1
00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:01,920
Going to be in Romans chapter 12.

2
00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,480
We're going to continue our
sermon series looking at the importance

3
00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:08,960
of theology, knowing God.

4
00:00:10,000 --> 00:00:13,720
And part of knowing God is
understanding what he has done for

5
00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:13,920
us.

6
00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,840
And that's what we've been
looking at, really, from Romans 1

7
00:00:16,840 --> 00:00:19,720
all the way through Romans 11,
we've seen the Gospel.

8
00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,880
To us, the Gospel is the good
news of Jesus Christ.

9
00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:26,040
The Gospel is the news that
Jesus came to this earth.

10
00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:27,520
He died on the cross for our sins.

11
00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:27,840
He.

12
00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:29,240
He lived that perfect life.

13
00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:32,080
He conquered death through the
resurrection, now extends the gift

14
00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:32,840
of grace to us.

15
00:00:33,000 --> 00:00:36,320
That is the good news that we
see in the book of Romans and throughout

16
00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:38,520
all of Scripture, the Gospel
to us.

17
00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:42,800
But now In Romans chapter 12,
we begin to see the gospel through

18
00:00:42,800 --> 00:00:43,160
us.

19
00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:46,560
Because just as much as the
gospel changes our heart by giving

20
00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,080
us new life, it gives us a new
way to think.

21
00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:50,360
It gives us a new way to live.

22
00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:51,800
It gives us a new way to love.

23
00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:56,440
And we as Christians now must
understand that the change that God

24
00:00:56,440 --> 00:00:59,400
makes to our heart now should
be seen to the world.

25
00:00:59,960 --> 00:01:01,720
The world should see the difference.

26
00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,800
The world should understand
that the goodness of God is something

27
00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,320
that we all must have.

28
00:01:07,320 --> 00:01:10,200
And not just that we want it,
but we all need it.

29
00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:10,440
Why?

30
00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,760
Because the Bible says that
all have fallen short of the glory

31
00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:14,280
of God.

32
00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:15,520
There is none righteous.

33
00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:16,160
No, not one.

34
00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,560
But there is one who is
righteous above us, and that is our

35
00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:20,040
Savior.

36
00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,280
And So Romans chapter 12 was
all about walking in the way of God,

37
00:01:24,610 --> 00:01:26,250
walking in the will of God.

38
00:01:26,250 --> 00:01:28,770
And so we looked last week at
verses one and two.

39
00:01:29,090 --> 00:01:33,370
Paul said, I beseech you,
therefore, brethren, now remember,

40
00:01:33,370 --> 00:01:34,610
therefore means what is this?

41
00:01:34,610 --> 00:01:35,970
Therefore, what is he talking about?

42
00:01:35,970 --> 00:01:38,290
Well, he's been talking about
all the things that he's mentioned

43
00:01:38,290 --> 00:01:41,730
in Romans 1:11, the things
that God has done for us.

44
00:01:42,050 --> 00:01:42,930
Romans 5:8.

45
00:01:42,930 --> 00:01:46,130
But God commendeth or
demonstrated his love toward us in

46
00:01:46,130 --> 00:01:48,530
that while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.

47
00:01:49,010 --> 00:01:52,430
What an amazing message that
is, that God loves us enough to send

48
00:01:52,430 --> 00:01:53,990
his only begotten Son for us.

49
00:01:54,230 --> 00:01:58,390
And so he says, because of the
gospel, because of salvation.

50
00:01:58,710 --> 00:02:02,310
He says, brethren, by the
mercies of God, because by the way,

51
00:02:02,310 --> 00:02:05,110
all of those things that we've
learned about so far have been because

52
00:02:05,110 --> 00:02:06,190
of the mercy of God.

53
00:02:06,190 --> 00:02:08,750
And we're in desperate need of
the mercies of God.

54
00:02:08,750 --> 00:02:12,550
He says the next step is this,
that we present our bodies.

55
00:02:12,550 --> 00:02:15,590
Your bodies, a living sacrifice.

56
00:02:15,830 --> 00:02:18,720
And that's what we talked
about last week, presenting ourselves

57
00:02:18,720 --> 00:02:20,400
a living sacrifice to the Lord.

58
00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,920
Not a sacrifice that dies, but
a sacrifice that lives for the Lord.

59
00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:25,720
And he says, do that because why?

60
00:02:25,880 --> 00:02:27,000
He says, that's holy.

61
00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:27,360
That's.

62
00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:28,760
That's separate, that's special.

63
00:02:29,000 --> 00:02:30,840
It's acceptable unto God.

64
00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:33,480
He says, which is your
reasonable service.

65
00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:34,720
The.

66
00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:38,040
The Greek word there for
reasonable is the word we get the

67
00:02:38,040 --> 00:02:39,240
word logical from.

68
00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:43,240
It's only logical that we
would give God everything in our

69
00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:45,000
lives because he has given us
so much.

70
00:02:45,750 --> 00:02:50,190
His abundant grace upon our
lives leaves us with the sense of

71
00:02:50,190 --> 00:02:50,870
gratitude.

72
00:02:51,110 --> 00:02:54,070
Some call it the attitude of
gratitude that we're called to live

73
00:02:54,070 --> 00:02:54,670
in our lives.

74
00:02:54,670 --> 00:02:57,830
And so if we are thankful, we
just sing a song.

75
00:02:57,830 --> 00:02:58,950
Jesus, thank you.

76
00:02:59,350 --> 00:03:02,070
And I would encourage you, as
we sing any song within the church,

77
00:03:02,150 --> 00:03:03,510
to think about the words.

78
00:03:03,910 --> 00:03:06,830
Don't just sing the song, but
think about the words and make it

79
00:03:06,830 --> 00:03:08,790
a testimony for your own life.

80
00:03:08,790 --> 00:03:12,280
And in that song, it says,
jesus, thank you for all the things

81
00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:14,840
that you have done for us as believers.

82
00:03:14,840 --> 00:03:18,640
And so he says, here we
present our bodies a living sacrifice,

83
00:03:18,640 --> 00:03:21,440
which is our reasonable or
logical service.

84
00:03:22,480 --> 00:03:23,800
And so we get the verse 2.

85
00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:27,200
And then he says, okay, in
that service, don't be conformed

86
00:03:27,200 --> 00:03:28,080
to this world.

87
00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:30,880
Don't be pushed into the mold
that the world is trying to put you

88
00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:31,200
in.

89
00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,720
The world is trying to tell
you that it's normal, it's okay.

90
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:36,320
Live the way that you want to live.

91
00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,800
And Paul says, reject that thinking.

92
00:03:39,130 --> 00:03:40,330
Don't be conformed.

93
00:03:40,330 --> 00:03:41,770
Don't buy into the lies.

94
00:03:41,770 --> 00:03:44,730
And then he says, but be ye transformed.

95
00:03:44,970 --> 00:03:47,530
By way of review, that word
transform means to change.

96
00:03:47,930 --> 00:03:50,490
We get the word metamorphosis
from that Greek word.

97
00:03:50,970 --> 00:03:54,010
And the idea would be that
we're completely new, we're completely

98
00:03:54,010 --> 00:03:54,370
changed.

99
00:03:54,370 --> 00:03:55,970
And he says, be transformed.

100
00:03:55,970 --> 00:03:57,410
And how do you transform?

101
00:03:57,410 --> 00:03:58,890
Well, you don't transform yourself.

102
00:03:59,370 --> 00:04:02,810
You don't go in and really try
hard, read more books, or become

103
00:04:02,890 --> 00:04:03,730
more disciplined.

104
00:04:03,730 --> 00:04:03,970
No.

105
00:04:03,970 --> 00:04:06,890
The Bible says that we're
transformed by the renewing of our

106
00:04:06,890 --> 00:04:07,210
mind.

107
00:04:07,550 --> 00:04:08,670
How do we renew our mind?

108
00:04:08,670 --> 00:04:12,070
Well, we renew our mind by
walking with God and allow God to

109
00:04:12,070 --> 00:04:14,830
cleanse our mind through the
word of God, through prayer, through

110
00:04:14,830 --> 00:04:15,990
fellowship, through service.

111
00:04:15,990 --> 00:04:19,150
And he says that you may prove
or demonstrate what is that good

112
00:04:19,390 --> 00:04:22,030
and acceptable and perfect
will of God.

113
00:04:22,030 --> 00:04:25,070
It is God's will for us that
we live for him.

114
00:04:25,470 --> 00:04:27,630
It's not enough just to say,
well, I'm saved.

115
00:04:27,790 --> 00:04:29,870
I've got my ticket to heaven now.

116
00:04:29,870 --> 00:04:31,470
I'm just wanting to do my own thing.

117
00:04:31,870 --> 00:04:32,990
I just want to coast.

118
00:04:33,700 --> 00:04:34,500
I've got my security.

119
00:04:34,580 --> 00:04:38,780
And though being saved is a
measure of security, that's not the

120
00:04:38,780 --> 00:04:39,340
end of the story.

121
00:04:39,340 --> 00:04:42,260
By the way, the Scriptures
tell us that salvation is just the

122
00:04:42,260 --> 00:04:43,220
beginning of the story.

123
00:04:43,460 --> 00:04:45,020
It's now about living for Him.

124
00:04:45,020 --> 00:04:47,540
It's now about reaching others
for Him.

125
00:04:48,020 --> 00:04:50,420
And so now that's what he's
going to talk about here in verse

126
00:04:50,420 --> 00:04:51,060
number three.

127
00:04:51,140 --> 00:04:52,340
How do we do this?

128
00:04:52,580 --> 00:04:55,140
How do we walk in sacrifice?

129
00:04:55,940 --> 00:04:57,220
How do we serve Him?

130
00:04:57,620 --> 00:05:00,420
And so the sermon here this
morning is called the Sacrifice of

131
00:05:00,420 --> 00:05:00,740
Service.

132
00:05:01,650 --> 00:05:05,210
The Bible says that we're to
give ourselves a sacrifice for the

133
00:05:05,210 --> 00:05:06,610
Lord, a living sacrifice.

134
00:05:06,850 --> 00:05:09,010
But sometimes Christians are
like, how do I do that?

135
00:05:09,250 --> 00:05:11,490
Does that mean I just go to church?

136
00:05:11,730 --> 00:05:13,410
Does that mean I read my Bible?

137
00:05:13,570 --> 00:05:17,489
Does that mean that I just
come every single day and walk around

138
00:05:17,489 --> 00:05:19,410
the building and think that
that's a service?

139
00:05:19,490 --> 00:05:22,690
Well, the Bible clearly tells
us what we're supposed to do, how

140
00:05:22,690 --> 00:05:26,290
we become servants of God, how
we sacrifice ourselves for Him.

141
00:05:27,100 --> 00:05:30,060
And so here in this
introduction, I want you to look

142
00:05:30,060 --> 00:05:30,940
at verse number three.

143
00:05:30,940 --> 00:05:37,500
He says, for I say through the
grace given unto me to every man

144
00:05:37,500 --> 00:05:41,420
that is among you not to think
high of himself more highly than

145
00:05:41,420 --> 00:05:42,220
he ought to think.

146
00:05:43,020 --> 00:05:44,100
So what does he tell us here?

147
00:05:44,100 --> 00:05:47,460
He tells us that the first
step of understanding how we are

148
00:05:47,460 --> 00:05:51,580
to serve him is by identifying
our place in the relationship with

149
00:05:51,580 --> 00:05:51,980
God.

150
00:05:51,980 --> 00:05:53,580
He tells us to have humility.

151
00:05:54,700 --> 00:05:57,980
And by the way, we got to go
back and remember salvation.

152
00:05:58,380 --> 00:06:00,940
Salvation is through faith and
faith alone.

153
00:06:00,940 --> 00:06:03,100
It's the greatest gift that we
could ever receive.

154
00:06:03,900 --> 00:06:06,980
So if God just gave us
salvation and ended it there, that

155
00:06:06,980 --> 00:06:07,580
would be enough.

156
00:06:07,740 --> 00:06:10,100
That would be the greatest
gift of grace.

157
00:06:10,100 --> 00:06:13,420
But God doesn't just stop with
saving us from hell.

158
00:06:13,420 --> 00:06:18,020
He doesn't just stop when it
comes to the idea of giving us everlasting

159
00:06:18,020 --> 00:06:18,300
life.

160
00:06:18,300 --> 00:06:20,820
What he does now is he gives
us everlasting life.

161
00:06:20,820 --> 00:06:21,040
And.

162
00:06:21,110 --> 00:06:22,310
And then he gifts us.

163
00:06:22,470 --> 00:06:27,150
He equips us with gifts of
grace that we can serve him and be

164
00:06:27,150 --> 00:06:28,390
a part of his work.

165
00:06:28,550 --> 00:06:29,630
You ever think about that?

166
00:06:29,630 --> 00:06:32,790
You ever think about the
blessing and the privilege it is

167
00:06:32,950 --> 00:06:37,790
to be part of kingdom work, to
be part of the plan that God has

168
00:06:37,790 --> 00:06:39,350
for the redemption of this world?

169
00:06:39,350 --> 00:06:42,190
Though we're not the ones
bringing redemption, we get to be

170
00:06:42,190 --> 00:06:42,950
a part of that.

171
00:06:43,030 --> 00:06:43,950
We get to join in.

172
00:06:43,950 --> 00:06:45,750
We get to be partners with God.

173
00:06:45,750 --> 00:06:49,020
And so he says here very
clearly that salvation is enough,

174
00:06:49,020 --> 00:06:50,300
but he gives us more.

175
00:06:50,940 --> 00:06:53,180
God's grace does not stop at salvation.

176
00:06:53,340 --> 00:06:56,300
He graciously gives believers
for service.

177
00:06:56,300 --> 00:07:00,540
And so he says, just as you
can't boast about your salvation,

178
00:07:00,540 --> 00:07:02,220
remember Ephesians 2, 8:9.

179
00:07:02,300 --> 00:07:05,260
For by grace are you saved
through faith and that not of yourselves.

180
00:07:05,420 --> 00:07:07,380
It is a gift of God, not of works.

181
00:07:07,380 --> 00:07:10,700
Lest any man should boast,
none of us should boast about our

182
00:07:10,700 --> 00:07:11,260
salvation.

183
00:07:11,820 --> 00:07:14,180
None of us should look around
at other people and go, well, look

184
00:07:14,180 --> 00:07:15,960
how much I did to save myself.

185
00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:18,880
Look how much God loves me
because I'm so lovable.

186
00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:21,480
No, the Bible actually tells
us the other side of that.

187
00:07:21,480 --> 00:07:23,640
We're not lovable, but God
still loves us.

188
00:07:23,720 --> 00:07:24,800
We didn't do anything.

189
00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,520
We trusted in the work of
Jesus Christ.

190
00:07:26,680 --> 00:07:30,600
And so just as much as we
can't boast about the gift of salvation,

191
00:07:30,680 --> 00:07:33,240
we cannot boast about these
spiritual gifts that are given to

192
00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:33,960
us for service.

193
00:07:34,840 --> 00:07:39,640
Sometimes we're, maybe we're
not tempted to boast in our salvation,

194
00:07:39,880 --> 00:07:42,520
but maybe we're tempted to
boast in the areas that God has gifted

195
00:07:42,520 --> 00:07:43,320
us to serve him.

196
00:07:44,130 --> 00:07:49,170
And so he says here the first
step of understanding the sacrifice

197
00:07:49,170 --> 00:07:53,050
of service is to realize that
we are not the ones that have brought

198
00:07:53,050 --> 00:07:53,970
this gift to ourselves.

199
00:07:53,970 --> 00:07:58,170
He says in verse three, don't
think of himself more highly than

200
00:07:58,170 --> 00:07:59,010
he ought to think.

201
00:07:59,570 --> 00:08:02,130
Now it doesn't tell us to
think lower than we are.

202
00:08:02,130 --> 00:08:05,410
It tells us to have the proper
viewpoint of who we are in the eyes

203
00:08:05,410 --> 00:08:06,130
of the Lord.

204
00:08:06,450 --> 00:08:10,530
And so the Christian life is
not merely about sitting around and

205
00:08:10,530 --> 00:08:13,740
spectating, but, but it's now
about sacrificial service.

206
00:08:14,060 --> 00:08:17,860
And so the spiritual gift are
not earned abilities, but they're

207
00:08:17,860 --> 00:08:20,940
grace given opportunities to
minister for the glory of God.

208
00:08:21,020 --> 00:08:23,420
And so for the next
foreseeable future, what we're going

209
00:08:23,420 --> 00:08:27,220
to be doing in our study in
Romans is going through these spiritual

210
00:08:27,220 --> 00:08:30,860
gifts, number one,
understanding what they are, understanding

211
00:08:30,860 --> 00:08:34,780
what the individual gifts are
within our spiritual walk and then

212
00:08:34,780 --> 00:08:37,660
understanding how we can live
those out in our life properly.

213
00:08:38,330 --> 00:08:42,570
And so before Paul explains
the gifts completely In Romans chapter

214
00:08:42,570 --> 00:08:45,930
12, he addresses the heart
behind the gifts.

215
00:08:46,010 --> 00:08:48,730
And that's what we're going to
be talking about here this morning.

216
00:08:48,970 --> 00:08:52,170
And what I want you to think
about is this God gifts people in

217
00:08:52,170 --> 00:08:52,970
a spiritual way.

218
00:08:52,970 --> 00:08:55,610
We're going to talk about all
of these gifts that God gives.

219
00:08:55,770 --> 00:08:59,450
But with those spiritual gifts
must come spiritual maturity.

220
00:08:59,850 --> 00:09:03,210
Because people can be gifted
but not be mature and not live out

221
00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:04,730
these spiritual gifts properly.

222
00:09:05,420 --> 00:09:08,300
So God gives us gifts which
we're going to talk about in this

223
00:09:08,300 --> 00:09:08,620
study.

224
00:09:08,700 --> 00:09:12,220
And then we're going to look
at how we can grow in our spiritual

225
00:09:12,220 --> 00:09:15,420
maturity so that that can
equate spiritual sacrifice.

226
00:09:15,500 --> 00:09:18,380
So think about it this way,
maybe some of you are math people.

227
00:09:18,460 --> 00:09:19,900
Think about it as an equation.

228
00:09:20,300 --> 00:09:25,340
Spiritual giftedness plus
spiritual maturity equals spiritual

229
00:09:25,340 --> 00:09:26,060
sacrifice.

230
00:09:26,300 --> 00:09:29,100
The spiritual sacrifice that
God is looking for us to live out

231
00:09:29,100 --> 00:09:29,900
in our lives.

232
00:09:30,550 --> 00:09:31,630
And so that's a long Runway.

233
00:09:31,630 --> 00:09:33,710
We're going to get right to
the text, but let's go ahead and

234
00:09:33,710 --> 00:09:36,750
pray and we'll ask God to give
us some clarity on the verses here

235
00:09:36,750 --> 00:09:37,270
this morning.

236
00:09:37,270 --> 00:09:40,030
Lord, I pray that you be with
us this morning as we look into your

237
00:09:40,030 --> 00:09:40,230
word.

238
00:09:40,230 --> 00:09:43,550
Lord, I pray that we can see
first and foremost the necessity

239
00:09:43,550 --> 00:09:44,630
of service in our life.

240
00:09:44,630 --> 00:09:48,710
The, the goal for service, the
heart of service, and ultimately

241
00:09:48,710 --> 00:09:49,710
the harmony of service.

242
00:09:49,710 --> 00:09:52,870
And so, Lord, I pray that we
can walk in your truth here this

243
00:09:52,870 --> 00:09:53,110
morning.

244
00:09:53,110 --> 00:09:55,990
I pray that anyone here today
that does not know you as personal

245
00:09:55,990 --> 00:09:59,620
savior, that today can be the
day of starting that walk of believing

246
00:09:59,620 --> 00:10:02,900
and trusting in you so that we
can understand what it means to walk

247
00:10:02,900 --> 00:10:04,820
in forgiveness and walk in salvation.

248
00:10:04,900 --> 00:10:07,820
So Lord, I pray that you get
me out of the way, remove any distractions

249
00:10:07,820 --> 00:10:10,620
from our minds and from our
hearts, and may we clearly see you

250
00:10:10,620 --> 00:10:12,060
here this morning in Jesus name.

251
00:10:12,060 --> 00:10:12,660
Amen.

252
00:10:12,980 --> 00:10:18,180
Verse three says, for I say,
through the grace given unto me to

253
00:10:18,180 --> 00:10:19,500
every man that is among you.

254
00:10:19,500 --> 00:10:24,180
So the idea would be this, if
you are a believer, you have a gift,

255
00:10:24,180 --> 00:10:25,700
at least one gift, maybe more.

256
00:10:26,340 --> 00:10:30,860
But God has given every
believer specific spiritual gifts

257
00:10:30,860 --> 00:10:32,980
to serve with within the church.

258
00:10:33,380 --> 00:10:36,140
And so he says, this is all Christians.

259
00:10:36,140 --> 00:10:37,460
No one's exempt from this.

260
00:10:37,940 --> 00:10:41,859
It's not like pastors are
gifted or deacons are gifted, but

261
00:10:41,859 --> 00:10:43,860
the church member is not gifted.

262
00:10:43,860 --> 00:10:46,500
No, the Bible says that all
believers are gifted.

263
00:10:46,500 --> 00:10:49,860
And so he says, through the
grace given unto me to every man

264
00:10:49,860 --> 00:10:54,560
that is among you, not to
think of himself more highly than

265
00:10:54,560 --> 00:10:55,520
he ought to think.

266
00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:58,760
And so first of all, he says
here, to understand service, it's

267
00:10:58,760 --> 00:11:00,480
the understanding of the
humility of service.

268
00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:05,280
Paul reminds every believer
that ministry opportunities are acts

269
00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:05,760
of grace.

270
00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:08,720
Therefore, the spiritual gifts
are no reason to boast.

271
00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:10,480
There are no reason to have pride.

272
00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:11,840
They're not self produced.

273
00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:16,000
And so everything that we have
by way of gift is received by God.

274
00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:18,520
So he says, don't think of
yourself higher than you ought to

275
00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:18,800
think.

276
00:11:19,280 --> 00:11:22,160
Believers are taught to have
the appropriate view of themselves.

277
00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:25,120
So it's not too high, not too low.

278
00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:25,600
We'll see.

279
00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:27,920
Sometimes people fall off the
road on either side.

280
00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,040
One side is, you know what,
I'm so great.

281
00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:32,400
Life's all about me.

282
00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:34,320
I'm the center focus of church.

283
00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:36,400
I'm the center focus of the
Christian life.

284
00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:37,520
It's all about me.

285
00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:38,720
Everyone should serve me.

286
00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:40,280
What's it all about for me, right?

287
00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:43,040
You see that theme going on in
a lot of people's lives.

288
00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:46,560
And he says, don't think of
yourself higher than you ought to

289
00:11:46,560 --> 00:11:46,760
think.

290
00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:48,760
But then he also doesn't
mention this.

291
00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:52,200
But what we also understand is
he says probably have the proper

292
00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,320
understanding, not too low,
because there's sometimes people

293
00:11:55,320 --> 00:11:58,560
that will say this, well, I'm
nothing, I, I have no hope.

294
00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:03,240
I, I have, I have no skills,
I, I have no chance, I have no potential.

295
00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:06,560
And the Bible says no, it's to
have the proper viewpoint of what

296
00:12:06,560 --> 00:12:07,960
God has gifted you in.

297
00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,255
So, so it's not about allowing
yourself to get too prideful, but,

298
00:12:11,255 --> 00:12:13,610
but it's not allowing yourself
to get to a self defeatist attitude

299
00:12:13,610 --> 00:12:16,210
where you don't believe you
can do anything because God has given

300
00:12:16,210 --> 00:12:19,170
us everything that we possibly
need for the service that he's called

301
00:12:19,170 --> 00:12:19,730
us to do.

