Serving to Lead - How experinace the Leadership gifts in Service - Part 6- All the gifts in the body of Christ

GREET EVERYONE-

If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Jesus as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.

LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND

Open it to Romans Chapter 12 today as we will be unpacking and unwrapping verses 1-8 this morning as we conclude our current series Called “Serve to Lead” exposing part of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to us through the word so that we can experience leadership through the gifts of service. In this Series we have been navigating the Serving gifts.

The Gifts of the Spirit that are specifically used to serve Jesus with and therefore lead others into serving Jesus with!

PRAYER OVER SERIES

has been that as we Exposing What God says about these gifts that He gave to His church that we would come to realize that these gifts are given so that His Church and all its parts (better known as His Body) will Know Jesus more, Love Jesus more And therefore be compelled to serve Jesus, through His Spirit, abiding in Him as our lives produce fruit for His kingdom and His glory.

PRAYER OVER MESSAGE

Is that no matter what is happening in your life - No matter What your past - No Matter what your training or what you have been told by other ministers or Pastors -

What God will do this morning - BY the Spirit and THROUGH His word -

Is lift you into locking arms with others and begin to serve Him to the Glory of His name, the Advancement of His kingdom - The Salvation of other people, for the transformation of our culture - all for the glory of God in Jesus Christ and empowered by His Spirit.

ENGAGEMENT –

This morning what I would like you to do is think about something -

There are several things that might fit into this category.

The thing that I want you to do is to think about is something that you either tried to build - Tried to Rebuild - Tried to Cook -

Something where you might have not had all the ingredient or not had all the parts.

Here is mine -

My First Car

A 1974 AMC Gremlin - 258 straight 6 motor - American Racing wheels - Air jacks in the back to raise the rear end.

Black with a Big white stripe and White Pleather Interior - Pleather is another name for Vinal - Plastic Leather.

Anyway - I recieved this prime piece of merchandise from my father at the ripe old age of 15 years old - It had been sitting in the driveway for close to a year

My Dad handed me the keys and says: “Son its all yours if you can get it running”

At this point what I knew about rebuilding motors was NILL

So - down to gateway auto supply - purchased a Chilton repair manual for the years of my car and off I went to have my first car.

And over the course of several months I had rebuilt my first cars motor before I had driven a single mile.

Here is the funny Part -

When I got it all finished - I looked over to the box where I had placed all the nuts and bolts and springs and parts that I had disassembled and there was a significant amount of parts left over in that box. Most of which I had no Idea where they went.

So here is what I did -

I put the keys in the ignition and I started the Car

When I did that the car started and I put it in strive and it moved forward and it drove down the road.

and Here is what happened to me in my mind: Suddenly those left over parts and bolts and screws and springs in the Box became so very unimportant.

And from that moment forward I never through about them again.

Why becasue the Car was doing what I wanted it to do - It was driving down the road -

Here was the problem - Because I didn't put those parts in - The Car did not do what it was supposed to do the best way it was supposed to do it.

AND here is the sad thing - I don't even know that! I have no clue what I was missing in the performance of my own car.

Its like the Puzzle missing a piece - Still looks good but not as good.

It l;like the cake or cookies that you bake - All the ingredient but baking soda - Tastes good but doesn't look as good as it should.

Or the lego set that is missing the little windshield pieces off the Malinum Falcon. Still something we can play with, just looks like it been in Armageddon already.

And what we do it we say: “It good enough!” We can do without those pieces” We can do without the baking soda - WE can do without the windshield pieves.

What happens we get the car running or the cookies we want to eat or the toy we wanted to play with - But they are not what they should be. BEcasue we left someting out.

WE are left usually in one of two places.

We either settle for what we get -

OR

WE just go one and ignore the left over parts becasue we don’t know any better.

TENSION

And We take the attitude of settling for what we get - saying “its good enough even thought it is not what it should be -

Or the bigger issues of ignoring the spare parts becasue we don't know how much better things can be into our relationship with Jesus.

