A Living Sacrifice

• 1^ST – In Light of Romans 1-11… (3 things)
  • 1^st – Therefore – whenever we find a therefore – we need to find out what it’s there for…
    • In light of Romans 1-8 – the incredible salvation we have been given in Jesus…
      • That we are saved by Grace alone – through faith alone – in Christ alone…
      • And we have been given the Spirit of God to be able to overcome sin in our lives…
    • In light of Romans 9-11 – the humbling example of Israel…
      • Good works cannot and will not save us – we are chosen simply by faith in Jesus…
      • We have been grafted into God’s tree – we have become His chosen people…
    • Because life is all about Jesus…
      • Romans 11:36 – “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
      • The conclusion of the first two sections of Romans – life is all about Jesus!
      • John 17:3 – “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”
      • We could walk away from the first 11 chapters of Romans thinking – that’s nice…
      • We might agree to the doctrinal statement of ‘salvation by faith in Jesus’
      • We might see the need to ‘walk in the Spirit – so we do not give into the flesh’
      • We might appreciate that we are ‘grafted into God’s tree’…
      • But how does that impact our life practically – on a daily basis…
      • How do the truths laid out in the book of Romans play a role in our life personally…
  • 2^nd – I urge you by the mercies of God – present yourself a living sacrifice…
    • What is it that we are called to sacrifice – our lives – what does that mean…
      • Paul is not talking about physical death – it’s a living sacrifice
      • He is talking about surrendering your life to God…
      • Our response to the Romans – is to give up our life – surrender completely to Jesus!
      • We like to be in control – we really like to be in the driver’s seat of our lives…
      • But God is asking us that we lay down our desires, dreams, ambitions…
    • A sacrifice that is holy and acceptable (well pleasing) to God
      • I Samuel 15:22 – “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice…”
      • Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart––These, O God, You will not despise.”
      • We can choose to lay our lives down willingly – realizing life begins in Jesus!
      • Jim Eliot – a missionary in Ecuador – died sharing Jesus with local tribes…
      • “A man is not fool to give up what he cannot keep to gain what he will never loose”
      • Or we can choose to learn the hard way…
      • God desires obedience / but sometimes the only we have to be broken to learn…
      • That when we are left to do the steering… we often end up in a wreck…
      • King David learned this lesson well – His sin with Bathsheba…
  • 3^rd– Reasonable service – logikos – logical
    • Nothing exceptional – it is logical – it would be illogical not to be a living sacrifice…
    • Two thoughts as to why:
    • 1^st – I Corinthians 6:20 – “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
      • We are not our own – we have been bought with the highest price
      • When we choose to live our lives our way – we take from God what He purchased
    • 2^nd – John 12:24-25 – “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.  He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.”
      • It does not seem to make sense – but it is when we loose our life in Jesus…
      • That we truly find life – real life – the Joy and peace that God desires us to have
      • How good is a seed all by itself – If I take a seed and hold onto it what happens…
      • If I let it go – if I bury it – if it dies – what happens then – 
      • Only when we are willing to let our life go – do we truly find life in Jesus!
      • Then we will find the ultimate reward – not only eternal life with Jesus
      • But a full and fulfilling life while we wait for His soon return!
      • John 8:36 – “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.”

• 2^nd – So do not be conformed…
  • Do not be conformed to this world – Gk. aion – age (Present/Passive/Imperative)
    • This age “world” does all it can to convince us it has everything we need to be happy
    • All we need is more money, better job, more possessions, a different relationship
    • Everywhere we look we see the standards of the world – TV / radio…
    • Do we listen and believe it…  Are we being conformed…
  • One must ask the question – when do we stop and look at the fruit of our lives…
    • If the answer truly was in the world – then we should be able to see examples
    • If we look to those who have ‘worldly success’ are they content, full of joy…
  • Solomon tried everything this world had to offer…
    • * Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 – “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, For my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor.  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.”
    • When we chase after the things of this world – conform – it brings momentary bliss
    • It is a shallow fulfillment though – every bought something new – doesn’t last….
    • Solomon put it best – it is like grasping for the wind….
    • It is not a matter of striving for the impossible – you are reaching for nothing!
    • It is an empty – pointless life – it only leads you from one dry well to another
• 3^rd – Instead be transformed… (2 thigns)
  • 1^st – Transformed – metamorphoo – change into another form (P/P/Imperative)
    • Used 4 times in the NT (here, twice for Jesus at the mount of Transfiguration, and…)
    • II Corinthians 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 by the Spirit of the Lord.”
