Scripture Reference

Romans 12: 1-2

Sermon Audio

Sermon Notes

As we continue looking at the Pillars on which God’s Lighthouse stands, we are looking in depth at the second and third initiatives related to Building Up the disciples of Christ in our community of faith.

  1. We Commit Our Lives to God Because of What He Committed to Us
    1. Romans 1-11 describe the commitment of God
      1. His love, grace, and mercy through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ
      2. While we do nothing to earn this, our hearts should overflow with gratitude for it (verse 1)
    2. We’re called to commit our lives (verse 1)
      1. We’re to be living sacrifices – alive in Christ, living for Him
      2. We’re made acceptable by Christ’s sacrifice
      3. But how do we become holy (meaning set apart)?
    3. We’re called to holiness by the renewing of our mind (verse 2)
      1. Conforming to the world is the opposite of holy/set apart
      2. Too many Christians and churches are conformed to this world’s habits, values, and mindset
      3. The cure is ongoing transformation – the renewal of our mind
      4. So we can evaluate decisions, feelings, opportunities and determine which are in God’s will and which are the will of the world
  2. We Build Up to Transform Minds (Initiative 2)
    1. An hour or two on Sunday isn’t enough to transform and renew minds
      1. We need to unleash the power of God to renew our minds, and the ways to do it have been known for centuries
    2. We will introduce classic spiritual practices
      1. Explain what they are, why they matter, where they are taught in Scripture
      2. Teach and coach how to integrate into our lives
      3. Reading God’s Word, memorizing Scripture, prayer, Christian meditation, fasting, stewardship, evangelism, service, worship
    3. These are the ingredients for a renewed mind – the Holy Spirit does the rest!
  3. We Build Up to Commit Our Lives to God (Initiative 3)
    1. Many have asked for help in sharing the Good News – this is crucial
    2. The emphasis now is on doing the work of the Kingdom and being able to explain why you are loving your neighbor in this very tangible way
      1. This will take significant time – this is the living sacrifice to God
      2. Not out of compulsion, fear, or guilt, but out of joy and gratitude