Session 14: Thinking in a Whole New Way
Romans 12:1-2
Preparation Resources
1) To my surprise, Tim Keller only preached one sermon from this passage: Everyone With a Gift
2) At the beginning of the sermon, Tim Keller references another old sermon he had heard many years before by a Presbyterian minister names Nicholas Voss. I did some Googling and found an audio of it here: https://nickvoss.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/gerstner-your-life-as-a-living-sacrifice/ You have to open the web page and scroll down to the audio "play" button in the middle of the page. The sound quality isn't great and, to be honest, I think Tim Keller picks up all of the relevant points from that sermon, but I'm linking to it in case you're interested.
Discussion Topics
1) In the opening to this fourth major section of Romans, Paul uses the word "therefore" (as he does several times in the letter). What does this "therefore" connect back to?
2) What do you think it means to "offer your body as a living sacrifice"? What was the purpose of sacrifice in Jewish practices of the day?
3) What would it look like if we truly offered ourselves as living sacrifices to God? Why do so many of us hesitate to do so?
4) The passage goes on to say that this act (offering yourself as a living sacrifice) is the "spiritual" or "reasonable" or worship. What do you think that means?
5) Paul warns us not to conform to this world (or this present age). In what areas do you think we are in danger of conforming where perhaps we should not?
6) How does the "renewing of your mind" happen? According to Paul, what is the result?
1) To my surprise, Tim Keller only preached one sermon from this passage: Everyone With a Gift
2) At the beginning of the sermon, Tim Keller references another old sermon he had heard many years before by a Presbyterian minister names Nicholas Voss. I did some Googling and found an audio of it here: https://nickvoss.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/gerstner-your-life-as-a-living-sacrifice/ You have to open the web page and scroll down to the audio "play" button in the middle of the page. The sound quality isn't great and, to be honest, I think Tim Keller picks up all of the relevant points from that sermon, but I'm linking to it in case you're interested.
Discussion Topics
1) In the opening to this fourth major section of Romans, Paul uses the word "therefore" (as he does several times in the letter). What does this "therefore" connect back to?
2) What do you think it means to "offer your body as a living sacrifice"? What was the purpose of sacrifice in Jewish practices of the day?
3) What would it look like if we truly offered ourselves as living sacrifices to God? Why do so many of us hesitate to do so?
4) The passage goes on to say that this act (offering yourself as a living sacrifice) is the "spiritual" or "reasonable" or worship. What do you think that means?
5) Paul warns us not to conform to this world (or this present age). In what areas do you think we are in danger of conforming where perhaps we should not?
6) How does the "renewing of your mind" happen? According to Paul, what is the result?