Romans 12:1 - 8. “Fulfilling our true potential .”
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world. I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation. When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family. My family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.
Source: Unknown Monk (1100AD). Found at Aspiring to Greatness
Its true that parents always want their children to fulfill their true potential in life and its no different with our God. He wants Christians to fulfil their true potential? But its a question of the will will we take up that personal responsibility? We can’t just sit back and expect God to deliver it on a plate we after exercise a life of faith.
Its really a question of whether your a consecrated Christian or a comfortable one? Paul begins with the motivation for living to our full potential.
v1 Okay let’s start on the ’Therefore.’
What is the therefore there for? Well it takes us back to what has been said previously - Paul has been looking at the mind bending truths of Gods unfolding plan towards the Gentile and Jew v25-26 pointing to a great ingathering of peoples to come both Jew and Gentile. He goes on to a prayer of praise to God where he is in utter awe of God - over His wisdom - knowledge and judgements in His unfolding plan of redemption.
• Isn’t our redemption awesome? The mercy and love of God - forgiven sinners - a relationship with the Father through the Son in the power of Holy Spirit. God’s mercy raises a real ethical problem for us, how are we to respond, how are we to live in the light of it all?
song writer Matt Redman wrote: Jesus what can I give, what can I bring, to so faithful a friend to so loving a king? Saviour, what can be said? What can be sung as a praise of your name for the things you have done? Oh, my words could not tell, not even in part, of the debt of love that is owed by this thankful heart.
Paul here helps us, he moves away from the theological truth to the real practical implications of Christian living in a fallen world. Paul will lay down for us practical guidelines as God’s redeemed people in a fallen world. This will enable us to live to our true potential according to God’s will. The first thing that Paul says:
1.WE ARE CALLED TO BE SACRIFICIAL PEOPLE NOT SUPERFICIAL PEOPLE. V1
We have seen that our transformation is a work of God but Paul wants us to know we are not to be disengaged when it comes to this transformation – we are called to be active also V1 to offer our Bodies as living sacrifices, we are called to participate to be active in this transformation with sacrificial lives this is pleasing to God.
A.This Involves consistency : In the OT animals were sacrificed without reserve (day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year) time and time again they would offer sacrifices. This is what God is calling us to be,not to literal sacrifice but to a a consistent sacrificial lifestyle in that we do not hold back to offer our bodies - to serve Him without reserve, (day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year)not as a life laid down as in the (OT) but as a life taken up, no longer serving sin but serving Him.
Are we giving ourselves wholeheartedly to the work of the Lord here at www.cbchurch.org.uk? (day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year) God is calling each one of us to offer ourselves without reserve in service to Him. ( Lay you life on the alter)
B.This involves consecration: Rather than giving a sacrifice as in the OT pattern - Paul is saying we are to be the sacrifice, is to offer our bodies as living sacrifices this is our spiritual act of worship. This is worship (not just a hymn sandwich and a sermon) but worship is to surrender our whole lives to God - involving our bodies v1 our minds v2 and our gifts v6 all are to be offered and consecrated to the will of God.
As Isaiah the prophet said “here I am Lord, send me” Jhn 6:38 As Jesus said "For I have come from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of Him who sent me."
Consider Jesus who offered himself as a living sacrifice obedient to death upon a cross.
The consecrated life - is not always going out in a blaze of glory (like the martyrs) - but its often putting a £100 note on the table for God – but God sends us to the bank and asks us to change it into £1 coins. And God directs us to go through our lives giving away a pound here and there - serve in the community - as we visit the sick in hospital – as we care for the broken hearted – mourn with those who mourn – as we share the good news. Giving our life to God in sacrifice isn’t always glorious; it’s done in those little acts of love a £1 at a time. It’s being total consecrated in every aspect of life and all without reserve.
C. Beware of offering superficial sacrifice
God hates empty sacrifices In the OT time and again the sacrifices would be offered yet at times it was a meaningless ritual. God makes it clear through His word that it was obedience of the heart which is important. Hosea 6:6 for I desire mercy, not sacrifice at other times they would offer Malachi 1:7 blemished sacrifices. King David saw that mere sacrificial acts of worship were meaningless without a heart consecrated to God (Psalm 40:6-8.) Jesus had sharp condemnation for those teachers of the law and Pharisees in his day (Matt23:13-13-6.) Who had all the outward form but no inward reality?
• We have a saying don’t we, ‘I can read you like a book.’ Superficial Christianity -in two areas
a. No outward form or inward reality - No content or cover – these Christians are no different than the world around them. They see God as some sugar daddy who merely meets their needs. And their only spiritual act of worship is to stroll in Sunday by Sunday and sing songs and a message and ask God ‘serve me!’ with no strive for holiness of life. They fail to see that God requires them in the light of their redemption, to offer their bodies as living sacrifices as their spiritual act of worship.
b. No inward reality - No content - Christians with the form but no inward reality - God sees the heart: do we offer our bodies as living sacrifices to God? Are we just giving him our left over’s? Our lives – our finances - our time, our energies. Are we truly engaged in offering our bodies as living sacrifices -holy and pleasing to God? Is God on the top of our ‘to do list.’ Do we find ourselves avoiding worldly customs but still find our heart filled with arrogance – selfishness – pride.‘God desires you to bring the whole tithe into the storehouse.’If you are truly to recieve a blessing
The reason behind the two extremes is found in v2 do not be conformed to the pattern of the world . Just like Israel whom conformed to its surroundings we find ourselves being pulled in to conform to the world. As a result our sacrifices become superficial without any inward reality or outward form because we are not fulfilling the will of God because we have been conformd to the world.
