Well, if we can turn back to our reading in Romans 12, we're going to look this evening at the beginning of this chapter, verse 1 and 2.
Romans 12, you can read again verse 1 and 2.
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.
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
We're continuing our theme of sacrifice that we've had last night and this morning already, and coming to think more tonight about how that shows itself in our lives going forward from today.
As we acknowledge today, we have much to give thanks for and what the Lord has done for us, but it doesn't end now.
We take the Lord with us into the week ahead and in all our days ahead, seeking to live for him.
But how are we living for him?
We saw this morning as we were looking in Leviticus chapter 16 in the Day of Atonement that the people were together in that sacrifice.
It was not an individual sacrifice.
The congregation gave that sacrifice as one seeking the Lord's blessing, seeking the forgiveness of their sin.
And that's the idea I want to carry on this evening, that idea of congregation, that idea of being one together.
Because when we think about church, that is what church is.
What is your idea of what church is?
It's been defined maybe in different ways.
Someone put it like this.
Church can be broadly defined as a community of believers who gather together to worship God, study the Bible, and practice their faith.
The church is considered the body of Christ with Jesus as its head.
You see there some of the themes that you read here in Romans 12.
The idea of many members, one body with Christ as the head.
But we think too of what it is for believers, what it is for the people of God.
We gather together to worship God, to study his word, but to practice their faith.
In other words, to live out our faith.
But how does that look?
How do you view church?
How do we do church?
Sometimes church can be viewed as an order, a hierarchy,
where it's looked at kind of from a top-down idea.
But another way of viewing it is that it's a body.
And that's what we have in Romans 12.
A body made up of different parts.
And the difference can be subtle,
but it can make all the difference for us as a congregation of God's people.
Because if we look at it the first way, where there's hierarchy,
we end up with a system of, well, there's something for others to do, but not for me.
I just go along, and I don't actually maybe feel a part of it.
But when we view it as a body, a body with many members,
one body, and Christ as its head,
then you can begin to realize that everybody has a part to play.
That everybody is involved,
from the youngest to the oldest.
You look at the sporting world,
and there can be people who are to the fore in the sporting world.
For example, you take golf.
You may have heard of Rory McIlroy,
one of the best golfers in the world at this moment.
You hear his name, you maybe automatically know who he is, what he's won.
But who's this caddy?
Do you know his name?
Not many people would.
This caddy's called Harry Diamond.
But he's not to the fore, and yet he's just as important.
He's there to help and advise Rory McIlroy.
He's making his way around the course
to encourage him, to keep him focused.
He's just as important.
You think of Formula One.
You think of Lando Norris, the current world champion.
His name can be to the fore.
But who are all his engineers?
Who's his team in the background?
Maybe you know none of their names,
but there are many.
And they're there, and without that team,
without his team of engineers,
and everybody involved in the background,
he wouldn't be a world champion.
And so you see, it's important that,
although you can see that there are people sometimes to the fore,
to be successful is about everyone being involved,
everyone being together.
And that's the same when it comes to church as well.
There can be those people who have specific roles.
You'll know these roles when I mention them.
The minister, the elders, the deacons, the clerks, the treasurer,
church officer, the presenters.
You know, they all have a title and a role,
but it doesn't mean they have a greater sense of importance.
It doesn't mean that they are more important than anybody else.
Because the church is the people coming together,
one in Christ.
Yes, we are individuals with different roles to play,
but we recognize that everyone has a part to play.
And as we've been looking this weekend at the theme of sacrifice,
we've seen it in Leviticus.
And last night we were looking at the chapter 2,
where we saw the grain offering,
and it was that sense of a sacrifice of adoration,
a worship given to God.
Then this morning we were looking at chapter 16 in Leviticus,
where we saw the day of atonement,
an atoning sacrifice made for us,
especially as we see it in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Well, we're continuing that idea of sacrifice this evening,
but seeing how it applies to ourselves.
