(# 376) Romans 12 - When You Present Your Bodies Don’t Forget Self

Class Outline:

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Welcome To

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…a Christian Church with worldwide impact based in Mesa, AZ…my name is Pastor Rory Clark.  At Barah Ministries, our God is the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Creator of the Universe and all things in it, including all of us creatures.  John, Chapter 1, Verse 3 says…

 

JOHN 1:3

All things came into being through the Lord…God the Son…and apart from the Lord nothing came into being that has come into being. 

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

When You Present Your Bodies Don’t Forget Self

 

In Ephesians, Chapter 3, Verses 14 to 21…Paul is praying a prayer of unity for the Jewish and Gentile believers of the Church Age, especially us Gentiles…

 

EPHESIANS 3:14

For this reason (now that you Gentiles are brought near by the blood of Christ) I bow my knees before God the Father (in prayer)…

 

EPHESIANS 3:15

…the Father from whom every family in heaven (angels) and every family on earth (humans) derives its name…

 

As the Creator of the Plan for divine history, God the Father is the model to emulate concerning what it means to be a father…the perfect planner… the perfect provider… the perfect protector…

 

EPHESIANS 3:16

…that God the Father would grant you, according to His glorious riches, to

be strengthened with divine enabling power through His Holy Spirit resident in the inner man…

 

This is the essence of Paul’s prayer for us in this passage…he is praying that as believers, that the Lord Jesus Christ be placed voluntarily at the center of our lives, and our attitudes, and our conduct…that we become special in the world from the inside out…that we influence this lost and dying world through the enabling power He has placed resident inside us.

 

EPHESIANS 3:17

…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith…and that you, having being rooted in eternity past (like a plant) and grounded in eternity past (like a building with a firm foundation)…rooted and grounded in the sphere of unconditional love…

 

EPHESIANS 3:18

…and that you may be able to keep on comprehending…along with all the saints…what is the breadth (how wide) and length (how long) and height (how high) and depth (how deep) the Father’s unconditional love is for you…

 

EPHESIANS 3:19

…and that you keep on knowing from experience the unconditional love of Christ which supersedes all knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the measures of fullness from the source of God the Father.

 

EPHESIANS 3:20

Now to God the Father who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the divine power that works within us…

 

EPHESIANS 3:21

…to God the Father be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.

 

Welcome to a place where you can be strengthened in the inner man in such a way that you can tackle all the life challenges you face through the divine enabling power that God keeps on pouring into you.

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

YOUR GRACE IS ENOUGH

Chris Tomlin

 

We live in a more-more-more world…but in our relationship with God we have plenty…we have all we need.  Here’s Chris Tomlin to tell us how to know we have all we need…YOUR GRACE IS ENOUGH.

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for giving us insight into how to live the married life, and how to live within relationships…give us the courage to make the changes that are necessary to give our lives meaning…

 

We ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s name...

Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

When You Present Your Bodies Don’t Forget Self

 

We’re studying Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 12:1

Therefore…I (Paul)…urge (beseech) you…brethren (believers in Christ)… as you keep on being persuaded because of the many mercies of God…TO PRESENT YOUR BODIES (by choice, not by command…as) A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE… acceptable to God the Father… which is your spiritual service…worship.

 

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 1 tells us a “DO” in the Christian Way of Living…DO KEEP ON PRESENTING YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE.  The Holy Spirit has chosen to use the example of marriage in the past few lessons to focus our thoughts concerning the study of PRESENTING OUR BODIES.

 

It’s easy to see why God did not use a command in Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 1…instead He uses a request…a beseech…He is begging us!  He avoids using a command because He doesn’t want us to feel guilty about our past and present failures.  In Philippians, Chapter 3, Verses 13 and 14, even Paul, the greatest believer of all time, talks about the proper response to life’s challenges…

 

PHILIPPIANS 3:13

Brethren, I (Paul) do not regard myself as having laid hold of spiritual maturity yet…but one thing I do…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead…

 

PHILIPPIANS 3:14

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

 

Press on.  Forget the past.  It does not dictate your future, unless you let it.  God always wants us to do things willingly, not grudgingly or under compulsion.  God does not want us to serve Him out of duty...rather, He wants us to come voluntarily of our own choice.  God wants His divine mercy and His grace to have persuasive power over our will…He wants His goodness to move us…so that we allow ourselves to be controlled by the Spirit.

 

We present our bodies voluntarily to marriage.  The Lord gives us relationships, like marriage, so that we will GROW.  Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 18 says…

 

SECOND PETER 3:18

…GROW within the sphere of grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

 

There is nothing that helps us grow faster than relationships like marriage.  Are you growing?  That’s a serious question that deserves your consideration.  God built us to grow.  Satan wants us to stay the same.

 

Relationships start when you “PRESENT YOUR BODIES AS A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE.”  We know the marriage relationship cannot be sustained with lighter fluid love…the attraction phase love that springs up and then burns out just as fast.  Marriage requires you to sacrifice.  What is sacrifice?

