Untitled Sermon (60)

Last week I shared a story with you all a story from history. And it is one of the most bizarre history lessons That I believe you can encounter. And so today will have another history lesson but not nearly as long and not nearly as bizarre.

This section of scripture that we're looking at is the application of all the doctrine that Paul had laid out in the first eleven chapters. And so if we can conclude what this section is about we can say it is about the life as a Christian. What is a Christian act like what does a Christian look like those kinds of things.

So it is a section that is important for us to pay attention to, to listen to but we can never forget the first eleven chapters. The reason why this section is so important for us to pay attention to in light of having a proper understanding of the doctrine that Paul had laid down in the first eleven chapters is because this is where it applies to us in a dynamic an meaningful way.

This is where the teachings of scripture an your life collide. And one thing we all in this room know from experience is that life is filled with Ups and downs. And we have all lived it and we have all heard that saying.

We have all heard that life is a roller coaster. I like the saying life is an elevator it's filled with Ups and downs and every once in a while people come and push your buttons.

This life hurts, we go through good times and we kind of get lost in ourselves during those good times. We say life is good and life is grand and I'm so happy and sometimes it's thank God and sometimes it's people forgetting about God. All depends on who you are.

Then we go through hard times and hardships and nobody really responds the same way during those times. Some people get closer to God , they trust in his healing power they trust in his ability to comfort and that is where they are faith lies.

Some people are upset but still trusting in God , some people get lossed in their misery. And everyone of us in here knows exactly what I'm talking about. We have had seasons of joy and we've had seasons of depression. We've had good times and we have had bad times. We have been on cloud 9 we have been in the lowest valleys.

This is why this section is so important because it's the beginning of the doctrine that we have studied and our lives colliding. Just keep that in mind as we progress through the rest of this letter.

So again, last week we had a little history lesson and we concluded that this is what happens when people don't know their place, this is what happens when people do not know their role. When people try to play a part they're not meant to play it creates chaos, it creates disaster.

And what we have in this section is the analogy of a body an we said if the hand was trying to be the head and the head was trying to be a foot what you have is a monster , you don't have a body you have a monster.

So it is important that everybody play their parts, it is important that everyone do what they're called to do. And last week i gave you all a challenge to think about what you're calling is an I hope you thought about it. Not only do I hope you thought about it but I hope you prayed about it.

While I'm on the subject, I hope that you thought about and prayed about every sermon that I have preached and that you meditate on those teachings every day of the week and come back ready for a new teaching. It's only going to help you if you meditate on the word of God.

So another history example, this is not a strict focus in time. But it has to do with the first great awakening. The first great awakening was a revival movement that was not predicted nor plan. It was something that just happened. To the amazement and astonishment of the people who lived through it.

Powerful preaching swept through the nation. It was theologically rich and people cared about the word of God and so they went over it verse by verse. And transformation was taking place.

It was a time where people were craving the word of God and were never satisfied with the forms that they had. So when preachers came with exposit Tori preaching feeding the people they felt it in a powerful way.

But the intensity died out , the church did grow in America but it was not to the points where everybody in the nation was saved. So as far as church history goes, this was a pinnacle point for the church. Then it phased out and in the 1800s you have what historians have labeled the second great awakening.

This one was different. Rather than it being an event that just happened it was more of something new that took place and got attention. You had circuit writers doing their preaching and eventually it turned into tent preaching which then turned into tent revival.

People were being saved in some of these tent revivals but you have to keep in mind the big difference between the first great awakening and the 2nd. The second great awakening was an organized planned event. Not the whole history side of it but each individual tent revival was a planned event.

And when that died out people still tried to carry it on and they were calling it revivals. They would planet, have specific music for it, specific talking points, it was all a controlled environment.

The first great awakening was far more impactful, far more influential, and far more historically known as a great event in American history an that was not planned. The 2nd gets less attention and some historians critique the narative of it all. Some believe that some stories , a lot of stories, are fabrications.

And then each other little tent revival gets less and less impressive. There is a reason for that and the reason is man cannot manipulate revival. A true revival is a work of God that man cannot manipulate. God does it when he freely chooses to do it.

