Romans 12
Notes
Transcript
Hey, what a wonderful Easter weekend we had last week. Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday were big wins. I want to celebrate all of you. You invited people and we had a great turn out. So many heard the message of God’s love, forgiveness and identity. Way to Go!
Today, the celebration continues...
This evening we are throwing a party for our Team Grace who truly make Church of Grace happen. We could not accomplish what we do without them.
For those unaware, every year, we receive nominations for people who are truly making a difference, going above and beyond all expectations. Additionally they truly represent our core values on Team Grace by Loving God, Loving People, Pursuing Excellence, and Choosing Joy.
Those selected receive our “Making a Difference Pin”
Award 1
The first person we want to recognize is quite unique, most of you perhaps don’t know of her existence, she is behind the scenes, doing all she can to serve this church that she calls home. Since the time of Covid where our online presence has grown this individual has been instrumental to making us better. Not only making us better as a church, additionally, she has made me better with written communication!
She has artistically and creatively made custom children’s packets, books for kids from our Children’s director, Alyssa’s teaching, and arts and crafts for outreach that we pass out to children at Motel Church. She watches every service, writes up summaries as well as proofs and fixes all of my seminary papers. She has done this for years out of the pure willingness of her heart and love for Jesus… And all this from over 800 miles away! Kitty Thrush has worked hard to serve in the best way possible from far away and we are thankful for her. She makes us better.
Kitty Thrush, You are making a difference!
Award 2
This next award goes to two people who truly do more behind the scenes and will not be thrilled to have the spotlight directed their way. They have been the epicenter of a vibrant movement in our church of bringing people together and connecting them.
Their friendly and sincere hearts naturally draw people into a place that encourage and inspire them to be the best they can.
This award goes to Mark and Jeanette Heasley.
Jeanette:
In many of Jeanette’s communications to the ladies who attend her small group she will say the intention is not only to grow closer to the Lord but to strengthen existing friendships as well as make new ones. Every one of her meetings has provided opportunity, atmosphere and environment to do just that!
We don’t often encounter people with this level of ability to reach and connect people. To see the unseen, hear the unheard, both introvert and extrovert she meets you right where you are and provides an opportunity for you to connect with others. Regardless of whether you are attending a church service, her women’s small group, or outreach events, she draws you in with genuine friendship and encourages you to be the best you can be. She puts so much of her own personal time and effort into investing into the lives of the people of Church of Grace, it goes beyond “connecting people” it really is giving people a sense of belonging. Belonging to something bigger than themselves, being a part of a team that needs them. It is said that a sense of belonging leads people to happiness, health, contentment in life, mental health and long life. And isn’t that what church life is all about?
Mark:
Mark, otherwise known as Jeanette’s husband, since becoming a member of Church of Grace has jumped in with all his energy and strength willing to do whatever it takes to help Church of Grace succeed. He truly cares for the health and growth of everyone here. He has played such an integral part to new relationships being forged, men connecting with other men with his small group, reaching out to those who are hurting and in need with their outreach, and everyone’s favorite job - collecting the Church of Grace signs, fluffing Christmas trees, using his truck as a free u haul for all of our transport needs and all of this from behind the scenes. For those that know him, he is a tremendous friend and a joy to spend time with and exudes the character of Christ.
Church of Grace thanks Jesus for the work of grace in this couple who are truly making a difference not just here but outside these walls as well. From their Small Groups, to the outreaches they lead, and the love they share with others serving on Team Grace, they are truly Making a Difference!
Award 3
Our final award goes to a very special couple who has proven themselves to be true servants and ministers of Jesus Christ. Both of their lives carry a testimony of God’s grace, forgiveness, restoration, and love that they share with others so freely. We wish to honor Pastor Randy and his wife Ellie Collins.
These two cannot stop ministering to others. They have a schedule that is full of counseling appointments that are helping so many people through difficult issues in their life. They never complain, they just continue to serve with the love of God in providing pastoral love and care for many. In addition they serve on our follow up connection team, you may or may not have received a phone call from them and if you do make sure to answer, it will put a smile on your face.
