which turn back to Romans 12,
and we will not be having services
this Wednesday night because we're having the Bible conference
beginning Friday. I'm looking forward to that so
much. I would request, and I know you will, that all of you will
pray that the Lord will be pleased to speak during that time. Friday
night, there will be a bonfire at the Vincent's. Saturday afternoon,
everybody is invited to go to the Harry's between the services. If somebody, I guess I need to
put it in the bulletin so people from out of town will know that.
But they're all invited to the Harry's between services Saturday. Your reasonable service. That's what I've entitled this
message, Your Reasonable Service. Your reasonable service, not somebody else's. Unfortunately,
we all are authorities on what other people should do. The Bible does not tell me how
other people should treat me, but how I should treat them. It doesn't tell what other people
should do, but what I should do. Your reasonable service. This is the only reasonable response
to the message of Romans. Notice he said, I beseech you
therefore, brethren, from everything I've said up to this point, all
11 chapters. This is my argument. This is
my reason for saying this. I beseech you therefore by the
mercies of the Lord, and notice he says, I beseech you. Not I'm commanding you, not I'm
seeking to manipulate you, not I'm threatening you, but I beseech
you. I beseech you. This is your reasonable, this
is your intelligent service. This is true spiritual worship. That's what that word means.
This is the only proper response to the gospel. I beseech you therefore, brethren. Isn't it a special thing to be
one of the brethren? Nothing more special than that. I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable
unto God, which is your reasonable service. Now, I wanna talk just
for a couple of minutes about the place of that word therefore.
in this passage of scripture. I beseech you, therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God. Now, what he's saying, I beseech
you by everything I've said in these first 11 chapters of Romans,
but if I was going to try to distill the entire message of
Romans into one verse, and I think I can, it would be Romans chapter
four, verse five. We looked at this just briefly
in Sunday school this morning. This is the whole message of the book
of Romans distilled into this one verse. But to him that worketh not,
but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly. His faith is counted
for righteousness. To him that worketh not. You believe yourself to be ungodly. You would say that's me. And
you are convinced that if salvation, your personal salvation, is dependent
upon any work that you need to perform before you can be saved,
salvation is impossible for you. To him that worketh not. You see that you cannot be saved
by any work you perform. Would that be you? To him that
worketh not, what does he do? He believes. He doesn't believe in himself. He believes on him that justifies
the ungodly. You're right there with that
publican in the temple. God be merciful to me, the sinner. The Lord said regarding that
man, I tell you, that man, that ungodly man, that sinful man,
went down to his house, justified, cleared of any wrongdoing, perfect,
sinless before God. You believe on him that justified
the ungodly by the work of Christ on Calvary's tree. You believe
that. Do you know I believe that I
stand before God right now as I'm speaking to you sinless. We believe on him that justifies
the ungodly. That man's faith is counted for
righteousness. That doesn't mean faith is a
substitute for righteousness. If you believe the gospel, that's
evidence that before God, you are the very righteousness of
God in Jesus Christ. Now that summarizes the entire
message of Romans, real briefly. To him that worketh not, would
that be you? But believeth on him, that justifies
the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Now notice
in our text in Romans 12, I beseech you therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, by the compassion of God. Look
back into Romans chapter nine for just a moment, the same word
is used. Verse 15, for he saith to Moses,
God said to Moses, I'll have mercy on whom I will have mercy. And I will have compassion, that's
the word. I will have compassion on whom
I will have compassion. Now I want us to understand this
about God's mercy, God's compassion, he gives it to whom he will. Why I make a point of that? Because if anybody complains
about the sovereignty of him giving his mercy and compassion
to whomever he will, if anyone says, well, how could that be
fair? You've entered the realm of merit rather than mercy. That's the point. That's why
I have to understand this. It's in his hands because I don't
deserve anything. And if he gives me what I deserve,
I go to hell. You believe that? But he has
compassion. Oh, the mercies of God. He has compassion on whom he
will have compassion. Back to Romans 12. I beseech you, therefore, brethren,
by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies, the house
of your soul, everything you are. I beseech you by the mercies
of God that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Notice the language. He said,
I beseech you that you present your bodies. You're not telling
God what you're going to do. You're not making some kind of
promise. I'm going to change. I'm going to do this. I'm going
to do that. That's treacherous. That's a shameful high view of
yourself to even think you can do that. I'm not telling you,
Paul says, to tell God what you're gonna do and the things you're
gonna guarantee. I'm gonna be this way now, I'm
gonna be, no. You present your bodies. Here am I. You're not making
any promises. You know yourself better than
that. But you do present your bodies. Like Isaiah did, here
am I. See in me. Like Abraham, when
God said, Abraham, Abraham, behold, here am I. You remember what
Paul said on the road to Damascus after God revealed himself to
him in the person of his son? Lord, what will you have me to
do? Present your bodies, present
your bodies as instruments of righteousness. Paul said in Romans
chapter six, You present your bodies a living sacrifice. Present yourself to God as those
who are alive from the dead. Present your bodies a living
sacrifice. Love, we sing that song, love
so amazing, so divine, demands my soul. My life, my all. And this is what he's calling
everyone to do is their reasonable service. Present your bodies
a living sacrifice. That's your reasonable service.