Which is why the unplanned event was so miraculous an influential because it was not a planned event, it was not man trying to manipulate revivalism it was God who was actually performing revivalism.

the first grade awakening the preachers knew their role, they knew their role in preaching and so that is what they did. They preached the gospel. These other revival movements were manipulated so these men did not know their role. They thought they had to do more, they thought they were helping God. they tried to play A role they were not meant to play.

One of those events went down in history as an event that cannot be explained. Truly an amazing time in American history that cannot be explained by secularist. Faithful men faithfully preached the word and the result was pure amazement till this very day.

other revivals were men preaching but also men who decided that they had to do more in order for the preaching to be more successful. they had 2 get people in the right mood, they had to pressure in ways that the reform preachers of the great awakening did not have to do, they had to use tactics this should not be used.

They created an atmosphere that gave people false impressions of what they were really feeling. and this became more and more of the American church tradition.

And so this is the point of the section of scripture that we're looking at for today the point is know your position, know who you are and know your role in ministry. Not just in ministry but in life. And so let's unpack this further and see how this can be more impactful for us.

Romans 12:3–5 NASB95

For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. 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.

Now again last week we covered what it looks like when people do not fulfill the role. Before we can go through and look at one fulfilling the role we have to understand something about this analogy that Paul is giving us.

The analogy that Paul is giving us is that of a human body. That's pretty self explanatory. But the phrase body when it comes to the reference of believers is not a new phrase for Paul nor the New Testament. And there is no doubt that is exactly on Paul's mind when he is using this analogy.

And it's one we still use today, we are the body of believers and Christ is the head. We say Christ is the head of the church and the church is the body of believers.

The reason why Jesus is the head of the church is because he is the one that leads it he is the one that thinks for it he is the one that should be our guiding force behind everything we do.

But one thing we have to distinguish is what the church really is. We have discussed this in the past and it would benefit us to discuss it again. In theological circles they will use 2 phrases to make a distinction.

There is the visible church and then there is the invisible church. The visible church is every local congregation that you can physically see and visit. It is made up of people who come together in a place where they sit in pews and they worship God.

The invisible church is not something you can directly see. The invisible church is every true believer worldwide throughout time. Inside of the visible church can be those who are not saved. As a matter of fact there are many who sit in pews across the world who were not saved.

This is why there is a distinction, because there are those who are not truly saved but look like they're part of the visible church 'cause they're visibly there. Another way to look at it is the physical church as we see it that is the visible church and then the true church as God sees it that is the invisible church.

We can never know who truly belongs to God. We do not know the heart of man therefore we do not know who truly belongs to God. But God knows who truly belongs to him. And this analogy is a reminder to the visible church on what the invisible church is an what the visible church should be.

the truly United Church is not seen by everyone, it is only seen by God. And the visible church it's not United at all. The world sees it, you see it. We are not as United as we should be. It is a great shame and it is in my opinion that this will always exist.

You seen division take place in the New Testament even among those whom we admire and respect. There was a division between Peter and Paul for example. There was a division between Paul and Barnabas.

And if we can see it happen with those of the New Testament then we are foolish in thinking that it is not possible for us to do the same thing. I wish we can truly be United as one body because I find that we are far more powerful that way.

Jeff Durbin and his ministri apologia church along with a ministry he helped start called end abortion now released a video of an abortion doctor pointing a gun at them and the reason why he released the video was because the cops were not doing anything.

So he released a video and said Christians share this and within just a few hours the Police Department had that doctor arrested from all the people who were upset that he has not been arrested.

Had not for that moment Christians band together it is possible that doctor would have never been arrested. Had these guys not been recording and make that recording public it's possible nothing could have happened.

When gods people band together big things do happen. Things that are beyond us. So while it is true that the invisible church is truly United in Christ it would benefit us, our nation, and the world is the visible church did a better job of banding together.

This is the point that Paul is making that we are members to one another. We are all connected. And we should be striving for that unity, we should be striving to be a healthy body. And so it has to begin within the walls of the local church, it has to begin with us.

Each local ministri has to be healthy on the inside and then we can begin uniting together so we can be healthy before the world. So if there's strife in here there's going to be strife out there makes sense right?

