May 8, 2005
Morning Worship
Text: Romans 12:1-2
Subject: Change
Title: What Was I Thinking? ¡V Being Obligated to God
As we continue in our series on change I am reminded of the strategy of the Roman Catholic Church in establishing elementary schools all around the country. It became evident that if you could influence young minds to believe the Catholic Church is the only true church, it would be possible to have lifelong church members. And it has worked effectively. Why? Because the way we are taught to think as children sticks with us throughout the rest of our lives. If we are taught that hard work is the answer to all your problems, you are probably going to be a worker. If you are taught to rely on the government for your needs, you will probably remain on welfare. You see were I¡¦m going here? The things you were taught to believe as a child will influence you for the remainder of your lives. Are all of the things you were taught as a child right? Probably not! As a matter of fact it is quite likely that there are more things faulty than there are correct.
A little girl watched her mom prepare an Easter ham and noticed that her mom cut the end off the ham before she placed it in the oven. ¡§Mommy, why did you cut the end off?¡¨
¡§That¡¦s the way my mom always did it.¡¨
¡§But why?¡¨
¡§I don¡¦t know but when we see Grandma today we¡¦ll ask her. I¡¦m sure it makes the ham taste better¡¨
¡§Grandma, why do you cut the end off the ham?¡¨
¡§Because that¡¦s what my mom always did. I¡¦m sure it makes the ham juicer. Let¡¦s ask Great Grandma.¡¨
¡§Great Grandma, why do you cut the end off the ham?¡¨
¡§Because when I was young and was first married the oven we had was so small that I couldn¡¦t get the ham in without cutting the end off.¡¨
It is time for our thinking to be changed. As I told you in the opening message of this series, being obligated to God refers to the mind. As we continue in our change series we want to look at how change in our thinking is paramount to change in the church. As we study I pray that you will be open to changing the way you think.
1I 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. 2And 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.
I. COMMITTED TO GOD¡¦S WORD
A. God¡¦s Word is Truth. The concept of obligation or commitment requires one thing from you. You have to agree in your mind. We say that we know that God¡¦s word is truth. There is no confusion or contradiction. In verse 1 Paul appeals to our will. ¡§I beseech you¡K¡¨ Beseech means to invite. Paul is inviting Christians to make a choice in the way they live for God. You have a choice. You can be a ¡§fly by the seat of your pants¡¨ Christian and just react to things as they come by doing what feels right. You can be an ¡§I know the Word¡¨ Christian and respond to events in your life by what feels right. Or, you can be a Christian who is committed to the word of God, believing that it is true and acting on it, therefore taking a pro-active stand instead of a re-active stand. Abraham was committed to God¡¦s word as truth. Romans 4, ¡§19And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah¡¦s womb. 20He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God, 21and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform. 22And therefore ¡§it was accounted to him for righteousness.¡¨„T
B. God¡¦s Word is Life. I have been amazed recently at the doubt that is placed in the validity of the word of God. Some preachers make up their own truth. Others believe in parts of the bible but not the whole. My heart is saddened when men and women of the gospel cast doubt on the one thing that I see as a constant; God¡¦s word. Hosea 4:6 says, ¡§My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.¡¨ Who is the one who destroys? It is the enemy of your soul. Once he can convince people that they can¡¦t be saved, can¡¦t be healed, can¡¦t be delivered, can¡¦t be empowered or can¡¦t be blessed, he has stolen life from you. If you aren¡¦t committed to the truth, then he has won the battle. Do you remember in the gospel of John how Jesus asked the disciples if they wanted to leave Him also? Their response? ¡§Master, where would we go? You alone have the words of life.¡¨ Where else can you go for eternal life? Good question!
C. God¡¦s Word is Power. ¡§I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes¡K¡¨ There¡¦s no power in me to save myself. 14How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15And how shall they preach unless they are sent? Hebrews 4:12, ¡§For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.¡¨ You say you are committed in your mind to the word. Are you committed to its power?
II. COMMITTED TO GOD¡¦S WORK
A. In You. If you are born again by the Spirit of God, you are a work in progress. ¡§He who began a good work in you is faithful to complete it¡K¡¨ Do you have that in your head? Are you committed to it? Because if you are committed to the fact that you are not perfect yet, your mind set will be one that allows God to change you. ¡§You are being changed into His image from glory to glory,¡¨ Christians who are not committed to God¡¦s work in them will never allow change to take place in their lives. ¡§Present your bodies as living sacrifices¡K it is your reasonable service.¡¨ The words reasonable service can also mean spiritual act of worship. God¡¦s work in you is a spiritual work. But it begins in the mind. You can accept or refuse it.
B. In the Church. God working in you will change the way you think about your service to the church, your support of the church, and your ministry in the church. Proverbs 3:9-10, ¡§Honor the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine.¡¨ Notice how you are to honor the Lord with all your possessions. The firstfruits refer to your tithes. Everything else is offering above and beyond the tithe. What happens when you give above and beyond? You experience plenty¡K If you are fulfilling your ministry in the church you can expect spiritual blessings ¡V your vats will overflow with new wine.
C. In the World. We must knowledgeable of the fact that God is working in the world. Though it appears that things are getting worse by the minute, God¡¦s sovereign Spirit is sweeping across the land and convicting people of their need for a Savior. Psalm 104:30, ¡§You send forth Your Spirit¡K and You renew the face of the earth.¡¨ Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would come and convict the world of sin, righteousness and of judgment.¡¨ You can be certain of God¡¦s work in you. You can see Him working through the church. But unless you are thoroughly convinced that He is doing His work in the world, how effective do you think that you can be? If we doubt that God is doing what He said He would do, won¡¦t you doubt your own work? God opens doors for you. He empowers you to work through the church, and he prepares the way for you.
III. COMMITTED TO GOD¡¦S WORTH
A. Knowing That God is Merciful. The NIV reads in verse 1, ¡§Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God¡¦s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices¡K¡¨ You¡¦ve heard me say before that I don¡¦t understand how God could use or save to someone like me. I still don¡¦t understand it, but when you look at it with God¡¦s mercy in view, you don¡¦t have to understand it. Just be committed/obligated to knowing He is merciful. Then you can present yourselves as living sacrifices. Romans 5:8, ¡§For God demonstrates His own love for us in this, that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.¡¨ He is worth changing for.
B. Knowing That God is Just. When we become certain (in our minds) that those who don¡¦t trust in Christ will spend eternity in hell that means we are assured of His justice. Justice means getting what you deserve. Mercy means grace overrides justice. Knowing the truth about salvation and about heaven and hell is the first step towards changing your minds concerning the lost.
C. Knowing That God¡¦s Will is Perfect. We¡¦ve said everything else today to lead us up to verse 2. ¡§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.¡¨ Change comes when your mind is transformed. Renewing your mind brings you to the knowledge of God¡¦s will for your life. His will is perfect. Our understanding isn¡¦t. But as we constantly renew ourselves in the word, in prayer, in church, you set yourself up for change.
I Corinthians 2:16 says that we have the mind of Christ; therefore we can know the thoughts of our Lord that He may instruct us. You have the mind of Christ. You have the opportunity to renew your mind and thus be transformed. But are you committed to it? Are you committed to change? Are you committed to God¡¦s word, His work and His worth? Change doesn¡¦t come easy- especially when you don¡¦t understand it. Some people will change when they see the light. Others change only when they feel the heat. Changing the way you think is just the first step in experiencing a radical change in your whole life. Change your mind. Take that first step.
