Romans 12:4-21

The Church and how it functions: Gather - Care - Work

Romans 12:4–8 NASB95

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

The body is made of many parts and the many parts are there for the purpose of being unified, but also are there for one another.

Reread 4-6

The church is often seen as a place to gather instead of a body that works

We must work for each other and with each other

This is an idea that you kind of get, but not really...What would it mean to be a body that works? B/c a body is not a machine it must be “cared for,” but the body also has a purpose - that is for it to work!

we are ok at gathering and we are getting better at caring, but we need a lot of work on the working.

Gathering without the care is a group

Gathering and caring without the working is a community that doesn’t make an impact externally

But a body that Gathers, Cares and Works does what God calls us to do

Q_ I want you to take a few minutes at your tables and do one of 3 things. (1) Why do we struggle with gathering enthusiastically? (2) tell each other what you need one another to do for you and what you want them to do with you for you to be spiritually mature (what do you need, how can they help?)? (3) Why don’t we see ourselves as workers? (poor understanding, poor example, poor obedience?)

God gave each believer gifts to exercise for the good of the body.

We often see this in fantasy novels, movies, or video games - someone is bestowed a gift of great significance that is to be used for good. They understand its great power and significance and use it accordingly.

If you have the Holy Spirit, you have been given a gift or gifts and are responsible for using them. (Full Stop). We are all here in the body waiting on you to use it, to use it better, or to keep using it. For those of you who are exercising your gifts, thank you! For those that are not, please start.

Reread 7-8

What are we to make of this?

If you are running sound, the run the crap out of it and have the best time.

If you are helping set up something, take initiative and be happy to help

If you are discipling someone, be their biggest fan and be ever hopeful of what God is doing in their lives

If you are cleaning up, ask someone to help y'all and sing a song while you work

As you volunteer in the community, act like you would rather be no other place, and that where you are is the best place to be

Q_So here is my challenge…what are you doing? What is your contribution to the body? how can you invest in us as we invest in you? The church should be a community involved in reciprocal relationships. I have to do a better job in letting you and you need to do a better job of wanting me to let you:) Our investment in one another for mutual benefit is an internal investment.

Let’s start with me. There are many things I can do as a full-time minister. There are also things that God has gifted me with for the good of his body and his Kingdom (I will let yall tell me what those are:). If I am in doing admin and I can’t be out, if I am moving stuff around I can’t be doing admin, if I am out discipling or evangelizing I can’t do either thing. But it all “has” to be done or it doesn’t work. (example of Apostles and deacons, “I am not an apostle.”)

Paul then turns to describing what this looks like in gleaming detail

Romans 12:9–21 NASB95

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. “But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Q_The last thing we want to look at are these verses…Each of your boxes has handouts for a group exercise. I have placed these 13 verse into 12 prompts. Under Each exhortation, what does being obedient look like for you personally? Discuss your answers with your table

Let Love - be w/o hypocrisy

Abhor what is evil

Cling to what is good

Be devoted to one another - in brotherly kindness

Give preference to one another - in honor

Not lagging behind - in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord

Rejoice in hope

Persevere in tribulation

Devoted to Prayer

Contribute to the needs of the saints

Practice Hospitality

Bless those who persecute you - bless and do not curse

Rejoice with those who rejoice

Weep with those who weep

Be of the same mind toward one another

Don't be haughty in mind

Associate with the lowly

Do not be wise in your own estimation.

Notice how closely this mirrors

1 Corinthians 13:4–8 NASB95

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.

Love is patient

Love is kind

Love is not jealous

Love does not brag

Love is not arrogant

Love does not unbecomingly

Love does not seek its own

Love is not provoked

Love does not take into account wrong suffered

Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness

Love rejoices with the truth

Love bears all things

Love believes all things

Love hopes all things

Love endures all things

Love never fails