WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.060 All right, so on this fall kickoff Sunday, we're 00:00:02.060 --> 00:00:04.400 going to do a couple things. First of all, we're 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:07.960 going to see how the scriptures instruct us to 00:00:07.960 --> 00:00:11.119 live life together in the body, every single 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:14.460 one of us. Not leaders, not staff, not deacons, 00:00:14.460 --> 00:00:17.199 not all of us. What are we called? How are we 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:19.820 called to live life in the body? And then hopefully, 00:00:20.059 --> 00:00:22.359 by the end, with a healthy conviction, we're 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:24.519 going to give you some practical ways that you 00:00:24.519 --> 00:00:27.320 can respond well. to what you heard in God's 00:00:27.320 --> 00:00:29.899 Word this morning. And I'll tell you how that's 00:00:29.899 --> 00:00:32.520 going to happen at the end of the service. For 00:00:32.520 --> 00:00:34.939 now, grab your Bibles, and we're going this morning 00:00:34.939 --> 00:00:42.100 to the book of Romans. Romans chapter 12. There 00:00:42.100 --> 00:00:45.060 it is, Romans chapter 12. And as you're turning 00:00:45.060 --> 00:00:46.759 there, your first thought when you hear Romans 00:00:46.759 --> 00:00:49.560 12 is you might think, ah, I know exactly what 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:55.289 passage he's going to. But you'd be wrong. Romans 00:00:55.289 --> 00:00:57.710 12, 1 and 2, one of the most famous passages, 00:00:57.909 --> 00:01:00.689 most beloved passages in the New Testament. We 00:01:00.689 --> 00:01:02.869 will read it. It is beautiful. It is challenging. 00:01:03.229 --> 00:01:06.329 But our focus today is actually on the 11 verses 00:01:06.329 --> 00:01:10.109 that come after it, verses which are much less 00:01:10.109 --> 00:01:13.629 well -known. So let's read these verses, starting 00:01:13.629 --> 00:01:15.030 in verse 1. Let's go back up. We're going to 00:01:15.030 --> 00:01:17.870 make sure we read in context. Verse 1, this is 00:01:17.870 --> 00:01:21.750 a familiar passage. Paul says, I urge you, brethren, 00:01:21.969 --> 00:01:24.629 by the mercies of God, to present your bodies 00:01:24.629 --> 00:01:28.030 a living and holy sacrifice acceptable to God, 00:01:28.170 --> 00:01:33.030 which is your spiritual service of what? Worship. 00:01:33.609 --> 00:01:35.989 And do not be conformed to this world, but be 00:01:35.989 --> 00:01:39.890 transformed by the renewing of your mind so that 00:01:39.890 --> 00:01:42.849 you may prove or discern what the will of God 00:01:42.849 --> 00:01:47.390 is, that which is good and acceptable. So although 00:01:47.390 --> 00:01:50.069 these verses aren't the focus of our time this 00:01:50.069 --> 00:01:52.430 morning, I do want you to see that before Paul 00:01:52.430 --> 00:01:55.510 gets to the issue of congregational life, he 00:01:55.510 --> 00:01:58.250 starts here with an exhortation about personal 00:01:58.250 --> 00:02:01.349 worship and personal transformation. He says, 00:02:01.349 --> 00:02:03.950 look, in view of the mercy that you have received 00:02:03.950 --> 00:02:07.129 from God in Christ, give yourself back to him. 00:02:07.769 --> 00:02:10.210 Give yourself back to him as a living and holy 00:02:10.210 --> 00:02:14.099 sacrifice. Present your entire life. You picture 00:02:14.099 --> 00:02:16.520 that, the idea of presenting something on the 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:19.539 altar before God. Present your entire life before 00:02:19.539 --> 00:02:22.199 God, your body, your soul, your mind, what you 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:24.740 love, what you desire, what you seek. Lay it 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:28.020 all before him on the throne of grace as an offering. 00:02:28.199 --> 00:02:30.360 What a beautiful picture, right, that he's giving 00:02:30.360 --> 00:02:32.889 us here. And then rather than letting the world 00:02:32.889 --> 00:02:35.870 and this wild culture out there shape your thinking, 00:02:36.069 --> 00:02:39.389 instead let the Holy Spirit transform and renew 00:02:39.389 --> 00:02:42.449 your heart and mind from within. And in doing 00:02:42.449 --> 00:02:45.009 so, you'll begin to more easily and quickly discern 00:02:45.009 --> 00:02:47.050 what the will of God is. That's a great promise, 00:02:47.150 --> 00:02:49.550 isn't it? You'll find yourself aligned less and 00:02:49.550 --> 00:02:51.770 less with the world and the culture and more 00:02:51.770 --> 00:02:54.879 aligned with the way God sees the world. This 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:56.479 is a great promise that we have from the Lord. 00:02:56.539 --> 00:02:59.520 If you'll present yourself, if you'll only present 00:02:59.520 --> 00:03:03.219 yourself to him each and every day, watch to 00:03:03.219 --> 00:03:05.719 see how his spirit will change you from the inside 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:09.000 out. We just need to be faithful to that command, 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:12.099 right? Present yourself. Now, those two verses 00:03:12.099 --> 00:03:14.539 are foundational to your Christian walk, but... 00:03:14.919 --> 00:03:17.120 They're not the sum total of what God desires 00:03:17.120 --> 00:03:19.280 for you. Yes, the ultimate goal of our lives 00:03:19.280 --> 00:03:22.759 is to glorify God in all things, but the practical 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:26.400 goal of your personal worship is then applying 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:31.439 your transformed life in service to others. That's 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:34.099 the practical outcome. There's the personal growth, 00:03:34.259 --> 00:03:37.000 but then there's the practical outflow in the 00:03:37.000 --> 00:03:39.340 lives of others. That's what the next 11 verses 00:03:39.340 --> 00:03:43.409 are about. So as we read verses 3 to 13, by the 00:03:43.409 --> 00:03:44.689 way, if you've been a member here at Oak Hill 00:03:44.689 --> 00:03:46.729 for any period of time, you're going to recognize 00:03:46.729 --> 00:03:48.590 some of the language here, some of the phrases, 00:03:48.669 --> 00:03:51.189 because we talk about it all the time. But here's 00:03:51.189 --> 00:03:54.590 the thing, guys. I put those things on the screen 00:03:54.590 --> 00:03:56.729 earlier. We talk about these things all the time. 00:03:56.909 --> 00:03:58.870 It's one thing to hear it from a church leader. 00:03:59.270 --> 00:04:01.449 It's a whole other stronger thing to hear it 00:04:01.449 --> 00:04:03.990 from God himself in the pages of Scripture. Amen? 00:04:04.810 --> 00:04:07.349 So let's hear the voice of God as he speaks through 00:04:07.349 --> 00:04:09.990 Paul. telling us how we should be functioning 00:04:09.990 --> 00:04:13.870 as members of his body. Verse 3. For through 00:04:13.870 --> 00:04:18.870 the grace given to me, I say to everyone among 00:04:18.870 --> 00:04:22.170 you. How many people? Everyone. Every person 00:04:22.170 --> 00:04:24.569 in the body in the church of Rome. To everyone 00:04:24.569 --> 00:04:27.550 among you, not to think more highly of himself 00:04:27.550 --> 00:04:30.790 than he ought to think, but to think so as to 00:04:30.790 --> 00:04:34.040 have sound judgment. as God has allowed it to 00:04:34.040 --> 00:04:36.860 each a measure of faith. For just as we have 00:04:36.860 --> 00:04:40.100 many members in one body, and all the members 00:04:40.100 --> 00:04:43.399 do not have the same function, so we who are 00:04:43.399 --> 00:04:46.720 many are one body in Christ and individually 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:51.300 members of one another. Since we have gifts that 00:04:51.300 --> 00:04:54.060 differ according to the grace given to us, each 00:04:54.060 --> 00:04:57.579 of us is to exercise them accordingly. If prophecy, 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:00.319 according to the proportion of his faith. If 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:03.230 service, in his serving. Or he who teaches in 00:05:03.230 --> 00:05:05.990 his teaching. Or he who exhorts in his exhortation. 00:05:06.069 --> 00:05:10.370 He who gives with liberality or generosity. He 00:05:10.370 --> 00:05:12.790 who leads with diligence. He who shows mercy 00:05:12.790 --> 00:05:27.790 with cheerfulness. Verse 9. Not lagging behind 00:05:27.790 --> 00:05:44.040 in diligence. Now, that's a mouthful, isn't it? 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:47.800 Did you catch there how deep Paul says our connection 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:52.399 is to one another? Look at the extensive nature 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:55.600 of that list of responsibilities that we have 00:05:55.600 --> 00:05:58.480 in relation to each other. In the body of Christ. 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:01.139 Here's the sad thing, you guys. And I'm going 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:03.759 to step on a soapbox for just a moment. In so 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:06.480 many corners of the American church today, we 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:08.680 have taught churchgoers that these things that 00:06:08.680 --> 00:06:11.279 we just read are sort of optional for the average 00:06:11.279 --> 00:06:14.620 believer. They're just optional. What we've done 00:06:14.620 --> 00:06:17.480 is this. We've made life in the church as comfortable 00:06:17.480 --> 00:06:21.420 and convenient as possible in order to get people 00:06:21.420 --> 00:06:24.439 into the door on Sundays. So we've built huge 00:06:24.439 --> 00:06:27.769 buildings that resemble malls. And we put luxury 00:06:27.769 --> 00:06:29.850 auditoriums inside those buildings that make 00:06:29.850 --> 00:06:32.329 you feel like you're in a theater. And we've 00:06:32.329 --> 00:06:35.269 created a loungy vibe as if you're now in a Starbucks. 00:06:35.670 --> 00:06:37.910 And then we've added big lights and a big show 00:06:37.910 --> 00:06:40.389 so that you feel like you're having this concert 00:06:40.389 --> 00:06:44.370 -like experience. It's American consumerism. 00:06:44.490 --> 00:06:47.910 And here's the thing, no participation required. 00:06:48.290 --> 00:06:50.829 What we do, all the critical commands and responsibilities 00:06:50.829 --> 00:06:53.629 of the body, the things we just read about, they 00:06:53.629 --> 00:06:57.620 get outsourced to paid clergy. and to expansive 00:06:57.620 --> 00:07:00.680 staffs and an elite group of ministry directors 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:02.980 who do all the work in the church and keep all 00:07:02.980 --> 00:07:06.019 the plates spinning at one time. The average 00:07:06.019 --> 00:07:08.339 churchgoer looks at that, is overwhelmed by it, 00:07:08.420 --> 00:07:10.639 and is simply told, don't worry about it, just 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:13.819 keep coming back for the experience, stay excited 00:07:13.819 --> 00:07:16.300 about everything, and just make sure you bring 00:07:16.300 --> 00:07:18.319 your tithes and offerings so we can keep these 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:22.300 programs going. And this way we give them permission 00:07:22.300 --> 00:07:24.660 to check the box, to say, yeah, I'm part of a 00:07:24.660 --> 00:07:29.850 church. I go to that building. I see it and hear 00:07:29.850 --> 00:07:33.589 it all. And by doing that, we haven't adequately 00:07:33.589 --> 00:07:37.050 explained how every member is supposed to function 00:07:37.050 --> 00:07:40.649 within the life of the body. We've done a poor 00:07:40.649 --> 00:07:44.350 job of teaching churchgoers in America what the 00:07:44.350 --> 00:07:46.689 church is supposed to look like. I'm telling 00:07:46.689 --> 00:07:48.790 you, if Christ doesn't return in the near future, 00:07:49.089 --> 00:07:51.129 historians are going to look back on this era 00:07:51.129 --> 00:07:52.629 of church history and they're going to write 00:07:52.629 --> 00:07:54.410 books about it and it's not going to be flattering. 00:07:55.529 --> 00:07:58.490 It really isn't. I remember a story I heard years 00:07:58.490 --> 00:08:04.689 ago. I read it on some Christian blog. And this 00:08:04.689 --> 00:08:06.389 guy was talking about how there was this church 00:08:06.389 --> 00:08:09.670 that grew really quickly. In about a six -month 00:08:09.670 --> 00:08:12.569 period, they added about 100 new people to their 00:08:12.569 --> 00:08:16.500 church. And this pastor came to this guy who 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:18.259 wrote the article and he said, so I'm thinking 00:08:18.259 --> 00:08:21.480 I need to add like two staff members to handle 00:08:21.480 --> 00:08:23.699 all of this new work coming our way with these 00:08:23.699 --> 00:08:27.300 new people. And the response was, why would you 00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:31.379 do that? You just got 100 people. Why would you 00:08:31.379 --> 00:08:33.659 add staff? You got 100 people that can minister. 00:08:35.039 --> 00:08:38.899 Total paradigm change. Don't go out and just 00:08:38.899 --> 00:08:41.039 hire people to do the ministry for these people. 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:45.120 Equip those people. They probably have all kinds 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:47.820 of amazing gifts that God has given them for 00:08:47.820 --> 00:08:50.559 your body. And you thought about hiring outside 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:52.860 staff rather than just saying, why don't we equip 00:08:52.860 --> 00:08:55.259 these people who are gifted by the Holy Spirit 00:08:55.259 --> 00:08:58.700 and let them minister to each other? It's a totally 00:08:58.700 --> 00:09:02.720 different way of looking at church life. Every 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:05.320 member is to minister within the body. Now, I 00:09:05.320 --> 00:09:07.519 know you know some of this because you're not 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:10.419 here for the consumerism. Otherwise, you probably 00:09:10.419 --> 00:09:13.500 wouldn't be at Oak Hill in a... Elementary school 00:09:13.500 --> 00:09:16.940 NPR, right? So I get it. I'm sort of preaching 00:09:16.940 --> 00:09:19.299 to the choir. But still, it's good and profitable 00:09:19.299 --> 00:09:21.679 for us to keep walking through these principles 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:24.440 in this passage so that we can fully understand 00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:27.179 what is it that God is calling us to as a member 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:30.320 of the body. And as we walk through this, please 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:33.080 remember this, you guys. The Christian life is 00:09:33.080 --> 00:09:38.340 not a works -based, guilt -driven life. This 00:09:38.340 --> 00:09:39.679 is not me standing up here and going, look at 