Life Together
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Text: Romans 12:1-2
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
The Gold Standard (what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ): Christians are to give themselves entirely to God because of his saving grace.
Our existence as Christians is not about our happiness.
Our existence as Christians is not about living a suffering-free life.
Our existence as Christians is not about the fulfilment of our hopes, plans, and dreams.
Our existence as Christians centers on the mercy of God—and living the surrendered life for His purpose.
As Christians, we live within the context of Christ’s resurrection.
We were once dead to our sins and sinful life/.
We are now alive in Christ.
20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
A Christian is a living sacrifice—living to worship God—with our whole heart (our actions, our thoughts, and our attitudes).
As a result, we cannot ignore a glaring problem: We must confront it!
1. The Problem: Conformed to this World
1. The Problem: Conformed to this World
This present evil age still threatens those who belong to Christ. We must resist its pressures.
A pressure exists to conform to the principles and practices of open hostility to the holiness of God.
Conforming to this world embraces a self-centered rejection of God’s authority and moral code.
Conforming to this world leads us away from the presence of God
This is a critical threat to the church right now. More and more professing Christians are embracing a “relationship” with God that denies His authority and His word.
Many do not know what God’s Word says.
Many pick and choose from God’s Word what suits them.
Many blend the worlds beliefs with some aspects of Christianity—which perverts and distorts authentic Biblical Christianity.
We must repent—or suffer the consequences of backsliding.
Repentance opens the door to the solution we need to overcome this critical problem.
2. The Solution: Transformed by the Renewal of Your Mind
2. The Solution: Transformed by the Renewal of Your Mind
In God’s great love, mercy, and grace—He does not just give us the problem—He gives to us the solution.
Redemption, restoration, justification, and sanctification are incredible themes of Scripture—and describes the work of God to rescue us from sin—and bring us into new life and new relationship.
The renewing of our mind and a miraculous work of the Holy Spirit . It speaks of transformation—a change into the likeness of Christ.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
Question: How many of you are sick of falling into the same habitual sin—day after day—struggling to live in the hope and beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Implied in this passage is CHOICE! We have a choice—a decision to make.
Instead of conforming to the pattern of this words (sin); let us fully embrace the life of Holy Spirit-empowered transformation—where we let go of the old way—and embrace to new way—a Christ-entered, God-honoring, surrendered life that lives to glorify and exult God.
Abandoning the conforming worldly life and living the transformed life shapes and defines our purpose for living.
3. The Purpose: Honoring God and Helping People
3. The Purpose: Honoring God and Helping People
Our purpose is to worship God.
Our purpose is to help others.
In my conclusion, I want to let God’s Word speak for itself. It is a lengthy passage in Romans 12—but please allow these words to penetrate your heart.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
16 Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
17 Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.
18 If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.
19 Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
20 To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Conclusion
I am asking you to seriously consider what God is saying through is word.
Has this word in Romans 12 described you lately?
Or, have you allowed the world’s systems to influence your life and decisions and actions?
It is time to repent—to change directions—and allow the Holy Spirit to transform your life.