And here in verse 1 and 2 of Romans is where we find it.
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.
To present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
When you look at Romans,
you see that much of the teaching up until this point,
up to chapter 11,
a lot of it has been about teaching about
the depth of what the Lord has done.
But what does that lead to?
What is our remembrance of the Lord's death today?
Where does it take us tonight?
Where does it take us tomorrow?
How do we live out our lives in light of that?
Romans has a great sense of giving us knowledge up to this point.
Paul's great teaching in Romans.
He said,
you can have all the knowledge,
but now he's saying,
therefore,
in light of all this knowledge,
how are we,
what are you going to do?
How are you going to live?
It is to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.
To live for the Lord.
Somebody wants to pray like this,
knowledge is having the facts,
but wisdom is applying those facts to your life.
And so we are to apply all that we've looked at
over these services this weekend,
and again tonight,
apply it to us,
and ask,
how are we going to live?
How are we going to go forward?
And there's three things in these verses
that I want us to see.
Verse 1 and 2 of Romans.
First of all,
we have the worship of God.
So we continue that theme that we had last night.
We see then there is the wisdom of God.
This is what we need to live,
lives that are sacrificed to God.
And then we see finally the will of God
that we are to seek as we live in this way.
So the first thing is the wisdom,
the worship of God, sorry.
And you see that in the first verse.
The chapter begins with,
therefore,
I appeal to you,
therefore, brothers.
And so,
there's something important here
that we are to see.
So it's not just a case of,
now,
well,
here's what you are to do.
But it's in light of what has been said
up to this point.
Here is what is important
in light of what you've learned.
And up to this point,
it's been about what God has done for us.
What God has done for us.
For example,
in Romans 5,
verse 6,
There's so much teaching in that.
While we were still weak,
while we were still in our sin,
at the right time,
in God's time,
Christ died for the ungodly.
God was in control of it all.
Even as he gave his son
to die for our sin,
it was at the right time,
God's time,
his way.
And that's what we've remembered today.
What we've been part of
if you were sitting at the Lord's table
or if you were observing the Lord's table,
remembering the Lord's death
until he come.
But now we're asking,
how are we going to live going forward
from here?
How are we going to live going forward?
And it's like Paul is here,
a survey of what was done.
When he says,
I appeal to you therefore,
brothers,
in light of the mercies of God.
Looking at the mercies of God,
as we survey the mercies of God,
how are we going to go forward?
What difference is that going to make
in your life?
What difference is it going to make
in my life?
The hymn writer said,
When I survey the wondrous cross
on which the prince of glory died,
my riches gain,
I count but loss
and pour contempt
on all my pride.
Maybe you came here this morning
with that pride in your heart,
boasting in self,
confident in self.
But when we survey the cross,
the wondrous cross,
when we survey all that the Lord
has done for us,
that pours contempt.
That puts our pride down.
That humbles us
because we realize
that we owe everything to him.
So it's in light
by the mercies of God.
And as you're reading through
the book of Romans,
you see the mercies of God
that are so many.
That God's mercies
is from eternity
and to eternity
without beginning
and without end.
You see it
in his electing his people,
his choosing of his people,
in his saving of his people,
in his transforming of his people,
in his justifying of his people,
in his keeping of his people.
You see it so many ways
as you're reading through Romans.
The mercies of God.
Even as we think back to Leviticus,
you see the mercies of God there,
that he didn't give them
what their sin deserved.
But there was mercy.
There was hope given to them
through sacrificing to God.
And his mercy is more
than we could ever imagine.
And so therefore,
as Paul is saying here,
I appeal to you,
brothers,
by the mercies of God
to present your bodies
as a living sacrifice,
your spiritual worship,
to live for him.
And there's a subtle difference
I want you to see here as well
between Leviticus
and how Paul writes here.
When you're looking in Leviticus,
we were seeing
Moses giving commands,
God's commands
coming through Moses.
And it was very much
a sense of the law.
This is what you are to do.
