Romans 12 Being transformed from living an ‘all about me life” to an all about HIM life. from living an ‘all about me life” to an all about HIM life.

Verse 1 Live your life in such a way that it is a continual worship of God, 24/7, not 1/7  What does worshiping God consist of?  What is the difference between 24/7 worship and 1/7 worship?

Verse 2 Don’t be carried along by the current of this world  What will it take to swim “upstream” from the current of the world?  Daniel 1:8, 10:12  Matt 5:  Who or what do you really love? Where is your home?

Verse 2 Be Transformed ‘Metamorpho’ changed from fleshly to spiritual  The battle : Romans 7: 14-24, 8:5-8,  The goal: Romans 8: 28-30, 2 Cor 3:18  The reward: Gal 6: 7-8  But HOW are we transformed????

 Shedding one nature and taking on another A lesson from nature…

Comparison to the Christian’s transformation  Egg: new birth, shelter within the church, being fed  Caterpillar: Eat, Eat and Eat more of God’s word  Chrysalis: Commit to change, being still within, waiting on God’s timing, the struggle of growth  Adult: Gathering and spreading the seed of the word, seeking out your own, reproduce  Shedding the old man, and putting on the new man…a life long process of being molded into His spiritual image.

Verse 2 By the Renewing of your mind  How?????  By being in the word of God  Surrendering your will to His will  Committing to and praying…asking God to help you change.

Verse 3 Don’t think too highly of yourself…anything you are is because of God  1 Cor 15:10 ~the importance of humility~  Think ‘soundly’  It is not ‘healthy’ to ones soul to be puffed up or proud in spirit. The only healthy or sound thinking is found in humility!

Verse 3 God allots to all men a measure of faith  Gen 1:26, Romans 1:20  God gave to all mankind the ability to know Him…that is the ‘start’ to faith.  What must we do to ‘activate’ our faith?  The right environment and food!  What will happen when we are not in the right environment and don’t get the ‘food’ we need?

Verses 4 and 5 We are all ONE, yet all different  We are ONE in Christ…the called out…the church, yet we are individually very different.  We are members of one another…a family…with different functions…different jobs that help the family be strong and grow.

Verses 6-8 Find your gift and use it  Our gifts differ according the the GRACE He has given each of us.  We are to exercise or use the ‘grace’ gift so that the body functions as it should  *prophesy, service, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, being merciful  ????? Are these gifts still in effect today??? Are they still needed in the church today????

 A note of the proper use of the word prophesy  Example: the word saw Different meaning of the same word depending on context. Or the word office  The word prophet was used several ways 1) a foreteller of future events to warn Agabus in Acts 11: 27 2) a forth teller…divinely inspired by God to reveal the word of God 2 Peter 1:20-21 to encourage, edify, console I Cor 14:3 3) a spokesman to tell the previously revealed message of God Exodus 7: 1-2, Acts 15:32

Is there prophesy today?  We have no need for divine revelation today because we have the complete word of God. Col 1:25-28  When the ‘perfect’ came, certain miraculous gifts would be done away with, like prophesy. 1 Cor 13:8- 10, James 1: 25 (the perfect law of God)  We still have a need for edification, exhortaion, and consolation as in 1 Cor 14:3  We also need to be God’s spokesman for the word that is already revealed – as Aaron was to Pharoah

God’s Grace

Examining the grace gifts  “Prophecy” - to be God’s spokesman for what is already revealed. To speak God’s word…to share the gospel. 1 Cor 14:3 for the purpose of edification, exhortation, consolation- the goal is for others to learn and be exhorted. V 31  Service - to look to and tend to the needs of others, Something practical exerted in actions not words. One who sees a need and acts upon it. Martha in Luke 10:40 Mary in Mark 14: 3-9 Dorcas Acts 9:36-39

 Teaching - to inform, to give instruction so as to be understood. Desire for study, and to communicate it clearly. Not an argumentative nature 1 Tim 1: 5-7, 2 Tim 2:  Exhort/Encourage - the ‘cheerleader’ to encourage growth, and help the weak 1 Thes 5:1 Barnabus ( son of encouragement) Acts 9: 26-27, Acts 11:22-24, Acts 15: 36-41

 Giving – detecting needs and sharing resources one has to meet needs, with “liberality” meaning sincere (no strings attached) and simply ( without fanfare) Matthew 6: 1-4  Leading - one who stands in front-with diligence, zeal taking responsibility for the direction of the family 1 Tim 5:17  Showing mercy - showing kind affections, goodwill, thinking the best of others, not showing judgment. All with joy or cheerfulness Extending help, not judgment for the consequences of sin and having a desire to help. Matt 23:23, Jesus’ mercy John 8:7

Getting practical Ideas of how each gift can be used Prophesy (spokesman) Service Teaching Exhort/Encourage Give Lead Showing mercy

How do we discover our gifts?  Pray  Ask a trusted Christian, ask several  Think deeply about what you like, what you enjoy  Just do it! Try using what you believe your gift to be 1.What if we never discover our ‘gift’, or never use our gift? 2.Are we just supposed to ‘work’ in the area of our giftedness or are we to try to develop others? For discussion:

If we don’t determine and then use our gift in service to each other, we are missing a piece of the puzzle to a loving, healthy, growing church family.