 

SACRIFICE
The surrender or the complete destruction of something you value for the sake of something that has a higher value.

 

We have to destroy our desire to be obsessively concerned with self, and instead value intentional togetherness and collaboration.  What is especially true is if the foundation the marriage relationship is not INTENTIONALLY nurtured, its fire goes out.

 

God has given us the gift of time.   Your relationship with time is expressed in the form of a schedule.  How much INTENTIONAL time, scheduled time, do you spend with your spouse each week?  Relationships require the sacrifice of your time.

 

God has given us the gift of Himself.   You and your spouse have a relationship with God as believers in Christ.  It is called your spiritual life.

If deep, intimate, and personal relationships require time, how much of your time are you and your spouse INTENTIONALLY giving to the study of the Word of God…TOGETHER…so that you can develop such a relationship with God?  How much do you discuss God and His Word and it’s applicability to your marriage? 

 

God has given us the gift of health.   You and your spouse have a relationship with these bodies you are presenting as living and holy sacrifices.  Are you taking care of yourself?

 

God blesses us with money.  You and your spouse are asked to be good stewards of the Lord’s financial blessings.  How competent are you at handling money…the income…the expenses…the debt…and the savings?

 

Well the one thing that God gives us that doesn’t made it to the top, from the bottom of my list, is the gift of SELF. 

 

You-Them Diagram with the word Self in the box>

 

God gives both of you…YOU!  I am beginning to appreciate myself.  God certainly appreciates us by putting us first…look at the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians, Chapter 5, Verses 22 and 23…

 

GALATIANS 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace (toward self)…patience, kindness, goodness (toward others)…faithfulness,//gentleness, self-control (in relationship to God)…against such virtues there is no law.

 

God wants us thinking of self first.  Do you think of yourself first?  As a married couple, you must not forget SELF…you must develop your individuality.  It’s an important facet of YOU.

 

Satan, the ruler of this world is the very definition of a narcissist.  What is narcissism?

 

NARCISSISM
Deriving erotic gratification from admiration of one’s own physical or mental attributes, while simultaneously having no concern for others…a grandiose view of one’s own talents…a craving for admiration…a self-centeredness arising from a failure to understand the cooperative requirements of a relationship.

 

Today, we throw words around to describe things…we see selfish conduct and we may describe it as narcissistic.  But until you are entangled in a relationship with a person who actually has this as a mental disorder, you have no idea how deep narcissism goes.  And when you don’t know the rules of dealing with a narcissistic personality, you are cannon fodder for their selfish game. 

 

So it is with Satan.  As believers in Christ we get lured into His narcissistic game, and we get crushed.  We think we can consort with him…we think we can compete with him…we think that we can impress him…we think we can please him…but we have no chance against him.  He has absolutely no concern for us except to destroy us.  Here’s how the Lord handled the lying narcissist… in Matthew, Chapter 4, Verses 8 to 10…

 

MATTHEW 4:8

Again, the devil took the Lord Jesus Christ to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory…

 

MATTHEW 4:9

…and the devil said to the Lord, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”

 

This was a legitimate offer from the ruler of this world.

 

MATTHEW 4:10

Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’”

 

The Lord knew the person He was talking to…John, Chapter 8, Verse 44…

 

JOHN 8:44

You (Pharisees…unbelievers) are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because THERE IS NO TRUTH IN HIM. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for HE IS A LIAR AND THE ONE WHO KEEPS ON FATHERING LIES.

 

The Lord knew…legitimate offer or not…the devil would not keep his promise.  He is a liar.  Satan has no integrity.  You would think someone as selfish as Satan would be encouraging selfishness in us.  He doesn’t!  It’s just the opposite.  He encourages selflessness in us so he has plenty of people to use.

 

Let’s take a quick music break…when we return, we’ll take the offering, and then we’ll continue our look at SELF.

 

MUSIC BREAK

HARD LOVE

Need to Breathe

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

When You Present Your Bodies Don’t Forget Self

 

Let’s begin the next portion of our lesson by giving you a chance to make an offering…we need and we value your financial support to continue the work of this ministry…please welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with the offering message.

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

SECOND PETER 3:17-18

You therefore, beloved (divinely loved ones), knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men so that you fall from your own steadfastness…GROW within the sphere of grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory…both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

 

OFFERING

FLIGHT OF THE EAGLE

Dave McClure, Instrumental

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

When You Present Your Bodies Don’t Forget Self

 

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 12:1

Therefore…I (Paul)…urge (beseech) you…brethren (believers in Christ)… as you keep on being persuaded because of the many mercies of God…TO PRESENT YOUR BODIES (by choice, not by command…as) A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE…acceptable to God the Father…which is your spiritual service…worship.

