Sermon Notes - Romans 11:33-12-2 - Littleby Baptist Church - April 13, 2025

1.        For a while now in Romans, Paul has been focusing on the lack of faith of the Jewish people.

a.        How they rejected God and choose not to follow Him.

b.       They ignored the prophesies that told of the coming of the Messiah.

c.        They turned on Jesus when He was standing in front of them.

d.       They rejected His message of salvation.

2.        But…

a.        As we have seen over and over again throughout history and in the OT.

b.       God does not leave it at that.

c.        His people have turned their back on Him before.

d.       But God has never rejected them.

e.        As an Israelite, Paul is evidence of that.

f.          Part of the Roman church were Jewish people who believed in Jesus.

3.        The Jewish people rejecting Jesus was part of God’s plan.

a.        It was how God was going to bring the message of Grace to the gentile people.

b.       Thankfully a time is coming when the Jewish people will turn to God.

c.        When their eyes will be opened to the truth that Jesus is the Messiah.

4.        We will start by wrapping up chapter 11.

5.        Romans 11:33

a.        God’s plan for Salvation for all humankind shows how amazing He is.

b.       His knowledge and wisdom far exceeds ours.

c.        He has shared a little with us, but we could never understand all of it.

d.       We may want to think we can figure it all out at times… but we cannot.

e.        Any time someone tells you they have all of the answers.

f.          Or have cracked the code of the Bible.

g.        Or can tell you with absolutely certainty who the antichrist is.

h.        Run the other direction.

i.          Turn to the Word of God and seek the Lord’s guidance.

6.        Romans 11:34

a.        No one can fully understand God’s plan.

b.       He does not need us to give Him advice.

c.        Sometimes we might try.

d.       We may want to influence how things play out for our benefit.

e.        But our God doesn’t need our input.

7.        Romans 11:35

a.        There is nothing we bring to the table that God should reimburse us for.

b.       We give of our time, our praise, and our money… but that is ultimately nothing.

c.        It honestly already belongs to our God.

d.       He owes us nothing.

e.        Or it might be more accurate to state that we don’t want what we are owed or what we have earned.

f.          Thankful for our God who has given those who believe what we have not earned.

g.        An amazing gift.

h.        He has shown us mercy.

i.          He has given us grace.

j.          We can give Him our entire lives.

k.        Serving Him every waking moment.

l.          Giving God every penny we ever have.

m.     And there is nothing we should be repaid for.

n.        God owes us nothing.

o.        Through our Lord Jesus, He has given us more than we can ever repay.

p.       More than we deserve.

8.        Romans 11:36

a.        We cannot discover all of His truths.

b.       We cannot learn all of His ways.

c.        We cannot guide Him.

d.       We cannot out give Him.

e.        All things come from Christ.

f.          Colossians 1:16

g.        It is all created by our God.

h.        It is all in His control.

9.        Re-Read the last line.

10.   Romans 12:1

a.        Therefore…

b.       Normally when we see a ‘Therefore’ we look at the preceding section to help us understand the context of what the author wants us to understand.

c.        In this case, we would have to look at the first 11 chapters of Romans.

d.       These verses are a transition from the first 11 chapters and all that is in them.

e.        From the false worship in chapter one to the lack of faith of the Jewish people.

f.          All of this fits in the first two verses of chapter 12.

g.        At the same time, it is the springboard for the next several chapters.

h.        This is a big… therefore.

i.          Brothers and sisters… fellow believers, this is clearly a message for those who have put their faith in Christ.

j.          A message that is for people like us.

11.   ‘In view of the mercies of God’… taking into consideration everything that has been written.

a.        Understanding all that God has done.

b.       Recognizing that we are lost without what Jesus has done for us.

c.        Knowing that while people may be lost.

d.       They can still be saved.

e.        Knowing that the Jewish people as a whole are lost.

f.          God has not rejected them.

g.        He still loves them.

h.        Remembering that salvation is as easy as believing in Jesus and all that He has done and repenting for your sins.

i.          Remember all of that…

j.          Everything in the first 11 chapters of Romans.

