8/4/24 “How Now Shall We Live”
“How Now Shall We Live”
Romans 12:1-2
Some of the world’s fastest trains are in Japan – they’re known as “Bullet Trains”…have any of you heard of them?
Bullet trains reach a top speed of 200 mph (That’s just under half the speed of a commercial airplane) and take travelers to cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka.
I’ve often wondered what the view would be like traveling at 200mph – and from what people say – landmarks that are anywhere near the train simply aren’t seen because you are going too fast for your eyes to fix on them.
They say that in order to appreciate the view, you must look at objects that are a long distance away from the window of the train – things like mountains, forests, or distant bodies of water….
It’s only when the bullet trains slow down while going through cities that one can see the many landmarks close to the train…
So far in our survey of the book of Romans we’ve been riding a bullet train
…we’ve been moving quickly through a landscape of doctrinal issues such as man’s nature, justification, righteousness apart from works, God’s grace & mercy, the law, the nation of Israel….
We’ve touched on a few major issues from each chapter and briefly discussed their significance.
Today, however, our train is slowing down…way down.
In fact we’re slamming on the brakes…much like what happens when you come into Reedsburg on Hwy 33 and the flashing sign tells you you’re going ‘Too Fast!’…
…one time Lisa flew past that sign so fast that it just displayed two hands in prayer! 😊
Chapter 12 of Romans begins the 2nd major section of this incredible book
Paul now pivots from themes of doctrine - to the message of how to apply those doctrines to our lives.
There are so many rich and beautiful spiritual landmarks in the 5 remaining chapters of this book that flying by at 200mph would simply not do justice to the text.
So, today, we’ve slowed to 25mph – and we’ll be looking at 2 of the most important verses in all of scripture.
As you know by now, I encourage people to highlight or underline passages that are especially meaningful or applicable to our lives – but I’m going to go one step further with these 2 verses…
Not only should you mark them as special – but I highly encourage you to memorize these 2 verses…they are that important.
Romans 12, verses 1 & 2 are the resulting application derived from the preceding 11 chapters of foundational doctrine.
Think of it this way:
Those of you who took driver’s education back in school…do you remember all of the technical information you were given about how to safely drive a car…
…Page after page describing the functions and characteristics of an automobile…maybe you even drove in a simulator.
Then the day finally came when you got behind the wheel of an actual vehicle…you turned the ignition key…you put it in drive (Or 1st gear)…and you began to maneuver it down the road.
When it comes to the book of Romans, today is that day!
We are now given the keys to turn on your spiritual vehicle and drive it in a direction of application that brings you closer to God.
Let’s look at the first word of verse 1 (Romans 12:1) “Therefore…”
In other words, Paul is saying that the previous 11 chapters have all led up to the teachings found in these two verses…
now come the results, the conclusion….the application.
If you look closely at these 2 verses, you’ll notice that they contain 3 distinct instructions – followed by a promise.
So, this morning, I’d like to begin with the promise – then work our way in reverse order through the instructions…
And ultimately arriving at the reason why we are to follow through with the application of our faith contained in the three instructions…make sense?
Ok, let’s dive in.
Look with me at the second half of verse 2 (Romans 12:2) “…then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”
This is the promise….knowing and living out God’s will in your life.
Can you think of anything better than to be living with your will in accordance with God’s perfect will?....and thereby knowing His perfect plan for you?
Now, receiving a gold medal in the Olympics would be pretty cool…
but it would pale in comparison to receiving the deep-seated joy and satisfaction that can only be found in living within the will of God…and having your will align with God’s will.
…this is the full & abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10 when he says: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
The full life that Jesus speaks of is the life that is lived in joyful unison with God’s will….a heavenly kind of joy that can be experienced here on earth.
Joy is actually a supernatural gift…without the Holy Spirit’s help, man is completely unable on his own to remain joyful through life’s difficult moments.
Only God is able to bestow upon your soul heavenly bliss in a broken world…
So, this is the promise…living within the will of God – and seeing your will align with His.
So, how do we get there?
Let’s back up a bit in verse 2 (Romans 12:2) and look at the 3rd of 3 instructions.
It reads like this: “be transformed by the renewing of your mind”
A person who is continually being spiritually transformed experiences that reality through the process of having their minds being renewed…every single day.
Spiritual transformation doesn’t just happen – then it’s over…it is an ongoing process….for all of us.
