Love Reigns Over Our Present. Week 3.

Love Reigns Over Our Present. Week 3.

Romans 12:1-2

Last week, I gave three points in being new creations:

POINT #1 – Out With the Old, and in with the New!

POINT #2 – God’s Love For Us, and God’s Love Through Us.

POINT # 3 – Our Wrongness Is Replaced By God’s Righteousness.

Here’s a Fact- 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.

As a believer you are to be a living sacrifice 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.

Romans 12:1-2AMP Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world [any longer with its superficial values and customs], but be transformed and progressively changed [as you mature spiritually] by the renewing of your mind [focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His plan and purpose for you].

This I know, the decisions I make today determines who I will be tomorrow.

“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.” P.H

We are in the middle of a sermon series called “Love Reigns.”

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.

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.

Today we continue this series by taking a look at how love reigns over our present.

Illustration: 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.

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?

Actually ‘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 I know, 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, we should listen for God’s help, listen for the Holy Ghost to speak.

POINT #1 – My Choices Reveal Who Reigns In My Life.

The things we choose to do or not do, show who we’re listening to. Our lives are largely made up of the decisions we make, and that can be a painful test to whom or what has our allegiance.

Therefore, 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?

Two questions:

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.