What would you think of a tall, athletic member of a basketball team who never wanted to play in the game?
Or what about a talented trumpet player who's in the band but never wants to play in a concert?
Neither would make sense, would they?
Well, what do you think about a gifted Christian who joins a church but never uses their gift in any of the ministries of the church?
That really doesn't make sense either, does it?
But most of us, we're sensible people.
We are.
So there must be a reason why every church member is not involved in the ministry of their church.
It may be that they don't understand.
It may be that some church members just don't understand that when God saved them, He gifted them.
Or maybe just chose to use the natural talent that they were born with and developed.
But God has gifted them in some way to serve Him and other people in and through their church families' ministries.
Well, what we're going to do this morning is educate those church members that do not know that.
The only other thing could be a church member just doesn't care.
But I can't imagine a Christian who understands God has gifted them
and that God has actually commanded them to use what He's given them in the life of their church.
I can't imagine them just absolutely not caring and saying,
God, I'm not going to do it.
So I want to give everybody the benefit of the doubt this morning
that there's just some things you're unclear of if you're not involved in service.
And our prayer this morning is that God will open your eyes,
clear up the uncertainty as we go through Romans chapter 12, verses 6 through 8.
We began looking at this two weeks ago under the heading,
Living Like a Christian by Thinking Rightly About Ourselves and Our Church.
But we didn't finish it last week.
I wanted to wait until this week when we're doing the graduate recognition.
And at one point later on in this message,
I want to really focus on some things that I hope you'll think about
as you think about what you're going to do next in your life.
Not just in church, but everywhere.
Let's look.
Romans chapter 12.
Let's do a quick review of what we saw two weeks ago in verses 3 through 5.
First thing we saw was we need to think objectively about ourselves.
Think objectively about yourself.
He's talking about in verse 3.
First, he says, don't think too highly of yourself.
Look at what he says.
I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.
Don't be prideful.
Don't be arrogant.
Don't think more highly of yourself than you should.
But look what else he says.
Instead, think realistically.
Think with sober judgment is the actual phrase.
Some people would have the idea,
if when Paul writes, he says, don't think too highly of yourself,
then he's talking about what we should do then is think just very low of ourselves.
Well, no, that's not the case.
Don't be arrogant, but don't think, I don't have anything to offer.
I don't have any gifts or talents or abilities.
No.
He just says think with sober judgment.
New Testament scholar Leon Morris tells us what he's talking about there.
Look at what he says.
Being sober minded means recognizing what God has given us
and being zealous in its use as well as humble.
Thinking objectively about ourselves will cause us to realize
I'm not the most gifted and talented person in the church or wherever,
but I am talented, I am gifted.
God has given me something that I need to humbly accept,
take ownership of,
and use in a way that will honor Him and help other people.
We also learned two weeks ago to think biblically about your place in the body of Christ.
That's in verses 4 and 5.
Paul explains that the church is the body of Christ.
You may be more familiar with the idea that the church is the family of God,
but either way, the church is not a building.
One of the great mistakes people today think of is
when you ride down East Main Street and you look over here,
this is not Dickens First Baptist Church.
This is our church.
We are the body of Christ together.
We are the family of God.
The church is a group of individuals,
like different parts of the human body.
We come together and function like one body.
Look at what Paul says in verse 4.
For as in one body we have many members or many body parts.
Verse 5.
So we, though many body parts,
are one body in Christ.
On one hand,
we're the church.
We're the family of God.
We're the body of Christ.
We're one.
But on the other hand,
each one of us as individuals,
we're a certain body part.
Look at what he says in verse 4.
The members do not all have the same function.
Verse 6.
Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,
let us use them.
Every member of our church is important
because every member of our church
has been given gifts, talents, or abilities by God.
And God wants you to use what he's given you
like a part of your body works.
Some people in this room,
from this analogy,
you're like the hands of the church.
Some are like the feet.
Some are like the eyes.
Some are parts we won't mention this morning.
The key to us being a healthy and effective church
is for each of us
to recognize what part we are
and function accordingly.
So let me ask you,
which part of the body are you?