Ellie volunteers with the organization, “My Love Life” that helps mothers choose life instead of abortion for their babies by supporting them with mentorship through every step of pregnancy and the first years of the child’s life. Pastor Randy represents us, Church of Grace, at an assisted living facility in the city of Fullerton by leading and teaching Sunday services every month. He is also very involved and supportive of our Motel Outreach every month.
And of course, you all know Pastor Randy as the beautiful radio voice that leads our worship of tithe and offerings every week and does such a fantastic job of it. These two are full of the grace of God and work very hard to see God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Ellie and Randy, you are making a difference! Thank you.
[Recap]
Galatians 5:13 “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.”
St Augustine said that “Perfect freedom is found in serving God.”
John Maxwell said, “If you want to live your best year, find someone to serve.”
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
3 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. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. 13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.
In light of God’s mercy, do this perfect will of God that is pleasing to Him and it’s good:
Sober knowledge of self - How you see Yourself.
Serve with what you have
Have the right Motivation
How You See Yourself
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.
Today’s culture majors on the problems of “low self-esteem”, good and true.
However, history and Scripture shows that the greater danger is a haughty ego and a self-centeredness - pride.
In the bible there are 10 Hebrew words and 2 Greek words generally used for pride that refers to “Being puffed up or inflated”… Giving the impression of substance but only filled with air.
Puffer fish make themselves look bigger than they actually are.
Pride is a sin of attitude and of heart and spirit. However it never stays internalized.
It will infect our speech and will infect our eyes… Scripture refers to it as haughty eyes, haughty looks and proud heart. Which may lead to terrible treatment of others as the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders treated those beneath their social level.
One Scripture says that pride is the lamp of the wicked. (Proverbs 21:4). Pride / ego determines what I do and where I go. Your ego is influencing your decisions… Instead of the Word of God.
Pride was the downfall of many Kings and Nations in the OT, and often is described as growing from the tendency to forget God. (Dt 8:14)
Rather, the Christian, recognizes that our background, abilities, and gifts all come from God by grace, He has given each of us the same saving faith in Christ crucified - we are all saved in Christ and God loves us equally in Christ, we are each valued the same in Christ… So there is no place for ego/pride, better than.
Therefore:
Paul tells us to think soberly (when you’re drunk you are out of touch with reality, it is called an escape from reality)… accurately, in touch with reality.
Think straight about yourself, neither too high or too low because we are all in the same standing in the gospel, but we are different in our varied abilities and gifts to minister to each other.
Don’t think less of your abilities, because you have them. Acknowledge what we are good at and what we can do - this enables us to serve others.
I am not that important.
“I resent that”
I am not talking about value - our value comes from God, we are in His image.
What I mean is: if you don’t wake up tomorrow, the world is going to continue to exist, Jesus will continue to build his church etc.
We are privileged to be a “jar of clay” for God’s great power to work through… in service. It is a privilege not an entitlement to be gifted by God and used for His sake in whatever capacity he sees fit.
It came from him, thinking accurately, will keep me from thinking too high of myself and also too low of myself.
I can serve with humility because it is his gift to begin with.
Maybe some don’t serve because they think too low of themselves...
Thinking soberly about yourself requires being aware of what you are gifted in.
Gifts of Service
Charles Spurgeon, one of the most famous 19th century pastors in England said, “The very motto of the Christian should be ‘I serve.’”
Of course this was the motto of Jesus… not to be served but to serve.
These are given not for our own self-service, but to be used for the good of the body to which we belong.
The end goal of the gifts: to build others up.
Prophecy
Speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. It is an anointed utterance. A holy Spirit filled word to edify someone.
Service
Practical service: practical tasks and administration and doesn’t need a spotlight.
Teaching
Making truth clear and understandable. Some might be better in Small Groups, large groups, children, peers, etc.
Encouraging
Parakaleo: to come alongside. Involves counseling, support, and inspiration.
Giving
Enjoy giving in unusual proportions, but wise in their gifts. Their generosity is fruitful. Rational generosity.
