A Living Sacrifice is Not a Sacrifice of Living

Text: Romans 12

1. Keep God’s mercy in view.

Reminder from last week – any other foundation but “God loves me” is an unhealthy foundation.
• Ephesians 5:1 – “…walk in love, just as Christ loved us…

Chapters 1-11 are a love story that Paul is exhorting us to remember and allow to have its full effect on us.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Jesus is our treasure. That’s why our hearts long to know Him better.

When we are under the influence and awareness of the mercies of God, the rest of what follows flows from it.

2. Offer your bodies as living sacrifices

The instruction here is not to make yourself holy and pleasing to God and then present yourself, but because you have been made holy and pleasing to God, as a result of what was described in the previous 11 chapters you can confidently do so.

Stewardship is not just my time, talent, and treasure but myself; it’s my whole life.
• I am literally laying my life at His feet to be prompted and coached by His Spirit today.
• Not as a duty but as a privilege. Realizing that my life, placed in His hands is in the very best place it could ever be.

Stewardship is an opportunity to reflect the glory of God.

3. Don’t think more highly of yourself than you ought.

“Do you,” but not independently, in harmony with the rest of the body.

He doesn’t instruct us to not think highly of ourselves but not more highly than we ought.
• We all have an “R” and “N.” Resources to give and Needs to be met. Maturity is being able to offer both: resources without arrogance and neediness without shame.

My prayer is that Valley Brook would be a place alive with Jesus, distinguished by His Spirit. With divine qualities coming from each part of the body, and that every person coming in would experience the wonders of Christ as they see Him expressed through each of us and be drawn into wanting to know Him better. As we are.

Keep God’s Mercy in View. Present ourselves to Him. Don’t think too highly of ourselves. If we do those three things, it will lubricate the gears that drive the things listed in verses 9-21 They aren’t effortless, but they become easier and more organic.