Serving in the Body of Christ - Wednesday Service (2023)

Introduction

Romans 12:1-8
faithbc.org.au

Content

Well, good evening again and welcome this time, the prayer meeting tonight we're turning to Romans, so Romans chapter 12, verses, 3 to 8., we'll read one to eight I know you went out verses.

One and two just read.

One to eight message is serving in the body of Christ Romans, 12, verses, 1 to 8.

I.

Beseech you therefore Brethren by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies, a Living Sacrifice holy, acceptable under God, which show reasonable service and be not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that he may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God for I, say to the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of himself more holy than he ought to think, but I think so believe, according as God has done to every man, The Measure of Faith, for as we have many members in one body and all members are not the same office.

So we're being many are one body in Christ and everyone members, one of another.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us with a prophecy, let us prophesy, according to the proportion of Faith or Ministry, let us write in our ministering or hear that teacheth on teaching or hear that exhorteth on exhortation.

He said giveth, let them do with Simplicity, either rulers or diligence he that showeth Mercy with cheerfulness.

Let's please be out for prayer Heavenly Father.

We thank you for your word for the instructions received from it speak to a high school this evening, because in Christ now we ask amen well we're looking at serving in the body of Christ in Romans 1 to 11 we're given the gospel message of Salvation and we're told in verses one to three or chapters, one to three all have sinned, that's where we start from chapters four and five we justified by Faith by believing Jesus Christ chapter six to eight we're told we're baptize the holy spirit that we've become dead to the reign of sin no longer under the law.

We live by the power of the Holy Spirit and nothing can separate us from the love of Christ in chapters 9.

11 the example of God, with the nation of Israel, no matter how much they've sinned God will restore them at the very end, then chapter 12 16.

This is the Practical session because of our Salvation in Christ.

This is how we're supposed to live our lives in Christ and a practical practical session.

Now it starts off by saying one and two verse, one and two present your bodies to the Lord.

First thing present your body to the Lord.

You can't move in the Christian Life in the first present your body to the Lord God I belong to you.

You take control of me very first step.

Don't jump that step! You can't jump that step very first step.

Lord I belong to you, I give myself to you second step.

We have over here.

We're told here very very plainly that the second step is how to exercise our spiritual gifts in the body of Christ.

That's the second step.

First step I give myself the Lord.

Secondly, Lord: how do I serve you? How do I do it because we're safe to serve so? How do I do it? Well, we start off with a warning very first thing over here, not to think give yourself more higher than you ought to think.

It's very very tempting when you have some gift some power, some ability to think huh I'm better than somebody else.

That's very easy to say that look at me I'm hiring that person over there must be because I'm so great wonderful.

It's tempting to say that easily someone who goes to work and does very very well earns more money than somebody else thinks he's better than somebody else.

Why I'm more successful, obviously I would drive a better car.

I live in a better house.

I have more possessions, I'll put some better than you otherwise you'd have like.

Well, you know what I have watch out in a spiritual realm.

What year? It's not that way in First Corinthians chapter one, just a referring our thinking a little bit more in verse, 26 to 29 for ye, see your calling Brethren hear that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called, but God has chosen and foolish things the world to confound.

The wise God has chosen the weak things of the world, the confound things which are Mighty and base things of the world and things which I despise hath God chosen, yay and things that are not to bring to know things that are and what's their purpose, that no flesh or glory in his presence.

Now, when the Jesus Christ are picking his Apostles, he didn't go to the universities.

He went to the Seesaw.

Seesaw got the the fishermen over there who's supposed to be unlearned untaught, and he called them to be his followers.

He called them to be Apostles.

He didn't go after the uh, the the educated, uh Elites of the land.

No way now some he chose like like Saul of Tarsus, but basically it's just ordinary people, just ordinary people, because this way, when these Ordinary People do extraordinary things, people realize wow.

This must be God because it can't be them absolutely.

When the apostles stood before the Sanhedrin and gave a very strong defense said boy, these guys definitely were with Christ, because we could see the difference in their lives in um, First, Corinthians, 4, 7, our natural abilities and spiritual gifts all come from God.

