Grace Community Church February 22, 2009 A Living Sacrifice Think Like A Steward Romans 12:2-5 Grace Community Church February 22, 2009

Romans 12:1 1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Why is following Christ so difficult? Jesus is a tyrant. What Jesus asks is impossible. Our minds need renewing.

How does this renewal work? Romans 12:2 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. How does this renewal work?

Renewing Our Minds John 15:1-8 God Speaks We Listen We Wrestle We Adjust / Christ Empowers

Romans 12:3-5 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Think like a Steward Matthew 25:20-21 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

Romans 12:3 Thinking too highly of yourself… Ownership/Egocentric Mentality IF God exists, he exists to meet my needs. Self is supreme, all things viewed in terms of: What will I gain? What will I lose?

Romans 12:3-5 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Romans 12:3 Thinking with sober judgment… Stewardship/Christ-o-centric Mentality God exists to be glorified. Self is viewed in light of gospel. We do not think too highly of ourselves. We do not think too lowly of ourselves. We think of ourselves less because the focus is on Christ… All things are viewed in terms of how they bring glory to Christ.

Renewing Our Minds Stewards or Owners? God Speaks We Listen We Wrestle We Adjust