Holy, look what he says. Present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy. Acceptable unto God, which is
your reasonable service. It's only a holy man that can
do this. Which every believer is. Holy in Christ. Only a holy man can do this.
And every believer is holy in Christ Jesus. And this act is
well pleasing to God. through the Lord Jesus Christ,
well-pleasing to God. Anything less than this is irrational. It doesn't even make sense. Amen? Present your bodies a living
sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable
service. Anything else is indefensible.
Verse two, and be not conformed to this
world. Now remember, child of God, you're
not of this world. Lord said that. They are not
of the world, even as I am not of the world. You are not of
this world, you're of God. I think of that passage of scripture,
he that's of God, heareth God's words, you're of God. Hey you,
there's where you come from. So be not conformed to this world,
this world that really has no love for the living God. The religion of this world. the
way of salvation by works, what every natural man thinks. Be not conformed to this world,
the values of this world, the philosophy of this world, that
which the world esteems. Listen to what the Lord said
in Luke chapter 16. I want you to let this sink in. That which
is highly esteemed among men. is an abomination to God. Strong statement, isn't it? Be not conformed to this world. Don't let yourself be in the
mold of this world. Will you fit in with this world?
Be not conformed to this world. Now there are many things. I
love this planet. the Lord's, everything, but the
earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof. What he's talking
about when he says, be not conformed to this world, he's talking about
this world that has no love for God. Love not the world, neither
the things that are in the world, for all that's of the world,
the lust of the flesh, pleasure, the lust of the eyes,
popularity, being concerned about what men see the pride of life,
power, love, not the world, neither
the things that are in the world, but be transformed. That's where
we get the word metamorphosis from, changed by the renewing
of your mind, which is having the mind of Christ, by him being
in us. You know, the scripture says we have the mind of Christ.
Every believer has the mind of Christ. Does Christ know he gets
all the glory and salvation? So do you. You've got the mind
of Christ. Do you love Christ having all
the glory and salvation? That's because you have the mind
of Christ. Do you see he's everything? He sees he's everything. That's
because you have the mind of Christ. Every believer has the
mind. Paul said we have the mind of
Christ. We see things as he does. We
love what he loves. We hate what he hates. We have
the mind of Christ. Now be not conformed to this
world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that
you may prove, that you may demonstrate what is that good and acceptable
and perfect will of God. How'd our Lord teach us to pray? our father who art in heaven
hallowed be thy name holy is thy name we acknowledge it thy
kingdom come thy will be done that is the desire that's the
desire the heart desire of every believer thy will be done i love
that story of a preacher that came to this woman who was dying
and he said, well, what do you want to happen? She goes, well,
I want the Lord's will to be done. He said, well, I know that,
but if you got what you wanted, what would you have? She said,
I want the will of the Lord to be done. That is thy will be
done. Prove what? His will's good. His will's perfect. His will
is acceptable. Now, look what he says in verse
three. For I say through the grace given
unto me. If you have grace, it was given
unto you. And here's what he's saying through the grace given
to him. I say through the grace given
unto me to every man that's among you, and here's the first thing
he says with regard to proving what is that good and perfect
and acceptable will of God. Here's the first thing he says.
