Feb 8 | The Body as Christ’s Presence | Romans 12:3–8

Humble Service in the Body of Christ 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.

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SERMON:

Many times I have asked myself in this life – “why am I here, Lord?” – how did I get here – what is my purpose in this particular situation – let alone life – and there must be a point for my situation or even times we have thorns in our sides for pain or praise or ???  And surely we all wonder this on occasion. My favorite go-to scripture is James 1 – perseverance – and yes – PRAISE…

We have to remember that God loves us – God saves us – God has a job for us – God is not just making children out of rocks, which He could, but He made us for a purpose – to be loved – to love Him – to serve Him by serving others – and LOVE as we are LOVED… God loves us and God is LOVE so how can He do or be anything else.

The Psalmist of psalm 56 was in despair when He was looking for God to save Him from terrible enemies – “For You have delivered my soul from death. Have You not kept my feet from falling, That I may walk before God In the light of the living?” WELL – if God can save people (including us from tragedy over and over again) – and make real miracles all around us – then surely how much MORE  He is able to give us gifts in the first place – to make us into His people – and to equip us with skills to serve – remember that great phrase: God does not call the equipped – He equips the called. YEAH! He will give us what He wants from us – just as He has given us life now and forever – by looking to Him for these gifts.

So today I am talking about what we can give of ourselves – but not because we are being stolen from – or over-achieving – but simply give in HUMBLE SERVICE – like we have these skills/life-direction because God gave us these things – like a potluck of life but much much more divine and much much more ample… God doesn’t make mistakes – so He gave us each gifts – many gifts!!!

Last week in the sermon (given by —-) – she spoke about Paul telling the Corinthians that: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit – different kinds of service, but the same Lord ^– different kinds of working  given from the Manifestation of the Spirit –  given for the common good –  wisdom, knowledge faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different kinds of tongues, or the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

And now – we are talking about how Paul did say to the Romans (12:3-8 NIV) – that the Lord has a role for EACH OF US – BECAUSE we are in ONE BODY – of the LORD’S purposes –- about taking stock of your life in faith and realize that we do have the ability to be in Humble Service in the Body of Christ.

REMEMBER THE IN FAITH PART – THAT WE CAN’T JUST SHLUFF OFF THE GIFTS – OR THAT WE ARE NOT WORTHY – BECAUSE IT IS GOD WHO MAKES US WORTHY TO HAVE THESE GIFTS AND USE THEM – AND WE ARE HERE ON EARTH AS PART OF THAT ONE BODY – YES ALL OF US… Remember God uses the term that we are the BRIDE of the Church – being made ready for our Groom.

PAUL WOULD SAY:  think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ^—-    in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

And I have slides this morning – props too – but first slides – because I gave a talk previously that pertains so much and wanted to share these imagery prompts again…

Yeah – and I love this image on this first slide – because I loved being in this mix – this is vacation bible school (I think Maker Fun Factory) so many years ago now – maybe almost 10 years ago (life is a blur isn’t it) BUT LIFE IS WITH DISTINCT MOMENTS – AND EACH ONE OF US IN THE BODY OF CHRIST – called together each part to live out a Christian Life. This drone picture is the view from the top – God sees us both together and each individual. And as God knows us inside and out – He has a place for us.

Paul would say in his letter to the first Corinthians: that there is both UNITY and DIVERSITY in the Body verse 12: “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.”

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YES – in my next slide – remember UNITY AND DIVERSITY –

I love this photo imagery of all these people together – again a view from the top – WE ALL FIT TOGETHER LIKE PUZZLE PIECES – AND JESUS WILL HUNT ALL THE EARTH AND UNDER THE TABLE FOR THE FALLEN PUZZLE PIECES.

(Point to the slide) The one body of the church is made for love and for work – and includes lay people and clergy who support each other; individuals and groups who can impact society; families for Christian nurture and training; people of all kinds!

