1. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12:1

2. I. Meaning of Dedication To devote exclusively to the service or worship of a divine being. To set apart formally to a definite particular purpose. Self sacrificing devotion to a cause.

3. O.T. dedicating of altar when the tabernacle was completed. Number 7 1. Judah 2. Issachar 3. Zebulon 4. Reuben 5. Simeon 6. Gad 7. Ephraim 8. Mannasseh 9. Benjamin 10. Dan 11. Asher 12. Naphtali

5. All tribes brought same offering Meat Silver Charger & Bowl Full of fine flour Incense Golden Spoon Filled with incense One Bullock, One Ram One Lamb Burnt

6. All tribes brought same offering Sin A kid or A goat Peace Two Oxen Five Rams Five He-Goats Five Lambs

7. Dedicated and consecrated to God “And the princes offered for dedicating of the altar in the day that it was anointed, even the princes offered their offering before the altar.” Number 7:10 Number 7:88 = 24 bullocks, 60 rams, 60 goats, 60 lambs

8. Offerings cost the people  Best they had  Not left-overs “... neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing...” 2 Sam. 24:24

9. Offerings teach something about Dedication It was wholly consumed  Signifies self-surrender on the part of the offerer Bullock, Ram, Lamb Burnt

10. Christ completely surrendered Himself Jn. 4:34 – to do the will of him... Jn. 10:18 and Jn. 17:4 Christians must surrender wholly to the Lord Matt. 22:37 Matt. 6:24 Matt. 12:30

11. O.T. dedicating of Temple when it was completed. 1 Kings Took 7 years to build 1 Kings 6:37,38

12. “Thus all the work that Solomon made for the house of the LORD was finished: and Solomon brought in all the things that David his father had dedicated; and the silver, and the gold, and all the instruments, put he among the treasures of the house of God.” 2 Chronicles 5:1

16. “And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.” 1 Kings 8:63 20,000 Oxen 120,000 Sheep

17. 19.What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Cor. 6:19-20 We are to be dedicated to His Service

18. 16 ¶ Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1 Cor. 3:16-17

19. “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Cor. 10:31 As the Temple was dedicated To God, So should our body be dedicated.

20. II. Study of Romans 12:1 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

21. “I” = Paul had prayed for them “Beseech” = beg, entreat, implore “You” & “brethren” = members “Therefore” = connecting link Chapters 1-11 – doctrinal Chapter 12 - application in life

22. “Mercies of God”  Grounds for the beseeching  God’s love in providing for man’s deliverance

23. “To present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God”  Present = to offer, give, dedicate  Each person is to present  Body – what is to be presented  1 Cor. 6:19-20

24. “To present your bodies a living sacrifice unto God”  Living sacrifice  Rom. 6:11 – “alive unto God”  Unto God

25. “Holy”  saint  Called Out “Acceptable unto God”  Well pleasing  In work and worship

26. “Reasonable Service”  Involves the mind  Genuine, sincere  Obligations grow out of blessings  It is reasonable to give ourselves entirely to God

27. Goal or way of life  Attendance  Living  Working

28. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” Rom. 12:1

29. Sermon by Arthur Pigman Evans Church of Christ 515 Gibbs Road Evans, Ga. 30809 706-855-1249evanscoc@bellsouth.netwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org Sunday Evening Jan. 20, 2008