Life in the Body, Part 1

In November 2009, I was attending the Arkansas Baptist State Convention that was meeting FBC Benton, AR.  That is a suburb of Little Rock. 

 

The conference’s keynote speaker was Dr. David Uth, pastor of the FBC Orlando, FL and one of my predecessors at FBC Camden, and in his message said, “In every church, you only have two kinds of members: those that wear a bib and those that wear an apron.”

 

“To wear a bib” is a phrase that would be specifically indicative of a baby, but in this context, accurate of someone who was all about being served instead of serving.

 

“To wear an apron” is a phrase that would be and is indicative of a servant.

 

From my own experience as pastor, I can verify Dr. Uth’s evaluation is accurate.  In every church I have served including EBC, there are those who spiritually wear bibs.  It is all about them and what I and everybody else can do for them.  They are under the false impression that this is their world and everybody else lives in it to serve them.

 

However, there are also those who are regularly serving the Lord Jesus by serving His bride, this local church.  Today, we talk about life within the Body of Christ and specifically serving one another from Romans 12:3-8.

If you weren’t here last Sunday, we began this more practical section of Romans talking about presenting all of who you are and all that you have to the Lord as a spiritual act of worship.  I even put before you the image of putting your self into the offering place.  That was Paul’s one request and what we are called to do and obligated to do according to Romans 12:1-2.

 

Now, Paul is going to move on to talk about how you and I are to relate to one another within the local body of Christ, the New Testament Church, and he is going to give us two action points.

 

 

3. Think Soberly, Romans 12:3.

3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

 

Paul began by reminding us of his authority as an Apostle.  There was grace given to him, and he is passing along a message from the Lord.

 

We are to think soberly.  Your translation may say soundly or sensibly. 

 

Notice that this action point is for everyone in the body of Christ.  Verse 3 says to everyone who is among you.  Therefore, it was for everyone in the Roman Church, and it is for everyone in the Emory Church. 

 

Notice also what comes before think soberly.  We are not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, and the reason we have to be told this specifically is because by nature, we all think first of self and highly of self. 

 

However, as a follower of Christ, one that has repented of his or her sins, received Jesus as Lord and Savior having been born-again, we are to be known less for our thinking of self or pride and more for thinking of others or humility. 

 

As a matter of fact, the Word of God has plenty to say about the evils of pride and the righteousness of humility.

 

Pride

Proverbs 8:13, The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.

 

Proverbs 11:2, When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

 

Proverbs 16:18, Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall.

 

Proverbs 29:23, A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.

 

 

Humble/Humility

Proverbs 15:33, The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility.

 

16:19, Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the spoil with the proud.

 

18:12, Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, And before honor is humility.

 

22:4, By humility and the fear of the Lord Are riches and honor and life.

 

At the end of verse 3 is one more consideration about to think of yourself and how to think of others.  Remember that Jesus is your standard. 

 

Paul said we are to think soberly, not more highly of our selves, but as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.  Who is the measure of our faith?  Is it the pastor?  No.  Is it the deacons?  No.  Is it those sitting around you?  No.  It is the Lord Jesus. 

 

If your standard is ever me or Ronnie or any church leader or any other human, you will always fail and be sorely disappointed.  If you are a follower of Christ, your standard in all of your behavior is the Lord Jesus, and Jesus thought more of me and you and less of Himself as evidenced by His going to the cross on our behalf.

 

As it relates to others in the church, think soberly. 

 

 

 

 

 

8. Serve Graciously or Faithfully, 12:4-8.

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

 

Not only are we to think soberly, but we are also to use the spiritual gifts that God has given us serve graciously or faithfully.  Notice verse 6.  The gifts given to us are to be used.

 

Before we look at those gifts individually, look back at verses 4 and 5.  Notice that in every body, there are many members.  Therefore, there are many gifts. 

 

However, notice in verse 5 that even though each body has many members, each body has one purpose or goal and that is to serve one another.  Notice the end of verse 5 doesn’t say that we are individually members of it, the body, but we are individually members of one another. 

 

You heard my say this two week ago at Back in the Game Sunday.  You’re first loyalty and allegiance and team should be Emory Baptist Church before it is the community and the deer stand and the lake and camping and sports.

 

When you are not here on Sunday morning, you can pray, and you can read your Bible, and you can listen to a sermon.  However, you cannot serve one another, and yet, that is God’s purpose for you in this church and in any church. 

 

Now, look at 12:6.  Paul spoke of the spiritual gifts that are given to Christians.  If you received the Holy Spirit at salvation, then you also received at least one of His gifts, and even though different church members have different gifts, we are all to use them accordingly or in other words, serve graciously and or faithfully by serving one another. 

 

Then Paul gave a representative list of spiritual gifts. I say “representative” because the New Testament contains other gift lists, and all are different, and none are exhaustive.  You can find gift lists in 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4.

 

1. Prophecy: not necessarily telling the future but speaking on behalf of God; preaching the Word of God. The one who has that gift is to prophesy according to the faith.  He is to preach the faith of the Apostles handed down to him.
2. Ministry: this ministry or service behind the scenes without need for recognition or reward.
3. Teaching: related specifically to mining the depths and treasures of Scripture.
4. Exhorting: is to encourage and build up and comfort.
5. Giving: is related to financial giving and that person is to give liberally or generously to the work of the ministry.
6. Leadership: this person is to lead and do it with diligence, working hard.
7. Showing mercy: is to be done with cheerfulness not sadness.

 

 

Applications and Conclusions

First, remember the words of Dr. David Uth and take off your bib and put on your apron.  Think soberly and serve graciously and faithfully.

 

Second, this text dismisses any thought, notion, or mindset of “Lone Ranger Christianity.”  That is an oxymoron.  Why?  Because this text teaches that you were saved in order to serve others in a local church.  That is one of God’s purposes for Christians. 

 

Therefore, to not be active or connected to a local church is outside of God’s will for any and every Christian.  Today, if you are looking for a church home, and the Holy Spirit is leading you to EBC, I invite you to come today.

 

Finally, you cannot be part of this local church without being part of the universal church which means to be saved.  If you’ve never been saved, I invite you to call on the name of the Lord this morning to save you and forgive you of your sins and begin living a life of serving the Lord and serving others.