And so the first step of not thinking so highly about yourself is to understand that we are a body, we are connected and there is a demand for unity. And one of the most unfortunate things within the visible body is that whenever somebody gets upset they run.

And this happens all the time in ministries all around the world. I don't know one ministry where this has not happened. It happens. And because this happens we have to keep this in mind that who we truly are it's not us as individuals but we are a member of the body of Christ. And each member is connected to each other. Each part is connected.

We all don't have the same role, we all do not have the same function. But we are connected an in some form in some way we help each other out. When you have an itch on your knee the hand scratches the itch. The knee doesn't scratch itself . So using that image in the analogy that Paul gives us what we see is one member helping out another member.

And the one member was able to help the other member because it's all connected. We are all connected. But we need to start acting like we're all connected. There needs to be action taken on everyone's part. We cannot expect for everyone to magically know each others burdens and struggles and troubles.

You do not help yourself, you do not edify yourself, You do nothing for yourself if you are not willing to take that step and do something about it. But when you do take that step that means your burden becomes our burden. And we need to share that your burden is our burden.

And I will suffer with you, I will cry with you, I will laugh with you, I will face whatever it is you are facing with you if you will allow me to. And the same has to be true of everyone to each other. so we have a family who are members of our ministry going through a difficult time right now.

And our job is to suffer with them, cry with them, laugh with them, let them know they are not alone. Their burden is our burden our burden is their burden. We become the hand that scratches the intense itch , we become the members that help other members.

And that specific family stepped up and said we need prayer , we need your love. This is what a United body does. Don't expect people to magically know what you're going through, reach out and know that we are one and there is no judgment and we go through it together.

So before we move on , here is me saying it now, if you are suffering silently, if you know you're going through something, if you know you are not OK then speak up so the body can go through this with you. Speak up so the body can help you heal. Take whatever steps that are necessary to be taken.

And the main reason why I'm saying it like this is because I watched a single father walk away from it all because he never really spoke up. Was a single father who struggled with alcoholism. He came to the ministri that I was in at the time and I was a youth pastor during that time, and him and his daughter started attending church because he wanted to be a better dad.

He knew he needed help. He thought showing up would be enough to help him. He needed just a little bit more attention. An we would be in the Mens group an I would hear him say things like I need to talk to somebody, I need somebody to listen. And I watched the pasture say you let me know when you're free, come by anytime, let's schedule it.

The man never did it. He said I need to but he never would and the alcoholism came back and he left the church. I don't know whatever happened to that man. I wish he would have took an action, I wish he would have took the pastors offer.

I have a family member who also struggles with alcoholism, says I want help, says I need help. Never takes the steps and if we're being honest this is an issue of pride and nothing more. So there is an issue you are facing speaker and take action.

Problems don't go away on their own and some of you know that already. But we will suffer together, we will cry together, we will rejoice together and we will laugh together.

But this all begs the question why is it so important that we do this together, why is it that it is so important that we act as one body and not as lonely islands, not as gated individuals. Why did God design it this way?

Here's the answer.

Romans 12:6–8 NASB95

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.

Romans 12:6–9 NASB95

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. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.

Each one of us has a different gift. Which means we all have something to offer whether we know it or not, whether we like it or not. Even though they all differ from each other all the gifts that we have are according to grace and they are given to us. Do you understand what Paula saying here?

You have a gift, And that gift is a gift in and of itself. It is something that was graciously given to you. Not some of you, all of you have something that was given to you as an act of grace. And so let us use those gifts. And Paul starts to give us a small list if it's prophecy do it according to the proportion of his faith.

I explained this last week, prophecies not fortunetelling. That's how people treated today. People think to prophesizes to tell a fortune. That is not so. A Prophet with somebody who spoke for God. That's what it means to be a Prophet, somebody who speaks for God.

Not somebody who tells the future or tries to predict a future event. But somebody who just simply repeats what God has said. Which is why all throughout the Old Testament they said thus sayeth the Lord.

they never said I prophecized that XY and Z would happen. We do see I prophesied as I was commanded which means i spoke as I was commanded. And so if somebody has the gift of proclaiming what God said let them do it to the proportion of their face. If it's in service then let that person do it in serving.

Some people have this gift of serving that others do not have. And it is a gift. Folks, do not let somebody talk bad about a gift. If this is what you do well then do it to the glory of God.

