BEING A COMMITTED
TRANSFORMED DISCIPLE OF JESUS
Text: Romans 12:1-2
-Simple Definition of commitment: “a promise to do or give something; a promise to be loyal to someone or something; the attitude of someone who works very hard to do or support something.”
-Transform – “to change in form, appearance, or structure; to change in form, nature, or character; convert”
Main thought: Being a “COMMITTED TRANSFORMED DISCIPLE OF JESUS” does not happen automatically. An absolute daily surrender of one’s life to Jesus is required. Doing so will result in spiritual fruit and Kingdom advancement.
-Matthew 22:37-38; Acts 11:26
“There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses only results.” Ken Blanchard
Let’s look at our text in Romans 12:1-2 and learn what it means to be a committed transformed disciple of Jesus:
1. BE MOTIVATED BY GOD’S MERCY (Verse 1)
-Ephesians 2:3-5
-Contrast mercy and grace: -Mercy is not getting what we deserve. Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. Mercy wipes out all of the negatives against us. Grace moves into the positive with all of its resources.
-I Peter 2:10
2. GIVE OUR TOTAL LIFE TO CHRIST (Verse 1)
-The Greek word “living” implies to vigorously give our lives in service to the Lord. Nothing halfhearted.
- Ephesians 4:22-24; 5:8-14
- To please God should be our highest aim in life because we live in a loving relationship with him.
3. SEE WORSHIP AS AN EVERY-DAY EXPERIENCE (Verse 1)
-We should not see the church building as the only place to worship God. The whole world is a vast temple and everywhere we are at is a place of worship.
-A. W. Tozer wrote, “If you will not worship God seven days a week you do not worship him on one day a week.”
-Matthew 15:7-9
4. LIVE A TRANSFORMED LIFE (Verse 2)
-I believe that when a person is motivated by God’s mercy, gives one’s total being to Christ, see’s worship as an everyday experience, they will live a transformed life.
-II Corinthians 5:17; II Corinthians 3:18
-Philippians 4:8; Hosea 4:6
Conclusion:
-If we are 1) motivated by God’s mercy; 2) give our total life to Christ; 3) see worship as an everyday experience; 4) live a transformed life, we will be able to test and approve God’s will for our life.
-If you don’t know God’s will for your life, make every effort to find out. Don’t waste any more time.
"Here is the test to find whether your mission on earth is finished. If you’re alive, it isn’t." Richard Bach
-What area(s) in my life is God calling me to surrender to Him today in a fresh way so that you will become a stronger and committed transformed disciple of Jesus? What steps am I willing to take to pursue this new commitment?