Blueprint #1: Romans 12:1-2
INTRODUCTION:
Back when we lived in Arcadia we hired a building contractor to build a house for us. Part of the process involved selecting and approving a blueprint. The good thing about a blueprint is that nothing is left to the imagination when it comes to the details about the house. Even down to the place where electrical plugs will be placed, every detail is drawn in the plan. Therein we discover the importance of a blue-print. We are beginning a new 4 week series where we will look at chapter 12 of the book of Romans, which gives a blueprint for Christian living.
From chapters 1-11 we learn about God’s grace, and how we are justified in that grace through our faith in Christ. The Apostle Paul teaches that mankind’s continuous problem is sin resulting in his lost condition (Ch.1-3). Then we learn that God’s solution to man’s problem is salvation based on faith in Christ apart from human works (ch.4-5). Next, we discover that God provides to us sanctification through our connection with Christ (vs.6-8). And then we learn about God’s faithfulness over those He has chosen to be His (ch. 9-11).
In chapter 12 Paul changes gears. In fact, he connects what he has already written to what he is about to write with these words, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy…”. Looking back at all that has been said, this is a pivot point for the rest of the Roman letter. So what comes next is not just something to learn in the way of theological teaching, Instead it is something to do that will make major changes within you as a believer. What comes next is a command:
1. PRESENT your body
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to PRESENT your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Consider how unique this command actually is. I can’t think of any other religion on earth that commands a living sacrifice like this. Other religions may call for a sacrifice of something you may possess. For example, Hinduism calls a devotee to have his head shaved and to present the shaved off hair as a sacrifice to the Hindu deities. Islam calls a devoted Muslim to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life. This sacrificial trip is called Hajj. Some of the Pagan Canaanite religions called for people to sacrifice their children to Baal by throwing them into the fire. But none of these other religions called for a living sacrifice of yourself as worship to God. This is unique and worth learning about because it is not only possible to accomplish, but once you’ve learned what all this really means, you will be motivated to present yourself to God in this way willingly and with joy.
One of the first things to learn about presenting yourselves to God is that in order to PRESENT ourselves to God, we need to be PRESENTABLE
Take a gander at these men who signed up with an on-line dating service to present themselves as potential dates. These guys don’t understand the concept of being PRESENTABLE. They need a make-over by someone who understands what women like. But the problem is, that kind of make-over is superficial, It just changes the outside. Most of these sad candidates are in need of a major makeover, both inside and out.
But the truth is that in terms of what we are within ourselves, we are more UNPRESENTABLE than those guys when it comes to presenting ourselves to God. But God has given us a complete MAKEOVER, from the inside out. That’s what Romans 1-11 told about. Because we are made NEW in Christ, we can now PRESENT ourselves to Christ.
In fact, this is our proper WORSHIP. Naturally, we think of worship as singing at church or praying … but worship is also LIVING life as instruments of God. God wants to use our body as an instrument of righteousness. If we can live our lives as new creations through Christ, we are in a position to offer our bodies as acceptable living sacrifices. And the amazing thing about this is that being presentable is not a matter of struggling to be good enough to measure up to a standard. Instead, we live in vital union with the Holy Spirit God placed within us and allow his presence to overflow like living water coming from within us, and flowing from us to others.
Looking at this blueprint for Christian living, step 1 is PRESENT your body. Step 2 is RENEW your mind
2. RENEW your mind
Vs.2, Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the RENEWING of your mind.
The unsaved people get up in the morning and present their bodies to the world for another day. They will think and do whatever circumstances and the culture around them brings their way. Every day they conform themselves to the world around them. They think what the world thinks --- they do what the world wants them to do. Their attitudes are consumed with worldly thought patterns that are full of fear, anxiety, anger, envy, un-forgiveness and revenge, turmoil, selfishness, greed, insecurity, defeat, and despair.
Christians are to get up in the morning and present their BODIES to God for His use. We purposefully decided, day – by – day to resist the conforming pressures of the world and instead to be transformed by allowing God to continually RENEW our minds.