And I know we have people here today
who are not part of our church family,
but a lot of you are members of another church,
so you apply it to your church.
You're not off the hook this morning.
This applies to you
and how you serve
the ministry you're involved in
or should be involved in
in your church.
That leads us to
what we're going to look at new today,
Romans 12, verses 6 through 8.
Let's look at it.
Beginning in verse 6,
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.
Let's talk about giving encouragement
or the word exhortation
really sort of means
firm counsel,
direct instruction.
That can be encouragement
and some translations use the word
encourage here
instead of exhort.
Go back to where we were there,
the one who contributes,
the one who gives in generosity,
the one who leads with zeal,
the one who does acts of mercy
with cheerfulness.
These verses are telling you
to think responsibly
about your spiritual gifts.
Think responsibly.
Paul's telling us,
you've got gifts,
use them,
take responsibility for them.
They're in verse 6.
Now,
what we're talking about
is you're looking at verse 6,
we're talking about gifts
of God's grace,
God's undeserved favor.
God chose to give
each one of his children
certain gifts.
And God just,
within himself,
it's not because
you deserved it,
it's not because
you have done something
to earn it,
no,
God just chose you
to gift you
or give you the talent
that you have
because he wanted you
to have it.
Because his plan
was to use you
and that gift
to serve his purpose
in this church
and really in this world.
Paul provides us
with more details
about these gifts
in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
If you ever want to
do a serious study
of spiritual gifts,
things we're talking
about this morning,
look at 1 Corinthians chapter 12.
There's a lot of things
he tells us
that'll help us
better understand them.
Here's two things.
God assigns us
the gift
he wants us to have,
we don't get to choose it.
Look in 1 Corinthians 12, 11.
He alone
decides which gift
each person should have.
That's from
the New Living Translation.
Then God gives us
the gift that he gives us
for the benefit of the church.
Not to make us a star
if it's something
where we're up
in front of people.
But to benefit the church
in some way,
look in verse 7
of 1 Corinthians 12.
A spiritual gift
is given
to each of us
so that we can
help each other.
Now,
we're talking about
spiritual gifts here.
What is a spiritual gift?
There's a lot of different ways
people define that.
Some of you here
have studied it.
We've done studies
at various times
over the years
Sunday morning,
Sunday night,
and Wednesday night.
Here's my favorite definition.
It's from Wayne Grudem,
the theologian.
He defines these gifts
as any talent
or ability
which is empowered
by the Holy Spirit
and able to be used
in the ministry
of the church.
Your spiritual gift
may be something,
really,
that God gave you
at birth.
A talent
that you have developed.
And when you became
a Christian,
God has channeled
that talent
or moved you
to serve Him
in that way.
Let's take for example,
some people are just
natural born singers.
Now,
they may develop
that gift,
but you may be
when you were little.
Some of you,
y'all have grown up
in children's choir.
Grew up singing.
Some of you
playing instruments.
Some of you still do it
every Sunday.
Well,
some of you had this talent,
this musical ability.
And as time has gone on,
God's just used it
as you have become a Christian
and started being serious
about living after your faith.
God's using you
with a talent
He gave you
many years ago
to serve Him.
Some people,
though,
when God saves them,
He gives them
a new gift,
something that's maybe
totally out of character
from the way
they used to be.
I know a man today,
one of the most kind
and easygoing guys
you'll ever meet.
He has the gift
of service.
He just wants
to serve people,
meet people's needs.
He also has
the gift of mercy.
He has a real heart
for people.
He cares
as well as serving.
That guy told me
when he was younger,
teenager,
growing up
and in the military,
in the Navy.
He said,
back in those days,
I was not what I am today.
God has changed me.
Back in those days,
I was basically mean,
I was selfish
and self-centered
and the way he put it is,
I didn't take anything
off anybody.
But when God saved him,
God changed him
in ways that a lot of people
never change.
Instead of being
that selfish,
self-centered,
I don't take anything
off anyone kind of guy,
he became a more
humble,
focusing on the other person,
recognizes when people
have needs,
they're hurting,
his heart goes out to them,
and he really wants to help.
