Romans
12:1
Will
You Present Your Body as a Living Sacrifice?
Rom 12:1 I beseech
you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a
living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service.
1.
I Beseech You Therefore
a. Paul
is pleading with them to make a conscious, daily choice to give their lives to
God and His service
i.
Luke
9:23-24
ii.
1 Peter
2:11-12
2.
Brethren
a. This
choice is only for believers. Those that are not born again do not seek
righteousness.
i.
Romans
3:10-12
3.
By the Mercies of God
a. This
choice is based on the premise that you understand what Paul has been teaching
about the bountiful mercy and forgiveness of God in the previous part of the
book of Romans.
i.
God commended His love to you
1.
Romans
5:8
ii.
God cleanses your conscience
1.
Romans
8:1
iii.
God adopts you into His family
1.
Romans
8:15
iv.
For these reasons, and much more, let us
trust him in the same fashion that Paul does.
1.
2 Timothy
1:12
4.
That Ye Present Your Bodies
a. This
is not a choice that you can make for someone else or that someone else can
make for you. Only you can choose to yield yourself to the will of the Master.
i.
Romans
6:11-13
5.
A Living Sacrifice
a. We
do not throw ourselves off a cliff for God. We sacrifice our selves to God by
following the example of our Savior
i.
Ephesians
5:2
ii.
Psalm
110:1-3
6.
Holy
a. We
must be consecrated and purified by the blood of the Lamb in order to be
dedicated to the service of God.
i.
1Peter
1:15-16
7.
Acceptable unto God
a. God
does have a standard by which we must live. You cannot claim to be a follower
of Christ and live in the same fashion as the world.
i.
James
1:27
ii.
1 John
5:3
8.
Which is Your Reasonable Service
a. We
do not worship God with blind obedience. He carefully reveals Himself to us so
that we may have the confidence to know that He will keep that which we have
committed to Him much better than we could ever.
i.
John
4:19-24