December 6, 2015
Passage:  Romans 12:1-2
Speaker:  Bill Knepper
Main Point:  Having the gift of life, we live to serve God.

I. God has rescued us from total disaster.  (Romans 1-11)
            A. The human condition is desperate.  
                        Chap 1.  Humanity is in rebellion against God.  
                        Chap 2.  The self-righteous religionists are self-condemned.  
                        Chap 3.  Mankind is utterly lost and in need.  
                      (How do we escape?)

            B. God offers a new future as a gift received by faith.  
                        Chap 4.  God offers redemption through faith to all who believe.  
                        Chap 5.  God provides a new identity to all who trust Him.  
                                    (Am I condemned because I still sin after believing?)

            C. We live in mortal bodies indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit.  
                        Chap 6.  We live in mortal bodies but sin no longer rules.  
                        Chap 7.  The sin within us no longer defines our destiny.  
                        Chap 8.  God gives His Spirit to indwell us and help us.  
                                    (If there is no condemnation why were the Jews judged?)

            D. Israel was judged for lack of faith not works.  
                        Chap 9.  Only those of Israel who trust in Jesus are saved.  
                        Chap 10. The message to believe in Jesus does not change.  
                        Chap 11. God used Israel to reach us and us to reach them.  
                                    (Then how do we live in our Spirit indwelt mortal bodies?)

II. We respond to God with total surrender.  (12:1-2)
            A. We offer ourselves to God absolutely. 
                        (Yield yourself wholly.)
            B. We offer ourselves because it makes sense. 
                        (We cannot lose by trusting completely in God.)
            C. We commit to learning God’s ways. 
            D. We seek to walk in God’s will. 

             Having the gift of life, we live to serve God.