Please stand as we read or recite our memory Scripture for this quarter ...
Romans 12:4-5
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
And ... let's also say our memory refresher Scripture together ...
Philippians 2:3-4
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interests of others.”
Please open your Bibles to Romans 12:1-8 which we will read in a few minutes.
Two weeks ago we started to take a look at our new memory Scripture –
Romans 12:4-5
This is an amazing Scripture of the interdependence that Jesus has built into the very fabric and nature of His body on earth; the church.
How does the Bible tell us to get to the place of interdependence in the church?
Step 1 – Romans 12:1 – Our lives should be devoted to the Lord – a living sacrifice
Step 2 – Romans 12:2 – Allow the Lord to transform our minds
Step 3 – Romans 12:3 – Be humble and not prideful
And, then last week we that this interconnectedness of individual believers in the church, the body of Christ, is NOT optional and would result in a disabled, fractured church or perhaps no church at all!
With that in mind let’s go ahead and read Romans 12:1-8
Once again, our new memory Scripture says,
Romans 12:4-5
“Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”
How does the Lord accomplish this? How can we form one body?
How can each member belong to all the others?
And, once again, the Lord does not just give us this truth but also supplies in order for it to be accomplished! Thank you, Jesus!!!
Romans 12:6
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”
The Lord gives us gifts!
What do many people think of when they think of getting gifts?
Many people think of piles of wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree.
When we think of getting a gift we generally think of getting something that we can call our own, something that we can use when we want to use it and set aside when we don’t find it necessary.
That is NOT the way it works with spiritual gifts given to us by the grace of God!
Spiritual gifts are not for us to keep to ourselves but to be used for the benefit of others in the body of Christ.
Yes, certain spiritual gifts CAN be used to minister to those outside the body of Christ, the church, but this Scripture is speaking specifically of the gifts being used within the church.
This is important! If a person asks himself, “How can my spiritual gifts help me?” they are asking the wrong question and they have the wrong mindset!
A person with the right mindset will ask the question, “How can my spiritual gifts be used for the benefit of the kingdom of God and to help others in the church?”
This is so amazing that it is mind boggling!
If you need help in some area of your life then, the Lord, who knows this, has placed someone else in the church who has the spiritual gift to meet the need you have!
Let me repeat that!
If you need help in some area of your life then, the Lord, who knows this, has placed someone else in the church who has the spiritual gift to meet the need you have!
If the Lord has given you a spiritual gift then someone in the church needs the ministry of that spiritual gift that the Lord has given you for that very purpose
If you need the ministry of a spiritual gift then the Lord will have faithfully given that spiritual gift to someone else in the church.
If I am not in church then I cannot use the spiritual gift the Lord has given me to meet the need of someone else in the church.
If I am not in church then the spiritual gift that the Lord has given to someone else to meet my need will not be able to minister that gift on my behalf!
If you are faithful to the Lord, He will give you spiritual gifts for the benefit of others in the church.
If you are in church you will come into contact with others who the Lord has given spiritual gifts to help you in your walk with Jesus.
If you are not in church needs will not be met!
Here’s the thing … if I think that I do not need any spiritual help then I am deceived!
Here’s a thought I wrote at first and later changed …
If you feel that you do not need the church then you need to go back to verses 1-3 and let the Lord speak to your heart.
But, this might be a better thought …
If you feel that you do not need the church then you should ask the Lord to lead you to someone who is mature in the Lord who can walk with you and pray with you as the Lord shows you the path back to loving Him and loving others within the church where He has planted you.
That step will be very difficult for some people because of spiritual pride.
A feeling of spiritual superiority is a huge stumbling block to many people and that is exactly why the Lord put verse three in this passage.
Romans 12:3 NIV
“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 faith God has distributed to each of you.”
Let me kind of wrap this up with this illustration …
When it comes to cars there are generally two types of people; those who regularly maintain their cars and those who fix them when they start acting up or when they break down.
Those who regularly maintain their cars follow the maintenance schedule and get things done when they should be done. In addition to the oil/filter changes and regular tune ups and other maintenance they care for the body of the car to prevent rust and keep the interior clean.
Some of these things they may be able to do themselves but other things have to be done in a shop where people who are equipped for and gifted in working on cars can do the necessary maintenance.
They do not do this because the car is a show piece but because they realize that the car is a gift from God and they are stewards of the car to care for it and to make it last.
Then, there are others who do not pay attention to their cars until some light turns on in the display or the car starts shuddering as it goes down the road or steam is coming out from under the hood or they are stranded beside the highway.
Then they are forced to get it towed to the shop for a huge repair bill or have to get a new car to abuse.
Our spiritual lives are kind of like this.
There are those who know that their spiritual life, their salvation, is a gift from God!
The regularly invest their life in the word of God and in times of private prayer and worship. They also understand the importance of taking their soul to the spiritual maintenance shop, the church.
At church they can benefit from the spiritual gifts that others have been given to meet their needs and they can also benefit by using the spiritual gifts they have been given to help others for the Lord.
This is a beautiful thing.
The alternative is a tragic thing. Those who slowly drift away from church, one Sunday a month, two Sundays a month, coming only once a month, twice a year, not at all; finally broken down beside the road.
That danger is no surprise to the Lord. No surprise at all.
That is why the Lord created His body on earth, the church, the way He did.
Interdependence NOT independence.
We need Him and we need each other.
Let me just make an observation here. The greeting time in our church is pure chaos!
It is PURELY BEAUTIFUL CHAOS! Anyone entering the church would know that the people here love and care for each other.
I have been in churches where the tradition was the “passing of the peace” instead of a time of greeting one another. This is indeed a good practice, however, I have seen it done where the folks pass the peace to two or three around them and then they seem to hope that no one else approaches them.
But, when I see the beautiful chaos of our greeting time I know that the peace of fellowship and the joy of being with one another is being passed all around and it is a blessing to my heart!
However, the devil doesn’t like that at all; he has another plan.
This is the plan of the evil one; to separate us from each other so that we will grow spiritually week and be of no use to our King Jesus. Finally, the devil hopes for our spiritual death. Divide and kill.
Philippians 2:4
“Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also to the interest of others.”
You may think that you do not have anything to offer as a spiritual gift.
When we come together you may find yourself sitting next to someone who has had a terrible week and needs someone to tell the story to.
Even if you give them a listening ear and a genuine smile and handshake or hug they may go home encouraged.
Then you can take their burden home and lift it up in prayer all week and ask about it next Sunday.
Simple, but beautiful …
Just coming to church and singing in worship can be an act of spiritual grace not just for you but for others in the congregation as well.
We know that the Lord is drawn to and appreciates our individual praise and worship.
Think of Him as all of us are gathered together lifting our hearts in praise to Him.
Think of Him as we honor His holy Word in our Sunday School lessons, in the sermon and in our various Bible Studies. As we say in our hearts, “Thank you Lord for Your Holy Word”
Think of Him as we remember His great sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary for our salvation each month. Each month as we say in our souls, “Thank You, Jesus.”
Final comments …
Communion …
Prayer
