Title: Members of One Body
As we move deeper into chapter 12 of Romans, we see Paul’s teaching begin to take hold as he is addressing the very real danger of division within a fellowship. For this reason, Paul offers us three areas that we need to recognize as important within our church. And that these three things are not at odds with one another, but rather work together within the body to bring about the work of Christ.
I. The Importance of Humility
(read v3)
“For I say, through the grace given to me…”
Paul opens his discussion with a qualifier. He says, “Look, the only reason I’m even able, the only reason I’m even qualified to offer this instruction to you, isn’t because I am some wised and learned man, but rather because of the grace of God.”
Paul knows that he’s flawed. He urges you and I to remember that we are flawed and saved not by our own worth, but only by the grace and blood of Jesus Christ. That being said, Paul urges us to “think soberly” concerning ourselves.
To be blunt, this is the opposite of much of today’s secular thinking. The world tells us that we can do anything we set our minds to. The Bible tells us that we can do all things through Christ who strenghtens us. There is a not so subtle difference between these lines of thought.
The world would have you to believe the power is already in you to do great things. The Bible tells us that without Christ, everything about us is evil and displeasing to God. Whatever we do, whether good, or evil, we only are able to do it by the grace of God.
In our walks as believers God often uses the trials of this world, the setbacks we incur, or event he sin we struggle with to keep us humble. As Paul says, “to keep us thinking soberly concerning ourselves.”
(Story of Ben’s experience Snowboarding…humility)
II. The Importance of Diversity
(read v. 4)
The second thing that we see Paul draw attention to is the idea that we, as members of one body, do not all have the same function. We here at Heritage do not all have the same function. We have each been given gifts, both spiritually and worldly that must all be used together to make this body function properly in order to do the work that God has called us to do.
I am not more important to the health of this body than Ken Killian. I prepare the sermon, but if not for Ken’s knowledge of our heating system, none of you would come to hear it in a freezing sanctuary. Is the teaching that Jim Fox does with our Jr/Sr high kids more important than the work that his wife Carol Fox does with the youngsters?
My point is this: For Heritage to function at maximum capacity, three things have to happen.
1. Each person has to discover what they are good at and/or what they are called to do.
2. Each person must decide to contribute their work to the fellowship.
3. We must do so recognizing that we do not all have the same function.
Some of you have told me, “Pastor, I wish I had your words, I wish I had your ability to communicate an idea to another.” And I tell you, I wish I could play the guitar like Zeb. I wish I could work with tools like Mike, I wish I had the patience and foresight of my own wife!
But I recognize what God has given me. And I recognize what God has called me to do, and I attempt to add something to HBC, not by offering my world class talents, but rather by being humble, and being obedient.
III. The Importance of Unity
(read v. 5)
If we stopped the sermon at verse four and did not include verse five, we would run the risk of behaving like mere men and children of God. What separates the Church from any other organization is that we recognize that this is not about us.
It is not about us individually, and it is not about us collectively.
We come from some very, very different walks of life.
How many of you were raised Baptist?
How many of you were raised in a church at all?
How many of you have gone to college?
How many of you grew up within 20 miles of this building?
We all have different stories of how we became believers, we all have different stories of how we ended up here at Heritage. But WHY we are here, WHY we sit together Sunday after Sunday, WHY we share in fellowship, and song, and tears, and laughter, and purpose.
That, friends, is the real lesson for this Sunday morning. Why we do these things is because we believe we are unified in Christ.
Despite the fact that we come from radically different backgrounds, despite the fact that we have radically different skills and talents, we are all here, aren’t we?
Look around. Take a minute to look at eachother. Try not to laugh.
Can you think of another setting where this group of people would all be voluntarily in the same room together?
The power of Chirst.
May we never think of ourselves more highly than we ought to, we break fellowship because we are not humble.
May we never let our gifts and skills divide the Church over jealousy, instead of unite the Church in the work that we have been called to join.