Romans 12:1-8. This is notes, I never wrote the full text.
Romans 12 is an expansion of our mission statement: “To grow in Christ and to serve him in love.” Commit yourself to Christ and submit to him. Let him transform you from the inside out. Then you will know and do his will. Thus serve him. In serving be humbly realistic about yourself. You are one person among many and God’s work is accomplished by all of us working together, each playing our part.
Can God use you? Listen to this:
Jacob was a cheater, Peter had a temper, David had an affair, Noah got drunk, Jonah ran from God, Paul was a murderer, Gideon was insecure, Miriam was a gossip, Mary was a worrier, Thomas was a doubter, Sarah was impatient, Elijah was moody, Moses stuttered, Zaccheus was short, Abraham was old and Lazarus was dead. Now….. what’s YOUR reason for thinking God won’t use you?
God CAN use you where you are…if you let him! 🙂
Even the part we each play is not of our own making and choosing for the Holy Spirit has gifted us abilities in different areas which, when used cooperatively, make for really effective teamwork and God-honouring results.
What’s your gift? Or more likely, what are your gifts? Functional giftedness – using our gifts in the service of Christ in his church – is a combination of ability and motivation. How we serve God is a mix of what we do and where we do it. Every church / congregation needs a mix of gifts. Do you know yours? Are you using your gifts? Most us do because we naturally tend to pick up the tasks and roles we like and are good at. But that does not always happen. Largely because of the church’s need to have all essential roles and functions filled people end up doing stuff they’re not gifted for out of duty, or guilt, or simple necessity. In fact it is so hit-and-miss in normal church life that several programmes have been developed to help people discern their gifts and find their right place in the Lord’s work. The one we use is called Network.
Let’s consider the kind of gifts we’re talking about here. A couple of provisos: 1. There are tasks in the church that don’t require special gifting and we share those among us, probably with a roster. 2. I’m going to run through a number of service areas and most of us could do any of these tasks. However there are some people who revel in each thing because God has given them the talent and desire to do it.
To run a worship service requires a number of gifts. Let’s start with welcoming. Last week I was encouraging us all to be welcoming and that is right. It’s about being others-focused in our attitude and outlook, about meeting and talking with people even when we don’t feel like it. But there is gift of hospitality. People with this gift naturally and joyfully make people feel at home and at ease. Hospitality is not just about making the tea – anyone can do that – but it may be about how the tea is given out. It’s about making conversation, initiating and developing relationship. Hospitality gifted people will think of things others don’t that make the difference in people feeling welcomed.
In the service we have music. Few would deny the giftedness of those who play instruments and those who sing well. And have you thought of those who write the lyrics? There is a giftedness we call Creative Communication which covers artistic ability used for God.
We have prayer. Some are much better at praying than others are. There are many ways of praying. We all pray – for it is the essence of our relationship with God – but some struggle while others soar, particularly in the area of intercession or praying for others.
Reading – is there a gift of reading? It may come into creative communication. I know that it is something that develops with practice.
When people talk about a gift of preaching they usually say that it is a mix of teaching and exhortation and/or prophecy. It may depend on what you think preaching is or should be. In this electronic and visual age it is a wonder that anyone still preaches but it does seem to still have a place.
Taking up the offering doesn’t require gifting but counting it and accounting for it does. When I was an elder and I was on the roster to count the offering I don’t remember ever getting the figures to balance. I’m very glad I got to stop doing that a long time ago, and I’m very thankful for capable people who do this work.
Pastoral people are a delight. These are people who not only think of others but care for them in practical ways. Visits, phone calls, gifts, cards, etc, time spent on others – giving of self.
Leadership. The Minister is in a leadership role but how many ministers are leaders? Most in my observation went into the ministry with pastoral motivation. I’ve heard many a story of poor leadership from ministers. Not surprising when they’re not gifted in it. However there is such a thing as pastoral leadership which is the style of many a Minister. Elders are leaders too. Session is the leader in the Presbyterian church. As with any gift we can learn what we need and God will often give us a special ability to fulfil our calling. It will probably take some work on our part.
That passage we read from Romans spells out some key aspects about gifts. In the chapters leading up to Romans 12 Paul has explained foundational doctrinal issues such as justification, sanctification and election. On the basis of that, he turns to some practical matters that he introduces with the word ‘therefore’ (12:1). Because of what God has done for and to us, this is what we are supposed to do and be. We are called to be transformed, offering ourselves to God and discerning what are our roles in the body, which is the Church. There are many roles that we could take on, but Paul makes it clear that it is the abilities and preferences God has given us that determine which tasks we major on. We are to seek God’s will for our lives and ask for his strength and empowering to fulfil these roles
Each of us has at least one gift mentioned here, given to us by God and for us to use for him and for others. All the gifts are for sharing. Therefore, acknowledge the gift(s), dedicate it to God and use it in serving people in Christ’s name.
Has something gelled for you today? Have you thought, “Yes, I’m in the right place.”? Then grow your gift and be the best you can be in that line of service.
Have you thought, “I need to move into a line of service that I’m more suited to.”? If that is you tell me after and we’ll look at running the Network course for you.