What Are You Clinging To?

What are you Clinging Too?

Pastor Glenn Newton Aug. 17, 2003

RO 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to

one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be

lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope,

patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with God’s people who are in need.

Practice hospitality.

A couple of weeks ago I was busy carrying out my duties as a Tyson Chaplain, meeting

with Tyson Team members, I went to the feed mill, I went to the truck shop, I stopped by

the hatchery, and finally I made my way to the Rendering Plant, my most favorite stop,

because of the great aroma that just envelopes you as you arrive. As I made my way to

the break room, I saw someone whom I had talked to last time so I went and sat down

and begin to ask how things were going since last time we talked, He said things were

going well, but he kept looking at me kind of funny.... finally he asked, what’s wrong with

your shoulder? I said, nothing is wrong with my shoulder, why do you ask?

You have a big lump on your shoulder........ I reached back and found a big lump

on my shoulder, I reached in my Tyson shirt and pulled out the lump...... a cling free dryer

sheet..... which had been with me all day and I didn’t even know it. The dryer sheet had

been there all day, clinging to my shirt.... What I couldn’t understand is why none of the

other people had said anything.

This morning I want to talk to you about Clinging.... it’s not a great Theological Word for

sure, but I believe it’s a word we need to examine and see how it applys to our life. I

want to ask you, What are you Clinging too,......... Our passage today simply says, hate

what is evil, cling to what is good. What do you cling too?

This morning I want to take you through this passage, and let’s let it speak to us, and let’s

let the Holy Spirit teach us what He wants us to learn. Look at verse 9.

RO 12:9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

The apostle Paul is in the middle of a discourse here in Chapter 12, talking to the Roman

church, and he has just finished talking about how as Christians they are “to to offer your

bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of

worship. 2 Do not conform any longer 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.”

The apostle Paul is telling these Christians how they are to conduct themselves as

Christians... This is what Christian Conduct entails.... As a Christian this is how you are to

live your life....... “offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God --

this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Wow! That is a pretty big idea, that involves every part of my life.... offering my

body as a living sacrifice, that means my physical, my mental, my spiritual, my will,

everything... I offer it to God... How? Holy and pleasing.... and this is how I worship

God.

Can I ask you something Chrisitians? Has anyone explained this to you? This is

part of your Christian Conduct.... This is a major part of how you live out your Christian

Life..... This reflects the kind of Relationship that God wants with us.... He doesn’t want

just part of you..... In fact I believe the Bible says very clearly that God demands total

surrender, total commitment, total obedience.... From those who are called Christians.....

What are you clinging Too? Do you Hate what is Evil? Is your love for God Sincere?

The apostle Paul isn’t making suggestions to us this morning on ways we should

consider living as Chrisitians........ It’s much stronger than that........ This teaching points

right at us... right between the eyes....... This is required as a part of our Christian conduct,

it’s who we are, it how we live.

This morning I can tell you this.... If your love for God is sincere...... you won’t cheat on

Him...... You won’t ignore Him...... You won’t use Him for selfish purposes....... If your

love for God is sincere..... you will obey Him..... You will Honor Him........ And you will

desire to Serve Him.

I love my wife Nola...... did you know that? And because I love my wife..... I won’t cheat