In Him: Growing Up • 08.09.26
In Him: Growing Up
Romans 12:1-21
Maturing by the mercies of God
- Present yourselves as a living sacrifice (v1)
- Be transformed, not conformed by the renewal of your mind (v2)
- A renewed mind thinks humbly (v3-8)
- A renewed mind loves genuinely (v9-21)
Manuscript:
Good morning church family! My name is Jack Flaherty and I serve as one of the Pastor’s here at Harvest. I am excited to open up God’s Word together this morning as we continue our series on identity in and union with Christ titled “In Him.” I hope this has been as impactful for you as it has been for me! Consider what we have covered so far:
Week 1-3 In Him: Our identity in Christ
- who is HE? what God has done! Eph 1
- who am I? Transformed ID and purpose. Eph 2
- is the enemy and how do I think about this? Standing firm to the end. Eph 6
Week 4-7 In Him: Our life in Christ.
- whose kingdom am I living for? Alive in Christ. Rom 6
- where is my hope really found? Now and forever. Rom 8
- Am I maturing? Growing Up. Rom 12
- do I make disciples? Titus 2
If you’re with us and are not a follower of Jesus or aren’t sure or are investigating, lucky you! We are laying out foundational truths of God and self, including requirements and blessings of following Jesus! If you already know Jesus, lucky you! We are reminding you of the hope and joy and freedom and power and blessings and resources that are yours all IN Jesus! Today more of that as we answer the question “Am I maturing?”
Open you Bibles to Romans 12. If you need a Bible, the ushers would love to get you one! As you turn there, let me ask: What do you want to be when you grow up? Children and students in the room it’s a very real question because, Lord willing, your entire life is before you! Have you spent time thinking about it? I was going to be a professional athlete, pilot to fly the team plane, and Dr to take care of the squad. Fun to think of. OR maybe it also brings fear or shame. “I need to figure it out! I can’t pick something bad. What if I am terrible at what I pick?” This is a very real question for adults as well. Maybe some of us feel we made poor decisions of what we wanted to be. Or we wonder with life already behind us, what does that mean for future growing up goals and aspirations? Or you might think you’ve already arrived because you’re doing what you want.
Regardless, what if I told you that, when it comes to the most important thing about you, there is an answer for what you should want to be? Biblically speaking the most important thing is to be like Christ. Whether you think about it or not, we all are growing up until we step into eternity! And when the growing is done what the Judge of our eternal destination is going to ask is whether or not all that growing was modeled after, obedient to, and made possible by Jesus Christ. When Christ meets you in your need, transforms you by his grace, welcomes you into his family, and spells out your hope in him now and forever, he is calling you to the privileged of not staying where you are at! Being a Christian is not just a one-time moving from lost to saved, wretch to righteous, worldly to holy, but a lifelong whole personhood growing in Christ likeness!
Lets start by reading Romans 12:1-2. Consider the context we drop into. Ch 1-11 explain the righteousness of God, unrighteousness of man, the way to be made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, the promises and resources for those who Christ has made righteous, and the defense of the means by which God bring this righteousness to the nations. Then ch 12-16 spell out what that righteousness ought to look like in the lives of Jesus followers. Which introduces this main idea of Maturing by the mercies of God. If you read ahead in Romans 12 you may have noticed there are a lot of commands! Imperatival adjectives, imperatival infinitives, and imperative verbs calling us to be about that action! However this is not saying “try harder to get God’s mercy”; though these are commands to obey. Rather the argument is, “Because you’ve received God’s mercy and are in Christ, the Spirit forms a new way of living and thinking and feeling in you.” They mercy of God isn’t just the fuel in the tank of the car we are driving towards eternity, it’s the merciful God himself who is the vehicle which we are offered to hop inside of—in Him—as he dictates how to bring us home.
With that, lets re-read Romans 12:1. The first piece of maturing by the mercies of God is to…
- Present yourself as a living sacrifice
In Christ, we are to live life as an ongoing act of worship. Makes sense coming out of the end of Romans 11:33-36 which is a glorious doxology about the incredible glory of God. Paul then says God deserves worship, therefore, be a sacrificial offering of worship.
