Spiritual Gifts…one body…many members
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 17: Spiritual Gifts”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
The human body is an amazing machine. Consider just a few facts:
- Human lungs contain almost 1,500 miles of airways and over 300 million alveoli.
- If the blood vessels in the human body were laid end to end, they would encircle the Earth four times.
- The human body consists of around 37.2 TRILLION cells.
With over 37 trillion different parts – and that doesn’t even count all the parts of a cell – the human body is an amazing feat of God’s creation. It’s complexity defies the scientific community to fully know. It’s parts too many to count. It’s function is almost endless.
Yet it is designed JUST AS God wanted it to be…just enough cells for the heart, the right amount for the brain, and the perfect design for the lungs…and more.
Isn’t it interesting that God uses the human body to give us a glimpse of his spiritual body – the church?
So many different members, yet one body.
EACH part is important. EACH part is uniquely gifted. EACH part needs all the other parts.
Think of what the body accomplishes…some without even thinking about it:
- An average person breathes in around 11,000 litres of air every day.
- In one year, a human heart would pump enough blood to fill an Olympic size pool.
- Your heart beats around 100,000 times a day, 36,500,000 times a year and over a billion times if you live beyond 30.
What could the body of Christ accomplish for the Lord if EACH part new its role and carried it out? I believe we have just scratched the surface and the impact of Christians around the world would be incredible if we all, with the Spirit’s help, committed to being an ACTIVE member of the body of Christ with the gifts that God has given to EACH of us.
But that takes commitment. It takes commitment to understand your gift. It takes commitment to not do somethings so you can engage with fellow believers. It takes commitment to push through the obstacles for the sake of God’s mission and ministry to reach souls.
If the heart could talk, it may say, “I’m tired today. I think I’ll stop for awhile.” The whole body suffers.
If the lungs could talk, they may say, “I’ve got enough air for awhile, I’ll just take a nap.” The whole body suffers.
If the cells could talk, they may say, “Let’s take turns taking a break and stop functioning.” The whole body suffers.
The point? The body of Christ needs you to be actively engaged and fully committed to the work of the Lord. The other parts and the health of the body are counting on you.
Will you carry out your role?
With the guidance of the Spirit and the power he gives…put into action the gifts and faith that God has given to you!
Apply: What gifts has God given to you? How can you actively use them to be a blessing to the body of Christ?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for the grace you have given to me to believe in you and live for you. Help me to be a faithful steward of all these gifts of grace! AMEN.
Spiritual Gifts…What are they?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 17: Spiritual Gifts”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
A poll done in 2009 by Barna research found the following:
Between those who do not know their gift (15%), those who say they don’t have one (28%) and those who claimed gifts that are not biblical (20%), nearly two-thirds of the self-identified Christian population who claim to have heard about spiritual gifts have not been able to accurately apply whatever they have heard or what the Bible teaches on the subject to their lives. (https://www.barna.com/research/survey-describes-the-spiritual-gifts-that-christians-say-they-have/)
So perhaps you are one of those that have heard about spiritual gifts, yet have not taken or had the opportunity to better understand them in general and put them into practice specifically. I hope this week’s devotions help.
So what is a spiritual gift? There are many definitions on the web if you search “Definition of Spiritual Gifts,” but let’s go with this:
A spiritual gift is…
…a special, divine ability or talent GIVEN by the Holy Spirit…
- 1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
…to EACH believer…
- 1 Corinthians 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. … 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
…to be USED in the context of the BODY of Christ…
- 1 Corinthians 12:12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.
- KEY VERSE Romans 12:4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.
… to ACCOMPLISH a given MINISTRY in God’s kingdom.
- 1 Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
- 1 Corinthians 12:18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
So as God’s Spirit has called you to faith, he has also gifted you to be a productive member of the body of Christ. Each one has been given a gift for the common good.
Do you know what God has given to you? There are many assessments online as well, but here’s one to start with. Over this week we’ll look at the different gifts and perhaps God will make clear the gift he has given to you and how he wants to use it.
Apply: Take this spiritual gifts assessment: CLICK HERE
Prayer: Spirit of God, thank you for calling me to faith and giving me gifts to live out that faith in a special way. Open my eyes to see the gifts you have given to me and how I am to use those to your glory and to the blessing of your ministry! AMEN
A biblical community is built on truth!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 16: Biblical Community”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
A biblical community is built on truth.
Acts 2:42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
At the center of this first Christian community was the truth of God’s Word – the apostles’ teaching. In fact, the truth of God’s Word is at the heart of a truly biblical community. After all how can you be a biblical community if every person in that community isn’t devoted to the words of the Bible? You can’t.
The truth of God’s Word is foundation and fabric of every biblical community. It is that Word that teaches each of us who God is, what love is, what humility is, how to live at peace with one another and so much more.
Truth is also the foundation for key components of the Christian community.
A biblical community seeks to know, understand, and speak the truth.
Ephesians 4:25 Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Satan is the father of lies. So anything that is not truth from God or just truth in general doesn’t have a place in the body of Christ. Satan loves to infiltrate his lies with a little bit of truth to make them more appealing. So a biblical community is vigilant around the truth of God’s word and has honest conversations when that truth is being compromised.
Speak the truth in love. Condescending, judgmental, unloving conversations have no part in the body of Christ. Here’s the encouragement if we need to confront lies and falsehood:
Ephesians 4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
Colossians 3:9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.
So what does speaking the truth in love in a biblical community look like? Here’s a few examples of how the truth working in my heart and life can make me a stronger member of biblical community
- I spend time daily in the truth of God’s Word to allow it to guide and affect every aspect of my life.