Paul says “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ and have put on Christ there is neither Jew or Greek, neither slave nor free, no make and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

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And next slide – remembering why: we are here to fulfill the great commission – and there is no quiz but I wanted to bring in these great Greek words for who we are together as the church:

(point to the slide) Koinonia is community  caring and grace filled – where people can find wholeness – Kerygma is how the church proclaims the good news of Jesus – and Diakonia – is how the church shares God’s Grace in acts of love and service – it is a balanced triangle pictured here – community, proclamation, and service.

AND IN MY NEXT SLIDE – WE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HOW THIS ALL GOES TOGETHER – WE HAVE TO SAY “JESUS TAKE THE WHEEL” – that is how we can do the things we are supposed to do – and are gifted to do – and will love to do

(point to the slide) – as the Body of Christ – we can focus on a need that we see – we should be identifying our gifts –

and we are not in this alone – when you know you have something to share – there is no need to go alone – it is best to see the support of others – and yes – work as a team… 

I add the holy spirit dove depiction there because we are NOT doing this on our own steam – we really can and do and want to rely on the Holy Spirit to put us where He wants us to be – where we can be God’s Hands and Feet in the situation – let the Lord place us. One of my favorite songs: “Come Holy Spirit – Fall Afresh on me…”Come Holy Spirit Fall Afresh On Me – Fill Me With Your Power”

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AND WHAT ABOUT THIS BODY OF CHRIST – I USE THIS JOKE OF THE OPERATION GAME WHERE YOU TAKE OUT THE PARTS – BUT LET US THINK IN REVERSE – PUT YOUR GIFTS INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST!

Let us remember our specific scripture this morning – we all have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 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.

AND AS FOR A PROP TODAY – I WANT US TO THINK OF THESE GIFTS – how do we figure out our gifts – there are many spiritual gift “inventories” – read Tozer quote:

PROPHESIZING – do you have this gift? I would think it is only a few – but we do see it in the old testament and new testament – and so it must still exist today – Deborah the Judge – whom I appreciate in the old stories was able to tell folks that “God has got this” – and that is my favorite testimony prophesy – God has got this – all of it…

So what about you? Prophesy or SERVING or TEACHING or ENCOURAGING or GIVING or LEADING? How about SHOWING MERCY – WITH CHEER – that is an unique one – really – we have the ability to maybe let someone cut in front of us in line and then let that roll off our shoulders – and be grateful that we have the extra time to have someone go ahead of us – just a simple example – but it happens – and mercy is a big word in God’s vocabulary – mercy is NOT giving us the punishment we deserve – wow – and thank you Jesus for your ability to impart forgiveness and gain us God’s Mercy over our sin and death…

So let us take these gifts in love and do an activity to close with discussion – I have hearts of these gifts – and heart stickies – for you to write on and keep – let us first fill up the cross with our gifts – I handed out the large ones – could folks please affix them to the cross? Acknowledging that God gives us gifts to share and He went all the way to the cross to take our sins away so that we have no reason not to share His goodness of gifts.

[open for discussion and people sharing with each other in the church]

And with the small sticky note hearts – let us take one – and write down both a gift that we believe we have and perhaps one that you feel God is trying to develop in you – bring it out of you – for many reasons – including sharing and being in service to the whole body of all of us – both to the CHURCH known and the people who don’t know JESUS… so write both of them to keep on the heart – and please if you feel led, share… feel free to speak of why – no pressure but a chance to share…  (I will start – with encouragement – that is a gift I realized long ago that God gave me – yes teaching too – but encouragement because I think that people do know what to do just need a little encouragement…  and then for God trying to bring something more out of me – well leadership – I know He pushes me into leadership – I have to take it more often than I do…   OK, how about you???)

Wrap up prayer – Lord – thank you for the opportunity to take stock and take of your Spirit – and share and know and be – thank You Lord for Your Love and Your gifts – and how we are to manifest them totally as a body of Christ!

Thank You Lord for all these beautiful souls here – and for those who couldn’t make it today – and also for the people in the world whom you are calling but ask us to help with this proclamation – these acts of service – and this community – AMEN

Benediction – Please everyone be safe and be warm and share the warmth of the Lord out there with the body parts that we are trying to keep warm in His Love – thank you Lord for this opportunity – may we all realize your blessings – AMEN and have a great day!