HOLY LIVING SACRIFICES


Romans 12:1-8
Key Verse: 12:1... “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.”
 

· LIVE LIVES PLEASING TO GOD (1)

1. Read Verse 1. To what does “therefore” refer? “God’s mercy”? (Think about what God has done for us – Ro 5:9,10;  8:1,17; 2 Tim 2:12)

2. How can we live lives pleasing to God? What does it mean to offer one’s body as a living sacrifice? (Ro 6:13) What can we learn from Jesus’ life? What is the worship God wants? (Dt 6:5)

· DO NOT CONFORM TO THE PATTERN OF THIS WORLD (2)

3. What is the pattern of this world? How is Jesus’ lifestyle different? How can we not conform to the pattern of this world? (Lk 9:23)

4. How can our lifestyles be transformed? (2b) Why must our minds be renewed? (Mt 6:33, Php 2:5, 1Co 10:31) How can they be? (1 Pe 1:23, Jn 17:17) How can we know what God’s good, pleasing and perfect will is?

· RESPECT OTHER’S GREATNESS (3-8)

5. Why is it easy for a new Christian to become critical of others? When we remember God’s grace, how ought we to think of ourselves? Why? (3) How ought we to think of others? (3,4,5) Why?

6. What are the different gifts mentioned in verses 6-8? How should they be used? How can we recognize and respect the greatness of others? (6,7,8)