Leading
Gift of getting people to follow them. This does not require a title or position, they are able to cast vision and inspire others to get there.
Showing mercy
Moved to work with the poor, the sick, the weak, the prisoner, the addicted, outcast, the elderly, etc.
What am I gifted for?
Ask yourself… Philippians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”
What do I enjoy doing?
What kind of ministry is satisfying and attractive to me?
What problems do I most notice?
What do I feel burdened about? The poor? The forgotten?
Am I any good at what I enjoy?
Do people get help? Am I fruitful?
Once you have identified something as a gifting: In light of God’s abundant mercies and blessings, Just Do It!
You often learn more about your gifts and grow as you minister. Go for it, you will grow as you use it.
Motivation
1 Corinthians 4:5 “5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.”
The implication here is not a negative one but positive. That we may judge someone’s action in a negative way but the most important information lacking is that within the heart - that which only God knows. God sees that the motivation was good and will be praised by God.
Sincere love (literally - non hypocritical)
Hypocrisy of preaching a standard that you don’t live up to.
Jesus was praised (Palm Sunday) not for what he said but what he did.
This is a different type of hypocrisy where we do the act without the heart.
It’s not the letter of the Law but the spirit of the law - love.
We are not be polite, helpful, and apparently warm to people on the outside, while despising them on the inside.
We are constrained, motivated, moved by the love of God (that has been poured out in our hearts) to genuinely love people. We win people to Christ because of authentic genuine love for them.
The apostle Paul said, “Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts”
...Practice love...
How can we grow in love?
1 John 4:19–21 “We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.”
Hate: disregard, scorn, decrease in status. Having ill-will in words and actions. Whereas love is to will the best.
Cannot: unable (not won’t, but can’t)
Our vertical love for God is expressed in many ways, but no way more than our horizontal love for one another.
Command (not suggestion, not when you feel like it): to love their brother and sister.
To will the good and not evil, to be devoted to them, honoring them, sharing with them, being hospitable to them.
Ultimately how?
1 John 4:16 “We know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.”
Action Item:
Think of a Christian you know who is in need. How can you do for them an act of real godly love?
Love has all kinds of meanings today (it is something that is thought of as you fall into and out of). It’s Scriptural defined as:
To hate what is evil and love what is good. to hate (abhor, to be shocked, hate violently, be horrified) & (glued) love what is good.
Love is tied to God’s will, not our feelings.
This love empowers us to do what some call “tough love.”
Any love that is afraid to confront the beloved is not really love, but a selfish desire to be loved. This kind of selfish love is afraid to do what is right (cling/glue to what is good) if it risks losing the beloved’s affection. It makes an idol out of the beloved. It is saying, “I’ll do anything keep him or her loving me!” This is not truly loving the person. It is loving the love you get from the person. In other words, it is loving yourself more than the person.
True love, is willing to confront, even to “lose” the beloved in the short run if there is a chance of helping him or her.
Devoted to one another
Love is committed as a family.
Honor one another above yourselves.
Put others first. To honor is to treat someone/something as valuable and precious. We are all created in the image of God therefore, every person we meet, is infinitely precious and valuable.
To honor them, means to listen to people, be aware of their hopes, joys, needs and fears, be considerate of them.
Especially with Christians, we are to see Christ Himself as resident in them.
This is not to think of less of yourself before others, but to concentrate more on the needs of others than we do our own.
Be zealous, with spiritual fervor, directed at “serving the Lord”, Be joyful in hope, Patient in affliction, Faithful in prayer.
This at first glance seems to be about our relationship with God but it may be that we are to meet the troubles of Christian relationships with patience and prayer! To be involved deeply in people’s lives is hard work.
Share with those in need and practice hospitality.
Real love is feeling with action. It can be summed up with, “Put your money where your mouth is.”
Real love is active in meeting needs, being there for others, as he would later say, “weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.”
This involves stopping to be involved and enter the world of another person
Love is doing whatever it takes to give people whatever they need, meaning: the truth (which they may not want) and the help they need.
