Bible Guys Classics: Romans 12

Show Notes

In this episode of The Bible Guys, Jeff and Chris explore Romans 12, where Paul calls believers to offer their lives as living sacrifices. Following Jesus involves surrender and transformation.

Jeff and Chris discuss what it means to live differently in a world that pulls in the opposite direction. If you’re ready to take your faith deeper, this episode will challenge you.

🎧 Listen now and step into a life fully surrendered to God. #TheDailyBibleGuys #Romans12 #LivingSacrifice #Surrender #ChristianLiving #BibleStudyPodcast

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So, Wesley, have you ever seen the first Transformers movie? I did because the other ones. Were terrible, But the first one I love his ancestor who says there's no victory without sacrifice. And that's what we're talking about. That's what we're talking about today on the Bible. Guys, I'm Wesley. This is Chris check us out right now. All right, Wesley, So today we are given our show sheet here and it says that today's version or segment is called is it an Avengers quote or a Bible verse? Oh yeah, I'm going to see if I can trip you up on this right now. So, by the way, for those listeners who just don't know, I'm sure everybody does. But if you don't know, the Avengers are the Marvel superhero movies, right, so they come together and I love the Avengers a lot. I love Marvel. I know these movies well, and so that's why Wesley has decided to give these to me. But I really feel pressure, Yeah, because you. Got to know if it's a Bible verse or as quote, because I claim to be experts in both. Yeah. Well, we're going to find out in the moment. This is gonna go terribly wrong. That's gonna go terribly wrong. Okay, okay, here we go. Yep. Is it an Avengers quote or Bible verse? Number one? There are five of these. Number one for it is God's servant and avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. That has to be a Bible verse. That's a Bible verse. What is it from. Romans thirteen verse four? I tried to throw you off with the avenger and. Yeah, yeah, because I'm thinking, I'm thinking, okay, if that quote would have been an Avengers movie, yeah, I would have said, Wow, there's a really strong Bible this movie. So that's that's how I would have known that. I didn't necessarily know that it was Romans. That's embarrassing since we're. Reading Romans chapter was it thirteen? Verse four? There yet? So good? Number two Avengers quotter Bible verse. We will work together to be an example of how we, as brothers and sisters on this earth should treat one another. Oh, that is definitely a pistole. That is a Bible verse. I want to say Galatians or something. That is from t'chava. It is the classic thing. Ever. Okay, we will work together to be an example of how we out let me read it right, we will work together to be an example of how we as brothers and sisters on this earth should treat one another. You know, if you would have read it that way. Yeah, I definitely got dude, that is so funny because that sounds exactly like Galatians. It is hilarious. And I think the thing that threw me is the brothers and sisters. Yeah, you would think, oh, that's got to be the Bible because that. Is all the way through, woven through the epistles. That is so funny. That's so funny. Number three a vendors quota Bible verse. The church is in the exact center of the city. Oh, I know that elders determine everyone should be equally close to God. That's the age of Ultron in the city of Sekovia. Oh that I thought that one would trip you up right there and. So so literally it's that famous scene where it's in slow motion and it's shows everybody fighting at one time. Yeah, and it's like the most epic scene ever and it's and it takes place in the church, which is in the center of the city. Yeah. No, I thought that one would have got you that one. I got that. I can see in my mind Captain America throwing a shield for Scarlett. Witch number four. Yep. From from everyone who has been given much, much will be required. Yes, I know this one. Yes, this is definitely Bible verse. Yes, yes, that's Luke twelve verse forty eight. Yes, I got that one. Boo all right, grand finale Avengers quote or Bible verse number five. Yes, arrogance and fear still keep you from learning the simplest and most significant lesson of all. I know that's an Avengers quote, but hang on, I'm going to try to impressively get it. Say it again. Arrogance and fear still keep you from learning the simplest and most significant lesson of all. That was I think spoken by Thanos. And I want to say Infinity Wars. The ancient one in Doctor Strange. Oh yeah, you're right, you're right. So maybe we should have said in Marvel quote in Bible verse just to broaden it a little bit. Well, no, he's an avenger. Doctor Stranger's avenger. So I'm horrible with Avengers. And yeah, no I'm ashamed in that. He's an adventer. So so yeah, that is yeah, it sounds like every evil villain. Yeah, because because actually that could have been Ultron as well. It could have been Thanos, it could have been obviously the ancient one, but the ancient one. Wow, that's that's interesting. I wouldn't have thought the ancient one so very very cool. Yeah that's good. I like my movies. Yeah you did good. Yeah, well I only really got one wrong, right. Yeah, which is the. Bible field spectacy, which is so funny. Okay, okay, So today we're jumping into Romans chapter twelve, verse number one through twenty one. Paul's continuing to talk about sacrifice, and he's