Being God’s People (Rom 12:1-2)

I. Introduction—What New Years brings

A. College football championships

1. Who will be number 1?

a) Oklahoma vs. Louisiana State on Jan 4, 2004, or

b) Southern California vs. Michigan on Jan 1, 2004

2. Bowl Championship Series vs. the forgotten days of Coaches’ vs. Sports Writers’ Polls

B. New Year’s tradition

1. Eat black-eyed peas for good luck

2. Not that I’m superstitious, “knock on wood” ; )

C. New Year’s resolutions

1. Better husband

2. Better worker

3. Lose weight

a) Warning: many want to help you lose weight—by emptying your pocketbook

b) Free advice: diet and exercise

D. Best resolution—be God’s people (Romans 12:1-2)

II. Our part in becoming God’s people

A. The context: theme (1:16-17); all under sin, salvation by faith, commitment to God, ineffectiveness of the Law/the effectiveness of Christ, salvation for the Jews

B. The basis of Paul’s instructions

1. He appeals (though he could have commanded [1 Cor 14:37]) to the Roman Christians based on their relationship with one another (“brethren”)

2. He appeals to the Roman Christians based on the mercy that God has shown them (cf. 2 Cor 1:3; Rom 11:30-32)

C. The instructions

1. “Present”—giving something to God, devote (cf. Rom 6:12-13, 16, 19)

2. “Bodies”—“member” (cf. 1 Cor 6:20); not a “better felt than told” religion; Jesus gave His body (1 Pet 2:24)

3. “Sacrifice”

a) The chicken and the pig discussed what the farmer would have for breakfast. The chicken suggested, “Bacon and eggs.” The pig replied, “Oh, no! For you, that would be only an offering. For me, it would be a sacrifice”

b) We sacrifice for God

c) Examples of our sacrifices—lose Sunday morning sleep, contribute as God has blessed us

d) Examples from Romans—Paul’s missionary preaching (15:15-24, 28-29, 32) and the Gentile Christians’ benevolence for poor Christians in Judea (15:25-27, 30-31)

4. The priestly language of our service (cf. 1 Pet 2:5, 9; Rev 1:6)—all Christians are priests; all Christians have equal access to God

D. The qualities of sacrifice

1. “Living”

a) In contrast to the dead sacrifices of the Old Law

b) Purpose in life—not to kill ourselves for God but to conduct our lives for Him

c) How much time is left for God in a 168 hour week after 56 hours for sleep, 40-50 hours for work, 35 hours to eat, read the newspaper, watch the evening news, 28 hours for family, chores, hobbies; only 4 hours for worship?

2. “Holy”

a) Set apart from sin, set apart for service to God; devoted to God

b) The world tries to influence us through T.V., radios, movies, CDs, books, etc.

c) Many try to excuse their sin by saying, “God understands.” Only when they say, “God does not understand; God forgives,” will they begin to live the kind of lives that God calls them to live

3. “Acceptable to God”

a) What pleases God

b) Too many live in terms of what pleases them; our hedonistic society: “You only go around once in life. So grab all the gusto you can”

c) The married person who justifies divorce by suggesting, “God wants me to be happy.” They fail to realize that true happiness is found in pleasing God

E. “Your spiritual service”

1. Service

a) Not service belonging to spiritual things, but service from one’s own spirit

b) Not service which is reasonable, but service from one’s own reason (that is, it is chosen or willed; cf. Matt 5:43-48)

2. Worship

a) Not specifically about the times Christians assemble together, though this worship would include those times and the instructions for such worship: a cappella singing, praying, preaching/Scripture reading, free will contributions

b) All of life is worship, that is service to God: We serve God by being a good husband, a good student, a good athlete, a good businessman

c) Too many Christians separate the times of corporate worship as being for God and their private lives as being for themselves: All life is worship/service to God!

III. Allowing God’s part in becoming God’s people

A. “Don’t be fashioned according to this world”

1. “Fashioned”—fit into the world’s mold

2. Cookie-cutter life of looking and acting like everyone else

3. Bill Cosby says, “Anybody can be funny by being vulgar. A real comedian does not have to be vulgar to be funny”

4. Cf. Jas 4:4; Gal 1:4; 1 John 2:15-17

B. “Be transformed”

1. As a caterpillar is transformed into a butterfly

2. Jesus transformed on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt 17:1-9)

3. How are we transformed?

a) By looking at Jesus (2 Cor 3:18)

b) By looking at His word (cf. Eph 4:22-24; Tit 3:5)

4. “That you may prove that His will is” (cf. Eph 5:10, 17):

a) “Good”—beneficial to self and others

b) “Acceptable”—well-pleasing to God, self and others

c) “Perfect”—mature, grown-up; truly the adult way to live (so-called “adult” entertainment is a perversion of the word “adult”)

IV. Conclusion—Resolve to be God’s person starting today!