January 12, 2025 – Romans 12:1-8

Lesson Date: January 12, 2025

Focal Scripture Passage: Romans 12:1-8

AIM: To lead students to discover marks of Christians who yield themselves to God as living sacrifices, and to ask God to reveal to them areas of their lives that are not fully yielded to Him.

Before class: Read the notes on Romans 12:1-8 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the word “Sacrifice” on the board.

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Sacrifice” written on the board or screen.

Ask: “What does the word sacrifice mean?” (something we give up, something we give away to help others).  Tell them one dictionary definition of sacrifice is, “offering to a deity something precious.”[i]

Remind the students that in the Old Testament, God established a very detailed system of offerings and sacrifices.  Ask: “What kinds of things did God tell the Jews to offer as sacrifices?” (lambs, goats, bulls, birds, bread, grain, wine, and oil).  Ask: “When the ancient Jews offered an animal as sacrifice, what happened to the animal?” (it was killed, its blood was drained, and some or all of it was burned up on the altar).

Stress the fact that the sacrificial animal was killed and wholly dedicated to the Lord.  Tell them that Old Testament worshipers brought healthy living animals to the priests, but the animal was always killed.  Tell them there was no such thing as a living sacrifice.

Tell the students that the title of today’s lesson is Are You a Living Sacrifice?  Tell them we will discover several marks of Christians who yield themselves to God as living sacrifices.

