We were created for relationships, ultimately to have a close and intimate relationship with God, but also to have a relationship with each other and especially with other believers. For some who are extraverts this is an easy truth to grasp. For those of us who are introverts it’s a little harder, but the truth remains, we were created for relationships. These relationships are gifts from God. The fact that we can have a relationship with God despite the fact that we are sinners, is the greatest gift we will ever receive. Our relationship with other believers is a blessing as well. We have seen in Scripture that every good gift we have received is a gift from God and we must manage it well. Have we ever thought of that in the context of relationships? In the 12th chapter of Romans, Paul shifts his focus from building the theology of Christ's atoning work on the cross, His mercy, His grace, and our salvation, to a practical application of these truths laid out in the first 12 chapters. Paul uses the form of making the most of all the relationships we experience in our world. Before we really get started, I need to let you know that in our text today there is enough material for over a year's worth of Sunday sermons. We have 30 minutes this morning so in the context of our sermon series we need to just briefly fly over these to understand the basics. So hold on, here we go!
How to make the most of our relationship with God - Romans 12:1-2
1 And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
In light of all that God has done for us mentioned in the previous 11 chapters, Paul begs believers to make the most of our relationship with God. He gives us three practical things we must do consistently in order to make the most of it.
Present your bodies
The first thing he tells believers is that we need to present our bodies as a living sacrifice because of all God has done for us. This seems to be a reference back to Romans 8:32 when Paul tells us that if God gave Jesus for our sins, why would he spare giving us any good thing we need. This call to give God our bodies means we are to give Him our everything - our hearts, our souls, our minds, and our strength just like the Great Commandment says. We are to make sure our sacrifice is Holy. We can only be Holy through Christ and obedience to His Word. While Christ was the last and ultimate offering needed for forgiveness of our sins, presenting ourselves as a living offering is an act of joy and excitement because of everything God has done for us.
Refuse to be conformed
This is another call for holiness from Paul. It’s a call to be different from the world around them and to be like Christ. This comes through obedience to His Word but this is also a call to stubbornness. A call to stubbornly reject the world's ways when they are in contrast to God’s Word. It’s through obedience that we make the most of our relationship with God. He knows what’s best for us, which is accepting and trusting Him with our day to day activities and refusing anything else in our lives.
Renew your mind
Our minds tend to have a sinful bend, therefore Paul tells us what he will reiterate throughout his letters and recorded in 2 Corinthians 3:18. Our mind must go through a change. It’s a change that will take time, but comes when in God’s Word and obedient to God even in our thought lives.
This again all goes back to the Great Commandment, to love God and give Him everything that we are - our skills, our abilities, our actions, our thoughts, and our everything given to Him. When we do this we start to be filled with the Spirit and our relationship with Him is strengthened.
How to make the most of our relationship with ourselves - Romans 12:3
3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.
Paul briefly makes a mention of an important relationship that sometimes we overlook and it is the relationship with ourselves. Paul tells us how to make the most of this relationship as well. He takes a different approach from the one he took when speaking of our relation with God. He doesn’t beg like he does when it comes to submitting to God. Instead he commands by his authority that was given by God to stop thinking of yourself better than you really are - to be honest with yourself and your skills. God has given you gifts and skills. We must be honest with ourselves about our gifts and be thankful for what God has given you. We have to know what God has blessed us with and get honest about that. When you are honest with yourself, when you are humble, and have your opinion about yourself lined up with what God’s Word says about you, every other relationship will be much easier.
How we make the most of our relationship with other believers - Romans 12:4-13
4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. 6 In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. 9 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. 11 Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. 12 Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. 13 When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.
Paul follows through the command to think of yourselves realistically by stating that the Church is like a body. We all need to be realistic about our own skill sets because they are all needed for the church to operate properly. Everyone has a special place in God’s plan for His Church. Skills are given to be done well. This can only be accomplished when we know what abilities God has given us and we have a realistic perception of those abilities. Paul goes on to list 7 different skills that God gives and encourages those who have been given each of these gifts.
Prophecy
This was to those who have been given a Word from God to speak in truth. Paul encourages them to speak with all the faith God has given. To speak knowing that this Word came from God.
Serving
This word in the Greek is very closely related to the word “Deacon”. It’s a skill that is proactive and meets church members' needs. It’s a call for all those who have this gifting to do it to the best of their ability.
Teacher
This is someone who has been gifted to teach the truths of Scripture. Paul encourages them to do it to the best of their ability. This will look different for each teacher.
Encouragement
This gift is closely associated with the gift of teaching. The teacher shares and teaches the truths of scripture, an encourager helps others live truth out in their lives. So if you have the gift of encouragement, make sure you are using it. It is desperately needed in the body of Christ.
Giving
All believers are called to give, but this is a call for those with the gift to be able to give above and beyond what God calls us to give in obedience. Paul calls them not to hold back.
