Romans 12:1-2

Rom 12:1-2  21^st Century  KJV

 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 2 And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God

Beseech – Call near , invite, ask, call you to, intreat, call for, pray, beg, implore urgently

            Rom 15:30,

                       

·         Paul invites us to think about, by begging (he must think what he is saying is important) us in an urgent manner and tells us to listen to his message.

Therefore – so, hence, then

Bretheren –

 1) a brother, whether born of the same two parents or only of the same father or mother

2) having the same national ancestor, belonging to the same people, or countryman

3) any fellow or man

4) a fellow believer, united to another by the bond of affection

5) an associate in employment or office

6) brethren in Christ

a) his brothers by blood

b) all men  - don’t forget “God would that all men be saved”   1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

c) apostles

d) Christians, as those who are exalted to the same heavenly place

Mercies  –  God’s mercy / save sinners by re-establishing His Kingdom. Gal 2:8-9

1.	compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence: Have mercy on the poor sinner.

2.	the disposition to be compassionate or forbearing: an adversary wholly without mercy.

3.	the discretionary power of a judge to pardon someone or to mitigate punishment, esp. to send to prison rather than invoke the death penalty.

4.	an act of kindness, compassion, or favor: She has performed countless small mercies for her friends and neighbors.

5.	something that gives evidence of divine favor; blessing: It was just a mercy we had our seat belts on when it happened.

6.

at the mercy of, entirely in the power of; subject to: They were at the mercy of their captors.   Also, at one's mercy.  Present        1. to furnish or endow with a gift - esp. with a formal act        2. to represent, impersonate or act         3. a thing presented as a gift        4. to hand over or submit

 Lets take a look at Old Testament sacrifices and it will become clear the sacrifice is   a gift. 

•  Leviticus 16:7New International Version (NIV)    ⁷ Then he is to take the two goats and present  them before the Lord at the entrance to the tent of meeting

·         The idea here is to make a gift of something, to give something, a gift is always free – or at least it is supposed to be. In this case a sacrifice to the Living God, a gift from a man.

·          What do we call gifts (Christmas, birthday presents – spelled the same way). Remember God’s free Gift in salvation (undeserved) He – presented or gave  to us?

·         We can never out give God, in the old test. He put in place a series of animal sacrifices because He had not sent His Son yet to be a perm. Sac for us. Think of that he sent His Son not only to re-establish His Kingdom here on earth but through His Son, a permanent sacrifice or gift was given to each on of us

your body -  a temple -  1 Cor. 6:19 – A temple is where sacs were made

a living sacrifice – your reasonable service  - acceptable to God

Rom 15:16, Gal 2:20, – after what He has done for us it’s the least we can do for Him.

We are Crucified with Him – if we are joint heirs with Him Rom 8:17

Like any father all God wants for us is the best for us (His Children)

1.   He thru Paul, tells us to give ourselves over to Him and His way of thinking, His service (by working for Him, in our church, by helping and building each other up, etc. what ever He wants you to do specifically) He speaks to us most of time thru His Word, Pray – listen/spend time being quiet specifically to listen to God.  

2.   He tells us not to be like the unbelieving world but transform or change your thinking to the way He thinks. (He says that the least we can do) – when we do that (the more we think like Him. Or our thoughts line up with His, then it’s easier to discern His voice)

3.   We learn what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God the more we meditate on His Word. It’s a circle of Gods Love toward us: The more we meditate on His Word the more He reveals to us and the more He reveals to us, the more we meditate on His Word.

Consider this in-light of understanding through daily meditation of               God’s Word:

Luke 8:18New International Version (NIV)   ¹⁸ Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

4.   . The more we learn about Him the more we will want to learn - for who can resist then The God of the universe?

(read)  Isaiah 28: 9&10 “line upon line, precept upon precept”

5.   Paul telling us to meditate (think about, mull over, kick around) The Word

6.   When we do this, our view of situations – good or bad, begins to change to the way God see them. This is what He wants for us and tells us to meditate on His Word in many places in the Bible.