PSALMS 27:5

Romans #66

(Present your gift and the Approach)

Sunday February 13, 2000

ROMANS 12:1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, (I implore you, therefore brethren, I urgently request, therefore brethren)) by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. Let's pray…

In this statement by the Apostle Paul we here him implore, request with urgency, that the brethren be in such a state or condition that they may present themselves in their bodies, to become a living sacrifice, unto God, one that is acceptable to God and which is not asking of them anything outside of that which is reasonable.

I. Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service.

A. Present your Bodies.

B. Living Sacrifice

C. Holy

D. Acceptable

E. Reasonable

F. Service

A. Present your Bodies.

1. To put before another for acceptance: to offer, volunteer or come forward with.

To lay at someone's feet

It is a present, the word present is the same word. Therefore what we are doing is a gift to God. Not an obligation, not a penalty, but a free will gift. One that you are not under penalty to perform, but one in which you want to, you desire to do.

BELIEVEST THOU THIS? 50-0716 E-81 It's your approach to a Divine gift what brings the results. It's the way you come to it. Isn't that right? The way you approach anything...

MINISTRY OF CHRIST 53-0607 E-62 But, brother, let me tell you something now. It's your attitude towards any Divine gift, your approach to that attitude determines what you're going to get out of it.

PROVING HIS WORD 65-0426 31 It's your approach. The attitude is what it takes. And that's what it is tonight, dear friend; it takes the attitude. We are, and believe that we are in the Presence of Jesus Christ, but it's your attitude that brings the results. The mechanics is here and so is the dynamics. If you can just get started, God will do the rest.

So, even in the very presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is our attitude and our approach to God that will determine whether we get anything out of His Presence or not.

APPROACH TO GOD 55-0123A E-6 All right, in the 65th Psalm, the 4th verse, let's read this now for a little background for our thought. And now, it reads like this: Blessed is the man whom the Lord choosest, and causes to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of thy holy temple. Now, may the Lord add His blessings to this reading of this Word. And now, the psalmist here said, "Blessed is the man who God has chosen to approach Him, that he may dwell in His courts," that God has chosen to approach Him. Oh, how we could... I believe the Holy Spirit could really dig some things out of there, if we would--had the time to do it.

E-7 Now, notice. "Blessed is the man whom Thou has chosen to approach Thee, that he (the chosen one to approach) may dwell in Thy courts, and we will be satisfied in Thy temple." Notice, the approach to God. God has a way of approach. You know, if you're going to visit a king, there's a way you approach a king. There's a way to approach... Well, make it more simpler than that. The boy that wants to approach the young lady to get acquainted with her, there's--there's a certain approach. You just can't come up there and say, "Hey, there. Like to meet you and shake your hand." And she isn't very much of a lady, she'll let you know where to get on and off at. All right. There's a certain way you want to approach it. You want to come up with--with respects to the lady and so forth.

E-8 And there's a way to approach all things. And there's a way to approach God. And if we don't know the approach to God, we'll never be able to get an audience with God. See? You have to know... In a court, if... You just don't walk up, and the judge is on the stand, and say, "Hey judge. I want to talk to you a little bit." Somebody'd throw you out of the court room, lock you up (See?), for disorderly conduct. See? There's a way you have to approach the judge. And we must find the way of approach to the great, Divine Judge, God Himself.

E-9 Now, when a man has become a son, if he's going to approach his father, he just walks up to the father, and says, "Father, I--I come to visit you or to see you about something." That's his approach. But now, to the stranger, there's another approach. You see? And there's a approach to God for many different things. Now, if I was going to--my father was living, and I wanted to approach him on a financial matter, it would be a little different from another kind of approach. I want to tell him how much I thought of him and so forth. It's the approach you have to use to meet God.

G. Now, we are examining ROMANS 12:1 where Paul said, ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, (I implore you, therefore brethren, I urgently request, therefore brethren)) by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

And we are examining the first part of this statement about the way which we are to present our gift or as Paul said, "Present your Bodies" to God. And the word present as we have already found means:

1. To put before another for acceptance: to offer, volunteer or come forward with.

To lay at someone's feet

Therefore the first thing we are looking at here is the approach. Paul is suggesting that we each have a sacrifice to be made to God, and our approach is very important. We are to lay this sacrifice at the feet of the Almighty. And it is to be done in a spirit of free will offering, from our heart, openly and without regret. It is a present, and the word pres(z)ent is the same word. Therefore what we are doing is a gift to God. Not an obligation, not a penalty, but a free will gift. One that you are not under penalty to perform, but one in which you want to, you desire to do. And brother Branham said, the approach makes all the difference.

It is not always the gift itself that means something to us, but how that gift is presented. It is the presentation that often means more than the gift itself. If my wife gives me something she has toiled over and spent time and effort over, it means more to me than if she just gave me some money and said, go buy yourself something. It's the way you approach it, that brings the results.

The word present means to provide gratuitously: To give. Something bestowed freely:

ROMANS 8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? [It is] God that justifieth. 34 Who [is] he that condemneth? [It is] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? [shall] tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Notice the example the Father showed to us. He did not hold back from those whom He loves, His best. He gave us the best thing He had to give and that was His only begotten Son. That is the example he wants us to learn here.

I CORINTHIANS 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. 16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

God has freely given us these things. He has not exacted a toll on us that He is keeping count of our blessings. God does not keep track of these things with a mind to exact from you every penny's worth He can get out of you. On the contrary, He has so taught us to be generous, expecting nothing in return.

