Love Reigns Over Our Present – Love Reigns, part 3
Are you living your best life? Shifting your patterns and focus can change your life! Today we look at how love reigns over our present and, because of God’s great mercy, we can live our best lives—lives that honor God.
Discover the ways that God’s amazing love wipes away our past, redefines our present, and gives us hope for the future. We have been given an opportunity to embrace life and a new way of living that changes everything.
Live your best life!
About this Series
We are continuing our sermon series “Love Reigns”. In this series, we are discovering all the ways that God’s amazing love wipes away our past, redefines our present, and gives us hope for the future.
We began this series on Easter, when we discovered that though Jesus was mocked by being called King of the Jews, the clearest proof of his authority was not in avoiding the cross, but in defeating the cross and resurrecting from the dead.
Last week we learned that when we are united with Christ through faith in him, we become new creations. Our past no longer defines us.
It is the love of God that caused Jesus to endure the cross, and it is the love of God that forgives us our past. Love reigns in our lives.
Today we continue this series by taking a look at how love reigns over our present and, because of God’s great mercy, we can live a life that honors God.
God’s love for us invites us to live differently
God’s great mercy became a transforming reality through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. This mercy is a result of God’s love for us, and his love invites us to live differently in the present. We are to be living sacrifices and no longer conform to the patterns of the world.
The world around us is immoral, deceptive, selfish, angry, and foolish. These cannot be the patterns that we choose to live by. Rather, we must renew the way we think, and in doing so, we will discover God’s will for us in the present.
I know life as a Christian is not easy at times. Someone who strives to be a living sacrifice can be tempted at times to retreat and crawl back off the altar of sacrifice. Let us remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us and be the people of God we are called to be in the present.
The decisions we make today will determine who we will be tomorrow. God’s mercy has given us the chance to die to self and come alive in Christ.
Consider current patterns or actions in your life that are destructive, and replace them with better ways of living—that is—to live in Christ.
Your choices reveal who reigns in your life
When you were a kid, do you remember playing the game Simon Says? Maybe you played it with your children or grandchildren. It was a game many of us learned to play as children. Yet in a way, it is a test of our willingness to listen to instructions; a test of our attention to detail: will we fall prey to act without thinking or paying close enough attention?
I am not sure anyone really ignores the fact that they didn’t hear “Simon says” stop. Rather, they are tricked to think they heard “Simon says” before hearing “stop.” As I said earlier, it’s a game, and much like a test—we all have a free will to choose.
You have a free will to either follow your own desires and convictions or listen to and obey the authority you believe is true.
We live day-to-day. We make thousands of decisions each day. We must constantly weigh options and choose what we think is best. Sometimes our decisions are influenced by things that we are told to do. We may find ourselves being obedient to voices around us that do not have our best interests in mind.
However, God’s love for us gives us another option: to listen for his voice.
Will you listen to God, knowing he loves you, and in doing so make the best decision possible? Your choice reveals who reigns in your life.
The things we choose to do or not do, often reveal who we are listening to: the world, our own selfish desires, or God. Our lives are largely made up of the decisions we make, and that can be a painful revelation of who—or what—has our allegiance.
Last week I shared a story of a 6-year-old who decided to lie about eating candy when he knew better. He had been told no, but he ate some anyway. He did what he desired to do at the time and lied about it. Yet when he was told that what he did hurt his relationship with his dad, he later confessed his actions and admitted he had lied, restoring their relationship.
Our past is a collection of wise or unwise choices that we made along the way. If you look back on your past decisions, who would you conclude was in charge?
How many of those past decisions were a result of being obedient to God? How many of those choices were a result of obedience to sinful desires or the voice of the world?
This one thing can change your life
The Apostle Paul has something to say about living our lives under the influence of God rather than the influence of the world. Paul frequently focuses on the topic because, as followers of Christ and people who have responded to the love of God, the love of God should now reign in our lives and rule over every decision, but often that is not the case.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1-2, NIV).
Paul begins with saying that every instruction he is about to give must be seen through a specific lens, a spiritual lens and in view of God. To fully grasp this new way of living in the present, we will need to look at the whole of our lives in a certain way. Paul’s words cannot be appreciated any other way.
Let me try to illustrate: A family recently traveled to Alaska to visit their family who live in Anchorage. They were so excited because this was a trip of a lifetime. They wanted to see and do as much as they possibly could. At the different sightseeing places, a big metal contraption could be used to look through to get a better view of the site. It was amazing how looking through the lens could bring them up close to the beautiful mountains and rivers. It changed everything, all because of a change in the point of view.
Looking at something from a distance is not the same as looking at it up close. Seeing something up close reveals more details and the majesty of nature. The same can be true regarding God and studying the scriptures: God is revealed more and more when you get close.
God’s love, mercy, grace, and Jesus’ sacrifice become clearer than ever before.
When you read and study the scriptures you will find God is revealed more clearly and you will be able to see in greater detail the love and mercy of God.
The love and mercy of God that Paul and others knew and experienced is recorded for you in the Bible. The truth of Christ is real. The message of the Gospel is real. The truth that God’s love reigns is real and available to you. All you need to do is believe and place your faith in Christ.
This was Paul’s goal in this passage. Paul wants to change the way you see your life. He wants to reorient the way you see your present situation. So, he says, “in view of God’s mercy”. This is how we should look at our present situation, through the lens of God’s mercy. This one thing can change your life.
So many people walk around grumbling and complaining about their present circumstances. Often people are not satisfied with their lot in life and so they try to do things on their own.
We try to be in control and do things to please ourselves. Paul invites us to see things differently through the lens of God’s mercy. God has been so merciful.
Because of his mercy:
He sent his one and only son to die on a cross.
He has offered us a fresh start to repentance.
He loves us unconditionally.
