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Back to Sermons Index Back to Home Page 5th August 2007 AMREACHING OUT TOGETHER AS THE BODY OF CHRIST Pastor Linton Smith One of my favourite songs is “There is a Redeemer.” I particularly like the chorus.. Thank You O my Father For giving us Your Son And leaving Your Spirit Till the work on earth is done. The Spirit of Christ continues the work Jesus began. He works in many ways. He works through His people, through believers. He works through individuals and He works through us as we work together! Today our focus is on working together. Jesus said to His disciples, You are the salt of the earth and You are the light of the world [Matthew 5:13-16]. He was speaking to disciples.. plural. We can be salt and light as individuals but Jesus intends us to do it together! Paul wrote to the believers in Philippi.. Philippians 2:14-16.. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life. He addresses all the believers in Philippi. He wants them to shine like stars in the universe. He does not want them to complain or argue.. but to work together. In a number of places Paul speaks of the totality of believers around the globe.. as the body of Christ. One example is Colossians 1:18.. He [Christ] is the head of the body, the church.. A Bible commentator I have long appreciated is F. F. Bruce. He comments on this statement, “In speaking of the church as the body of Christ, one thinks of it as vitalized by his abiding presence with it and his risen life in it; one thinks of it as energized by his power; one may even [without transgressing legitimate bounds] think of it as the instrument through which he carries out his work on earth” [New International Commentary on Colossians 1:18]. The words in brackets are important because some have taken this teaching to extremes.. but we certainly can say.. Together all believers form the body of Christ. Together all believers are the instrument through which Christ carries out His work on earth. I acknowledge that Jesus is not limited to carrying out His work through believers.. and that He works in and through individuals.. but this is the vision I want us to see today.. A vision of the church.. of believers together.. being the body of Christ.. in which the Spirit of Christ lives.. and through which he touches the lives of people! Some vision. How can we be part of it? This morning I invite you to consider Romans 12:1-8. Here we find a number of things we can do to be part of this grand vision.
The first thing we can do is.. PONDER GOD'S MERCY. Paul begins this section of his letter like this.. Romans 12:1.. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy.. From Romans chapter 1 to the end of chapter 11 he has written about God’s mercy and grace. What he says is inspiring and needs to be studied by every believer. Every human being has sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Every human being will be judged at the great judgment and found guilty and condemned. But God has sent Jesus. Jesus died as the sacrifice that brings forgiveness. He died in our place.. took our guilt and sin on Himself.. and then rose again. When we believe in Him.. put our trust in Him.. He removes our guilt.. justifies us.. gives us peace with God.. gives us the Spirit of Christ to live in us.. and gives us the hope of eternal life. All because of Jesus.. our life now is transformed and filled with hope.. and our destiny is changed.. from an eternity in hell.. to an eternity with God. All because of Jesus! All because of amazing grace! Amazing mercy! If we ponder that.. and take it in.. it will move us to respond.. we will be urged from within to live for Jesus because we love Him! And that is what God wants! He wants us to be motivated by His great love for us and our love for Him.
The second thing we can do is.. SURRENDER TO HIM ALL THAT WE ARE, HAVE, AND HOPE TO BE! Paul writes.. Romans 12:1.. Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Paul and his readers were familiar with sacrificing animals to God. Christ has put an end to that. He has offered Himself as the One final and effective sacrifice.. Now Paul urges us - people who have trusted in Christ.. and been forgiven.. justified.. and given the Spirit.. and given hope - to offer our bodies as living sacrifices.. When he speaks of bodies.. he means our physical bodies.. and more. He means our whole being. He is urging us to surrender to God all that we are.. have.. and hope to be. He urges us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices.. as living beings.. and more.. as people who are now alive spiritually because of Jesus. This is spiritual worship. This is the way to please God.
The third thing we can do is.. BE TRANSFORMED BY THE CONTINUAL RENEWAL OF OUR MINDS. Paul goes on.. Romans 12:2.. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. When we surrender ourselves to God that is just the beginning. Paul urges us to be transformed.. to be metamorphosed.. by the renewal.. the continual renewal of our minds. It is God who transforms us but it is up to us to work at the continual renewal of our minds. How do we do that? We do it by pondering again and again the amazing thing God has done in Jesus. We do it by reading and reflecting on the Bible. We do it by coming to grips with letters like the letter to the Romans. We do it alone. We do it in small groups. We do it by coming together as we have today. This is very much the purpose of our Sunday by Sunday preaching and teaching.. to remind us.. to stir us.. to keep our minds renewed.. to keep us thinking the way God wants us to think. When we work at the continual renewal of our minds.. our hearts are stirred.. our wills are softened.. and then we allow the Spirit of Christ to mould us into the likeness of Jesus. And we come to discern the will of God.. we come to discern what is good and pleasing and perfect in His eyes!
The fourth thing we can do is.. BE REALISTIC ABOUT THE WAY GOD HAS GIFTED US. Next Paul says.. Romans 12:3.. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Paul is about to speak of the different ways God gifts His people. But before He does.. He urges us to think of ourselves with sober judgment.. to be realistic about the way God has gifted us. We sometimes think too little of ourselves.. and need to be encouraged to think better of ourselves.. but most commonly.. we think too highly.. We need to be realistic. How can we do that? We can do it by being part of a small group.. where others will sometimes challenge our views.. and other times affirm us.. where others can get to know us.. and recognise our gifts. We can do it by offering to serve in some way or other. One thing leads to another.. and little by little we discover what our gifts and passions are.
The fifth thing we can do is.. USE OUR GOD-GIVEN GIFTS IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER BELIEVERS. Next the Apostle says.. Romans 12:4-8.. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. We may be many believers.. but we form one body.. and each of us belongs to all the others. We cannot go it alone. Instead.. we use our God-given gifts in conjunction with other believers. Paul mentions seven gifts. This is very likely not a complete list.. but more of a sample list.. prophecy.. serving.. teaching.. encouraging.. contributing to the needs of other.. leadership.. showing mercy. Whatever the gift we have.. we are to use it in conjunction with others.. we are to use it in dependence on God.. with faith.. with generosity.. with diligence.. with cheerfulness. That adds up to doing the very best we can.. not third best.. or second best.. but the very best we can. Now let’s picture the kind of impact a church will have when believers use their gifts.. even just these seven gifts.. when the Spirit of Christ is ministering through willing believers.. motivated believers.. believers who are stirred to by the great love of Christ.. and motivated by it.. When someone comes within the sphere of influence of a church like that.. they will experience mercy.. they will find help for their material needs.. they will be encouraged.. they will hear teaching.. they will hear the word of God being spoken.. and more.. and they will be deeply touched.. and come to faith in Jesus themselves. Is the church.. this church.. like that? Can it be more like that? Yes. It can be.. and will be.. if we reach out together as the body of Christ! Ponder God’s mercy.. surrender to God.. be transformed by the continual renewal of your mind.. be realistic about the way God has gifted you.. and use your gifts. Give it your very best!
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