And I wanna catch our attention. First thing he says with regard
to proving what is that good and acceptable and perfect will
of God, for I say through the grace given unto me to every
man that's among you, not to think of himself more highly
than he ought to think. First thing he says, don't have these inflated views
of yourself. Don't think of yourself more
highly than you ought to think. I love what Paul said in 1 Corinthians
chapter 15, verse 11. I am what I am by the grace of
God. By the grace of God, I am what
I am. Now listen to this. I really believe that I am a
sinner. And it's only by the grace of
God I know that. Do you know nobody that is unsaved really
believes that about themselves? But by the grace of God, I know
I'm a sinner. But not only am I a real sinner,
that's the, you know, somebody once called humility, a just
estimate of yourself. I think that's a good definition
of humility, a just estimate of yourself. And if I have a
just estimate of myself, I'm not gonna think of myself more
highly than I ought to think. I'm not gonna be drunken with
pride and feelings of self-importance and the cult of self-esteem.
You know, we use that term self-esteem almost like it's a good thing.
Self-esteem? You know, something's wrong with
that picture. Self is evil. Self aim, self esteem. I don't think so. Now, does that mean I'm gonna
wallow in pity for myself? No, but I'm to have a just of
myself, not to be drunken with pride and self-importance and
self-righteousness, a proper view of myself. First thing he
says, you can't prove that it's good and acceptable and perfect
will of God and start thinking too highly of yourself. Oh my,
when you look at yourself as you really are, it makes you
look to Christ, doesn't it? You don't have anything else
to look to, and that's a good place to be. For I say through the grace given
unto me to every man that's among you, not to think of himself
more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly,
according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Now, remember this about your faith. If you have faith, God
gave it to you. And you only have a measure.
Just a little bit. Isn't that so? You only have
a measure. Verse four. For as we have many
members in one body, and all members have not the same office.
So we being many are one body in Christ and everyone members
one of another. Now we're all members of the
body of Christ. All members don't have the same
purpose but they're all significant. So we being many are one body
in Christ and everyone members one of another. Now while everybody
doesn't have the same office, Every member is important. Now here's what I mean by that.
This week, I got a paper cut in my little finger. You know
what? I didn't think, what's my little
finger, who cares? No, oh, it's bleeding. I didn't cut it off,
it's just your little finger. No, my little finger is very
important to me. And as a matter of fact, whatever
part is hurting, that's the part that's most important, isn't
it? Isn't it a blessing to be a member
of the body of Christ? You are where God's put you,
I am where God's put me, and I'm a part of the body of Christ. Verse six, having then gifts,
differing according to the grace that's given to us. Now listen
to this. If you're in the body of Christ,
you personally have a gift or gifts. These are the gifts that
he's speaking of. He's not talking about the gift
to speak in tongues or heal people. That's over. Now God heals people. When we see someone sick, we
pray for the Lord to heal them. And I know you're doing that.
But that's what God does. This is not talking about those
charismatic gifts. Those are over. Only the apostles,
through the laying on of the apostles' hands, could these
be transferred, Acts chapter 8. And if someone claims to have
any of these gifts, they're not being truthful. That's all you
can say. uh... but every believer does
have one and he mentioned seven gifts. You have one or more of
these gifts. Look what he says, having gifts therefore differing
according to the grace that's given to us whether prophecy
let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. Now
the first thing he mentions is preaching. If I have the gift of preaching
what am I called upon to do? Preach according to the analogy
of the faith. Preach the truth of the scripture. I love what
Paul said when he said in Titus 1, he spoke of the faith of God's
elect, the acknowledging of the truth, which is after godliness. If I have the gift of preaching,
prove it by just preaching the faith. That's simple enough,
isn't it? Verse seven, we're ministering. You know what that is? Being
a servant. Everybody better have that gift.