talking about how to behave. In fact, let me read this as a preliminary in my life application. Bible says this. Translation right, it says moving from the theological to the practical. Paul gives guidelines for living as a redeemed people in a fallen world. We are to give ourselves to Christ as living sacrifices, obey the government, love our neighbors, and take special care of those who are weak in the faith. He closes with personal remarks. Throughout this section, we learn how to live faith each day. So this is summarizing the rest of Romans. So what we're truly saying is it's shifting from theological to practical. This is where the shift happens. So that's pretty cool to know. Yeah, so let's let's read Romans one or excuse. Twelve one through twenty one and again. This is through the New Living Translation, and it says, and so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect, because of the privilege and authority God has given me. I give each of you this warning. Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. Just as our bodies have many parts, and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other in his grace. God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you ability, leadership, ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don't just pretend to love others, really love them. Hate what is wrong tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient and trouble, and keep on praying Verse thirteen. When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Bless those who persecute you. Don't curse them, pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don't be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people, and don't think you know it all. Never pay evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone, dear friends, Never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the scriptures say I will take revenge, I will pay them back, says the Lord. Instead, if your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. And doing this you will heat burning colds of shame on their heads. Don't let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good. Well, we should have probably divided this chapter into sixteen different segments. Yeah, there's a lot here, because holy cow, are we just breezing by? This could be fifteen podcasts. Yeah, I'm not even kidding you. You know what this reminds me of. It reminds me of the Book of Proverbs, you know, like a Book of Proverbs is a bunch of like incredible sayings that we're all just smushed together. It's almost like one liner. It's a bunch of. Yeah, touch of one liners, like nuggets of advice. Yeah, if we lived our lives just according to Romans Chapter twelve, yeah, it could probably you know, summarize our whole lives. If we could live and do all of these things as a goal, we would have lived a phenomenal life because He gives us rules and guidelines and principles and just about every you know, gamut that covers the gamut, doesn't he. In verse twelve, I'm sorry. In chapter twelve, Verse one, one of the things that jumps out to me immediately is that second half of that first verse. It says, let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will find acceptable. I love that because right off the bat, it's letting us know that our Christian walk with God isn't going to be convenient. As a matter of fact, it's going to be inconvenient. Sometimes you're going to have to do stuff that you don't want to do. You're going to have to present your bodies a living sacrifice. You're going to have to pray for the people that have done you wrong. You're going to have to give in church when you may not necessarily want to give. You're going to have to try to show love when people have done your wrong. So it's going to be an inconvenient walk with God. And I love how this just sets the stage here, like, hey, I'm about to tell you a bunch of stuff. What I'm about to tell you is going to feel inconvenient to you. Well, you know, oh, this is a big your most inconvenient time. Yeah. So you know, it's so interesting also because if you think about it, just remember the perspective that you know, the Gospel and the free gift of salvation is also brand new news. Yeah. Up until this point, the only thing, well one of the only things that people have heard. About the God of Israel is that you know, in order to pay for your sins, you have to bring a sacrifice to the temple, because you know, after all, the Book of Hebrews says without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sins, there's no payment for sins, that sin demands a penalty, that the payment for sin is death, and that the free gift of God is eternal life for Jesus Christ, our Lord. The Book of Romans also tells us, so think about this, the idea of a living sacrifice, it's the word picture of you know, God living in the temple, you know, the priest going to God on our behalf, and then also us bringing sacrifices for our sins. So that whole system is. Sort of wrapped up in a beautiful word picture where we're actually the Book of Hebrews says that Jesus is the high priest right, and then it also and elsewhere in Corinthians it also says that we are the temple. You know, God no longer. Exists at an address, exists the Holy Spirit within us. And so that word picture is we are the temple. And now in this case he's saying, we are the sacrifice. And the same way that you have come and you have taken a sacrifice, and you have killed it and it is given. It's life, right, think about it, it's given. It's