Example: Ask them to think about their morning routine. Get up… shower or wash face, brush teeth, look in mirror… whatever… Compare to Spiritual Routine. PRESENT body, RENEW mind. Mirror = God’s Word. Cleansing through Prayer …etc.
We are to be transformed from the ways of the world to the ways God is able to transform us. He does it through renewal. Sadly, that word may be somewhat fuzzy to most people. How are we transformed by a renewed mind? Let’s look at the word renew and see if we can clear up the fuzziness. Renew has two syllables “re” and “new” The prefix “re” is not such a mystery. Anything that is “re” happens again. If I re-apply for a magazine subscription, then I am signing up for another year of magazine deliveries. If I re-store some furniture, I am taking something that looked old and tired and making it look better and work like it used to work.
In the case of renewal we are taking something old or worn out and making it like new again. If I buy a junkyard car and renew it, then it will look like it did when it was first driven off the showroom floor. Recently I saw a 1977 Yamaha Grand piano that had been rebuilt at the factory. It was sitting next to a brand new Yamaha and the instruments looked and sounded identical. So why buy a used Yamaha when you can get a new one? The new instrument costs $40K and the renewed one was selling for half that price.
Renewing your mind means that all the old junky thoughts, attitudes, and emotions coming your way from the world are dumped like old worn out car parts, and your mind is restored to the newness that God planted within you when he saved you and adopted you into His family. You are a new creation, the old junk has passed away and everything has been made new (2 Cor.5:17). The best part is that every day is a chance to “re-new” all of that newness. Every morning we can de-clutter the junk that came our way from the world the day before, and renew the newness God placed within us at our salvation.
3. PROVE God’s Will
… that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
We humans exist as Body, Soul, and Spirit. To be more precise, We are spirits. We each have a soul that is eternal, and we live in human bodies. God brought our dead Spirit to life when He saved us – the Holy Spirit now enlivens our Spirit. We can now live from the INSIDE out … rather than living from the OUTSIDE in. That’s what these verses are about.
Here is what daily life should look like for a Christian: God’s intention for us is that His Holy Spirit which is connected to our regenerated and alive spirits form the control center from which everything flows in our lives. It is God’s plan for our spirits, in vital union with the Holy Spirit, to take control of our souls which consist of our minds, wills, and emotions. And when our souls are in submission to our spirits, then our bodies become willing tools in God’s hands. Through renewal, the proper flow is from the inside out. We have a more spiritual perspective and more heavenly thought processes. We don’t suffer from earth bound perspectives because we see ourselves as seated with Christ in the heavenly places (Eph 2:6)
Sadly, too many people, (even Christians) don’t live this way. Many may have prayed a prayer for salvation and submitted to baptism, They may be aware that they are saved, but they keep living from the outside in …conforming to the world, and allowing external circumstances to overpower impulses coming from the spirit.
Instead of things originating from the spirit, everything starts with external circumstances (usually unpleasant or irritating) which bombard our physical bodies. Our bodies react to the circumstances by crying out for something the body desires (I’m hungry, I’m tired, I’m feel like being lazy). That desire is passed on to the soul which bypasses the spirit entirely, and takes care of the immediate situation by placating the demands of the physical body.
Outside-to-in living is frustrating at best, and debilitating as an end result. This is not the way we were meant to live. Conformity to the world’s ways is a dead end street. The antidote to it is renewing the mind daily, and the preferable outcome is being able to prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Examples: Imagine the joy of proving God’s good and perfect will in your marriage, relationships, way of dating, …. Does the way you do these things conform to the pattern of the world or to the pattern of the Word?
For everyone who has been transformed by renewing their minds and has presented their bodies as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God as reasonable worship, the joyful result is proving that God’s good and perfect will is in operation within their lives. Presenting themselves as living sacrifices to such a loving and grace giving God as our Father is our daily delight in every conceivable way.
CONCLUSION:
This is HOW your Present yourself to God every morning… Challenge to start a morning Spiritual Routine based on the blueprint of Romans 12:1-2. Put these verses on your mirror….
Romans 12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. NIV
Romans 12 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. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV