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:41.379 this long list of things that you have to get 00:09:41.379 --> 00:09:43.919 out there and do. We're not to be driven by works 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:46.759 or by guilt. The Christian life is a life of 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:50.220 sacrifice and service that is motivated by our 00:09:50.220 --> 00:09:53.539 union with Christ, motivated by the redemptive 00:09:53.539 --> 00:09:57.740 work of grace that he's done in our lives. So 00:09:57.740 --> 00:09:59.799 when we look at a list of commands and responsibility 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:03.679 like these in Romans 12, let our response be 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:06.840 motivated by humility, by thankfulness, and yes, 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.840 by a healthy conviction from the Holy Spirit, 00:10:08.919 --> 00:10:11.580 not guilt. not just I got to get out there and 00:10:11.580 --> 00:10:14.320 do something. Think about what motivates the 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:17.259 heart. That is meaningful to God. The goal for 00:10:17.259 --> 00:10:19.019 today is simple, to let God's word challenge 00:10:19.019 --> 00:10:21.799 us to renew our thinking about how we're living 00:10:21.799 --> 00:10:24.320 life in the body and then for us to find great 00:10:24.320 --> 00:10:27.100 joy in doing what God says we should be doing. 00:10:27.860 --> 00:10:30.419 Make sense? All right, let's go back to our text 00:10:30.419 --> 00:10:35.940 in Romans 12. Those first two verses, again, 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:39.019 Paul urges us as Christ followers, to function 00:10:39.019 --> 00:10:41.899 as living and holy sacrifices. And the emphasis 00:10:41.899 --> 00:10:44.759 there is on the individual believer, his personal 00:10:44.759 --> 00:10:47.440 walk and personal worship. But then in verse 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:51.240 3, as we saw, he pivots sharply toward congregational 00:10:51.240 --> 00:10:54.360 life, right? Speaking about the nature of the 00:10:54.360 --> 00:10:56.960 gathered believers in the local church. And he 00:10:56.960 --> 00:11:01.600 speaks of one body of believers. One body. How 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.639 many bodies of Christ are there in the world? 00:11:03.899 --> 00:11:07.279 There's one. That's it. Now there's two aspects 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:09.580 to that, right? There's the universal body of 00:11:09.580 --> 00:11:12.399 Christ, and then there's all of these local manifestations 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:15.759 of that same body. In this case, they're in the 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:18.659 city of Rome for us in Stevenson Ranch, right? 00:11:19.159 --> 00:11:22.000 So what he's describing is true of the universal 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:24.240 communion of saints, but it's to be applied and 00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:27.240 lived out in particular local churches. Understand 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:30.940 that. One true body of believers. Every true 00:11:30.940 --> 00:11:33.500 believer, Paul says, is a member of that one 00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:36.960 body of Christ. Now, two Sundays ago, we looked 00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:38.940 at that word member. We looked carefully at it. 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:41.019 It's melos in the Greek. It's a very important 00:11:41.019 --> 00:11:43.860 word. We noted that it can literally just mean 00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:46.279 a body part, like your eyes, your hands, your 00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:48.960 ears, your arms, legs, whatever. It can literally 00:11:48.960 --> 00:11:51.820 mean that, but then there's this beautiful, important 00:11:51.820 --> 00:11:54.059 allegorical meaning that shows up in Scripture 00:11:54.059 --> 00:11:57.960 in two particular ways. First, for the believers 00:11:57.960 --> 00:12:00.620 who are in union with Christ, our bodies are 00:12:00.620 --> 00:12:03.700 said to be members of Christ or parts of his 00:12:03.700 --> 00:12:06.980 body. And then second, we see this in verse five 00:12:06.980 --> 00:12:09.700 in your text. Look at it. We're given this very 00:12:09.700 --> 00:12:13.240 unusual phrase that has massive implications 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:17.799 for us. We are, Paul says, members of one another. 00:12:18.799 --> 00:12:20.759 Let me read verses four and five again today 00:12:20.759 --> 00:12:22.940 because they're so, highlight them, underline 00:12:22.940 --> 00:12:26.059 them, circle them, whatever. For just as we have 00:12:26.059 --> 00:12:29.240 many members in one body and all the members 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:31.860 do not have the same function, so we who are 00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:35.690 many. are one body in Christ and individually 00:12:35.690 --> 00:12:40.990 members of one another. Now, this requires us 00:12:40.990 --> 00:12:44.289 to think beyond material or physical concepts. 00:12:45.190 --> 00:12:47.730 Because I don't know about you, but in a material 00:12:47.730 --> 00:12:52.090 sense, this is me, right? This is my physical 00:12:52.090 --> 00:12:54.769 body, and at least visually, none of you are 00:12:54.769 --> 00:12:59.549 part of me. Right? Yet God has declared here 00:12:59.549 --> 00:13:02.289 in Romans 12 that if you're a believer in union 00:13:02.289 --> 00:13:05.570 with Christ, that you are in some sense a member 00:13:05.570 --> 00:13:08.090 of me and I'm a member of you. Now, how can that 00:13:08.090 --> 00:13:11.009 be? This is where we have to dig in and draw 00:13:11.009 --> 00:13:13.269 out the metaphysical meaning of what Paul's trying 00:13:13.269 --> 00:13:15.950 to say here. And then once we get the metaphysical 00:13:15.950 --> 00:13:18.809 idea of what he's saying, then apply it in real 00:13:18.809 --> 00:13:22.009 life practical ways. So I'm going to try to walk 00:13:22.009 --> 00:13:24.950 you through this. By the way, the ancient church 00:13:24.950 --> 00:13:27.269 fathers were really good at doing this. In the 00:13:27.269 --> 00:13:30.230 West today, we are so intellectual, so concrete, 00:13:30.350 --> 00:13:32.470 that we have a hard time understanding these 00:13:32.470 --> 00:13:34.470 metaphysical things. But the ancients were really 00:13:34.470 --> 00:13:36.889 good at this. Let me try to walk you through 00:13:36.889 --> 00:13:38.909 this. I want you to think the one true church 00:13:38.909 --> 00:13:43.419 of Christ is a mystical body. It is a universal 00:13:43.419 --> 00:13:46.500 communion of disparate people from all nations, 00:13:46.539 --> 00:13:50.440 tribes, and tongues brought into being by God's 00:13:50.440 --> 00:13:53.759 sovereign grace and through participation in 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:56.220 Christ, in his life, in his death, his resurrection, 00:13:56.440 --> 00:14:01.220 and in eternal hope in him. It's a mystical body 00:14:01.220 --> 00:14:04.899 from people that you've never met before, from 00:14:04.899 --> 00:14:06.700 all kinds of parts of the world, and from all 00:14:06.700 --> 00:14:09.379 ages in the past. Think about that. How is that 00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:12.500 possible that we're all one? It's a very mystical 00:14:12.500 --> 00:14:15.860 idea. Now remember, Jesus is not like Buddha 00:14:15.860 --> 00:14:19.779 or Muhammad or Joseph Smith. He's not the founder 00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:22.879 of a religion. Jesus is much more than that. 00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:26.879 He is the living head of a living mystical organism. 