all. There's nothing else that animal could give right to God. Then then it's very life. And what Paul is saying is like, hey, that's the goal, that's the bar that we should give, all of us, that we should give our very lives, that we could we should actually get to the place to where we're like that sacrifice. It's going to cost you something, yes. Yes, And so the bar is high here and that's what Paul is really saying. And by the way, I. Got to tell a quick story. I joined art class my senior year of high school. I loved art so much that my senior of high school I took three of you know, you know you have different periods. There's there's like electives or yeah, yeah. Yeah, Well there was like eight periods, right like you know, first hour, second hour. I think that we had eight or nine periods. And I had I had taken so many classes in my previous years that I had a lot of room. So I took art art in art right in a row, three of them. Yeah. So it was so great because mister Yee was my art teacher and he would actually say. Like, okay, everybody draw a tree, Chris Zarba, you can do whatever you want to do. So I remember on parchment paper, I had this side project and I wanted to write in calligraphy very large, not small, very large, each letter of this big, you know, like like two inches tall. I want to write this massive poster. And I wanted to write these very verses Roman Chapter twelve, verses one and two, and back then I had memorized it in the old English version right. So you know, remember back when people used to say yee and thou and doest how Chris, and so back then the King James version was translated way back in the sixteen hundreds, and yet for some reason, that's the version that I grew up with, and so I rememberize it in that version, and I remember, and I don't know if I still know it in that version of my mind, I think it said, I beseech you there, for brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as a living sacrifice, wholly and acceptable onto the uh. And be not conformed to this and be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable. And perfectable of God. I think I made like six mistakes there, but it's close, right, And I remember writing it out. And here's the funny part of the story is that I actually did the whole thing, And and the letters were so big I didn't draw I actually drew them full. I free handed each letter. So it's not like you were just drawing letters. You were literally like shading them in. Yes, yeah, I did the entire poster. Yeah. And then mister Ye said, you forgot a letter. Oh no, And I literally had no choice but to the whole throw it away. And then I did the whole thing again. It took me like days and days and days weeks translated probably into weeks. And then I got done, and then he read it again. He said, you missed another letter, and I have to do that poster three times. She took me over a month, wow, just to do this poster right. Yeah, and then I hung it up in my room. So it was just this poster that I hang up in my room. But I rememorized it, and I remember thinking to myself, Wow, what an incredible verse, because we are to consider ourselves sacrifices. Yeah for God, which is really cool. True. So what are the verse stands out to you. There's a couple of verses. One is in verse two, don't copy the behavior and customs of the world. If you're now a follower of God. That means that your action should be different, your thought processes should be different, your speech should be different. Sure, people should be able to look at you and see that there's something there's something just a little different about you. And I've gotten that before, where I'm at the park and someone just strikes up a conversation like, yeah, something seems different about And typically when I'm out in settings, I don't typically tell people I'm a pastor for a lot of different reasons. Number One, it changes the dynamic of the conversation. You can be having a great conversation you say I'm a pastor, they just shut down immediately. So normally I don't even say that. But people should be able to notice that the there's something in you. And even if they don't know what that's something is. We know what the something is, but Christ on the inside of us. But they should be able to see a change in you. So don't conform to what the other people are doing. Now here's a thing with that, Chris. What should people do when it is more convenient to blend in. So let's say you're at work and there's this project and people are kind of fudging the numbers a little bit. Things aren't happening that are illegal, just immoral, but everyone's doing it. So you're the only odd ball everybody's doing it. Do you just blend in and with everybody else, or do you take a stand and go to the opposite direction. And what if it'll cost you a lot to do the right thing right? See, this is when it becomes real. So on a in a Bible verse, all that sounds nice, don't do what the world does. But when the metal you know, what do you do? Then? Yeah? You know those are the moments, aren't they? And and uh and again. I grew up in a in a denomination where, to be honest with you, we we took pride in those moments more than anything else. And that is a super. Positive comment because that is one of the things I remember the most about my particular church growing up, because we focused on taking a stand being different. I got to tell you, there are moments where I felt so proud to be a part of. Moments where it's like, hey man, you're not gonna bend me, You're