Rom. 12:3–8 - Cameron Jungels - Wed PM May 7, 2014

“Humble Service in the Body of Christ”

^{Pastor Cameron/Wed PM/May 7, 2014}

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. (Rom. 12:3–8, niv)

 

1.       God Made the Body: Service should be rooted in a humble and sober estimation of oneself, remembering that all that we are is a gift of God’s grace (v. 3).

 

2.       God Designed the Body to be Inter-connected: Service should be rendered in harmony with the whole body of Christ, remembering that God graciously gives different gifts to each person in the body in accordance with his will (vv. 4–5).

 

3.       God Put You in Your Place in the Body: Service should reflect the uniqueness of our gifts for the overall health of the body, remembering that we depend on God’s Spirit (vv. 6–8).

a.       Prophesying in accordance with faith bestowed (vv. 3, 6)

b.      Serving (v. 7)

c.       Teaching (v. 7)

d.      Encouraging (v. 8)

e.       Giving generously (v. 8)

f.        Leading diligently (v. 8)

g.      Showing mercy cheerfully (v. 8)

h.      Others? (cf. Ephesians 4:11; 1 Corinthians 12–14; 1 Peter 4:7–11)