THEREFORE is a big word. Anytime you see this in the Bible your antennae should go up and you should start looking for the source of that word. Paul doesn’t just command “be a sacrifice” but he appeals. He doesn’t just appeal but tells on what basis he makes the appeal. WHY be a sacrifice? God’s mercies–meaning not just one small thing but many–which Paul uses to summarize eleven glorious chapters! Think about that! Mercy is a tender compassion, treating people better than they deserve. Paul magnifies this aspect of God and reminds us that we have received mercy! It’s not to be incognito but on display through us who have received it.
Present your bodies means everything—physical, mental, emotional. Maturing is surrender. Our growth in obedience isn’t because we always want, will, feel, or think the same BUT because we’ve laid down our wanting, willing, feeling, and thinking at the foot of the King! Living sacrifice means we don’t die on the altar like OT but die to everything else in our live to live before God. In the OT sacrifice language was for atoning. But Jesus has atoned once for all, so our sacrifice means we are back from the dead and to display the worth of the one to whom the sacrifice is presented. Not expiring but exalting Jesus.
We’ve seen this already in Romans 6:6-11 “ We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
We’ve died to self and are living to God! Maturing means living as a surrendered sacrifice to the merciful God! Not something burnt up and spent but something on fire for God and giving light that points to his glory. Holy and acceptable to God shows that our aim is not our own desired standard nor standards of world, or friends, or family–but God’s! This is your “spiritual worship” may also be rendered “reasonable service.” Being a living sacrifice makes sense! If someone does something for you, there is a thank you. If that happens to be saving your life, that’s a big thank you. If that something happens to be saving your life AND empowering the rest of your life AND carrying you unto eternity, then your response is give it all up! This is not to try and get even for what God has give because we can’t! The debt actually grows! Instead what sounds crazy and radical actually is reasonable. It not only makes sense it’s the only right thing to do.
So that’s the why and it makes sense. But how do live as a sacrifice? Paul answers as we read Romans 12:2. The second piece of maturing by the mercies of God is to…
- Be transformed, not conformed, by the renewal of your mind.
After appealing Paul follows up with a strong contrast helps show how to carry this out. Options are either to conform to the world OR be transformed. The Greek word is metamorephoo means inward change in fundamental character or conduct. It is a passive imperative, meaning there is a command, but we don’t carry out the action. Again, this is the mercy of God at work. Instead of surrendering to the world and being conformed to the mold we are to be transformed by surrendering God! This has to be a work of the Spirit as we read elsewhere in places like Titus 3:5 and 2 Cor 3:17-18 And God does this by renewing our minds!
What’s wrong with our minds? Romans 1:21-25 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
This is what Romans 12 is combatting! Romans 1:26-32 goes on to spell out what happens when conforming to the world and the rest of Romans by contrast lists what follows when renewing our minds. I couldn’t help but think of the lyric “It didn’t make sense not to live for fun, your brain gets smart but your head gets dumb.” Smashmouth got it part right. We don’t just conform to the world’s rules and play along. You might gain knowledge but that’s foolish way to live and won’t bring true growth or joy. However unlike Smashmouth we find true joy and wisdom not by life on your terms but living life on Jesus terms! Don’t blindly follow rules of this age BUT also don’t follow your own rules. Follow Jesus which brings true fun and wisdom!
Look at the result at end of v2! That we may discern God’s will, which is described as good and acceptable and perfect. Schreiner says this idea of testing signifies that which is approved after a process of examining. Said another way, go ahead and let God transform your mind and you will see the good and acceptable and perfect things God intends! This is less about take this job or date this person, but more about the ability to discern God’s moral will and wisely applying to all life. Doesn’t growing in that ability that sound freeing and refreshing! We come across situations we don’t want to change OR patterns that are really deep ruts to get out of OR our affections get in the way “I just feel.” Difficult to renew our minds but if we submit to God and by faith trust his merciful ways it’s not impossible! In fact, all of life can only be renewed and changed by God. How is this mind renewed? Well how do we inform our inner man? The Word and the Spirit! That’s why we as a church are committed to the ministry of the Word from the pulpit, in the family, in the counseling room, in SG, in the neighborhood. It is without error and sufficient for all that we need for life and godliness, so we may be complete equipped for every good work. By the mercies of God we have the tools to be renewed! We have to lean in and let it shape us!
Its interesting that Paul talks about renewed mind in v2 but presenting bodies in v1. I think what he is saying is that we have to take the step of trusting in our inner man the truths God has said in his Word, being renewed by the Word and the Spirit, by actually living it out in our bodies. In fact, in the doing there is transformation that happens. Our minds are renewed in trusting and obeying the truth of the Word! So this renewal is of the mind and informing our thinking rightly BUT it also must be played out in action. Which where v3-21 take us.
Various ways people have tried to categorize and organize all of which have truth and are helpful, but I broke into the two main ideas. Again, all from a position of being in Christ! The appeal is to brothers and sisters in the Lord from v1. Paul isn’t presenting just a list of things to do BUT a scorecard of evidence of maturing, according to God’s mercies. None of this is meant to be exhaustive but representative of person who is growing and surrendered to Christ.
- A renewed mind thinks humbly (v3-8)
This spells out what v1-2 looks like. If you are being transformed and maturing in Christ, then you are thinking rightly. The root for “think” shows up 4x in v3. And the idea is don’t think highly of self but be soberminded. Evidently, we can view ourselves wrongly. I know that’s not YOU! J Well “everyone among you” means we are all guilty at times and need to think humbly! But what should believers think humbly about?
First, think humbly about the fact that God saved you by grace through faith. That’s the latter part of v3. We have been assigned faith by God. Eph 2:8-9 say faith is a gift. This obliterates boasting! Puts us rightly in the living sacrifice category of responding to God’s mercies not our awesomeness. Of ALL he could have said, says think about self.. The idea is contemplating all reality in Christ centered way. Make it your aim to please him. be self-forgetful!
Second, think humbly about the fact that you are saved into one body in Christ. That’s what v4-5 emphasize. Paul appeals to the illustration of a body. A transformed mind remembers you are not running a solo but part of a team! We are in Christ together, in one body. You are interconnected and interdependent on others. Which takes humility to admit but is the basis on which much of the following commands, which involve interactions with others, depends.
Third, think humbly about the fact that you are given gifts by grace. We see in v3 & v6 that “gifts differ according to grace given to us.” Doesn’t mean we are more or less saved. Rather show us we aren’t just brought into the kingdom by God’s grace but also all that we do for his kingdom is by grace. There is a diversity of gifting and ability with gifts and maturity in all of that! we are each uniquely gifted to work together! Which brings up…
Fourth, think humble about the fact that you are to use your graciously given gifts for Christ’s body. In v6-8 we get a list of spiritual gifts. One of four in the Bible. Not mean to be exhaustive nor is the emphasis on the gifts themselves but on the manner of their use. Remember we aren’t to proudly think your gift is from you or for you. You may be uniquely effective at something BUT that’s meant for the kingdom! To bring glory to God, to edify the church, and to advance the gospel! So all that to say think rightly! Humbly! We cannot overvalue or undervalue anyone in the body NOR anyone’s giftings. Yet at the same time, those gifts aren’t meant to just be held onto but deployed for the good of the body. All English translations supply a verb of “let us use” or “let us exercise.” But Paul just said you all have gifts and DUH YOU USE THEM!
For example some of us here are meant to lead and are hiding. Some of us here are servants and aren’t deploying that service for the kingdom. Some of you have contributions God wants. Some of you would be a blessed encouragement but can’t find time to get with people or join a SG. We have people uniquely effective at a variety of things. We need to see and affirm that. But also Romans 12 says not just affirm gifts but humbly deploy gifts as an act of sacrifice in the body, not hide or use at home or workplace we need to talk! Humility will actually offer that up, whether young or old, instead of just waiting to be sought out. These aren’t found in an inventory, though again we can see unique effectiveness. But that happens as deployed in the body! When our minds are renewed it keeps you humble and helps you steward you gifts as a living sacrifice.
Non better or worser. It’s God’s mercy that empowers any and all gifts. All of this is EVIDENCE not EARNING! And there is more.