He really cares.
It's his gift
to serve people.
It doesn't matter
where it comes from.
If you want to call it
a talent,
a gift,
or an ability,
a spiritual gift
can be any talent
or ability
which is empowered
by the Holy Spirit
and able to be used
in the ministry
of the church.
But let's don't forget
something.
Throughout this whole message,
the key statement,
use your gifts.
Verse 6,
having gifts that differ
according to the grace
given to us,
let us use them.
That's what we're talking about.
Using our gifts.
Then Paul gives seven examples
of spiritual gifts
in verses 7 and 8.
He wants to emphasize
whatever your gift is,
just do it.
Use it.
Now,
the fact is,
if you read
these verses,
you see seven gifts.
If you can read
1 Corinthians 12,
you see a bunch more.
If you read
Ephesians chapter 4
and verse 11,
you see four more
actually gifted people
God gives to the church.
If you put all these
lists together,
there are some duplications
and some people
would even debate
what is duplicated.
But all the gifts
that you read
that Paul writes about,
there's probably 18 or 19
or even more of them.
And the point
I want to make is,
when you read about
the spiritual gifts
in the New Testament,
in Paul's letters,
Peter has something
to say about it too
in his first letter,
chapter 4.
The gifts are always,
there's a different
group of them
every time.
Some of them
are in different groups.
But there's never
just one list
of spiritual gifts.
Some are listed here.
Some are listed
in different orders.
What that means is,
when Paul is writing
about spiritual gifts,
he's not trying
to tell us
what they all are.
He's just trying
to say there's
a bunch of them.
And what you need
to do is,
be aware of which one
it is that God
has given you,
or which ones
God has given you.
Now, in this list
we're looking at
in Romans,
verses 7 and 8,
prophecy is the most
difficult one
to understand.
The ESV study Bible
has this comment
explaining what
he's talking about here.
Prophecy here,
speech that reports
something that God
spontaneously brings
to mind or reveals
to the speaker.
But since this is
human speech,
we're not talking
about an infallible
word from God.
Because it is
human speech,
it must be tested
or evaluated
as 1 Corinthians 14,
29 points out.
Now, there's
differences of opinion
of what the gift
of prophecy is
in today's church.
Some people would say
it's just clearly,
plainly, boldly
preaching
the word of God.
Either way,
Paul's point
is that
this is your gift.
Use it in proportion
to your faith.
Use it to the extent
that you believe
God is leading you.
The other gifts
are basically
self-explanatory.
And if you just read it,
you understand.
Paul is just saying
this is a representative list.
If your gift is this,
just do it.
He's saying to us,
recognize what your
spiritual talent,
gift,
ability is.
Recognize it.
Acknowledge it.
And use it.
If it's to teach,
teach.
If it's a gift
of service,
serve.
Whatever it is,
do it.
Now the question is,
the question we need
to be asking ourselves
right now,
am I?
Am I using
the gifts,
the talents,
the abilities
that God has given me
in the ministry
of this church?
And we have a lot
of people who are.
You've seen some people
this morning already.
They have been
exercising their gifts
in helping us worship.
Some people you've heard
sing,
teach.
Some people you've just
seen what they're doing.
Things with a screen.
Things with a sound.
There are some people
whose spiritual gift
is such,
you see them
or you see what they do
on Sundays.
Some people use their gifts
and you never see them
on Sunday.
They're serving the Lord
during the week
outside of our gatherings.
Some people,
let me rephrase that
for an example.
We've got over 70 people,
70 members of our church
who have volunteered
to use their talents,
gifts,
and abilities,
and time
in our Truth Journey
sports camp
that's coming up
in just a few weeks
out at J.C. Park.
Over 70 members
of our church
are using the talents,
gifts, and abilities
they have.
They're doing everything
from teach children.
Some of them
are not going to teach.
They're going to try
to herd children.
Some of them
are going to set up games.
Some of them
are going to come up here
and get water
and ice
and bring it out there
for people to have.
Some people are going
to do security.
Some people are going
to run the games,
make sure everything
is in order
what it's supposed to be.