302
00:12:19,730 --> 00:12:21,210
So what is humility?

303
00:12:21,210 --> 00:12:24,690
Humility is simply seeing
ourselves truthfully before God,

304
00:12:25,330 --> 00:12:29,090
having a proper viewpoint of
ourselves, not to exalt ourselves,

305
00:12:29,250 --> 00:12:32,850
but not to deflate ourselves,
to see it for the way that God sees

306
00:12:32,850 --> 00:12:33,050
it.

307
00:12:33,050 --> 00:12:35,330
And as a believer, you have an
identity in Christ.

308
00:12:36,530 --> 00:12:37,730
You could call out to him.

309
00:12:37,730 --> 00:12:41,120
Acts chapter 8 tells us that
we can cry out to him, abba, Father,

310
00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:42,080
Daddy.

311
00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:45,080
We have that personal
relationship with him later on in

312
00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,880
Acts chapter or excuse me,
Romans chapter 8, it tells us that

313
00:12:47,880 --> 00:12:50,280
nothing can separate us from
the love of God, that we're more

314
00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:52,680
than conquerors as we are in
Jesus Christ.

315
00:12:52,680 --> 00:12:55,920
And so the Bible tells us that
we don't need to live a self defeatist

316
00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:56,480
attitude.

317
00:12:56,560 --> 00:12:59,280
But at the same time we don't
need to get to a place to understand

318
00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:01,440
ourselves to a degree that we
are doing everything.

319
00:13:01,440 --> 00:13:07,240
So service flourishes through
humility and pride destroys ministry.

320
00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,440
I want you to see that when,
when ministry is hindered is when

321
00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:15,960
pride seeps in a lot of times
we can see it come in in very distinct

322
00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:16,480
ways.

323
00:13:16,640 --> 00:13:18,960
Oftentimes it's not always addressed.

324
00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:22,000
Sometimes it's something very
small, something that might come

325
00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:23,880
in unawares at the very beginning.

326
00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,600
But ultimately pride manifests
itself in ways that are very destructive.

327
00:13:27,920 --> 00:13:31,760
We even know the, the proverbs
in the Old Testament that talk about

328
00:13:31,760 --> 00:13:34,520
the destruction, the
devastation that comes along with

329
00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:34,960
pride.

330
00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:40,160
So pride, if pride destroys
ministry or anytime I say the word

331
00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:41,680
ministry this morning, think
about it this way.

332
00:13:41,680 --> 00:13:44,240
Service ministry just
literally means service.

333
00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:46,800
So serving the Lord, serving others.

334
00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:52,240
So if pride destroys ministry,
humility strengthens ministry.

335
00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:54,000
Want you to think about that
here this morning.

336
00:13:54,480 --> 00:14:01,290
Pride destroys or limits my
ministry, but humility strengthens

337
00:14:01,290 --> 00:14:01,850
ministry.

338
00:14:02,570 --> 00:14:03,970
We see that over and over again.

339
00:14:03,970 --> 00:14:05,210
With the life of Jesus.

340
00:14:05,370 --> 00:14:08,610
Think about all the ways in
which Jesus demonstrated his humility

341
00:14:08,610 --> 00:14:09,690
before his disciples.

342
00:14:09,770 --> 00:14:13,770
If anybody could have
demonstrated pride, it was Jesus.

343
00:14:13,770 --> 00:14:16,090
But yet he comes in a humbled stance.

344
00:14:16,490 --> 00:14:20,890
John 13 has the disciples come
in and washes their feet.

345
00:14:21,290 --> 00:14:23,810
That's the lowest act of a servant.

346
00:14:23,810 --> 00:14:27,810
But yet Jesus was willing to
do so, do so to show his servant

347
00:14:27,890 --> 00:14:28,450
humility.

348
00:14:29,170 --> 00:14:30,530
So we, we see more.

349
00:14:30,530 --> 00:14:33,290
Humility strengthens ministry.

350
00:14:33,290 --> 00:14:36,930
But then we also see ourselves
when it comes to the truth of the

351
00:14:36,930 --> 00:14:37,370
word of God.

352
00:14:37,370 --> 00:14:40,210
It brings us to a place to
have a humble stance.

353
00:14:40,290 --> 00:14:43,090
Pride loses grip in our life
when we see what the word of God

354
00:14:43,090 --> 00:14:44,610
has to say about our salvation.

355
00:14:45,490 --> 00:14:48,370
And so we see passage of
Scripture throughout the New Testament

356
00:14:48,370 --> 00:14:49,490
that talk about this principle.

357
00:14:49,490 --> 00:14:52,960
But one that you could maybe
jot down and note is first Peter,

358
00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:54,200
chapter 5, verse 5.

359
00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,440
Peter is writing to the
church, and particularly leaders

360
00:14:58,440 --> 00:14:59,080
in the church.

361
00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,800
And he talks about them having
the proper stance and having the

362
00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,160
proper way of leading and shepherding.

363
00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:07,560
And then he ends verse five
with a statement.

364
00:15:07,560 --> 00:15:14,120
He says, and be clothed with
humility, for God resisteth the proud

365
00:15:14,120 --> 00:15:16,680
and giveth grace to the humble.

366
00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:20,760
Says in verse 6, humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty

367
00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:24,320
hand of God, that he may exalt
you in due time.

368
00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:27,920
The same principle is given to
us here in Romans, chapter 12.

369
00:15:27,920 --> 00:15:31,600
Paul says, don't think more
highly of yourself than you ought

370
00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:31,880
to think.

371
00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,280
But then he says a phrase here.

372
00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:35,600
He says, but think soberly.

373
00:15:36,560 --> 00:15:43,880
That word sober or soberly
means to have the proper focus on

374
00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:48,340
the proper things, to be
serious about the right things, to

375
00:15:48,340 --> 00:15:51,940
to have self control, to have
discernment, to know.

376
00:15:51,940 --> 00:15:54,020
This is something that I need
to be serious about.

377
00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:56,100
This is something that I need
to spend time on.

378
00:15:56,100 --> 00:15:59,020
So he says, don't think of
yourself higher than you ought to

379
00:15:59,020 --> 00:16:00,620
think, but have the right thinking.

380
00:16:00,620 --> 00:16:02,420
Think properly about yourself.

381
00:16:02,500 --> 00:16:04,180
Think properly about your service.

382
00:16:04,340 --> 00:16:06,900
Think properly about all the
things that you're doing for the

383
00:16:06,900 --> 00:16:07,100
Lord.

384
00:16:07,100 --> 00:16:10,780
And he says, according as God
hath dealt to every man the measure

385
00:16:10,780 --> 00:16:15,370
of faith, meaning God is
giving us the opportunity to know

386
00:16:15,370 --> 00:16:19,410
him in a personal way through
service, through sacrifice, through

387
00:16:19,410 --> 00:16:19,770
study.

388
00:16:19,930 --> 00:16:22,650
And so he says, understand
that and grow in your faith.

389
00:16:22,650 --> 00:16:25,170
You're only going to be able
to serve at the capacity of your

390
00:16:25,170 --> 00:16:25,530
faith.

391
00:16:25,850 --> 00:16:28,930
Like if I don't truly believe
in something, I'm not going to serve

392
00:16:28,930 --> 00:16:31,250
it, I'm not going to sacrifice
for it.

393
00:16:31,250 --> 00:16:33,530
I'm not going to buy into it,
so to speak.

394
00:16:33,690 --> 00:16:37,770
So he says, if you want to
understand God's gifts working through

395
00:16:37,770 --> 00:16:39,050
you, grow in your faith.

396
00:16:39,050 --> 00:16:43,240
And grow in your understanding
of him and how he works in your life.

397
00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:46,440
And so he says the starting
place for that is renewing your mind,

398
00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,000
thinking soberly, thinking properly.

399
00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:54,040
And so the, the first step of
this sacrificial service is having

400
00:16:54,280 --> 00:16:54,920
humility.

401
00:16:55,399 --> 00:16:59,120
And humility comes from seeing
ourselves from where we are and seeing

402
00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:02,520
where God is and seeing the
distinction between that this morning

403
00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,410
we say, behold our God and, and.

404
00:17:05,410 --> 00:17:07,970
And think about all of those
things that are said in that song.

405
00:17:08,610 --> 00:17:11,370
All the things that we can
attribute to God we cannot attribute

406
00:17:11,370 --> 00:17:11,970
to ourselves.

407
00:17:12,290 --> 00:17:14,610
There are things about God
that we can never obtain.

408
00:17:14,930 --> 00:17:19,170
We're not all knowing, we're
not all powerful, we're not all present.

409
00:17:19,890 --> 00:17:23,010
But the One who has given us
salvation is, and the One who is

410
00:17:23,010 --> 00:17:23,970
equipping us is.

411
00:17:23,970 --> 00:17:27,170
And so therefore we come to a
place of humility when we understand

412
00:17:27,330 --> 00:17:29,730
how big God is and how limited
we are.

413
00:17:30,210 --> 00:17:32,990
And we come to him saying,
lord, he, it's you that are working

414
00:17:32,990 --> 00:17:33,590
through me.

415
00:17:33,590 --> 00:17:33,910
Not.

416
00:17:33,910 --> 00:17:34,670
It's, it's not.

417
00:17:34,670 --> 00:17:39,070
It's not me working for you,
it's you working through me for you.

418
00:17:39,150 --> 00:17:42,190
And so we get to this place
where we see him say in verse four,

419
00:17:42,590 --> 00:17:46,750
for as we have many members in
one body.

420
00:17:47,629 --> 00:17:48,910
What is he talking about here?

421
00:17:49,070 --> 00:17:50,590
You might read verse four and
say, what.

422
00:17:50,590 --> 00:17:51,070
What is he.

423
00:17:51,070 --> 00:17:52,190
What is he saying here?

424
00:17:52,830 --> 00:17:53,510
He says this.

425
00:17:53,510 --> 00:17:53,710
He.

426
00:17:53,710 --> 00:17:57,470
He's likening the church to
the physical body.

427
00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:00,920
Some of you are familiar with
First Corinthians, chapter 12.

428
00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:02,360
He uses the same analogy.

429
00:18:02,360 --> 00:18:03,360
He says the.

430
00:18:03,360 --> 00:18:05,800
The church is the body of Christ.

431
00:18:06,520 --> 00:18:10,200
And just as the body has
different parts or different members,

432
00:18:10,440 --> 00:18:11,480
so does the church.

433
00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,440
The hand doesn't do the job of
the foot.

434
00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:17,120
Now, some of you might have a
lot of talent and be able to grab

435
00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:17,800
things with your feet.

436
00:18:17,800 --> 00:18:18,360
I don't know.

437
00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:21,400
But the truth is, is that most
of us, our hands are not designed

438
00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:22,520
the same way as our feet.

439
00:18:23,000 --> 00:18:24,520
They both serve a purpose.

440
00:18:25,090 --> 00:18:26,370
Our eye is not our ear.

441
00:18:26,370 --> 00:18:28,090
First Corinthians, chapter 12
says that.

442
00:18:28,090 --> 00:18:31,890
He says, if the whole body was
the eye, how could it hear?

443
00:18:32,210 --> 00:18:34,530
If the whole body was the ear,
how could it see?

444
00:18:35,090 --> 00:18:39,370
And so the idea here that Paul
is mentioning is that there is one

445
00:18:39,370 --> 00:18:39,730
body.

446
00:18:40,210 --> 00:18:44,290
The church is unified, but
it's not uniform.

447
00:18:44,770 --> 00:18:48,370
And so he says here in verse
four, for as we have many members

448
00:18:48,370 --> 00:18:53,870
or many parts in one body, and
all members have not the same office

449
00:18:53,870 --> 00:18:55,150
or the same job.

450
00:18:56,750 --> 00:18:59,390
You know, God is a God of clarity.

