Giving Your Talents

Introduction

Background of Romans 1-11: The gospel is God’s power to salvation. No other work or way forgives people of sins and gifts eternal life. Jews failed in keeping the Law, Gentiles failed in living up to their conscience, atheists worshiped creation rather than the Creator; all have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.

So God demonstrated His righteousness by sending Jesus to fulfill the Law, living a perfect life, and dying on the cross. He now offers grace to those who have faith in Him. The gospel is the good news that Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the dead pays for the penalty of sin and gifts eternal life to those who respond in faith.

I. We all have a Part to Play (Romans 12:1-5)

A. If we want to worship God then we offer ourselves as living sacrifices (v. 1-2)

1. God gave us mercy in Christ, so, we offer ourselves to Him: our bodies, our lives

a. We give up our rights and who we are and live for Him (that’s what it means to be a Christian)

b. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

2. The only way to accomplish this is by renewing our minds

a. We cannot live out God’s will for our lives if we are being pushed back into the mold of the world

b. Transformation is this change from the inside out: our minds are renewed by Christ through His Word (discerning the will of God) and we offer our bodies for His service. We pursue knowing Him and use our bodies to serve Him

B. A new mind and a new life of service is a gift from God (v. 3-5)

1. You have an ability given by God that you can serve Him with, this is your primary form of worship

a. It is crucial to be humble: your gift is not better than anyone else’s. But also, your ability is not worse than others’

b. The greatness of your gift and its effectiveness is utilized by your faith:

1. Your belief that God will use you in amazing ways, your choice to serve Him even when you feel like you won’t make a big difference or be as important as someone else

2. You have a crucial role in God’s church and He will use you if you step out on faith to use your ability

2. Notice, we are one body in Christ. We are all different members (different skills and abilities), yet, Jesus unites us in vision, purpose, and will

a. We won’t be able to effectively make disciples in our church or in our community without using our gifts with the faith that God will use us

b. Don’t think you’re better than others if you’re already involved or worse if you aren’t involved yet. You are being renewed in Jesus and have an opportunity to serve Him as your worship.

c. Be renewed by the knowledge of God and choose to serve Him accordingly

3. We are all needed. We are unique members of one body, that of Christ

a. Illus. Have you ever had a cold with a stuffy nose? How was your sleep that night? Your nose was completely clogged and you couldn’t breathe at all. (the only time I snore is when my nose is clogged, so poor Grace doesn’t sleep well that night either)

1. When your nose isn’t functioning properly then your whole body feels the effects of it and suffers.

2. Likewise, when you feel healthy then you are functioning at full capacity and don’t think about it, because everything is working as it should

b. “Each individual Christian as a part of the corporate body offering him/herself as a living sacrifice in service to the one body of Christ - the gifts differ, bot not the source; the expression of the gifts, but not the purpose” (John Mitchell, Ephesians, p. 54)

c. We all have a part to play in the body of Christ and when we use our unique abilities for God then our church thrives. Sure, things can be good with partial involvement, but think of the immense opportunities when each member of the body does its work. We are growing into the body of Christ together

II. Use your God-given ability (Romans 12:6-8)

-That begs the question: How can you serve in the body of Christ? Paul gives us 7 examples (v. 6-8)

A. Categories of Abilities. Paul is not trying to give us an exhaustive list, rather, examples of how your service could look based on your natural ability:

1. Speaking Gifts (some of you are natural gabbers. Use that to glorify Christ):

a. Prophecy: prophecy means “to proclaim”, it is declaring things that God has inspired. I think the primary way this is used is in evangelism. Having a natural ability to speak about Christ and be a witness to anyone

1. Illus. Steve Walters at a truck stop convinces a Muslim to look into the Bible

2. Someone who evangelizes is simple a seed planter and/or waterer. You may not reap the harvest but you are cultivating the ground so that they eventually get to the point of accepting Christ

b. Teaching: this is “explaining truth”. A Bible word would be “edification” (building up the body in Christ).

