Finding Your Place in God’s Puzzle
Romans 12:3-8
October 21, 2007 (Surprise Sunday)
Morning Service
Introduction
My mother loved puzzles of all kinds. She would do crosswords, logic puzzles, word searches, cryptograms and any other kind of puzzle she could find. But my mom really loved jigsaw puzzles. My mom and my sister used to love doing puzzles together. They would spend hours on jigsaw puzzles with ridiculously small pieces. They even went so far as to set up a table that was used for nothing but their puzzles.
If you like doing jigsaw puzzles, I’ll pray for you. There was nothing I hated worse than getting roped into helping with the latest puzzle that was being done. I think that puzzles are nothing more than a frustrating waste of my time. Needless to say I am not a puzzle person.
I remember one time that my mom got a jigsaw puzzle that had a million pieces or at least it seemed like it. My mom said that the worst thing about the bigger puzzles was losing one of the pieces. One day when I got roped into helping, mom was nearly finished with one of her huge puzzles. I decided to take one of the pieces and hide it.
I can still remember mom’s reaction when she finished the puzzle and the last piece was gone. As you might expect, my mother was not happy. She searched all around the table, in the chairs, under the chairs and all over the floor. I let this go on for about an hour before I went and got the piece from where I hid it. I stuck the piece in my pocket and when mom was in the other room, I put it where it belonged. Yes it was kind of a mean thing to do and no I don’t feel bad about it.
Life can seem like a puzzle at times. Puzzles can be confusing. Puzzles can be frustrating. Puzzles can be rewarding.
What does this have to do with church? The church is much like a puzzle that Jesus puts together for the benefit of the world. Paul describes the church in a similar way in Romans 12.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 7 If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Romans 12:3-8
Every piece of the puzzle matters (v. 3)
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Every piece of the puzzle is vitally important. When one piece is missing the puzzle cannot be complete. The same is true of the church, when you are missing the church cannot be complete. When you make the decision to not be involved, you are taking a piece out of God’s puzzle.
No piece of the puzzle is any more or less important than any other. The church is the same way, no person here is any more or less important than any other. Everyone has value
Why do so many people not serve in the church?
1.) Wrong definition of service
Many people are serving in the church and don’t even realize it. Anything that you do for Jesus within the church is service. Everything from being on the praise team to being an usher. Everything from working with the children to keeping the building in good repair and clean. All of it matters
2.) Wrong understanding of value
When my mother finished her puzzle, she learned the value of the last piece. Any times we may think that the things that we do lack value and don’t really matter. Every task that needs to be done matters and every person here is important. Only when everyone does their part can the church succeed.
Every piece of the puzzle is unique (v. 4, 6)
Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
Many pieces of the puzzle may look the same but when examined they are all different. No two pieces of the puzzle are the same. Every piece has a different shape.
S – Spiritual Gifts
God gives every believer at least one spiritual gift. Spiritual gifts come only from God and not from our own abilities. Spiritual gifts function to bless the church
H – Heart
These are the things that we are passionate about. What lights a fire within you? What are the things that you are most passionate about?
A – Abilities
These are things that you may have learned through life. They may or may not be connected with your spiritual gifts. For example, a person may have the gift of helps and then picks people up for church. Combination of spiritual gifts with common abilities
P – Personality
How our giftedness fits into the picture of who we are
E - Experience
Things we have learned, done or been through
Every piece of the puzzle impacts the others (v. 5)
and each member belongs to all the others.
What would happen if all the Sunday School teachers decided not to show up? There would be no classes. What would happen if none of the praise team showed up? There would be no music. What would happen if no one tithed? There would be no money and there would be no church.
1.) When you are not involved, you impact others
When you keep your spiritual gifts to yourself, you make a negative impact on the church. You rob others of being blessed by God, you also rob yourself of God’s blessing and God losses being blessed by us. In the end, everyone gets ripped off.
2.) When you serve in the church, you bless others
How many times have you been blessed by some small act of kindness? Being a blessing doesn’t take doing something big. It just takes being active and doing something
Every piece of the puzzle has a place (v. 5)
so in Christ we who are many form one body
Have you ever tried to put a puzzle piece in the wrong place? It can be done, trust me I have done it but the results are less than spectacular.
There is a right place and right fit for every piece. Many times people don’t get involved because they just don’t know how.
Sunday Mornings – Lay Ministry
Sunday Evenings – Leadership
Wednesday evenings – Spiritual Gifts
Conclusion
How do we get into the puzzle?
Remember that you are important to the church
No matter who you are or what you do, you are important to the life of this church. There is no way that I can over stress this fact.
Realize that we cannot accomplish God’s plan without you
God has given you special gifts and abilities like no one else and only you can fill the place that God has for you.
Recognize that God made you to fill a special place within the church
All of us have been graced by God with different gifts but the expectation is the same. The gifts that you have are to be used for the benefit of the body.
