WORTHY OF AND PLEASING TO OUR LORD

You then, my son, be strong in the grace

that is in Christ Jesus.

And the things you have heard me say...

entrust to reliable men

who will also be qualified to teach others.

2 Timothy 2.1-2

Romans 12.1-21 tells us how to carry out Paul's intructions to Timothy:

1. Be strong in Grace.

2. Entrust your knowledge, understanding, and wisdom to others.

BE STRONG IN GRACE

V.1--Offer our bodies to God. This is just common sense. There is no way to serve God oor do anything else without our bodies. Bible reading/study/teaching, etc. means our body is in a place where we can focus on Scripture. While we can pray anywhere, we are always in our body when we pray. To present our bodies to God means we devote time and attention to seek God and serve others.

V. 2--We must develop knowledge and understanding of God's will for our lives. We must study, meditate, and learn the application of God's words to our specific life experiences day by day. As we focus on what the Holy Spirit has to say to us, we will experience freedom from our past failures and mistakes. We will also be freed from the negative effects of the failures and auses of others toward us. We will be empowered to live out the truth we are learning. We will begin to see His will worked into our day to day experiences in good, pleasing, and perfect ways.

As we grow in our understanding and experience of God's good pleasing, and perfect will, we will understand Paul's admonition to Timothy--"Be strong in the grace that is in our Lord." We will also understand and be eager to heed Peter's words: "Grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ"--2 Peter 3.18.

ENTRUST GIFTS TO OTHERS

V. 3-8--At this point the Apostle simply lists examples of the kinds of things the Holy Spirit imparts, develops, and empowers in our lives. These "gifts," talents, or abilities are to be invested in bringing strength, encouragement, and comfort to others.

In vv. 9-21,Paul goes on the list the attiudes and applications that the Holy Spirit produces in us as we spend time seeking to know more and more about the Person of our Lord Jesus and His will for our lives.

The emphasis on our "bodies" being made available to God is simply the practical reality that if we do not take the time and discipline to put our bodies in the places necessary to know and obey the will of God., then we are not going to know or carry out God's will for us. If we do not "show up" in our bodies, we wont "be there" where God can develop and use our lives for His glory in this world. Furthermore, to serve God means we take our bodies to the places where others need our presence and ministry to their needs.

The emphasis on our bodies is to help us not decieve ourselves about pretending to serve God in our minds while we do nothing about real and true service for Christ and others.

To be strong in the grace of God and invest grace in the lives of others will result in lives of significance and influence upon others for the eternal kingdom of God. Jesus says this is how we become fishers of men, light, and salt in and for this world.

He also said, "Wise men do what I say."