00:14:27.960 --> 00:14:30.220 This makes it very different than any other religion 00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:33.960 on the earth. And our unity in his body is found 00:14:33.960 --> 00:14:37.169 in our union with him. not in the things that 00:14:37.169 --> 00:14:39.450 make us different as individuals, our backgrounds, 00:14:39.690 --> 00:14:42.309 culture, race, ethnicity, language, or anything 00:14:42.309 --> 00:14:45.830 else. It's our union with Christ that binds us 00:14:45.830 --> 00:14:47.889 together. In spite of all those differences I 00:14:47.889 --> 00:14:51.389 just mentioned that naturally divide us, if we're 00:14:51.389 --> 00:14:53.889 united to Christ, we are supernaturally joined 00:14:53.889 --> 00:14:58.210 to our living head, which means we're joined 00:14:58.210 --> 00:15:00.250 to one another too, because we're all joined 00:15:00.250 --> 00:15:02.389 to that living head, which means we're all joined 00:15:02.389 --> 00:15:05.450 to one another. And we're all participating in 00:15:05.450 --> 00:15:08.549 this one mystical body, each one of us being 00:15:08.549 --> 00:15:12.509 a member or part of it. You tracking with me 00:15:12.509 --> 00:15:15.870 here? So catch this. Here's what this means. 00:15:16.409 --> 00:15:20.289 No true Christian is a spiritually isolated unit. 00:15:20.909 --> 00:15:25.289 It's not possible. There's no such thing. No 00:15:25.289 --> 00:15:29.190 true Christian can function as a detached spiritual 00:15:29.190 --> 00:15:34.759 consumer or spectator. We are not many individuals 00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:38.139 that just come together to attend services in 00:15:38.139 --> 00:15:41.460 a particular building and somehow cooperate together 00:15:41.460 --> 00:15:44.779 so that we can call ourselves a church. That 00:15:44.779 --> 00:15:47.679 is literally the modern idea of church. It's 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.700 not the New Testament vision for what the church 00:15:50.700 --> 00:15:52.500 is. Let me say it again. Many individuals that 00:15:52.500 --> 00:15:54.940 come together to attend services in a particular 00:15:54.940 --> 00:15:57.679 building and then cooperate to make something 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:01.659 that we can say, this is a church. That's not 00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:04.600 it. We've missed the mystical meaning behind 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:08.659 all of this. Here's the practical aspect of all 00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:11.100 this. A true Christian's life is necessarily 00:16:11.100 --> 00:16:14.379 intertwined with every other member of the body, 00:16:14.460 --> 00:16:17.019 especially, particularly, in the local body. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:21.179 So if you're united to Christ, a newsflash for 00:16:21.179 --> 00:16:24.100 you, your life can never be fully private or 00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:27.399 self -contained. And I know that challenges this 00:16:27.399 --> 00:16:29.659 notion that's out there is that, well, my salvation 00:16:29.659 --> 00:16:32.320 is my business. That is not a biblical concept. 00:16:33.139 --> 00:16:35.179 We've done way too much of that in the last 50 00:16:35.179 --> 00:16:37.259 years, just me and Jesus, and that's all that 00:16:37.259 --> 00:16:42.500 matters. First, your life is not your own. Didn't 00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:45.980 we just see this two Sundays ago? Jesus has purchased 00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:49.250 you at a costly price. You belong to him now, 00:16:49.289 --> 00:16:51.610 so your life is not your own. Second, your life, 00:16:51.610 --> 00:16:53.669 at least in part, belongs to every other brother 00:16:53.669 --> 00:16:56.350 and sister in Christ because you are members 00:16:56.350 --> 00:16:59.549 of one another. The best illustration to think 00:16:59.549 --> 00:17:02.029 of this is think of a tree with many branches. 00:17:02.629 --> 00:17:05.390 And each branch on that tree is very unique in 00:17:05.390 --> 00:17:08.069 its size, in its shape, and in what it's supporting. 00:17:08.750 --> 00:17:10.569 And if you looked at it from the ground level, 00:17:10.650 --> 00:17:13.630 you might think, well, that big, thick branch 00:17:13.630 --> 00:17:16.839 here at the bottom has no... connection whatsoever 00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:19.640 to all those little branches at the top. They're 00:17:19.640 --> 00:17:22.799 completely separate. But because the same life 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:25.900 flows through that tree from the roots up through 00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:28.640 the trunk out to that big branch and all the 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:31.140 way to the top to the little branches, yes, they're 00:17:31.140 --> 00:17:34.559 all connected. They're all connected. Their life, 00:17:34.619 --> 00:17:37.619 their health, their future is bound together. 00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:41.460 What affects one affects all. And it's the same 00:17:41.460 --> 00:17:44.309 thing with the church. So much so that we heard 00:17:44.309 --> 00:17:46.869 in our call to worship passage earlier, if one 00:17:46.869 --> 00:17:50.650 member suffers, all suffer. And if one member 00:17:50.650 --> 00:17:54.190 is honored, all rejoice. Think about the depths 00:17:54.190 --> 00:17:56.029 of that mystical connection there. And if you 00:17:56.029 --> 00:17:58.730 haven't felt that kind of shared suffering or 00:17:58.730 --> 00:18:01.470 shared joy with others in the body, you're missing 00:18:01.470 --> 00:18:04.309 the full picture of who Christ says you are in 00:18:04.309 --> 00:18:08.109 Him. You're not feeling the depth of who Christ 00:18:08.109 --> 00:18:12.700 says you are in Him. That is a stunning statement, 00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:20.059 is it not? I cannot say to the hand, I have no 00:18:20.059 --> 00:18:22.519 need of you, nor the head say to the feet, I 00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:26.819 have no need of you. In the same way, no Christian 00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:29.279 can say, okay, I need Christ, but I don't need 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:33.000 a church. Or I'll loosely connect to a local 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:34.940 church and just pop in every once in a while 00:18:34.940 --> 00:18:38.759 to get what I need to get. That's not the picture. 00:18:40.680 --> 00:18:43.559 Everything that we do or fail to do affects everyone 00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:46.400 else in the church because we are joined together 00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:49.339 in Christ. We're all parts of his body. So things 00:18:49.339 --> 00:18:52.579 like fellowship and love and service and care 00:18:52.579 --> 00:18:55.539 and generosity and forgiveness, those are not 00:18:55.539 --> 00:18:58.400 just nice things we should do because we're Christians 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:01.039 or we're trying to maintain the image of this 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.440 is what a Christian does. All of those things 00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:07.099 are vital aspects of how a church body stays 00:19:07.099 --> 00:19:11.970 healthy. And we diligently strive to practice 00:19:11.970 --> 00:19:14.609 them because they benefit the overall life and 00:19:14.609 --> 00:19:17.509 health of the same one body that we share together. 