451
00:18:59,630 --> 00:19:01,470
He is not a God of confusion.

452
00:19:02,190 --> 00:19:05,750
So let's say today all of you
said, you know what I believe that

453
00:19:05,750 --> 00:19:07,950
God has given me the gift of
preaching right now.

454
00:19:08,670 --> 00:19:13,070
And all of you got up here on
this stage and started preaching.

455
00:19:13,070 --> 00:19:15,590
When I'm preaching, and we're
all preaching different things, that

456
00:19:15,590 --> 00:19:17,310
would not be a time of clarity.

457
00:19:17,310 --> 00:19:18,830
That would be a time of confusion.

458
00:19:19,980 --> 00:19:23,500
But there are instances in the
church in which we see people serving

459
00:19:23,500 --> 00:19:26,140
all at once, but not all in
the same capacity.

460
00:19:26,540 --> 00:19:28,020
And so what does he say here?

461
00:19:28,020 --> 00:19:31,940
He says we are all part of one
body, and all the members don't have

462
00:19:31,940 --> 00:19:32,700
the same job.

463
00:19:32,780 --> 00:19:34,060
And that's a good thing.

464
00:19:34,540 --> 00:19:38,060
And so the church is unified,
or at least it should be unified.

465
00:19:38,140 --> 00:19:41,580
The way that God has ordained
it to be is that we would be working

466
00:19:41,660 --> 00:19:45,420
as a church, as one body
moving together for the same.

467
00:19:45,500 --> 00:19:48,700
Same purpose, not for our own
individual purpose.

468
00:19:49,340 --> 00:19:53,100
Because if one part of the
body is off, though, we might know

469
00:19:53,420 --> 00:19:56,540
or we might not know, it
definitely affects the whole body.

470
00:19:57,180 --> 00:20:00,580
Some of you may have had in
your life an instance where you had

471
00:20:00,580 --> 00:20:04,060
a sickness, or for me, I
always use this as an analogy.

472
00:20:04,060 --> 00:20:07,940
I had a kidney stone one time,
and that little tiny thing, even

473
00:20:07,940 --> 00:20:10,620
though I didn't see it, it was
affecting my whole body.

474
00:20:11,510 --> 00:20:11,710
My.

475
00:20:11,710 --> 00:20:14,470
My hand wasn't hurting, but
let's say it was hurting because

476
00:20:14,470 --> 00:20:15,350
everything was hurting.

477
00:20:15,670 --> 00:20:18,590
And sometimes within the
church, we don't necessarily know

478
00:20:18,590 --> 00:20:22,150
what's going on, but if one
part of the body is hurting or deficient,

479
00:20:22,150 --> 00:20:23,350
it affects the whole body.

480
00:20:23,590 --> 00:20:24,910
And that's what Paul is
talking about here.

481
00:20:24,910 --> 00:20:27,590
He says, don't think that all
of us have the same job.

482
00:20:27,750 --> 00:20:30,870
All of us are unified, but we
have differences.

483
00:20:30,950 --> 00:20:32,550
And so what we would say is this.

484
00:20:32,550 --> 00:20:35,910
The church is unified, and we
are unified upon what?

485
00:20:35,910 --> 00:20:37,590
Not upon our similar interest.

486
00:20:38,700 --> 00:20:42,140
Because if that was the case,
some of us might not be unified here.

487
00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:42,860
How many?

488
00:20:42,860 --> 00:20:45,220
I won't ask this, but I was
going to say, how many of you like

489
00:20:45,220 --> 00:20:47,060
to watch sports and which
teams you like?

490
00:20:47,060 --> 00:20:49,020
And we can see how divided we
really are.

491
00:20:50,780 --> 00:20:53,620
Thank the Lord that we're not
all here, because we're one fan of

492
00:20:53,620 --> 00:20:54,620
one team, okay?

493
00:20:55,180 --> 00:20:56,540
But the idea would be this.

494
00:20:56,620 --> 00:20:59,340
It's not about just, hey, we
have similar interests.

495
00:20:59,500 --> 00:21:04,220
We like the same sport, or we
like the same food, or we like whatever.

496
00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:08,560
The Bible tells us that there
really is one common bond that we

497
00:21:08,560 --> 00:21:12,640
all have, and that is our
common ground in Jesus Christ, our

498
00:21:12,640 --> 00:21:14,600
common hope in Jesus Christ.

499
00:21:15,160 --> 00:21:17,160
So we are one body in him.

500
00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:19,480
So think about it from this perspective.

501
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:24,520
If you and I come together and
we have some differences, we could

502
00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:27,760
either resolve those
differences by fighting about those

503
00:21:27,760 --> 00:21:31,370
differences or understand
that, that we have a common bond,

504
00:21:31,370 --> 00:21:34,010
or at least we should have a
common bond in our relationship with

505
00:21:34,010 --> 00:21:35,970
Jesus Christ and try to build
off of that.

506
00:21:36,450 --> 00:21:37,890
And so that's what he's
talking about here.

507
00:21:37,890 --> 00:21:41,890
He says, we're all one body,
but all members are distinctly different.

508
00:21:42,690 --> 00:21:46,130
So I've said this before, but
unity does not mean uniformity.

509
00:21:46,610 --> 00:21:49,330
Think about the difference
between those two words, unity and

510
00:21:49,330 --> 00:21:50,130
uniformity.

511
00:21:50,370 --> 00:21:52,530
Unity is we're working
together as one.

512
00:21:52,690 --> 00:21:55,570
Uniformity is we all look the
same and we all do the same things.

513
00:21:56,590 --> 00:21:57,510
That wouldn't be effective.

514
00:21:57,510 --> 00:21:57,790
That.

515
00:21:57,790 --> 00:21:59,950
That wouldn't be what God has
called us to do.

516
00:22:00,110 --> 00:22:03,270
So we are called to be
unified, but we're not called to

517
00:22:03,270 --> 00:22:04,150
be uniform.

518
00:22:04,150 --> 00:22:05,790
We're actually called to be different.

519
00:22:05,790 --> 00:22:07,550
We're called to be distinct.

520
00:22:07,710 --> 00:22:11,950
I want you to see that in
another passage, if you go to First

521
00:22:11,950 --> 00:22:12,950
Peter, chapter four.

522
00:22:12,950 --> 00:22:15,630
We just looked at it here this
morning in our scripture reading.

523
00:22:16,030 --> 00:22:19,150
You see the very same
principle given to us by the Apostle

524
00:22:19,150 --> 00:22:19,630
Peter.

525
00:22:19,790 --> 00:22:24,020
And he says in verse number
20, verse number 10 of First Peter,

526
00:22:24,020 --> 00:22:29,100
chapter 4, the idea that, yes,
we are all gifted, as every man hath

527
00:22:29,100 --> 00:22:30,060
received the gift.

528
00:22:31,500 --> 00:22:34,100
And then he says, even so,
minister the same one to another

529
00:22:34,100 --> 00:22:35,580
as good stewards of the.

530
00:22:35,660 --> 00:22:37,660
In the King James, it says manifold.

531
00:22:37,900 --> 00:22:42,260
But this could also mean
various or different grace of God.

532
00:22:42,260 --> 00:22:46,260
Meaning you and I might be
different, differently gifted in

533
00:22:46,260 --> 00:22:48,940
our service to the Lord, but
at the same time, we're to minister

534
00:22:49,020 --> 00:22:49,900
one to another.

535
00:22:50,510 --> 00:22:52,950
He goes on to say in verse
number 11, if any man speaks.

536
00:22:52,950 --> 00:22:54,790
So there's these gifts of speaking.

537
00:22:54,790 --> 00:22:56,270
There's these public gifts.

538
00:22:56,270 --> 00:22:57,710
Speak of the oracles of God.

539
00:22:57,710 --> 00:23:00,550
If any man minister that's
talking about service, maybe behind

540
00:23:00,550 --> 00:23:01,990
the scenes, let him do it.

541
00:23:01,990 --> 00:23:03,550
Of the ability that God giveth.

542
00:23:04,110 --> 00:23:07,510
But ultimately we see who is
glorified, not the servants, not

543
00:23:07,510 --> 00:23:08,070
the preacher.

544
00:23:08,070 --> 00:23:13,910
He says that in all things,
God may be glorified through Jesus

545
00:23:13,910 --> 00:23:14,190
Christ.

546
00:23:15,150 --> 00:23:17,950
And so the idea for this would
be that we're working together.

547
00:23:17,950 --> 00:23:18,250
We.

548
00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,360
We're different, but at the
end of the day, all of us are uniquely

549
00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:23,120
gifted so that we can serve
the Lord.

550
00:23:23,440 --> 00:23:25,680
So every believer is uniquely
gifted by God.

551
00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:29,200
And there's distinct roles
that do not diminish equal value.

552
00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,640
In First Corinthians, chapter
12, it actually tells us that every

553
00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:35,200
part of the body is needed.

554
00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:38,680
He actually talks about, in
some cases, the ones that are not

555
00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:42,800
as attractive are necessities there.

556
00:23:42,800 --> 00:23:46,110
There are certain service
opportunities within the church that

557
00:23:46,110 --> 00:23:47,870
might not get as much praise
as others.

558
00:23:48,350 --> 00:23:50,110
Does that mean we just forget
about them?

559
00:23:50,110 --> 00:23:51,510
Does that mean that we neglect them.

560
00:23:51,510 --> 00:23:53,950
No, we actually say that those
are needed.

561
00:23:54,590 --> 00:23:58,070
And so he says, as God gives
us, we are all to work, not thinking

562
00:23:58,070 --> 00:24:02,230
about the praise of man, or
the payments or the position, but

563
00:24:02,230 --> 00:24:05,350
to do it in such a way that we
think about the ultimate goal of

564
00:24:05,350 --> 00:24:06,590
glorifying God.

565
00:24:07,470 --> 00:24:11,350
And so in verse number three,
he reminds us that it's to be done

566
00:24:11,350 --> 00:24:12,030
in humility.

567
00:24:12,530 --> 00:24:15,610
And verse number four, he
reminds us that it's to be done in

568
00:24:15,610 --> 00:24:16,210
harmony.

569
00:24:17,010 --> 00:24:18,850
Service within the church.

570
00:24:19,170 --> 00:24:22,850
Service for the Lord should be
done with a humbled spirit, and it

571
00:24:22,850 --> 00:24:24,050
should be done in harmony.

572
00:24:24,690 --> 00:24:27,490
Unified together for the cause
of the gospel.

573
00:24:29,250 --> 00:24:30,530
The church is one body.

574
00:24:31,570 --> 00:24:34,050
The church should not be
fighting against itself.

575
00:24:35,090 --> 00:24:38,330
Think about how weird it would
be if someone walked into the building

576
00:24:38,330 --> 00:24:43,330
today and they were punching
themselves, kicking themselves, tripping

577
00:24:43,330 --> 00:24:44,130
all over themselves.

578
00:24:44,370 --> 00:24:46,450
Right away, we like, something
is wrong.

579
00:24:46,930 --> 00:24:49,650
We need to identify that it
might be a mental problem.

580
00:24:49,970 --> 00:24:51,490
It might be something going on.

581
00:24:51,490 --> 00:24:53,250
Maybe they're seeing things we
don't know.

582
00:24:54,450 --> 00:24:57,610
But we know that a person is
not healthy if they're fighting against

583
00:24:57,610 --> 00:24:58,210
themselves.

584
00:24:59,010 --> 00:25:00,650
And we even see that in other ways.

585
00:25:00,650 --> 00:25:00,890
When.

586
00:25:00,890 --> 00:25:04,890
When the body maybe has a
disease, it fights against itself

587
00:25:04,890 --> 00:25:06,290
and it isn't properly aligned.

588
00:25:06,290 --> 00:25:07,650
And we know that needs to get fixed.

589
00:25:07,960 --> 00:25:09,400
That's the same thing within
the church.

590
00:25:10,520 --> 00:25:11,720
And we've seen this before.

591
00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:13,880
You've seen it maybe in
another church.

