Our Service in the Church - II

Our Service in the Church - II

Romans 12:4-8

Introduction

• God has called us to be living, active, serving members.
• Every Christian ought to function like a member of the body (cf. vv.4-5).
• The Church is Christ’s body. We, the members of the church, though diverse in our abilities function in unity.
• A non-serving member weakens the Church, as its members remain dysfunctional.

Basis for Our Service in the Church

• The basis is God’s gracious bestowing of spiritual gifts.
• Romans 12:6a - "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.”
• “having then gifts”- All true believers are bestowed with “gifts” to equip them to serve.
• Those gifts are given “according to the grace that is given to us.”
• We can/must serve in the church because God has given us “gifts” to enable us to serve.
  – While speaking of the gifts, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:7 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
  – 1 Peter 4:10 “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
  – We ought to be “stewards” or faithful servants in managing God-given gifts by using it appropriately and promptly.
  – Because God has bestowed all Christians, every one who claims to be a Christian is without excuse for not serving the Lord actively in His church.
• The Greek word for “gift” (charismata) speaks of God’s grace in blessing us with spiritual abilities.
  – God is the giver of the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). He has graciously given us the gifts.
  – The Spiritual gifts are not cultivated or earned by oneself, but “received” from God’s hands.
  – So spiritual gifts do not reflect a person's greatness, but the greatness of God who gave the gift.
  – Since we are enabled by His grace, none of us should be proud of our gifts and service.
  – We must serve in the church with thankfulness, humility, willingness and vigour.
  – Not to serve God is to neglect the grace and gift of God. (1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6).

Use of Gifts in Our Service

• Seven spiritual gifts are mentioned in verses 6-8.
• (i) Prophecy (v.6), (ii) Ministry, (iii) Teaching (v.7) (iv) Exhortation, (v) Giving, (vi) Ruling (Administration), and (vii) Mercy (v.8).
  – Only one of this is a “sign-gift”
  – In the Scripture, there are about 18 catgegories gifts are mentioned.

i) Prophecy (v.6):

“let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith”

• Purpose of prophesying—communicating God’s message, to strengthen, encourage, and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3).
• One’s “prophesying” ought to be proportionate to the (not his) faith.” (tes pisteos).
• It is to be in right relationship to the body of truth already revealed (“faith” as doctrine in Gal. 1:23; Jude 3, 20).

ii) Ministry (v.7):

“Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering”

• Ministry (diakonia): All kinds of services, let us be occupied with it.

iii) Teaching (v.7):

“he that teacheth, on teaching”

• Acts 13:1; 1Corinthains 12:28
• Pastors ought to be good teachers. There is no such thing as “music-pastor”.
• Only diligent students of God’s Word can be teachers. God equips some for the feeding of the flock by giving them the gift of teaching; and they should labour in the word (1 Timothy 5:17).

iv) Exhortation (v.8):

“he that exhorteth, on exhortation”

• The gift of exhortation is about comforting, encouraging, and consoling fellow brethren (paraklesis).
• This does not necessarily involve public teaching. It is calling along side an individual to admonish, correct, guide, comfort and strengthen in the Christian walk.

v) Giving (v.8):

“he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity”

• When we give we must give with sincerity, without hypocrisy, (simplicity –Greek – haplotes).
• We should not seek self-promotion. No fanfare, when it comes to generosity.

vi) Ruling (v.8):

“he that ruleth, with diligence”

• The gift of ruling refers to leadership administration. The Greek word for rule” (proistemi) means “to be over,” “to superintend,” or “preside over.”
• This gift is to be carried with “diligence,” which in Greek(spoude), means “haste,” “forwardness” “earnestness,” etc.
• Every leader (elder) must fulfil the duty of his office with great earnestness. He must strive after in accomplishing the leadership roles.
• Leadership is not a promotion given, but a call to duty, which must be diligently fulfilled.

vii) Mercy (v.8):

“he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

• Showing mercy (eleeo) is about having compassion to the needy and the troubled. This is a believer being efficient in helping the afflicted or seeking aid, or one’s ability to bring help to the wretched.
• This gift ought to be done with “cheerfulness” (hilarotes). It is impossible to show mercy with a grumpy spirit. Showing mercy is often a very demanding and exhausting work. So those with this gift need not only patience but also “cheerfulness”.
• A ready and joyful heart must characterize those who are called by the Spirit to the ministries of compassion and mercy.

May God bless us abundantly by His grace through His blessed Spirit to carry out each of our gifts that our church may be edified and strengthened for His glory.

Our Service in the Church - I

Our Service in the Church - I

Romans 12:4-8

Introduction

• A large number of Christians give little consideration to their service in the church.
• It weakens the Christian, as he fails to appropriate God’s grace that is made available to him to serve God in His church.
• It also weakens the Church, as its members remain dysfunctional.
• Paul has already told us in the previous verses that we should not to think and act as we deem best, but according to God’s plan and decrees (vv. 2-3).

We are exhorted

• “ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (v.2)
• “not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (v.3)

Church’s Body Functionality (vv.4-5)

Body Metaphor (v.4)

In verse 4 Paul introduces human body as a simile or an image to teach us the divine plan for the functionality of His church.

• “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office” (v.4).
• The conjunction “for” introduces this verse as the reason why we should not think individualistically, an admonition he mentioned in verse 3. The reason for not thinking individualistically is that we are called to be joined to one body as its members.
• The term “as” tells us that Paul is using the concept of body functionality as a metaphor to teach the function of the church and its members ought to function.
  1 Corinthians 10:17 – “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”
  1 Corinthians 12:12 – “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”
  1 Corinthians 12:27 – “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”
  Ephesians 1:22-23 – “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.”
  Ephesians 2:16 – “And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
  Ephesians 3:6 - “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel.”
  (cf. Ephesians 4:4,12,16; 5:23)
  Ephesians 5:30 – “For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.”
  Colossians 1:18 – “And he is the head of the body, the church . . .”
  (cf. Colossians 1:24; 2:17,19; 3:15)

Two major points of comparison

• The church is made up of believers, like the body that is made up of many members - “For as we have many members in one body”
• Believers in the church functions like members of the body – “and all members have not the same office.”

Church’s Functionality Explained (v.5)

“So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”

• Diversity: “So we, being many”
• Unity: “are one body in Christ”
• Functionality: “and every one members one of another”

Diversity: “So we, being many”

• God has designed the church as a living organism with many members with various functions
• v.4b - “and all members have not the same office.”
• 1 Corinthians 12:14 says, “For the body is not one member, but many.”
• God has designed the church as a living organism with many members with various functions
• Church is not a “one man show.”
• The church has leaders, but it functions the best when all the members serve with their different abilities.
• 1 Corinthians 12:15-19

Unity: “are one body in Christ”

• Diversity does not mean that we stand disunited.
• In Christ, we function as one body.
• Members work out their diverse gifts as they like, but as Christ, the Head, would direct. Thus they function as members of one body
• 1 Corinthians 12:20-27

Functionality: “and every one members one of another”

• Mutual care and support are emphasised by these words.
• 1 Corinthians 12:25 - That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
• Ephesians 4:11-13

Conclusion

• As a Christian, have you joined the church to be a functioning member by baptism (or transfer of membership)?
• As a member of the church, have you been actively serving other members according to the will your Saviour?
• Let us rise up to serve the Lord like one united body of Christ, as He instructed us this day.