We've got also
over 40 individuals
who have signed up
to use their gifts
and abilities
in a music camp
that'll be a couple
of weeks after
the sports camp.
Now some of those,
some people,
some people are gluttons
for punishment
and they're doing
both weeks.
And we thank you
so much
that you're a glutton
for punishment.
But not all 40
who are doing
the music camp
are doing
the sports camp.
I say all that
to say there's a lot
of people in our church
who are using
their gifts.
They are using
the talents
God's given them.
They are using
what they have learned,
what they have developed,
their abilities.
And in all of this,
I want you to think,
what these people
are doing,
they are choosing
to use their time
to serve God
this way
and serve other people.
sometimes on Sunday,
sometimes during the week,
sometimes both.
Now,
many people in our church
are involved
and that is great.
But are you?
We're not talking now
about many people.
I want you to think,
what are you doing
if you're a Christian
with the gifts,
talents,
and abilities
that God has given you
for the purpose of,
according to His Word,
serving in
or through
the ministry
of this church.
Now,
it may be,
as I said
at the beginning,
you don't really
understand this
or you don't know
how or where
you should be involved.
And I want to try
to help here.
Rick Warren
has put together
what I think
is the best little tool
to help a person
understand
how they're gifted
and where they ought to serve.
And it's a one-word acronym,
SHAPE.
You know,
a lot of us,
we don't want to really
think about how we are
shaped
this morning.
But all of us
can look at
how God
has shaped us
for ministry
and profit from it.
We can be either
affirmed in what we're doing
or we can learn
how God wants
to use us.
So right now,
let's real quickly,
I want you to think
about your shape.
As we go through this,
you graduates,
I hope you'll think
about how God
shaped you to serve
in this church.
But also,
I want you to think
about how God
has shaped you
to work in this world.
What I want to show you
here is very practical.
It can help you
if you don't know
what you need to be doing.
This can help you see
how God's made you
and maybe help you
zero in on
where to go to school,
what to major in,
what kind of profession,
what kind of job
to pursue.
One thing,
it's not going to come out
in this
that I want to say here
so I don't forget it.
Whatever you do,
whatever you think
your shape is
when it comes to
working in this world,
you make sure
you can make a living at it.
God has not shaped you
to go out
and spend four years
and a ton of money
for an example,
majoring in philosophy
just because you want
to be a deep thinker.
There are very few jobs
even for PhDs
in philosophy.
I give that as an extreme example
because I don't think
any of y'all
are going to do that.
But I also want to say
to parents,
you students,
you're making an investment
as you go to college,
you go to tech school,
you go to whatever
you're going to do next.
You parents,
you're making
a big financial investment.
It's none of my business
but I'm going to say it anyway.
I wouldn't invest
my money
in something
that there's absolutely
zero percent chance
of them being able
to make a living at.
That's foolish.
They need to be able
to work in this world
and get off your payroll
and make a living.
But don't just find something
that pays a lot of money.
That is not the way.
But whatever you are
shaped to do,
you've got to be able
to make a living.
You can't live
with your parents forever.
And if they're smart,
then it won't let you
live with them forever.
Now, let's think
about our shape.
Number one,
spiritual gifts.
We've been talking
about that.
Any talent or ability
which is empowered
by the Holy Spirit
and able to be used
in the ministry
of the church.
Listed in the scriptures
as we point out here,
still on the screen.
If you don't know
what your spiritual gift is,
try something.
Experiment.
What gifts do people
affirm you in?
What gifts do you just sense
this is what God
made me to do?
Think about it that way.
Number two, heart.
You're thinking about
your shape.
How has God gifted me
to work in this church?
How has God gifted me
to do whatever I do
with my life?
Think about your heart.
What's your heart's desire?
What's your passion?
What do you enjoy doing?
Now, that doesn't mean
it's easy.
Some of the things
you enjoy doing,
it takes a lot of time.
It takes a lot of sweat.
It takes a lot of mental
toil maybe.
But what are you
passionate about?
What excites you?
You're thinking about
your spiritual gifts
or in the case of your job,
think about your strengths.