That's so important to keep that in mind in First, Corinthians 4 7, who maketh thee to differ from another and what has thou that thou didst not receive knoweth that it's receive it.

Why Dost our Glory as if thou Hast not received it very, very simple, you stop and think everything I have comes from God, so what am I going to glory for? Why am I look up and think of how great I am if everything comes from God I have no right to do that in chapter 12, verse, 11 and 18.

We're told over here that as God who chooses gifts to give to people in verse 11, it says, but all these regarding the spiritual gifts work at that one is all Same Spirit divided to every man severally as he will Verse 18, but now has God set the members every one of them in the body, as it has pleased him.

So we find over here God and say now.

You just simply make a request to me what gift you want and if I think you're able I'll give it to you.

No topics, people who are unable and give them jobs, they're shocked about doing thinking, Lord I'm not suited for this I can't do this.

It's not me and God says it's your job.

Why? Because not you I'll take care of it.

Don't worry about that! All gifts are important.

Now in um, in sec, in First Corinthians chapter 12, you read from verse, 8 and 27 talks about those parts of the body that are very, very feeble, a very little part to play, but they're very important.

Why? Because God put them in the body they're all important, we find that I so important.

How about the eyelid is that important? No oily? Do you go blind? It lubricates you all the time.

Absolutely little things keep the big things working properly.

You've got a brain, your head.

What does that do without the nerves that go the rest of your body? Nothing, those little nerves, make their brain beneficial.

So, in the spiritual realm we have people called to so-called big public positions, but they're useless without everybody else.

They can't do a thing.

You need to have a situation where you have too many chiefs and enough Indians in trouble.

You need one Chief, many Indians get a job done.

You don't want many chiefs, they have fighting amongst themselves.

Nothing gets done, so we find the spiritual realm.

It's very, very true.

Every single part in the body of Christ is absolutely important because God chooses who gets who so the Bible says over here.

The very first thing don't think yourself more highly because the gift you have, but think so believe think very solely the word.

Sober means sound thinking in accordance to the measure of faith that God has given to you now, one guy said you can't put into someone what God has left out very, very true and when God gives a person a Measure of Faith, he has that from God.

You can't add to it.

That's all God's, given you can't add to it.

You can't take it from him, that's what God has given.

So we cut the oil if I try very, very, very, very hard I'll, be like him wrong.

That's what the Bible says it's wrong that can peace over somebody else.

Nowhere in the world now those people who've given given amount of Faith.

They have responsibility, big responsibility in Hebrews, 13, verse, 7.

We have um, it says, remember them which have the rule over you who have spoken.

Unto you the word of God, whose Faith follow considering the end of the conversation.

Those who do the preaching have to do the living.

Those who give the teaching have to give the example their life has to mirror what they're saying so watch it and verse 17 obey them, have rule over you and submit yourselves unto them for they watch for your souls, as they must give account that they may do it with joy and not with grief for those who profit to you they're, going to give an account one day for all things.

They've done, so it's very important.

The the greater responsibility you have is the greater gift than you'll get.

So if you don't want the responsibility you forget about that gifting, some people want a great big, massive Church, good luck to them.

Big church, big problem, small Church, small problem, I'm happy with a small Church, no words in the world.

I don't want big problems in life.

There's too many of them going around already.

So it's very important to understand the greater you become in life, the greater responsibility you have upon you too, so you don't get one without the other.

In First, Peter, chapter five verse, three to seven.

All believers are to served humbly one with another, not one over another First Peter Chapter 5 Verse 3, says neither as being Lords of the God's Heritage, but being examples to the flock when the chief Shepherd shall appear.

Ye shall receive a clown of Glory.

That's not affect that faith, not away.

Likewise you're younger, submit yourselves under the Elder yay.

All of you submit one to another and be clothed with humility for God resisted the proud and giveth Grace of the humble everyone have to minister as those who are humble, not proud to think soberly.

Think soberly very, very strongly.

Um think about the fact that um uh in the scripture you have people like dotraphies.

He won the preeminence in the church, we're protold in scriptures where people Minister for filthy Lucas sake, which I lost those people who serve for their own personal benefit.