The idea of “We are the church!” The Idea that the Body of Jesus is a living breathing reality never become real to us and they stay “Just ideas” that someone else gets to be a real part of - and it never becomes a living reality for us.

When that happens - Jesus is not worshiped the way he deserves to be worshiped - He is not loved the way He desires to be loved - And we are not walking in this life in the way

he calls us to live and we are missing out on the abundant life He came to give us - A life that can change the world for generations to come for the Kingdom of God and for His glory and for the gory of His name.

This is exactly what the Apostle Paul will be arguing for in Romans chapter 12 to the church in Rome and again in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 to the Corinthian church!

Lets look at Romans Chapter 12

BACKGROUND

Some back ground on the Letter to the Romans - Paul - the Apostle Paul wrote this letter, Actually He was not the Penman of the Letter - Paul dictated it to a guy Named Tursish, He actually was the Scribe that wrote Paul's words down. This happened while He was making disciples in the Port City of Corinth.

Here is the interesting thing about the Church in Rome and the Apostle Paul -

Paul was disciple making church planter.

He would go from place to place - Declare the gospel, mainly to gentiles, they would come to faith, He would gather them together and assemble them together and a church was planted.

That is the Story of most of the Churches that are mentioned in your new testament -

With Two very exceptions - The Church in Colossae and this one - The Church in Rome.

In Fact at the time of this letter Paul had Never been to Rome.

He would eventually get there, but his arrival would be as a prisoner for Christ, a prisoner of the Roman Government.

The Church in Rome was Started on the Day of Pentecost.

When the day of Pentecost came and the Spirit fell on the 120 in the upper room and they Hit the streets of Jerusalem proclaiming the mysteries of God in forign languages they had never learned before - The historical record of the Book of Acts says there were Jews, devout ment living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven,

One of those groups were called “Visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes. hearing the word of God preached to them.

Several years after Pentecost - Persecution against the Church would get so bad that the believers were scattered across the known world and some of those were from Rome and they went Back to Rome, Made disciples from among the lost Jews and gentiles of the City, gathered them together and a the Church in Rome was planted.

OUTLINE OF THE LETTER

And What Paul does Is He Spends the first 8 chapter of this letter - Unpacking and Un Wrapping the Gospel - The Whole, Unabridged, Un Hindered, Gospel. The Whole Thing.

Like if picked up a news paper headline that said “The Good News” Chapters 1-8 would e the article.

Here is what is interesting about this letter - There is a HUGE comma - The Gospel narrative ends at the end of chapter 8 and for Chapter 9, 10, 11 Paul takes a side bar and discloses the whole question that people will have “Well what about the Jewish People?

He Answers the question in chapter 9,10 & 11

Now here is why that is important.

OF you were to read this letter from beginning to end with no divisions The letter makes some sense going from the end of 11 to the beginning of 12.

The problem is there is an AMEN a the end of 11 - Meaning that Paul was saying - That is all I have to say about that now back to what I was speaking about.

But when you take this letter from the end of Chapter 8 and then begin at chapter 12 it makes a whole lot more impact -

You see what Paul does at the End of 8 Is conclude the majesty of the Gospel and then in 12 begins to unpack how we are to live in light of the Gospel.

Watch - Romans 8:37-39

Romans 8:37–39 ESV

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Her then Steps right in to Chapter 12 and tells us - Because nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord

UNPACKING

Romans 12:1 ESV

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

I Appeal to you therefore - And when you see the word “Therefore” it is always looking backwards to some concluding statement that was made.

Paul says - I appeal to you therefore, By the mercies of God. What are the Mercies of God - Paul is speaking of?

Look back on Romans 8:38-39

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That is the Mercies of God -

And Paul is saying - Because God’s mercies are such that Nothing can separate us from His love -

Here is what we all should be doing -

Present your Bodies as a living Sacrifice -

In other words - In View of the incredivble mercies of God - Give you whole life and body to God.

The Bible talks often and frequently about Repentance - Repent and Believe - is the responce the scripture gives us to the Gospel

Trun away from your life - Turn your life over to Jesus as Lord and Master - Repent -

Believe means Trust - and our Trust of God can not be known unless we act upon that trust.