00:19:19.309 --> 00:19:21.509 I'm going to use a big theological word here. 00:19:21.589 --> 00:19:25.150 Our obligations to each other arise from an underlying 00:19:25.150 --> 00:19:30.690 ontological communion. Meaning, you shouldn't 00:19:30.690 --> 00:19:33.170 care for a brother or sister in the body just 00:19:33.170 --> 00:19:35.789 because it's a commendable act of external goodness. 00:19:37.390 --> 00:19:39.809 You should care for that person because it glorifies 00:19:39.809 --> 00:19:43.789 God and because his or her good is bound up with 00:19:43.789 --> 00:19:46.210 the health of the body that you both belong to. 00:19:48.430 --> 00:19:52.009 You belong to an ontological communion together. 00:19:53.150 --> 00:19:55.549 Your health is his health. His health is your 00:19:55.549 --> 00:19:59.549 health. So we have these obligations. We live 00:19:59.549 --> 00:20:02.470 out Romans 12 because we are concerned about 00:20:02.470 --> 00:20:04.990 the overall health of our body and your body 00:20:04.990 --> 00:20:10.400 together. This is sort of the mystical idea that 00:20:10.400 --> 00:20:13.160 Paul is driving at here. And it requires humility, 00:20:13.380 --> 00:20:15.619 doesn't it? To be able to say my life is your 00:20:15.619 --> 00:20:19.380 life and vice versa requires us to humble ourselves 00:20:19.380 --> 00:20:22.319 because it requires mutual belonging and mutual 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:25.259 concern for the other. We can't just operate 00:20:25.259 --> 00:20:29.680 selfishly in the body as we please. We have to 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:32.799 make unity the priority. And unity requires dying 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:35.279 to self. This is why Paul warns against pride. 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:38.400 Look at verse 3. I say to everyone among you 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.420 not to think more highly of himself than he ought 00:20:40.420 --> 00:20:43.859 to think, but to think so as to have sound judgment. 00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:47.440 Think rightly about this, he says, because if 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:49.299 you think more highly of yourself than you should, 00:20:49.440 --> 00:20:52.220 you are going to undermine the oneness of the 00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:56.140 body. You are going to harm the health of the 00:20:56.140 --> 00:20:59.059 body that you belong to. You're going to end 00:20:59.059 --> 00:21:01.700 up, if you're prideful, insisting on your own 00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:05.799 way, insisting that you're always right. You're 00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:07.579 going to end up looking down on others. You're 00:21:07.579 --> 00:21:09.779 going to be constantly criticizing and complaining 00:21:09.779 --> 00:21:14.680 because pride always compares and pride competes 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:17.359 and pride seeks its own recognition and therefore 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:21.339 undermines the health of a body. Humility does 00:21:21.339 --> 00:21:25.119 the opposite. It enables believers to put others 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:28.680 in the body first and rightly consider others 00:21:28.680 --> 00:21:31.299 more important than self. Humility encourages. 00:21:31.539 --> 00:21:36.009 It builds up. It facilitates love. This is the 00:21:36.009 --> 00:21:37.910 picture Paul's drawing for us here, and it's 00:21:37.910 --> 00:21:41.029 intense. In America today, we've made it really 00:21:41.029 --> 00:21:43.109 casual. Well, do what you want, come when you 00:21:43.109 --> 00:21:46.410 want, don't have to work, just enjoy. We've made 00:21:46.410 --> 00:21:49.630 it so casual, what Paul is describing is intense. 00:21:51.369 --> 00:21:54.690 Man, I wish the church would get it. Here's why 00:21:54.690 --> 00:21:56.230 the number one promise we make to each other 00:21:56.230 --> 00:21:58.950 in our covenant simply says, we will work and 00:21:58.950 --> 00:22:01.470 pray for unity, the spirit within the body. It's 00:22:01.470 --> 00:22:04.200 the number one thing on our covenant. Because 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:06.880 if we have unity, we have oneness, we have health, 00:22:07.099 --> 00:22:12.900 we're all so much better for it. Amen? All right, 00:22:12.940 --> 00:22:19.119 let's look at verses six through eight now. Here 00:22:19.119 --> 00:22:21.180 we're told that each believer receives from God 00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:26.259 certain gifts. Thank you, Lord. Everybody here 00:22:26.259 --> 00:22:29.819 has been given gifts. And so if you've been given 00:22:29.819 --> 00:22:32.339 gifts, you're to exercise them as a functioning 00:22:32.339 --> 00:22:35.210 part of this one body that we share. And these 00:22:35.210 --> 00:22:37.589 gifts can be many things. This is going to be 00:22:37.589 --> 00:22:40.150 a little bit controversial. I don't think the 00:22:40.150 --> 00:22:42.789 lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament 00:22:42.789 --> 00:22:47.490 are exhaustive. I think they're examples of the 00:22:47.490 --> 00:22:49.930 types of gifts that the Spirit gives, but I think 00:22:49.930 --> 00:22:52.549 there's many more than are listed for us in Scripture. 00:22:53.130 --> 00:22:55.609 But here in Romans 12, Paul lists seven of these 00:22:55.609 --> 00:22:59.160 things, seven unique functions. Each designed 00:22:59.160 --> 00:23:01.779 to contribute to the overall health of this living 00:23:01.779 --> 00:23:04.059 body that we're a part of. That is the point 00:23:04.059 --> 00:23:06.480 of the gifts, right? They're given to you and 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:08.579 I for the sake of strengthening the body as a 00:23:08.579 --> 00:23:11.740 whole. They are not, listen now, they are not 00:23:11.740 --> 00:23:14.819 given to us as trophies of our own personal success 00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:22.119 in spiritual things. Right? I hate to say it. 00:23:22.279 --> 00:23:24.259 You've probably known people. I've known people 00:23:24.259 --> 00:23:26.000 that hold it up. This is my trophy. Look how 00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:31.609 great I am. They're not given to us so that we 00:23:31.609 --> 00:23:35.630 can impress other people or to garner admiration 00:23:35.630 --> 00:23:38.869 from people. The whole idea of look at me is 00:23:38.869 --> 00:23:42.410 contrary to the nature of the body. Look how 00:23:42.410 --> 00:23:45.769 well I do things. Look how much I know. These 00:23:45.769 --> 00:23:48.730 things are destructive to the unity of our body 00:23:48.730 --> 00:23:50.789 together. So once again, humility is required 00:23:50.789 --> 00:23:53.710 of every part of the body as we pull together 00:23:53.710 --> 00:23:56.470 our various gifts that the Spirit of God has 00:23:56.470 --> 00:23:59.319 given us. to practice them in the local church. 