Your Reasonable Service

Your Reasonable Service 2021 03 14

Romans 12:1 – 21

I wonder how many of us are ready and willing, right now, to give every single thing we have away if God asks us to.  Is there anything you have that you would not give up?  Is there anything you have that you could not give up?  If God made it clear that he wanted you to give your most prized possession, would you?  Is your all on the altar?  Have you yet offered God even your most basic and reasonable service?  What’s holding you back?

Romans 12:1 – 21

 It is your reasonable service to present your body as a living, holy sacrifice that is acceptable to God.  Have you done that?  Indeed, what does that mean?

I. What’s Reasonable?

  1. It is your reasonable service to present your body as a living, holy sacrifice that is acceptable to God.
    1. It is your reasonable service. It’s the least you can do.  Put everything you have on the altar of God’s service.
    2. Remember that you have bought by the blood of Jesus. Before that, you belonged to the devil by your own natural, fallen, lost will.  Jesus died to redeem you, to buy you back, even when you were still a wicked rebel against God!
      1. You no longer belong to the devil; you don’t even belong to you! You belong to God.  “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost [which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?”   1 Corinthians 6:19

II. Do Not Conform

  1. Do not be like the world.
    1. Do not think too highly of yourself.
    2. Think and reason clearly.
      1. You did not make yourself.

III.  Faith

  1. God has given to each of us the measure or amount of faith that we have.
    1. Salvation is not given to us when we dredge up enough faith, but it comes when we put the measure of faith that God has given us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

IV. One Body

  1. Together, we are one body in Christ, yet we are not all the same.
    1. Just as a body has many parts with different functions, so we are all different and called to different positions as part of the body of Christ. “For the body is not one member, but many.”  12:14

V. Spiritual Gifts

  1. God does not give the same spiritual gifts to everyone, but He gives the gifts by grace according to His own purpose.
    1. These are gifts of grace that are according to His own purpose!
      1. The same gifts are not given to everyone but are given according to His purpose.
      2. Grace is given to fit the gift, the person, and God’s purpose for giving the gift.
      3. These are gifts – they are not and cannot be earned.
      4. These are of grace – you do not deserve them.
    2. These spiritual gifts are not given for personal promotion, power or prestige. However, they are a privilege to receive.  It is a privilege to serve God.
    3. These are according to God’s own purpose – they are given by Him to those He chooses to accomplish His plan.
  2. Do not think more highly of yourself than you should – God is sovereign and gives what is needed to accomplish His purpose wherever, whenever and with whomever He, in His sovereign wisdom, decides.
    1. To some is given the gift of prophesy – the inspired teaching and preaching or proclaiming of God’s word, as in Exodus 7:1 (Aaron) or Acts 15:32 (Judas and Silas)
      1. Preaching is to be according to the proportion of faith. In other words, it is to be of God, not of man, as God gives wisdom and grace for it.
    2. To some is given the gift of ministry, service to others – fully, diligently, carefully apply yourself to serving.
    3. To some, teaching – fully, diligently, carefully apply yourself to teaching.
    4. To some, exhorting or warning – again, fully, diligently, carefully apply yourself.
    5. To some, giving – give quietly, simply and liberally. Jesus said, “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:” Matthew 6:3 The same word here rendered “with simplicity” is used in 2 Corinthians 8:2 and 9:2 to mean with liberality or bountifully.
    6. To some is given the gift of leadership – be diligent; apply yourself well and be a good leader (not a tyrant). If you are so gifted, use your gift!  We need more leaders!
    7. To some, mercy – show mercy cheerfully, not grudgingly.

VI. Be Real

  1. Love without hypocrisy – don’t pretend. “By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,” 2 Corinthians 6:6
    1. Despise and avoid evil and the harm it does to others and cleave to that which is good. The word translated “cleave to” means to glue to.  Glue yourself to that which is good, and especially, that which is kind, loving and good for others.
    2. Be truly kind to one another, friendly, putting others first, much as Abraham did when he gave Lot first choice of the best land in Genesis 13:9. Philippians 2:3  “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.” 
    3. Work carefully and diligently, not carelessly and lazily. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” Ecclesiastes 9:10
    4. Be enthusiastic in everything you do and especially in faith and service to God, fervent in spirit, serving God. “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23,24
    5. Rejoice in hope – hope is real. Hope is what you’re waiting for, knowing it is coming.
    6. Be patient in tribulation – tribulation worketh patience (Romans 5:3).
    7. Persevere in prayer. “…The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” James 5:16
    8. Share with one another the things that are needed; what you have is not yours, but belongs to Jesus Christ, who paid for you with His own blood.
    9. Open your home to others. “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Hebrews 13:2
    10. Be a blessing to those who trouble you; do not seek revenge but seek their salvation. Jesus said, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44
    11. rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep; they are a part of the same body as you – what is happening to them is happening to you. “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” 1 Corinthians 12:26,27
    12. Care for one another and treat your brothers and sisters in Christ the way you want to be treated. “Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”  Philippians 2:2 Remember the great privilege that you have, having been born again into the family of God by His own will when you accepted His great gift of salvation in Jesus Christ.  These people are your family! “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:” 1 Peter 3:8

VII. Living in the World

  1. This is an evil, fallen, lost world with lots of trouble. The world hates God and His children.
    1. Never seek revenge or retribution, but carry on your own business honestly with all, no matter how you are treated. Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.” Matthew 5:39
    2. Live in peace with all, including the lost, as much as it is possible. “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” Hebrew 12:
    3. Do not seek revenge. That is God’s business, not yours.
    4. Do all that you can to help and for the good of an enemy. By so doing, you bring great conviction on him, like “heaping coals of fire upon his head.”  By so doing, he may be saved and become your brother!

God said through His servant, Paul, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.   And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind…”  God has told us how.  Put everything you have, including your body and mind, on the altar of sacrifice to God, “that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”  This is your reasonable service as a child of God.