Romans 12Being transformed

from living an ‘all about me life” to an all about HIM life.

Verse 1

Live your life in such a way that it is a continual worship of God,

24/7, not 1/7

What does worshiping God consist of?

What is the difference between 24/7 worship and 1/7 worship?

Verse 2 Don’t be carried along by the current of this world

What will it take to swim “upstream” from the current of the world?

Daniel 1:8, 10:12

Matt 5: 10-11

Who or what do you really love? Where is your home?

Verse 2 Be Transformed ‘Metamorpho’

changed from fleshly to spiritual

The battle : Romans 7: 14-24, 8:5-8,

The goal: Romans 8: 28-30, 2 Cor 3:18

The reward: Gal 6: 7-8

But HOW are we transformed????

Shedding one nature and taking on another

A lesson from nature…

Comparison to the Christian’s transformation

Egg: new birth, shelter within the church, being fed

Caterpillar: Eat, Eat and Eat more of God’s word

Chrysalis: Commit to change, being still within, waiting on God’s timing, the struggle of growth

Adult: Gathering and spreading the seed of the word, seeking out your own, reproduce

Shedding the old man, and putting on the new man…a life long process of being molded into His spiritual image.

Verse 2

By the Renewing of your mind

How?????

By being in the word of God

Surrendering your will to His will

Committing to and praying…asking God to help you change.

Verse 3

Don’t think too highly of yourself…anything you are is

because of God

1 Cor 15:10 ~the importance of humility~

Think ‘soundly’

It is not ‘healthy’ to ones soul to be puffed up or proud in spirit. The only healthy or sound thinking is found in humility!

Verse 3

God allots to all men a measure of faith

Gen 1:26, Romans 1:20

God gave to all mankind the ability to know Him…that is the ‘start’ to faith.

What must we do to ‘activate’ our faith?

The right environment and food!

What will happen when we are not in the right environment and don’t get the ‘food’ we need?

Verses 4 and 5

We are all ONE, yet all different

We are ONE in Christ…the called out…the church, yet we are individually very different.

We are members of one another…a family…with different functions…different jobs that help the family be strong and grow.

Verses 6-8

Find your gift and use it

Our gifts differ according the the GRACE He has given each of us.

We are to exercise or use the ‘grace’ gift so that the body functions as it should

*prophesy, service, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, being merciful

????? Are these gifts still in effect today??? Are they still needed in the church today????

A note of the proper use of the word prophesy

Example: the word saw Different meaning of the same word depending on context. Or the word office

The word prophet was used several ways

1) a foreteller of future events to warn Agabus in Acts 11: 27

2) a forth teller…divinely inspired by God to reveal the word of God 2 Peter 1:20-21 to encourage, edify, console I Cor 14:3

3) a spokesman to tell the previously revealed message of God Exodus 7: 1-2 , Acts 15:32

Is there prophesy today?

We have no need for divine revelation today because we have the complete word of God. Col 1:25-28

When the ‘perfect’ came, certain miraculous gifts would be done away with, like prophesy. 1 Cor 13:8-10, James 1: 25 (the perfect law of God)

We still have a need for edification, exhortaion, and consolation as in 1 Cor 14:3

We also need to be God’s spokesman for the word that is already revealed – as Aaron was to Pharoah

God’s Grace Salvation is the free gift of God’s grace offered

to all. Eph 2:8

Romans 12:8 God’s grace is also manifested in the individual gifts He gives us

God’s free gift of grace results in Salvation, but also provides for the ‘grace’ gifts given to us individually for the proper functioning of the body of believers

The purpose of the gifts Hebrews 4:16, 2 Corinthians 9:8, 1 Peter 4:10

Examining the grace gifts

“Prophecy”- to be God’s spokesman for what is already revealed. To speak God’s word…to share the gospel. 1 Cor 14:3 for the purpose of edification, exhortation, consolation- the goal is for others to learn and be exhorted. V 31

Service - to look to and tend to the needs of others, Something practical exerted in actions not words. One who sees a need and acts upon it. Martha in Luke 10:40 Mary in Mark 14: 3-9 Dorcas Acts 9:36-39

Teaching- to inform, to give instruction so as to be understood. Desire for study, and to communicate it clearly. Not an argumentative nature 1 Tim 1: 5-7, 2 Tim 2: 24-26

Exhort/Encourage- the ‘cheerleader’ to encourage growth, and help the weak 1 Thes 5:1 Barnabus ( son of encouragement) Acts 9: 26-27, Acts 11:22-24, Acts 15: 36-41

Giving – detecting needs and sharing resources one has to meet needs, with “liberality” meaning sincere (no strings attached) and simply ( without fanfare) Matthew 6: 1-4

Leading- one who stands in front-with diligence, zeal taking responsibility for the direction of the family 1 Tim 5:17

Showing mercy- showing kind affections, goodwill, thinking the best of others, not showing judgment. All with joy or cheerfulness Extending help, not judgment for the consequences of sin and having a desire to help. Matt 23:23, Jesus’ mercy John 8:7

Getting practicalIdeas of how each gift can be used

Prophesy (spokesman)

Service

Teaching

Exhort/Encourage

Give

Lead

Showing mercy

How do we discover our gifts?

Pray

Ask a trusted Christian, ask several

Think deeply about what you like, what you enjoy

Just do it! Try using what you believe your gift to be

1. What if we never discover our ‘gift’, or never use our gift?

2. Are we just supposed to ‘work’ in the area of our giftedness or are we to try to develop others?

For discussion:

Notice that these are not about Sunday worship, they are about the proper function of the body of believers

We ALL have at least ONE of these gifts

One gift is NOT more important than another

No one person is more important than another

We need each other for the local body of believers to function properly - to be one body- Rom 12: 3-6

We must all do our part: learn what our gift is and use it in service to each other, if the whole body is to be healthy!

If we don’t determine and then use our gift in service to each other, we are missing a piece of the puzzle to a loving, healthy, growing church family.