Romans 12:1
A living sacrifice
Welcome!
Would you open your Bibles to...Romans 12:1
Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
Pray
Intro
√ A new section
" I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God" - vs. 1
Beginning with verse 1 of chapter 12 and continuing through the end of the letter, Paul takes the awesome theological lessons he's laid down in chapters 1-11 and brings them into our daily lives.
We call this…
"Practical application"
or we say…
"It's where the rubber meets the road"
Let me expound upon it this way.
Ex. The Gospel
In chapters 1-11 Paul lays out the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
• The bad news!
Mankind is sinful - Jew and Gentile alike are hopelessly lost and slaves of sin. All are condemned alike to hell.
• The good news!
"But God" demonstrated His unfathomable love for sinners by sending His Son in the form of a Man to take our punishment for us on the Cross.
More than that, He rose from the dead stripping Satan of his claim to those people who trust in Jesus, and conquering death that we might have eternal life!
And - it's a free gift - simply for the asking by faith!
√ So, what's a believer to do?
"What then is the appropriate response to God's mercies?"
That's the question that Paul deals with in the rest of his letter to the Christians in Rome.
The practical - daily application of the Gospel in the life of a Christian.
Ex. The boy who's little brother was dedicated…
"The pastor prayed that we would be brought up in a Christian home…but I want to live with you!"
Friends, talk is cheap. Many people in the USA profess to be Christian…but one would never know it from their behavior, or their life style.
Ex. Osama Bin Laden
I hate to say it - but Osama Bin Laden does a better job of following his beliefs than the majority of professing Christians in America do following their professed faith.
Born into a wealthy Saudi family; well educated, in line to inherit his family's wealth and power - had all that a man could want…traded it all for a life on the run…living in caves…living as a hunted man…in one of the most impoverished places on earth.
But, he walks the talk.
• He's 100% committed to what he believes
• He's invested everything he has to accomplish what he believes is Allah's will (time, talent, treasure)
• He's willing to live and die for what he believes
How sad that a man who lives for a lie does a better job than many who know the Truth!
Ap. Christians need to know what it means to live like Christ - and that's what Paul addresses in these closing chapters of Romans.
√ Note how it begins….
A living sacrifice (vs. 1)
Rom. 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.
√ A living sacrifice?!
Paul tells us that to live like Jesus, to live out the Gospel in our daily lives, is a sacrifice.
What's strange about Paul's instructions is that he says that what we are called to offer is a…
"living sacrifice"
For those of you familiar with the OT that's a new concept! The OT is filled with instructions concerning many different kinds of sacrifice…
…but they're always dead!
Ex. Sin offering - bring your animal - lay your hand on it's head and the priest cuts it's throat - then burn it up on the altar!
There's a lot of wisdom in killing the animal before you place it on the altar…
…that's because there is an inherent weakness with using living sacrifices - they don't stay on the altar.
The first hint of pain, or discomfort - boom - they're gone!
But, that's what Paul tells us God is looking for - a "living sacrifice."
√ Note what we're called to offer?
"that you present your bodies"
Wow - that's different from the OT too! Rather than offer an animal, or the produce of your field…
…in the NT we're called to give ourselves!
Ex. The conversation on the farm as to who was truly committed to helping the poor
A chicken and a hog were walking past a church building one day when they noticed the Sunday morning sermon posted on the outside bulletin board, "Helping the Poor." They walked a ways when the chicken suddenly came across with a suggestion. "Say, Brother Hog, why don't we give all the poor people a nice breakfast of ham and eggs?" The hog thought a moment and replied,…
"That's all right for you to say because for you it is only a contribution, but for me, it's total commitment!"
Under the OT the sacrifice what you offered to God may have had great value, may have required great faith…
…but it was only a contribution.
Under the NT we're called to a total commitment to Christ.
Jesus said…
Luke 9:23 …“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
The point? Friends, the cross is an implement of death! Jesus calls us to crucify "self" - Paul repeats that truth here in vs. 1 by reminding us that as Christians we've been called to die to ourselves by daily offering our bodies as a "living sacrifice".
