Sermon Central
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"It's Time For A Change"
Contributed by Ray Scott on Mar 7, 2006 (message contributor)
Summary: Salvation was only the beginning! Now, God wants us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice. This is an act of surrender, commitment, and dedication. Paul tells us HOW to do it.
“It’s Time For A Change!”
Life is full of CHANGES! HAS your life CHANGED in last YEAR … 5 Yr. … 10 … 20? IF IT HASN’T … then must have been living on a deserted island somewhere!
There are 2 BASIC KINDS of “change” … INTERNAL & EXTERNAL.
We usually LIKE … EXTERNAL change:
· Going to Mountains to see the leaves CHANGE.
· When life gets hectic, enjoying a “change of pace”.
· “Change” our SOCKS once a month!
BUT … when comes to INTERNAL change it’s a different story. We tend to RESIST CHANGE.
WHEN SAVED … we were CHANGED … INSTANTLY. We were Born-Again … we became a New Creature … we changed from a sinner bound for an eternity in Hell – TO – a “Child of God”.
BUT … this was just to be just the BEGINNING of “change”. We soon found out that our “flesh” was still present. We found out that there was a constant BATTLE going on between “flesh” & “spirit”.
Mt. 26:41 – “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."
We are constantly in the NEED of a “change”. Romans 12:1-2 points out that “change” that needs to be made … AFTER … salvation. You can call it “surrender” … “commitment” … “sanctification” … “dedication” …
Romans 12:1-2 – all turn - READ
“beseech” – literally, ‘beg’ … “Please, please, please …” It’s NOT a COMMAND … you CAN’T be COERCED into this … it’s your CHOICE. BUT … it’s so IMPORTANT … THAT … Paul “begs” you to go after the NEXT LEVEL of Christianity.
No one can MAKE you live for Christ … “surrender” . You have to decide for yourself … IF … you want to get along the best you can … on own … OR … be VICTORIOUS in your Christian life.
BUT … NOTICE … TO WHOM the appeal is made … “brethren” … ALL Christians. EVERY CHRISTIAN has to DECIDE … to LIVE for Christ … OR … just “live” … AND … let Satan beat us up!
WHAT ARE WE TO SURRENDER TO GOD?
1.- OUR BODIES – “present your bodies …” – 12:1
“bodies” – NOT JUST our flesh and blood … LIKE … in O.T. times. BUT … everything we are … attitudes … will … desires … all that we are … think … do.
In O.T. TIMES … a bull, goat, sheep, dove were offered for sacrifice. It wasn’t a “living” sacrifice … they didn’t offer a “live” animal to be burnt on altar … that would be CRUEL … they KILLED it first.
The O.T. sacrificial animal gave his ALL … very LIFE.
God did away w/ animal sacrifices … WHEN … Jesus died on cross as the ULTIMATE sacrifice for our sins. BUT … NOW … God wants a LIVING, BREATHING sacrificial body to work through. He’ll accept a young, energetic body … OR … an old, worn-out body. He just wants your “body” to be presented to Him.
Paul says this is only “reasonable” … ‘logikos’ … “logical” … i.e. … “It’s only logical … it’s only right … it makes sense!” WHY? It’s LOGICAL … BECAUSE … Jesus sacrificed His body for YOU!
· Since He DIED for me … it’s only REASONABLE … that I LIVE for Him.
· Since He GAVE UP so much for me … it’s only REASONABLE … that I GIVE UP MYSELF for Him.
· Since He wore the “Crown of Thorns” for me … it’s only REASONABLE … that I crown Him “King” of my life.
It’s only REASONABLE … AMEN?
“present” – a willing SURRENDER … NOT … like a command to a slave.
This is a “once-and-for-all” sacrifice … BUT … w/ CONTINUING RESULTS … living it out every day.
· LIKE … Jesus on the cross … “once-and-for-all” … BUT … with CONTINUING RESULTS … we are to live it out every day.
· LIKE … MARRIAGE … “once-and-for-all” … our marriage vows … “till death do you part” … BUT … with CONTINUING RESULTS … we are living it out every day. Our wedding Day was just the beginning.
· LIKE … ENLISTING in the Army … “present body” … a 1- time event … YET … with CONTINUED RESULTS … we lived it out every day.
· LIKE … SALVATION … “once-and-for-all” … BUT … we are to CONTINUE growing more & more as a Christian … with CONTINUING RESULTS. SALVATION was just the BEGINNING … BUT … are to live it out every day.
THE PROBLEM: Some Christians haven’t left the “Starting Gate” … still at the BEGINNING! Jesus told us "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Lk. 9:23) We are to present our bodies as a LIVING SACRIFICE.
