By The Mercies of God

Romans 12:1-2  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.  (2)  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

INTRODUCTION:           We see in these two verses a summary of the previous 11 chapters concerning all that God has accomplished for the believer. 

In           Chapters 1 - 5     Justifying the believer

                Chapters 6 - 8     Enabling the believer to live a righteous life,

Chapters 9 - 11  Being faithful to Israel

NOTE:  The context of these verses is to believers

I.            I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE,                                           (v 1)

Beseech means =  to call near, that is, invite — call for, beg

A.           Brethren,             (brothers in Christ)

1.           By the mercies of God, that

Micah 7:18  Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.

2.           Ye present          

a.           Your bodies

(Is an instrument of sin)

A step up to the altar, it is something that you do

Romans 6:6            Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Romans 13:14   But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

                                            b.           Make Your Body

1.)          A living sacrifice,

Matthew 16:25   For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

                                            c.            Make Your Body

                                                1.)          Holy,

Exodus 32:29  For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

                                           d.           Make Your Body 

1.)          Acceptable unto God,

Philippians 4:18  But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.

Cain and Abel each made a sacrifice only one sacrifice was acceptable

B.           Which Is Your Reasonable Service.

                Reasonable is  rational (“logical)

Noah                    His reasonable service was humiliation and six saved souls

Moses                  His reasonable service was asking God to take him, but save the chosen    

                              people.

Paul                     His reasonable service a life of sacrifice and eventually cost him his head.

Matthew              His reasonable service was to leave all to follow Jesus

Peter                   His reasonable service led to his crucifixion Upside down, opposite of Christ

C.           And Be Not Conformed                  (v 2)      

1.           To this world:

Be separated                     Be set aside                       Be different

Ephesians 5:8-11   For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:  ⁹(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)  ¹⁰Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. ¹¹And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

The roads that led to our home in Palestine, Texas, had what I call tree tunnels, in the early morning and evening you really need your lights on, not to see with but to be seen. 

              That is what this verse is talking about being seen as a Christian.  Light the way for others, don’t you join in with them.

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

D.           But Be Ye Transformed (direction changed

Repentance)

Jonah 3:8   But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands.

Zechariah 1:3  Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

Psalm 51:10    Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Be transformed, it is our duty not God’s

1.           By the renewing of your mind,

              Repentance changing your direction

Acts 26:20  But showed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

E.           That Ye May Prove          (allow)

Ephesians 5:10   Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

Ephesians 5:17  Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

1.           What is that good, and a

2.           Acceptable, and

3.           Perfect, will of God.

Matthew 12:50  For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

Ephesians 6:6  Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

James 4:15  For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

CONCLUSION:  We see for all this Paul is asking us to do certain things.

                        1.           Offer Ourselves to Gods service

                             a.           Holy Acceptable to God

              2.           Your Reasonable Service

              3.           Separate Ourselves from Unbelievers

              4.           Change from the old to the new

What I have been talking about through this verse from God, is what we as individual Christians ought to do.

              I want you to remember, that this verse was talking to Christians who weren’t doing God’s Will.  (Christian Sinners)

              This verse Paul gives us is telling each of us what we (as an individual) must do.  What it comes down to is either me or you.

              It always gets to that point doesn’t it.

              You see we as sinners make choices daily.  When we wake up in the morning our attitude may be I want to do God’s will today all day.  But generally something pops up or cuts you off in traffic and you are no longer in God’s will.

              Sometimes, most times, our problem is the world.  If we could just isolate ourselves and keep in a closet where we saw no one, heard no one and spoke to no one, we could be fully separated from the world.

              God does not want that we are to shine for the Lord, show others the way.

              He was tempted as we are.  You say Bro John Jesus wasn’t tempted with what I have been, yes He has.  He was tempted by the world and stood strong and rejected Satan with God’s word.

              Not the word of  some psychiatrist, judge, or some real smart person.

              He chose God’s Word to reject Satan.  Michael the Arch Angel

(Jude 9)  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

This Angel who we consider more powerful than we are could not stand-alone against Satan.  What gives you the idea you can?

              The devil is as a roaring Lion

(1 Peter 5:8)  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

              If you saw an actual lion coming through the Baptistry none of you would stick around to help me. You might say something to warn me but I would imagine the auditorium would be vacated and the doors closed before I had a chance to react.

              Why would you ignore the devil?  He is out to ruin you, ruin your testimony. 

The Ten Commandments

Exodus 20:1-17  And God spake all these words, saying,  (2)  I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.  (3)  Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  (4)  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:  (5)  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;  (6)  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.  (7)  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  (8)  Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.  (9)  Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:  (10)  But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:  (11)  For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.  (12)  Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  (13)  Thou shalt not kill.  (14)  Thou shalt not commit adultery.  (15)  Thou shalt not steal.  (16)  Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.  (17)  Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Mark 10:17-22  And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?  (18)  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.  (19)  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.  (20)  And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.  (21)  Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.  (22)  And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.

