Romans 12:1-8 "The Church that Works"
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: Two week ago tomorrow we Americans held our annual celebration of the working men and women of our nation. Now, I’d be willing to bet that none of us here thought of Labor Day in that fashion during that long weekend. No, many may have thought of it as the end of summer, or the last weekend of camping.
But, Labor Day was originally set aside to celebrate working men and women of our nation. As we reflect on how things have changed in this realm, we marvel not only at the multitude of technological changes that have swept through our lives but also at the ability of workers to adapt and continue to be productive for themselves, their families, and their country.
God has richly blessed our nation with a vast variety of workers who, working together, produce goods and services for themselves and for many beyond our borders.
As Christians we hear phrases like, “In the world but not of the world” — those are words Jesus uttered. We also hear and think about our “Purpose” for being here, and some talk in terms of having a “Purpose Driven Life.” Today, however, I want us to think about this in terms of
“What is God Calling us to Be and Do?”
“What is God Calling us to Be and Do?”
In other words, why are we here? Jesus saved us by His grace, shed His blood on the cross to atone for our sin, and was raised again so that we, too, can have life and immortality. In fact, when — by the mercies of God — we were Born from Above by water and the Spirit, God, after saving us, didn’t just drop us off on the side of the road and say, “Have a good day!” No!
The point is not to find a need and fill it, but to see God’s mercies and gifts and use them to work to bring others to the light of his love.
1. The church that wants to work.
1. The church that wants to work.
A. Motivation comes from above (v 1). “Therefore”—“in view of God’s mercy.”
Little words can carry a big wallop! “Therefore” refers not only to the immediately preceding verse but to the whole foundation of the Christian faith about which Paul has written these Romans.
Just check-out these examples of God’s mercy shown to us and all believers:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
1 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
You see, it is God’s mercy, which motivates and empowers the church to go to work in the Lord’s service. God’s mercy for us resulted in our salvation through Jesus’ death and resurrection, and now it results in our total commitment to him.
So here Paul says,
1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Note, Paul is “appealing to,” or pleading with them as brothers and sisters in the faith. Can you find a clearer passage to debunk the idea that one can be only a Sunday-morning Christian? God’s mercies compel us to worship him with a powerful, daily life of service work. Our work is a way of worshiping our Lord.
The body is the organ for action. We are not here asked to perform a physical mutilation but to give ourselves 100 percent as “living sacrifices” to God, to let him totally direct our lives
13 and do not present your members to sin as instruments to be used for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead and your members to God as instruments to be used for righteousness.
There is a Wholehearted Commitment Here. The “sacrifice” here recalls Old Testament sacrifices where life was given up totally to honor God. God is honored by the same total commitment, but through Christians who are alive in every way, serving; the Lord.
Note the attitude under which this living sacrifice is made, not to earn something, not to please one’s self, not to garner publicity, but to please and honor God. There is nothing ceremonial or ritualistic here. One is moved to respond daily, positively, and specifically to God’s mercies. Thus the Christian’s life is a genuine act of worship. Even though he/she may not consciously think of it as such, God does!
If you don’t get this part right, the rest won’t matter at all! When life’s foundation is rooted in the Gospel, the specifics of the Christian life become pure dynamite!
1. The church that wants to work.
1. The church that wants to work.
2. The church that wants to work God’s will.
2. The church that wants to work God’s will.
Exciting as such a mercy-driven, God-pleasing life might sound, it is never easy. The reason? Peer pressure from the world—the realm of unbelievers all around us who by their lifestyle and words constantly pressure the people of God to live a life pleasing to themselves instead of God.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind...” (v.2a).
A. We refuse to have life shaped by the world. The eyes, ears, and so forth are the entry points into the world of sin around us
24 Now those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
14 But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
(1) God transforms our lives through the renewal of our minds—where decisions are made and where God calls for complete loyalty and love. We have a different set of priorities—ours having been set by God.
(2) Test it out! Does it measure up to God’s good will? (v 2)
3. The church that wants to work God’s way.
3. The church that wants to work God’s way.
A. Working as the body of Christ.
3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.
We need to see where we fit into God’s plan in a practical way. This calls for soul-searching. Two dangers confront us, both of which are destructive:
a bloated self-image; or
a flat self-image. (“I’m no good; I don’t have any real gifts.)
To boast is to idolize yourself; to deny your gifts is to refuse to recognize and use what God has already given you, a slap in God’s face (1 Cor 12:7–11).
μέτρον πίστεως
metron pisteōs, “measure of faith” is personal, saving faith, and in the case of every believer it has and possesses some spiritual gift that is to be exercised for the glory of God and the good of the church
4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
V 4: He uses the timeless, natural analogy of human anatomy to teach us about the body of Christ. Stand in front of the mirror and look! Unique tasks are assigned the tongue, ear, thumb, hair, etc. There is simultaneously unity and diversity, wholeness and parts! All are essential for the human body to work. That principle is true for each individual.
V 5: Apply the above principle directly to the body of Christ. Our unity is not only vertically oriented—with Christ, but “in Christ”—we are horizontally united in one body with each other. We “belong” to every other member in the family of Christ! What resources, power, potential, love! Paul calls the church the sōma, the body.
(1) United with Christ (v 5).
(2) United in Christ with each other (v 5).
B. Working uniquely.
(1) Recognize and/or find your gift.
(2) Use your gift(s) enthusiastically and effectively in the Lord’s kingdom work.
God places us on a team, in a body of Christians, each one taking a share in the work. God calls us to engage in this work and, as always, gives the gifts we need to be effective.
I pray fervently that God’s mercy will touch each heart here so that together we may flourish in the worshipful work God has given us to do.