Equipped: In God's Workshop Series

EQUIPPED For The Workshop

Introduction

“In the shop of a blacksmith, there are three types of tools. There are tools on the junk pile: outdated, broken, dull, rusty. They sit in the cobwebbed corner, useless to their master, oblivious to their calling. There are tools on the anvil: melted down, molten hot, moldable, changeable. They lie on the anvil, being shaped by their master, accepting their calling. There are tools of usefulness: sharpened, primed, defined, mobile. They lie ready in the blacksmith’s tool chest, available to their master, fulfilling their calling.

Some people lie useless: lives broken, talents wasting, fires quenched, dreams dashed.They are tossed in with the scrap iron, in desperate need of repair, with no notion of purpose. Others lie on the anvil: hearts open, hungry to change, wounds healing, visions clearing. They welcome the painful pounding of the blacksmith’s hammer, longing to be rebuilt, begging to be called. Others lie in their Master’s hands: well tuned, uncompromising, polished, productive. They respond to their Master’s forearm, demanding nothing, surrendering all. 

We are all somewhere in the blacksmith’s shop. We are either on the scrap pile, in the Master’s hands, on the anvil, or in the tool chest. (Some of us have been in all three.) From the shelves to the workbench, from the water to the fire…I’m sure that somewhere you will see yourself.” (Lucado)

Today, we begin a new series of messages. We spent a few months talking about the 8 “ones” - principles

that bring us together in unity from Ephesians 4. We followed that by seven Holy Habits that we add to our faith - helping us to grow in commitment and love. Today we want to put all of that to work for the Kingdom.  Romans 12 says God has given us gifts to do the work He’s called us to. God gives to each of us spiritual gifts by which the body of Christ is supported and sustained. Our text for this series is Romans 12:6-8, but before we get down to the specifics, I want us to see the church as God’s workshop, where we can be used to accomplish His will. In Romans 12:1-2 - God wants us to be transformed, changing our thinking to be in tune with his. He then speaks of the church as a body - and this image reminds us that the church is God’s workshop - He is at work within each of us and through each of us.

1. A Warning for the Workshop

Romans 12:3 “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.

Something Paul wanted to warn the Roman church about is something he wrote about to other churches as well. Pride is a divider - humility is a uniter. Two ways this happens:

-We think too highly of our gift/talent, and think it’s better than everyone else’s!

-We fail to use our talent, thinking other people’s is more important or valuable than ours.

In 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Paul offers a more thorough explanation of the relationship of the members within the local body of Christ. In the Corinthians church, the spiritual gifts were leading to division, showing off, jealousy, and confusion. Paul writes them with warnings to avoid these reactions and instead pursue peace.

Michael Fox condenses this into three principles:

-The members of the body are united in spirit, that is, Purpose. (1 Corinthians 12:12-14).

-Do not minimize your own function - your own worth - within the body (1 Cor 12:15-20).

-Do not minimize the function of other members - their worth - within the body (1 Corinthians 12:21-27).

Humility is a great strength that leads to great unity and great work together. Henry Augustus Roland was a professor of physics at Johns Hopkins University. He was once called as an expert witness at a trial. During cross-examination, a lawyer demanded, “What are your qualifications as an expert witness in this case?” The normally modest and retiring professor replied quietly, “I am the greatest living expert on the subject under discussion.” Later, a friend well acquainted with Rowland’s disposition expressed surprise at the professor’s uncharacteristic answer. Rowland answered, “Well, what did you expect me to do? I was under oath!”

Philippians 2:3-4 “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than

yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

Paul: “Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us.”

Ray Stedman says when he gets up in the morning, he tries to remember three things:

-I am made in the image of God. I have an ability within me, given by God Himself, to relate to God.

-I am filled with the Spirit of God. I didn’t deserve it in the least. 

-I am part of the plan of God and what I do today has purpose and significance and meaning.