INTRODUCTION:           When I started this message, I had a hard time getting started.  It seems more like a Sunday School lesson than a sermon.  The hard start was the thought it might be a “legalistic” sermon, and concentrate on the “law” to much.

              Yes, it does deal with the “law,” however; it must be known that we as Christians are to obey the “law.”  Just because Jesus climbed on that tree to die for you doesn’t mean you can flaunt the law.    

              God’s commandments are still in force and the law has always been required since God gave them to Moses.

              What we are not doing is abiding in the “law” for our salvation.  We are not able of losing our Salvation over our lack of obeying God’s law.

              Jesus forgave us on that tree, Jesus’ blood paid the price of my sin on that tree.

              Today we will look at the Ten Commandments as to their relationship to us today.

I.            NO OTHER GODS

              A.           Before Him

1.           Real or imagined

Exodus 20:3        Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

i.                "before me"

a.             no deity or other god

Deuteronomy 6:14    Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; ¹⁵  (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth.

              B.           What Are Some God's People Put Before God.

                             1.           Our Spouse

                             2.           Our Children

                             3.           Our Grandchildren

                             4.           Hunting season

                             5.           Dallas Cowboys or any Major sport

                       

II.           MAKE NOT UNTO THEE

       A.           Any Graven Image

1.           What is a graven image?

              i.            A statue

              ii.           A picture

                             a.           Photo or drawing             

Exodus 20:4           Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, …

Exodus 20:23        Ye shall not make with me gods of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.

2.               In today this includes by interpretation

i.                Plastic

ii.               Any malleable material

              a.           Including clay or

              b.           Any material  that can be cast

Exodus 20:25        And if thou wilt make me an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.

                             3.           Don’t carve it, just a natural stack

III.         TAKE NOT THE NAME

A.              Of The Lord In Vain

Exodus 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; ...

Leviticus 19:12  And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.

1.               Using God’s name with insincerity

i.                Praising God from habit

              a.           A lack of sincerity

ii.           An euphemism

Daniel Webster's report: "...to use good or an auspicious word for an evil or inauspicious word..."–of good sound.

2.               Using

1.               Darn – d - - n

2.               Jiminy Cricket – Jesus Christ

3.               Gosh – God

4.               Gosh darn – God d - - n

3.           We must be very careful with our language

IV.         REMEMBER IT

              A.           The Sabbath.

Exodus 20:8         Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Leviticus 19:3       Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

1.               We should not do servile work on God’s day

i.                Don’t mow your lawn

ii.               Don’t change your oil

a.               You can bath

b.               You can cook and eat

                             2.           It is a Holy Day.

V.           HONOUR YOUR

              A.           Father and Mother

Exodus 20:12         Honour thy father and thy mother: ...

Leviticus 19:3       Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God.

                            1.           FEAR = adore,    worthy of great honour

                                           i.            They are worthy of honour

VI.         Do Not

              A.           Kill

1.           Murder is forbidden         

Exodus 20:13       Thou shalt not kill.

                             2.           We kill with our tongue.

James 3:8  But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. …10-12  Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. ¹¹Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?  ¹²Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

VII.        DO NOT COMMITT

              A.           Adultery

Exodus 20:14         Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matthew 5:27       Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: ²⁸  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

                             1.           What is adultery?

                                           i.            Any sin we commit against God

                                                          a.           Not praying

                                                          b.           Not going to church

                                                          c.            Lying to others.

                                                          d.           Blaspheming God             

VII.        DO NOT

A.              Steal

Exodus 20:15         Thou shalt not steal.

                             2.           What is stealing?

a.           Taking something belonging to someone else.           Or

              1.)          Not tithing

              2.)          Not supporting missions

b.           All is theft from God

IX.         DO NOT BEAR

              A.           False Witness

Exodus 20:16         Thou shalt not bear false witness...

1.               Lying about another person

              i.            Making a false accusation

Hosea 4:2  By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

X.           DO NOT

              A.           Covet

Exodus 20:17         Thou shalt not covet ...

                             1.           Thy neighbor's house

                             2.           Thy neighbor's wife

                             3.           Thy neighbor's Man or Maid servant

Matthew 5:28        But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

CONCLUSION:   We have now seen the broader implications of the Ten Commandments.  We tend to read them for their face value, but Jesus showed us over all what they meant in;

Mark 12:29-31       And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: ³⁰And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. ³¹And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

A.           Jesus tells us we have one Lord and we are to love Him with ALL:

1.               Our heart           

2.               Our soul

3.               Our mind            

4.               And our strength

                B.           This is the first commandment.

              C.           The second is similar

                             1.           Love thy neighbor as thyself.

2.               Make sure he has heard the gospel.

              D.           Have We Each Gone Our Way?

1.               Sold All?             

2.               Given to the Poor?

3.               Taken Up Jesus’ Cross and

4.              Followed Him.