Our Scripture reading today is Romans 12:1-2, "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. 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."
The one and only reason we are able to be a living sacrifice for God is His mercy that He poured out on us. There is nothing good in any of us. Unlike those who worship false gods, we do not sacrifice ourselves first and hope for mercy. We are given God's mercy through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son. Knowing this, we should willing be that living sacrifice that Paul is writing about in this text of Scripture.
On Friday night, we learned that mercy is not getting what we deserve. As sinners, God's Word tells us we deserve death. This death is not only physical but also spiritual. Revelation 20:14, "And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death." This will be the eternal fate of every sinner who does not receive God's mercy. It can only be received by faith. Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:" Praise God today for His saving mercy! Titus 3:5, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"