No, no.

The church is not a place for you to serve for your own personal benefit.

All members are to serve each other for the edification of the body, not of themselves, so I don't serve so I benefit I serve so the church benefits.

If the church benefits all individuals benefit.

So we serve the church benefits that in turn benefits us.

It's not the other way around.

I don't serve for my benefit.

Oh, if I do this, I'll increase with learning understanding, I'll increase in ability, I'll increase experience, I'll be a better Minister later on wrong wrong I'm serving to benefit the church.

Let me show you the example: Ephesians 4 11 to 16.

He gave some Apostles and some prophets some values and some Pastor teachers.

What's this for, for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying, the body of Christ, so God gave these gifted people to train up the Saints to do the work of the ministry, so the whole body gets there gets edified till we all come the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man under the measure of the statute of the fullness of Christ that we henceforth be.

No more children tossed two trust to and fro and carried about with, every wind of Doctrine by the slight of men and cunning Crafters, whereby the lion went to the Sea by speaking, the truth in love may grow up.

I grew up into him in all things which are in the head.

Even Christ, now notice this For Whom the whole body.

That's the body of Christ fitly, joined together and compacted that by every member by that which every joint supplies the body is joined together.

What every part contributes accordingly, effectual working in the measure of every part making increase in the body and the edification of yourself in love.

So the whole idea of ministry is to build up the body of Jesus Christ, not build up individuals and every person used that purpose.

As far as God concerned they're called servants- that's it you get the Apostle Paul, he first himself as a bond slave of Jesus.

Christ Peter is the same thing: they're called servants where they become Apostles, Prophet vanless pastors teachers, Bishops Elders, Dickens, they're, all called servants; okay, no one! No one rises above the word servant in the Bible.

That's it.

We understand that we are servants we're under Authority there's a headship over there.

The whole goal is exaltation of the body of Christ, which means I'm not going to do something on my own, outside of the church, without the church being involved, yeah too many people, they're called para Church.

They try and serve the Lord without being associated with the church.

I'll do my own thing: you're supposed to edify the body of Christ baby, not edify your own business as the body of Christ.

Okay, you can start a Bookshop.

Wonderful in this Bookshop makes a lot of money beautiful.

You see a lot of books.

Wonderful, wonderful! Is that for yourself is that for the body of Christ? What are you trying to do? I understand the body Christ worldwide, your beauty, your beauty.

Do you give your worldwide ties? Do you worldwide baptism? Do you? What do you do? A lot of these people are simply using the name of Jesus Christ for personal gain, not for the advocation of the church.

It's a big difference.

Secondly, we find over here says it comes some important principle from this type of thing from these uh first part over here in verse, four to six yeah, the analogy of the body.

The body is made up of many parts, the physical body, okay made of many parts, maybe hundreds of millions- and they don't have the same function.

Obvious obvious.

You've got a heart, that's a pump! You got lungs, produce oxygen arteries that carry blood pressure and veins and capillaries okay blood throughout the whole body.

You've got liver and kidneys, their filters, stomachs or intestines your processing unit.

You get your eyes eased and there's always that stuff all have different functions to perform, but they're part of one body.

How is the Legacy have all all parts of the body won't do the same job exactly yeah? They have trouble confusion if they're trying to compete one with each other, a healthy body realizes different parts have different things to do, but those differences.

You know it's the whole body together, healthy body AIDS, the health of each member.

Also, they have analogy of Christ's body in verse, five, so Believers in Christ, they're part of his body, everyone having a different gift, but everyone working together in unity.

Now in First, Peter, 2 5, the Bible says, whereas Lively stones or living stones are built up a spiritual house to the Lord, the spiritual house, the temple where members one of another in Ephesians chapter, 4, verse, one to four.

Just before we start about the apostles and Prophets given to the church.

We have a very important statement over here I, therefore, the prison of the Lord beseech you that you walk worthy of the occasion with your cord with vocation and call him.

The same word look worthy of the calling worthy called with all loneliness and meekness, with long suffering for bearing one another in love and Diving to get the year to the spirit and the bond of peace.