This word Paul uses here to "present" is not only used in the scriptures as a freewill gift from your heart, but Jesus used the very same Greek root word in the following verse that should shed some light on what He considers a great gift that really comes from your heart. What we find in this next verse of scripture is a gift, which doesn't come readily to your mind when you first think of what gift you might offer back to God. Besides the gift of His Son, we should ask ourselves why God gave us His only begotten Son.

What is God's motive behind giving the best thing he could give? ____. Therefore what is more precious to the giver, the gift or the recipient of the gift.

JOHN 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Then the motive for the gift of His Son was His Love that He had for us. But the gift of His Son was not just to express His love, but there was a greater purpose in God giving us the Gift of His Son. What did this gift do for us… John tells us that God so loved us that He freely gave His only begotten Son that we might not perish, but receive Life, God life.

And what did Jesus do for us? He bought redemption, and forgiveness of our sins, which brought us into a state of reconciliation with God. FORGIVENESS.

APPROACH TO GOD 55-0123A E-19 Now, the way that God made for Adam to approach... Now, watch. Adam made himself an approach. He said, "Now, I've got to go out and meet God." So he made hisself a apron of fig leaves to cover up his shame. And he found out that God refused that approach. And today, if man thinks, "Now, I'll help Mrs. Jones over here; she's a widow woman; she needs some coal. I'll give to the Red Cross, or to some charity organization, out of my abundance. I will join the church." You're only making yourself an approach that God will refuse. There's only one approach to God. Now, God refused Adam's approach. And then, God went and made an approach for Adam. He made Adam an approach to himself. And by doing that, He slain some sheep or something, and got them some skins. And through the blood, brought the first approach to the world, to God for sin. For without the shedding of Blood, there is no remissions of sins. That's right. Only Blood can make the way. E-20 And God provided an approach there for Adam in the garden of Eden, that through the shedding of the blood of the innocent to appropriate an approach to Him. Then Adam could once more come through the shed blood of the lamb, to the approach, and talk face to face, again, with God through--through the Blood, through the approach, that God provided for him. Now, that was God's first method of approach to Himself for the people, through the shed Blood. It has been from that day till this day the same thing. Through the shedding of Blood brings the approach to God.

Therefore it is not your intentions, but your approach. It is not so much the gift but the approach and the presentation of your gift which is important. One reason I have so hated Christmas is that you feel under obligation. And I do not like to give when I am under obligation. I would much rather give some other time of the year, when I can do so out of the goodness of my heart, and without feeling guilty if I don't spend a certain amount of money.

But that is the way we in America have been taught to give. And it takes all the pleasure out of giving. You spend $10 on me and I will spend $10 on you. That I not giving, that is swapping, and there is a big difference. A gift is to be a present, and it is to be presented with love and out of a free will. Then it actually means something.

ROMANS 5:15 But not as the offence, so also [is] the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, [which is] by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. 16 And not as [it was] by one that sinned, [so is] the gift: for the judgment [was] by one to condemnation, but the free gift [is] of many offences unto justification. 17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) 18 Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life. 19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul tells us the free gift brought justification which restores Life and relationship.

LUKE 7:40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that [he], to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.

Now, the greatest gift you can give is the gift of FOR-GIVE-NESS.

EPHESIANS 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

COLOSSIANS 2:13 ¶ And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 [And] having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. 16 ¶ Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath [days]: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body [is] of Christ.

COLOSSIANS 3:12 ¶ Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also [do] ye. 14 And above all these things [put on] charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

EXPECTATION THE 58-0508 E-70 O Lord God, we are standing in awe. Even myself, I'm wondering; I'm amazed at Your grace: how good and holy Thou art, how long suffering and tender mercies can last. I... It's amazing to me. As a poet said, "Amazing grace..." We love You, dear God. Forgive us of our trespasses, as we forgive those who has trespassed against us. And freely from our heart, we forgive everyone who has trespassed against us, that our sins may be blotted out. Take our iniquity and bury it in the sea of forgetfulness of Thy Blood. Grant it, Lord. Bless this people who are waiting. God, grant it. Those who are standing here, doing penance to Thee, asking for mercy, 'cause they know that they are in Your Presence. O eternal God, give to them peace of heart.

Now, we are studying ROMANS 12:1 and Paul said, ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, (I implore you, therefore brethren, I urgently request, therefore brethren)) by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice… And this morning we have examined this approach, this presentation of our gift that we are to make to God, and the approach and the attitude behind our approach and we see that the way in we bring this gift to God is of most importance, if we expect to be blessed and get anything out of this free will offering.

We see also that the greatest gift He gave was to forgive us of our trespasses, our sins, and He has of His own Free choice, thrown them into the sea of forgetfulness. And if God has laid out the example of how to give, should we not also do the same toward one another? Now, Paul did not haphazardly approach us with god's Word. He was very direct and took great pains to make sure the wording was precise. And it is no marvel as we read the rest of the chapter that we will see that it was necessary for Paul to lay out this attitude and approach as we see how it would certainly affect the rest of what he says. And so, in closing, let's read the rest of chapter 12 with this understanding of how important our approach is in giving back to God our bodies as a living sacrifice, because after Paul speaks of this living sacrifice, he goes on to tell us how to make this presentation to God.

And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think [of himself] more highly than he ought to think;

but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

5 So we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;

7 Or ministry, [let us wait] on [our] ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, [let him do it] with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 [Let] love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 [Be] kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

16 [Be] of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but [rather] give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance [is] mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.