This is what Paul is accentuating Here at the first Part and what He is illustrating in this word pictures of our Bodies being presented to God as a Living Sacrifice.

You see loved ones - When We repent we are presenting ourselves as living sacrifices to God and in that we are displaying that we trust in HIM.

Paul says when we do this when we present our Bodies as Living sacrifices for Him this is Holy - Meaning it is Separate and it is Acceptable to God -

You see loved ones when we repent and submit ourselves as living sacrifices to God saying to God - Daddy take me where you want me to Go - Lead me to your purposes and your plans for my life, because I trust you and your plans for me more than any plans I could have for my self - The Boble has just said - That is an act that is Holy - An act that is seperate from the rest of the world.

The Scripture has also just declared to us that, when we do that it is acceptable to God -

Then Paul says - It is our spiritual Worship.

You see when we repent - When we turn to God and live out our trust in Him and say - Take me and let me live a life to bring glory to you. The Scripture says This is our Spiritual Worship.

You see when we do that we worship God in the way he desires and deserves to be worshiped - We love God in the way and to the extent that he desires and deserves to be loved - And loved one that is so counter cultural to how we have been conditioned by our culture.

But HOW do we do this?

That begins in VS 2

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Well Paul starts with a “Don’t” and then moves to a “DO” and then tells us the result of the Do’s and Don’ts”

Don’t do what the world does and Don't think this like the world does.

Change away from that by being transformed - Being Changed - Being Different and Separate from the World - This is what the word Holy Means -

The result “We will know what God will is”

His good and acceptable and perfect will.

Here is the funny part - Its not all that complicated.

The Good and acceptable and perfect will of God is that God desires all men to repent and to be saved. That is His willful desires and He has organized His Church the Body of Jesus to be the tools to be the instrument that He uses to Represent his SOn Jesus Christ and to Make Him KNown!

Simple -

Now Some of us don't think in those terms - We This we are to be transformed so we can know the will of God in weather we take this job or that job.

Weather we live in this house or that house. Weather we buy that Car or this car.

Church, I want you to hear this -

No matter what we do or where we live or what ever car we drive - God's will for us is to love Him through faith in His son Jesus, being the church He has called us to be Representing Christ and Making Hi known.

Why do you say that Pastor?

Watch where Paul goes in Verse three.

Romans 12:3 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.

What Paul then does is He begins to break down the problem with man kind -

He starts to address the Ego of man - You see just a few sentences earlier he said - Because of the Grace of God that nothing can seperate us form his love - Be a living sacrifice -

HE then comes in verse three and says - Everyone should not think more highly of himself than they ought to.

You see loved ones this is one of the places in scripture that Chapter and verse doesn't do us any favors.

When we read this together as it was originally written in letter form - We realize that verse one and verse three are navigating the same issues.

You see Paul has just declared that Gospel and the Repose to the Gospel of being a living sacrifice, be renewed in your mind - the world doesn't believe in self sacrifice to God and then He says in verse 3 - Don’t more Highly of your self than you ought to .

Here is what He is talking about “don’t think that you are excluded form the living sacrifice call, the need to be transformed call the call to turn away from the worlds philosophies call.”

No one is excluded from the Call of the Gospel - This is the call of the gospel - Die to self and live for God who died for you.

and Paul then goes into verse 4-7 and unpack for us what happens, or needs to happen when we die to self and live for God as living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God.

We are called into being the living breathing reality of the Body of Jesus - and Paul begins to unpack what that means and what that looks like and how that all functions.

and HE begins with the Practical word picture that we can all understand.

Our own physical Body

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.

For as in one body our bodies we have many manbers - and all so not have the same function.

SO practically - We allhave different parts of our body and those parts do different things yet all of our body parts all belong to the Same Body - and in VSS 5 he takes this word picture and applies it to the church - THe Body of Christ - there are any of us and we are all still ONE Body - and as such we are individual members of one another.

