Illustration
Life is sometimes like a road map.
God has shown us the road we are to follow- with all its curves, ups/downs, pot-holes, divided highways
He has not told us how fast to go, what restaurants to stop at, what cities to visit or the ones not to visit.
The life He has given us- not a list of does and don’ts.
He has given us …
the Holy Spirit and
revealed truth to us in His Word.
Now we must take those truths, under the leading of the Holy Spirit, and apply them to everyday life.
Introduction
This morning I want to walk through Rom 12.
We did this in our House Church Wednesday- if you were there- more opportunity to explore Rom 12.
Phil 3:1 … To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.
Rom 12 deals with taking truths Paul presented in previous chapters, and applying them practically.
Our understanding of …
truth shapes our character,
our character is reflected in our conduct, and
our conduct is worked out in relationships.
The life we live here on earth, our outward conduct, is dependent on the reality of Christ alive in us.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you … NASU
That life is a result of- life, death, resurrection of JC.
A psychiatrist may be able to give a sedative that will deaden the pain of living while a man goes on in his sinful way, but only Christ can bring the cure. (Dr. Donald Barnhouse)
Rom 12:1
By the mercies of God …
When Jesus died for our sins- God’s salvation for mankind- moved from prophesy- to historical fact.
In- single act of Jesus death-God has shown us mercy.
We do not need to ask for mercy- we have received it.
Lam 3:22-23
22 The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness. NASU
Based on these mercies- Paul appeals to us- live our lives in a way that brings honor-not shame-to God.
To present your bodies…
Paul is appealing to our will that we would chose to yield our lives to God.
2 Cor 8:3-5
They gave liberally to Paul’s financial support, but they first gave their lives to God/Paul.
You cannot present your body to God without first presenting yourself to God.
Outward sacrifice is never pleasing to God until we have given our lives entirely to Him.
A living and holy sacrifice …
Sacrifice has come to mean giving up something at a value far below what it is worth.
In the OT they did sacrifice animals to gain something of greater value- the favor/blessings of God.
However a life has already been sacrificed for us- JC.
Eph 5:2 … Christ … gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. NASU
Our focus is not on something we lose, but something we gain that is far greater than what we have lost.
There is no loss in comparison to what we gain.
Rom 12:2
And stop assuming an outward expression that does not come from within you and is not representative of what you are in your inner being, but is patterned after this age; but change your outward expression to one that comes from within and is representative of your inner being … Kenneth Wuest
God’s life in us- yearning to express itself through us.
It wants to burst forth like a stream of living water.
In order for that life to come forth we must …
first, turn from the pattern of the world and,
second, be transformed into the image of God.
Rom 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son … NASU
We were made to look like Christ.
We are not to fashion our life to look like those around us, but we are to allow the Spirit within
to govern the conduct of the outer man.
The World …
I do not want to paint the picture that the world is evil.
However, even all the good things in the world cannot bring salvation or eternal hope for mankind.
It is not wrong to have fortune/fame/to enjoy life.
These are not evil until- become the focus of our life,
rather than- by-product of living/serving God.
Pro 10:22 It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich, And He adds no sorrow to it.
Fortune, fame, power, and pleasure can all be enjoyed when kept in proper perspective.
But be transformed …
Transformed- to change from one nature to another.
From the Greek word we get metamorphosis- a tadpole comes a frog, caterpillar a butterfly.
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. NASU
As we direct our focus to the Lord, we will become more like Him.
Rom 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son … NASU
The transformation is a process that we embark on from the day we meet Christ until we die.
So that you may prove what the will of God is …
As we yield to God and our mind is renewed, we will gain a clearer understanding of God’s will.
Life can be difficult and hard to understand.
It is only as we yield to God and our mind is renewed that we will gain a clearer understanding
into God’s will for our lives.
Rom 12:3
Do not think too highly of yourself …
Obviously there is no place for pride and arrogance.
Even in a spiritual sense …
we must not strive to be something we are not gifted or called to be and
we must not see ourselves beyond where we really are spiritually.
Instead of looking at ourselves from our perspective, we must learn to see ourselves as Christ sees us.
Jn 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.
On the flip-side …
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. NASU
Anything we have is from God/not to our credit.
God has allotted to each a measure of faith …
Do not try to be what you are not, at the same time, do not fail to appropriate in faith all God has for you.
Every man has been given a measure of faith.
If you understand what God’s Word says about you-
you will evaluate yourself honestly, and
through faith- embrace all- God has for you.
As the man in the parable of the talents- Mtt 25- if we underestimate what God has given us- we bury it.
Rom 12:4-5
Very important concept- Christ had an earthly body, now we are His body spiritually.
As each member of the natural body is different and has different abilities and capabilities,
so do the spiritual members of His body.
As infinite God can express Himself through people in an infinite variety of ways.
1 Cor 12:4-6
We have been joined together with one another through the HS that lives in each of us.
Jump ahead to Rom 12:15
We are to enter into both the joys/sorrows of others.
As Jesus saw the people mourning over Lazarus …
Jn 11:35 Jesus wept. NASU
He was not just mourning over Lazarus death.
