-20 My body is God’s temple

We have this treasure in earthen vessels 2 Cor. 4:7. NB

There is no greater satisfaction and joy than when you Worship God with your body, by bowing or kneeling in His presence, or by lifting your hands or clapping or even dancing before him with shouts or voice of praise and thanksgiving. We also worship God by serving others with the gifts He has given.

You are firstly, a spirit being. You are preparing for eternity with God.

There is a judgement coming and we will be judged for what we have done in our bodies. Rom_14:10 Why do you pass judgement on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgementseat of God;

God will anoint you to do the work. Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Zech. 4:6 ESV.

This is one of the greatest reasons why we dedicate our bodies to God, so that the anointing would rest on us, so that we can be effective in our serving the Lord.

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

(Luke 4:18)

When the anointing comes you don't want anything else. After his resurrection Jesus appeared to his disciples and said to them, “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” (John 20:21).

Anointed spiritual gifts (Rom. 12:3-8). When anointed by God these gifts will make a huge difference in the lives of people you minster to.

2. We respond to the mercy of God by being;

Changed through the renewing of our minds.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (NLT)

The world wants to change your mind, so it exerts pressure from without. But the Holy Spirit changes your mind by releasing power from within. If the world controls your thinking, you are a conformer; if God controls your thinking, you are a transformer.

Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires (Rom.8:5)

Proverbs 3:5–8 (NLT)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;

do not depend on your own understanding.

Seek his will in all you do,

and he will show you which path to take.

Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom.

Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.

Then you will have healing for your body

and strength for your bones.

A. Moral Relativism

The greatest danger today is moral relativism. It is taught in our schools and universities. It is a cultural moulding of our minds to believe that there is no absolute truth. Morality then becomes my choice. I decide then, if everyone is doing it and it does not hurt anyone else, then it is okay. I might even add that God understands my need and what he said then applied to that generation but things are very different now.

The truth is, this is exactly how Satan tempted Eve.  “Did God really say you must not eat of that fruit.” Look at it, it is attractive and shiny. Taste it, it tastes good. Once they had eaten, they were separated from God. Things changed completely.

When you stop listening to the voice of God you will start listening to other voices. When you stop approaching God’s word with an open receptive heart, you will begin to read your own ideas and interpretation into the Word.

1 Pet 1:14. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires.

2 Pet 1:3-4: By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvellous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires

B. Christ focussed

If we desire to enjoy liberty instead of bondage, joy instead of fear, peace instead of anxiety, then we need to allow God to transform us by changing the way we think.

This is not about behaviour modification, which is just outward. We are talking about being transformed from the inside out. Behaviour modification is sustained by your own discipline, self-efforts and willpower. It works only as you keep on working. We are talking about change that comes from an inward transformation sustained by the power and love of our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ. (J.Prince)

We are often so pre-occupied with self. Self-conscious and self-occupied. This was Paul’s dilemma in Romans 7. (Uses the personal pronoun “I” 24 times). This is the reason for much of our failure and defeat.

The only way that we can be delivered from occupation with self is to be occupied with Christ. When you become occupied with Christ, you will become increasingly untouched by the things that hold the world captive. (J.Prince).

Make Jesus the centre of your thinking every day. Let your mind be occupied with Christ.

You need to see God’s word for what it is, “the Word of God.”

Read it, meditate on it, live it. The bible is there to reveal the glory of Jesus to us so that our hearts can be engrossed with Him.

Josh.1:8

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim 3:16).

ILLUSTRATION: Just as I am

CONCLUSION

Call for a response in view of the points mentioned. One can have an application after each main point but often a final application and response will apply. What now?

The conclusion clarifies, exhorts and invites response appropriate to the truth that has been declared.

Rom 12:1-2 Message Bible

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. (The Message paraphrase)