Sermon Synopsis for August 31, 2008

“Gift Oriented Ministry: God’s Plan for His Church” Romans 12:4-8 (1 Corinthians 14:12)

I’ve heard it said …

There was a particularly slippery and dangerous stairway.

A Methodist minister fell down the stairs, he picked himself up andsaid, "That was an experience, how do I learn from it?"

Then, a Catholic priest fell down the stairs; he picked himself up andsaid, "I must have done something really bad to deserve that."

After that, a Presbyterian minister fell down the stairs, he picked himself upand said, "That was inevitable, I'm glad it’s over."

Later, a Mennonite minister fell down the stairs; he picked himself up andsaid, "Which one of the elders pushed me?"

I’m sure that’s just a story preachers tell, because God wants us to trust each other.

Many are traveling this weekend (Labor Day). I’ve heard it said that if all the cars in the USA were placed end to end, it would probably be Labor Day weekend. Drive carefully folks.

The Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the believers in Rome.
Beginning at chapter 12, his letter to the Romans moves from theoretical to practical
12:1-3 – be living sacrifices, be holy, don’t conform to the world’s ways, be transformed, know God’s will, don’t think of yourself as overly important in this world.

And beginning in verse 4, Paul tells us how we can do this …

GOD’S HAS A PLAN FOR THE CHURCH

A. Rom 12:5 – one body = unity
God wants the church to be unified.
Jesus had a great concern that his disciples be unified. “That they may be one” is a phrase found in the Gospel of John (especially chapter 17 – Jesus’ prayer)

B. Work together – the one body, had different parts, but they work together
God wants the church to work together.
Illnesses = when something in the body doesn’t coordinate with the other parts.

God’s design for our bodies is harmony and unity.
God’s design for the spiritual body, the church is the same.

Some might say that dependence (and interdependence) is bad – we want to be individuals, we want to “do it ourselves.” But it is God’s plan and design that we be dependent and interdependent.

It depends on each part doing what it was designed to do.

EXAMPLE: OLYMPICS TEAM USA
Olympics athletes specialize.

Michael Phelps – most gold medals (first record set when he was 10 years old)
How would he do at other sports?

Think about the gymnasts – Natasia Lukin for example – she’s the best all around.
How would she do at track? Or Soccer? Or shot put?

Why are these athletes good at their sport?
The have the desire (calling) to a specific sport
They Practice
They have Dedication and Passion
They show Endurance
Ultimately,”They love it!”

Yet they are a part of a team … each one doing his/her best.

Did you watch the opening ceremony? When they all marched in together on Friday night …. Makes me think of what heaven will be like.

Here’s what the Apostle John saw: “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’" (Revelation 7:9–10)

Until that time … we exist in the church … in the world

THE CHURCH IS A LIVING ORGANISM
The church is not a building of brick, board and mortar. These things are dead. The church is alive!

What does it mean to be the body of Christ today? The church is a living organism. Human bodies are living organisms. Look at any part of my body; each part is alive.

They remain alive because they are connected, in a symbiotic relationship.

There are millions of billions of little living cells in my body.
Look through a microscope; you can see the movement of millions of particles that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

So also with the body of Christ. The church is a living organism, composed of billions of different parts, in every nation, in all tribes and languages around the globe.

THE CHURCH IS A COMPLEX ORGANISM
The earth itself is enormously complex and intricate beyond our wildest human imagination.
The oceans are enormously complex and intricate beyond our wildest imagination.
The universe is enormously complex and intricate beyond our wildest imagination.
So is the body of Christ.

Each cell is so complex. Each congregation is so complex.
Each congregation in each culture in each century is so utterly complex.

Yet all are part of Christ’s body.

WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY

Paul tells us that we have different gifts according to the grace given us. In 1 Corinthians Paul seems to amplify on what he is saying, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

Not everyone is called or equipped to do the same thing.

You can’t do what other Christians can do. Don’t be discouraged. This is part of God’s design!
Different doesn’t mean better or worse – it’s just different.
God determines who gets what. 1 Corinthians 12:11 - “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines”.

Everyone’s gift is given for the purpose of enriching the whole body.
It’s not about you! Or me for that matter.

THE CHURCH WILL BE EFFECTIVE WHEN WE DO WHAT WE CAN DO

Paul’s counsel is pretty simple, “If you are able to teach, teach; if you can serve, serve; if you are a preacher, preach. If you are an encourager, encourage.” In other words, our job is to do what we can do.

Maybe you’re thinking: “I don’t know what I can do.”

Ask two questions and then act.

First – Ask yourself, “What am I good at?”
Second – Ask, “How can I use this for the Kingdom of God?”

Then – Take a step of faith. Try it out. Ask the pastor or elders where you fit in.

WE NEED TO SEE OUR WORK FOR GOD AS A SPECIAL CALLING IN THE OVERALL KINGDOM OF GOD

The story is told …
Three stonemasons were working on a cathedral when a stranger wandered by. The first stonemason was toting rocks to a pile near a wall.

“What are you doing?” asked the stranger.

“Can’t you see that I’m carrying rocks?”

The stranger asked the second laborer, “What are you doing?”

“I’m building a wall,” he replied.

A few steps away, the stranger came upon a third mason. “What are you doing?” he asked.

This worker smiled, “I’m building a cathedral to the glory of God!”

Same jobs - different attitude.

How would you answer?

Are you reading through an outline to a group of people on Sunday morning?
Are you a Sunday school teacher?
Or are you building lives and training workers for use in God’s Kingdom?

Your attitude makes all the difference.
Carrying rocks? Building a wall? Building God’s Kingdom?

Paul tells us, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
I showed the children my tool box. (It is Labor Day weekend after all)
We looked at the different tools and talked about how they are useful to build or repair something.

If all I had were a box of hammers, I couldn’t do anything.

God wants to build his Kingdom in this world.
We are God’s toolbox.