There's one body, just one body, so oh told over here, loneliness meekness, long suffering for Bear, one other in love, a definite get the unity of the spirit and the bond of Peace, that's normal for the uh we're working in the ministry.

That's normal.

Why? Because you can't have division in a group and have the group work properly any team, any sports team.

If there's no Unity, there's no possibility of winning people fighting at each other, trying to get the prominence prominence from themselves to get all the attention to themselves.

They mess things up.

We have to be those people that work together for the glory of God.

Now we're told over here the third thing you have the analogy of the crossbody: they have also the gifts given they're given by Grace.

This is very important keeping in mind.

We did not deserve or earn the gifts we're given.

The word gift is Greek word, which is literally Grace gift things that are given by Grace.

The word grace is the gift Charisma Grace gift.

So we have the gifts, unearned our deserved given by undeserved kindness of God, so there's no room for pride and the higher you become in the eyes of people, the more humble you should become within yourself.

We've got Moses the greatest men on planet Earth the time the Bible says he was the meekest man on the Earth, but he was the greatest man ah, but he was the meekest why it goes hand in hand.

Third thing we have told over here we have the Seven Gifts lifted, and these are gifts for service okay, service I'm here to serve and these different gifts for service there's.

The first one mentioned over here is prophecy.

Now in First, Corinthians 39 prophecy is referred to as a sign gift does temporary the time will come when it's done away completely with the gift of knowledge also, but here we have different use of it in First, Corinthians, 14, 3, yeah prophecy being used in a church before for three reasons to edify, exhort and comfort.

So we're referring to the gift of Prophecy for used in service and local church.

The purpose of edifying that's building up one another, the exhort ink.

That means to encourage each person, you might have a person, who's shy and become a you know: um uncertain a bit inward.

You want to encourage in the car and do something and get involved in something get disciple get this.

Do this, do that and come around with us on Saturday mornings and do this and this type of thing exhorting people they encourage them and love and the good works.

The Bible says then also they Comfort them, encourage them and give consolation if the word of ear means to give strength for coming difficulties.

Now this is prophecy we basically counseling people in the word of God you're, not telling us some future thing, no you're showing something here and now from God's word how they can be built up, how they can be encouraged.

They can be prepared for future diffusion difficulties.

The Bible says: do this according to proportions of Faith, according to your spiritual gifting, do not presume to do something that you feel unable to do and trying to do, and and and gifted to do some people make the mistake of thinking.

I can do all things I've done little thing here.

I have a little bit of sexy.

Assess over here.

I can do all things.

No, you can't grow Bit by Bit by Bit by Bit.

Don't jump in the deep end straight away.

Do what you can't the the gifts of God are given you as God, strengthens strength and strengthens you great go do more until then, stick at your level, don't ever try and climb above your level where that may be.

Your level is the place where you work ultimately do a fantastic job go above that and you'll mess up, don't presume to do more than you can do when I was in Bible, College I finished college and they asked me to go to teach her the following year and I'm thinking all I had was cause experience, I'm going to teach college students with their schools experience.

That's it.

I've got to be above that and learning to be able to teach them and I went there and I taught just part time and I felt very inadequate thinking, I'm teaching these guys and I just I just knew the same same amount as them.

I didn't feel right when I went to Seminary.

I came back no problems.

Why? Because I learned about them, I had complete confidence.

I was able to teach in college, but without that, no any fine people that are trying to do a service for God at a higher level than God intending from the B.

No good build up, don't jump off into a deep end straight away.

This is also for Ministry.

They were quick with their Japanese, it's the word simply for serving and when Martha was coming about with much serving or Ministry.

If, on the 11 Apostles wander a place Judas by electing someone else to the ministry which the apostleship in in Acts chapter, six, the daily administration of foods, the widow or the daily Ministry you find out there that they would Ministry, it's a mean serving could be on a personal level or could be in a uh in a church level.

So, basically let him who has his service, do it to the capacity God has given to him.

Let him, minister, to the capacity God has given to him.

Do your utmost.

You might have the gift of helps.