Leadership
Leading and serving others in any form is addressed here. It’s to be done with the realization of the seriousness of this gift, it’s not to be done the world’s way or done to get ahead. It’s to be done God’s way and that was demonstrated all through the life of Jesus. Lead God’s children as a servant, just like Jesus did.
Kindness (or Mercy)
Don’t get down because you are called to help others in moments of crisis. Do so realizing you are Jesus to them in those moments - showing grace and mercy in their most desperate hour.
Once Paul is done listing and encouraging those who have those 7 gifts, he gives 13 commands in the next 5 verses for all believers. He does this so they can make the most of their relationships with other believers. Let’s look at those very briefly.
Really love people
This is a call to love without deception or hypocrisy - without any ulterior motives. It’s to love fellow believers regardless of what you get from the relationship. It’s a call to live out the second greatest commandment!
Hate what is wrong
This is another call to be obedient to God’s Word and be different from the world. It’s a call to not entertain evil. We will be going in depth about this in a few weeks.
Hold tightly to what is good
This is a picture to be glued to the things of God, the commands of God in everything that we think and do in our lives.
Love each other with brotherly love
We are a family who needs to treat each other like brothers and sisters in a perfect family.
Delight in honoring each other
Paul tells us to put others before yourself - in honor, in preference, in everything. Think of others before you think of yourselves.
Never be lazy
There’s work to do before the Master returns. Don’t be caught slacking when your time would be better used carrying out the mission God has trusted you with.
Work hard
Just like we are commanded to do in multiple places in scripture, when you work do it as unto the Lord and give it everything you got.
Serve the Lord enthusiastically
Be excited with the call and gifts God has given to you. Serving the King should never be treated as drudgery, rather it should be exciting. Therefore our attitudes and actions should reflect that.
Rejoice in our confidence hope
We KNOW we are forgiven by the blood of Jesus. We KNOW that Jesus is coming back for us. We KNOW that Jesus has prepared a place for us that will blow our minds for all eternity, that’s worth celebrating!! Do it often!!
Be patient in trouble
Jesus promised that troubles are coming. We need to know that these troubles are for our good because they are working in us to make us more like Jesus. Sometimes those troubles are people, therefore focus on Him and treat them like He would.
Keep on praying
Prayer changes us like very few things do. Never stop praying!
Help the church
Always do good especially to those in the church.
Practice hospitality
In Paul's day a lot of Christians would be displaced because of persecution and they needed a place to stay. It might be a little different for us here. We are still supposed to be hospitable to fellow believers.
How we make the most of our relationship with unbelievers - Romans 12:14-21
14 Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! 17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Paul finishes this section of Romans by addressing our relationship with unbelievers. They aren’t our enemies. They are deceived by our enemy and he gives 13 commands to help our testimonies before them.
Bless them
This isn’t just to tolerate them, but rather bless them with your words, your prayers, your actions, and your attitudes.
Don’t curse them
Again we don’t wish harm to them. They are not our enemies, but deceived by our enemies. We want them to come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior and be born again.
Be happy with those who are happy
Don’t be like the older brother in the parable of the Prodigal son. Instead be like the Father who rejoiced because his son had come home. Rejoice with others no matter where they find themselves in life.
Weep with those who weep
Jesus wept when His friends were heart broken. Hurting when others hurt is a great way to show the heart of Jesus especially when they consider us an enemy.
Live in harmony
Pride sows seeds of discord. Repent of your pride and as far as you are concerned live in harmony with everyone.
Don’t be too proud to not enjoy the company of others
No task is under you and no people are under you. We are all the same from the view of the Cross. We need to have that same attitude.
Don’t think you know it all
Humble yourself, you're not as smart as you think. You can learn something from everyone you meet, you need to the time to listen.
Never pay back evil for evil
Turn the other cheek when someone wrongs you. That’s what sinners do - they sin. Sin affects everyone around them. Don’t be shocked when it happens.
Do everything honorably
Make sure you are making a reputation that would look like Jesus in ALL situations you find yourself.
Do all you can to live in peace
Don’t be alienated to the world you have been called to share the Gospel with. Don’t look like them, but don’t remove yourself from them. Remember the mission God has trusted you with.
Never take revenge
Let God take care of your hurts. He doesn’t need our help or our advice on the matter of revenge. God will take care of it in His perfect timing.
Care for your enemies
Jesus washed the feet of the man who was about to have Him killed. Be like Jesus!
Conquer evil with good
The best way to deal with an enemy is to turn them into a friend. Always be looking for a way to show the love of Christ to everyone, even those who seek to do evil to you or your family.
That was a lot, but we can simplify everything that Paul said in these verses with one word, Serve! Want to make the most of your relationship with God? Then serve like Jesus did. Serve like a humble servant. Want to make the most of your relationship with other believers? Serve them with the gifts and talents that God has trusted you with. Want to make the most of your relationships with nonbelievers? Serve them just like Jesus did whether they come to you in friendship or as hostile - serve them. So I guess we need to look at this and take a moment for it to soak in and ask ourselves. Are we invested in all the relationships God has trusted us with - His way? Are we serving?