I like the transformative illustration of the caterpillar-turned-butterfly as it pertains to a soul going from unsaved to saved…
But – unlike the butterfly illustration of salvation - the transformation that Paul is talking about here is never-ending while in the flesh.
It would be like this: Once you become a regenerated butterfly… over time – you begin to see new, colorful spots on your wings…or you notice that you have the ability to fly a bit higher than you used to…
…this represents the process of your mind becoming continually renewed.
So, how does one ensure that this process continues?
Here’s the answer:
Keeping one’s mind on the things of God is the key to ongoing spiritual transformation.
The transformed and renewed mind is the mind saturated with – first and foremost – the word of God.
This book (The Bible) literally has the power to transform your life!
Allowing the holy Spirit to lead your mind through this special revelation of God will result in continual life transformation.
In Psalm 119:11, the psalmist writes “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.”
In some ways, it sounds too easy, doesn’t it?
Seriously? My entire life can be continually transformed for the better if I just keep reading this book?...the answer is – yes….yes it can….and yes, it will.
Paul reminds us of this truth in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 when he says “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
The Bible is like no other book ever written, because the bible is God’s direct communication to His creation.
…and it has the power to completely transform your life.
Not only are we to keep our minds saturated with God’s word – but we are also to keep our minds focused on communicating with God through prayer.
Many of you know these verses about the importance of prayer from the book of Philippians: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
Did you catch the last sentence there?
Continual prayer will guard your mind in Christ.
The mind is where the battle is waged with sin…this is where we either gain ground on the path of sanctification…or we lose ground to Satan and the destructiveness of sin.
We have a choice – YOU have a choice – to either express your new nature in holiness…or to allow your old fleshly humanness to act in unholiness.
So, living in God’s will through a transformed life and renewed mind is directly tied to instruction #2 – also found in verse 2 (Romans 12:2) “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world.”
If you devote your time to the practices of godly enrichment… and to developing your relationship with Christ, you will begin to notice that the things of this world will become less-and-less desirable.
I once heard an interesting account of how poachers would trap monkeys.
The poachers would drill a hole through the center of a coconut which was attached to a rope to keep it stationary.
The hole was just large enough for a monkey to reach into the coconut with a relaxed hand.
Inside the coconut would be a banana…and monkeys – of course – love bananas.
When the monkey would grab the banana, its hand would form a fist that was now too large to come back out through the hole in the coconut.
And since the coconut was tied in place, as long as the monkey was holding on to the banana, it couldn’t go anywhere.
The poachers, then, would simply throw a net over the monkey…thereby sealing its fate.
All the monkey had to do was let go of the banana and it would have its freedom…
The only thing that held the monkey from freedom was its own greed.
Unfortunately, many professing Christians – especially here in the west where we have an unlimited supply of banana-like entrapments – ….Unfortunately, they are just like those monkeys.
Too often, professing Christians are in the business of seizing rather than surrendering…of consuming rather than contributing…of stockpiling rather than serving.
How easy it is to forget these words of Jesus: “…If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul…?” (Matthew 16:24-26)
As we all know, the world & its allurements can be very enticing…our flesh is naturally oriented to crave sin and its entrapments.
Years ago, they had a greyhound racetrack in the Dells….anybody remember that?
Dogs would be released from the shoot and they’d spend all of their energy chasing after a rabbit on a stick…
So focused would they be on that rabbit that everything else was of secondary importance.
The pattern of this world is to chase after insignificant rabbits.
The world tells us that success is having a high-paying job, a large bank account, an attractive body, a big house, the latest technology, superficial relationships that only benefit us, and freedom from all restrictions and constraints.
This is how the world defines success.
Jesus, however, defines success by entering through the narrow gate of selflessness, humility, obedience, and love for God & others
…rather than through the wide and crowded gate of selfishness, pride, disobedience, and hatred for God and others.
(Show Olympics Last Supper Picture)
I would imagine this picture is familiar to most of you by now…
A week ago, those watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympics were reminded of what a manifestation of ‘the pattern of this world looks like’.
Drag queens irreverently reenacting the Last Supper is a perfect example of the pattern of this world.
The mind of man naturally wants to rebel against the one true God of the bible and His holiness.
As blasphemous and detestable as this warped scene of the Last Supper is, it’s really nothing new.