00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:01.619 As we heard in our call to worship passage earlier, 00:24:01.880 --> 00:24:05.819 God has arranged the members of the body. God 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:09.180 has arranged this body. Isn't that cool? He's 00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:12.359 put it together. Each one of them, each member 00:24:12.359 --> 00:24:16.519 that he has sovereignly chose. Do you believe 00:24:16.519 --> 00:24:20.900 big concepts like this, that God has sovereignly 00:24:20.900 --> 00:24:23.980 arranged Oak Hill Bible Church as he desires? 00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:27.059 And all he says is, be faithful to the gifts 00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:29.500 I've given you because I have a design for that 00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:33.240 local church. It's beautiful. Now, obviously, 00:24:33.240 --> 00:24:35.779 we don't all serve in the same way. And not all 00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:39.480 of our gifts are equally obvious. Some are done 00:24:39.480 --> 00:24:42.500 out front and visible, like me flapping my gums 00:24:42.500 --> 00:24:45.700 every Sunday, right? Just obvious and visible. 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:48.920 But far more of the gifts that the Spirit gives 00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:52.240 are done quietly and behind the scenes. And they're 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:55.049 just as valuable. Think about the thoughtful 00:24:55.049 --> 00:24:58.950 believer who goes out of his way to greet somebody 00:24:58.950 --> 00:25:02.309 who's new or is just being overlooked and they 00:25:02.309 --> 00:25:04.869 see it and they just, they run to that person 00:25:04.869 --> 00:25:08.309 and they greet them warmly. That's so subtle, 00:25:08.329 --> 00:25:11.130 but so important for a body, right? Think about 00:25:11.130 --> 00:25:13.950 the believer who's sensitive enough to notice 00:25:13.950 --> 00:25:17.430 when somebody's been absent recently. And so 00:25:17.430 --> 00:25:19.410 they reach out, not to wag a finger at them, 00:25:19.490 --> 00:25:22.369 but just to say, are you okay? Are you okay? 00:25:22.430 --> 00:25:25.390 Is there something you need? Think about the 00:25:25.390 --> 00:25:27.690 prayer warrior who spends hours each day lifting 00:25:27.690 --> 00:25:29.789 up leaders in the church and those in the body 00:25:29.789 --> 00:25:32.170 who have needs. You would never even see it. 00:25:33.829 --> 00:25:36.009 Think about the church member who suddenly watches 00:25:36.009 --> 00:25:40.410 to see who God is using. They're discerning how 00:25:40.410 --> 00:25:43.089 God is working, and then they reach out during 00:25:43.089 --> 00:25:46.630 the week to just say, well done. God is at work 00:25:46.630 --> 00:25:49.539 in you, just encouraging people. It doesn't take 00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:53.940 much. It's a quick text or an email, right? Think 00:25:53.940 --> 00:25:55.799 about the believer who completely unbeknownst 00:25:55.799 --> 00:25:59.059 to any of us gives well beyond his financial 00:25:59.059 --> 00:26:01.859 means to the ministry, either here or to some 00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:06.799 mission across the world. Giftedness. Or simply 00:26:06.799 --> 00:26:08.619 think about that very quiet person who flies 00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:10.960 under the radar, but is the one who's always 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:13.279 volunteering to do the type of labor that nobody 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:16.759 else wants to do. We have a bunch of those in 00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:19.660 this church. I see it. Do you see it? It's amazing. 00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:22.920 These kinds of faithful service are precious 00:26:22.920 --> 00:26:25.500 to God, even when it's not recognized by people. 00:26:25.839 --> 00:26:27.740 In fact, Paul wrote about this. Again, back to 00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:30.380 our call to worship passage. Adam read it earlier. 00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:32.299 The parts of the body that seem to be weaker 00:26:32.299 --> 00:26:37.519 are indispensable. This church does not operate 00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:41.539 without them. And on those parts of the body 00:26:41.539 --> 00:26:43.940 that we think less honorable, we bestow the greater 00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:47.690 honor. What a beautiful picture. God has so composed 00:26:47.690 --> 00:26:50.190 the body, giving greater honor to the part that 00:26:50.190 --> 00:26:53.150 lacked it that there may be no division in the 00:26:53.150 --> 00:26:55.910 body, but that the members may have the same 00:26:55.910 --> 00:26:59.809 care for one another. Listen, guys, your uniqueness 00:26:59.809 --> 00:27:03.680 matters to this church. Whether you realize it 00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:06.279 or not, your presence matters, your prayers matter, 00:27:06.460 --> 00:27:09.079 your helping hands matter, your spiritual gifts 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:11.079 matter. Go back to the church I talked about 00:27:11.079 --> 00:27:13.180 earlier where the staff does everything, the 00:27:13.180 --> 00:27:16.160 professionals do everything. No, all of your 00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:18.380 gifts, all of these subtle things that you do 00:27:18.380 --> 00:27:22.599 in the body, they make a difference. Your participation 00:27:22.599 --> 00:27:25.019 in body life is essential to our life together. 00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:27.400 By the way, on the flip side, this matters too. 00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:30.640 When you're absent from us, it makes a difference. 00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:33.799 When you pull back from the body life, when you 00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:36.440 stop serving altogether, it makes a difference. 00:27:37.299 --> 00:27:39.759 This is how God has designed the functioning 00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:42.039 of his body. We need each other, every part, 00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:45.819 every part. Let me ask you a question. Have you 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:47.599 ever stopped and looked around on a Sunday like 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:50.799 today and thought, how many people have already 00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:52.759 loved me? You walked in the door back there, 00:27:52.839 --> 00:27:55.819 or you walked in the gate, and you stop and think, 00:27:55.859 --> 00:27:58.200 how many people have already loved me? Can I 00:27:58.200 --> 00:28:03.039 count the ways? Somebody brought that coffee, 00:28:03.180 --> 00:28:07.460 right? And that, do you see the spread on the 00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:10.819 pastries today? It was extra special for you 00:28:10.819 --> 00:28:14.859 guys. That got shopped for and purchased and 00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:18.259 transported. There are dozens of church members 00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:21.539 right now serving your kids in our acorn ministry. 