God's Assignments
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Pastoral Reminder: Head Heart Hands, Equipping the Saints for the Work of the Ministry
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Turn your bibles to Chapter 12 of the book of Romans. We will be looking at the second part of the passage the we looked at last week. Verses 3 through 8.
3 For by the grace given to me, I tell everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he should think. Instead, think sensibly, as God has distributed a measure of faith to each one. 4 Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, 5 in the same way we who are many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another. 6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith; 7 if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching; 8 if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.
I am just curious. Have you ever noticed that people are different? The great uniqueness of people is quite astounding to me. We are different down to the prints on the ends of our fingers. In any group there will be different strengths, weaknesses, talents, and abilities. The question is what does that group accomplish with what they have been given. If you have ever been in a school project you know what this feels like.
Paul is saying, that God has specifically gifted the people of his church. And each person is to perform the function that God has assigned. A Christian must live out their function in the body or they are not a living sacrifice and are not in true worship of God.
He is explaining to the church that worship is more than a couple songs on Sunday. It is more than showing up to a worship service and begrudgingly giving up our Sunday morning. It is more than the check put in the offering box.
True worship is doing the work that God has assigned you for the building up of the church. The idea that you don’t have to be an active part of a church falls on its face here.
18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.
Too many professed believers do nothing but think of themselves. Not only is every person supposed to perform their specific function, he continues with some of the specific gifts that God has given to his people.
Paul acknowledges to them that each member of the body is given a different function and in order to perform that function God has given gifts. Which means that each person has a work to do for the body.
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
God has gifted his children, so that they can contribute to the household of God, his body, the church.
6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: …
Here he lists seven gifts that God gives the church to live out amongst each other. The first is the gift of prophecy.
Prophecy - Interpreting the Will of God
Prophecy - Interpreting the Will of God
6 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith;
This gift has its primary focus on knowing and understanding the will of God. Those with this gift have the ability to correctly interpret the will of God in the scriptures.
10 Just as each one has received a gift, use it to serve others, as good stewards of the varied grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let it be as one who speaks God’s words; if anyone serves, let it be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.
The one with the gift of prophesy speaks God’s words. They are a mouth piece from God for his people. Explaining and interpreting the scriptures correctly. Rightly dividing them and then telling the people what God has said. This would mean that there are those without this gift.
This should be a daunting responsibility for men. For the scriptures are not meant to be mettled with by man. They have been given to his people by God.
19 We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
The scriptures have been confirmed and none of what has been written was from the minds of man. He did not and look out at the world around him and then interpret the world and write it down. No on the contrary, no scripture came by the will of man, but instead they spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
To speak falsely of the words of God is to be a false prophet. To claim God said when he didn’t is being a false prophet.
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Peter warns of the false prophets and teachers that will arise and will always be around the people of God. Exploiting people with their enticing words. There should be great fear in the Christian to be wary of speaking falsely on God’s behalf.
When you look at every true prophet, what did they proclaim. The spoke of the will of God. What will come to pass. A false prophet would be one who spoke of something other than what God had ordained to take place.
20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’
The simplest church there must be men that have been given the most important task, to “Preach the scriptures accurately.” If there are not men who accurately preach to themselves, they will have nothing to feed the flock with. If this is lacking the people will be blind to God’s will. They will be confused and will stumble because of their ignorance of false beliefs.
When we say “this is what they Lord says,” we are standing in a great place of responsibility. When we sit around a table and say “this is what God means” we are taking on the role of prophet. Be wary of speaking falsely of God.
To many pastors today speak what they want to say and to many people today are too comfortable with speaking for God, when he has already spoken.
Has anyone ever spoken falsely on your behalf. Someone has claimed that you said or did something you did not do.
Kayson ring worm.
This is a funny story but isn’t this common today. God’s children running around creating all sorts of wild claims about the Father.
If all scripture is God breathed. Then the one gifted with prophesy continues to speak the breath of God. Without people with this gift in the church, the church will be missing a critical part of the body. And when those that do not have this gift claim it. The church will be led astray. And when there are those that will not submit to those that have this gift. Their life will be in conflict with God’s will.
Each believer must seek to know the scriptures and what they say and we must follow them but we also must be humble enough to submit to sound interpretation.
This takes us to the second gift that he lists. The gift of service.