592
00:25:13,880 --> 00:25:16,560
There is going to be times
when we have difficulties in our

593
00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:18,760
service that we might fight
against ourselves.

594
00:25:18,760 --> 00:25:19,480
Well, you know what?

595
00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,160
When the body fights against
itself, it's never going to be effective

596
00:25:22,160 --> 00:25:23,400
for the cause of the gospel.

597
00:25:23,480 --> 00:25:26,240
It's never going to be
effective for the ultimate purpose

598
00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:28,360
of pushing forward the kingdom
of God.

599
00:25:29,240 --> 00:25:32,040
Jesus in John 17 has this prayer.

600
00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:33,480
It's his high priestly prayer.

601
00:25:33,740 --> 00:25:36,100
One of the things that he
asked the Lord is, Lord, that they

602
00:25:36,100 --> 00:25:38,340
would be unified, that the
church would be unified like you

603
00:25:38,340 --> 00:25:39,260
and I are unified.

604
00:25:40,140 --> 00:25:44,780
It is the heart of God that we
walk in humility and we walk in harmony.

605
00:25:45,580 --> 00:25:47,180
The church has to work together.

606
00:25:48,380 --> 00:25:54,060
We make a huge mistake when we
neglect unity without individuality.

607
00:25:54,060 --> 00:25:57,980
But then we also make a huge
mistake if we neglect individuality

608
00:25:57,980 --> 00:25:58,740
without unity.

609
00:25:58,740 --> 00:25:59,340
Meaning this.

610
00:25:59,810 --> 00:26:03,890
Sometimes we want to celebrate
the individuality of the person within

611
00:26:03,890 --> 00:26:04,450
the church.

612
00:26:05,010 --> 00:26:07,570
But then we forget about the
need that we need to come together

613
00:26:07,570 --> 00:26:08,290
and unify.

614
00:26:08,290 --> 00:26:11,770
There's other times where we
celebrate unity so much and uniformity

615
00:26:11,770 --> 00:26:14,010
so much that we forget that
there are people that are going to

616
00:26:14,010 --> 00:26:14,850
be distinctly different.

617
00:26:14,850 --> 00:26:16,210
And it's okay that they're different.

618
00:26:16,690 --> 00:26:18,850
It's okay that someone serves
a different way.

619
00:26:18,850 --> 00:26:21,010
It's okay that someone teaches
a different way.

620
00:26:21,330 --> 00:26:24,370
I mean, one of the things that
I love about our classes at our church,

621
00:26:24,370 --> 00:26:27,260
our Sunday school classes and
our small groups is that there's

622
00:26:27,260 --> 00:26:28,740
a style for you.

623
00:26:28,820 --> 00:26:29,260
Okay?

624
00:26:29,260 --> 00:26:32,900
There's video series, there's
lecture series, there's discussion

625
00:26:32,900 --> 00:26:34,660
classes, there's book studies.

626
00:26:34,740 --> 00:26:37,620
Look, there's not one
particular way to teach a class.

627
00:26:37,620 --> 00:26:39,940
There's a lot of ways to get
to the truth.

628
00:26:40,020 --> 00:26:42,420
And what we have to understand
that as Christians, not everyone

629
00:26:42,420 --> 00:26:44,500
has to do it the exact same
way as me.

630
00:26:44,580 --> 00:26:46,180
Now, what I will say is this.

631
00:26:46,180 --> 00:26:48,460
Sometimes people might
misunderstand that and say, are you

632
00:26:48,460 --> 00:26:51,540
saying that we can all just
worship the way that we worship and

633
00:26:51,620 --> 00:26:53,300
we can all just do what we
want to do?

634
00:26:53,300 --> 00:26:53,620
No.

635
00:26:54,030 --> 00:26:56,510
Are a particular set of things
that God has laid out for us that

636
00:26:56,510 --> 00:26:57,310
we must follow.

637
00:26:57,550 --> 00:26:58,270
There, there's.

638
00:26:58,270 --> 00:27:00,630
There's framework there,
there's guard rails.

639
00:27:00,630 --> 00:27:01,470
That's scripture.

640
00:27:01,710 --> 00:27:04,350
But where scripture doesn't
speak, that's where we have the ability

641
00:27:04,350 --> 00:27:07,750
to have levels of freedom, to
have levels, levels of liberty, which

642
00:27:07,750 --> 00:27:09,390
we're going to talk about in
Romans chapter 14.

643
00:27:10,270 --> 00:27:10,590
So.

644
00:27:10,590 --> 00:27:14,150
So when we get back to this
idea of service, we see that God

645
00:27:14,150 --> 00:27:17,350
has designed the church to
function together for his glory.

646
00:27:17,350 --> 00:27:19,950
So verse five, Romans, chapter
12, verse five.

647
00:27:20,390 --> 00:27:26,390
So we, being many, are one
body in Christ, in Christ, and everyone

648
00:27:26,470 --> 00:27:28,390
members one of another.

649
00:27:30,070 --> 00:27:34,150
So the reality of service
within the church looks like this.

650
00:27:35,510 --> 00:27:39,830
Our gifts are to minister to
others, not magnify ourselves.

651
00:27:41,190 --> 00:27:45,470
Some are called to plant, some
are called to teach, some are called

652
00:27:45,470 --> 00:27:46,150
to encourage.

653
00:27:46,590 --> 00:27:47,550
Some are called the lead.

654
00:27:48,270 --> 00:27:51,310
Some are called to be quietly
behind the scenes serving in that

655
00:27:51,310 --> 00:27:51,950
capacity.

656
00:27:52,110 --> 00:27:54,670
But every gift matters to the body.

657
00:27:55,790 --> 00:27:58,470
And so when we get into the
study, I want you to understand we

658
00:27:58,470 --> 00:28:00,270
are going to talk about
specific gifts.

659
00:28:01,230 --> 00:28:06,830
And I believe that the word of
God clearly teaches that every Christian

660
00:28:06,990 --> 00:28:10,550
is gifted at least one of
these ministering gifts.

661
00:28:10,550 --> 00:28:14,110
Here In Romans chapter 12, the
truth is, is that there's a lot of

662
00:28:14,110 --> 00:28:17,950
Christians that are Christians
that are in churches, that are maybe

663
00:28:17,950 --> 00:28:19,110
even serving in churches.

664
00:28:19,190 --> 00:28:22,710
And if we were to ask them,
what's your spiritual gift or gifts?

665
00:28:22,870 --> 00:28:24,790
They would say, I had no idea.

666
00:28:25,750 --> 00:28:26,790
Never been taught that.

667
00:28:26,950 --> 00:28:29,110
I didn't know that we had
individual gifts.

668
00:28:29,270 --> 00:28:32,070
The Bible very clearly teaches
us that there are those things.

669
00:28:32,070 --> 00:28:35,750
And so what we need to do as a
church is we need to dig in and understand

670
00:28:36,310 --> 00:28:39,820
that God, if I'm a believer in
Jesus Christ, he has gifted me for

671
00:28:39,820 --> 00:28:43,300
a specific purpose in a
specific way so that I can serve

672
00:28:43,300 --> 00:28:46,020
at that capacity in a way
that's effective for the cause of

673
00:28:46,020 --> 00:28:46,580
the gospel.

674
00:28:47,060 --> 00:28:48,260
Now, I will say this.

675
00:28:48,340 --> 00:28:51,300
Some of these gifts that we're
going to talk about are going to

676
00:28:51,300 --> 00:28:52,940
be natural for you.

677
00:28:52,940 --> 00:28:55,020
You're going to understand
that, you're going to see that.

678
00:28:55,020 --> 00:28:57,660
But there's going to be other
gifts that you're not as inclined

679
00:28:57,660 --> 00:28:58,820
to follow in your life.

680
00:28:59,060 --> 00:29:02,020
So, for example, there's one
gift called the gift of mercy.

681
00:29:02,500 --> 00:29:05,380
And let's say one of us here
this morning says, you know what?

682
00:29:05,380 --> 00:29:07,380
I'm not gifted in the gift of mercy.

683
00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:08,800
So I just, you know what?

684
00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:10,640
Don't need to do it because
that's not my gift.

685
00:29:11,280 --> 00:29:14,480
Well, that's not true because
we're all called to have mercy.

686
00:29:14,800 --> 00:29:18,800
So we're all called to work at
some capacity within these gifts.

687
00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:21,480
But other gifts are going to
be more supernaturally gifted to

688
00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:24,480
us so that it happens where
others are going to be something

689
00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:28,240
that we have to strive for and
grow in and ask God to give us strengthening

690
00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:29,120
and teaching in.

691
00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:31,600
And so we're going to go
through that, through this study.

692
00:29:31,600 --> 00:29:34,960
And so what I want you to do
as we go through the study is honestly,

693
00:29:35,770 --> 00:29:39,650
authentically go through this
study in Romans chapter 12 and identify

694
00:29:39,650 --> 00:29:43,130
how God has gifted you so that
you could say, yes, I am gifted in

695
00:29:43,130 --> 00:29:43,690
this area.

696
00:29:43,770 --> 00:29:47,370
And as I'm gifted in this
area, how could I use that within

697
00:29:47,370 --> 00:29:48,410
the body of Christ?

698
00:29:48,810 --> 00:29:49,970
Because that's really the purpose.

699
00:29:49,970 --> 00:29:53,570
If I was to disciple you, if
I'm discipling you, I don't just

700
00:29:53,570 --> 00:29:56,890
need to give you information,
even though I love to do that.

701
00:29:56,890 --> 00:29:57,850
I love to teach.

702
00:29:57,930 --> 00:29:59,290
I love to give facts.

703
00:29:59,370 --> 00:30:02,850
I love to give all the things
that Scripture tells us about the

704
00:30:02,850 --> 00:30:03,370
Word of God.

705
00:30:03,370 --> 00:30:04,250
Those are good things.

706
00:30:04,540 --> 00:30:07,820
We all should be teaching or
learning from the Word of God.

707
00:30:07,820 --> 00:30:10,380
But at the end of the day,
discipleship doesn't just stop with

708
00:30:10,380 --> 00:30:11,020
facts.

709
00:30:11,020 --> 00:30:11,980
It goes further.

710
00:30:12,780 --> 00:30:13,180
Right?

711
00:30:13,180 --> 00:30:13,980
It goes further.

712
00:30:13,980 --> 00:30:17,140
And one of the aspects of
discipleship that must happen within

713
00:30:17,140 --> 00:30:20,780
the church is that we need to
help others find the way that God

714
00:30:20,780 --> 00:30:23,820
has gifted them so that they
can use that for the cause of the

715
00:30:23,820 --> 00:30:24,220
kingdom.

716
00:30:24,700 --> 00:30:25,940
Paul does that with Timothy.

717
00:30:25,940 --> 00:30:28,460
Paul says, don't neglect the
gift that was given to you.

718
00:30:29,420 --> 00:30:30,340
Don't forget about it.

719
00:30:30,340 --> 00:30:30,620
Don't.

720
00:30:30,620 --> 00:30:31,660
Don't put it aside.

721
00:30:32,110 --> 00:30:35,910
And so for us, if we are going
to be a church that embraces the

722
00:30:35,910 --> 00:30:39,870
discipleship direction, it's
this that we identify.

723
00:30:40,030 --> 00:30:44,030
Number one, where God has
gifted us in these spiritual gifts

724
00:30:44,670 --> 00:30:48,470
and how I can lead other
people, number one to salvation,

725
00:30:48,470 --> 00:30:50,990
but then number two to service
and sanctification.

726
00:30:51,870 --> 00:30:53,910
So the way it would
practically look is that I could

727
00:30:53,910 --> 00:30:56,950
sit down with a brother or
sister in Christ and say, amen, you've

728
00:30:56,950 --> 00:30:57,870
trusted in the Lord.

729
00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,440
Now it's time for you to turn
everything over to Him.

730
00:31:00,760 --> 00:31:04,240
Now we're going to identify
how God has blessed you and how he

731
00:31:04,240 --> 00:31:05,080
has gifted you.

