A little over 9 years ago, I met Amanda. Her friends set us up. We were talking about when we first met, there was a swing in front of my dorm on the campus of Ozark Christian College. She said that she sat right in the middle so that she could tell if I liked her or not. I asked her to go bowling – and we’ve been throwing strikes ever since. We decided to get married – I asked her on the same porch to spend the rest of her life with me. Our wedding date was actually scheduled around the Mo-Ark Camp schedule. At that point we were committed to each other – but we hadn’t surrendered to each other. Our wedding date came – August 5th 1995. I was standing with my best man and Duane, Duane opens his wallet – seconds before I am to meet my beautiful bride and shows me $100 dollars. He asks me if I would rather have $100 or Amanda. If you have been in the Paragould Church – there is a door that exits their fellowship hall – and the $ was so that I would walk out. At that point we were committed to each other but we had not surrendered to each other. My choice that Saturday morning is clear – we got married. We stood in front of the church, family and more importantly – God and Surrendered our lives to each other.
Discussion:
What does surrender mean? Issac Watts wrote a song that is in our song book – the last part of the song goes something like this – “Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.”
Let me read you something from our nation’s history that speaks of Surrender.
Fifty-six men signed the United States Declaration of Independence.
five were captured by the British and tortured and killed.
Twelve others had their homes ransacked and burned.
Two lost their sons as they fought in the Revolutionary Army.
Another had two of his sons captured.
Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardships of the war.
One, Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships sunk by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts and died in poverty.
At the battle of Yorktown, British General Cornwallis took over Thomas Nelson’s home for his headquarters. Nelson quietly asked General George Washington to open fire on his home. It was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt.
John Hart was driven from his wife’s bedside as she was dying, leaving their thirteen children to flee for their lives. His fields and mill were destroyed. For over a year, he lived in forest and caves, returning home only to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later, he died from exhaustion.
If you have your Bibles with you this morning turn to Romans 12:1-2 (read) (advance)
Our text this morning calls us to place ourselves before God. There is no better place on earth than before the throne of God. (advance)You can’t commit to God until you surrender everything to him. Paul says first – (advance)
I. Present Yourself (1)
a. Give yourself to God
b. Because of his mercies
The NIV says (singular) the Greek speaks of more than one. “In view of God’s mercies” Paul desire is that the Romans remember the example of Daniel – who praised God after seeing his mercies. The example of David who cried out to God for mercy and then praised God because of them. (advance)
Psalm 25:6 – Remember, O LORD , your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
Someone said this: “Our Christianity is not based on pride in what we can do, but entirely on God’s mercy to forgive us.”
i. God is rich in mercy
1. We are alive in Christ – because of his mercy (advance)
Ephesians 2:4-5 – But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.
2. Through Physical acts –
a. Provisions for you
i. Your Home – Comes from God
ii. Your transportation – Comes from God
iii. Clothes on your back – come from God
iv. The shoes on your feet – come from God
v. The watch on your arm – comes from God.
