A Living Sacrifice Outline
10-22-17 Down the Road: A Living Sacrifice
God loves you! – NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM HIS LOVE (Romans 8:31-39)
Believe in Jesus & be Saved (Romans 10:9-13)
Romans 12:1– And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice–the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. [NLT] WE ARE ALL MADE TO WORSHIP – ARE YOU A LIVING SACRIFICE?
Align Sight
Hebrews 12:1-2– Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. LOOK AT JESUS, NOT AT YOUR SITUATION OR PROBLEM
Put on your God glasses – look at people like God sees – made in His image
Align Thinking
Romans 12:2– 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. [ESV]
Romans 12:3– Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves.
Matthew 16:23– But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” [ESV]
Philippians 4:8– Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. [NLT]
Colossians 3:17– And whatever you do, whether in WORD or DEED, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. [NIV]
Align Speech
Romans 12:12- Rejoicein hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. [ESV]
1 Peter 4:11– If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.
Align Deeds
Romans 12:9 – Don’t pretend to love people. Love with genuine affection. Honor each other(bestow value upon a person). Hate evil. Hold on to what is good.
Romans 13:14 – But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts. [NASB]
Colossians 3:12-14– Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [ESV]
Romans 12:11– Don’t be lazy in showing your devotion. Use your energy to serve the Lord. [GW]
Romans 12:13– Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. [NIV]
Romans 12:16 –Live in harmony with each other.Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! [NLT]
Romans 12:17 –Never pay back evil with more evil.
STAY ON THE ROAD – ENDURE TO THE END – KEEP THE FAITH
Hebrews 11:39-40– These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, since God had planned something betterfor us so that only together with us would they be made perfect. [NIV]
Hebrews 10:36– You need enduranceso that after you have done what God wants you to do, you can receive what he has promised. [GW]YOU WON’T ALWAYS SEE THE FRUIT RIGHT NOW!
2 Timothy 4:7– I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. [NLT]
Lights Out
Signing your name to something is often known as an endorsement. When you sign a check, you are endorsing it. By signing your name on the check, you are giving your word that there is money in your bank account to cover whatever amount is on the check. In life we endorse more than just checks. We can endorse people by giving them a written or verbal reference, or by slapping a bumper sticker on our car. We can endorse products by writing a review. When an accountant prepares your tax returns, he endorses the returns by signing them. When a person inspects your vehicle, that inspection sticker is an endorsement, stating that the car passed inspection per the state codes.
But what happens when one endorses something but it turns out to not be good? Often when a person’s word was trusted but found to be unworthy of trust, there is a loss of moral authority. This past week, I was on the bad end of a faulty endorsement. My family was blessed with a new van; however, the fellow that sold the vehicle promised to inspect it so it could have a fresh inspection sticker good for another year. I was happy and appreciative of the gesture. I was not happy a few days later; however, when I found myself being pulled over by a police officer for malfunctioning lights. They would have been checked with the inspection. What do you mean a few are out? How could that be? Today a different mechanic looked at the van and said he never saw anything like it. So many bulbs that weren’t working, among other items that would have failed with a state inspection. It was clear that I would never do business with the man that sold the van again. He lost my trust.
Integrity and moral authority are important; however, the world does not pay much attention to these items anymore. It is so often that one can lie and cheat their way to the top. We have accepted some sins as not-so-bad and traded the truth for a lie. We will endorse anything, not caring what it will do to our moral authority. Doing our best for God’s glory is put on the back-burner. Power, pleasure and possessions trump grace and truth. Today, remember God’s word reminds us we are not part of this world. We have a higher calling. Walk with integrity friends. You may be the only gospel a person reads. Point to Jesus.
“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” – Proverbs 11:3 [NIV]
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:1-2 [NIV]
Colossians Study: Worship Works
[Colossians 3:22-25]
“What you think about you care about
What you care about you chase”
“Servants, do what you’re told by your earthly masters. And don’t just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you’re serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn’t cover up bad work.” (v. 22-25 MSG)
- Do your best
- Work from the heart
- Remember Who you serve
“Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically.” – Romans 12:11 [NLT]
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
– 1 Corinthians 10:31 [NASB]
Anything you do can be an ACT OF WORSHIP
“The Lord is pleased with those who worship Him and trust His love”
– Psalm 147:11 [CEV]
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” – Romans 12:1-2 [MSG]
Bible Study Questions:
1) The passage speaks about working from the heart. This phrase “from the heart” translates in the Greek as “the soul” or “life” or “self” – “the breath of life.” What does that mean for us?
2) What is the difference between working for men and working for God?
3) Romans 12:11 says we should not be lazy. Instead we should work enthusiastically. What should we do if we find ourselves not working with enthusiasm?
4) The Bible says we should serve with joy (Psalm 100:2). What can we do if we find ourselves serving but not with joy? If we are not serving with joy, with what are we serving?
5) What does it mean when Paul says “do your best”? What is your best? How do you know it is your best?
This is one part of a 12-week Sermon Series and Bible Study focused on Colossians. The 12 weeks include:
Gospel Truth
Will of God
Lord of All
Ministry to Maturity
Foolish Philosophies
Men of Rules
Realities of Heaven
Taking Responsibility
Godly Living
Worship Work
Good Words
True Forgiveness
Everyday Ordinary Life
I have an everyday, ordinary life. I wake up to a morning walk and coffee. I head out to work. I get home and do normal stuff. I hang out with the kids. We watch movies, play games, go the park, talk, etc. I go shopping (though I am not a fan of shopping). I run errands. I read. I sleep. I eat. Romans says to “take your everyday, ordinary life… and place it before God as an offering.”
There was a time when I thought my life was so ordinary that there would be no reason God would want it as an offering. What did I do? Today I think differently. With humility, I can see that my life is valuable. It is important. It can be an offering placed before God. Yes, God wants you to offer your life to Him. He wants it all!
Never think your life is meaningless. Never think that you are too ordinary, too mediocre, too unqualified. God wants your everyday, ordinary life. Embrace Him. Fix your attention on Him and watch what He does to your life. You will still have the everyday, ordinary life, but great things will come from it. “You’ll be changed from the inside out,” and it is true—“God brings the best out of you.” Nothing is left ordinary in God’s hands. He made you for something great. Don’t hold back anymore.
“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” – Romans 12:1-2 [MSG]
