The Wide Spectrum
Romans 12:7a
We have been reading Paul’s mail as he wrote it to the Local Church at Rome, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God: Romans 12:6-8: “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith ; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching ; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
This part of God’s Letter through Paul comes under the heading of “Responsible Christian Living”, but not before 11 chapters tell us of man’s sinful and lost condition and of Jesus as the only perfect solution as Savior. To bring you up to date, In chapter 12 we’ve looked at, well, four commands for God’s people:
1. Consider God’s Mercies in saving you by faith in Christ’s work.
2. Present yourself to God as a logical and spiritual response of Gratitude.
3. Evaluate God’s spiritual gifts (charismata) to you.
4. Exercise them for His Glory and purpose. (Do it, for the Giver of Grace and the giver of your gifts, secondly for the edification of the local body of Christ, and as a witness to the unsaved world.) Last week we looked at the gift of Prophesy and today we look at the Wide Spectrum of the Gift of Service from Romans 12:7: “If service, in his serving.”
Animal Curriculum
I want to tell a little story that the Springfield Oregon Public School ran some years ago that demonstrates God's gifts to the Church:
"Once upon a time the ANIMALS decided they should do something meaningful to meet the problems of the New World, so they organized a school. They adopted an activity curriculum of running, climbing, swimming and flying. To make it easier to administer the curriculum, all the animals took all the subjects. The duck was excellent in swimming, in fact, better than his instructor. But he made only passing grades in flying and was very poor in running. Since he was slow in running, he had to drop swimming and stay after school to practice running. This caused his web feet to be badly worn so that he was only average in swimming. But average was quite acceptable so nobody worried about that except the duck.
"The rabbit started at the top of his class in running but developed a nervous twitch in his leg muscles because of so much make-up work in swimming. The squirrel was excellent in climbing but he encountered constant frustration in flying class. The reason was, his teacher made him start from the ground up instead of from the treetop down. He developed charley-horses from overexertion and only got a "c" in climbing and a "d" in running.”
"The eagle was a problem child and was severely disciplined for being a non-conformist. In climbing class he beat all the others to the top of the tree but insisted on using his own way to get there."
The moral of the story is clear: We ALL have God-given gifts within the Church, (not the classroom). We have God-given spiritual abilities, strengths and weaknesses. If we go outside of our calling and equipping which is given by God’s measure and design, we are going to become frustrated, disappointed, and actually HURT the body of Christ, instead of helping it to be strong and healthy.
The Wide Spectrum of the Gift of Service (Diakoneo)
I was trying to figure out WHY the gift of “SERVICE” is plugged in between “PROPHECY” and “TEACHING and EXHORTATION,” and it finally dawned on me: It ties in perfectly with the REASON and purpose for “SERVICE GIFTS” in the first place, found in Acts 6:1-4:
“Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving (Diakonia) of food. 2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve (Diakoneo) tables. 3 "Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. 4 "But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry (Diakonia) of the word."
The disciples were having difficulty in carrying out their calling to the ministry of the WORD of God, and so deacons (Diakonos) were appointed to help the widows and the poor: VERY SIMPLY, SOME were appointed to “wait on tables” (diakoneo) since the disciples AT THAT TIME couldn’t do every single thing that was involved in the ministry of the Church Body: it’s the same way today. Those who have been called and gifted to prophesy, teach, and exhort cannot possibly execute their callings without the SUPPORTIVE gifts of serving. It is impossible. The gift of serving is the glue that holds the Church together.
1.Some people are equipped especially with gifts of SPEECH while others are endowed with gifts of SERVICE (Diakoneo). Some have the gift of WORDS (I guess you could say Godly Gab), while others are equipped with WORKS. For instance, ducks have a loud and sometimes annoying “VOICE”, and they can’t run well at all because they have webbed feet, but rabbits, on the other hand, don’t make any noise at all, but they can cover a whole lot of ground in a short time. The gifts of Speech or WORDS edify the Local Church and contribute to a stronger healthier body, but without the Gifts of Service, those with gifts of speech are not able to do their part effectively.
2. Peter made these two distinctions in 1 Peter 4:11: “Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves (Diakoneo) is to do so as one who is serving (Diakoneo) by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” The Gifts of SERVICE are ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL to a healthy Church.
If people are not “serving”, the hands and feet of the body are weak. Paul is not just talking of the SOCIAL situation to the Church in Rome or Corinth and PETER is speaking to dispersed, persecuted and bewildered Christians of the same time period. Perhaps persecution causes Christians to care for each other the way God intends. Willing and intentional service to each other equips us to serve others. If we can’t (or won’t) follow God’s design for His Body, how can we ever serve those outside of the fellowship who do not even HAVE the Grace and love of Christ in their hearts. The gifts of SERVICE are actually the demonstration of the hands and feet of the Lord Jesus Christ to the body of Christ and the demonstration of His Love in this world.
3.Those who “serve” not only permit the others to use their gifts to the fullest, but those who minister in the gift of service are not in any way LIMITED to the office of deacon. In 1 Corinthians 12:5-7, it says: “And there are varieties (different distributions) of ministries (Diakonia), and the same Lord. 6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. 7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
a. For the most part, Service Gifts are SIMPLE. They are not complicated in the least. You don’t need to be educated, wealthy, intelligent, outgoing, dynamic or any other physical quality. You don’t need to have a lot of time on your hands, because we all are stewards of an allotted 24 hours per day. Paul basically said: “We need people to wait on tables. We need people who are able and WILLING to move dishes from here….to there.” If you were a paraplegic, you would have a problem waiting on tables, the gift of service is not limited to waiting on tables! It is just that SIMPLE to serve someone else if you are part of the BODY OF JESUS CHRIST.