Somebody says, I don't have that gift. Well, being a servant. Everybody can be a servant. And
I think it's interesting that it's mentioned before these other
gifts. Just being a servant, being the least, being the servant
of all. On ministry, let us wait on our
ministry. He that teacheth on teaching,
being able to say the gospel in simple words so that people
understand. That's what teaching is. There's
a difference between teaching and preaching. I'm not sure what
it is, but there's a difference. But he that has the gift of teaching,
give himself to it. Verse eight. He that exhorteth
on exhortation. Now, you know what that word
exhort means? Encourages. Encourages. I think of what the writer to
the Hebrews said, let us provoke one another to love and to good
works. Not provoke each other to irritation
and offense, but provoke the way I treat you Condemning myself
when I say it, I realize that. But the way I treat you ought
to provoke you to love me because of how well I treat you. That's
the gift of encouragement. Encouragement. Be an encouragement
one to another, not a discouragement. He that exhorts to exhortation. He that giveth. What a gift. He that giveth. Let him do it
with simplicity. Generosity. He that ruleth with
diligence, with effort. He that is given the oversight
over anything. Give it your all. He that showeth
mercy with cheerfulness. A great privilege to do so. Don't
you love the beatitude? Blessed are the merciful. What does God require of you,
Micah 7? Well, to do justly. In Christ, I have done justly,
I have done. I'm justified, everything I've done is right in Christ.
He's not saying, well, he is saying that we ought to always
do justly, but that's not the teaching of that. In Christ,
I'm just, I do justly. What's he say next? To love mercy. I love being saved by the mercy
of God, and I wanna be a merciful man, don't you? Blessed are the
merciful. And to walk humbly with thy God. Now those are the seven gifts. Every believer has one or more
of these. And then he says in verse nine, remember this is
a part of that proving the good and acceptable and perfect will
of God, and I wanna do that, don't you? He says, let love
be without dissimulation. That means hypocrisy. Don't let
it be an act. Make love your aim. If you want
to make something your aim, make love your aim. That's what Paul
said in 1 Corinthians 14 after he gave that glorious 13th chapter
of what charity is. He says, make love your aim,
your purpose. If you want to have something
that you're zealous about, make love your aim. Abhor that which
is evil. Cleave to that which is good. Here's what it is to prove that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Be kindly affectioned
one toward another with brotherly love in honor, preferring one
another, showing deference to one another. Show indifference. Esteeming the other as better
than yourself. Be quick to take the lowest seat. Verse 11. Not slothful in business. And that word business, I mean
somebody might look at it as I'm gonna give all of myself
to my business and I'm gonna be, that's not what that's talking
about. Don't be slothful in diligence. Be diligent. Whatsoever thy hand
findeth to do, do it with all thy might. Once again, this is
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God, not being
slothful in diligence. Fervent in spirit, white-hot
in spirit, zealous in spirit. Why? Because we're serving the
Lord. Is there any other way than to serve Him but with a
white-hot spirit? Fervent in spirit, not lukewarm.
Oh, lukewarmness is so offensive. Be fervent. in spirit, serving
the Lord. Verse 12. I love this. Rejoicing
in hope. Hope. The hope of standing before
God without guilt. I'm justified. What a hope! I can't see it, I can't look
at myself and say, well, you can tell by how you are, you're
just, no. Hope that is seen is not hope
for what a man seeth, why is he yet hope for it? But I do
have a hope that I stand before God without guilt and I rejoice
in that. Right now, I'm rejoicing in the
righteousness of Christ being my righteousness before God.
I rejoice in hope. And I have a hope that everything
that takes place is working together for my good and His glory, whatever
it is. Romans 8, 28 says, and we know
that all things work together for good to them that love God,
to them who are called according to His purpose. Now, what a thing
to rejoice in, rejoicing in hope, patience in tribulation, trials.
Beloved, every one of us have trials that the Lord is bringing
our way for our good and His glory. And instead of getting
mad at the Lord, murmuring, complaining, you know what the scripture says
we're called upon to do? In everything give thanks. You break your leg, thank the
Lord. Praise the Lord. He's in control
of everything. Whatever it is, He's in control
of it. Now this is part of proving that
good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Everything He brings
my way is good and acceptable and perfect. So be patient in
tribulation. Verse 12, continuing instant
in prayer in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.
Let your requests be made known unto God. What a privilege it
is to be able to pray. He's the God who heareth prayer,
and he calls upon us to continue instant in prayer. Pray without
ceasing. Verse 13. This is part of proving
that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Distributing
to the necessity of saints, giving to the needs of the saints. Whatever needs they may be. Now
somebody may be thinking, you know, why doesn't this church
hear this? They're not meeting my needs. You got it wrong. It doesn't tell others to meet
your needs. It tells you to meet their needs.
