Your Function in the Body
Living A Life God Can Bless • Sermon • Submitted
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Open your bibles to (Pew Bible 760) Romans 12:4-8
So the picture is becoming clearer
We lay our life on the altar in response to what God has done for us
We do this as an act of worship allowing the Spirit to come in and transform us.
No longer conforming to the world and changing the way we think.
Next we begin to look at who we really are. We do this with reasonable and sound judgement, not thinking too highly and not too lowly of ourselves.
Having done all this we are ready to see what is next in the picture of Romans 12 Living a life God can bless
So are you ready for the message God has for us?
Cool let’s begin
(Pew Bible 760) Romans 12:4-8
4 For just as we have many parts in one body and all the body’s parts do not have the same function,
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another.
6 However, since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: if prophecy, in proportion to one’s faith;
7 if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching;
8 or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
So as the Spirit begins working in us we look inward and now the vision looks outward.
Recognize then we are part of a body and we have a function that we must fill for the body to work properly
The Spirit also gifts us for us to be successful in our function of the body.
We all have bodies...
We all have bodies...
Paul opens verse 4 with “For”
This small word is used to connect verses 4-8 with verse 3
In Greek this conjunction is used to introduce an explanation of previously mentioned relational elements
This connects then with what Paul stated in verse three
The reason you must think about yourself reasonably and with sound judgment is because of verses 4-8
When you understand who you really are, you then with the help of the Spirit begin to see how you function in the body
Then Paul reminds us that we all have physical bodies
There are many Parts
No part has the same function
Every single part is needed
This is even more developed in 1 Corinthians 12:14-18
14 For the body is not one part, but many.
15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.
16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?
18 But now God has arranged the parts, each one of them in the body, just as He desired.
No one part is more important that the other
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
23 and those parts of the body which we consider less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor, and our less presentable parts become much more presentable,
24 whereas our more presentable parts have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that part which lacked,
25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same care for one another.
I remember when I fractured my arm after a Cycling accident - Develop
It was very hard to navigate but my body did learn how to function but it was not easy very lopsided
The same in true in the spiritual body, the body of Christ
There is one body with many parts and no part has the exact same function
This is Paul’s point Romans 12:5
5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another.
I want you right now to look around we need every single one of you.
Some of us are watching on line who for various reasons cannot be here, WE NEED YOU TOO! LOOK AT THE CAMERA
The Spirit Gifts Us for our Function
The Spirit Gifts Us for our Function
According to verse 6 of our text in Romans 12
These gifts are grace gifts
These grace gifts come through the Spirit, a present given as a sign of beneficent favor
The giving of the gift is tied directly to laying our life on the altar as a living sacrifice
The word different means we all get a different grace gift they are unlike in nature, quality, and degree
They are given to equip us for our function in the body
19 If they were all one part, where would the body be?
20 But now there are many parts, but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again, the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
These gifts are given by God through the Spirit so there is no room for pride, or my gift is better than yours, or I must have greater faith because my gift is greater.
There is also to room for well I am least and unimportant so I wont be be missed.
There is nothing I can really do for the body, I don’t think I’m gifted.
Brethren, let us recognize that each and every one of us is gifted by God through the spirit because we help the body function the way God designed it.
Isn’t that what Paul is saying in both Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12?
Read these chapter’s its easy to remember they are both chapter 12 haha!
Chip Ingram True Spirituality wrote: “You are gifted and you have a unique something to bring to the body of Christ,”
A List of Grace Gifts
A List of Grace Gifts
Now Paul enumerates some of the grace gifts given by God that help the body function the way God designed it
Prophecy - the ability to deliver representative declarations of the mind, will, or knowledge of God
The gift is given in proportion to one’s faith
The relation between prophecy and faith with respect to their comparative quantity, magnitude, or degree
If you have this gift use it in proportion to your faith
If you preach don’t try to be someone your not. Be who you are as God has gifted you in proportion to your faith
I was that way in preaching always comparing myself to people like Alistar Begg, Dr. David Jeremiah, Max Lucado, N. T. Wright etc.
Paul is saying I need to look at my gifting and use what God has given me
Service or Ministry - work done by one person or group that benefits another
So Paul says if gifted ministry we will see it in their service or ministry.
Man I see this one in Sandy’s Clothing ministry, just how she is blessed and finds a great deal of joy in it.
Teaching - to impart knowledge or skills to someone
Some are very passionate about teaching
Then we see this gift in their activities of educating, instructing, where knowledge or skill is imparted - we have teachers and volunteers with this gift. Look at how blessed our children's ministry is, how passionate Sharon and her helpers are
We have small groups lead by teachers with this gifting, groups who continued in spite of Covid.
Exhorts - urge, or implore, to earnestly support or encourage a response or action
These are the ones that come along side some one and say I am going to walk with you
This is the act of earnestly supporting or encouraging
When I was in the process of quitting drinking I had someone with this gift who came along side me and walked with me through it
We have some who are being Barnabas to some one walking with them and encouraging them
Gives - To give out of one’s portion or share
This is one is seen in so many ways from the widows might, to the wealthy to freely give of their abundance and everyone in between
We have some here at Amazing Grace with this specific gift. It’s beyond tithing
The gift is seen in their liberality, the quality of being honest and straightforward
Basically sincerity and simplicity
Leadership - to be in charge of, be at the head, show concern for, care of, give aid
The gift is seen in their diligence
They have excited fervor to do or accomplish something
They work hard and do their best and people naturally come around them to assist in the task at hand
We have those here with the gift of leadership.
Mercy - To show leniency and compassion toward someone
The gift is seen the cheerfulness of showing mercy
This is seen in so many different ways
We have those here at Amazing Grace with this gift always showing kindness and love never judging anyone unworthy of mercy or kindness
The point is not the explanation because if you have this gift you know what to do
For example what are you to do if you have the gift of teaching? Teach
If your gift is giving what are you to do? Give with liberality
Each of these represent a gift God gives to everyone for their function in the body of Christ
The take way is recognize your gifting and use it don’t sit on it!
Conclusion
So we all have a place in the body. We are all here or online right now for this body, this time, and this place.
God has placed each of here in this body
We all everyone, have a place and function in the body that allows it to work just as God designed it
This requires us to consider our function, reflect on how God has gifted us through the spirit and begin fulfilling our place in the body
Are you ready to give your life to Christ and see where you fit in the body?
The altars are open let us pray.