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“Responding to God in Faithful Living” Studies in Romans (2009-10) Text – Romans 12:1-2 Message #45 (September 19, 2010) WHEN GOD TRANSFORMS THE OFFERING Introduction 1. The book of Romans is about being right. Before we can be right with others, we must be right with God and we cannot be right with God until we see our lack of “rightness” (unrighteousness) and exchange that for the righteousness of Christ. Paul made it clear what Christ has finished and how we can belong to God’s family – thus, how we can be right with God. 2. Based on that, it is possible to be right with one another as well. Here Paul makes an appeal based on God’s revealed mercies. He says, “therefore…” That word has occurred before. Notice the following verses: 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law (NIV); 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, and now here 12:1 – I appeal to you therefore by the mercies of God... You could say that the first is the “therefore of condemnation.” The second is the “therefore of justification.” The third is the “therefore of assurance”, and this is the “therefore of dedication.” 3. These first two verses of Romans 12 are an introduction for the remainder of the book. We are going to learn how to get along with believers in the church and how to get along with the government, how to get along with our enemies, how to deal with disagreements, etc. And before each section of the remainder of this letter we could appropriately read these two verses because they are the foundation for being right with others. 4. If we appropriately respond to the mercies of God that have been articulated in chapters 1-11, then there must be a presentation, an offering of ourselves, if you will, to the Lord God. Truth has consequences – at least it should! Recorded here are both a desire and a promise directed toward us from the Apostle Paul. First, let’s consider the desire of God. I. THE OFFERING GOD DESIRES 1

A. The sacrifice of our body (The image Paul uses is that of the temple and the sacrifices that were brought to the temple, but there is a very different perspective and purpose involved here. This is not a command, but rather a plea, an exhortation. “I appeal to you…” or “I beseech you…”) 1. A passionate plea (for obedience that we might be living sacrifices) (Sacrifices were almost always killed before they were placed on the altar. There are at least two Biblical exceptions to that practice and they provide illustrations of living sacrifices). a. Isaac – You know the story from Genesis 22. Isaac was a teenage and his dad was an old man, well over 100. How did Abraham restrain his son and secure him on the altar? If it was the will of God for Isaac to die, Isaac was apparently willing to comply. Isaac, in effect, died to himself and willingly yielded himself to the will of God. As you know, God sent a ram to take his place and as Isaac climbed down from the altar, he remained a living sacrifice to God. b. Jesus – I know you know this story! He voluntarily died, becoming the supreme sacrifice for us, but then rose from the dead and ascended into heaven, promising someday to return. Even now in heaven He bears the marks of death as a living sacrifice to the glory of God. So what is Paul asking us to do? 2. A reasonable, appropriate plea (based on the mercies of God) to offer ourselves as a sacrifice to God. a. God’s mercies make it appropriate – Sacrifice is a word that concerns us. It is costly. It is not just an offering. (Have you heard the story of the preacher coming to visit with a farmer for breakfast? The menu called for ham and eggs, which led to a conversation between the chicken and the pig who would be supplying the main course. The chicken was quite excited that the preacher was coming, but could not understand the lack of excitement from the pig. The pig quickly explained, “For you it is merely an offering. For me, it is a sacrifice!”) Here God is calling for a sacrifice, but a living sacrifice, based on the mercies God. Would it not be appropriate to offer our very lives in view of those mercies? After all, it is only because we were made alive in Christ that we are able to offer a living sacrifice! God’s mercies make it appropriate. b. God’s mercies make it possible (If it was not for His mercy we would have 2

nothing to offer!). Now we have a sacrifice worth offering – one that was bought and paid for by the blood of Christ. As a redeemed person I can be an acceptable sacrifice – one that has been perfected so as to be accepted. 3. An immediate plea – At a later date, we will be presented by God (Jude 24 - Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy; Ephesians 5:27 - so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. That happens at the end of the age. Right now we need to present ourselves to God. 4. An acceptable plea (What was a sacrifice for? – It was ultimately to glorify God. When we present our bodies as living sacrifices, we do so to magnify Christ – to bring Him glory! a. Philippians 1:20 – so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death (KJV). ESV and NIV both translate “exalted.” I like “magnify” because it speaks in multiple dimensions. Like a telescope, it brings Him close and like a microscope, it shows Him big. That is what happens when we present ourselves as a living sacrifice. He is magnified in us. b. 1 Corinthians 6:20 – “glorify God in your body…” 9:27 - But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. B. The service of worship – Note how Paul views our body. 1. The body as a temple (1 Corinthians 6:19 - Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, and Romans 8:9 - You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you). 2. The body as an instrument (for righteousness or sin) – Romans 6:13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness). I like what Piper says on this. The aim of all human life in God’s eyes is that Christ would be made to look as valuable as he is. Worship means using our minds and hearts and bodies to express the worth of God and all he is for us in Jesus. There is a way to live—a way to love—that does that. There is a 3