Giving to the necessity of the saints. Oh, we have so many needs. Be thoughtful toward the saints,
be supportive of the saints, whatever need they have, be someone
who meets the needs of the saints, someone who's very thoughtful
in giving to the necessity, distributing
to the necessity of the saints, giving to hospitality. Everybody's called to be given.
to hospitality. I don't care how shy or backward
you are, you're still, and I'm still called to be given to hospitality. Verse 14, bless them which persecute
you. Bless and curse not. Turn with me for a moment to
Luke chapter six, verse 27. But I say unto you,
which here Luke chapter 6, verse 27. Don't
miss this, but I say unto you which hear, not everybody does.
He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. I say unto you which
hear, love your enemies. Do good to them which hate you.
Bless them that curse you. And pray for them which despitefully
use you. And unto him that smiteth thee
on the one cheek, offer also the other. And him that taketh
away thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. Give to every
man that asketh thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods,
ask them not again. And as you would that men should
do to you, do ye also to them likewise. For if you love them
which love you, what thank have you? For sinners love those that
love them. And if you do good to them which
do good to you, what thank have you? For sinners also do even
the same. If you lend to them of whom you hope to receive,
what thank have you? For sinners also lend to sinners to receive
as much again. But love your enemies and do
good and lend, hoping for nothing again. and your reward shall
be great, and you shall be the children of the highest, for
he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore
merciful, as your Father also is merciful." Back to Romans
12. Bless them which persecute you,
mistreat you. Bless and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice,
and weep with them that weep. If I love you, your happiness
is mine, and your sorrow is mine. Rejoice with them that rejoice,
weep with them that weep. Verse 16, be of the same mind,
one toward another. Now, if we have the mind of Christ,
you know, we're like-minded, aren't we? Be of the same mind,
one toward another. Mind not high things. Don't be
pretentious. Oh, it's so ugly. Mind not high
things. Don't be impressed with high
things. but condescend to men of low estate. And my marginal
reading says be content with mean things, with low things. I'll tell you what, if you got
Christ, you got everything, how can you be discontent? Be content with mean
things. Be not wise in your own conceits. Realize that in and of yourself,
you're nothing more than a fool, and you have no true wisdom in
and of yourself. Be not wise in your own conceits. I like
the word conceits. You know, when somebody's conceited,
you don't like them, do you? Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense, verse 17, recompense
to no man, evil for evil, never pay back. Somebody says, I just
get even. Better not, better not. Provide things honest in the
sight of all men. Be transparent. Don't be dishonest. Let people see that you're an
honest person. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
If it be possible, it's not always possible. I realize that. If
it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all
men. Endeavor to keep the unity of
the spirit in the bond of peace. Now you make this your effort
in proving what is that good and acceptable and perfect will
of God. If it be possible, live peaceably with all men. Verse 19, dearly beloved avenge
not yourselves but rather give place unto wrath. Whatever happened
to you, God sent it. You remember when that fellow
was cursing David, Shemai, and Abishai said, you want me to
go take his head off? He said, no, the Lord said curse David.
The Lord said that. Whatever happens to you, the
Lord told him to do it. Amen? Whatever it is, the Lord
told him to do it. Don't try to seek vengeance. For it's written, vengeance is
mine. I will repay, saith the Lord.
God always pays his debts. He's gonna do it. Therefore if
thine enemy hunger, feed him. If he thirst, give him drink. For in so doing thou shalt heap
coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil. that
overcome evil with good. I beseech you, therefore, brethren.
I'm not threatening you. I'm not trying to manipulate
you into a certain course of action. I'm beseeching you. By the mercies of God, that you
present your bodies a living sacrifice. Holy, acceptable unto
God, which is your reasonable service. Don't be conformed to
this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God. Let's pray. Lord, we ask in Christ's name that we might not be conformed to this world,
the religion of this world, the philosophy of this world, the
ideals of this world, the maxims of this world. that we might
be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Lord, renew our
minds that we might prove and experience and demonstrate that
good and that perfect and that acceptable will of God. Lord,
how we thank you for the gospel that makes us righteous through
the righteousness and merits of thy son, our only righteousness. Take this word and bless it according
to your will for your glory and our good. In Christ's name we
pray, amen.