Romans 12:3-8

God has chosen us! We are now part of the family! And this next section of Romans (chapter 12-15) is the handbook… what does it look like to live as part of the family of God?

In fact, one commentator titles this section of Romans:

God’s Righteousness in Everyday Life (Rom. 12:1–15:13)

So if you want to know what it looks like to live as a Christian, Romans 12-15 is a great place to camp out in your Bible.

As we enter this part need to be reminded of 8:6-8

Romans 8:6–8 ESV

6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

self-assessment -

If we are not growing in righteousness, if we are different people than we were before we started claiming to know Christ, if we are struggling with all the things we’re going to study from this point forward, it is very possible that we are one of the ones that think we are saved but are not.

because those people who have not moved from living in the flesh to living in the spirit CANNOT please God. The flesh is against God.

this isn’t to say that it’s based on our effort… but when you KNOW God… when His Spirit comes to dwell in your heart… He goes to work on your heart… helping you to look more and more like the image of God’s own son, Jesus Christ. That’s what we’re looking for!

READ THE PASSAGE:

Romans 12:3–8 ESV

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

PRAY:

BODY:

first thing I want you to see here… is the first word… “FOR” … our passage today follows verses 1 and 2 which we studied last week

In those verses Paul urged the Romans to:

present their bodies (entire selves) to God as a living sacrifice

not be conformed to the world

be transformed by the renewing of their minds

and then he starts verse 3 with the word “FOR”… so our passage today is written to Christians… Christians who are working toward NOT conforming to the world… Christians who are working on being transformed by the renewing of their minds.

Look at your bibles there in verse 3… who is Paul speaking to?

“I say to everyone among you....”

Paul is speaking to the whole church

this entire passage is not just for the leaders… not just for the extra-spiritual people… it’s for EVERYONE!

Main Idea: As part of our transformation into the family of God, Paul now teaches us how to think about ourselves, others, and our gifts.

1. How to think about ourself (vs. 3):

Romans 12:3 ESV

I think the word for us here is humility....

True Humility Is Not Thinking Less of Yourself, It's Thinking of Yourself Less. -C.S. Lewis

Paul has a pretty good understanding of what this looks like. Look at vs. 3 again.... Paul says, “For by the grace given to me, I say to everyone among you....”

Paul knows that his Apostolic authority and his gifts are grace given to him by God. He did not deserve them. He did not earn them.

And Paul, the guy who wrote most of the New Testament, he also knows that he is doing nothing good for the Kingdom without God’s help.

Paul recognizes his dependence on the Lord. If there was ever a Christian who could boast, it was Paul. But in humility, he knew he was in constant need of the Lord’s help.

This humility thing is a huge theme for the Apostle Paul. In fact, he urges the Christians in Colossae to be humble....

Colossians 3:12–13 (ESV)

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

He also urges the Christians in Ephesus to be humble

Ephesians 4:1–2 (ESV)

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

He includes it to his friends at the church in Philippi and even adds to it that, ultimately, Jesus, (not even Paul) is our best example in humility...

Philippians 2:3–7 (ESV)

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Now, in case everyone here is nodding a little too easily to all of this, let me step on a few toes this Father’s Day so you know I’m doing a good job preaching

For some of us Christians in the room, being humble is something we choose when it’s convenient.

when dealing with a friend or family member

or when getting in an argument just isn’t worth it…

but what about being humble even when someone opposes you… like on facebook

let me give you three reasons to be humble even in those situations:

Because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5)

Because.... unless you have forgotten..... you are a sinner also. We all deserve judgment and condemnation… but thank God, we have been saved by grace. Our opponents aren’t really that different from us. Are you really incapable of the sins they commit?

(1 Cor. 4:7) “Who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?”

3. Because you aren’t the issue; God’s glory is.

When we pridefully rise up to defend our honor, we act as though that’s more important than the glory of God.

If your opponent is a Christian, the unity of the church for whom Christ shed his blood is the issue.... not your opinion, your comfort, not your track record of always being right.

and if you’re opponent is not a Christian, God’s desire for ALL to be saved is the issue....

So be humble… even to those who are against you. Because your relationship to that person, and your chance to tell them and show them about the love of Jesus, is more important than you being right or getting your way.

or as the great theologian Hux would say…

“Being Jesus is more important than being right.”

Teenagers, write that down!

So… when thinking about ourselves, Paul tells us to be humble

Next Paul tells us...

2. How to think about others (vs. 4-5):

Romans 12:4–5 ESV

4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Paul loves this analogy of the human body being compared with the church. And like any good teacher, once you’ve got a good illustration, you stick with it!

Paul expands on this analogy in 1 Corinthians chapter 12:

1 Corinthians 12:12–20 ESV

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.

Paul is telling us, that in the church, we are to be so unified, that it feels like we are one body.

Jesus knew this was going to be hard. Jesus knew how important it would be for his bride, the church, to be unified.

In fact, Jesus prayed for the unity of the church in his famous priestly prayer in John 17 .....

John 17:11 (ESV)

11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be ONE, even as we are one.

Jesus wants the church to be one the way the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one! Wow! Now that’s unity!

look again at how Paul says this in verse 5:

Romans 12:5 ESV

5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

“members one of another” = we belong to each other!

