Giving All To God
Notes
Transcript
Today we embark on a journey together.
Considering a life God can bless
In our last series we considered God in our mission cycle and now we move to the individuals
We begin this new series by considering giving all to God
Are you ready for the message God has for us!
Cool, let’s begin
Pictures. We like pictures
WATCH WITH THEM AS THE PICTURES PLAY
Pictures are snap shot of a moment in time
A person
Family
Friends
People not thought of for a long time
Events
Forgotten memories
Pictures can also be used to teach us
My journey in deeper relationship with God began with a picture
The picture God showed me was Romans 12 Pew Bible 760.
1 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
It is a picture of a life God can bless
It is a picture of what we mean when we talk about holiness
Living a life God can bless is also about Spiritual Formation
Dallas Willard wrote: “Spiritual formation is an orderly process. Although God can triumph in disorder, that is not His choice. And instead of focusing upon what God can do, we must humble ourselves to accept the ways He has chosen to work with us. These are clearly laid out in the Bible, and especially in the words and person Jesus”
Dallas Willard, “Renovation of The Heart”
This order that Dallas Willard speaks of is seen in Romans 12.
So lets take our first look at this picture and what do we see?
Therefore...
Therefore...
Look at Romans 12:1
1 Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
With “therefore” Paul is saying on account all that I have said “I urge you”
Well what has Paul said?
A great deal for 11 chapters
Chapters 1-3 identify the problem all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Chapter 4-5 God has a solution to the problem, He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross in our place for our sins. This salvation is a free gift received by the grace of God through faith.
Chapters 6-8 Paul describes how the new life in Christ is lived out. The wage for sin is death. The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. This new life is not just difficult it’s impossible without the Spirit of God dwelling within us.
Then in Chapters 9-11 we learn that God has a plan in place. We have hope not only in this life but also a future life. Also God fulfill’s His promises. Promises to Jew and Gentile who have been grafted together in the Kingdom of God.
As we consider everything that Paul have stated for 11 chapters, as we learn about the love and grace of God, there is nothing we do to earn God’s favor.
All that God has done, all of the promises God has given are by His love and grace for us, freely given.
This is what Paul is saying as he leads into chapter 12
29 for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience,
31 so these also now have been disobedient, that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy.
32 For God has shut up all in disobedience, so that He may show mercy to all.
33 Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!
34 For Who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?
35 Or Who has first given to Him, that it would be paid back to him?
36 For from Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.
So for all of this Paul begins Chapter 12 with “Therefore”!
I Urge You, brothers and sisters
I Urge You, brothers and sisters
This is for every Christian to hear
Not the just the spiritual giants, not just those we think have arrived as Christians
From the least to the greatest from the leaders to the lay person, Paul urges brothers and sisters alike!
The word for “urge” was used to exhort troops who were about to go into battle
Here by apostolic authority Paul encourages everyone to present their bodies as a living and Holy sacrifice.
We do this in response to everything Paul has stated in the previous 11 chapters about the mercies of God
You see this is the expected response when we consider everything God has done
When we get to the place of brokenness
When we finally recognize that we can’t do this by ourselves
We we are tired of the circular treadmill of try hard do good fail!
We we finally see the insanity trap
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.
By the mercies of God we then present our bodies as a holy and living sacrifice.
We say to God, “I’m all in!
Describe how I’ve been there!
It is a Spiritual Act of Worship
It is a Spiritual Act of Worship
This is the desired response
This is what God wants
This is a free-will offering
This sacrifice is the recognition of how much we need God.
Even though Paul is emphatic in this verse, it is not a command.
God does want us to do this because he commanded it, but because we are responding to everything Paul has said for 11 chapters.
Like the crowd in Acts two, who took to heart the teaching of Peter understanding that they had sacrificed God’s Messiah
They stated, “Men and brothers, what shall we do?”
The response give yourself to Christ!
The sacrifice of self on the alter is done of our own free-will in recognition of the mercies of God!
This sacrifice is a constant day by day, minute by minute, moment by moment sacrifice.
This means we renew this sacrifice everyday day!
We need to also understand that this is an act of worship.
We need to put the importance on that.
Just like in the old testament where animals were sacrificed to God as an act of worship
We are offering a living sacrifice as a continual dedication and devotion to God as an act of worship.
Conclusion
So that is our first look at the picture of Romans 12
We can also consider what Paul said in Romans 6:12-14
12 Therefore sin is not to reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,
13 and do not go on presenting the parts of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead, and your body’s parts as instruments of righteousness for God.
14 For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under the Law but under grace.
So are you at that place of brokenness ready to get off the treadmill of trying to do it yourself?
Do want the Spirit of God to come in and release you from the bondage of sin?
Then consider everything God has done to release you, through his love, grace, and mercy.
Lay your life on the alter and let God take control! The altars are open now!