You must do this.
There is a danger in that
where it becomes
a sense of legalism.
And we can easily
fall into that trap.
Well, if we do this,
we'll be right.
With no idea
why we're doing it
or how we're doing it.
We're just doing it
for the sake of doing it.
But as Paul says,
he says,
I appeal to you.
I urge you.
I encourage you.
It's no less important.
But there's a subtle difference.
It's to be done
in light of the mercies of God.
In light of the grace of God.
In recognition of all
that has been done.
So it's not just
a sense of obligation
or duty
that you present your body
as a living sacrifice.
This is what I have to do.
It's more,
this is what I want to do.
This is what I long to do.
This is what I love to do.
Because of the mercies of God.
Because of all that
he has done for me.
As we look at the cross.
As we see what Christ has done.
Does that not lead us
to worship?
To lead us to present
our bodies
as a living sacrifice.
To do all for him.
Are we worshipping
as we should?
What is worship?
Well, you see it
at the end of chapter 11
in verse 33 to 36.
And it's there speaking about
to him be glory forever.
But at the last verse there,
verse 36.
It's a sense of giving glory
to God.
Giving praise.
Giving worship to God.
But then as you come into
chapter 12,
verse 1.
This worship requires
service.
The worship that he speaks of there,
your spiritual worship,
is acts of service.
Presenting your bodies
as living sacrifices
is acts of service.
It's very much tied in
that idea with
the priests in Leviticus,
how they were serving
God at the altar.
We are to be a people
who are serving God
in our lives.
And presenting our bodies
as a living sacrifice,
it maybe makes you think
there must be pain
involved in this.
Because we've looked at
sacrifice last night
and this morning.
And it so often means
death.
Dying in sacrifice.
Blood is shed.
the flesh is burnt.
But then you notice
the difference here
between what Paul
is saying here
and what we have
in the Old Testament.
The difference is
that in the Old Testament
the people were called
to give their sacrifice
to give it over to death.
But we are to offer up
our bodies
as a living sacrifice.
So it's ongoing.
Now there is that sense
of this sacrifice
is costly.
The sacrifice
is painful.
There's challenges
in it.
It's personal.
It's necessary.
And all of these things
it'll be hard.
But we should love
to do it
in light of the
mercies
of God.
We are to give
ourselves
over to Him.
Our worship
is not just
a few hours
in here
on a Sunday.
Our worship
goes on
as a living sacrifice
tomorrow
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
every day
of the week.
We love Him
so we are to serve Him.
We love Him
so we are to live
our lives
in that way
of honouring Him
in all
that we do.
Our lives
are to be a living sacrifice
in the sense of
our worship
goes on
day
after day.
And the second thing
we see
goes on in the light
of the wisdom
of God.
Because you look at it
here in verse 2
where it says
do not be conformed
to this world
but be transformed
by the renewal
of your mind.
So there's to be
a change
and to be
a living sacrifice
we need
this change
we need
this wisdom
of God.
Where does
your wisdom
come from
tonight?
What are you
basing
your life
upon?
What wisdom
is it from
the world
and the thoughts
that are around you
within this world?
Well how is that
working out
for you?
Are you happy?
Are you happy
being conformed
to the ways
of this world?
When you're
conformed
to the ways
of the world
what does it mean?
When you're young
there's so much
pressure
to be conformed
to the ways
of the world.
To be those
who go out
for a drink.
to be those
who take
this drug.
To be those
who turn away
from God.
You don't need
him.
You don't need
church.
There's all
of these ideas
that will be
thrown at you
to be conformed
to the ways
of the world.
But what Paul
is saying here
is
wisdom is found
not there.
Do not be
conformed
to the world
but be
transformed
by the renewal
of your mind.
To allow
God in.
To see the
wisdom of God
in his word.
To see that this
is not something
for old people
or something
for a past
generation.
That this word
is for every
one of us
today
and every
day.
Have you
made mistakes?
Of course
you have.