Do it to your capacity, the Bible says whatsoever the hand father do do it with thy? Might very plainly: don't do it half-heartedly, never ever take on a job.

Do it half-heartedly, the job gets ruined.

You get ruined, you get discouraged.

Well, we want you want to stop working when you're doing a job and you're getting satisfaction from it.

You can't wait to do it again, but if you do a job and don't lie against laborious you're looking for ways out and that should not be in the ministry, there's no way out.

If you don't want to do a certain job, say, excuse me: I, don't do this wonderful, get out of the way I'll get someone who wants to do it do not take the place of someone else.

Don't do it if you don't have a heart for it, the heart's not there give it up, I mean for your benefit, Give, It Up.

Let someone else do it because there's always someone else God will choose.

We should always be those people who are putting our heart into what we're doing for the Lord.

We find also he that teacheth.

The word is teaching over here.

Let it do with teaching.

What do you mean that word teaching? There is a Greek word for Doctrine.

It occurs 21 times in the Bible 19 times Doctrine, so you were teaching make sure you're teaching Doctrine now the Pharisees they taught for doctrines, the Commandments of men.

We don't do that.

We don't do that in first Timothy, 1 10, we're told watch out for all that is contrary to sound Doctrine.

Stick to a Doctrine is very, very, very important.

It's not a technical term for those who go to university and go to Bible College.

No, no just means sound Bible teaching.

That's all.

It is give attention to sound Bible teaching in second Timothy 3 16.

All chips is given by inspiration, have gone and profitable for Doctrine sound, sound teaching.

So for those who are teaching make sure it's not your convictions make sure it's not your opinions make sure it's.

The word of God, given as God gave it he's an exorter on exhortation.

Now Barnabas is called the son of exhortational or consolation in first second Corinthians chapter one.

We have this word exhortation occurring.

Several times in verse, 3 blessed be God, even the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercy and the God of All Comfort.

That's worth exhortation who comforteth or exhorts us in all our tribulation.

We may be able to comfort or exhort them which I need trouble by the Comfort women.

We ourselves the comfort of God so over here we're exhort other people with the same experience we've had and how some, how God? Let us, let us out of a problem, leave them out of a problem too, because you find in the ministry there's always people going through difficult times and hurtful times and feel like giving up.

You can come along and say: listen, I, know how you feel I've been there before I've done.

That also I follow the same thing, but listen get up there.

God will forgive you keep on going.

It's very, very important.

There's a Ministry of restoring people as well as teaching people over here.

You're building someone up over there you're trying to restore someone back.

It is part of the ministry, you don't simply say well those who want to listen, I'll teach them.

Those who don't know buzz off no way in the world no way, because some of those people you reject are fruitful, fruitful Servants of God.

You get uh, John, Mark, The Impossible, said I want nothing to do with this guy, nothing.

He failed once forget it.

That's it done well.

Barnabas took him because balance was a discipler.

Paul wasn't disciple, he was a church planner, so Barnabas took him, and after years and years Paul says oh by the way he's in jail.

Please send John Mark with you, because he's profitable to be enough for Ministry.

He even wrote the Gospel in the Bible Paul, never wrote a gospel John Mark did someone whom Paul rejected God then build up again and used mightily.

He that giveth, the word giveth means were to share with somebody he who shares with somebody do with Simplicity.

The word Simplicity means generously.

It means liberally.

One person said it refers to an open-handed and open-hearted, giving out of compassion and singless of purpose, not from ambition when you want to give something.

Do it with all of your heart, not what the Pharisees give something for and hope a reward back again.

No, no give it without hope of reward back again.

Let that be given the Bible says more blessed.

Give than receive those who have the gift of giving they love opportunities to give I mean proper, proper opportunities, not throw their money away because they see the benefit it does and they're rejoicing it and they're happy to give more and more and more to see the benefit being uh being the people have been better to buy it so they're, not those who are simply blind who have too much money to throw away.

No, no! No! When the in second Corinthians chapter 8, verse, 2.

We have an example of this um.

Moreover, Brethren verse one we do you, the wit of the grace of God, bestowed upon the Church of pictures of Macedonia Macedonia, have had in great trial of Affliction at the abundance of joy in their deep poverty are bound under the riches of the liberality, The Riches of their giving they're.