- A renewed mind loves genuinely (v9-21)
Paul moves from right thinking within Christ’s body to genuinely loving like Christ. Again, v9-21 explains v1-2 looks like. Looks like a lot of to-dos BUT is a report card tool to evaluated if things are being produced by God’s grace and mercy in your life! The renewed mind, one transformed by Jesus not conformed to the world, is one of love! Love played out in every aspect of life relationally, internally, eternally, and beyond!
And I think v9 shapes up the whole rest of the section. The word genuine is literally “unhypocritical.” I once read John Piper say “ hypocrisy is trying to be on the outside what you are not on the inside” and that is so good! because what we see here isn’t just action, but thinking and feeling and willing and wanting! This is tough! Which is why we need to renew our mind regularly by the mercy and grace of God! With v9 I think governing the list, it says abhor evil and hold fast to good. What follows are commands which apply “abhor evil” OR “hold fast to good.” What a contrast! Not just good and evil but love and hate! Bible says emotions need to change even if you don’t have immediate control…over time as we contemplate ugly and good we will see new emotions formed/matured/grown. And as we look at these, I think you will see that this reflects the mercy of God shown to us in Christ.
v10—this Is not just resolved to be nice but actual affection! This is beyond natural capacity and transcends natural bonds. We are to outdo or lead the way, not compete. Desire to serve more than be served! Isn’t this what Jesus did, when he gave his life as ransom for many? Sinners don’t deserve honor BUT show honoring is treating people as if they do. This is what Jesus did.
v11—not about your desires/feelings NOR about other peoples but about God’s! that’s maturity all a service to Christ. Christ service to us as he empowers what we do.
v12—follows pattern of Rom 5 & 8 of hope, endure, pray. Satan seeks to destroy but God designs to strengthen! hope is not in spite of but actually because of tribulation working in you patience is perseverance and all that served by prayer. Serving God. trusting God. PRAYER! Isn’t that what Jesus, who for joy set before him endured the cross? Patient means endure! and prayer!
v13 –commanded because it’s dangerous and risky. BOTH put you at risk. Evidence because who was most generous contributor to needs and ready to host us in heaven?
v14 — this is what God did for you! not just acting but wanting this for our enemies…not just brave to say the right thing but actually doing it. didn’t Jesus do this praying Father forgive?
v15– again we put God first to fight pride and haughtiness. If upset at others happiness or happy at others sadness we need to keep looking to Jesus! This happens BUT it tells you there is a need to keep staring at Jesus to let him transform rather than conform. Jesus did this perfectly and still does as the one who sympathize with our weakness.
v16– don’t be a know it all/ both adjust to lowly persons and be carried by humble tasks. Jesus left heaven. Jesus sought Father’s will and prayed.
v17– don’t pay with evil but be meticulous to do what is transparently honorable.
v18—Sometimes I hear this applied wrong. one extreme is I HAVE to make peace. If it depends on me I didn’t do enough. control what is yours only! Other extreme is I TRIED. We often avoid this and miss the growth it brings and the chance to display the mercy which we have received. The term “protect your peace” is one that is growing in popularity and this verse flies in the face of it! “Paul doesn’t say, “Protect your peace by keeping away from people who disrupt it.” Rather, because Christ has given us a peace that circumstances and other people cannot ultimately take away, we are freed to pursue peace with others—even when pursuing peace is uncomfortable, costly, or not reciprocated. We don’t have to control the situation to have peace; we can enter difficult relationships without surrendering our peace because our peace is ultimately received from Christ, not produced by our circumstances. Jesus had peace in trial, betrayal, storm. have peace not shaped by circumstances but by God…and if its not there maybe some practical steps to help get there
v19-20—builds off this idea of peace. Paul quotes Deut 32:35 here to remind us that God will right all wrongs and administer perfect justice in due time don’t take into your own hands but show remarkable kindness. He is modeling renewing our minds with the Bible as he again quotes the Word using Prov 25:21-22. Two possibilities: 1) kindness is further evidence for God to judge your enemy! shows how series sin is if they continue unprovoked. Burning relates to judgment so Paul again is saying if they stay unrepentance God will have plenty to judge OR 2) kindness results in enemy feeling shame and repenting! possibly old Egyptian ritual of guilty person putting coals on head to show repentance. heaping more kindness will embarrass enemy and lead to repentance. regardless we are kind because of aim to live peaceable and to trust God to right wrongs not us. And feeding and giving water is meant to stand for doing every kind of good. Not just those literal actions! We are relieved of need to be wrathful and frees us to love! We lay our life down for the one who laid it down for us. Who didn’t seek vengeance on but is living water and bread of life, Jesus.
