I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, on the basis of God’s mercy, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your reasonable act of worship. Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Romans 12:1-2

In this Sunday’s message, Pastor Amy Perez invites us to see what it means to live a life laid on the altar, renewed in mind, and aligned with God’s perfect will. The call of Romans 12 is not simply to believe in Christ but to become like Him—to be fully alive through surrender.

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Living Sacrifice

• The first thing Paul calls us to is worship through offering.
• In the ancient world, sacrifices were acts of appeasement to distant gods but Paul reframes the altar as a place of transformation, not transaction.
• A “living sacrifice” (thysian zōsan) sounds like a contradiction, how can something die and yet live?
• This is the mystery of discipleship: life is found on the altar.
• To live as a sacrifice means to hold nothing back.
• To let your love, work, thoughts, and habits be given to God as worship.
• Every act of surrender every yes to His voice is incense rising.
• God’s altar doesn’t consume to destroy; it consumes to consecrate.
• The more we yield, the more His likeness is revealed.

Who We Are

• Before Paul tells us how to live, he reminds us who we already are.
• We are image-bearers, made in love and remade by mercy.
• The world tells us, “Be true to yourself.” Jesus invites us, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
• Your identity isn’t built on preference or performance, it’s received through proximity to God.
• When you know whose you are, you no longer have to chase validation or image.
• You can serve, love, and lead from wholeness, not from striving.
• On the altar, the false self burns away so that the true self your God-formed identity can emerge.
• This is what it means to be fully alive in Christ.

Why We're Here

• “Paul ends with purpose: so that you may discern God’s good, pleasing, and perfect will.
• God’s will is not hidden it’s revealed in relationship.
• As our minds are renewed, our desires begin to mirror His, what once felt like sacrifice becomes joy.
• We are here to carry His fragrance wherever we go. 2 Corinthians 2:14–15
• Your life, obedience, story, and love is how the world experiences Him.
• When your life is on the altar, your home becomes holy ground, your conversations become worship, your pain becomes communion.

Discussion Questions

• What does living as a “living sacrifice” look like in your current season?
• How is God renewing your mind and reshaping how you see yourself?
• What parts of your life might He be inviting back onto the altar?

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