We are just living in an age right now where the world’s pattern of sin and depravity is almost universally celebrated and affirmed…
Satanic activities such as this are no longer relegated to the shadows of public scrutiny and shame…
In most areas of the world, the guard rails of public decency are no longer standing …allowing devastating crash scenes of sin – such as what we saw at the Olympics… to now be viewed by billions of people.
By the way, I’ve been asked by a few people ‘how the church – and individual believers - should respond to this disrespectful version of the Last Supper’
I responded by asking them this question…. ‘how do you think Satan wants you to respond?’
Satan always wants Christ-followers to act in such a way as to turn people away from Jesus….
…and getting into a shouting match…or into an online argument…with non-believers over this event will most certainly not attract them to the savior.
The more a Christian reacts in an un-Christlike manner…the more satisfied Satan becomes.
We definitely need to stand for God’s truth at all times, but representing that truth through hateful speech, words, or conduct does nothing for the advancement of the gospel.
God can take man’s blasphemy without us being His attack dog….He’s taken it for centuries…including for 33 years while in the flesh.
In fact, we are reminded later in this chapter of Romans “Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay’, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19)
Let’s keep in mind that sinful behavior - such as what is depicted in this picture – is really nothing more than lost souls acting boldly upon their natural inclination to rebel against the authority of Jesus Christ.
Isn’t it interesting how no other religion gets maligned like Christianity does?
The pattern of the world is such that one simply does not publicly scrutinize Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Shintoism, Confucianism, Judaism, Agnosticism, or atheism, etc. etc.
It is only Christianity that is free game for the world to take aim upon…
Do you know why that is?
It’s because Satan doesn’t want these other religions & worldviews maligned – because they are already leading people away from Salvation.
Only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ has the power to save someone’s soul from hell – and that is what Satan is fighting against!
This reality alone should be enough to convince people of the validity of the Christian faith.
So, when you see images such as what we saw in the opening ceremonies of the Olympics, don’t despair….don’t lash out with unrighteous anger…
Rather, let it encourage you to the extent that it provides tangible legitimacy to the reality of spiritual warfare going on right now between God and Satan for the battle of lost souls….
…And let it inspire you to join the battle for God by lovingly telling others about the salvation that can only be found in Jesus.
Lastly, Instruction #1 in verse 1 (Romans 12:1) is to “Offer our bodies as living sacrifices”…
When we live & realize the will of God through the transformation that comes by a renewed mind as well as rejecting the pattern of this world…
…We realize that this is all predicated upon the importance of obediently living for our savior in all aspects of our life.
The instruction to offer our bodies as living sacrifices harkens back to the OT sacrificial system under the law.
Under the law of Moses, the meat sacrifice was brought to the priest and he would end the life of the animal before placing the carcass on the alter to be completely consumed by fire.
Today – under the new covenant - God now calls us to be ‘living sacrifices’…
In other words, we are to bring ourselves to the alter of obedience & surrender each & every day.
Theologian John MacArthur puts it this way: “The living sacrifice we are to offer to the Lord who died for us is the willingness to surrender to Him all our hopes, plans, and everything fulfilling.”
Paul describes what that looks like in 1 Corinthians 15:31 when he says “I die every day – I mean that, brothers – just as surely as I glory over you in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
He also references the idea of being a living sacrifice in Philippians 1:21 “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”
In other words, we are to obediently surrender every aspect of our lives to God because of the mercy that He has shown us through the sending of His son to die for us.
Because Christ sacrificed himself for us, we are to live for him…as living sacrifices.
The problem is, living sacrifices want to naturally squirm off the alter!
We still fight with our old nature that doesn’t want to be refined by fire atop that uncomfortable alter of obedience & submission.
This is why it becomes all that more important to be transformed by the renewing of our minds…to not be conformed to the pattern of this world…to live in such close communion with God that our will naturally becomes aligned with His…
– and to do all of this in response to what He has done for us.
This morning…. if you are still living according to the pattern of this world
…If your fist is still clutching onto the banana of materialism, or pride, or greed, or jealousy, or unforgiveness…LET IT GO!
There is freedom in the person of Jesus Christ, and if you have yet to accept his call upon your life to live for him…do it today.
It will be the most important decision that you will ever make…
And you will be eternally grateful for making a decision that will ensure that when you leave this earth, your new address will be in God’s Holy city.
Let’s Pray