“A LIVING SACRIFICE”

Romans 12:1-21

June 10, 2007 Pastor Jack Harpold

We have come to practical application. Here the gospel walks in shoe leather.

Since we have received such great riches in Christ Jesus, we must give our lives to Jesus without reservation – this is a reasonable expectation of service in return for the salvation so freely given. God forgives us, justifies us, and on the basis of faith gives us a right standing before Him. We ought to live a life worthy of so much love!

We place our total personalities at God's disposal. The tongue which once uttered blasphemy, and murdered the character of others, must now speak wholesome things. The eyes that once watched anything that came along, must now be consecrated to God. You may call this act of surrender anything you want to call it, sanctification, consecration, or the baptism of the Holy Spirit - but regardless of what you call it, there must come a time in your life when you say one great big "Yes" to the will of God.

The word "transform" means "a radical change.” It is a description of the amazing change that takes place when an ugly caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly. Even so the Christian life is a changed life resulting from an experience with Jesus Christ.

The "world" consists of people who think and act and plan and live apart from God. It says, "Wear these clothes; sing these songs; join these clubs; go these places.” But God says, "Don't be conformed to it, don't let the world squeeze you into its own mold."

The non-conformity spoken of is a broad principle. It applies to our actions, our words, our attitudes, and our whole manner of life. It speaks of the customs and fashions of this world, with particular reference to the outward form (that which changes from day to day and year to year - the fashions of this world). Satan knows if he can get us to conform to the world in our dress, he will also command that we conform in other areas of life! So God says, "Don't pattern after the outward forms of the world-system."

We become members of the Body of Christ, with all the parts making the whole body.

Romans 12:3-8 points out that we can serve the Lord effectively only when we come to realize the Church is a Body made up of many individual members, each with a different gift. Each member of the human body has its own function to perform, even so, God gives each believer some particular gift to make him a direct benefit to the Body of Christ. Romans 12:6-8 names some gifts. There is the gift of prophecy, preaching, declaring the message of God. The Greek word refers not so much to foretelling the future, as to unfolding the message of God. There is the gift of ministry¸ the ability to serve, referring to helping especially with physical needs - setting up chairs, giving out songbooks, and preparing for the lovefeast. There is the gift of teaching, the ability to explain the Scriptures and make them clear and understandable. The gift of exhorting means to encourage and admonish; to speak words of counsel and wisdom. With the gift of giving, God gives some men the honest ability to make money so they are able to supply relief to those in need. To others, God gives the gift of ruling, the gift of administration. Leaders need to exercise their gift in the church so that everything might be done decently and in order. The business of the church requires a man with the gift of administration. The last gift named is the gift of showing mercy. The Greek word means a "sick-visitor.” It is the gift that enables people to bring brightness and cheerfulness into the sickroom. Not everybody has that gift, but these are gifts which God in His mercy gives His people.

Every believer should exercise the particular gift God has given him. If God calls you to be the custodian in the church, you ought to be the best janitor our Lord Jesus ever had. If He has given you the gift of teaching (of making the Scriptures clear and understandable), this ought to be your greatest business.

No one has all the gifts, yet each has some gift. Never think you can't do anything. On the other hand, never think that you can do everything. We are cautioned in verse 3 not to think of ourselves "more highly than we ought to think.” If your gift is serving, concentrate on service. It it's teaching, give all you have to teaching. If you are called to give, give freely and without show. No one person can be expected to do all the work. Every believer has a responsibility to exercise their gift. Our attitude toward serving God involves presenting our bodies, finding our place, and doing our work.

Our relationship toward other Christians can be described with the word "love.” Paul says in verse 9 that our love is to be without dissimulation - that is, it is to be genuine and without hypocrisy. Real genuine love expresses itself in a number of ways.

Genuine love is affectionate (verse 10). The world is accustomed to harsh dealings among men. They take unfair advantage; deceive with lying words; lose their tempers - but the Christian, possesses a love that is openhearted and kind and thoughtful. Genuine love is to be kindly affectioned toward our Christian brethren.