I have.
You have.
We all have.
But have we
learned from
our mistakes?
Or are we
continuing to
be conformed
in the ways
of the world?
As we go
on in life
we gain
experience in
life in many
different ways.
And experience
comes in
what we have
done.
In what we've
maybe achieved
but also
sometimes in
what we've
failed in
as well.
Wisdom
comes from
learning from
what we have
done badly
often.
From what we
know is wrong.
But if we
keep on doing
it that's not
wisdom.
That's what
Paul is saying
do not be
conformed to
this world.
Do not carry
on in this
way.
Instead find
your wisdom
with God.
As Proverbs
3 says
verse 5 to
7
trust in the
Lord with
all your
heart.
Do not
lean on
your own
understanding.
In all
your ways
acknowledge
him and
he will
make
straight
your
paths.
Be not
wise in
your own
eyes.
Fear the
Lord and
turn away
from evil.
It is a
challenge to
us.
Where are we
finding our
wisdom?
We're to
find our
wisdom in
God and
in his
word and
to search
after that.
Be wise
not in
your own
eyes.
Fear the
Lord and
turn away
from evil.
We live in
a world that
is always
trying to
shape us.
To mold
us.
That's what
the word
there conformed
means.
It's talking
about molding
us.
A mold is
something that
can mass
produce the
same thing
again and
again.
And that
is what the
world does.
It molds
us.
It shapes
us into
our sin
over and
over again
because it
leads us
away from
God.
It molds
us into
thinking in
a particular
way that
goes against
everything that
God is
saying.
But we
are to be
different.
We are to
present our
lives as
living sacrifices,
not being
conformed to
this world,
but by
being
transformed,
transformed by
the renewal
of your
minds.
So don't
allow the
world to
squeeze you
into a
particular way,
a particular
way of
living that
is apart
from him,
but instead
come and
see the
importance of
the word of
God and be
transformed by
it.
in 2
Corinthians
chapter 3,
Paul uses
that image
again of
being
transformed.
How does
renewal take
place?
We are all
with unveiled
faces beholding
the glory of
the Lord and
are being
transformed into
the same image
from one
degree of
glory to
another.
How do you
get transformed?
you gaze
longingly
on the
loveliness of
Christ,
on the
beauty of
Christ.
You make
him your
study.
You make
him your
delight.
You make
him that
point of
worship
constantly
going forward
day by
day loving
him.
And the
word here
for transformed
is about a
complete change
taking place.
It's a word
used for when
a caterpillar
becomes a
butterfly.
That
transformation
takes place
the same
creature but
in a very
different way
being seen.
The
caterpillar
goes into
the cocoon
and it
emerges then
as a
butterfly.
Completely
transformed.
And we
have that
image of
God in
us.
because we
are made
in his
image.
But we
so often
shun that.
We don't
live for
him.
But we
are to be
transformed
by the
renewal
of our
minds.
By allowing
Christ into
our hearts.
As Paul
again says
in Philippians
have this
mind among
yourselves
which is
yours in
Christ Jesus
who though
he was in
the form
of God
did not
count equality
with God
a thing
to be
grasped
but made
himself
nothing.
Taking the
form of
a servant
being born
in the
likeness of
men and
being found
in human
form he
humbled
himself by
becoming
obedient to
the point
of death
even death
on a
cross.
He gave
himself
and we
are to be
transformed
by him
and for
him.
By
surrendering
ourselves
to God
by filling
our mind
with the
word of
God
by finding
the wisdom
of God.
That is
how we
are to
live
as a
people
who are
living
presenting
our bodies
as a
living
sacrifice
through the
wisdom
of God.
So we
have the
worship
of God
we have
the wisdom
of God
and it
leads there
to the
third thing
that we
have
the will
of God
that by
testing you
may discern
what is
the will
of God
what is
good
and
acceptable
and
perfect.
When it
comes to
the will
of God
where do
you start?
What do
you think
of the
will
of God?