And if this is what you do then do it because that is the gift that is given to you and it's part of the functioning body. Your service is just as important as the person given the prophecy.

If teaching is your thing then in your teaching. Teach somebody something new, edify people through teaching. If teaching is your gift then you need to be exercising that gift. And you need to be exercising it for the glory of God. If it's somebody who exhorts then they do it in their exhortation. Now that is an interesting word.

it means to give a vocal call but it also means to give encouragement. And there are people who are really good at that. you just talk to that person and every time you listen to them they give you some sort of encouragement because that is a gift that they have.

My question is, do you realize that that is a gift given to you? And do you realize you must be doing it to the glory of God?. If it's somebody who gives then do it with liberality.

And that word that I have translated as liberality can also mean simplicity can also mean with cheer. To give simply , to give with joy, to give with a cheerful heart. And there are people who are out there who are faithful givers and that is a gift that they have.

If its leadership, you are called to a position of leadership then do it with diligence. Do it to the glory of God and not for your own glory. A person's pride can get in their way when they are in a position of leadership.

Some people have the gift showing mercy. What a gift to have, in a world that is losing its sense of mercy what a gift to have. And to show mercy with cheerfulness.

And in order to show mercy it means that you are wrong by somebody. Some people's gifts are to be merciful to those who have wronged them. Now this is just a short list that Paul gives, there are way more gifts that the scripture reveals to us that take place within the ministry.

And Paul is not done giving instruction. But here is something I desperately want you all to understand. Whatever your gift is, it is equally vital to whatever my gift is. You see Paul uses the word we when he discusses the body.

He makes it known that the title he has was also a gift of grace period and while he does have Apostolic authority he let's the reader be aware that it was a gift given to him. But in any other situation he is right there equal with everyone else.

Folks the only hierarchy we have is Jesus himself. There is only one head of the church and that is Jesus. It is not some Pope, it is not some self proclaimed Prophet, it is not some Bishop, it is Jesus and him alone.

And what happened so often is that pastors or so revered but what people fail to seize the pastor is not higher than you, is equal to you. The pastor may have a higher accountability , especially before God and on the day of judgment, but this is a body and everybody has an important role or an important function. i am not greater than you and you are not greater I.

We are all one body, with different roles but equal and importance. And so, if service is your gift then that gift is just as important as preaching , as teaching. If your gift is to be merciful it's just as important.

If your gift is to give a word of encouragement it's just as important and folks it's just as needed. And we haven't even talked about the gifts that are not listed here.

Showing hospitality, the music ministry, helping others in need, whatever that gift is it is just as important an it it's needed just as badly. The ministry does not depend on the pastor alone, the body must be the body.

And you all need to see the important role and function you play every time you step into the sanctuary , every time we have coffee time, every time we are joined together for Sunday school, every time you step out into that world.

So if you don't know it now, get it in your head today. We are one , we all have different roles , we all have different gifts , but we are one. We are wannan as one we take each others burdens.

We are all one an as 1 we share each other's joy. We are all one therefore we indure with each other. We don't fight, we don't pick her, we do not need the right hand punching the thigh.

We stick together, we exercise our gifts, and we displayed the courage of living out as godly people in a world that is increasingly godless. Do not let your pride Rob you of your true joy, do not let your fallen nature Rob you of your true joy.

And the exercising of gifts is a command. Do you want to know something funny about scripture? Commands are given to us for things that we rebel against. Not things that come natural to us.

But the things we rebel against. We do not have a command do not climb high buildings and jump off because we typically do not have the temptation don't want to jump off buildings.

But we have to be told not to steal because that temptation can and does come up. We have to be told not to lie because that temptation can and does show up. And we have to be told to exercise our gifts because that temptation not to is present all the time.

And The funny thing is, when we obey the commands of God we find joy in it but we never think we would. We never think we will find joy in keeping the commands of God. But you do find your join it. And our pride in our fallen nature prevents us from finding our true joy by honoring God with our gifts.

So if you are in Christ, then find your joy in Christ and find your joy in pleasing God with the gifts he is giving you. And the wonderful thing about all of this is it makes us stronger, makes us closer, it makes us better. Let's pray