732
00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:08,200
And you can see, okay, yes,
they're gifted in teaching.

733
00:31:08,280 --> 00:31:09,720
Now, where do we take that?

734
00:31:09,720 --> 00:31:11,240
Where, where do we go with that?

735
00:31:11,880 --> 00:31:15,040
And it's plugging people into
the areas that are needed within

736
00:31:15,040 --> 00:31:15,720
the church.

737
00:31:16,360 --> 00:31:21,720
And so I, I want us to see
this not just as a, A, a lesson about

738
00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:25,400
preaching, about theology,
even though theology is so important.

739
00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,820
But, but part of theology is
practical theology.

740
00:31:28,220 --> 00:31:31,500
Practical theology is applying
what we know about God.

741
00:31:31,900 --> 00:31:35,340
And if you know about God,
certain things, it's applying that

742
00:31:35,340 --> 00:31:36,020
to our lives.

743
00:31:36,020 --> 00:31:38,500
And so we're going to get to
verse number six, and we're going

744
00:31:38,500 --> 00:31:39,940
to see gifts like prophecy.

745
00:31:39,940 --> 00:31:42,580
We're going to dive deeper
into that, the proclamation of the

746
00:31:42,580 --> 00:31:43,140
Word of God.

747
00:31:43,140 --> 00:31:44,900
We're going to talk about
gifts of ministry.

748
00:31:44,900 --> 00:31:45,500
That's service.

749
00:31:45,660 --> 00:31:47,420
We're going to talk about
gifts of teaching.

750
00:31:47,420 --> 00:31:49,220
We're going to talk about
gifts of exhortation.

751
00:31:49,220 --> 00:31:50,460
That's challenging.

752
00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:52,140
That's, that's encouraging.

753
00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:54,240
There, there's, there's the
gift of giving.

754
00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:56,560
There's the gift of
administration or ruling.

755
00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:57,960
There's the gift of mercy.

756
00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,240
And some of you might say,
let's get into those right now.

757
00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:02,920
Well, for time's sake, we're
not going to dive into each one of

758
00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,040
those, because what we're
going to do is we're going to do

759
00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:07,280
a deep dive into each one of
these gifts.

760
00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,480
And we're going to talk about
how God has equipped certain people

761
00:32:10,480 --> 00:32:11,200
in certain ways.

762
00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:13,920
And we're going to look at
examples of people in scripture that

763
00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:17,520
have lived out these things in
their life so that we can see examples

764
00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:18,120
in our life.

765
00:32:19,190 --> 00:32:21,790
But one of the things that I
would really challenge you with is

766
00:32:21,790 --> 00:32:24,990
that before we even get
started with understanding these

767
00:32:24,990 --> 00:32:28,230
gifts and applying these gifts
to our life is that we have to come

768
00:32:28,230 --> 00:32:29,510
with the right perspective.

769
00:32:29,510 --> 00:32:32,150
We have to come with the right purpose.

770
00:32:32,310 --> 00:32:36,630
And the purpose is always to
encourage others and glorify God.

771
00:32:36,870 --> 00:32:39,830
So we have the humility of service.

772
00:32:40,150 --> 00:32:41,430
We have the heart of service.

773
00:32:42,470 --> 00:32:45,070
And that's really what I want
us to close with here this morning.

774
00:32:45,070 --> 00:32:46,870
Mark, chapter 10, verse 45.

775
00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,400
Go, go with me to Mark,
chapter 10, verse 45.

776
00:32:52,320 --> 00:32:55,640
Jesus, again, is the greatest
example that we could ever have in

777
00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:57,280
anything that we do in our lives.

778
00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:05,360
And we think about what Jesus
tells his disciples here in Mark

779
00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:06,080
chapter 10.

780
00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:13,930
And I think that this could be
summarized as the heart of our service

781
00:33:14,090 --> 00:33:14,850
to the lord.

782
00:33:14,850 --> 00:33:17,930
Mark chapter 10, verse 45.

783
00:33:23,210 --> 00:33:29,170
Jesus says, for even the Son
of Man, talking about himself, came

784
00:33:29,170 --> 00:33:35,170
not to be ministered unto, but
to minister and give his life a ransom.

785
00:33:35,170 --> 00:33:39,770
For many, Jesus models
sacrificial service.

786
00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:42,720
Think about two words here.

787
00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:44,600
Service, sacrifice.

788
00:33:44,600 --> 00:33:47,200
We see it right there in that
verse, verse 45.

789
00:33:47,600 --> 00:33:49,920
The son of man came not to be
ministered unto.

790
00:33:50,240 --> 00:33:53,240
So Jesus focus wasn't who's
going to serve me at least in his

791
00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:54,040
earthly ministry.

792
00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:55,600
Now let me make this clear.

793
00:33:55,759 --> 00:33:58,520
One day every knee will bow,
every tongue will confess that Jesus

794
00:33:58,520 --> 00:33:59,280
Christ is Lord.

795
00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:00,440
We will worship him.

796
00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:01,600
We should serve him.

797
00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:05,880
But Jesus's earthly ministry
was not designed so that he could

798
00:34:05,880 --> 00:34:08,190
just come and everyone would
serve serve him as he was sitting

799
00:34:08,190 --> 00:34:08,790
on the throne.

800
00:34:09,350 --> 00:34:15,710
He says, no, my purpose was
this, to minister that service, to

801
00:34:15,710 --> 00:34:19,470
serve and to give his life a ransom.

802
00:34:19,470 --> 00:34:21,030
For many, that's sacrifice.

803
00:34:23,029 --> 00:34:28,390
So Jesus models the
sacrificial service example for us.

804
00:34:29,590 --> 00:34:31,750
Jesus didn't come demanding position.

805
00:34:33,599 --> 00:34:35,359
Jesus came giving himself to others.

806
00:34:36,079 --> 00:34:39,079
And we know the ultimate
example of that type of sacrifice

807
00:34:39,079 --> 00:34:41,519
is, is Calvary is the cross.

808
00:34:42,799 --> 00:34:48,319
Jesus basically says this, I
love you so much that I will give

809
00:34:48,319 --> 00:34:49,359
myself for you.

810
00:34:50,079 --> 00:34:52,399
And in any of these
ministering gifts that we're going

811
00:34:52,399 --> 00:34:55,239
to talk about In Romans
chapter 12, it all starts with that

812
00:34:55,239 --> 00:34:55,919
type of heart.

813
00:34:56,639 --> 00:34:58,959
I'm willing to put others
needs before myself.

814
00:35:00,380 --> 00:35:05,860
I'm not going to preach or
teach or give or serve or administrate

815
00:35:05,860 --> 00:35:07,540
without the proper response.

816
00:35:07,540 --> 00:35:10,500
And that is the response of
hey, I'm doing this for you because

817
00:35:10,500 --> 00:35:14,060
of him, not I'm doing this for
you because of me.

818
00:35:14,540 --> 00:35:17,980
Because a lot of times we
enact the spiritual gifts within

819
00:35:17,980 --> 00:35:19,580
our church in the flesh.

820
00:35:19,820 --> 00:35:20,700
What does that mean?

821
00:35:20,700 --> 00:35:23,540
That means I want to
administrate properly so that no

822
00:35:23,540 --> 00:35:24,700
one causes me any issues.

823
00:35:25,290 --> 00:35:26,970
I'm tired of all these
headaches within the church.

824
00:35:26,970 --> 00:35:29,850
So I got to administrate this
way so that I don't have any more

825
00:35:29,850 --> 00:35:30,890
problems in my life.

826
00:35:30,890 --> 00:35:34,090
Or I need to preach the word
of God so that people will notice

827
00:35:34,090 --> 00:35:34,370
me.

828
00:35:34,370 --> 00:35:36,690
Or I need to serve so that
people will serve me.

829
00:35:36,690 --> 00:35:39,610
Or I need to give so that
there can be strings attached.

830
00:35:39,610 --> 00:35:43,410
No, those are all living out
our spiritual gifts in a fleshly

831
00:35:43,410 --> 00:35:43,690
way.

832
00:35:43,690 --> 00:35:46,890
And by the way, we can
exercise these spiritual gifts either

833
00:35:46,890 --> 00:35:50,490
in the heart of service in the
spirit or a heart of selfishness

834
00:35:50,490 --> 00:35:51,210
in our flesh.

835
00:35:52,540 --> 00:35:53,260
That's the danger.

836
00:35:53,260 --> 00:35:56,020
It's like in anything in our
Christian faith, we can exercise

837
00:35:56,020 --> 00:35:58,620
in our flesh or we can
exercise in the spirit.

838
00:35:59,580 --> 00:36:02,700
So it's not just about
identifying our gift, it's not just

839
00:36:02,700 --> 00:36:05,820
about serving in the church,
but it's doing it with the right

840
00:36:05,820 --> 00:36:06,140
heart.

841
00:36:06,700 --> 00:36:08,940
And that's what we see here in
this passage.

842
00:36:08,940 --> 00:36:13,140
He says, do it with humility,
do it with harmony, and do it with

843
00:36:13,140 --> 00:36:15,180
a heart of service and sacrifice.

844
00:36:15,740 --> 00:36:17,820
So the three points are very
simple here this morning.

845
00:36:18,160 --> 00:36:21,320
Number one, we are to serve
the Lord in our spiritual gifts with

846
00:36:21,320 --> 00:36:21,920
humility.

847
00:36:23,120 --> 00:36:24,800
Secondly, we're to do it with harmony.

848
00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:28,800
Thirdly, we're to do it with a
heart of service and sacrifice.

849
00:36:30,160 --> 00:36:33,040
Faithful service honors our master.

850
00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:38,240
There's the classic parable of
the talents in Matthew, chapter 25.

851
00:36:38,480 --> 00:36:40,480
If you want to jot that down
for your notes.

852
00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:46,940
Matthew 25, 14:30 Tell us this
amazing parable of how God gave a

853
00:36:46,940 --> 00:36:51,300
certain denomination of money
to three individuals, and two of

854
00:36:51,300 --> 00:36:54,580
them used it and were good
stewards of it.

855
00:36:54,580 --> 00:36:57,180
And by the way, a steward
means that you don't own it, but

856
00:36:57,180 --> 00:36:58,180
you're managing it.

857
00:36:58,340 --> 00:37:04,580
And so God gave two different
people money, and they used it, they

858
00:37:04,580 --> 00:37:05,140
grew it.

859
00:37:05,140 --> 00:37:08,180
And God said, well done, thou
good and faithful servant.

860
00:37:08,980 --> 00:37:12,380
But then there was one, if you
remember, he didn't do anything with

861
00:37:12,380 --> 00:37:12,540
it.

862
00:37:12,540 --> 00:37:13,660
He buried in the ground.

863
00:37:13,660 --> 00:37:17,160
And because of his fear and
because of his fear of failure, he

864
00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:19,040
didn't do anything with it and
he wasted it.

865
00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:21,120
And of course, God wasn't
happy with that.

866
00:37:21,520 --> 00:37:24,440
The question for all of us
this morning is that those things

867
00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:28,920
that God has given us in our
life, are we going to bury it and

868
00:37:28,920 --> 00:37:29,840
just sit on it?

869
00:37:30,400 --> 00:37:31,640
God's never pleased with that.

870
00:37:31,640 --> 00:37:33,160
God wants us to be stewards of it.

871
00:37:33,160 --> 00:37:35,040
He wants us to multiply it.

872
00:37:35,280 --> 00:37:42,040
Are we going to serve it for
our own praise, our own power, our

873
00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:46,320
own purpose, and selfishly use
those gifts?

874
00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:50,480
Or are we going to say, lord,
whatever you have given me, I want

875
00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:51,280
to give back?

876
00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:55,400
I want to understand how
you've blessed me, how you've gifted

877
00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:57,200
me, and I want to push forward
in that.

878
00:37:57,840 --> 00:37:59,920
Now, I do need to note a few
things here.

