A Gospel-Shaped Life

Romans 12:1-8

Intro

Romans chapter 12 begins with the words “I appeal to you, therefore, brothers...”

These are very important and urgent words. He’s calling the church in Rome to action and God through Paul is calling us to action today.

He’s pleading with us to do something central to all of life— this sets up the perfect foundation for the next portion of this letter which is Chapters 12-16. But before we get there, look at the word “therefore”

This word ought to be looked at as an arrow pointing backwards on the road of the biblical text. It takes us back to vs 36 of chapter 11, but also to the first 11 Chapters of Romans.

If you were ever curious about the structure of the letter to the Romans, there is a clear shift and a pivot in chapter 12 and that begins the second section which is chapter 12-16 which deals with the practical outworking of the gospel and the display of righteousness by God’s people.

This section can be summed up this way: Since the gospel is true and displays God’s righteousness and we are united to Jesus, how then should we live? Put simply, how does the good news about Christ shape every day life?

If chapters 1-11 dealt with gospel doctrine, now we deal with gospel living.

Main point: Seeing and savoring the gospel leads to a life shaped by the gospel.

Main Points:

A Gospel shaped life consists of Gospel-driven worship which is manifested in Christ-centered community...

1. Gospel-Driven Worship- Vs 1-2

Gospel-driven- Read Vs 1

He says that the whole driving force of this appeal and call is the mercies of God.

What’s revealed to us in just these few words is that the core of the Christian life is not what you do for God but what God has already done for you.

In other words, he’s saying “to effectively carry out what I’m about to tell you, you need to have the rich compassion of God toward you constantly in your view. “

It’s keeping the gospel of Christ— His finished work on the cross and our union with Him in His death and resurrection— central in all of life. It’s like having a priceless painting in your home that you admire and you want it to be visible from every room. You knock down walls you and do whatever it takes so that no matter where you are in the house or what you are doing you are keeping that painting in view.

This motivation for obedience is crucial. Rather than Paul using fear tactics like a slavish fear toward a harsh master, he directs our attention to the redeeming love of our father (As seen in Romans 1-11) to be not only the motivation for obedience, but the power for our obedience and reverence toward Him. God’s grace pardons us, but it also empowers us by His Spirit.

These chapters ahead reveal a portrait of a transformed community of disciples or followers of Jesus. The ones who are transformed are the ones who are worshipers and true worship begins with Presentation and is a pursuit of transformation.

Presentation- vs 1a

God’s goal for your redemption is that you would worship him. but he’s not speaking of music.

Which here, looks like a giving of my self wholly to God in submission.

That’s why True worship is called a “sacrifice.”

This language has some ancient underpinnings- He’s using language that would be used in the temple in the old testament. For God’s people Israel, He established a system in God’s dwelling place, the temple, where the priest would offer animal sacrifices so that the sins of the people would be covered and forgiven. This sacrifice was an act of worship and it was usually a dead sacrifice. In the book of Leviticus you would see something called a burnt offering where the entire animal is laid on the altar and is set on fire until there is nothing left.

This is what I believe Paul has in mind. Disciples or followers of Christ are those who give of their whole self- Specifically their bodies here. For the original hearer this is important because in a greco-roman culture the greeks would view the physical body as evil. But God’s plan for redemption is to redeem the whole self. Now the image of God, which was corrupted by Adam and restored by Christ is presented back to God which leads to a transformed life. Since Christ is the true temple of God and there’s no need for a physical temple anymore, and our bodies are called the temple of the Holy Spirit, we naturally give of ourselves as a sacrifice.

And what describes this sacrifice? (Read vs 1b) is living, Holy, and Acceptable.

We are presenting ourselves to God saying that since He’s made us holy already through the cross, we commit ourselves to live out that reality each day. We set ourselves apart that we may live in a way that pleases God alone. We pursue Holiness not only because we’re trying to become holy, but because we already are holy! We seek to live lives that please God because we’re already pleasing to Him in Christ!

Paul is saying, under the direction and control of the Holy Spirit, that THIS is what true worship is. (Read Vs 1c) Gratitude fills the heart as we strive for Holiness. It’s a living sacrifice. This is something Paul is saying must be consistent. We’re not dead sacrifices, we’re living ones.

People normally equate worship with singing only but you can come here and sing and give God lip service, and then live ignoring God the rest of the week but your singing at that point is not worship. It’s just singing. Worship is a response from my heart which results in all of my life being brought under the authority of King Jesus. It’s “God, take my life and let it be consecrated Lord to thee” all of this is yours for your glory. to put it simply, As worship is not merely a song that is sung it is a life that is lived.

But he not only says worship has to do with presentation, but worship involves transformation...

Transformation- Vs 2

The means by which we are set apart unto God for holiness and are living sacrifices is by not be conformed to this world but instead be transformed.

Here, the word “world” is not merely referring to the earth in which we live, really the translation is this present age. A system of godless thinking the world possesses.