Ap. What's that look like - taking up our cross - a living sacrifice?
Paul shows us what that kind of life and commitment look like in the following chapters!
Very exciting section of scripture to study and teach because we deal with all those difficult questions about relationships…
How we're to deal with other Christians
How we're to deal with non-Christians
How we're to deal with the government
It will be great - be here!
But first we have lay a foundation - otherwise it would be easy to disregard Paul's instructions concerning our behavior, attitude, etc., in the following chapters.
√ It's your choice
Note with me again verse 1…
"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice"
Notice the words that Paul uses regarding this living sacrifice…
"beseech" = beg! Pleading!
"therefore" = in view of all that God's done for you! (mercies of God)
"present" = it's your choice!
…the clear understanding is that we each have the choice as to whether or not we will daily offer ourselves to God.
God doesn't force anyone to serve Him - He could - after all He is God…
Why?
Because, the relationship we have with God under the New Testament is a relationship based upon love.
True love (Agape) never invokes force, rather, it is known by choice.
If God had to force us to serve Him - then it would not be a service born out of love - it would service out of fear.
But fear isn't a part of the relationship we have with God through faith in Jesus Christ.
1Jon. 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
So, Paul's point is that it's our choice as to whether or not we offer ourselves to God as a living sacrifice.
Ex. Can you tell the difference in a couple which is bound together by love from one which is held together by fear?
Absolutely! The couple who really love one another is known by their willing service to one another.
You don't have to tell the husband to provide for his wife, or to care for her needs.
Nor, do you have to tell the wife to respect her man, or to care for his needs.
Ex. You don't find them fighting over who does the dishes!
Ap. The same is true for a Christian
The person who really loves Jesus is known by their willingness to serve Him.
Ex. The woman who anointed Jesus' feet with her tears - Luke 7
We're all "great sinners" - we can all love Jesus greatly - but it's our daily choice.
√ It's pleasing to God
Note that Paul tells us that this living sacrifice is…
"acceptable to God"
Literally…
"fully agreeable:-- acceptable(-ted), wellpleasing."
In short, if you want to please God you do so by serving Him with your life.
How's that?
Ex. Jesus gives us the example
Remember what the Father said of Jesus when He began His ministry (service)…
Mat 3:17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Note that pattern in Jesus' work on Earth when faced with anger and rejection because He did the Father's will…
Mat 12:18 “Behold! My Servant whom I have chosen, My Beloved in whom My soul is well pleased! I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He will declare justice to the Gentiles.
…and as He prepared to complete the work which His Father gave Him to do…
Mat 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”
Ap. God saved you with a purpose in mind! There is a place of service for each of us in the Kingdom of God.
So, we please our King when we daily chose to serve Him with our life.
√ It's a reasonable request
"which is your reasonable service."
"Reasonable" - that's kind of a subjective term isn't it?
Ex. What's a reasonable price for a car?
$20,000 might be very reasonable for a new Dodge Viper - but not very reasonable for used Yugo!
So, we understand that what is considered "reasonable" is determined by what we receive in exchange for our money.
Spiritual application…
…what has God given to you?
Oh my…
Forgiveness of sins
Freedom from guilt
Peace of mind
Joy above circumstance
Eternal life
A share of His glory
What does He ask in return?
My humble service.
Hum….let's see - who's getting the better end of this deal?!
Close
Ap. Dear friends - what in your life and mine is so important that in view of what Jesus has done for us - we wouldn't be willing to give it up for His service?
Is it not "reasonable" to serve Jesus in view of what He has given to us?
Ex. When I'm tempted to go my own way, to reject His call in my life, to chose to serve me instead of Him…
…I remember a song by Julie Miller - "How can you say 'no' to this Man"
I look at the Cross - I see the love of Jesus for you and me - how can I possibly say 'no' to Him?
√ Are we going to let the Osama Bin Laden's of the world do a better job serving a lie…
…than we do serving the Truth?