Service - Aiding God’s Family
Service - Aiding God’s Family
7 if service, use it in service; …
This is the gift of service to the body. The word has the same root as Deacon. This would be those that are gifted to serving the needs of the body. An example that may come to mind is the appointing of the seven men in Acts.
1 In those days, as the disciples were increasing in number, there arose a complaint by the Hellenistic Jews against the Hebraic Jews that their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. 2 The Twelve summoned the whole company of the disciples and said, “It would not be right for us to give up preaching the word of God to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom, whom we can appoint to this duty. 4 But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
These men were to be chosen to aid in the needs of the community of believers. They were to aid the elders who where preaching and teaching the word. This was so that those gifted with prophesy and teaching could focus on their function in the church, while there were others that God had arranged to take on this work.
They did not go out to pull teeth to get these men to help. They were men of good reputation. They were already known to have servant hearts. They were filled with the Spirit and wisdom. It was clear that God was working in their lives. These men took on a sperate function that built up the body.
Many pastors are expected to spend a good portion of their time on tasks that others should focus on. I know pastors who are responsible for the grounds and the yard work of the church. If the pastor is gifted in preaching and teaching and anyone can push a mower why wouldn’t people step up and take on that task so that he can be ready to feed the flock.
We all serve at some level. Just like we all speak on God’s word at times. But in the church there will be those that are known by how they serve the body. How they take care of the people of the church.
The third is teaching.
Teaching - Explaining How to Live out the Will of God
Teaching - Explaining How to Live out the Will of God
7 … if teaching, in teaching;
At first, I found it surprising that this would come after serving but it is all to common for those that are to preach the word are side tracked to do other things because there are others that have not stepped up to use their gift in the church. But if there are great servants, there will be solid proclamation of God’s will and then there will be sound teaching.
The bible treats this different than preaching and prophesy. We see teaching listed separately many times. Paul said he was appointed to preach the Gospel and Teach.
11 For this gospel I was appointed a herald, apostle, and teacher,
They would travel around preaching and teaching.
35 But Paul and Barnabas, along with many others, remained in Antioch, teaching and proclaiming the word of the Lord.
This gift is the ability to explain the scriptures to the people in ways that make sense and can be understood and applied. This gift sits right next to prophesy. As this gift takes the will of God that has been interpreted from the scriptures and teaches it to others. The prophet speaks truths of God. The teacher spreads the truths of God so that they can be applied. There is a warning for those that would claim to have this gift and use it foolishly.
1 Not many should become teachers, my brothers, because you know that we will receive a stricter judgment.
Even though there is stricter judgment, God has still appointed men to be teachers. Paul tells Timothy to take what has been given to him and pass it on to faithful men who can teach it as well.
1 You then, my child, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus, 2 and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also.
Why must they be faithful men. They are being entrusted with aiding the church in applying God’s truth to their lives. I think it is a sobering comparison of what people expect to receive today from the church. After the return from exile all of the people gathered. And the Scriptures were brought forth.
1 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the Water Gate. And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the Book of the Law of Moses that the Lord had commanded Israel. 2 So Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could understand what they heard, on the first day of the seventh month. 3 And he read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. And the ears of all the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
Ezra proclaimed the words of God. The Levites walked among the people helping them to understand. From morning until midday. All of the people were attentive to the Book of the Law.
The people were eager to hear and understand. Standing outside listening to the reading and then getting help to understand it. There should be an eagerness to hear from those that interpret God’s will in the scriptures and those that teach the scriptures, so that we can understand them and they are effective in our lives.
Then we have those that have the gift of exhortation.
Exhorting - Encouraging others to Live out the Will of God
Exhorting - Encouraging others to Live out the Will of God
8 if exhorting, in exhortation; …
These are those that are filled with the desire to encourage the people to take what they have learned from the teachers and get to work. They call to question the life of the believer by urging them to life in a pleasing way to the Lord by doing what is right and fleeing from what is evil.
The word has the idea of coming along side a fellow brother and sister and provoking them to acts of love. Of encouraging people to think of others first. They are used by God to aid and help the christian as he takes steps of faith and works out his salvation as he grows.
Our nature pushes back but there are those that seem to always being there with words they make you eager to do what God has taught you.
Exhortation is multifaceted in how it is delivered but it is the gift that puts that pressure out there to move in the right direction. It puts out the call to obey. To trust the King, to follow the Lord, to listen to the Master.