Are you
saying to
yourself
well I
want to
know
the will
of God
in my
life?
Well
this is
point number
three
but it's
probably
the place
where most
would start
but what
you find
is that
when there
is no
worship
when there
is no
seeking
the wisdom
of God
then we
cannot really
know the
will
of God
because
the more
we worship
God
aright
the more
we are
unable
to know
the wisdom
of God
the more
we will
see the
will
of God
in our
lives.
Too often
maybe our
worship
is like a
car
that's
misfiring.
If you've
ever driven
a car
and you know
there's
something
wrong
with the
engine
it starts
sputtering
and just
stalling
now and
again
you know
it's not
right.
There's a
misfire
in it
there's
something
wrong
it needs
to be
fixed.
That's
very often
maybe the
way our
worship
is.
It's
spluttering
it's
misfiring
it's
not running
as it
should
and instead
of worship
taking us
where we're
meant to
be
we're
breaking
down
somewhere
along
the way
but when
our worship
is right
it leads
us in the
right way
it's
like the
car that
is running
smoothly
we're
making good
progress
we're going
along
the way
and when
our worship
is right
it leads
us into
the will
of God
and seeking
after the
will of
God
what is
good
and
acceptable
and
perfect
all of
these things
that we see
working out
when we are
living a life
right
with God
but what
is your
prayer
when it
comes
to the
will
of
God
we were
just
talking
briefly
in the
table
in the
manse
earlier
on
how
when it
comes to
the will
of God
sometimes
our prayer
could be
along the
lines of
let my
will
be done
instead
of Lord
let your
will
be done
too
often
we
may
come
to
God
saying
this
is
what
I
want
you
to
do
instead
of
Lord
what
will
you
have
me
to
do
and
presenting
our
lives
as a
living
sacrifice
it's
not
coming
to
God
saying
this
is
what
I'll
do
for
you
but
it's
to
be
a
sense
of
what
you
want
me
to
do
for
you
show
me
your
will
show
me
your
ways
but
when
our
worship
is
right
we
find
that
we
fall
into
the
will
of
God
more
readily
and
we
see
the
will
of
God
as
a
precious
thing
although
it
can
be
hard
at
times
the
will
of
God
for
us
in
the
places
that
he
takes
us
in
the
situations
in
personal
circumstances
in
all
of
these
ways
the
will
of
God
can
be
hard
but
yet
when
you
are
in
the
will
of
God
and
you
know
that
you
are
there
with
him
with
you
it
is
precious
because
anywhere
else
would
not
be
right
so
have
you
come
in
your
life
to
that
place
where
you
are
able
to
say
take
my
life
and
let
it
be
consecrated
Lord
to
thee
take
my
life
take
my
all
take
everything
and let
it be
consecrated
let it
be
given
to
you
let it
be
yours
Lord
to
do
as
you
please
that
is
what
it
means
to
give
our
bodies
as
a
living
sacrifice
God
we
surrender
ourselves
to
the
will
of
God
or
else
we
suffer
or
else
we
are
going
in
our
own
wisdom
and
that
is
not
how
we
are
to
live
a
life
that's
a
living
sacrifice
to
God
we
also
have
to
see
that
the
will
of
God
is
perfect
somebody
put it
like
this
nothing
we
could
add
to
God's
plan
would
improve
it
when
he
reveals
his
will
to
us
we
need
to
realize
that
God
sees
the
end
of
the
matter
before
the
matter
begins
he
knows
the
path
we
will
take
he
knows
the
obstacles
and
valleys
we
will
pass
through
as
we
go
he
knows
where
the
provisions
are
that
he
has
already
placed
along
the
way
his
plan
cannot
be
improved
upon
but
it
must
be
followed
for
there
to
be
victory
and
blessing
we
can
be
in
no
better
place
than
the
perfect
will
