[The following is the manuscript of my sermon delivered on the Sunday after Christmas, the 28th of December, 2014. This message is a little shorter than usual due to the receiving of a new member, the ordination of a Deacon, and installation of Elders and Deacons.]
Did you ever consider that we as Christians might have a job description? Listen to some of the qualifications the Apostle Paul gives for us and the church from his 1st letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, verses 4 through 13…
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body — whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free — and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
--1 Corinthians 12:4-13 (NKJV)
Let us pray... Father God, we come together this morning as one family in the name of Jesus, the Head of our household. May Your Holy Spirit touch each of us and speak Your message to our hearts. In the blessed name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Now that all the presents have been opened, I thought you might like to hear…
The Top 5 Things to Say About Gifts You Don’t Like
5. Well, well, well…
4. I really don’t deserve this.
3. Gosh, I hope this never catches fire!
2. I love it, but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.
1. To think I got this the very year I promised to donate all my gifts to charity.
Sometimes we are best defined, and usually recognized, by what we do within and for our family. People see our role in our family and often take note of how well we perform it – oh, and God does too. Husband, wife, father, mother, child, grandchild… each role has its own place in the family scheme, its own responsibilities and its own rewards.
I titled today’s message “All in the Family” not because it has anything to do with the old TV show, but more because it has to do with understanding our place in our church family. But there is one thing we can take from that show: its impact on people, and on one person in particular.
Carroll O’Conner starred in countless movies and television shows, including portraying the Chief of Police in the award-winning series, “In the Heat of the Night”. Yet in most people’s minds he will forever be known only as Archie Bunker. Sometimes the only thing that truly matters is how well we fill our role in our family.
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul mentions a few of the many and varied gifts we have been endowed with. Some of us are given the wisdom of God, some great knowledge. Others have been blessed with an abundance of faith. Some are given gifts of healing, others can work wonderful miracles. Some can speak for the Lord and some can more clearly discern His will. But all these different and diverse gifts are provided by the same God, distributed by the same Holy Spirit, bestowed upon the one church of Christ.
Paul carries this concept a little further in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 4 through 7 and 11 through 16, when he also compares the body of Christ with a normal human body…
Now that all the presents have been opened, I thought you might like to hear…
The Top 5 Things to Say About Gifts You Don’t Like
5. Well, well, well…
4. I really don’t deserve this.
3. Gosh, I hope this never catches fire!
2. I love it, but I fear the jealousy it will inspire.
1. To think I got this the very year I promised to donate all my gifts to charity.
Sometimes we are best defined, and usually recognized, by what we do within and for our family. People see our role in our family and often take note of how well we perform it – oh, and God does too. Husband, wife, father, mother, child, grandchild… each role has its own place in the family scheme, its own responsibilities and its own rewards.
I titled today’s message “All in the Family” not because it has anything to do with the old TV show, but more because it has to do with understanding our place in our church family. But there is one thing we can take from that show: its impact on people, and on one person in particular.
Carroll O’Conner starred in countless movies and television shows, including portraying the Chief of Police in the award-winning series, “In the Heat of the Night”. Yet in most people’s minds he will forever be known only as Archie Bunker. Sometimes the only thing that truly matters is how well we fill our role in our family.
In today’s scripture, the Apostle Paul mentions a few of the many and varied gifts we have been endowed with. Some of us are given the wisdom of God, some great knowledge. Others have been blessed with an abundance of faith. Some are given gifts of healing, others can work wonderful miracles. Some can speak for the Lord and some can more clearly discern His will. But all these different and diverse gifts are provided by the same God, distributed by the same Holy Spirit, bestowed upon the one church of Christ.
Paul carries this concept a little further in his letter to the Ephesians, chapter 4, verses 4 through 7 and 11 through 16, when he also compares the body of Christ with a normal human body…
4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head — Christ — 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
--Ephesians 4:4-7, 11-16 (NKJV)
Just like our human body is composed of many different parts, each part having its own unique purpose and function, so is the church, the body of Christ, built up from many diverse members, each of us having different gifts, different talents. We have been equipped by the Holy Spirit so that each of us has something we’re good at, like I told the kids earlier.
Now God specially designed the human body to contain all these various parts with different functions so that they will all work together to accomplish the task of being us, each person of us. Granted, some of us have parts that work better than others of us, but we all manage to function as the person that God meant for us to be.
