Grace, Humility, Different Gifts

Review!

It’s been a while since we all met together. We’re in Romans 12, and we’re all very familiar with the opening verses. Do not be made like the world, but be changed into the image of Jesus by the renewal of minds. This happens by Bible time, prayer, and involvement in the Church.

Tonight, we build on the renewed mind. We will look at the grace given to us, the humility that must follow, and the different gifts we are given.

Grace

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.

Paul begins his charge to the Church in grace. He says “by the grace given to me.” It’s a phrase that feels like “by the power vested in me,” or “stop in the name of the law.” It’s a phrase that invokes a power that Paul himself does not have, and it’s the power of grace.

What is the grace Paul is talking about?

Of course it’s the Gospel! The grace given to Paul is the forgiveness of sin and the eternal salvation of Jesus. It’s the whole 11 chapters we’ve covered to this point. Grace is the Gospel.

By this power of grace, by the power of the Gospel, Paul urges people to think in a different way. We are urged to think with sober judgement. What does this mean?

Sober judgement means a realistic, accurate assessment of things. With sober judgement, do not think more highly of oneself than we ought to think. What is he saying?

See things for what they really are, see yourself for who you really are. Paul says here, in a nutshell, in the first 3 verses, “By the power of the gospel, use your renewed, transformed mind, to think clearly and see things truly.” We cannot actually think clearly unless God gives us the grace to do so.

Paul is attacking prideful thinking in the context of the church here. He is seeing people in the church think that they’re better than some other people because of the gifting they have recieved.

Humility & Different Gifts

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.

The end of verse 3 describes measures of faith that are assigned to us. We’re not talking about a different amount of saving faith here, we know that. What we’re talking about is the type of gifting that God gives. What gifts does He give?

Service, preaching, administration, music, many more. Do some of these gifts get more earthly recognition? Sure they do. Just like the star QB, & PG get more attention than the left guard or the power forward who doesn’t shoot a lick but gets every rebound and is the best screener ever. Like your elbow doesn’t get as noticed as your face.

This is God’s plan! God designed our physical bodies with a bunch of different, important parts, all of which are needed but not all of which are seen the same by those who look at them. My kidneys aren’t ever seen by people, but they’re just as important as anything that is visible, and probably more so.

Ephesians 4:16 ESV

16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Know Your Role, and Do It

Verses 6 and 7 speak tie back to verses 1-3. We must have the Gospel-powered new thought processes that allow us to see things clearly. We are supposed to know what our gifting is, and then we are supposed to do it. Don’t try and do any job but your own. If your role in the church is a more public one, or your role on the team, wherever it is, don’t walk around with crazy pride. Be thankful that God gave you the role He did, and don’t take it for granted. If your role on the team or in church is less public and prominent, don’t go around feeling sorry for yourself and wishing you had a different duty. Be thankful for the role God allows you to have, be thankful for the salvation given to you, and keep working!

1 Thessalonians 4:9–12 ESV

9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.