Men, Take The Lead

HoHum:

Austin L. Sorensen once said, "A child is not likely to find a father in God unless he finds something of God in his father."

WBTU:

How do we view ourselves? How we view ourselves makes a profound difference in our lives. We are held back or succeed based on our self perception. Makes a difference.

The correct view of ourselves matters. The way we look at God, the way we see God has a lot to do with how we see ourselves. The Bible also calls us to have a correct view of other people. We see that Jesus had a correct view of people. He did not see people based on their sin, but he saw people who were hurting because of their sin. If we could look inward and see ourselves as God sees us, it will help us to grow. This passage is calling us to look inward. We need to let God make us into what He wants us to be.

Thesis: These Scriptures are calling us to do 3 things.

For instances:

Look at ourselves (Vs. 3-5). Have a correct view of ourselves

1. Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. Vs. 3

Leads to pride and an inflated ego. Might look around at all that we have and all that we have accomplished and feel proud. From Jack Howard: Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way. I can’t wait to look in the mirror, cause I get better lookin’ every day. To know me is to love me, I must be a wonderful man. Oh Lord, it’s hard to be humble, but I’m doin’ the best that I can!

This attitude makes us more dependent upon ourselves than upon God. I don’t need anybody.

Apostle Paul was dependent upon the grace of God. He says this in opening words of verse.

Begin to think that God is so blessed to have them on his team. “If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.” Galatians 6:3, NIV.

Even Jesus said: “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” John 5:19.

2. Don’t think too lowly of ourselves. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26, NIV. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on the cross for our sins. We are valuable because of that.

3. but rather think of yourself with sober judgment. Without You I am nothing, I am nothing without You, Only You can make something Out of nothing, I am nothing without You. God does make something out of nothing.

4. in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you

Basically, God has given to each Christian a measured ability. When we became a Christian, God forgave us of our sins, and the Holy Spirit dwells within us. Along with the Holy Spirit, we are given gifts. “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10, NIV.

Main points: A) Each Christian has a gift B) These gifts are not all the same C) Each one’s gift has been given to him by God D) One’s gift is no basis for feelings of superiority

Vs. 4-5

No matter how many members a local congregation may have, and no matter how many Christians exist worldwide, we are all one body because we have the same Savior and Lord.

But at the same time, we are not an army of clones. Like the members of the human body, the members of the church do not all have the same “function”. Rather than separating us from one another, the variety of gifts only brings us closer together when we see how much we depend on one another. Each member belongs to all the others. Christians, like the members of a human body, differ from one another but all have an obligation to serve one another, because we all belong together in a single body.

No matter how humble my gift may be, every other member of the body depends on it; and no matter how honorable my gift may be, I am dependent upon and blessed by even the humblest contribution of every other member.

Look at our gifts (Vs. 6-8)

A list of some of the gifts in the body. A representative list, not an exhaustive one.

Prophesying- In the biblical sense this gift is no longer available. The apostles and prophets of the NT age are no more. We have the Word of God, do not add or take away from it. Some understand this as preaching the Word of God but this gift is better included in teaching and encouraging/ exhorting.