MEaning - I am part of you and you are part of me and collectively we belong to the Body of Jesus - Becasue we ARE collectively the Body of JEsus AKA the Assemply of the called out ones -

OK - What then? WE night ask -

THis is what is so great about Romans - Paul anticipated our questions.

What then? AS part of the Body of Christ - Each individual Liveing For Gor as Living Sacrafices - Worshiping God the way God desired and deserves to be loved and worshipped?

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.

What then - We all have gifts that God has given tyo us to be a part of His Body! Gifts that we use as we live for Him -

Paul says in VSS 6 “We all have gifts, according to the grace given to us - HE then Says “Let us use them!”

Use them for What?

Use them as living sacrafices - WHoly and acceptable to GOd - becasue of His great mercies imparted to us through the finnished work of Jesus -

Use them - For three things -

Gloryfying God - as we liove GOd and serve God in the way that he deserved and desires o be loved and worshipiped -

Equipping the saints for the work of serving God -

Building up the Church - Representing Christ to the world and making Him Known.

Watch where He goes with this in His letter to the Corinthian Church when He speaks futhur on spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:12–27 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. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Here is what Paul is saying in this part of the letter -

The Body of Christ is not the body of Christ, the Gospel does not advance - if all of its members are not functioning as they are gifted to function.

One Body VVS12-14

It does not work if there is one part that is left out.

VVS14-20

DOnt think more higly of our selves thatn we ought too -

We cannnot say “I dont need you and vice a versa You don’t need me

Verses 21-26

God designed it this way so that there is no division and there is care for one another - VVS 25

Paul is extremely clear in this passage - It doesn't work any other way!

and He drives it Home in the letter to the Ephesians -

Ephesians 4:1–7 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, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

Walk in a manner worthy of the calling by which you have been called - What is your calling?

Your Calling in light of God’s grace becasue nothing can separate us form the love of God is to be a Living sacrifice - Holy and acceptable which is our reasonable act of worship.

This is why Paul calls himself a Bond slave of Christ - This is why he refers to others as fellow bond slaves - Fellow laborers for the Gospel. Co Laborers for Christ.

Humility, patience, holding each other up in Love.

Eager to be inn unity -

Part of ONE BODY drawn together by ONE Spirit -

Called into one HOPE in Christ - with ONE Lord- That means Master - One boss of our life - Jesus! ONE faith ONE Baptism - One God and Father of all.

THE GOSPEL CONNECTION

This is what the Gospel Changes in people.

It takes people from the chains of Bondage to being rebels against God and enemies of God and it fixes their relationship with God and moves them from the Kingdom of Darkness into His wonderful light.

IT frees them from being slaves of sin and evil under the wrath of God- Bound for hell - The Gospel the good news is that people can be set free - Free to new life - Free from the fear of death - free from the bondage to sin. Fee to be slaves of Christ - Free to be the world changers, kingdom builders God has called them to be.

Free to place their life and bodies as a living sacrifice Holy and Acceptable to God - Striving to Worship God in the way that God desires and deserves to be worshipped - Striving imperfectly to Love God with everything the way He desires and deserves to be loved.

APPLICATION OR IMAGINE

I want to end this series with a couple of questions: The first and most important question is have you responded to the Gospel - The Fact that God took on flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Live a perfect life, Die on the roman cross to satisfy His own justice of God and quench His own wrath of God that is against everyone becasue of our Sin? and In doing that opened the possibility for your relationship to God to be repaired - Have you repented unto salvation and trusted Fully in the Finished work of Jesus on the cross of Calvary and the historical fact that He was raised from the dead verifying that He indeed was God.

2 - In light of Gods mercies in your salvation and the fact that nothing can separate you from the love of Jesus - Have you surrendered your body - all of who you are as a living sacrifice Holy and Acceptable to God as your reasonable act of worship - to serve Him and worship him and love him as he deserves and desires to be served, worshipped and love -

Using your gifts - that He has given you - To be a part of HIS body - Glorifying Him, Equipping the saints and Building up the church - locking arms - representing Christ and making Him know through out the world.

Service with your gifts Possibilities -

PRAYER TEAM