not gonna break me. I don't care if you laugh at me. I don't care if you scoff at me. I don't care if you don't like me. I'm gonna. I'm gonna. I'm gonna choose God's way and I'm not gonna. I don't care what the room is doing. I don't care what everybody's doing. You know, it sort of reminds me of the difference between a thermometer and a thermostatus. Yeah. Right, So the thermometer. Is is the thing that just sort of follows the room. If the room's cold, the thermometer goes down, you know, it just goes with the flow. Right. And then the thermostat's the one that sets the temperature. Yes, right, It's the one that says, hey, I want the room to be hot. Click. And then you know, the thermostat just is connected to the power source. You know, we're supposed to be the thermostats connected to the power source that says I'm changing the temperature of the room. I'm going to speak up. I'm going to stand for what's right. Yeah, you know, I'm going to be the one that. Stands up, and you'd be surprised how many other. People go, oh, thank goodness. Yeah, and then I'll follow suit, you know. And that's the part I think people don't think about, right. They look at it like if I say something, I'm going to be the odd ball. No, those who are in darkness, they're looking for light, right, things in the darkness they're attracted to the light. So, yeah, when you make a decision to make a change in pivot, other people will follow you also, so that's a good point. Yeah, you know, it says, don't just pretend to love others. Then it says, hate what's wrong, hold tight to what is good, love each other with genuine affection, have confidence the humble, keep praying. Lets those who persecute you live in harmony. I mean, don't repay evil, don't get revenge. I mean this covers the gamut, right, I mean, there's so many great pieces of advice. One of the things that it stresses though, it spends a lot of verses on don't taking revenge. Yes, right, And I love how he quotes the Old Testament and he quotes Deuteronomy thirty two and then Proverbs chapter twenty five. Deuteronomy says, hey, let God take revenge. God's the one that's going to hold him back. And then Proverbs is the one that says, if your enemies are hungry, feed them, have mercy on them, and you'll keep burning colds of fire of shame upon their heads. Yeah, he's thought, like, that's so funny. It's like a backhanded, backhanded compliment, you know, and you and it's like say, I'm gonna do nice to you, but only because I know I'm heaping coals of fire upon your enemy head. Yeah, you know, which is not, you know, obviously the motivation, but it's it's it's shame for them. Yeah, but we do it. We do it with the pure motive. But I love the When you think about this, Chris, me, the best way, and this is going to sound odd to hear a pastor say this, but the best way to get back at your enemies, if you're like, you know what I'm gonna get back at them is to love them. Right. That is the best way to get back at your enemies. Because when you release love, that then now initiates God to do his part, which is to take care of the enemy. But we want to short circuit the system, and we want to be God and we want to take care of the enemy. The God is saying no, you release the love, and then that releases me to do my part, which is to take care of them in however way that I see fit. And you know, you know what's interesting is you know how memories stick with us a long long time. Experiences from our childhood stick with us. So if somebody comes up to you. Let's just say there's a bully in the cafeteria and you're in high school and that person is just an absolute person you cannot stand. You continue to treat them with love and respect in spite of their bullying bullying you. Okay, some people, when you respond that way, they'll immediately feel bad because the Bible says you're heaping colds of shame. They're going to feel, you know, keeping shame, you know, because like, wow, this person is treating me with kindness when I've given them evil. So sometimes in the moment they'll feel shame, and then a lot of times, probably even most of the time, they'll just continue to not feel anything. You'll love them, and they'll still continue to be a bully or a jerk or whatever. Right, But here's the thing. Memories stick with us, and there will be a time when that person will, you know, see the light. Their heart will change, right that grinch expanding heart moment. And in that moment, they're going to look back and go, wow, I got to tell you that's happened to me. That's happened to me. People have come back later in life, yes, and the people. Have actually in my high school used to make fun of me for being a Christian and say or do things. And later on, believe it or not, like twenty years later, one of my friends, inquire I was in choir, he actually became a pastor in my hometown. And then he actually called me up and said, dude, I used to poke fun at you all the time, and now that I'm you know, a Christian, I'm actually becoming a pastor. He goes. I look back and all my experiences with. Christianity, he goes, and he just, you know, just gave me kind words and said, man, you were always X, Y and Z, And I remember thinking, man, like I waited twenty years for that to pay off, you know. But it's God and his goodness who does those things, you know, in our lives. So hey, listen, I've ramped on too much. This was great. We've gotten to the point where we need to sign up. But hopefully we'll see you next time on the Bible. Guys, see you then. M m hm hm