A LIVING SACRIFICE

Romans 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies

of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to

God, which is your reasonable service. (2) And do not be

conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of

your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and

perfect will of God.

A LIVING SACRIFICEA. In chapter eleven Paul has dealt with the Gentiles being

puffed up against the Jews because they had accepted Christ and the Jews had rejected Him.

B. He warns them that just as the Jews were cut off, they could be also.

C. In chapter twelve Paul tells them what they need to do to prevent the same thing that happened to the Jews from happening to them.

D. They must present their bodies as a living sacrifice.E. That sacrifice must be holy and acceptable to God.F. It is the reasonable thing for them to do since Jesus died

for them on the cross. G. The same thing is true for us today.H. How do we present our bodies as a living sacrifice?

I. BY NOT CONFORMING TO THE WORLD.

Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

II. BY BEING HUMBLE.

Romans 12:3-5 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.

III. BY USING OUR ABILITIES FOR GOD.

Romans 12:6-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

IV. BY TREATING OTHERS RIGHT.

Romans 12:9-10 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. (10) Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

V. BY DILIGENTLY SERVING THE LORD.

Romans 12:11-12 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; (12) rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

VI. BY SHARING WITH OTHERS.

Romans 12:13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.

VII. BY BLESSING YOUR ENEMIES.

Romans 12:14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

VIII. BY HAVING EMPATHY TOWARD OTHERS.

Romans 12:15-16 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. (16) Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.

IX. BY OVERCOMING EVIL WITH GOOD.

Romans 12:17-21 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. (18) If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. (19) Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. (20) Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." (21) Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

X. BY BEING A LAW-ABIDING CITIZEN. Romans 13:1-7 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. (2) Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. (3) For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. (4) For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. (5) Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake. (6) For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God's ministers attending continually to this very thing. (7) Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

XII. BY FULFILLING YOUR DEBT OF LOVE.

Romans 12:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. (9) For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (10) Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

XIII. BY WALKING IN THE LIGHT.

Romans 12:11-14 And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. (12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (13) Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. (14) But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

XIV. BY ACCEPTING ONE ANOTHER IN SPITE OF DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS. Romans 14:1-15:7 Romans 14:1-6 Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. (2) For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables. (3) Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats; for God has received him. (4) Who are you to judge another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand. (5) One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. (6) He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.

XIV. BY ACCEPTING ONE ANOTHER IN SPITE OF DIFFERENCE OF OPINIONS. Romans 14:1-15:7 Rom 14:13-18 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. (14) I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. (15) Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died. (16) Therefore do not let your good be spoken of as evil; (17) for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (18) For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men. (19) Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

ARE YOU A LIVING SACRIFICE?A. Are you presenting your body as a living sacrifice.B. A sacrifice has no say in how it is sacrificed.C. We must die to self and live for Jesus, each day. Luke

9:23-26 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. (24) For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. (25) For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (26) For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels.

TONIGHT’S SERMONAS CHRISTIANS WE ARE…