Not Thinking Too Highly

Scripture Texts: Romans 12:3-5

Prayer:

Holy Father, as we come to your Holy Word again this morning, grant us divine assistance and wisdom that this is not an exercise in gaining knowledge, but of gaining wisdom and making progress in holiness, and all of this for your glory and our benefit.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Introduction.

Here we go.  Roll up your sleeves, get ready for action.

For the next four chapters Paul is going to tell us what is means to be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable, presented to God as our spiritual worship.  Paul is going to flesh out what it means to not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds, what it means to discern what the will of God is, those things that are good and acceptable and perfect.

No more indicative mood, no more just facts and information, now comes the imperative mood, what we should do with the facts.  From what is true to what should be true.

Romans 1-11 gave us the Gospel.  Romans 12-15 gives us what a life shaped and molded and controlled by the Gospel looks like.  A life lived in response to the mercies of God, to the abounding, undeserved daily grace of God.  His mercies are new every morning giving us the grace to live according to the Gospel.

After everything God has done for us in Christ, how can we hold anything back from him?