12.   Then listen to Paul as he…

13.   ‘Urges you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.’

a.        We might think us being here this morning is offering up ourselves as a sacrifice.

b.       We are giving of our time to worship our God.

c.        In a way that is correct, but that is not what Paul is stating here.

d.       What is mean here is that we are to give ourselves fully over to God.

e.        He is urging us to give all that we are to our God.

f.          In that we belong to God, not to ourselves.

g.        We are His slave.

h.        I think many of our Bible translations that use the word servant instead of slave, they actually do us a disservice.

i.          They use the word servant because it is easier for us to accept or is less shocking.

j.          But the best translation is slave.

k.        We are to be God’s slave.

l.          We are to do what He wants us to do.

m.     Go where He wants us to go.

n.        Trusting fully in Him.

o.        We are to present ourselves to Him as a sacrifice.

p.       Not because it saves us, but because He has saved us.

14.   ‘Holy and pleasing to God’

a.        Holy means set apart.

b.       Something that is special.

c.        Dedicated to God.

d.       Giving yourself to God, setting yourself aside for Him, serving Him, willing to be a sacrifice to God, which will be like a pleasant aroma.

e.        It will be pleasing to God.

15.   ‘This is your true worship.’

a.        Worship that is more than an act or ritual.

b.       Worship that is more than a practiced routine.

c.        Worship that is full of love for God.

d.       Full of praise.

16.   Paul Continues…

17.   Romans 12:2

a.        ‘Do not be conformed to this age’

b.       We cannot let the world mold us and shape us.

c.        We cannot let it be what guides our wants and desires.

d.       We cannot present our bodies to the world as a sacrifice.

e.        We cannot let this life interfere with our service to our Lord and Master.

f.          The world is sin-dominated.

g.        It will lead us only one place.

h.        It leads to the fall.

i.          It leads to hell forever.

j.          We need to avoid it.

k.        We need to be presenting ourselves to God, so that we are not conformed to the world.

l.          We need to be loving God with all that we are so that we are not led astray.

18.   ‘But be transformed by the renewing of your mind’

a.        We are to be transformed.

b.       This does not mean we wear Christaneze t-shirts.

c.        Or put Christian bumper stickers on our cars.

d.       It does not simply mean we smile more.

e.        As much as I encourage people to read their Bibles, that is not what is meant here either.

f.          When we are transformed…

g.        Our way of thinking changes.

h.        The way we look at the world becomes different.

i.          Our world view begins to mirror what the Bible teaches.

j.          Things we used to think were ok as long as we were not involved, we realize it is not ok.

k.        Over time we begin to be transformed and renewed.

19.   Renewed is an interesting word here.

a.        Renewed is a word you would use when you are making something as close to original as possible.

b.       When we are being renewed that is exactly what is happening.

c.        Our minds are beginning to see things the way we are meant to see them.

d.       The way we should have seen them from the very beginning.

e.        How God sees them.

20.   ‘So that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.’

a.        Paul is not saying that this means we will understand every aspect of God’s will.

b.       If you recall the Hymn of praise we started with.

c.        Romans 11:33 – His ways are unsearchable.

d.       We cannot understand all that God is or does.

e.        But, the closer we draw the God.

f.          The more we serve Him.

g.        The more He transforms us.

h.        The more the Holy Spirit is at work in us.

i.          Renewing us.

j.          We are able to understand what God wants us to do.

21.   The more time we spend talking to our God.

a.        The more likely we will hear Him when He asks us to help someone.

b.       The more we spend reading His Word, the more likely we will understand when He points out that something is right or wrong.

22.   The more time we spend with our God.

a.        The more time we spend with each other digging into His Word.

b.       The more we are going to understand what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of our God.

23.   Do you feel God leading you to do something today?

a.        Is there someone in your life that you should be reaching out to?

b.       Maybe not to the point of sharing with them, but walking beside them and caring for them?

c.        Is their a way you have been feeling led to serve?

d.       A ministry that you feel God has been preparing you for?

e.        Or are you ready to put your faith in Jesus for the first time?

f.          Those are all ways of God transforming you by renewing your mind.

g.        Wherever you are at in this journey, I want to encourage you to step out in faith.

h.        Follow God.

i.          Trust in Him.

j.          If you do not know Jesus, I would love to talk and pray with you.

k.        If it is any of the other items, I am here if needed.