He was mourning because the people did not have a shepherd- did not know God in their sorrow.
Does this motto align itself w/Biblical truth?
Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone.
No- we have been called into one body to help, support, and care for one another.
We are- individually members of one another V5
Rom 12:6-8
V3- every Christian has been given a measure of faith.
Every person in the Body of Christ is gifted with the grace of God in some way to live, give, and serve.
1 Cor 12:7, 8-10 (gifts), 11
We tend to judge people by their capacity rather than their yieldedness to God, their relationship w/God.
Obviously this inner life is not as visible as the gift.
The man w/great capacity, that is filled more with himself than God,
is not as pleasing to God as the man w/small capacity, that is overflowing w/God’s grace.
If we do not have a gift, it is not because it has not been given, but because we have not received it.
Rom 12:9
Hypocrisy- comes from the word for actor.
Ro 12:9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. NLT
Love takes off every disguise and recognizes that we must release the life within us and love all men.
1 Jn 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. NASU
Abhor what is evil, cling to what is good …
We must guard our hearts against compromise …
accepting things as they are,
being satisfied with the status-quo,
believing half-truths.
We must hate what God hates …
Prov 6:16-19
However, many Christians will rise up in indignation at things happening in the world- social injustice.
But, we need to be as zealous in pursuing good and holiness as we are about clamoring over evil.
Rom 12:10
In the church we are given ample opportunity to exercise God’s love towards one another.
Gal 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. NASU
There should be a bond of love that connects us with fellow believers that is as strong as our natural ties.
One study of juvenile delinquency determined that the problem was not kids feeling unloved, but not having the opportunity to exercise love towards others.
How do we honor one another?
Honor- speaks of something having value.
Preference- go before and lead.
As Christians, we are to take the lead in showing that we see one another as having great value.
Rom 12:11
Laziness is not to be part of the Christian life.
We are always to be filled with zeal to live our lives in a way that glorifies the Lord.
Ro 12:11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. NLT
We talk about tithing money, what about our time?
Eph 5:16 making the most of your time, because the days are evil. NASU
Making the most of your time- buy back the time that has been robbed by the devourer.
We must serve the Lord in every realm that God places us- school, work, play.
Do not compartmentalize your life but learn to serve God in every realm he places you-
work, home, school, recreation.
Rom 12:12
Whatever our circumstances might be in the immediate, our hope is found in holding onto an eternal perspective.
Heb 2:14-15
14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,
15 and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.
Without God, people are in a life-long bondage, in Christ there is deliverance.
This is our hope and we need to rejoice in it.
Persevering in tribulation …
God knows- as believers- we live in a hostile world.
Mtt 10:16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. NASU
Jesus Christ is the central target of the world’s hatred.
The closer we draw to Jesus, the greater the conflicts we may face.
Jn 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. NASU
We serve a God of unlimited grace- as Paul said …
2 Cor 12:10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong. NASU
Do not give up, God will see us through any situation.
Devoted to prayer …
Devotion- more than just casual interest in something.
1 Thess 5:17 pray without ceasing; NASU
The temple, the spiritual house, the church, you and I as believers, are to be a house of prayer.
COTRM- want to develop a culture of prayer, where prayer is not just what we do, it is who we are.
We encourage both personal, private prayer, as well as participating in corporate prayer.
Rom 12:13
Contribute- to share with or distribute to others the necessities of life.
2 Cor 9:6-11
Under the OT one tenth belonged to God, under the NT ten tenths belong to God.
How do we be good stewards of what belongs to God
If there are two starving people and you have one slice of bread, what do you do?
You give the bread to the other person because-
Rom 8:35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? NASU
Starvation will not separate you from the love of God.
Hospitality- a love for strangers
You might translate it- pursue hospitality.
Seek out others who you can extend hospitality to.
Heb 13:2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. NASU
Rom 12:14
Not only are we not to be resentful and bitter toward those who persecute us, but we are to bless them.
If this is true, how are we to treat other believers?
When Moses struck the rock- water came out.
When someone strikes us, what comes out- sweet water or bitter water?
Mtt 5:44 "But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, NASU
Rom 12:16
Same mind toward one another …
It does not mean uniformity of thought, but it does mean each of us developing the mind of Christ.
We come into agreement around the centrality of Christ and truth’s about our God.
Phil 2:5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, NASU
Associate with the lowly …
We are never to see anyone as lower than ourselves
Our heart should be to see others succeed.
Jn 13:4-5 Jesus girded w/towel- washed feet.
Do not be wise in your own estimation …
It is easy to think that we understand life and that others do not see things right.
Our perspective on life and truth, may not always align itself w/reality or with the heart of God.
Pr 26:12 Do you see a man wise in his own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Rom 12:17-18
Our heart should always be to forgive.
Mtt 5:39-48
When we strike back at others we are taking things out of God’s hands.
We are not trusting God to vindicate us.
Rom 12:21
We can never use the same tactics/attitudes the world uses against us to strike back.
We do not overcome evil with evil, but with good.
Gal 5:16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. NASU
Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. NASU
