Sermon Notes: In Christ Alone - Romans 12:3-8

Romans 12:3-8
Our usefulness to the Lord depends on:

I. A Proper Attitude- Humility
1Tim 1:12-17, 1Cor 12:31 - 13:3  

John Calvin- "For so blindly do we all rush in the direction of self-love that everyone thinks he has a good reason for exalting himself and despising all others in comparison....There is no other remedy than to pluck up by the roots those most noxious pests, self-love and love of victory.... This the doctrine of Scripture does. For it teaches us to remember that the endowments which God has bestowed upon us are not our own, but His free gifts, and that those who plume themselves upon them betray their ingratitude." 

II. A Proper Relationship- Unity in Diversity

III. A Proper Service- Exercising our Gifts
1Cor 14:1-3, Heb 10:25, 2Tim 1:6-7 

Sermon Notes: In Christ Alone - Romans 12:1-2

Rom. 12:1-2

 

   I.  Wholly give yourself to God. 

      "The one expression (indicative) covers what God has done in terms of the gospel; it deals with the divine provision. The other (imperative) deals with what the Christian is expected to do by way of working out the salvation that has been given to him, consequently majoring on exhortation."-Harrison

-Phil. 2:12-13

-paristemi = to present; technical term for presenting a sacrifice.

-spiritual service = logikos

-logikos = reasonable, rational, spiritual 

"Our only 'reasonable' - and by implicaiton, spiritual-service of worship is to present God with all that we are and all that we have."-MacArthur 

 

  II.  Reject the mold of the world.

-world = aion = age

-Gal. 1:4

-conform = suschematizo = to form or mold after something 

"those who belong to Christ have been transferred from the old realm of sin and death into the new realm of righteousness and life."-Moo

 

 III.  Be transformed through renewal of your mind.

-Matt. 12:43-45

-transformed = metamorphoo = change in form

Lives Are Being Transformed!

“I remember the first time I saw Vanya because there was something different about him. Yes, he was the only black kid in the orphanage, but more than that, there was something about his eyes that intrigued me.

“Vanya is a smart kid.” Denis, our director, told us. “He was abandoned as a newborn. His parents were students at the university and he is very smart.”

I smiled at him and he smiled back. His outgoing personality was evident as he tried his hand at English. I met a lot of kids at that summer camp in 2004, but Vanya is the one I remember."

-Marla Ringger, Orphan Advocate

Vanya, then 13, was just learning the power of Christ’s love in his life. Recently Lifesong for Orphans had started a program at his home in Sachnovsheena Orphanage. And though Vanya resisted the Gospel at first, through the examples of volunteers and staff members, Biblical mentorship, and educational support he began to see Christ’s love in action, and knew this was something he wanted for himself.

Now at 19, Vanya continues to rise above standards and expectations. He lives in one of Lifesong’s Transition Homes in Kharkov, a home designed to support those aging out of the orphanage system, studies English at the local college, translates for Americans who come to visit, and mentors younger boys at the orphanage in the same way the Lifesong staff once mentored him!

We praise God for success stories like Vanya’s and are thankful for our partners who continue to support those like him both financially and in prayer!

Vanya from Lifesong for Orphans on Vimeo.