Real love is enthusiastic. Verse 11 says, "not slothful in business, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” Our work in the church should be characterized by zeal and energy and fervency. We must never just "drag along" in the Lord's work, as if there is nothing to be excited about. Apollos was a fervent preacher (Acts 18:25); James speaks of fervent prayer (James 5:16); Peter recommends fervent love (I Peter 1:22). Our work in God's service should be done with enthusiasm.

Genuine love is hopeful (Verse 12). Christians are happy because of their hope. One man tells of his visit with a native preacher in Nigeria. The preacher had a brother who was an unconverted tribal chief - a cruel, hard man. The difference between these two brothers as they were observed talking together, was evident in many ways. The eyes of the tribal chief showed great cruelty; his features were hard and pitiless. The other man (the preacher) had a countenance that showed kindness and calmness. The kindly native preacher was once a man of cruelty like his brother, but now the preacher had become a child of hope, and even his countenance showed the difference.

Genuine love is helpful (Verse 13). The Christian shares his resources with those in need, given to hospitality. Without hospitality, the early church could hardly have existed. Christians traveled from place to place - sometimes as evangelists, sometimes to escape persecution. There were no hotels. The inns were expensive and centers of evil practices. The doors of Christian homes were open to traveling believers. Every Christian home should be an inn where traveling Christians can find lodging.

Genuine love is forgiving (verse 14). The real test of our faith is our attitude toward those who misuse us. Paul says we should pray for God’s blessings on our persecutors, as Jesus did on the Cross. He looked on the bloody hands of those who mocked him, and said, "Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Real love is sympathetic. Verse 15 says, "Rejoice with them that do rejoice; and weep with them that weep.” The Bible says we should share the joys of those who are glad, as well as the sorrows of those who are sad. When you hear of the health and happiness and prosperity of another brother - rejoice with him. Don't envy his success. And when brethren and sisters are passing through the valley of weeping, we should weep with them. The world's motto is "Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone." But that is not true of the believer.

The Christian can expect to have enemies; not everyone will be friendly. The final portion of chapter 12 instructs us regarding our attitudes toward those who mistreat us.

We must avoid retaliation. Verse 17 says, "Recompense to no man evil for evil; provide things honest in the sight of all men.” When someone does evil against us, we must not retaliate. We are not to do to others as they do to us.

Try to preserve peace. Verse 18 says, "If it be possible, as much as lies in you, live peaceably with all men.” We should seek every means possible to maintain harmony with others. The other party may not yield - but we must do everything possible from our side to maintain harmony, and to live peaceably with all men. This means we will try to answer angry people in a gentle way. When others persecute or curse, we will pray that God will bless them. It means that we will try and make a peaceful settlement even at personal sacrifice, rather than take matters to court.

Do not take revenge. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath; for it is written, Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord. When someone harms us, the natural reaction is to take things into our own hands, and to try to get even. When the neighbor's dog wrecks the flowerbed, the old Adam boils up inside us, and we wonder what we can do to get even. God says, "Avenge not yourselves.” Don't take matters into your own hands; let God's wrath operate. He will set the record straight.

Verse 20 says that the way to move a man's heart is to treat him with kindness. Kindness makes a deep impression on the enemy, causing a burning sense of shame. Someday he might be convicted of his evil conduct, and may even turn to God in repentance. Nothing will disarm an enemy like kindness in return for an insult. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. We have a duty not only to keep from taking vengeance, but to go much farther - to treat our enemies with kindness.

To live the kind of life described requires a supernatural birth. The greatest thing you can do today is to give your heart in surrender to Jesus Christ, and let Him impart within you a new nature. Open the door of your heart to Jesus, and He will give you power to live a new kind of life. There will be a spring in your step, and a joy in your heart, and a peace in your soul that you have never experienced before.