    • We were a no good dirty rotten sinner – known for our sin / known for our mistakes…
    • We were caught up in the care of this world – chasing after the wind…
    • But now we are commanded to change – become new men in Jesus…
  • 2^nd – That we might prove the – good/ acceptable / and perfect will of God…
    • What is the will of God for our lives – generally there are 4 things…
      • It is the will of God that we are sexually pure…
      • I Thessalonians 4:3 – “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.”
      • We will face many temptations in this life – but temptation is not sin…
      • Temptation becomes sin when we – dwell on – think about – then act on it…
      • James 1:12-15 – “But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full–grown, brings forth death.”
      • We do not just wake up one day and decide to go and commit sexual immorality…
      • We allow our mind to dwell on a desire – when that desire turns to action – sin…
      • A life that is dominated by sexual sin – is a sign of a man who does not know God
    • It is the will of God that we give thanks…
      • I Thessalonians 5:18 -“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God…”
      • We tend to focus in life on the things we do not have – but think we need…
      • If it was a need God would provide – Luke 12:31 – if we don’t have it – don’t need it!
      • We overlook the simple things – food / clothing / family / a home / our health…
      • But God calls us to be thankful for all things – for all God has done for us – every day!
      • Looking at what He has giving us – not what we think we still need!
    • It is the will of God that we do good…
      • I Peter 2:15 – “For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.”
      • The world is full of a lot of ‘foolish ideas’ about how to live life / get to heaven…
      • We are called to be a light – example – to silence all those foolish ideas!
      • Matthew 5:14 – “You are the light of the world….”
      • We are though our actions to show them the real answer – the Word of God…
      • It is the will of God that we live our life showing the world Jesus!
    • It is the will of God that we suffer…
      • I Peter 3:17 – “It is the will of God, to suffer for doing  good…”
      • If we did the things the world does – they would embrace us / love us…
      • If we sat down at the drinking table / if we joined in the gambling…
      • If we laughed at the dirty jokes / If we passed on the latest gossip…
      • The world would embrace us – because are joining in with them – justifying them…
      • But when we go to Bible studies – because you do not want to live in sin…
      • When we do not do the things the world does – convicting the world of their sin…
      • Then people will make fun of us – attack you with cutting words – because of Jesus…
      • Do not take it personally – and do not be angry with the people in the world…
      • It is not us they have a problem with – they do not like who we stand for – Jesus!
    • How can we know the will of God for daily lives…
      • It is easy to say the will of God is to live pure / thankful / good / suffer…
      • But how about the will of God for daily decisions – where I work / what I say…
      • It is easy to get caught up in this world – make our decision like everyone else
      • But if we conform to the world – we are not going to know the will of God…
      • Only when we are emptied – not depending on ourselves – full of the Holy Spirit…
      • When God changes our hearts – our desires – we are transformed!
      • We will know God’s will for our lives – because we have God’s Spirit within us!
      • Proverbs 3:5-6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”]
    • Knowing it is not important what decision we make – but why we make it…
      • Often we get caught up in the rights and lefts of life…
      • A place where we have to make a decision – and we do not know what to do…
      • We worry about decision – rather than who we are trusting in…
      • We want to know which way we should go – and it really does not matter…
      • What is really important is who we are trusting in!
      • Are we relying on Jesus – then go right or go left – He will take care of both!
• 4^th – Through the ‘renewing of your mind’…
  • Both the conforming and transforming are in the ‘passive voice’ in the Greek
    • Meaning something causes us to be either conformed – or transformed…
    • If we listen to the wisdom of the World we will be conformed…
    • But if allow our minds to be renewed – we will be transformed into Godly men!
    • We are renewed – transformed – we known God’s will for our lives…
    • Through the pouring out of the Holy Spirit… 
    • The Holy Spirit convicts us of our sin before we believe in Jesus – John 16:7-8
    • The Holy Spirit come to live within us when after we receive Jesus – John 20:22
    • The Holy Spirit is also the gives us the power to be transformed – life for Jesus!
  • How do you get the renewing of the Spirit – just ask…
    • Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”
    • Not just once – but over and over and over – daily asking for the Holy Spirit
    • Luke 11:13 -“Your heavenly Father [will] give the Holy Spirit to those who ask.”
    • We need also need to be daily filling up on the Holy Spirit to know God’s will!
    • If you fee like you are conforming to this world – not living for Jesus…
    • If you don’t know God’s prefect will for your life…
  • The result of being filled with the Spirit…
    • II Corinthians 4:7 – “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
    • If we are full of ourselves – conformed – then we will end up chasing the wind…
    • But when we are emptied – not depending on ourselves – full of the Holy Spirit
    • Then we will find God changes our hearts – our desires – we are transformed!
    • We will know God’s will for our lives – because we have God’s Spirit within us!