 

What do you do to care for your SELF?  It’s as easy as INTENTIONALLY scheduling time to pamper you.  Maybe it’s a massage.  Maybe it’s a manicure and pedicure.  Maybe it’s a new wardrobe.  Maybe it’s learning a new language.  Maybe it’s taking on a hobby.  Maybe it’s reading a good book.  Maybe it is adding a new competence to your repertoire every year.  Maybe it’s anything that gets you out of your comfort zone…a new restaurant…a trip…there are many things you can do to care for yourself.  Maybe it’s spending time with friends, which few us do quite enough… to share “war stories”…to enjoy each other’s company.  Whatever you do to feed yourself, it’s just important to remember that SELF must not be last on your list.  When you are married, as one poem says it, “let there be spaces in your togetherness.”

 

It is not selfish to take care of yourself.  It is not selfish to be concerned about yourself.  It’s important to think of others…perhaps most of the time first…but it is equally important to care of you as well.  If you don’t take time to care for yourself, it’s easy to begin thinking of yourself as a martyr or as a victim.

 

God gives you the chance to have a COMPANION.  In marriage, you have selected one if you’re not in an arranged marriage.

 

You-Them Diagram with the word COMPANION in the box>

 

Your companion gives you a chance to have a relationship with intimacy.  Quite often marriage relationships are simply transactions.  When someone gets in a relationship with you, they have an intent for doing so…a motivation.  What is intent?

 

INTENT

The state of a person’s mind that directs thoughts toward specific actions.

 

Why did you select the companion you selected?  What did you intend to gain by annexing this person as a companion?  What was your intent?  Whatever the intent, it usually doesn’t last.  Many times the very thing that attracts you to a person is the thing that repels you later.

 

What’s important is that you select a person who has the intent to be on your side…a person with the intent to “have your back” through thick and thin.  Not everyone understands this type of loyalty.  Not everyone is equipped for this type of relationship.  For many, when you make a single mistake with them, you are discarded.  I have no respect for people who are this shallow in relationships.

 

Intimacy is the quality of being comfortable with others…of warm feelings

between you and others…of being familiar with others.  There is a trust in intimacy.  Intimacy is nurtured by long conversations that are always too short, in which real communication is occurring…real sending of messages and real receiving, which we call listening.  Listening to another person is one of the most intimate gifts you can give them. 

 

Often, but not always, intimate conversations lead to sexual contact in the marriage relationship.  First Corinthians, Chapter 7, Verses 3 to 6 describe the sexual relationship in marriage…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 7:3

The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife must fulfill her duty to her husband.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 7:4

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband

does…and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does.

 

The submission relationship does not apply to the sexual relationship.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 7:5

Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

 

The mood of command is used in this passage…God is telling us exactly what works.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 7:6

But this I say by way of concession, not of command.

 

The apostle Paul is saying, I’m not commanding you to do these things… they should be agreed to by both parties.

 

What is duty?  It’s a voluntary obligation that you choose because you know it is the right thing to do. 

 

How is sexuality handled in your marriage?  The Lord commands that it be handled in equality.  Most of all He asks that you handle it.  And if you don’t handle it, don’t be surprised at all by adultery in the relationship.  Depriving each other of sexual contact is a prescription of the destruction of a relationship.

 

In the matter of resolving disputes in a relationship, if you have intimate knowledge of the other person, this isn’t something to be used in fights.

 

 

So a few questions…we’ve taken some time to look at several aspects of relationships so far, as we concern ourselves with PRESENTING OUR BODIES AS LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICES… the aspects are TIME…GOD…HEALTH…FINANCES…SELF…COMPANION.  As a result of what you are hearing, are you changing anything in your life?  If you’re married, are the lessons stimulating meaningful conversation between you and your spouse?  Are the lessons allowing you to be honest with each other?  Are the lessons instigating changes in the way you do things?  And if you’re thinking about getting married, are these lessons giving you pause?  Are you seeing how intense and how challenging the marriage relationship is, and are you talking about and preparing for the relationship you want to enter into?

 

“I love you” …that romantic love… doesn’t cut it when you’re talking about a relationship this serious.  What does cut it is real discussions and real approaches to the challenges of marriage by two people who are seriously committed to improving their competence to be able to handle each of these

challenges.

 

GROW!

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

It’s an easy decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ…you can do it anytime and anywhere…let’s see what happens in a prison in Acts, Chapter 16, Verses 25 to 34…

 

ACTS 16:25

But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them…

 

ACTS 16:26

…and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken…and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened.

 

ACTS 16:27

When the jailer (a prison guard) awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped.

 

ACTS 16:28

But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!”

 

ACTS 16:29

And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas…

 

ACTS 16:30

…and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

 

ACTS 16:31

And Paul and Silas said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

No works of any kind necessary…simply faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ…for a  “so great” salvation.

ACTS 16:32

And Paul and Silas spoke the Word of the Lord (the gospel message) to the jailer together with all the people who were in his house.

 

ACTS 16:33

And the jailer took Paul and Silas that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.

 

ACTS 16:34

And the jailer brought Paul and Silas into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, having believed in THE God (the Lord Jesus Christ) with his whole household.

 

CLOSING SONG

WALK IN THE LIGHT

June Murphy

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

          THANKS - INTERCESSION - PETITION

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

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