This world around us has patterns of thinking and loves things that are opposed to God. The worlds system is actively working to press us into its mold and Paul is saying don’t let this world press you into it’s mold! The world will not stop working toward that goal.

Pursuing true worship toward God will inevitably lead us to not love the present world but have a love for God that supersedes our love for worldly things.

We have an old self that was corrupt and yes we still will battle the corruption of our old life, but now that we are in Christ, we put off that old man with its pattern of disobedience and we put on Christ and align ourselves with His will.

The instrumental means by which God transforms us is the renewal of our minds. God’s not so much interested in behavior change as He is in transforming you in your inner self. Any evil fruit stems from an evil root. God is interested in dealing with the root. The world will tell you its about your habits and outward changes, the gospel gives transformation that begins on the inside and works its way out.

Another way of saying this is: this world and all of its pleasure is passing away, you ought to live as if you are from another world.

the date was August 24 410 AD. This was the year of the destruction of the Roman Empire. (expound on Augustine)

it can be easy for us to just lose sight of this reality. and just try to blend in. Figure out a way to still be comefortable in this world and just assimilate and go with what the culture is doing. We desire to earn favor with the culture. but this leads to our inevitable destruction.

(SLIDE)

“This tendency to blend the faith with the patterns of the world has plagued the church throughout its history and is certainly present today. Every generation of Christians will hear the message that" times are changing, and Christianity needs to be updated to stay relevant." This mentality often results in the attempt to synchronize the Christian faith with societal norms. Think about it like this: When you sync a smart phone with a laptop, you're merging the content from two devices to create one new, shared reality. When people attempt to sync Christianity with modern culture, it also usually results in a new reality altogether that is not even recognizable as Christian.”- Jeremy Treat

We are citizens of a foreign land Worship to Christ is beholding the glory of Christ realizing that you were made for Him Not made for this temporary world. Made for another world with the chief end to glorify Him and enjoy Him. As 2 Corinthians 3:18 we are beholding the glory of the Lord and are being transformed from glory to glory into the same image. You become like what you behold or what you worship.

God reveals His glory through His word- the bible. As we get our minds under the control of the scriptures our hearts and minds become renewed. We becoming increasingly more aware that Christ is all satisfying and the world is not. God’s goal for us is not to just make bad people good, has always been to renew the image of God in us. To restore us. to Make dead people live. To make us like His Son.

In the last part he states his purpose or mission statement— It’s that by doing this we actually are proving the will of God for our lives. Or as the commentator John Murray says we are discovering by experience what God’s will is for our every day life. The will of God which he lays out so clearly in His word is what is good acceptable and perfect. It’s why we present ourselves to God as acceptable and holy- that’s his will for your life.

“My body, set apart for God’s will for God’s glory.” (SLIDE)

This is what a life set apart for the gospel looks like.

Some of us here today may be living out of line with God’s will by giving yourself over to the patterns of this world. You’re filling your mind with worldliness and eventually you will begin to hate what God loves, and love what He hates. This leads to idolatry. Making something other than God the object of your worship. Your heart, your loves are drifting away from the lover of your soul.

Worship starts the practical section. We’ve been delivered from satan and sin that we may be worshipers. The first practical thing he starts with is worship. That’s incredible.

Worship is not only the goal of our redemption, but it is the soil from which the beauty of discipleship grows from.

How does God continually transform us? Where is this transformation manifested?

2. Christ-Centered Community- Vs 3-8

(Read vs 3)

Paul appeals to the grace given to Him, he’s referring to the grace God gave to him to be an apostle of the Lord Jesus. One who speaks with divine authority.

It’s with this authority that he reminds the church to put off all arrogance. To not exalt self in ones own thinking. Do you see the journey Paul is taking us on here? He shows the importance of mind renewal so that, among the church we would not have proud thinking but would think soberly. Not to think less of ourselves, not to think highly of ourselves but To think of ourselves properly. When we are living with a holy God in view, it keeps us in a humble place.

But then shows the reason we should be humble before one another- We are all one, united to the same Lord, Jesus Christ. (Read vs 4-5)

Paul’s major thrust is unity among diversity.

Beginning with the fact that there are many members. The analogy of the body is here, you have the whole body but a whole body is made up of individual body parts. They all are diverse. They take on various shapes and have functions that are distinct from each other

But then we must never forget that we are called to be one. Why? Because Christ, through the gospel, made us one body. One family. If we are one body, than Christ is our head. Every body part has a inseparable unity to the head. A body cannot function apart from the head.

This implies that body parts cannot function independent of one another. A body cannot reach its full potential if the parts are severed from one another. They are distinct, but dependent upon each other. That’s why he says that I’m a member of you, and you are a member of me.

In sum, we are all on level ground, equal in Christ, all unified under the headship of Jesus even though we are diverse. What other kind of community is like this?