Next, think about your heart.
What do you want to do?
What are you passionate about?
Number three,
your abilities,
your natural talents,
your developed abilities.
What can you do?
What are you good at?
What do other people affirm?
I can think in my mind
that God's given me
the gift to sing.
And I can be passionate about it.
I can sing the top of my lungs
in the shower
because it thrills my soul.
But I can't do it.
Last week,
I had the opportunity,
I was asked
to sing with those twins,
Stewart girls.
I only had two words,
one line.
He said,
I said,
no,
I can't do that.
When they sung it
and Brian did that part,
Lisa looked at me
and said,
I'm glad you didn't do that.
So I'm saying,
that's all that to say,
your shape
will include
what you can do.
This is not talking
about some kind of
wishful thinking,
pie in the sky stuff.
If God's given you
a spiritual gift
or a strength,
he's given you
a heart's desire,
you will be able to do it.
You may have to work at it.
You may take some time
to develop it.
But you need to think about
what can I do?
What are my abilities?
Number four,
personality.
Your uniqueness,
your temperament.
Are you an outgoing person?
Are you a people person
who thrives
on interaction with people?
Or are you a more
task-oriented person?
You don't want to be
around a lot of people.
You don't want to,
for certain,
get up in front of people.
But you love to be quiet.
You love to be
behind the scenes.
You love to work
on something,
do stuff.
This doesn't require
a whole lot of people
interaction.
That's how you're made.
There's nothing wrong
with that.
There's people in this world
who are people-oriented
and they do well.
There's people in this world
who are task-oriented
and they do well.
Number five,
experiences.
What have you done?
God sometimes prepares us
for a particular ministry
in the church
or vocation even
by enabling us,
causing us
to have certain
life experiences,
good and bad.
That's why it's important.
This is sort of
on the side here.
All of you,
I don't know what
all of y'all have done,
but I know some of y'all
have done a lot of stuff.
I don't mean the bad stuff now.
I know you've done that too.
We're talking about
good stuff you did.
You know,
you worked different kinds
of jobs,
tried different things.
That's good.
You've learned some things
that you like
and that you don't like.
You've learned some things
that you're good at
and some things
you aren't good at.
That's what every person
ought to learn.
You ought to get your children.
Don't let children
just sit in the house
and watch TV,
play video games.
They need to get out
and learn some things
about life.
Get life experience.
That is vitally important
for all people.
It helps us to understand
who we are,
how we're made,
what God wants us to do
in the church
and in the world.
If we will seek to serve God
according to our shape,
our gifts,
our heart,
our abilities,
our personality
and experiences,
if we'll seek to serve God
faithfully
in the church
and in the world,
we will not only honor God,
but we'll find joy
and satisfaction
in what we do.
We'll like it.
And we will make a difference
in some people's lives
because we're doing
what God called us to do
and what means something
to us.
If you're doing something
right now in ministry
that you find no joy
or satisfaction in,
you just dread coming,
you hate it,
you don't see that
you're doing any good,
you probably are not shaped
for that ministry.
So don't do it.
You shouldn't do things
in the life of the church
just because somebody else
wants you to do it.
Because your friend does it,
you think you've got to do it
with your friend.
Because somebody inflicted guilt
on you.
Serve God according to the way
He has shaped you.
And there is a way
He has shaped you
that you can plug in
to some way of ministry,
some type of ministry
in our church
that'll matter to you
and it'll matter to the people
who are involved.
And you'll look forward
to doing it.
People will look forward
to you doing it.
Serving God according
to our shape,
let me reemphasize,
it is not always easy.
It may take a lot of time,
it may be a lot of work,
but serving God
according to our shape
will be worth it.
It might be a labor of love.
Now if you haven't figured out
what your ministry is,
or you haven't figured out
what your calling in life is,
take the time
to just talk to God about it
on a regular basis.
Ask God to help you
to understand
how He has shaped you.
Seek His guidance.
Pray.
Ask God for wisdom.
He wants to give it to us.
Evaluate what we're looking
at this morning.
Take some time.
Ask some other people.