I know a few people who serve others by texting them a verse of encouragement. That’s pretty simple. I know a few folks who will stop by the church and just pull a few weeks if they see them. That’s simple, and if you step and do that, then I don’t have to be concerned about it and do it. We have a person clean the church weekly, but she is only expected to put in around an hour a week: She isn’t expected to keep everything clean. When we have fellowship Sunday, she shouldn’t be expected to clean the downstairs, or windows, front doors, etc. If you see a way to SIMPLY SERVE, jump right in. Don’t think about who else could do it, just SERVE.
b. The fact is, Service Gifts and opportunities to serve are MANY. There are as many practical ways to serve this body of believers as there are colors in the rainbow. I’m so grateful for so many who fill those gaps whenever needed, but there are still many gaps that can be filled. The Church is dependent on helpers and those who can serve. I don’t believe that “service gifts” are restricted in any way to menial tasks. Service gifts are actually UNRESTRICTED in the Church community. I realize that there are some folks who are especially gifted in SERVICE: They see and recognize what has to be done and they tirelessly serve. They don’t miss an opportunity to serve because the Spirit of God has given them this ability, but it DOES NOT MEAN that we are not ALL CALLED to serve!
The wider meaning of this gift is a DISCHARGE of LOVING SERVICE. Did you know that the offering that we take at church is a “diakonia”. It represents the first fruits of the offering, the service of our lives (that sounds familiar doesn’t? We looked at that before!) 2 Corinthians 8:19-20, in speaking of taking an offering for needy brothers and sisters, it says: “And not only this, but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work, which is being administered (diakoneo) by us for the glory of the Lord Himself, and to show OUR readiness, (willingness and zeal) 20 taking precaution so that no one will discredit us in our administration (diakoneo) of this generous gift.”
Loving service to the Body of Christ, to each other, to those OUTSIDE of the Church, should always be come from a WILLING, Thankful, Generous Heart…WHY? Look at Romans 15:8-9: “For I say that Christ has become a servant (Diakonos) to the circumcision (the House of Israel or the House of God) on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy.”
There it is: Jesus was not only the SON of God but the servant of God, who became OUR SERVANT. If He became a servant to Display the mercies of God to us, what is our responsibility as His Followers? Look at Matthew 20: 25-28: “But Jesus called them (His disciples) to Himself and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. 26 "It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, (Diakonos) 27 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave (doulos-bond servant); 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served(Diakoneo), but to serve (Diakoneo), and to give His life a ransom for many."
4. Service Gifts mirror Christ-Likeness, actually CHRIST!…but SERVING and LOVING God, Loving and Serving His Church Body, and LOVING and SERVING those not yet part of His Body is the calling of ANYONE and EVERYONE who commits to follow Christ. If we are truly serving God it will be reflected in our service to others. Serve God by serving others.
How has the Lord Jesus “served” you? Did Jesus give His life as a payment for the eternal punishment that you rightly deserved? He put His Heavenly and Divine glory aside for you and took up residence here. Philippians 2:5-8: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, (a bond-servant; one who gives up THEIR life to serve another) being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!”
Jesus came in order to die….in order to die FOR YOU. We are called to SERVE Him in a wide variety, a wide spectrum, of ways in which He has gifted us. We are not all the same, we are not cookie-cutter Christians, but we ARE all called to SERVE. But if you recognize that your gift is in service and not so much in speaking, then by all means, SERVE. Go at it! Serve God, His Church, and others with all your heart, because that is how you are going to be the most fulfilled.
God’s Word tells us that we are ALL called to witness to the Grace that has been given to us, and we are all called to Serve God, each other, and others, in a multitude of ways. If you don’t know what your gifts are, then by all means talk to God, and talk to me about it, but there is a question that you have to answer before God today if you’re not exercising the spiritual gifts that God has given to you: what good reason can you could give to the Lord Jesus, who died for you, and who asks you to serve Him in His Body and this community, so that people would see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven?
Up-to-speed: Rom. 12:1-6:
1. Consider God’s Mercies in saving you.
2. Present yourself to God as a spiritual response of gratitude.
3. Evaluate God’s spiritual gifts (charismata) to you.
4. Exercise them for His Glory.
The Wide Spectrum of the Gift of Service:
“Diakoneo”- “to wait on tables” (Acts 6:1-4, 1 Peter 4:11)
1. Some have the gift of SPEECH (words) while others have SERVICE (works).
2. The Gifts of SERVICE are CRUCIAL to a healthy Church.
3. Service Gifts are not LIMITED to the office of “Deacon”. (1 Cor. 12:5-7)
a. Service Gifts are SIMPLE.
b. Service Gifts and opportunities are MANY. (2 Cor 8:19-20,)
4. Service Gifts mirror Christ-Likeness. (Rom 15:8-9, Matt 20: 25-28)
St. Augustine wrote, "Two cities have been formed by two loves. The earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God. The heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The former, in a word glorifies itself, the latter glorifies the Lord."