Very, very poor people don't have much at all, but they got together.

They've got a great big gift and they gave it from all their heart.

There was no grudging.

There was no grudging whatsoever so happy to do it.

Then you have next read that ruleth now this word ruleth means someone who stands in first place.

If you stand in first place in the Bible, a man ruling his house, they have a father ruling his children, Elders ruling.

Will someone standing in first place in first Thessalonians 5 2 talks about the illness who are over you in the Lord, so those people who stand in first place, be it at home, be a work being in church where it may be with diligence with zeal with motivation, with the heart of a fully responsibility, with full understanding of your business in Romans, um, 12 and verse.

11 says not slothful in business.

The word business over there is the word.

Diligence don't be slothful in your in your diligence, don't be slothful at all and uh in second Peter 1 5, the Bible says giving all diligence add to your faith, these Seven Virtues.

So it's very important someone serving God should do it with zeal.

Why I'm serving God you just stop and think what I am doing.

I am doing I'm doing for God, not this church, not this person, I'm learning for God what I'm doing and he's looking at me as to what I'm doing and he's judging it.

What I'm doing is right or not so is my heart involved.

Uh-Huh am I, give my very best uh-huh great, that's fantastic I, don't care what people think I do care, but none since I don't care! My whole goal is: does God care? Is he happy so what I do I do with all my heart and God cannot judge me and I don't mean that judge me for right and wrongness God will sympathy for being sincere if I, if I'm, giving a Ministry and I put all my heart to it.

I guarantee you God will give me something better after or keep me in it.

But if I don't replace me like King Saul God chose King Saul.

Now he wasn't a man after his own heart, but he had his own heart, but he had potential and possibility.

He chose him and Saul just they had to wear in his own way.

So got the chicken calculating take him out of the way, and we get somebody else.

It wasn't his whole heart.

He gave God 95, not 100, so David comes along I mean after God's, Own heart goes after God's, Own, Heart God says good, that's the guy I want so just be a person of the God's Own Heart, and you find the blessings that God will give you last one over here we find those who show Mercy.

This is first of those people who have a heart of compassion.

They see those in need without being asked.

Go to the aid you have someone who was sick.

The poor need to be relieved care of this age and able those people who hear about someone not will say ring up straight away, we'll say ring up straight away: they they see a people that are shut in.

They go visit them no one's asking them.

They just want to do it.

They're just part of them it's just their desire and they go there and encourage someone.

My wife always tells me if you see someone who's older you've got to invest them.

Why? Because you can't do a thing when they die, do it now beforehand, but because, when they died, finish is gone.

So, in her mind, she's consciously constantly thinking about people who are the disabled stage in the elderly stage, that's a heart for them.

They're, Good Samaritan saw a man beaten.

The on the roadside is compassion, cried out, saying, stop and help the man, and so he showed Mercy to the person.

So you find those people who have this gift about them, where they just simply can see their needs round about without being asked.

They just come along.

That's wonderful, wonderful! The Bob said: do this with cheerfulness, not grudging do achievements.

No one else is doing this.

Fine God has not given that gift to somebody else.

Given it to you now go and do it lovely, lovely, lovely.

So all these gifts, God has given to us to serve the body of Christ, the purpose of unity, humility in all faithfulness to see the body of Christ, edified and built up Christ said to disciples very very plainly: a new commandment I give unto you that you love one another as I loved you that you also love one another by this.

So all men know you're my disciples you're loved one another, and you come to a church.

If they see that love of him, this church represented by unity, people working together harmoniously loving each other helping each other man they'd want to flock to this place because someone like the world outside this, like a Haven for those people in need, that's what a church should be a Haven for people in need where we are caring one for another and those are coming in our midst of being kid, also so serving in the body of Christ, not for my benefit buffer.

The body's benefit, let's be offered prayer, please loving father.

We thank you for your word and encouragement.

We have Lord to consider our ministry.

Consider our place in the body of Christ consider our function.

Lord.

The main goal is Lord we're here to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, our Lord and savior.