“For there is not other way than to trust and obey”
After exhortation Paul speaks of the gift of giving
Giving - Sharing With Others
Giving - Sharing With Others
8 … giving, with generosity; …
Those with the gift of giving have a heart for helping with what they have. They are the people that would give the shirt off of their own back. We are all called to help a brother in need.
17 If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him—how does God’s love reside in him?
And all are supposed to work so that they may have something to share.
28 Let the thief no longer steal. Instead, he is to do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.
But these are people who exemplify generosity. They do not do it for praise. They do not do it to gain anything in return. They simply see a need and if it is in their ability they are able and willing to supply what another person needs. There is just an overwhelming love to help those that have less than you or are in a season of need.
They just have big hearts for the needs of the people.
Now Paul comes to the sixth. Leading.
Leading - Showing the Way
Leading - Showing the Way
8 … leading, with diligence; …
God has established roles in the church for the benefit of the people. The gift of leading ties back to the requirements for elders and deacons in how the lead and manage their own household.
4 He must manage his own household competently and have his children under control with all dignity. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of God’s church?)
An elder is given the responsibility of overseeing the household of God as a steward. He is positioned to equip and build up the house that God has assigned him.
7 As an overseer of God’s household, ...
This is a noble task. To oversee God’s household.
1 This saying is trustworthy: “If anyone aspires to be an overseer, he desires a noble work.”
Those that desire this office must take it seriously and soberly. They are to lead in a way that their life and faith can be imitated.
7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
They are to be diligent and careful. Not being reckless or negligent in their task. They are to do this together as a group that watches out for the people of God’s home.
17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
The leaders of the church must be appointed by God or they will wreck havoc on the body.
28 Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.
We must be careful who we obey and submit too. We must be discerning if they have been appointed by God to these positions. They must be known and vetted. Seen. Their life must be visible in a way that can be imitated and followed. They are not perfect. but they are appointed to these positions.
Normally they will also be gifted in preaching and teaching as they will stand at the front of the line and everyone will be watching.
17 Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.
Without God appointed leadership the people will follow their own ways and it will not be pretty in the long run.
And finally Acts of Mercy
Acts of Mercy - Comforting along the Way
Acts of Mercy - Comforting along the Way
8 … showing mercy, with cheerfulness.
These are the people that are attune to the hearts of others. They weep when you weep and the rejoice when you rejoice. They have a deep concern for the wellbeing of others. They are those people that you cannot hide from. They just know you need to talk or need help. They will many times be able to help with needs like the giver and encouragement like the exhorter but will do this with a wide open heart of care and compassion.
Not only do they have a heart for the people but they are also cheerful in being able to do so. They are not begrudgingly forced into this help by some moral pressure or persuasion. They just love to help people.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Paul has reveals these 7 very important gifts that God gives his church. Each one build up the body for the work of the ministry.
Prophesy - Speaking God’s Will
Service - Aiding in the deeds of the Body
Teaching - Helping people to grow in God’s will
Exhortation - Calling people to live out God’s will
Giving - Personally sharing what God has given to other believers
Leading - Stewards of God’s Household
Acts of Mercy - Care for the Children of God
Have you ever had a puzzle that was just missing pieces. Maybe just one piece you are like it still works but what would happen if every time you sat down to put a puzzle together 50 to 60% of the pieces did not show up. You sit down next week and you sit down at the table and pieces that you had put in last week are now missing.
Each piece contributes to the overall picture and supports a couple local pieces. But when they are missing, man is it tough.
Some may ask how do I fit into the body. I don’t seem to be gifted in any of these. My encouragement is this practice them and grow in them and see what God reveals to you.
Seek to understand the scriptures/Serve the Church willingly/Teach you children what you know of God’s word/Exhort those around you to follow God/Give to those in need/Men lead you homes/Care deeply for you fellow saint.
Practice these things and see if your gifting is revealed. And while you are trying to figure it out, you will just be a great blessing to that family of God.
Don’t settle for the Microwave version of these things. They are ment to be used in the context of the body of believers for your own edification and the benefit of others. .
Let us grow in the likeness of our Lord Jesus who is
The Word
Who came to serve and not be served
Who is the great teacher
Who called men and women to obedience
Who gave is life for the ransom of many
Who has great love and compassion for his people.
Jesus is the perfect example of all of these gifts and he gives them to his people to live like him.
Be where you can be used?
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Blessing/Benediction
3 Proclaim the Lord’s greatness with me; let us exalt his name together.
