1. Bethel Presbyterian Church Singapore 5 September 2009
ENCOURAGEMENT for LIVING a TRANSFORMED LIFE In TODAY’S BUSY WORLD john m. dettoni
Bethel Presbyterian Church
Singapore
5 September 2009

2. Text: Romans 12:1-21
1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual [or reasonable] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

3. 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

4. 9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good
9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited.

5. 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil
17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 19Do 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. 20On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

6. QUESTIONS for DISCUSSION
1. What is the basis for chapter 12 and all the following chapters? That is, how do
Romans 1-11 relate to chapter 12?
What are some major emphases in chapters 1-11?

7. There is an obvious change in focus beginning with chapter 12
There is an obvious change in focus beginning with chapter 12. What does this change in emphasis suggest? What signals is Paul giving us in this change?

8. 3. How do Rom. 12: 1-2 set the stage for what follows in remainder of chapter and book?

9. 4. How do vv. 1- 2 relate to vv 3-21. That is, why start with vv
4. How do vv relate to vv 3-21? That is, why start with vv and then go to how to think about one’s self and to spiritual gifts, and to a long list of commands for living?
Why start with dedication of self/renewed mind, transformation and then thinking about one’s self and then move on to the Body/community and gifts and daily living with self and others?
What are the relationships between transformation: self-knowledge, spiritual gifts, and community?

10. 5. What are the main ideas of vv. 3-21 and how do they fit together?
[Note: correct thinking re self is precursor to functioning in a multiple-gifted community.
re self – think
accurately and soberly,
as gifted,
inter-related in community of believers; inter-related not isolated!
One Body,
inter-related,
integrated parts,
all work together and all function to accomplish the purpose of the Body]

11. ROMANS 12:3-8 -- OBSERVATIONS and PROPOSITIONS REGARDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS (see handout)

12. 1. All who are in Christ are in the Body of Christ, the community of believers, the Church.
2. Each and all of us belong to Christ.
3. Each and all of us belong to each other.
4. Spiritual gifts are given by God through the Holy Spirit. Source is God; resources are God's. We are stewards of God's gifts to us.
5. God gives spiritual gifts according to His sovereign will.
6. God gives us spiritual gifts graciously; they are not earned nor are we entitled to them.

13. 7. Each believer and all believers have at least one spiritual gift
7. Each believer and all believers have at least one spiritual gift. The expectation is that each will use his/her spiritual gift(s).
8. Spiritual gifts may differ from each other, yet no believer is less valuable because he or she has a "lesser" or less flashy spiritual gift.
9. Differences in spiritual gifts provide different functions for believers to perform in the church and world. Differences indicate the need for inter-relatedness, not isolation.
10. We need diversity in spiritual gifts in order for the Church to function effectively.
11. All spiritual gifts are important. The Body functions best when all parts fit well and articulate together.

14. 12. Gifts do not make a person superior or inferior
12. Gifts do not make a person superior or inferior. God decides who gets which spiritual gift. Giftedness is not a judgment of superiority or inferiority.
13. The value of the individual is not related to spiritual gifts. Value exists in the fact that we are created in God's image and are loved and called by Him and are members of His family by faith in Christ Jesus our Lord.
14. Gifts may be life-long or temporary. God determines how long the gift(s) is/are to remain.

15. 15. Some actions can appear to be a spiritual gift, but can actually be counterfeit.
(See Matt. 7: prophecy, casting out demons, miracles)
16. Spiritual gifts are nothing compared to the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
17. The Holy Spirit is more interested in our producing spiritual fruit than in our production of spiritual phenomena (spiritual gifts).
18. The Church is a charismatic, spiritually gifted community and not dependent on one or two particular gifts or one or two gifted people.
19. How then should we consider ourselves? Gifted by the Third Person of the Trinity!! And therefore Humbled because we do not deserve God’s grace, let alone spiritual gifts!

16. 6. What part of speech are the main actions? (Grammar lesson vv. 9-21)
NOTE all are translated as imperatives, commands (all literally are participles that are translated as imperatives)
Why the list?
How do these commands relate to vv and 3-8?

17. Commands fit into three major categories:

18. 1. Not evil but Good
vv. 9b, 14, 16a, 17, 18, 19-20, 21
2. Relationships with each other, both Christians and non-Christians
vv. 10, 13, 15, 16, 18
3. Spiritual disciplines –
vv. 11, 12

19. Why nestled in the middle of these commands is the command in v. 11?

20. v. 11 Literally: “. in zeal, not lazy” “
v Literally: “...in zeal, not lazy” “...in spirit [or Spirit] boiling”
(TMNT) “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master,...”
Another translation: “Aglow with the [Holy?] Spirit/spirit.”
jmd: “Get your spirit and your spirits from the Spirit!!”

21. What meaning of “ZEAL?”

22. Zeal carries the ideas of
passionate eagerness,
actively enthusiastic,
high amount of energy for a cause,
avid, great vitality, eagerness

23. Why does zeal fizzle or die?
slothfulness, slackness, lazy,
tired, do as little as possible,
little commitment,
too many conflicting commitments (none necessarily bad, just too many),
too many options in life,
social pressure to conform to local society or
to one’s peers, etc.

24. What difference does “serving the Lord” make in understanding “zeal?”

25. Zeal can be misplaced, e. g
Zeal can be misplaced, e.g., focus on gifts not gift giver, on self-directed activity not by direction of Holy Spirit, serving self not serving Lord

26. Zeal that serves the Lord is a zeal with knowledge, purpose and direction, controlled – not burned out

27. How do we maintain a zeal that serves the Lord in our busy world and chaotic lives?

28. 1. Seek Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you

29. 2. Ask for wisdom and then power of Holy Spirit to follow thru.

30. Examine and Evaluate what our commitments are and the time we allot for each. Rearrange schedules/time commitments

31. 4. Pray!