God provides for you to show you his mercy. God’s mercy provides something else, and while the physical things are important – you can’t take them with you --
3. God’s mercy comes through Forgiveness (advance)
Psalm 86:15 – But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
a. He proved his compassion for us through Jesus
i. Coming as a baby
ii. Living as a man
iii. Teaching, Healing, Forgiving
iv. Death on the cross
v. The resurrection – which gives us hope
c. Offer yourselves as Living Sacrifices
i. Contradiction to a dead sacrifice
Sacrifices were from Gen. offered to God – Remember Cain and Abel? As time went on sacrifices were being made because of the law – not because God desired them. David wrote: (advance)
Psalm 40:6 – Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced; burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
I believe that although God did seem to desire the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, the law which required the sacrifices made them habit. What they were doing is something we do today – throwing their offering on the altar for sacrifice without having a heart behind it. Internally there was no surrender. Do we do that with our worship? Do we do that with our giving? We just put something in the plate because we are expected to – or does it mean something? More than anything God wants you – he wants your complete life, he wants all of you. He created you and therefore he knows you, he understands your dreams, your passions, your struggles, the things that give you headaches. The truth is – your desire to give those things over to him are void unless they are done through Jesus Christ. He alone is able to make the sacrifice you offer
d. Pleasing to God
Every book I have read said this sacrifice that you offer God is only pleasing to God. I want to suggest something – I might be way off on this. Let me suggest that if you offer God your life as a living sacrifice – it’s pleasing to you as well. Might not always be easy, doesn’t mean there won’t be struggles or heartache. There is fulfillment in obedience to God. When you are called by God to do something and you don’t do it, it make life frustrating. It doesn’t matter your income, your health status, the grades of your kids. Some of you are being called into leadership, and your life is frustrating because you aren’t doing it. Some of you are called to work with youth, to help with evangelism, to help with worship – but life is frustrating because you aren’t doing it. I want to encourage you this morning to fix that frustration in your life. Fulfill God’s purpose. (advance)
i. This is your “spiritual” act of worship
A first century Stoic philosopher said this: “If I were a nightingale, I would do what is proper to a nightingale, and if I were a swan, what is proper to a swan. In fact I am a rational being, so I must praise God.” (advance)
1. Reasonable – Worship (advance)
2. Rational – Worship (advance)
3. Pleasing – Worship
It’s the presentation of your bodies to God, that makes this worship. (advance)
Romans 6:13 – Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. (advance)
e. Sacrifice as Worship (advance)
i. Our Feet will walk in his paths (advance)
ii. Our Lips will speak the truth and spread the gospel (advance)
iii. Our Tongues will bring healing (advance)
iv. Our Hands will lift up those who have fallen (advance)
v. Our Arms will embrace the lonely and unloved (advance)
vi. Our Ears will listen to the cries of the distressed (advance)
vii. Our Eyes will look humbly and patiently towards God.
We do this because of God’s mercy to us. This is a call to present before God not a half offering to the father – but an offering that he is worthy of. This is a call to present all of yourself to him, everything you have before the altar, every room in your heart clear of distraction, 100 % his. In the second verse Paul tells us to: (advance)
II. Transform to his will (2)
a. Do Not Conform
God is calling his people to be different than the world – but the difference is holiness. Israel received their word from God through Moses: God told the people (advance)
Leviticus 18:3 – You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. (advance)
Biblically – When you are in Rome – you are not to do as the Romans. You, People of God, are to be holy – William Barclay says that we are not to be like the Chameleon which takes its color from its surroundings.
Jesus during the Sermon on the Mount – Surrounded by the false devotion of both Pharisees and Pagans, Jesus said to his disciples – “Don’t be like them.”
b. Our Society
i. Says that sin is personal – doesn’t affect anyone except you
ii. Says that you should “go with the flow” – You can’t get anywhere with Christian values – so give them up and just fit in.
iii. Says that you should just be silent about your beliefs – You don’t talk to me and I won’t talk to you – God desires that you not push your beliefs on others but – don’t let walking the walk be an excuse for not talking the talk. (advance)
You were designed not to conform to the pattern this world says is good, but the pattern of God.
c. Be Transformed (advance)
The Greek word for “transformed” is the root for the English word – Metamorphosis.
i. From the inside out –
1. Must begin in the mind – where all thoughts and actions begin.
2. We are transformed when we understand God’s mercy
3. We are transformed when we memorize his word
4. We are transformed when we meditate on his word
God is not interested in all the right actions, or the lack of wrong actions. God desires that you change your life according to his will. This assumes that we are sinners who are in need of a savior. This assumes that you value his will, his plan for your life more than you value the temporary pleasures. The words used here – either by accident or on purpose tell of a process. God is renewing your mind, and transforming you to his will. As the process continues in us. As God makes us everything he wants and desires from us. As he is building a temple or a shelter for the holy spirit in your heart. As we move from committed to surrendered – Paul says that you will be able to do something.