of
God
for
our
lives
there
is
nothing
better
than
to
be
in
the
will
of
God
and
to
find
ourselves
in
the
will
of
God
is
to
worship
God
aright
and
to
seek
his
wisdom
and
then
these
other
things
will
fall
into
place
the
will
of
God
that
is
good
and
acceptable
and
perfect
and
we
will
be
content
when
we
are
with
him
because
out
of
God's
will
is
an
awful
place
to
be
away
from
God
is
an
awful
place
to
be
that's
what
we
were
thinking
of
this
morning
with
the
scapegoat
our
sins
are
taken
into
the
wilderness
what
we
deserve
that
away
from
God
but
as
we
worship
as
we
seek
his
wisdom
as
we
look
to
his
will
we
find
a
God
who
is
with
us
a
God
who
never
leaves
us
or
forsakes
us
that
was a
hope
they
had
in
Leviticus
that
as
they
worshipped
God
as
they
offered
up
their
sacrifice
that
God
would
be
in
the
midst
to
bless
what
of
ourselves
this
evening
as
we
come
away
as
a
congregation
of
God's
people
are we
seeing
that we
are members
of
one
body
with
Christ
as
the
head
and
are we
seeking
to present
our
bodies
as a
living
sacrifice
to
him
in
light
of
his
mercies
in
light
of
all
that
he
has
done
for
us
how
are we
going
from
here
this
evening
will
we
not
go
in
that
way
the
sacrifice
that
he
has
made
for
us
should
lead
for
us
to
give
an
all
in
sacrifice
for
him
that
we
would
go
on
in
his
strength
that
we
would
go
forward
seeking
his
blessing
worshipping
our
right
living
by
his
wisdom
not
conformed
to
the
ways
of
this
world
but
transformed
and
seeking
his
will
which
is
good
and
acceptable
and
perfect
let
us
pray
Lord
our
gracious
God
we
do
thank
you
that
you
are
a
God
who
is
with
us
at
all
times
you
are
one
who
never
leaves
or
forsakes
his
people
though
you
can
rebuke
us
Lord
you
do
not
cast
us
away
and
we
thank
you
Lord
that
you
give
us
your
word
you
give
us
your
truth
you
give
it
for
our
instruction
for
our
knowledge
of
who
you
are
but
you
give
it
for
our
living
as
well
and
how
we
are
to
live
for
you
and
by
of
the
mercies
that
you
have
shown
to
us
may
you
enrich
us
through
all
of
these
things
may
you
build
us
up
may
you
go
with
us
in
all
the
days
ahead
that
we
would
know
your
peace
upon
us
we
ask
it
all
with
the
forgiveness
of
our
sin
in
Jesus
name
Amen
we're
going to
conclude
by
singing
to
God's
praise
in
Psalm
85
sing
psalm's
version
on
page
113
we're
going to
sing
from
verse
1
to
verse
7
in
times
past
Lord
you
showed
favour
to
your
own
beloved
land
the
prosperity
of
Jacob
you
restored
by
your
strong
hand
you
forgave
your
people's
trespass
you
were
pleased
their
sins
to
hide
you
withdrew
all
their
displeasure
from
your
wrath
you
turned
aside
we can
reflect
these
words
in light
of what
we were
looking at
this
morning
the way
the
Lord
forgives
and
hides
sin
but
then we
come
into
verse
4
God
our
Saviour
now
restore
us
from
us
turn
away
your
rage
will
your
anger
burn
against
us
will
it
last
from
age
to
age
will
you
not
again
revive
mercy
your
salvation
grant
anew
that these
words
would take
us forward
as well
looking to
God
to restore
us
to bless
us
to revive
us
in all
of our
ways
psalm
85
verse
1
to
7
we
stand
to
sing
to
God's
praise
!
Amen
!
that we may rejoice in you.
Show us, Lord, your cup and mercy,
your salvation grant anew.
After the benediction, I'll go to the door to my left.
We'll close with a benediction.
Now may grace, mercy and peace from God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon and abide with you all
now and forevermore.
Amen.