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind everyone that we are studying the New Testament book of Romans.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (God’s Future Plans for the Jews; we learned some of God’s plans for the Jews in the future).
   • Ask if anyone would recite last week’s memory verse (Romans 11:25).
2. The Call to Be a Living Sacrifice.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 12:1.
   • Explain that the word “beseech” means to ask, urge, implore, or beg.
   • Ask: “Is this verse written to believers or non-believers?” (brethren: believers).
   • Ask: “This appeal is based upon the ‘mercies of God’; what mercies have we experienced?” (even though we are all sinners worthy of death, God mercifully sent His Son to pay the price for our sins and adopt us as His children; Rom. 3:23; 5:8; 8:14-17; 11:30-32).
   • Ask: “What are believers urged to do?” (present their bodies to God as living sacrifices).
   • Remind everyone that Old Testament sacrifices were always killed, but the New Testament calls us to be living
   • Ask: “If you sacrifice something, is it still yours?” (no).
   • Ask: “What do the words ‘holy’ and ‘acceptable’ tell us about those who are living sacrifices?” (they should strive to live holy lives that are pleasing to God).
   • Ask: “Is it unreasonable for God to ask us to yield our bodies to Him as holy and pleasing living sacrifices?” (no, it is our reasonable or rational service to God).
   • Ask: “Don’t answer out loud, but are you a holy, acceptable, living sacrifice?”
   • Summarize: God calls all believers to present their bodies to Him as living sacrifices.
3. Living Sacrifices Don’t Conform to the World.
   • Tell the class that the rest of the verses we will study today describe living sacrifices.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 12:2.
   • Ask: “What are we told not to be?” (conformed to this world).
   • Ask: “What do you think it means to be conformed to this world?” (identify with and mimic the behaviors that are popularized by and acceptable to our modern world, such as drinking, drug use, immorality, promiscuity, crude language, and immodest attire).
   • Stress the fact that if we are not conformed to this world, then we will not do those things; in other words, we will look, act, and talk differently.
   • Tell the class that we all have a natural desire to conform or “fit in” with those around us.
   • Ask: “What does this verse say we must do in order to not conform to the world?” (we must be transformed by the renewing of our minds).
   • Ask: “How do you think we can have renewed minds?” (read and study the Bible, listen to Christian music, spend time with other believers, and worship together at church).
   • Ask: “According to the last half of the verse, what happens when we don’t conform to the world, but instead are transformed by the renewing of our minds?” (we will prove or demonstrate by experience what it looks like when a believers seeks to live in God’s will).
   • Ask: “Don’t answer out loud, but are you conformed to the world, or are you being transformed by renewing your mind?”
   • Summarize: Living sacrifices don’t conform to this fleshly world, but allow the Word of God and godly influences to transform them.
4. Living Sacrifices Don’t Think Too Highly of Themselves.
   • Read Romans 12:3.
   • Ask: “If we are going to be living sacrifices, what does this verse warn us not to do?” (don’t think too highly of ourselves).
   • Explain the following:
     • Pride is the root of all other sins.
     • Because of our fallen sin nature, we all tend to think more highly of ourselves, our needs, and our desires than of others.
     • Romans 12:10b says our attitude should be, “in honor preferring one another.”
     • Philippians 2:3b tells us, “in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
   • Ask: “How does Romans 12:3 tell us to think?” (soberly, sensibly, and honestly).
   • Tell the class that Christians can become puffed up with pride over their faith in God and service for God.
   • Ask: “According to the last part of this verse, who gives us the faith to believe and live for God?” (God does; Eph. 2:8).
   • Ask: “Don’t answer out loud, but do you think more highly of yourself than you should?”
   • Summarize: Living sacrifices don’t think too highly of themselves, but remember that all they are is due to God’s gift of faith.
5. Living Sacrifices Are Members of the Body of Christ.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 12:4-5.
   • Ask: “What are some of the different parts that make up your body?” (hands, feet, eyes, ears, heart, brain, etc.).
   • Tell the class that verse 4 says all the differing parts of our bodies make up one unified, complete body that functions together.
   • Ask: “What does verse 5 say about believers?” (we are all different, but together we make up the body of Christ).
   • Ask: “According to the last part of verse 5, are the members of the body of Christ interrelated in any way?” (yes, we are “members one of another”).
   • Stress the fact that there are no “Lone Ranger” Christians; we are each part of the body of Christ and what we do affects other members.
   • Tell the students that the only visible manifestation of the body of Christ is the local church.
   • Ask: “What happens when a believer does not assemble together at church with other members of the body?” (the body is handicapped, just as our physical bodies would be if we lost an arm or an eye).
   • Ask: “What happens when a believer lives in sin?” (the reputation of the body is hurt).
   • Ask: “Don’t answer out loud, but are you an active part of the body of Christ?”
   • Summarize: Living sacrifices are active and upstanding members of the local body of Christ.
6. Living Sacrifices Use Their Spiritual Gifts.
   • Remind the students that verses 4-5 say that believers, even though they are all different individuals, make up the body of Christ.
   • Read Romans 12:6-8.
   • Ask: “What does the beginning of verse 6 say is different about each of us?” (we have different gifts).
   • Explain the following:
     • Every believer receives one or more spiritual gift at the time he or she is saved.
     • These spiritual gifts are given to us as gifts of God’s grace.
     • Spiritual gifts are also described in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and 1 Peter 4:10-11.
   • Ask: “Seven gifts are named in verses 6-8; what are they?” (prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling, and showing mercy).
   • Tell the students that a simple online inventory to help identify their spiritual gift is available at: https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/
   • Ask: “Since verses 4-5 tells us we are all part of the body of Christ, where do you think we should use our spiritual gifts?” (in our local church).
   • Ask: “What do these verses say about how we are to use our spiritual gifts?” (with faith, patience, diligence, and cheerfulness).
   • Tell the class that spiritual gifts must never be used to bring glory or praise to us, but to help build up the body of Christ.
   • Ask: “Don’t answer out loud, but are you using your spiritual gift in your local church?”
   • Summarize: Living sacrifices use their spiritual gifts with diligence in their local church.

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Remind the class that the title of today’s lesson is Are You a Living Sacrifice?  Tell them that God calls all believers to present their bodies to Him as living sacrifices, and we have discovered the following marks of Christians who yield themselves to God as living sacrifices:

• Living sacrifices don’t conform to this fleshly world, but allow the Word of God and godly influences to transform them.
• Living sacrifices don’t think too highly of themselves, but remember that all they are is due to God’s gift of faith.
• Living sacrifices are active and upstanding members of the local body of Christ.
• Living sacrifices use their spiritual gifts with diligence in their local church.

Ask: “Don’t answer out loud, but have you yielded your body as a living sacrifice to God?  How do you measure up to the marks of living sacrifices we have discovered today?”

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Ask the following questions:

“Have you yielded your body as a living sacrifice to God?  If not, do it now.”

“Does your behavior and language conform to the world?  If so, ask God to transform your mind.”

“Do you think too highly of yourself?  If so, confess that as sin right now.”

“Are you an active part of the local body of Christ?  If not, you need to join today.”

“Are you using your spiritual gift in the church?”  If not, ask God to show you how to get started right away.”

Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a prayer of commitment.

CONCLUSION: Urge everyone to surrender and yield to God every day, and to follow through on the commitments they have made this morning.  Ask them to memorize Romans 12:1-2.

[i] https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sacrifice