Finally v21 this is a summary of v17-20. and this mirrors v9 of hate evil and love good and closes loop. If this is all you get today, let it be so. Don’t be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good. Kids don’t hit back or same names or take. Overcome Students don’t gossip or hit with silent treatment or passive aggressive jokes. Overcome. Adults don’t take matters into your own hands and rage on SM or place hopes in political solutions. Overcome.
Again, these actions are less DO IT and more as you lay down your life as an act of work and renew you mind by looking to Christ not self or world you will see these things play out! Christians know we aren’t perfect and need God’s help, but a right understanding of the mercies of God we have received in Christ the means of our maturing in Christlikeness. Don’t stay stuck or think there is an area of life His mercy can’t touch. See Romans 12 not as the daunting list of to-dos but as the hopeful spelling out of what you are called to and will grow up into if you’re in Christ.
Takes us back to where we started today. Being in Christ doesn’t just mean the gospel is the fuel, but the Jesus is the vehicle we hop in to get to our destination. Detours and road bumps and ups and downs and fatigue and rest stops and potty breaks but we get there in the vehicle. In Christ we get to where we are going! Similarly an airplane two people. one is fearful and worried and taking notes and hyperventilating and nervous at every bump of turbulence. Another is veteran who has complete confidence, rests most the way, is intentional with what he brings to do. There is a difference in faith/maturity BUT does the plane bring them different places? No. BUT in Christ we are going the same place. And overtime as we trust the captain our faith will bear fruit that looks like the things we looked at in Romans 12.
Pause to ask you to consider, are you on board? Are you in Christ? Its not just asking Christ to come into your heart as many have prayed the prayer and asked. But its you stepping through the narrow door, the gate, the one way into Him. then letting him bring you home! Praise God he will bring us home! By his mercy we are saved! By his grace he empower us! All he calls us to do is surrender. So do it, today! Stop trying to grow up our own way or into our own image or into whatever anyone else would have for us. Simply grow into what he has spelled out for us through Christ and modeled for us in Christ and brings us into by Christ’s work on the cross. Brothers and sisters, strive in this freedom! The blood has been spilled. Forgiveness secure. So rest in Christ, living sacrificially for his glory as he continues to transform you by his mercy and grace. Grow up into his humble and loving likeness!
We do all of this because of the one who died for us! Which brings us to our celebration of the Lord’s Table. This is a gift to us from our Savior meant to serve both as an act of remembrance and an act of anticipation. We look back remembering what he has done for us on the cross but also look forward to the time we will partake with him in eternity! Two biblical warnings. First, this is unashamedly exclusive and uniquely Christian act. All believers in Jesus Christ are welcome but if you have not placed your faith in Christ then we ask you take time now to respond or let the elements pass by. Second, Jesus died to deal with sin in our hearts so we ought to look inward and not partake if we are cherishing sin. Examining doesn’t mean worry about if you forgot something BUT ask “Am I you actively trusting God, presenting my life as a living sacrificial and being transformed? We also look around and remember Jesus died to bring us into one body, so if there is something relationally that needs cleaned up deal with it or make a plan to deal with it. As I invite the ushers forward and worship team up and the elements are passed, I invite you to take some time to reflect and deal between you and the Lord (and others if needed). After all are served I will come up, pray, and then partake together.
PRAY.
In 1 Cor 11:23-34, Paul relays to us what he received from the Lord, recalling that night Jesus was betrayed. Jesus took the bread, gave thanks, and breaking it said “this is my body, which is for you. Eat this in remembrance of me.” Let’s eat together. In the same way he took the cup saying “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. As often as you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.” Let’s drink together. Hallelujah! Thank you, Jesus! Let’s stand together and sing to our humbly and loving God.