Week 3: Love Reigns Over Our Present

Week 3: Love Reigns Over Our Present

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

God’s great mercy became a transforming reality through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This mercy is a result of God’s love for us, and this love invites us to live differently in the present. We are to be living sacrifices that no longer conform to the patterns of the world. The world around us is deceptive, selfish, angry, and foolish. These cannot be the patterns we live by today. Rather, we must renew the way we think, and in doing so, we will discover God’s will for us in the present. This is not easy, however. A living sacrifice is always tempted to crawl back off the altar.

Think: The decisions I make today determine who I will be tomorrow.

Feel: God’s mercy has given me the chance to die to myself and come alive in Christ.

Do: Determine the current patterns in your life that are destructive and replace them with better ways of living.

Sermon:

Welcome, Church. We are so glad you have chosen to worship with us today. We believe God has you here for a reason, and we pray that you experience him in a fresh and new way today. We are in the middle of a sermon series called “Love Reigns”.

1. We began on Easter, when we discovered that though Jesus was mocked by being called King of the Jews, the clearest proof of his authority was not in avoiding the cross, but in defeating the cross and resurrecting from the dead.

2. Last week we were encouraged to know that when we are united with Christ through faith in Him, we become a new creation. Our past no longer defines us. It is the love of God that caused Jesus to endure the cross, and it is the love of God that forgives us our past. Love reigns in our lives.

3. Today we continue this series by looking at how love reigns over our present. Because of God’s great mercy, we can live lives that honor Him.

Story: When we were kids, we all used to play the game Simon Says. If you do not remember, let me quickly refresh your memory. When I say “Simon Says”, you respond by doing that thing. If I give you and instruction without saying Simon Says, then you should not do it. Let’s give it a try. Simon Says – clap your hands. Simon says – stop. Simon Says – blink your eyes. Simon says – stop. Simon Says – stomp your feet. Simon says – stop. Simon Says – look up and down. Stop. Oh no. Some of you stopped, and I did not say Simon Says. But you remember the game, right? Simon Says was a test of your willingness to listen to instruction or to decide to ignore it all together. It is a test because we all have been given a will of our own. This will consist of our own desires and convictions.

As we live day to day, we make thousands of decisions. We are constantly having to weigh out options and choose what we think is best. Sometimes our decisions are influenced by things that we are told to do. We find ourselves being obedient to voices around us that do not have our best interests in mind. However, God’s love for us gives us another option. That is to listen for his voice to listen to make the best decision possible right now, today.

Romans 12:1-2

Romans 12:1–2 NLT

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 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.

New International Version

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform 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.

POINT #1 – MY CHOICES REVEAL WHO REIGNS IN MY LIFE

The things we choose to do or not do, show who we listening to. Our lives are largely made up of the decisions we make, and that can be a painful litmus test to whom or what has our allegiance. Our past is a collection of wise or unwise choices that we made along the way. If we look back on those past decisions, who would we conclude was in charge? How many of those past decisions were a result of an obedience to God? How many of those choices were a result of obedience to our sinful desires or the voice of the world?

The Apostle Paul has a lot to say about living lives under the influence of God rather than the influence of the world. He frequently focuses on this topic because as followers of Christ and people who have responded to the love of God, that love ought to now reign in our lives and rule over our decisions. Often that is not the case.

READ Romans 12:1

Paul begins by saying that every instruction he is about to give must be seen through a specific lens. To fully grasp this new way of living in the present, we have to see all of life in a certain way. His comments cannot be appreciated in any other way.

Romans 12:1-2

New International Version

A Living Sacrifice

12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

My family and I recently traveled to various locations throughout the US and Canada. We were so excited every time because this was a trip of a lifetime. We wanted to see and do as much as we possibly could. One thing I noticed was, that often at the different sightseeing areas at the Nigra Falls, there would be a big metal contraption that you could look through to get a better view. It was amazing how looking through the lens could bring you up close to the beautiful falls. It changed every time we went to a different telescope everything would be different and all because of changing your point of view.

This is Paul’s goal in this passage as well. He wants to change the way you see your life. He wants to reorient the way you see your present situation. So, he says, “in view of God’s mercy”. This is the lens, God’s mercy. Just this one thing could change your life. How many of us walk around grumbling and complaining over our present circumstances? We often are not satisfied with our lot in life and so we try and do things on our own. We try to be in control and do things to please ourselves. Paul invites us to see things differently through the lens of mercy. God has been so merciful to you and to me. He sent his one and only son to die on a cross because of his mercy. He has offered us a fresh start to repentance because of mercy. He loves us unconditionally because of mercy. This alone can change our present by helping us to move our focus from what we want to have done for us, to the things that God has already done.