Experiment.
Ask other people
who know you well
and will tell you the truth.
You know,
a lot of people
will just tell you
what you want to hear.
A lot of people
will tell you things
that make you feel good,
especially when you're young.
A lot of times
people don't,
people are just not willing.
They may love you a lot.
They're just not willing
to say,
you stink at this.
Or you just can't do this.
Or you got a long ways to go.
When I was first called
to preach
and I used to preach
and different people
take the risk
and let me preach
when I was 20 years old.
Everybody used to come up
to you after.
No matter what.
Oh, you did just a good job.
Blah, blah, blah.
Just making you feel good
about yourself.
Well, I went to one church
one time.
There was this older lady there.
She knew my family.
Thought she knew me.
But I didn't know her.
Well, I was there
and people came up
making you feel good.
She came up to me
and looked me in the eye.
She said,
don't worry about it, son.
You're going to get better.
And that's the exact word
she said.
I remember to this day.
Don't worry about it, son.
You're going to get better.
She was telling the truth.
And I needed to hear that.
Our children,
people we're trying
to influence,
they need to hear the truth.
It's spoken kindly.
She wasn't mean about it.
She was just matter of fact.
A healthy physical body
requires all the individual body parts
to function properly, doesn't it?
Well, healthy church body
requires all the individual parts
to function properly as well.
I want to encourage everyone here.
Use your God-given gifts,
talents, and abilities
in the life of our church.
Whatever that means for you to do,
whether it's on a Sunday,
during the week,
once a week,
once a month,
whatever it is.
And I believe when we all use
what God's given us
the right way,
three things will happen.
Other people will be helped.
God will use us
to touch other people's lives
in a meaningful way.
Number two,
we will be fulfilled.
We'll be satisfied.
We'll be content
because we're functioning
as God designed us,
as God shaped us to function.
Number three,
and most importantly,
God will be glorified.
God is pleased
when His children
serve Him
like He made them
and intended them to serve.
Question again,
one more time.
How are you serving God
in the life of this church
or some other church?
Let's pray together.
Dear God,
we thank You
that You
love us
and have made us
like we are
as individual
parts of this body.
Help us, dear God,
to understand
who we are,
how You've shaped us,
and help us to serve.
Lord,
I pray that You
will affirm
each person in this room
who is serving You
this way,
and many people are.
I pray, dear God,
that You'll just give them
a sense of just rightness.
They're seeking to please You
with what You've given them.
Father,
if there are people
in this room
who are not serving,
help them to know
that there is no excuse.
Help them to know
that for them
to be a Christian
and a member of a church
and not serve
makes no more sense
than a person
who chooses to be
on a baseball team
and never wants
to be in the game.
Convict them, dear God,
of the need
to serve You
in and through
this church
or whatever church
they're a member of.
Help them, dear God,
to get serious
about discovering
how You've shaped them
and then get involved
in some kind
of ministry.
Father,
for people in this room
this morning
who think to themselves,
I don't have a clue
as to what's been said.
I don't understand.
Help them to know, dear God,
that it's because
they're not a Christian.
Your Spirit
does not dwell in them
and they can't understand
the things of God,
the things of the Spirit,
the things of gifts.
But I pray, dear God,
that You will use
this message
to give them
what they need
to understand.
They're separated from You.
They don't have
a relationship with You.
They're doomed
unless something changes.
Help them to know
that what needs to change
is for them
to admit their situation,
to turn from their sin,
to change their mind about it,
to grieve over it,
and to put their faith
and trust in Jesus
that when He died on the cross
He actually took
their punishment.
Help them, dear God,
right now
to call upon Jesus
to save them.
Help that man
or woman
or young person
to commit their life
to Jesus
as their Savior
and Lord,
leader of their life.
And just in an attitude
of prayer,
let's listen to the Lord,
all of us,
and respond to Him
in obedience.
I'll be here at the front
of the Lord.
I want to pray with you.
Be happy to do that
if you'll come
during this time.
But the main thing
is that we just do
what God tells us to do
and make the kind of commitment
He's made clear to us.
Amen.