Romans 12:1-2
Once you and I hear the call and accept him as our own personal savior we must constantly press toward the mark. Paul said in Phil 3rd chapter. “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” We all should be pressing toward the Mark, not becoming lackadaisical, nor should we make our walk with God traditional or repetitive. But God wants us to become dedicated and committed.
Many Christians are self-satisfied because they compare their “running” the race with that of other Christians. They usually compare themselves with other Christians who are not making much progress.
Had Paul compared himself with others, he would have been tempted to be proud and perhaps to let up a bit. But Paul did not compare himself with others; he compared himself with himself and with Jesus Christ! I wonder how many of us today are comparing ourselves with the Son of God.
In our text this morning, Paul understands what it means to be totally committed. After his conversion to Christ, Paul proclaimed the Gospel with the same intensity and zeal as with which he had previously persecuted the church. He was determined and committed to the call of Christ on his life and that he would serve Him, no matter what, whether he lived or died.
Some of us in here today, when we were out in the world. We used to get our party on. We would dance and drink all night long. Hooping and hollering and yelling and screaming. We would go to happy hours, midnight hours and after hours. When we wanted to party, we would invite everybody we knew to come on and let’s party down.
But since we’ve been born again, when we come to the house of the Lord, folk barely know that we are here. My bible tells me to “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” When we were in the world we were the life of the party. Now, we should strive to be the life of the church.
What mattered to Paul is that the Gospel be proclaimed and Christ be exalted. He was totally committed. Not only was Paul totally committed, but he wanted others to also be totally committed to Christ. And so, I’m like Paul this morning, my desire for this church. My desire for Truth and Light is that we all be totally committed. My desire is that we be totally committed to God first, then our families, and after that, we be totally committed to each other.
Paul spent his life, not only taking the Gospel to unbelievers, but also to writing and urging other believers to be strong in their commitment and walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul told the Ephesian church to be strong in the Lord and the Power of his might. I urge you Truth and Light this morning to be strong in the Lord. Storms may come; winds may blow but hold on to God’s unchanging hand.
In this passage of scripture before us, Paul is writing to the believers in Rome and urges them to total commitment. He calls them brethren. This means that they had already made a decision to follow Christ. They had believed in Him. Paul here does not question their salvation. But there is something that they so tragically needed. They needed to move to total commitment.
Now if Paul were writing this today, he might say what is needed in the church today is 24/7 Christians. There are people today with 24/7 jobs. That does not mean that they are at the job 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but it does mean that the job they are on requires them to be so committed that they could be called to work any time of the day or night, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They could receive a phone call at any hour of the day or night, saying you are needed.
Well, Paul is saying we need folk in the church who are Christians 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They are available, on time, all the time and any time. We need somebody to stand up and say for God I’ll live and for God I will surely die.
Now when I use this terminology 24 hours a day seven days a week Christianity, I don’t mean to imply that your salvation can be put on and taken off whenever you might like. I’m not saying that you can loose it, then regain it, lose it again, or even give it up. But I am talking about 24/7 Christians in commitment.
So this morning, I want to talk about what it means to be totally committed.
Total commitment means being 100% sold out to the Lord. Somebody said, that 99 ½ just won’t do. Paul talks about in v1 about presenting your bodies a living and holy sacrifice. Paul says I urge you. I think it is important to see that Paul is urging these people to do this. He says, “I urge you brethren by the mercies of God.” So this is a request. It is not a demand, it is not even a command, but he is requesting them to do this. I urge you Truth and Light, to become totally committed to the cause of Christ.
So total commitment is something that you must choose to do. It is voluntary. You can either do it or not do it, the choice is up to you. No one can make you or force you to be totally committed to anything. As I said in my sermon on last Sunday, I am very aware that I cannot make anyone in this church do anything.
I can’t make you serve the church in any capacity. I realize that and I’m not going to try. Everything that will be done in this church will be done because someone volunteers to do it. The only thing I can do is preach and teach the Word of God. That’s why the Lord gave me the name Truth and Light. We are going to tell you the truth, so that you might be able to walk in the Light.
1st thing Why should we be totally committed. Paul tells us to present our bodies. Isn’t it interesting to know that God is interested in your body. But the body here is the sum total of everything we are. Our emotions, our mind, our likes, our dislikes, our will, our spirit, every part of us. So Paul urges us to present all of us. God is interested in all of you.
There are three things that God really wants us to present him.
1. You give God your body (v.1). Before we trusted Christ, we used our body for sinful pleasures and purposes. We did everything we thought that we were big enough to do with these bodies. But now that we belong to Him, we want to use our body for His glory. The Christian’s body is God’s temple because the Spirit of God dwells within him. It is our privilege to glorify Christ in our body.
2. You give Him your mind. The world wants to control your mind, but God wants to transform your mind. If the world controls your thinking, you are a conformer; if God controls your thinking, you are a transformer. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.
3. You give Him your will (v.2b). Your mind controls your body, and your will controls your mind. Many people think they can control their will by “willpower,” but it usually doesn’t work. It is only when we yield our will to God that His power can take over and give us the willpower. Not only does he give us the will power, but he gives us the “Won’t Power”. You won’t want to backbite. You won’t want to lie on your brother’s and sisters. You won’t want to lie, cuss and steal. You won’t want to be afraid to tell the world that you’ve been born again. He will give you all the power that you need to be victorious in Christ.
We surrender our wills to God through disciplined prayer. As we spend time in prayer, we surrender our will to God and pray, with the Lord, “Not my will, but Thy will be done.” We must pray about everything, and let God have His way in everything.
The word present means to offer up. We ought to offer ourselves to the Lord. We ought to say I’m yours, Lord, I’m yours Lord, everything I got everything I am. When we do this it means that we are dedicated completely and wholly to God.
And the reason we should to this, Paul says, is because of the mercies of God. That is because of the greatness of God and all that he’s done for us. God has dealt with us in mercy and love. Somebody in here was on their way to hell, but he picked you up and turned you around. Somebody in here was too mean to live and wasn’t fit to die, but he made you a new creature in Christ Jesus. Old things have passed away and behold all things have become new. Somebody in here didn’t know which way to turn but, he made a way out of no way. Paul says this morning, because of what God has done for us, we ought to be totally committed to him.
Somebody said, “If it had not been for the Lord who was on my side, where would I be. I’m glad this morning for his mercies. His grace and mercy brought me through. I’m living this moment because of him. His mercy and truth endures to all generations.
What are the benefits of total commitment? Well, the main thing is that it is pleasing and acceptable to God. Well, I JSB that that should be our ultimate goal this morning is to please God. Are we pleasing God? That should be the bottom line in our lives. Are we pleasing God? I can think of no more important question in life than that one thing.
I JSB God wants us to please him. God wants our best, whatever that may be. God is concerned with excellence. And excellence in God’s sight is not being the best, it means being your best. For this church it means being the best we can be. God desires firstfruits, not left overs. He is worthy. It will give you peace of mind. It will give you joy divine.
So, As I close this morning, I want to tell you that the Lord has already done great things. He woke me up this morning and started me on my way. I wonder do I have anybody in here that can say that the Lord has done great things for me.
Anybody here that can say He died on the cross for me.
Anybody here that can say He was buried for me?
Anybody here that can say He stayed in the grave all night Firday… all day Saturday, and then early Sunday morning…. He got up with all power in his hand….
you ought to give him some personal praise. Has he done anything for you? Has he made a way out of no way? Has he brought you out? Has he given you joy?