The same goes for the church, the body of Christ left here on this earth when He ascended into heaven. All of our “parts” have been prepared by the Holy Spirit to mesh together and handle the needs and tasks of the church. All the special gifts and talents, while different in each of us, combine together within the church to do what can only be considered miraculous things sometimes. But we all have our roles to fill.
Earlier you heard me list just some of the duties and responsibilities of our church Elders and Deacons, as well as some for new members and for the congregation in general. We each have a role to play – each one of us, whether we are a church officer or not, we have our own ministry. We have a role to play as a part of the body of Christ. And I promise you there are people watching to see how well we fill our role.
Many different parts and members and gifts and talents – one God, one Holy Spirit, one church family. Together, we are far greater than any of us apart. Together we are the body of Christ. And together we are the family known to the world as Pilgrim Reformed Church. This is our family. To God we are simply known as “beloved children”. We’re all in His family. And as Paul says in Ephesians chapter 5 verses 1 and 2…
Now God specially designed the human body to contain all these various parts with different functions so that they will all work together to accomplish the task of being us, each person of us. Granted, some of us have parts that work better than others of us, but we all manage to function as the person that God meant for us to be.
The same goes for the church, the body of Christ left here on this earth when He ascended into heaven. All of our “parts” have been prepared by the Holy Spirit to mesh together and handle the needs and tasks of the church. All the special gifts and talents, while different in each of us, combine together within the church to do what can only be considered miraculous things sometimes. But we all have our roles to fill.
Earlier you heard me list just some of the duties and responsibilities of our church Elders and Deacons, as well as some for new members and for the congregation in general. We each have a role to play – each one of us, whether we are a church officer or not, we have our own ministry. We have a role to play as a part of the body of Christ. And I promise you there are people watching to see how well we fill our role.
Many different parts and members and gifts and talents – one God, one Holy Spirit, one church family. Together, we are far greater than any of us apart. Together we are the body of Christ. And together we are the family known to the world as Pilgrim Reformed Church. This is our family. To God we are simply known as “beloved children”. We’re all in His family. And as Paul says in Ephesians chapter 5 verses 1 and 2…
1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
--Ephesians 5:1-2 (NKJV)
That’s our greatest role: imitators of God, walking in love. Let’s make sure we fill that role very well indeed.
Amen.
Let us pray… Lord God, Creator of all things and Bestower of all gifts, we lift our praises and our prayers to You! You have given us so many different ways to serve You, and made it all so that we should not have to try to rely upon our own resources, but should work together toward Your common good. Thank you for the many different talents and skills, and for the great diversity of life itself!
Father, please forgive us when we fail to use the gifts You have so generously poured out on us through Your Holy Spirit to serve You and help advance Your kingdom. Forgive us when we fail to work together, as a body should, whether out of silly pride or because we just don’t want to get involved or put forth the effort. Lord, You have not only given each of us a special ability, but also a special responsibility that maybe only we can fulfill. You have a role for each of us – please help us fill that role so that we may make You happy.
Hear us now, Lord, as we pause for a moment to speak to You from our hearts those words our mouths can’t form…
Father God, we want to serve You. We want to use the special gifts You gave us to please You, to build up Your kingdom here on earth, to show others what they themselves can or already do have. Help us, Lord, to fill our roles well. In Your most glorious name, Jesus, sweet Jesus, we pray. Amen.
Amen.
Let us pray… Lord God, Creator of all things and Bestower of all gifts, we lift our praises and our prayers to You! You have given us so many different ways to serve You, and made it all so that we should not have to try to rely upon our own resources, but should work together toward Your common good. Thank you for the many different talents and skills, and for the great diversity of life itself!
Father, please forgive us when we fail to use the gifts You have so generously poured out on us through Your Holy Spirit to serve You and help advance Your kingdom. Forgive us when we fail to work together, as a body should, whether out of silly pride or because we just don’t want to get involved or put forth the effort. Lord, You have not only given each of us a special ability, but also a special responsibility that maybe only we can fulfill. You have a role for each of us – please help us fill that role so that we may make You happy.
Hear us now, Lord, as we pause for a moment to speak to You from our hearts those words our mouths can’t form…
Father God, we want to serve You. We want to use the special gifts You gave us to please You, to build up Your kingdom here on earth, to show others what they themselves can or already do have. Help us, Lord, to fill our roles well. In Your most glorious name, Jesus, sweet Jesus, we pray. Amen.
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