[speak to not-yet-Christians]

you might have a problem with this idea of belonging to one another. let me say, that it’s probably not just the not-yet-Christian as many Christians don’t like the idea either!

The culture we live in is all about individuality...

[QUOTE] - “Success is nothing more than living your life according to your own truth and your own terms.” Anonymous

Idea of submitting to someone else is a foreign idea in today’s culture...

But can I try and convince you today, that this belonging to each other kind of relationship is where you will experience the most authentic, loving, and impactful relationships you have ever had?

What are the benefits of belonging to each other?

Did you know that belonging is one of our primary human needs.

One writer said, “Beyond food and shelter, nothing promotes human flourishing like having a people and place of belonging.”

Research confirms that income level, marriage and children, and perceived security all pale in comparison to belonging in promoting sustained happiness.

We long to belong!

In 1995, Roy Baumeister at Florida State published an article demonstrating that the healthiest, most satisfied individuals in life are those who have a place to belong.

we’re all looking for a place where we are known and also loved by those who know us...

take a look at this slide so you can see what I’m talking about:

- when you are known but not loved.... that is rejection

- when you are not known or loved… that is ignored & rejected

- when you’re not really known but you feel loved… that’s just fitting in

- but when you are known AND loved by the people who know you… THAT is belonging

In other words, our deepest satisfaction comes not from achieving personal autonomy but through acceptance into unconditional love and in an unbreakable belonging to a people.

belonging is a two way street where you belong to the other person or group and they belong to you.

And when you are in Christ… you belong to His people… His Church!

And here’s the deal… this is GOOD news for us! Because when the Church lives in the way the Bible teaches us to live… we will:

Love One Another

Honor One Another

Welcome One Another

Show Hospitality to One Another

Have Fellowship With One Another

Agree With One Another

Live in Harmony With One Another

Be at Peace With One Another

Be Kind to One Another

Forgive One Another

Bear With One Another

Bear One Another’s Burdens

Comfort One Another

Care for One Another

Pray for One Another

Encourage One Another

Does that sound like the kind of relationships you’d like to have?

It does to me!

This is what happens when we set our pride aside and live like we belong to the others in our Church.

Finally, Paul tells us:

3. How to think about our gifts (vs. 6-8):

Romans 12:6–8 (ESV)

6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Paul goes through a short list here of possible spiritual gifts that Christians can have. This list is not exhaustive… but it’s a good list.

Paul tells us, once we know what our spiritual gift is… that’s what we should be doing.

if our gift is teaching… we should be teaching

if it’s service… we should be serving

if it’s giving… not only should we be giving but we should be giving generously

it’s kind of a no brainer… i mean… you all have seen the videos of little tiger woods playing golf and even being on talk shows on TV because of this incredible gift he obviously had right????

of course… he ended up being the greatest golfer of all time… so good thing he played golf....

but, can you imagine if Tiger Woods at the age of 17, told his mom & dad he was quitting golf and wanted to give his life to arts & crafts?!??!?!?

not that there’s anything wrong with arts & crafts.... but i doubt Tiger would have been the GOAT at arts & crafts!!!

when you become a Christian, God.... out of his grace.... gives you a spiritual gift… everyone of us… and he wants us to use that gift to build up His Church!

in fact, that’s the part i want you to underline, highlight and star there in verse 6:

let us USE them

use your gift… use the specific gift you’ve been given

Play your role

Bill Belichick the coach of the New England Patriots… is famous for creating what’s called “the Patriot Way.” And the phrase they use all over the place is a simple one.... they say, “Do Your Job!”

“Do YOUR job” don’t worry about someone else’s job.... make sure you’re taking care of your own responsibilities.

the idea is.... if this guy does his job… and the guy beside him does his job… and the guy beside him does his job… we have the best chance of being successful.

it’s the same way in the church. when everyone plays the role God intended them to play… we have the best chance at being successful in building God’s Kingdom.

but when we play roles other than the ones we’re gifted in.... or when we don’t even play a role at all… we will not be that effective as a church body.

just like Paul’s analogy of the human body.... if your right hand all of a sudden decides to be your right nostril… that’s just not going to work ...... ---- -

not only the apostle Paul but Peter says the same thing in 1 Peter 4 verses 10-11:

1 Peter 4:10–11 ESV

10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Usually, when you get a gift at your birthday or Christmas… the gift is for you… it’s meant to make you happy

but with spiritual gifts… your gift is given to you by God to serve others for God’s glory

Do you know what your spiritual gift is?

Are you currently using it to serve the church?

get your phones out… i want to show you a couple of slides with QR codes on them..

[QR code slide for spiritual gifts test]

[QR code slide to the linktree “Find Your Role at HCC”]

CONCLUSION:

the mission statement here at heritage is:

creating environments where people are growing spiritually, sharing life together and serving the world.

and every Christian at Heritage has a role to play in fulfilling that mission.

Paul wants us to be Christians who:

- think of ourselves as humble servants...

- who belong to the other members of our church body…

- and who USE our God-given spiritual gifts for the sake of the Kingdom

I can get really excited about a church who functions that way

****** [ PRAY FOR JAY AND ASHLEY COOK]***********

Let’s pray

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