2.WE ARE CALLED TO BE TRANSFORMED PEOPLE NOT CONFORMED PEOPLE V2.
The key of course is that we are to be transformed – not conformed. Here we see two value systems which are incompatible with each other and are heading for a direct collision.
a) This world: is to be conformed: As Gods people God has a perfect plan for our lives and it involve s no longer conform to the pattern of this world everything in the world that is opposed to God which are spend enough time in a certain environment will eventually be indoctrinated by it – spend your time living in the world chasing after its pleasures and you will slowly conform to its pattern.
The pattern of this world: Do not let people pressurise you into being like them – there is such a great influence upon Christians and the Church today to conform to the pattern of the world to change (I’m not talking about not our style of worship) - but our ethical beliefs on views such as - world religions - abortion – homosexuality – adoption practices – euthanasia -freedom of speech - the relevance of marriage – parenting –poverty - oppression and so much more. Do not be conformed by the pattern of the world.
• Karl Barth called Christian ethics “The great disturbance.” So does it disrupt the status quo.
Somebody else said “Worldliness is what any particular culture does to make sin look normal and righteousness to look strange.”
a)Firstly this world: is to be conformed: As Gods people God has a perfect plan for our lives and it involves no longer conforming to the pattern of this world (everything in the world that is opposed to God) Spend enough time in a certain environment you will eventually be indoctrinated by it – spend your time living in the world chasing after its pleasures and you will slowly conform to its pattern.
The pattern of this world: and you will miss out on living to your full potential as William Booth did, listen to what he said.
William Booth once put it like this, “ I will tell you the secret: God has had all that there was of me. There have been men with greater brains than I, even with greater opportunities, but from the day I got the poor of London on my heart and caught a vision of what Jesus Christ could do with me and them, on that day I made up my mind that God should have all of William Booth there was. And if there is anything of power in the Salvation Army, it is because God has had all the adoration of my heart, all the power of my will, and all the influence of my life.”
b) Secondly His will: Is to be transformed... . Rather give yourself to living holy lives pleasing to God - to doing his will To be transformed (metamorphoo verb used by Mark.9:2 @ transfiguration) by the renewing of your mind so that you will be able to test and approve what Gods will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.
To be transformed – is referring to our character and conduct which turns away from the pattern of the world to the image of Christ only a renewed mind can test and approve God’s will.
How does the renewing of our minds take place? Although Paul doesn’t tell us here we know that it is by the a combination of the Spirit and the Word. The Holy Spirit regenerates the whole of our humanness including our minds has been twisted by sin
1cor.2:14 also Gods Word informs the mind revealing Gods will to us.
• John Stott wrote “His Spirit re-educates and redirect s our minds to the will of God through the Word of God. “
So rather than conforming to the world we will be transforming the world in which we are placed - through the transforming power of the Spirit and the Word of God in our lives enabling us to offer our bodies - minds and gifts to God we will begin to fulfil the will of God extending His Kingdom transforming communities living to our full potential in Christ.
• This month its 200 years since abolition of slavery - when one man William Wilberforce - whom rather than conforming to the world around him set about with a consecrated life and a transformed mind and with his God given gifts impacted society -he was a a man who lived to his God given potenial.. Waht about you and I, will we?
3. WE ARE CALLED TO BE INTERGRATED PEOPLE NOT ISOLATED PEOPLE V4-8.
a. We belong together: In Unity V5. Paul here uses the concept of the human body to show how Christians should be together. Just as the human body is integrated together with many different parts and functions under the direction of the brain, so is the Church Christ is the head and we are integrated together . Together like human body parts we are living - yet isolated we will no longer function as we ought. (Jhn17:21. Jesus prays for unity)
• Rope made up of different threads - separately they are weak bound together strong .
b. We belong together - In Diversity V6 -8.The need for diversity is clear no one person has all the gifts enabling the Church to function as it ought - you might be able to preach and teach - but unable to contribute to the needs of others - you might be able to give generously but unable to lead - You might be a great evangelist but unable to administrate - you might be able to serve - but unable to encourage. Our varying diversity of gifts makes up the Church.
• Like a diversity of food going into a meal - raw vegetables – meat – sauces and spices all mixed together to make an exotic meal so in God’s Church we have a diversity of gifts a meal of different foods complimenting one another to make up the Diverse and gifted Church.
• Are you in the meal? Are you still on the shelf?
c. We belong together - in equality v3 Whatever your gifts and position within the diverse body of Christ we all must not think of ourselves more highly as we ought v3 In a world which is continually pushing for position seeking rank . God’s people are equal because our self worth and identity is found in Christ our head not in the world.
In March of 1981, President Reagan was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. - hospitalized for several weeks. Although Reagan was the nation’s chief executive, his hospitalization had little impact on the nation’s activity. Government continued on. On the other hand, not long ago in Philadelphia the garbage men went on strke. That city was not only in a literal mess, the pile of decaying trash quickly became a health hazard. A three-week nationwide strike would paralyze the country. Who is more important—the President or a garbage collector?
In the body of Christ, seemingly insignificant ones are urgently needed. As Paul reminds us, “The head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!’ On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” (I Cor. 12:21-22).
To live to a true potential is to consecrate the whole of our lives as living sacrifices to be so transformed by Gods Spirit and Word - that we fulfill the will of God - transforming our communities where we are placed. Embracing integration into the Body of Christ enabling it to function together as a living community of sacrifice to the glory of the transforming power of God.
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