Unity & Diversity
05-10-20
Romans 12: 3-8 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. ESV
As members of the Body of Christ we are unified (as in members of one body) but also we are responsible to fulfill a wide diversity of tasks.
1Cor 12:27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
- Don’t think to much of yourself. You are not all that and a bag of chips.
- This does not mean to beat yourself up, moaning and groaning how terrible you are. (compared to God you are anyway)
- We are not to: “to over-think,” “to think above,” or “to proudly think.” “I say to everyone, do not super-think of yourself”.
- Treasure in clay pots so that we do not think more highly than we ought
- Matthew Henry adds “We must not say, I am nothing, therefore I will sit still, and do nothing; but, I am nothing in myself, and therefore I will lay out myself to the utmost, in the strength of the grace of Christ.”
- Remember: the good we do has been ordained by God
- The gifts we receive have been given by God
- We have not earned them…we did not in our own ingenuity come up with the plan
- But God has given to each….
- One body…many members
- 1Cor 12:12 For even as the body is one and [yet] has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
- Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
- 1Cor 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
- Appreciate and use the gift God has given you
- NOTE: no gift is self-sufficient and none is unnecessary.
- No matter how humble (maybe in just my eyes) the gift is, every other member of the body depends upon it.
- Eyes need the ears…hands need the feet…mouth needs the hands…the legs need the knees…on and on…
- John Donne…No Man Is An Island
- Everyone has been given a gift.
- To profit the Body of Christ
- To do the work of ministry
- The gifts…examples of how to approach them (note…these are all present active verbs, signifying continual action)
- Prophecy:
- In the New Testament, as in the Old, the prominent idea is not prediction, but the inspired delivery of warning, exhortation, instruction, judging, and making manifest the secrets of the heart.
- It is the declaration of that which cannot be known by natural means (Mt 26:68), it is the forth-telling of the will of God, whether with reference to the past, the present, or the future
- This gift refers to the ability to take the Word of God and ‘make it shine’! It is the gift of communicating, preaching, and proclaiming the Word of God in order to produce effect: exhorting and equipping them. It will penetrate because it will address specific situations of life in the individual or group.
- 1 Corinthians 14: 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their up building and encouragement and consolation.
- Service
- Physical activities of serving, helping others. Such as waiting on tables, providing basic needs, caring for others by means of action to meet their needs.
- These may not appear to have much dignity in the eyes of men, but not in God’s eyes!
- Jesus washing the disciple’s feet.
- Teaching
- Providing instruction, giving understanding.
- Illuminating the wisdom, insight form the word of God
- Exhorting
- Calling alongside…Giving help or aid…
- Urging another to take action, not just imparting knowledge or words but urging them to act upon them now!
- Giving
- To give abundantly
- Without a double motive
- Sincerely
- Heartfelt
- Leads
- To take people with you
- Zeal…
- Devotion to the interests of others
- Mercy
- Kindness…gentleness…looking to bless…
- Not for any personal gain or gratification but solely based upon the other person’s need. Not their deserving of it…but of the need of it.
- Cheerfully
- Positive attitude
- Kind disposition
- Prophecy:
- NOTE: no gift is self-sufficient and none is unnecessary.
John Donne
No man is an island,
Entire of itself,
Every man is a piece of the continent,
A part of the main.
If a clod be washed away by the sea,
Europe is the less.
As well as if a promontory were.
As well as if a manor of thy friend’s
Or of thine own were:
Any man’s death diminishes me,
Because I am involved in mankind,
And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
It tolls for thee.
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