d. You will know God’s will
i. The mystery is removed –
ii. The veil is lifted
iii. The questions are answered
Maybe you have been to the point where you are asking God – “What do you want from me?” What do I have to do? What is my purpose in life? Why did you make me like this? When we refuse to conform to this world. When we choose to transform and renew our minds his will for our lives is opened to us. (advance)
e. 3 Characteristics of God’s will (Don’t read v. 2) (advance)
Romans 12:2b ….Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
i. Easy –
ii. Fun –
iii. Without Personal Cost (advance)
f. His will is GOOD.
God’s will is best for our lives. It won’t always be easy – you will have people who are against you because of your beliefs. You tell your kids to stay out of the street for a reason. The street seems pretty tempting. God gives you ways to protect your heart and your life because it’s best for you. (advance)
g. His will is Pleasing
Paul uses this word twice in 2 verses. Think about this – The worse thing you could do to a painter is – take away their easel – because they are the happiest when they are painting. The worse thing you can do to a business owner – is take away the business. A teacher – take away the class room. A sailor – take away their ship. If you take the Christian away from the will of God – you’ve created an unhappy person. If God is calling you to do something and you don’t do it – you won’t be happy, God won’t be happy. But – you put yourself on track to understand his will and then you do it – you will be as Isaiah says – soaring on wings like eagles – he says we will run and not grow weary, walk and not be faint. (advance)
h. His will is Perfect
Because he designed you he knows what you are able to do. Because he formed you, he knows you completely. He won’t give you a call to do something that you aren’t able to do. He wouldn’t put me in a baseball ministry – I am no good at baseball. It doesn’t fit my personality. My missions professor said that when you go over seas you have to eat their food. I am sorry – but going to China or Russia or Vietnam for a missions trip is probably something I shouldn’t pursue. I have a weak stomach. It doesn’t mean that God won’t develop in you a gift or a talent that you can use. (advance)
Conclusion:
There was a man who took a job as a shepherd. He loved being a shepherd, and he loved the sheep. He didn’t mind the long hours because his sheep would follow him. The sheep would ask for water and he would lead them besides still waters. They would ask for food and the shepherd would give them green fields of grass. One day he was counting his sheep and realized that he was one short. He started with 100, and now he only had 99. So he recounted – one was missing. Now the job of the shepherd is to protect the sheep from wolves, and other predators – Sheep are stupid animals. The shepherd loved his sheep, and so he leaves his sheep and goes to find the one missing. Is that bad economics or the greatest story of love? To leave 99 helpless sheep so that you can go after one…that is the greatest story of love. God loved us so much that he sent his son, his one and only son so that he could show us his love. Jesus Christ came so that we could have life – this call to place your soul on the altar is one of sacrifice. Giving everything thing that you have and all that you are to Christ is a call to sacrifice, and you do it because of his mercy in your life. We must do it because we are the ones who have gone astray, we are the ones who have left our shepherd – he wants us back. He wants you back. He doesn’t care about your past – God is in the business of building new creations & clean slates.
Some of us have offered ourselves as a “living sacrifice” – I see the evidence every day. I see the evidence in the prayers offered in faith, and the knowledge of God’s word, and the service you do.
Someone said, “the main problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar”. – Maybe that’s you this morning. There’s no doubt in my mind if you have been a Christian very long – you have read this verse. Maybe you have crawled off the altar – things happened, maybe it was a bad witness from a Christian, maybe it was lack of surrender, maybe it was lack of desire – only you know. The language came back, the bad thoughts came back, the bad friends came back – I encourage you this morning to choose him. Choose his will for your life. Get back on the altar.
Maybe you’ve never accepted Jesus Christ as Lord. You look committed on the outside, you aren’t a bad person – God wants something more – he wants surrender of the stuff that you have been hanging onto. He wants all of you.