879
00:38:00,080 --> 00:38:04,120
One, a lot of times I use this
analogy in my Sunday school class

880
00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:08,050
this morning, I was talking to
a dear lady a while ago, a long time

881
00:38:08,050 --> 00:38:10,690
ago, and I was asking her
about her spiritual gifts.

882
00:38:10,690 --> 00:38:12,970
And she said, and don't take
offense to this anyone, but.

883
00:38:12,970 --> 00:38:14,010
But we're going to get there.

884
00:38:14,730 --> 00:38:16,810
So my spiritual gift is
cooking, Pastor.

885
00:38:16,810 --> 00:38:18,970
I'm a cook, and that's my
spiritual gift.

886
00:38:19,850 --> 00:38:23,450
And I wanted to be nice, and I
said The Bible never talks about

887
00:38:23,450 --> 00:38:23,770
us.

888
00:38:23,850 --> 00:38:26,170
The a spiritual gift is cooking.

889
00:38:26,410 --> 00:38:29,170
That's a natural talent that
God has gifted you with, and that's

890
00:38:29,170 --> 00:38:29,410
different.

891
00:38:29,410 --> 00:38:32,970
We need to distinguish between
natural talents and spiritual gifts.

892
00:38:32,970 --> 00:38:36,500
Now, can somebody use the
natural talent of cooking and their

893
00:38:36,500 --> 00:38:37,140
spiritual gift?

894
00:38:37,140 --> 00:38:37,580
Of course.

895
00:38:37,820 --> 00:38:39,860
You know what I'm really
encouraged when someone cooks me

896
00:38:39,860 --> 00:38:40,860
something and gives it to me.

897
00:38:40,860 --> 00:38:41,500
That's that.

898
00:38:41,500 --> 00:38:41,940
That would be.

899
00:38:41,940 --> 00:38:43,580
That would be a gift of exhortation.

900
00:38:43,740 --> 00:38:44,020
Right?

901
00:38:44,020 --> 00:38:45,660
You would, you would encourage
me with that.

902
00:38:45,900 --> 00:38:46,300
But.

903
00:38:46,380 --> 00:38:48,660
But what we need to
distinguish between the two is that

904
00:38:48,660 --> 00:38:52,220
there are certain things that
God has naturally gifted people in

905
00:38:53,340 --> 00:38:54,540
saved and unsaved.

906
00:38:54,700 --> 00:38:56,220
Like, can an atheist cook?

907
00:38:56,220 --> 00:38:58,980
Yeah, I'm sure that I've had a
cook at a restaurant that's an atheist

908
00:38:58,980 --> 00:39:00,140
that cooked me a really good meal.

909
00:39:01,280 --> 00:39:04,280
There are people that don't
believe in God that can sing really

910
00:39:04,280 --> 00:39:06,560
well, that can build things
with their hands.

911
00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:10,280
So we take all the things that
God has gifted us naturally, and

912
00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:14,360
then we think about how we can
use those natural talents in the

913
00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:16,000
realm of the spiritual gifts.

914
00:39:16,800 --> 00:39:19,360
And that's what we're going to
work on through this series as well,

915
00:39:19,360 --> 00:39:21,760
is okay, yes, God's given me
the gift of singing.

916
00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:23,200
He's given me the gift of cooking.

917
00:39:23,200 --> 00:39:24,600
He's given me the gift of building.

918
00:39:24,600 --> 00:39:26,080
He's given me the gift of whatever.

919
00:39:26,380 --> 00:39:31,020
And how can I use that now as
it's as a redeemed person and having

920
00:39:31,020 --> 00:39:34,380
the Spirit guiding me, how can
I use that in the realm of encouraging

921
00:39:34,380 --> 00:39:35,980
people for the cause of the gospel?

922
00:39:36,540 --> 00:39:37,820
That's the exciting thing.

923
00:39:38,220 --> 00:39:40,580
Because God brings people from
all different backgrounds and all

924
00:39:40,580 --> 00:39:41,700
different skill sets.

925
00:39:41,700 --> 00:39:42,740
And he can say, you know what?

926
00:39:42,740 --> 00:39:46,260
He can use you, who maybe can
work behind the scenes with your

927
00:39:46,260 --> 00:39:46,580
hands.

928
00:39:46,580 --> 00:39:50,540
And maybe God can use others
in capacities of teaching and capacities

929
00:39:50,540 --> 00:39:51,100
of giving.

930
00:39:51,260 --> 00:39:53,140
But the true question would be this.

931
00:39:53,140 --> 00:39:55,970
If the first step of have you
taken that step and say, lord, whatever

932
00:39:55,970 --> 00:39:57,930
you want from me, I'm willing
to give that to you?

933
00:39:58,570 --> 00:40:01,690
God expects faithfulness
because he has entrusted us with

934
00:40:01,690 --> 00:40:02,170
so much.

935
00:40:03,210 --> 00:40:07,090
We're not responsible for
someone else's gift because this

936
00:40:07,090 --> 00:40:07,930
is what sometimes happens.

937
00:40:07,930 --> 00:40:10,570
I look at somebody and I look
at their gift and I go, wow, I wish

938
00:40:10,570 --> 00:40:11,370
I had that gift.

939
00:40:11,610 --> 00:40:12,810
That gift's way more important.

940
00:40:13,050 --> 00:40:14,490
That gift's way more valuable.

941
00:40:14,570 --> 00:40:17,530
No, we're not to look at other
people's gift and covet their gift.

942
00:40:17,690 --> 00:40:19,010
We're not to look at my.

943
00:40:19,010 --> 00:40:21,310
Our own gift and say, you
know, I'm better than that person

944
00:40:21,310 --> 00:40:22,510
because I'm gifted this way.

945
00:40:22,510 --> 00:40:25,190
No, we're responsible for what
God has given us.

946
00:40:25,190 --> 00:40:27,710
And we're responsible for the
stewardship thereof.

947
00:40:28,030 --> 00:40:30,430
And that's a word that we're
going to be using a lot in this study.

948
00:40:30,590 --> 00:40:31,390
Stewardship.

949
00:40:31,790 --> 00:40:35,230
Stewardship is God has given
me something that it's not something

950
00:40:35,230 --> 00:40:35,950
that I earned.

951
00:40:36,190 --> 00:40:39,590
And now I get to manage that
and use that and multiply that.

952
00:40:39,590 --> 00:40:43,230
For him, he's the owner, I'm
just the manager.

953
00:40:43,550 --> 00:40:47,990
And so service is sacrifice,
Service is worship.

954
00:40:48,150 --> 00:40:49,270
Service is everything.

955
00:40:49,270 --> 00:40:52,550
And we're thinking about it
from the perspective of a believer,

956
00:40:52,630 --> 00:40:56,190
but as an unsaved person, an
unsaved person can try to do as much

957
00:40:56,190 --> 00:40:59,630
as they can, but there's
always going to be that cutoff.

958
00:40:59,630 --> 00:41:00,870
There's always going to be
that limit.

959
00:41:00,870 --> 00:41:01,190
Why?

960
00:41:01,270 --> 00:41:04,630
Because true biblical service
starts with the Spirit.

961
00:41:04,710 --> 00:41:06,670
And if you're an unsaved
person, you don't have the Spirit

962
00:41:06,670 --> 00:41:07,430
living within you.

963
00:41:07,670 --> 00:41:07,990
So.

964
00:41:07,990 --> 00:41:12,350
So serving God is not merely
an activity, it's sacrifice.

965
00:41:12,350 --> 00:41:14,860
We talked about this at the
men's meeting last night.

966
00:41:15,020 --> 00:41:16,900
Service is not just an activity.

967
00:41:16,900 --> 00:41:17,980
Ministry is light.

968
00:41:19,660 --> 00:41:24,180
If we are Christians, we don't
just look at our ministry as this

969
00:41:24,180 --> 00:41:27,340
is a Sunday morning thing or a
Wednesday night thing.

970
00:41:27,740 --> 00:41:30,140
We look at our life as a sacrifice.

971
00:41:30,220 --> 00:41:33,660
And we look at every element
of our life to be a ministry opportunity.

972
00:41:33,900 --> 00:41:37,420
And so Romans chapter 12
begins with presenting our bodies

973
00:41:37,420 --> 00:41:38,780
as a living sacrifice.

974
00:41:39,260 --> 00:41:43,580
And it begins to grow in
teaching us how we can do that practically

975
00:41:43,820 --> 00:41:44,740
within the church.

976
00:41:44,740 --> 00:41:49,660
So sacrificial service is the
response to saving grace.

977
00:41:50,460 --> 00:41:52,540
And so I have a few questions
for you here this morning.

978
00:41:52,540 --> 00:41:54,300
Number one, are you saved?

979
00:41:54,860 --> 00:41:56,140
Do you know what that even means?

980
00:41:56,220 --> 00:41:59,500
The Bible says that all of us
are lost in our sin.

981
00:41:59,580 --> 00:42:01,459
We are all dead in our sins.

982
00:42:01,459 --> 00:42:05,260
And so to start this process
of spiritual growth, to start this

983
00:42:05,260 --> 00:42:09,020
process of spiritual service,
you must start with faith.

984
00:42:09,820 --> 00:42:12,840
And so the Bible says, first
and foremost, have you trusted in

985
00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:13,040
Him?

986
00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:14,480
Have you put your faith in Him?

987
00:42:14,720 --> 00:42:18,160
Have you said that he is the
only one who can save me and not

988
00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:18,720
myself?

989
00:42:19,680 --> 00:42:21,960
Have I recognized the sin in
my life?

990
00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:24,160
Have I repented of my sin?

991
00:42:24,240 --> 00:42:27,440
Basically turning away from my
good works and turning to his work

992
00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:28,600
and trusting in him?

993
00:42:28,600 --> 00:42:30,680
Is that something that you
have done in your life?

994
00:42:30,680 --> 00:42:31,520
If so, great.

995
00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:33,720
If not, get that taken care of today.

996
00:42:33,720 --> 00:42:39,500
But secondly, if you have
received the grace of God in salvation,

997
00:42:40,300 --> 00:42:45,820
are you willingly and openly
ready to be used by God in your spiritual

998
00:42:45,820 --> 00:42:46,380
gifting?

999
00:42:47,180 --> 00:42:49,020
Are you ready to be used by God?

1000
00:42:49,020 --> 00:42:50,860
Are you willing to be used by God?

1001
00:42:51,820 --> 00:42:53,580
If not, prepare yourself.

1002
00:42:54,060 --> 00:42:54,860
Get ready.

1003
00:42:54,940 --> 00:42:55,740
Dive deep.

1004
00:42:55,900 --> 00:42:56,300
Understand.

1005
00:42:56,780 --> 00:42:59,060
Identify what God has blessed
you with.

1006
00:42:59,060 --> 00:43:02,460
Within your service gifts and
use those for the kingdom.

1007
00:43:03,750 --> 00:43:07,190
And so if you do know your
gift, are you serving, are you using

1008
00:43:07,430 --> 00:43:11,510
the gifts that God has given
you for his kingdom and, and not

1009
00:43:11,510 --> 00:43:12,070
our own?

1010
00:43:13,350 --> 00:43:15,750
And so the closing challenge
here this morning is this.

1011
00:43:15,750 --> 00:43:17,350
Do you know him in a personal way?

1012
00:43:17,350 --> 00:43:19,030
Have you trusted in him as Savior?

1013
00:43:19,270 --> 00:43:19,830
Number two?

1014
00:43:19,830 --> 00:43:21,750
Have you identified your
spiritual gift?

1015
00:43:22,790 --> 00:43:25,390
Number three, if you have
identified your spiritual gift, are

1016
00:43:25,390 --> 00:43:28,910
you using that gift within the
church, within the community, within

1017
00:43:28,910 --> 00:43:29,350
the world?

1018
00:43:30,620 --> 00:43:34,500
So may we have the same heart
as our Lord, Humbled in spirit, unified

1019
00:43:34,500 --> 00:43:36,620
in purpose and sacrificial.