This truth alone can change your present by helping you to move your focus from what you want to the things that God wants to do in you and has already done for you; if you would only believe in Christ.
Are you compelled to live a life that is pleasing to God?
When we turn our attention to the mercy of God, we are compelled to live our lives as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.
This concept of sacrifice is rich with imagery and history for the audience that Paul was speaking to. You see, for the Jew, a sacrifice involved taking the life of an animal—whether goat, sheep, bird, etc.—who’s blood would atone for the sins of the people. That animal’s life and blood would cover the life of the one performing the sacrifice. The sacrifice involved death and yet it offered life.
Therefore, Jesus’ death is considered the ultimate sacrifice for all humanity. So why is Paul using this imagery for us, and why a living sacrifice? The author of Psalm 51 sheds light on the real reason for the sacrificial system that the Jews had in place. It was not about the sacrifice itself; rather it was about the heart behind the sacrifice.
“You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. 17 My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise” (Psalm 51:16-17).
The true sacrifice of a follower of Jesus is a contrite heart and an obedient spirit.
David was said to be a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14, Acts 13:22). David had a heart for God. David was not perfect, but rather David’s desire was for God and when he did sin, for example by having Uriah killed, David repented and accepted blame and sought the Lord.
A heart for God is what God is looking for now that Jesus has paid all our debts and we can come to God as if we are sinless.
Paul calls us to be living sacrifices. A living sacrifice is more difficult than a dead one. A dead sacrifice does not have a choice in the matter. It has to stay on the altar. It is dead and has no life, whereas a living sacrifice can crawl back off the altar whenever it wants to.
Paul says in view of God’s mercy, be a living sacrifice. Live a life, right now in the present, under the rule and reign of God’s love. In doing so be repentant and obedient to God.
Change your patterns, change your life
Paul goes on to give us the ultimate outcome of living the sacrificial life.
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:2).
The world and society have patterns or ways that lead to a broken life. The world is marked by patterns of immorality, greed, selfishness, pride, envy, and gossip.
These patterns are easy to fall into and can be difficult to transform. The patterns, or routines, are often preformed mindlessly, without any consideration of our actions or their consequences; however, we are not stuck with them.
Our patterns can be identified and changed by:
Choosing to focus on Christ.
Focusing on God’s mercy, and the love of God.
Focusing on being in Christ and reject the lie and deception of sinful desires of the enemy of your soul.
Rejecting the patterns and routines that the world promotes as desirable, and live with a heart for God.
Changing your patterns and focusing on Christ will change your life. With a little attention, patterns can be easily identified. It is a skill that we have been learning from childhood. In preschool and later we learn to identify shapes, letters, words, and colors.
Once you know the pattern it becomes obvious what comes next. The same can be true in our lives as well. If we pay attention to our patterns, we can begin to anticipate or understand what comes next and we can change them.
To identify patterns, sometimes we need to change our perspective. We need to focus and get a closer look. Look through the correct lens. Perhaps this is the reason that Paul tells us to see life in view of God’s mercy. When we understand God’s love and mercy for us, we find the reason to transform our lives and renew our minds.
Do any of these hit home?
Maybe you have developed a pattern of talking down to yourself whenever you make a mistake. That type of mindset leads to feeling depressed and anxious. Break the pattern. Do not conform to it any longer.
Maybe you notice the pattern of telling lies to people around you. That often leads to having to tell more lies to cover the original lie and that leads to living a deceptive lifestyle. Do not conform to that lifestyle or pattern any longer.
Maybe you have seen a pattern of laziness in your life, and it has produced a spirit of apathy toward your work, family, dreams, or God. In view of God’s mercy, do not continue that pattern. Break that pattern and experience a new life in Christ
Allow the truth of God’s love to reign in your heart and life. Let us trade our will for God’s will.
The ultimate outcome of a sacrificial life and a renewed mind is the ability to distinguish the will of God from your own selfish will for your present life.
Has anyone ever struggled with wondering what decision to make regarding this thing or that thing? Most want to do what God wants us to do when it comes to our career, serving others, loving our family, or investing our energy and resources but we don’t always do it.
Paul tells us that the best way to know the will of God is by trading our own will in and creating better patterns for our lives. What if you were to trade in the time and energy that you used to spend on the old patterns of your life and create new patterns with better outcomes?
How do we create new patterns? Under the reign of God’s love and mercy in your life, spend time in prayer, read the scripture, serve others, and listen to the voice of God. Focus on God rather than yourself. God promises to lead us and show us his will for our lives when we submit to his leadership in our lives.
The book of Proverbs speaks to this truth.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
When we trust in the Lord and begin to question our understanding, we will begin to see the path God has laid out before us.
The trust that the author speaks of in Proverbs is a trust that God’s love is always seeking the best for us and we can rely on the love of God and obey God because we know in our hearts that it is real.
Being a parent is not always fun and games. There is often a fair share of struggles and difficulties along the way. Every child has a will of their own, and often that will and desire is in direct conflict with a parent’s will and desire for them. The most difficult thing to teach a child as they get older is that they can trust you because you love them. In the beginning you might be superman or superwoman. But as they get older and they begin to exercise their own will and desires, you may not always see eye to eye on some things. When you say no to something, and instruct them in some way, or even punish them, they may not realize that it is because you love them, and they do not see or understand that you are doing it because you love them, and you do not what them to get hurt or make a big mistake
Trust is a hard thing to teach and an even harder thing to learn. But if we are going to live the full life God has for us, we must trust his love for us and let that love reign in our lives and over our present.
I want to invite you to pray with me today in a specific way. I want to ask you to offer up to God the old patterns that you have noticed in your life. I want to invite you then to receive better patterns into your life and trust God’s love to lead you forward.
Suggested Praise and Worship
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