Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Romans

Romans 12:6b-8 Part 1

INTRO: We have been singing and talking about God's faithfulness to us. Paul, in the first 11 chapters of Romans laid out very clearly and purposefully God's covenant faithfulness to His people. Now, in the latter part of his letter, Paul says, it's your turn. Now is the time for you, the one true people of God to be faithful to the covenant you made with God when He transformed your life from sinner to saint, from an eternity in Hell to an eternity in heaven.

 Rom. 12:1-8 tells us that being the People of God who are faithful to the covenant with God means:

1. To give our lives as a living / holy sacrifice to God.

2. To allow the Holy Spirit to transform our minds to think differently about our lives, in relation to the world, to one another,
    and to God.

3. To relate to others in complete humility.

4. To recognize our interdependence as God's people.

5. To faithfully exercise the spiritual gifts God has give to each Believer.

     When we do this, we work together for the good of the body and the fulfillment of God's will. There, you have the big idea for the message this morning, for those who so desire you can now begin to nod off. BUT, if you want to understand how to use your gifts and what faithfulness looks like in the life of the believer, then stay awake for the next 30 mins or so.

Trans:  God is faithful to His people and He will continue to be faithful. We, as His people, have a responsibility to be faithful as well. We have been discussing spiritual gifts and by the grace of God all Believers have been given one or more of these gifts. Paul commands us to faithfully exercise them. Open to Romans 12:6b. We will be looking at what the gift given by God is and how that gift is exercised. The first gift mentioned is prophesy.

1. If prophesy, according to the proportion of his faith
     a. What is this gift?
           It is the supernatural ability to go from church to church and build up the believers by teaching them the Word of God. It is the ability to interpret and apply God's Word in  a given situation. To cause the authoritative Word of God to shine. This  gift, in the NT, was sometimes predictive in nature as with Agabus in Acts 21 where he predicts what the Jews will  do to Paul if he returns there. The predictive nature of this gift, I believe, is no longer needed today because we have the completed revelation of God in His Word and in it we have  predictive prophecies that have yet to take place.

         But this gift was not always predictive as seen in the case of  Judas and Silas, fellow workers with Paul but also  prophets. In Acts 15:32 we find them encouraging the  brethren with a 'lengthy message' where there is no mention of predicting the future.

    Technically, the word Prophet means 'one who stands in front of another and speaks for him.' Like Aaron and Moses.

Question: A modern day version of this gift might exercised by whom?   (Pastor, Bible teacher, mentor)

    b. How is it to be exercised?
         'In proportion of his faith'. There is some disagreement among Biblical scholars as to what this means. Paul seems to be setting some sort of control here on the prophet. The words are literally translated  'according to  the analogy  of the faith'.  The analogy of the faith  is a  hermeneutical principal of biblical interpretation that says  you compare one scripture with another by using a more clear passage to interpret one not so  clear.

    The emphasis here is on  'The Faith' . It is not perhaps properly translated as 'His faith'. This goes back to verse 3 where the faith is our standard of reference which is the completed Word of God. That is why I encourage you to study for  yourself to see if what I say or what anyone who is a teacher here says is Biblical. If is in agreement with the Word of God. If it is, then the pastor or teacher has used  their gift well.

Trans: If you have the gift of prophesy, use it faithfully  in accordance with the standard of faith which is God's Word.  The next spiritual gift mentioned is Service.

2. If service, by serving
    a. What is this gift?
      The Greek word here is Diakonia, does not mean the 'office of deacon', but 'to minister, to serve or to wait  upon someone'. It is the supernatural ability to give    practical help in either spiritual or physical matters. To  provide timely assistance that releases others for direct  ministry.

    b. How is it to be exercised?
         By thinking about doing serving or saying you will and then changing your mind later. No. You exercise this gift by serving others. Our first thought is to have others serve us, isn't it? But do we  consciously think about and look for ways to serve others in the church? There is no prestige in serving , is there?  Yes, there is according  to Jesus. Jesus said that He came to serve and not to be served.

    'To serve and not to be served' ought to be permanently inscribed on our hearts and always resident on our lips.

Question: What are some of the ways this gift can be exercised in the local church? (Coming to a church work day, Clean up a teachers SS class room, come and set up or stay to clean up before and after a church dinner or meeting, volunteer to drive kids to a scheduled event, help someone move blocks of cement from their front yard)

Trans: Paul says, if you have the gift of service ...serve someone, with all your heart, whenever you can. Be faithful in your service.  The next spiritual gift mentioned is Teaching.

3. If teaching, by teaching
    a. What is this gift?
         Teaching is the supernatural ability to communicate and  clarify the details of God's Word. It differs from prophesy in that teaching instructs the mind, where prophesy confronts the heart and will.  Although Spirit filled teaching will also affect the heart and will. Teaching, is primarily concerned with knowledge.

    b. How is it to be exercised?
         By teaching others; both informally and formally.
          -Informally, if  you know anything about Jesus and  the  Gospel, you should teach what you know to others.

          -Formally, if you have any Bible training in any form (school, personal study or  seminars) and you have the ability to
           organize and present a lesson, you should be teaching in some capacity.

     But before you use this gift and teach someone, there are a few questions you must first ask yourself. Donald Barnhouse was a noted biblical scholar and Bible teacher who would ask himself these questions about exercising his gift of teaching:

    1. Have I listened closely to God's voice?
    2. Have I laid my own reason in the dust before Him in order to take it up again, enlightened by Him?
    3. Have I been sensitive to His Holy Spirit?
    4. Have I gone again and again and then again to God's Word to refresh my own soul before I speak to others?
    5. Have I tried to live what I teach?
    6. Have I insulted the Lord by feeding His sheep with ill prepared food?
    7. Have I been diligent and faithful in the exercise of my gift?

     These are not easy questions to answer. They cut right to the bone if we are not faithful in our own study before we attempt to teach anyone else.

Question: What are some of the ways this gift can be exercised in the local church? (Sunday School, DVBS, Youth Group, Pioneer Clubs, Children's Church, Discipling, leading a small group study, opportune moments with children and other individuals in the church where a personal word from you can be a teachable moment for someone else.)

Trans: Paul is saying if you have the gift of teaching..you ought to be faithfully teaching others.

Conclusion:
 We will stop here for this week. The point I want you to remember till we come back next week is FAITHFULNESS.
God's promise of continued faithfulness to His people and His people's response of faithfulness to Him. I would also ask you consider the follow:

 How can you be more faithful in the exercise of your spiritual gifts than you  are right now?
 What do you need to do differently in your life that will enable you to faithfully use your spiritual gifts for God?
 Who can you talk to about all this?
 Who will you talk to about this?
 What will you say when an Elder, or a member of the Nominating or CE committees ask you to use your gifts here at CBC?

 Remember, God requires His people to be faithful.