1020
00:43:37,260 --> 00:43:40,940
God has not given us the gifts
to sit on the sidelines.

1021
00:43:42,380 --> 00:43:46,780
I think that many of us
understand this principle.

1022
00:43:47,740 --> 00:43:51,140
We have some sports teams here
at our church that we have, and it's

1023
00:43:51,140 --> 00:43:51,340
great.

1024
00:43:51,340 --> 00:43:52,540
It's an awesome ministry.

1025
00:43:53,500 --> 00:43:58,310
And if someone came out here,
let's say, let's say I'm not a Phillies

1026
00:43:58,310 --> 00:44:02,070
fan, but let's say for
whatever reason, Bryce Harper started

1027
00:44:02,070 --> 00:44:05,550
coming to our church, say,
okay, great, you know, I would be

1028
00:44:05,550 --> 00:44:05,910
fine with that.

1029
00:44:05,910 --> 00:44:07,270
It's like, Bryce Harper, you
need Jesus Christ.

1030
00:44:07,270 --> 00:44:08,670
Some of you are like, who is
Bryce Harper?

1031
00:44:08,670 --> 00:44:11,069
He's a good, well known
baseball player, okay?

1032
00:44:11,069 --> 00:44:12,630
And he started coming to our
church, right?

1033
00:44:13,110 --> 00:44:15,510
And he sat down here in the
pew and we're like, oh, amen.

1034
00:44:15,510 --> 00:44:16,310
You know, that's great.

1035
00:44:16,310 --> 00:44:16,630
Let's.

1036
00:44:16,630 --> 00:44:17,630
He gets saved.

1037
00:44:17,630 --> 00:44:20,430
And I don't know what his
spiritual condition is, but let's

1038
00:44:20,430 --> 00:44:23,900
say this case, he gets saved
within our church and he's here and

1039
00:44:24,700 --> 00:44:27,140
we tell him, hey, there's a
church softball team.

1040
00:44:27,140 --> 00:44:29,780
If you get any free time in
your week, you know, we'd love for

1041
00:44:29,780 --> 00:44:30,860
you to come out, like.

1042
00:44:31,340 --> 00:44:33,020
And he would be like, no, I'll
just come out and watch.

1043
00:44:33,020 --> 00:44:34,780
We would say, like, what, What
a waste.

1044
00:44:35,660 --> 00:44:36,380
What a waste.

1045
00:44:36,380 --> 00:44:39,020
We got an MLB player here, we
can't use them.

1046
00:44:40,060 --> 00:44:41,020
And, and we laugh.

1047
00:44:41,020 --> 00:44:41,420
And that's.

1048
00:44:41,420 --> 00:44:41,780
It's.

1049
00:44:41,780 --> 00:44:42,540
We get that.

1050
00:44:42,540 --> 00:44:46,500
But think about, like, every
single one of you that come to this

1051
00:44:46,500 --> 00:44:49,640
church and trust in Jesus
Christ as your savior, have that

1052
00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:51,280
holy spirit living within you.

1053
00:44:51,280 --> 00:44:55,160
The same spirit that rose
Jesus from the dead, the same spirit

1054
00:44:55,160 --> 00:44:58,240
that led David on the
battlefield against Goliath, the

1055
00:44:58,240 --> 00:45:01,640
same spirit that brought fire
down from heaven through Elijah,

1056
00:45:01,640 --> 00:45:05,320
the same spirit that was able
to give peace to Stephen as he was

1057
00:45:05,320 --> 00:45:09,200
being stoned as a martyr, the
same grace that was there for Paul

1058
00:45:09,200 --> 00:45:12,280
to preach the gospel to the
lost and dying world is the same

1059
00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:13,480
spirit that lives within us.

1060
00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:17,120
And so when we sit in the pew
and we don't utilize the Spirit of

1061
00:45:17,120 --> 00:45:18,040
God in our life.

1062
00:45:18,060 --> 00:45:21,690
And it's just as crazy as a
professional baseball player sitting

1063
00:45:21,690 --> 00:45:23,010
here and not getting on the field.

1064
00:45:23,090 --> 00:45:24,970
It's like, why are we sitting
on the sidelines?

1065
00:45:24,970 --> 00:45:25,570
Let's get in.

1066
00:45:25,570 --> 00:45:26,530
Let's get involved.

1067
00:45:26,690 --> 00:45:29,050
And some of you say, pastor,
I've been involved, but it's been

1068
00:45:29,050 --> 00:45:31,570
a long time and I've lost my
skill set.

1069
00:45:31,570 --> 00:45:33,330
Okay, well, you know what happens?

1070
00:45:33,330 --> 00:45:35,930
Let's say we don't have Bryce
Harper come out, but who's an old

1071
00:45:35,930 --> 00:45:36,610
Phillies player.

1072
00:45:36,610 --> 00:45:38,730
That's way beyond their years.

1073
00:45:38,730 --> 00:45:41,690
Okay, someone tell me, was
that Mike Schmidt?

1074
00:45:41,690 --> 00:45:43,410
Okay, Mike Schmidt comes here.

1075
00:45:43,490 --> 00:45:45,970
Mike Schmidt's like, pastor
Josh, you don't want me on the softball

1076
00:45:45,970 --> 00:45:46,210
field.

1077
00:45:46,210 --> 00:45:47,530
You might have to have liability.

1078
00:45:47,530 --> 00:45:48,990
I might blow something out.

1079
00:45:48,990 --> 00:45:49,550
But you know what?

1080
00:45:49,550 --> 00:45:52,510
If I had Mike Schmidt out
here, I said, you better start teaching

1081
00:45:52,510 --> 00:45:53,110
those guys.

1082
00:45:53,350 --> 00:45:54,310
Get them out there.

1083
00:45:54,390 --> 00:45:56,830
Get those young guys out there
on the ball field and start teaching

1084
00:45:56,830 --> 00:45:57,070
them.

1085
00:45:57,070 --> 00:45:58,310
It's the same thing with us.

1086
00:45:58,390 --> 00:46:02,070
Some of us might not have the
same skill set as we used to physically,

1087
00:46:02,870 --> 00:46:06,150
but now we're able to pass
that torch on to the next generation.

1088
00:46:06,790 --> 00:46:08,630
I'm not able to get out and
knock on those doors.

1089
00:46:08,630 --> 00:46:10,870
I'm not able to get out and
build those things.

1090
00:46:10,870 --> 00:46:13,270
But I can walk a young
Christian through that same process

1091
00:46:13,270 --> 00:46:14,710
of what I went through in growth.

1092
00:46:15,110 --> 00:46:16,350
And so do you see that?

1093
00:46:16,350 --> 00:46:19,270
Sometimes the role changes,
but the same purpose is there.

1094
00:46:19,270 --> 00:46:21,590
It's to lift up the cause of
the gospel.

1095
00:46:21,670 --> 00:46:24,990
It's to encourage other people
to come to know Jesus and to teach

1096
00:46:24,990 --> 00:46:28,470
them how to walk in that path
that Jesus has called us to walk

1097
00:46:28,470 --> 00:46:28,790
in.

1098
00:46:29,190 --> 00:46:32,390
And so, though this is just an
introductory sermon, God has not

1099
00:46:32,390 --> 00:46:34,110
called us to sit on the sidelines.

1100
00:46:34,110 --> 00:46:37,230
He's called us, and he's
equipped us to serve within the church

1101
00:46:37,230 --> 00:46:40,710
and to reach our community and
to glorify Christ in this world.

1102
00:46:42,010 --> 00:46:46,410
And so today, have you trusted
in Jesus?

1103
00:46:48,250 --> 00:46:50,330
If you have, praise God.

1104
00:46:50,570 --> 00:46:52,930
The Bible tells us,
theologically speaking, that the

1105
00:46:52,930 --> 00:46:54,330
Holy Spirit now lives within us.

1106
00:46:55,770 --> 00:46:58,570
The next question is, how am I
living that out in my life?

1107
00:46:59,290 --> 00:47:00,290
How am I serving?

1108
00:47:00,290 --> 00:47:01,610
How am I sacrificing?

1109
00:47:01,770 --> 00:47:02,970
Is it with humility?

1110
00:47:03,530 --> 00:47:04,570
Is it with harmony?

1111
00:47:04,810 --> 00:47:06,610
Is it with a heart of service
and sacrifice?

1112
00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:09,640
This morning, you have an
opportunity to respond.

1113
00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:12,480
I hope that you come back in
the future, because we're going to

1114
00:47:12,480 --> 00:47:15,960
dive deeper into some of these
elements of the gift of service.

1115
00:47:16,680 --> 00:47:20,800
And so let's go ahead now and
have a time of invitation, time of

1116
00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:21,280
response.

1117
00:47:21,280 --> 00:47:24,560
If you're able to stand with
me, every head bowed, every Eye closed

1118
00:47:24,560 --> 00:47:25,520
as the music plays here.

1119
00:47:25,520 --> 00:47:26,840
I don't want anyone looking around.

1120
00:47:27,160 --> 00:47:28,680
I don't want any distractions.

1121
00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:32,000
But what I do want is a time
for you to respond to the word of

1122
00:47:32,000 --> 00:47:32,480
God here.

1123
00:47:32,480 --> 00:47:37,030
This morning, the first and
biggest question that we always ask

1124
00:47:37,030 --> 00:47:37,550
is this.

1125
00:47:37,710 --> 00:47:39,870
Do you know Jesus as your
personal Savior?

1126
00:47:40,190 --> 00:47:43,470
Have you trusted in him and
him alone to save you from your sins?

1127
00:47:44,830 --> 00:47:48,590
If that be the case, praise
God, we have a reason to rejoice.

1128
00:47:49,630 --> 00:47:52,510
We have a reason to celebrate
this morning.

1129
00:47:54,750 --> 00:47:57,470
But secondly, if you've
trusted in Jesus as your Savior,

1130
00:47:57,550 --> 00:48:01,470
have you taken that next step
of saying what I want to serve him

1131
00:48:01,470 --> 00:48:05,790
at the best I can in the most
effective and efficient way for the

1132
00:48:05,790 --> 00:48:06,630
cause of the kingdom.

1133
00:48:06,630 --> 00:48:07,950
If so, praise God.

1134
00:48:07,950 --> 00:48:12,190
Keep up the good work, keep
the faith, keep serving, keep sacrificing.

1135
00:48:12,190 --> 00:48:14,750
But if not, it's never too
late to get started.

1136
00:48:14,990 --> 00:48:18,070
It's never too late to put to
practice what God has blessed you

1137
00:48:18,070 --> 00:48:19,790
with in such a great way.

1138
00:48:20,270 --> 00:48:22,670
If you are serving, are you
serving with humility?

1139
00:48:22,830 --> 00:48:24,190
Are you serving with harmony?

1140
00:48:24,190 --> 00:48:26,780
Or if you serving with the
heart of sacrifice and service?

1141
00:48:26,780 --> 00:48:28,620
If not, get that right with
him today.

1142
00:48:29,340 --> 00:48:30,060
Get that right.

1143
00:48:30,060 --> 00:48:33,420
Get your heart aligned with
him so that we can walk in unison.

1144
00:48:33,820 --> 00:48:35,340
As the body of Christ.

1145
00:48:35,500 --> 00:48:37,620
Lord, I pray that you be in
this time of invitation, working

1146
00:48:37,620 --> 00:48:38,380
hearts and lives.

1147
00:48:38,540 --> 00:48:43,140
I pray that you can speak to
those who need spoken to today, that

1148
00:48:43,140 --> 00:48:45,940
you can comfort those that
need comforting today, that you can

1149
00:48:45,940 --> 00:48:47,740
challenge those that need that
challenging today.

1150
00:48:48,060 --> 00:48:49,660
We ask all those things in
Jesus name.

1151
00:48:49,660 --> 00:48:49,980
Amen.

1152
00:48:49,980 --> 00:48:50,860
And some have already come.

1153
00:48:51,020 --> 00:48:52,700
Follow as the Lord leads here
this morning.