When we turn our attention to the mercy of God, then we are compelled to live our lives as living sacrifices that are holy and pleasing to God. This concept of sacrifice is rich with imagery and history for the audience that Paul is speaking to. You see, a sacrifice involved taking the life of an animal, whether goat, sheep, bird, etc., and that animal’s blood would atone for the sins of the people. That life would cover the life of the one performing the sacrifice. It involved death and it offered life. This is why Jesus’ death was considered the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity. So why is Paul using this imagery for us and why a living sacrifice? I think we get a glimpse of the meaning in Psalm 51:16-17.

READ Psalm 51:16-17

Psalm 51:16-17

New International Version

16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;

you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

17 My sacrifice, O God, is[a] a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

The author of Psalm 51 is shedding light on the real reason for the sacrificial system that the Jews had in place. It was not about the sacrifice itself; it was about the heart behind the sacrifice. The true sacrifice of a follower of Jesus is a contrite heart and an obedient spirit. That is what God is looking for now since Jesus has paid it all by his blood on the cross. Paul calls us to be living sacrifices. That is more difficult than a dead one. A dead sacrifice does not have a choice in the matter. It must stay on the altar. But a living sacrifice can crawl back off whenever it wants to. Paul says in view of God’s mercy be a living sacrifice. Live a life, right now in the present, under the rule and reign of love and be repentant and obedient to God.

Paul goes on in the passage from Romans to give us the ultimate outcome of living the sacrificial life.

READ Romans 12:2

2 Do not conform 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.

The world around us has patterns that lead to a broken life. The world is marked by patterns of greed, selfishness, pride, envy, and gossip. These patterns are easy to fall into and can be difficult to transform. They are called patterns because they are routine and often done mindlessly, but also because these patterns can be identified and changed.

POINT #2 – CHANGING YOUR PATTERNS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

With a little attention, patterns can be easily identified. It is a skill that we have been learning from childhood.

Illustration: (On screen show a pattern of shapes, colors, images, etc. for the audience to see.) On the screen you will notice a series of patterns. So, after close examination, what is the next shape, color, image, etc. in the pattern? What should come next? Once you know the pattern what happens next should become obvious to us. The same can be true in our lives as well. If we pay attention to our patterns, we can begin to anticipate or understand what comes next. Then, we can change them.

To identify patterns, sometimes we must change our perspective. Perhaps this is the reason that Paul tells us to see life in view of God’s mercy. When we understand God’s love and mercy for us, we find the reason to transform our lives and renew our minds. So maybe you have developed a pattern of talking down to yourself whenever you make a mistake. It always leads to feeling depressed and anxious. Break the pattern. Do not conform to it any longer. Maybe you notice the pattern of telling lies to people around you. It always leads to more lies and a deceptive lifestyle. Do not conform to it any longer. Maybe you have seen a pattern of laziness in your life. It has produced a spirit of apathy toward your work, family, and dreams. In view of God’s mercy, do not continue that pattern. Break it and experience a new life.

POINT # 3 – TRADE YOUR WILL FOR GOD’S WILL

The ultimate outcome of a sacrificial life and a renewed mind is the ability to distinguish the will of God for your present life. How many in the room today have struggled wondering what decision to make today about this thing or that thing? Many of us want to do what God wants us to when it comes to our career, serving others, loving our family, or investing our energy and resources. Paul says that the best way to the will of God is by trading our own will in and creating better patterns for our lives.

What if you were to trade in the time and energy that you used to spend on the old patterns in your life and created new patterns with better outcomes? Under the reign of love and mercy in your life, spend time in prayer, read scripture, serve others, and listen to the voice of God. God promises to lead us and show us his will for our lives when we submit to his leadership in our lives.

The book of Proverbs speaks to this truth as well.

READ Proverbs 3:5-6

Proverbs 3:5-6

New International Version

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

[a]When we trust in the Lord and question our understanding, we will begin to see the straight paths God has laid before us. This trust that the author speaks of is a trust that God’s love is always seeking the best for us. We can rely on that love and obey God because of it.

Being a parent has not always been fun and games. I certainly enjoy all my kids, but there has been a fair share of struggles and difficulties along the way. My kids have a will of their own, and often that will, and desire is in direct conflict with my will and desire for them. The most difficult thing to teach them is that they can trust me because I love them. When I say no to something, instruct them in some way, or even punish them, I am doing it all because I love them, and I want what is best for them.

Trust is a hard thing to teach and even harder thing to learn. But if we are going to live the full life God has for us, we must trust his love for us and let that love reign in our lives and over our present.

PRAYER

I want to invite you to pray with me today in a specific way. I want to ask you to offer up to God the old patterns that you have noticed in your life. I want to invite you then to receive better patterns into your life and trust God’s love to lead you forward.