- When a brother or sister in Christ confronts a sin in my life, I receive it with joy that they were willing to speak the truth.
- I allow the narrative of God’s truth to form my opinions, worldview, and perception of the events around me and help others to do the same.
- Lying is just not an option…as little or as “white” of a lie as it may be.
- I use the truth in love, being discerning how and when and to whom to share the truth. (i.e. while a comment may be true, it may not be loving, build some one up, or need to be shared.)
The Truth sets us apart. Be humbled that we are entrusted with God’s Truth. Be gentle in speaking the truth. Always be guided by the truth!
John 17:17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.
Apply: What can you do to build a community of truth in your local context?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your truth and building my heart and life around that truth. Let me be used by you to always bring your truth to the church community I am part of. AMEN.
A biblical community can be destroyed!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 16: Biblical Community”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
A biblical community is a community of grace.
Or is it?
I hope it is. However, truth be told, it easier to believe and teach love and forgiveness and grace than it is to practice love, forgiveness and grace.
But you and I wouldn’t be the first to struggle with this.
The Apostle Paul wrote these words to a group of Christians in the region of Galatia:
Galatian 5:15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.
Like a human family, a family of believers can struggle to get along at times.
We can be mean.
We can hold grudges.
We can be judgmental of others.
We can be critical.
We can be condescending.
We can be cold.
We can be unforgiving.
We can be ___________________.
Who wants to be part of a community that has these characteristics.
I wouldn’t think anyone does.
Charles Spurgeon once said, “Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.”
The reason a biblical community can “bite and devour each other” is because each person has a sinful nature that is wreaking havoc on the work of God’s Spirit. The sinful nature leads us to all of the above reactions.
So what is the solution? How about working with God’s help to do the following:
- Ephesians 4:29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen… 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
- Colossians 3:12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone. 15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.
The reality is Satan wants to destroy a biblical community and he will work inside each of us to love grace for ourselves, but fail to show grace to others. He will get us to treasure forgiveness for our sins, but invite us to hold grudges against someone who wronged us. He will allow us to bask in the love Jesus has shown to us and give us excuses why we don’t have to show love to others.
So to develop and maintain a biblical community, we must seek the Spirit’s help to do the following:
James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.
Did you hear the promise in this? Grow closer to the love of God and God’s love will come closer to you. And as God’s love, grace and forgiveness fills you, you too can be part of filling a biblical community with his love, grace and forgiveness.
Apply: Which attribute encouraged in the passages above would make a difference to your church community if you intentionally worked to do better yourself and encourage others to do the same.
Prayer: Lord, help me with your Spirit to be a catalyst against Satan and for your Spirit to develop a biblical community that focuses on and lives out your love, grace and forgiveness. AMEN.
A biblical community is humble and patient…
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 16: Biblical Community”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Sin divides. Always has. Always will.
The church is not immune from divisions that come as a result of sinful people coming together seeking the forgiveness and love of Christ at the cross.
In fact, if you have been in a church for any length of time, you probably have experienced some sort of division over some issue that could be a serious doctrinal straying from the Bible or a matter of opinion over paint colors in the church remodel.
Or perhaps you are or know someone who is staying away from the church because of the division or “politics” in a church. So indirectly divisions in the church divide someone not even in the church from the church.
Satan loves it when a “biblical community” is a divided community.
It’s no wonder the Scripture encourages:
Ephesians 4:3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
A biblical community works to maintain unity…true unity.
So how do we build a true peace in the community of believers? Here’s a few thoughts to reflect on.
Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
Pride easily creeps into our hearts and can affect how we interact with others. Sure we may say a friendly “Hello” or we may smile as we pass by an individual, but we can think, “I would never want to hang out with them.” Pride can come up when we look down on how others parent their children. Pride can come up when we look at how others are dressed and make a judgment about them. Pride rears its ugly head when we think our ideas are better than someone else’s. Pride comes up when we wonder why no one said thank you for financial gifts or volunteer effort that was given.
And division happens inside my heart with someone else or the church as a whole.
So the Apostle Paul says, “Be completely humble.” A biblical community is filled with people who are humble. Humility realizes that its about Jesus, not them. Humility seeks to understand someone’s situation and seeks to help, not judge. Humility serves with the satisfaction it is done to the Lord and doesn’t need accolades from others. Humility realizes that what makes us all the same is we are all sinful people in need of the forgiving, saving work of Jesus and we are just grateful to gather together around the cross.
Impatience. How long do we have to put up with so and so’s behavior? How come that person can’t get on board with the rest of us? Why does that person always speak negatively at meetings? Why can’t they give up that addiction? How many times do we have to financially help that family? And the list goes on. We want everyone to be at the level of Christian living we are at (assuming we have “arrived”…hmm, pride…) or do things the same or think the same and we become impatient when it doesn’t happen. And Satan loves it.
So the Spirit says, “Bear with one another in love.” I’ll add, “…just as Jesus has born with you in love.” Think of how many times we do the same sin and need forgiveness. Think how slow your mindset has been to transform into the mindset of God. Think of how long it has taken to you to overcome a pet sin of yours…or how you still fall for it? The point is the patience of God is deep and his love for you is wide.
So…we get to share and live out that love with one another. Yes, at times it is hard. At times it doesn’t come easily.
But we go back to the cross and see the humble service of Jesus and the patient love he has shown to us.
Satan hates it when we are humble, patient and loving. The Spirit loves it.
And that’s what a biblical community does.
Apply: How are you prideful, impatient, or unloving? Repent and ask the Spirit to show you how to be humble, patient and loving.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for your humble, patient love for us prideful, impatient people. Help us to be the same to the people in our church family and the community around us. AMEN.