This is what you call a supernatural, compelling community. Justin and I have been going through a book on this and it’s amazing to think about the church and how this community can only exist and thrive if God was real and if the gospel were true. There are other communties and clubs out there that thrive together. But usually its because of a season of life, age, or preference that they are unified around. God doesn’t need to exist for that kind of community. It’s easy.

But a Community where there is ridiculous diversity, AND family-like unity? For that to thrive would take a miracle. Oh wait, it is a miracle. This testifies to the power of the Gospel. We’re not just any gathering, we’re a gathering of people that only thrives because God is real and because the gospel is true.

He then takes up the task to explain the functioning of the body of Christ. This is both what produces true renewal of mind and transformation, and what manifests true transformation. (Read vs 6-8)

He specifically lays out the diversity once again as he lists off the gifts that the Holy Spirit graciously gives to us. As Paul says else where, we all receive gifts, but we all receive them graciously and sovereignly by the Holy Spirit. We don’t choose these gifts per se.

He lists 7 for us and how we use them:

Prophecy- proclaiming God’s revealed truth with as much faith as we can exercise.

Service- Serving others and meeting needs wherever they are found

Teaching- by practicing teaching to benefit the hearer

Exhortation- Encouraging others in their faith.

Giving- with generosity

Leadership- leading with passion

Acts of mercy or compassion- with joyful, grateful hearts.

It’s with this diversity and diligence to use our gifts, that growth happens in every individual

Paul makes the same point in Ephesians 4:1-3 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Notice the emphasis- A primary means of your growth in Christ, is in the community of the local church. A commitment to one another motivated by grace.

The local church has taken a back seat in a lot of christian’s minds today.

Ultimately, what hinders oneness and unity in the church which will hinder our transformation We’ve lose sight of Jesus and all He has done for us:

Neglecting the gathering

Forgetting the gospel looks like neglecting the gathering of the full body of Christ. Look, not every gathering that the church has is the full body of Christ worshiping.

That’s great that you desire to grow and you desire to read your bible and pray alone, but what fuels that and grows you up to do that is the gathering every Sunday. Odds are you’re gonna leave this building and be propelled into a week filled with trials and temptations and sin and you will need to be back here again so that you be strengthened to not be conformed to this world and your mind will be renewed.

because we are citizens of a foreign land which means we are in a hostile world that hates God, and is filled with temptation and trials, God has ordained the church of Christ, which is a family of sinners led by qualified leadership, to be the safety that you need in such a world. When God saved you he didn’t save you to be alone, He saved you into a family.

The bible literally says the means of growth for the Christian is a commitment to one another that looks like gathering to worship by taking the Lord’s supper, singing, hearing the bible proclaimed to us, and loving one another.

If you truly desire to grow in Christ, to be all that He has created you to be, I promise you it will not happen if you neglect gathering with the church.

If you begin neglecting the gathering and think that its not necessary, do not be surprised when you are not growing the way that you should. But this has another layer

Neglecting others by neglecting your gifts.

Paul is not saying that merely coming to church is enough. It’s a covenantal commitment. The way Christ is commited to us, we should be commited to one another.

The gifts that the Holy Spirit gives, which every Christian has, is not for you. It’s for you neighbor. Its for the betterment of your brother or sister.

you may even be thinking “well I don’t even know what my gifts are. I may not even have any.” I definitely believe if you go before God in prayer and ask God to reveal them to you. But this also shows the need of first being rooted here and comitting to one another. In a mulitude of counselors there is wisdom so one of the ways you’re going to find your gifts is by getting to know other mature believers around you and asking them “what you see God doing in me? What am I good at? I want to be used by God can you walk along side me and help me understand what that looks like?”

receiving the gospel necessitates that we “Commit to a local church rather than a me-centered spirituality based on preference.” That kind of view of the local church promotes consumerism and individualism which should characterize the world not those who have been changed by the gospel.

Yes, we will struggle. Yes, we will have vacations, sickness, and things that hinder us coming. But Jesus loves the church. But you’re needed here. I need you. You need me. We need each others gifts. We need to be rooted in community to even find out what your gifts are! if your excuse is that you’re too busy, then you’re just too busy. You would do well to simplify your life, call your boss, tell the soccer coach sunday’s aren’t gonna work, do whatever you have to do to orient your life toward the body of Christ!

Conclusion

Main point: Seeing and savoring the gospel leads to a life shaped by the gospel.

What begins the last section of the book of Romans is our response to God in worship.

A life shaped by the gospel is a life that is committed to God’s glory which results in living out the gospel which looks like being committed to God’s gathering. Glory, Gospel, Gathering.

And when we struggle, which we will struggle with our own selfishness and lack of commitment to Christ and to one another, we look to Christ. We look to Him for hope. The one who presented Himself to His Father perfectly as the ultimate sacrifice He rose again so that even though you die to the old life and the world, you have resurrection power to be a living sacrifice. Although being a follower of Jesus comes at a cost, the treasure that we are gaining is far greater than the cost we’re paying.