way to do your job that expresses the true value of God. And I would add, that this is in part what Paul meant when he said we were to do all to the glory of God. Does how I live in all aspects of my life show the true value of Christ? It should. That is my reasonable act of worship! So the offering God desires is the presentation of my body as a living sacrifice. Now as I offer my body as a sacrifice to Him, what does He say He will do with me? He begins a transformation process. II. THE TRANSFORMATION GOD PROMISES A. The One who transforms 1. This is not an outward conforming, but an inward change – the Greek term is metamorphosis! It is a change from the inside out (We can reform, but only God can transform). 2. If we have been reformed, we reflect the philosophy of the reformer(s). If we are transformed, we radiate the change from within. In order for a reflector to be of value, the circumstances must be right. For example, if I am riding a bicycle in the dark with only a reflector, that reflector only functions when a light source shines on it. If, on the other hand, I am a radiator (think light here), the circumstances really do not matter– my transformed life can always be seen). While it is true that I need to reflect the Lord Jesus, I can only really do that when I radiate Him from a life that has been presented to Him and transformed by Him. It is not automatic that a believer will radiate Christ. B. The enemy of transformation – the world 1. Are we a schematic of the world? (That is more or less what the word “conformed” means. When I was younger I messed around a little with electronics. I soon discovered that if I wanted to build something or fix something, I needed a schematic – a diagram of the components and how they connected to each other. The diagram was a picture of that electronic devise. If I am conformed to the world I am a picture of the world. I am wired into the world. I am living for the world – even though it is passing away. If I am conformed to the world, I am living for the god of this world. And if I am conformed to the world, I am living in this present evil age. Why would we want to invest in what is passing away and join forces with the enemy and immerse ourselves in evil? Why would anyone who has been redeemed by Christ want to do that? But too often we do, whether we know 4

why or not. 2. What is worldliness? Is there a list that defines it or a list to avoid? Perhaps a better way to define worldliness would be this: “Anything in the life of the believer that causes him to lose the enjoyment of the Father’s love or his desire to do the Father’s will is worldly and must be avoided.” (I think that came from Warren Wiersbe). Is there anything in your life that makes that statement true? Are we willing to make the hard adjustments regardless of the cost so as not to lose the enjoyment of the Father’s love or the desire to do the Father’s will?) 3. How does one move toward worldliness? First there is friendship with the world (James 4:4 …whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God), followed inevitably with becoming spotted by the world (James 1:27 - keep oneself unstained from the world), which will lead to becoming conformed to the world (Romans 12:2), until finally we move toward condemnation with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32 - But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world). In other words, when we make friends with the world, we become dirty, looking like the world so it is necessary for God to chastise us as if we belonged to the world. He actually disciplines His own so they will not be condemned with the world! 4. What is the great tragedy of worldliness? When I am worldly, it affects my response to the love of God and my response to the will of God. So I need to be transformed, but how does that happen? What is the process? C. The process of transformation 1. It begins with the mind and the need to be bent toward the will of God. How does this work? It begins with an adjustment in our thinking. Note 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. We begin to see things with spiritual eyes. That will take place as we saturate our minds with the Word of God. Note the following passages: 5

a. Colossians 1:28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. b. Psalm 119:97-99 - Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. c. Joshua 1:8 - This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. d. 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit. (“As we look into the Word of God, we see the Son of God and are transfigured by the Spirit of God into the glory of God.”) That my friends is transformation! 2. It culminates in my heart in the testing of His will a. God desires that we know His will (and He is not playing hide/seek with us!). See Colossians 1:9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding… b. God wants us to understand the will of God (Ephesians 5:17) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. c. God wants us to do His will (Ephesians 6:6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart). (The goal is Colossians 4:12 (that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God). So how do we do this? It starts with surrender. It develops with study and it continues to become clear as we seek God in prayer). We ought never be afraid of the will of God. His will for us is an expression of His love (heart) for us (Psalm 33:11 - The counsel of the LORD stands forever,


the plans of his

heart to all generations). A good test for us to know whether or not something is the will of God would be to answer four questions. (1) Does it give God glory (Romans 4:20)? 6

(2) Am I willing to wait (Romans 10:11)? (3) Do I have direction from the Word (Romans 10:17)? (4) Is there joy and peace (Romans 15:13)? Now understand that the Bible does not often give us specific answers to the choices we must make. For example, the Bible does not tell us who to marry, or what make or model of car to drive, or if we should own a home, or take a vacation, or drink only Florida orange juice – and hundreds of others daily choices we make. But if we have a renewed, transformed mind that has been shaped by God’s Word, we will be able to make wise decisions that will result in His glory and our good. We are not trying to hear God tell us what to do or give us a sign so we will know for sure which decision to make. Rather we are to give ourselves to developing a renewed mind that discerns how to apply God’s Word. God’s will is to transform my mind and renew my mind into a new way of thinking and judging. He could just give me the information, but that would not be in my best interest or His greater glory. Is it not true that in much of our life there is little if any conscious consideration before we act? Much of what we say and think is spontaneous. It is a spillover from what is inside. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” How is that going to take place? Is it not clear that there is a great task before us? We need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. We need hearts and minds transformed by God! I should say at least one more thing about the will of God. We are sometimes frustrated by what we do not know. That does not need to be our focus. If we do what we already know to be His will, we will probably have little trouble discerning the will of God when we must make a choice. If you are anything like me, you already know more than you obey. Let’s obey what we know and most of our questions will take care of themselves. Conclusion 1. As we consider the mercies of God, surely we will see what God has done for us. In response to His mercies we should thoughtfully, obediently offer our body as a living sacrifice to God as an act of spiritual worship. We should do that – right now. Have you 7

presented your body as a living sacrifice to God? If not, why not? Are the mercies He has extended to us not enough? Let’s do it now. 2. In varying degrees, many of us have been conforming to the world. When people see us, do they see a reflection of the world in us? Are we living like we belong here or like we are passing through? If we are living like we belong, then I am quite sure we have lost the joy of the Father’s love. If our joy must come through the pleasures and possessions of this world, then we have lost our desire to do the Father’s will. His will has probably become drudgery. If we would rather be anywhere else doing anything else, then we may well need to be transformed by the Lord. The presentation of our bodies is a good place to start. 3. Truth has consequences. God has extended His mercy to us. Based on that, our reasonable, spiritual act of worship would be to present our bodies as living sacrifices and watch as God transforms us by renewing our minds so that we might discern His will – which is always good and acceptable and perfect. How will we respond to God? (Close with the hymn, May the Mind of Christ My Savior).

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