1. It is the ability to explain something simply so that anyone can understand it. (use how to solve a Rubik’s Cube as an example)

2. You don’t have to have the most Bible knowledge out of everyone you know, but you are able to help someone understand something a little better. Explain what you understand (ex: Priscilla and Aquila teaching Apollos the way of Christ more accurately, Acts 18:24-28)

3. Examples: instructing in elementary teachings, one on one discipleship, help people understand and practice spiritual disciplines

c. Encouraging: “inviting people to action, encouraging them to do something”. Inspiration, influence, and instilling confidence in others to do what they are able

1. Ex: Barnabas put his arm around Paul, defended him, and opened up the eyes of those around him to accept him (Acts 9:26-28)

2. It may be natural for you to lift people’s spirits, instill confidence, inspire people to action. Be intentional and seek out people to encourage. Examples: sending cards, making house/hospital calls, sharing meals, being a comfort to someone who is grieving, etc.

aa. Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

bb. Hebrews 10:25 “not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”

2. Silent Gifts (some of you are action people. You may not be good with words but your deeds show your Christlike attitude):

a. Ministry or Service: meaning, “meeting needs”. Principle: see a need, meet a need

1. We go out of our way to meet a need. Something as simple as holding a flashlight for the worker, helping the elderly on slippery pavement, cooking a meal for someone, showing hospitality, etc.

2. Jesus is the ultimate servant. In John 13 He wrapped a towel around His waist and washed His disciples’ feet (including Judas). He also went on to meet our greatest need, paying for our sins and gifting us eternal life.

3. Perhaps it’s natural for you to pick out a need in our church or community. Go and be the hands of Jesus in helping

b. Giving: Giving could be as simple as buying diapers and wipes for the new babies coming, it could be sitting down and letting someone talk for an hour without you saying a word, it could be giving more for you tithe or making a personal donation to a mission we support, etc.

1. Paul thanked the Philippians for their continued care

aa. They showed it by supporting him financially. They had to take a break for awhile, but when they could afford it they renewed their care and sent further aid (Philippians 4:15-19)

bb. 2 Corinthians 8:13–15 “For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.””

2. Back in our text Paul instructs those who chose to give to do it with liberality (simplicity or generously). Don’t over-complicate it, give generously. Give as you are able and do it with liberality. Give to the Lord generously, give to the needy generously, give of your time generously, give of your ears generously, etc.

c. Showing Mercy: Mercy is setting aside your own needs to take care of someone else, even when they don’t deserve it

1. Your childhood bully deserves to get what’s coming to him, but you forgive him instead; that person who took advantage of your generosity deserves to fall flat on his face, but you help him out anyway. You’re on a mission heading somewhere or you’re in the middle of something and you set it aside to listen to the person that wants your attention, etc.

2. Jesus had compassion on people and He healed their sick, cast out demons, and taught them even when He was going somewhere or had something else He’d rather be doing (feeding the 5,000 instead of praying on the mountain, Matthew 14) (Healing a blind man while traveling through, Luke 18:35-43)

3. It may feel like an obligation and that you’re missing out on something. But Paul tells us to show mercy with cheerfulness. Choose to be thankful that you can lift someone else up, even at your own expense. You get to show the heart of Jesus to someone

3. Both Speaking and Silent:

a. Leading: with diligence and zeal. A leader is someone who has followers, someone who has influence over others. A leader must have diligence, constantly growing themselves in character and conduct and a desire to bring others on the journey with him. (1 Timothy 4:12)

b. This is demonstrating and training people on utilizing their God-given abilities for the Lord whether it’s bringing more people into the church or building up the church in Christ

B. We all have a combination of each of these abilities. Some may come more naturally than others. We want to use these categories as a guide to get us started in serving in the Lord’s church that we might do our part in attaining the vision: growing into the body of Christ together

1. Is there an obvious skill that jumps out at you? What ways can you use it in daily life and in the church? Make a list of 3 ways to use your natural ability, talk to the leadership to see who you can get involved, and pray for God to use you

2. Are you unsure of what your ability is?

a. 1) Pray for God’s help in discovering it,

b. 2) What do you desire to do for God? (we can develop in those skills),

c. 3) What can you try first to figure it out?

Conclusion

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