00:28:22.619 --> 00:28:25.960 Yeah, they're gifted in their desire to care 00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:28.279 for our kids. There's a whole bunch of folks 00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:31.559 who got here at 7 .30 this morning. To unload 00:28:31.559 --> 00:28:35.940 a shed, sweating. And they'll do it after the 00:28:35.940 --> 00:28:38.420 service, loading the shed, sweating even more. 00:28:39.299 --> 00:28:41.359 They did it for you. They've already loved you 00:28:41.359 --> 00:28:44.779 this morning. The men and women who just put 00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:47.619 up these curtains and hung these lights. The 00:28:47.619 --> 00:28:50.299 AV team who set up that sound table and all this 00:28:50.299 --> 00:28:54.640 equipment you see. Tested it, ran it. They loved 00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:57.380 you already today. You just wandered in and it 00:28:57.380 --> 00:29:02.819 was there. Do you know somebody creates all those 00:29:02.819 --> 00:29:05.900 visuals you see on the screen? They use their 00:29:05.900 --> 00:29:11.420 creative gifts to put beauty on the screen. How 00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:13.519 gifted are the members of our praise team, using 00:29:13.519 --> 00:29:16.680 their talents and skills to glorify God, to bring 00:29:16.680 --> 00:29:20.019 us to the throne of grace in song? That doesn't 00:29:20.019 --> 00:29:24.440 happen by accident. They loved you already this 00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:27.240 week and this morning. The volunteers who greeted 00:29:27.240 --> 00:29:30.599 you, the ushers who watch over our seating. There's 00:29:30.599 --> 00:29:32.920 a rover outside right now providing security 00:29:32.920 --> 00:29:36.619 for this campus. And he sacrifices. He's not 00:29:36.619 --> 00:29:38.759 in here. He's not able to worship with you. He's 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:41.380 sacrificing his time and energy to watch over 00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:45.259 your kids in this campus. He's loving you right 00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:48.380 now. That's just Sundays. That's just Sundays. 00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:50.660 How about all the host homes that get used during 00:29:50.660 --> 00:29:54.150 the week? Hospitality. How about all the planning 00:29:54.150 --> 00:29:56.549 of the various events we have? All the communication 00:29:56.549 --> 00:30:00.410 that goes on. The men who sacrifice so many long 00:30:00.410 --> 00:30:03.569 hours to oversee this church as elders. The many, 00:30:03.609 --> 00:30:06.190 many tasks that our deacon team performs every 00:30:06.190 --> 00:30:09.109 month. Our ministry leaders who plan and execute 00:30:09.109 --> 00:30:14.490 their work with love and care. One body, many 00:30:14.490 --> 00:30:18.450 gifts, all carried out for one reason, the overall 00:30:18.450 --> 00:30:24.529 health of our church. Corporate body. And if 00:30:24.529 --> 00:30:26.029 you say to me, well, Jeff, I didn't drink any 00:30:26.029 --> 00:30:30.069 coffee this morning. Or I don't have any children. 00:30:30.210 --> 00:30:32.750 Or I don't really care how nice the slides look. 00:30:33.730 --> 00:30:35.950 I slip past the greeters anyway on the way in. 00:30:38.829 --> 00:30:43.589 If that's you, grumpy pants, you missed the whole 00:30:43.589 --> 00:30:46.940 point. You've missed the body concept. This is 00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:48.980 the point here, right? Because we're members 00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:51.480 of one another. Every hand lifted for the good 00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:56.119 of the body has lifted you. Has lifted you. It's 00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:57.880 just a matter of recognizing that truth and then 00:30:57.880 --> 00:31:00.039 standing back and going, this is beautiful. Thank 00:31:00.039 --> 00:31:02.920 you, Jesus, for the way you've designed your 00:31:02.920 --> 00:31:04.579 church. And I have to tell you, every single 00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:08.400 week, I am blown away at the many hands that 00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:11.099 make this church go. It's your faithful love 00:31:11.099 --> 00:31:14.480 that motivates me. every week to press forward 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:16.779 and to do the best I can in my preaching and 00:31:16.779 --> 00:31:19.119 shepherding because I wanna love and serve you 00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:22.160 as well as you've loved and served me. That's 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:25.059 the body that Paul is describing here. It's beautiful. 00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:28.140 Okay, let's finish quickly. We gotta look at 00:31:28.140 --> 00:31:33.420 these last few verses. Look at verse nine. Ooh, 00:31:33.500 --> 00:31:35.079 I'm actually in the right slide today. This is 00:31:35.079 --> 00:31:40.519 good. Let your love be genuine without hypocrisy. 00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:44.039 In other words, guys, listen, don't say you love 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:48.539 others and then not actually love. This is an 00:31:48.539 --> 00:31:50.359 easy trap for every Christian. Oh, of course 00:31:50.359 --> 00:31:52.500 I love the body, but I'm not actually loving 00:31:52.500 --> 00:31:56.339 it. Let your love for others in the body be humble 00:31:56.339 --> 00:31:59.319 and sincere. Let it be not selfish. Don't let 00:31:59.319 --> 00:32:01.759 it be selective. Well, there's some people I 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:03.539 want to love and other people I want to ignore. 00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:07.500 If you understand that Christ has loved you, 00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:11.740 then be diligent to love his people. And to me, 00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:13.680 one of the key ways that we can do this is this 00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:16.099 beautiful concept in Scripture of bearing one 00:32:16.099 --> 00:32:19.119 another's burdens, which is another part of our 00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:20.900 covenant. In fact, I'll put it on the screen. 00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:22.980 In our covenant, it says, with tenderness and 00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:25.859 empathy, we promise to bear one another's burdens 00:32:25.859 --> 00:32:28.940 and sorrows. This is when we come alongside a 00:32:28.940 --> 00:32:30.859 fellow member who's struggling to carry something 00:32:30.859 --> 00:32:33.940 alone. And that's really the issue. They're trying 00:32:33.940 --> 00:32:36.599 to carry it alone, whether it's grief or it's 00:32:36.599 --> 00:32:39.660 financial trouble or illness or physical weakness 00:32:39.660 --> 00:32:42.440 or family conflict. Maybe it's loneliness or 00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:45.259 discouragement. We step in with whatever that 00:32:45.259 --> 00:32:48.940 moment requires and we lend practical help. Maybe 00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:51.400 it's just a listening ear. Maybe it's a visitation 00:32:51.400 --> 00:32:54.200 or a phone call, a financial gift. It's bringing 00:32:54.200 --> 00:32:57.460 a meal, offering transportation. Maybe it's just 00:32:57.460 --> 00:33:00.849 sitting there with them. And just being present 00:33:00.849 --> 00:33:03.990 as they go through something difficult. The reality 00:33:03.990 --> 00:33:06.210 is sometimes we can't remove a burden, but we 00:33:06.210 --> 00:33:09.029 can refuse to let a brother or sister carry it 00:33:09.029 --> 00:33:13.950 alone. Let your love be genuine. Don't say you 00:33:13.950 --> 00:33:17.130 love and then not love. Then look at the amazing 00:33:17.130 --> 00:33:19.349 list in verses 10 through 13, starting with this 00:33:19.349 --> 00:33:21.970 one. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 00:33:22.109 --> 00:33:24.950 Develop a deep affection for those you call brothers 00:33:24.950 --> 00:33:30.910 and sisters. Cultivate a deep affection for your 00:33:30.910 --> 00:33:33.470 brothers and sisters. When we use the term church 00:33:33.470 --> 00:33:35.890 family here at Oak Hill, we're not messing around. 00:33:36.009 --> 00:33:39.589 We actually mean it. We're connected as a family, 00:33:39.650 --> 00:33:42.430 as a body. It's commanded right here in the text. 00:33:42.549 --> 00:33:45.150 It is a core part of living life in the spirit. 00:33:46.190 --> 00:33:48.630 You've been brought into this union with Christ. 00:33:48.849 --> 00:33:51.549 You've been ushered into his mystical body. You've 00:33:51.549 --> 00:33:54.250 been given the spirit who then changes your affections, 00:33:54.289 --> 00:33:56.890 moving us away from loving self to loving others. 00:33:58.289 --> 00:34:01.710 If that's not happening, you should seek counsel 00:34:01.710 --> 00:34:04.670 as to why that's not happening. Because this 00:34:04.670 --> 00:34:07.990 is the work that God promises to do in us. Listen 00:34:07.990 --> 00:34:10.769 to this great quote from John Piper. I love this. 00:34:10.829 --> 00:34:13.250 He says, when a person has been plucked from 00:34:13.250 --> 00:34:16.150 a burning building, or from a sinking ship, or 00:34:16.150 --> 00:34:19.210 from a dreaded disease, everything looks precious 00:34:19.210 --> 00:34:23.429 to him, especially people. How affectionate we 00:34:23.429 --> 00:34:26.230 are to the people on the shore where we've just 00:34:26.230 --> 00:34:30.650 been saved. That's our true condition. We just 00:34:30.650 --> 00:34:34.329 need to wake up to it. That's a beautiful quote. 00:34:34.869 --> 00:34:39.829 People, people, fellow members of the body, members 00:34:39.829 --> 00:34:43.130 of one another. Continuing in verses 10 and 11. 00:34:44.809 --> 00:34:55.010 In other words, guys, defer to others. Become 00:34:55.010 --> 00:34:59.409 less. Become less in your eyes. Downplay yourself. 00:34:59.630 --> 00:35:02.289 Whatever praise or attention you think you deserve, 00:35:02.610 --> 00:35:07.429 set out to honor and encourage others. Lift up 00:35:07.429 --> 00:35:09.769 their contributions and their efforts. Prefer 00:35:09.769 --> 00:35:13.070 to honor rather than be honored. And Paul says, 00:35:13.130 --> 00:35:15.670 don't lag behind in this. Don't get lazy in it. 00:35:15.710 --> 00:35:18.289 Don't get sluggish. Don't get weary in doing 00:35:18.289 --> 00:35:21.610 these things. Stay fervent and diligent. One 00:35:21.610 --> 00:35:24.230 author puts it this way, keep stoking the fire 00:35:24.230 --> 00:35:27.809 of your love for your fellow church members. 00:35:28.269 --> 00:35:31.320 Stoking that fire. Don't let it go out. It requires 00:35:31.320 --> 00:35:34.340 intentionality. Stoke that fire. Keep loving. 00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:36.820 The health of our body depends on us stoking 00:35:36.820 --> 00:35:41.159 that fire for each other. And by the way, if 00:35:41.159 --> 00:35:42.940 you're listening to all this, you're like, man, 00:35:43.000 --> 00:35:47.739 this sounds like a lot, and I'm tired. Aren't 00:35:47.739 --> 00:35:51.880 we all? I'm so busy. I'm so tired. Everybody 00:35:51.880 --> 00:35:54.679 says that. It all comes down to this. What do 00:35:54.679 --> 00:35:57.980 you love? Right? Because we all make choices. 00:35:57.980 --> 00:36:01.050 What do you love? And there's a very simple illustration. 00:36:01.130 --> 00:36:02.750 I used this, I don't know how many years ago. 00:36:03.349 --> 00:36:05.190 And this is especially for parents with young 00:36:05.190 --> 00:36:08.210 kids. Kids get in the car. We're going shopping 00:36:08.210 --> 00:36:11.789 for school supplies. Ten minutes in, they're 00:36:11.789 --> 00:36:15.949 exhausted. They're so bored, I don't want any 00:36:15.949 --> 00:36:19.670 more. They can't go another step. Now, same kids. 00:36:20.150 --> 00:36:21.750 Kids get in the car, we're going to Disneyland. 00:36:22.750 --> 00:36:27.079 They will go all day long. The zeal in their 00:36:27.079 --> 00:36:29.760 little bodies, they just find an extra level, 00:36:29.840 --> 00:36:32.719 an extra measure of energy, and they're not tired 00:36:32.719 --> 00:36:34.920 anymore. Why? Because that's what they love. 00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:39.940 They love Disneyland. And the same should be 00:36:39.940 --> 00:36:42.719 true of us in Jesus' church. If you love Jesus, 00:36:42.960 --> 00:36:45.599 if you love one another, keep stoking that fire. 00:36:45.699 --> 00:36:47.239 You're not going to grow weary. He'll give you 00:36:47.239 --> 00:36:50.400 the strength. He will give you the strength to 00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:54.360 persevere. Okay, we've got verses 12 and 13. 00:36:54.889 --> 00:36:56.550 These don't need a lot of explanation, so we're 00:36:56.550 --> 00:36:58.610 going to go really fast through them. There they 00:36:58.610 --> 00:37:04.429 are. Rejoicing in hope. Guys, let your joy, the 00:37:04.429 --> 00:37:07.429 joy of your salvation, spread all over this body. 00:37:07.650 --> 00:37:11.429 Let it be infectious. Let it motivate you to 00:37:11.429 --> 00:37:13.789 keep glorifying God and loving others. Number 00:37:13.789 --> 00:37:16.849 two, persevering in tribulation. We are called 00:37:16.849 --> 00:37:20.210 to endure in times of affliction. Listen to this 00:37:20.210 --> 00:37:22.289 now. We do this with the help of our brothers 00:37:22.289 --> 00:37:25.849 and sisters. And then when the tide turns, we 00:37:25.849 --> 00:37:28.829 help others in their affliction. Listen, there 00:37:28.829 --> 00:37:31.590 are seasons of life. I've seen this play out 00:37:31.590 --> 00:37:34.050 so many times in the church. Seasons of life 00:37:34.050 --> 00:37:37.469 where you get to serve people. And then there's 00:37:37.469 --> 00:37:39.010 seasons of life where you need to be served. 00:37:39.889 --> 00:37:42.949 And if you haven't served people, when that time 00:37:42.949 --> 00:37:46.289 of affliction comes for you, Who's going to serve 00:37:46.289 --> 00:37:50.309 you? Seasons change. So while you can, serve 00:37:50.309 --> 00:37:53.570 one another, love one another, because that time 00:37:53.570 --> 00:37:57.489 may come for you. Number three, devoted to prayer. 00:37:57.730 --> 00:38:00.909 Hey, one of the easiest, most practical, most 00:38:00.909 --> 00:38:03.150 powerful ways you can love somebody in the body, 00:38:03.210 --> 00:38:04.730 and you don't even have to leave your house. 00:38:09.050 --> 00:38:11.829 People say all the time, Jeff, how can I serve? 00:38:13.750 --> 00:38:16.679 Become a prayer warrior. That's probably the 00:38:16.679 --> 00:38:18.920 easiest and number one thing you can do. Set 00:38:18.920 --> 00:38:22.719 aside 30 minutes an hour each day to pray. Wow, 00:38:22.820 --> 00:38:25.500 what a great service. Contributing to the needs 00:38:25.500 --> 00:38:27.659 of the saints. Has God been generous to you? 00:38:28.920 --> 00:38:32.320 Be generous to others. Practice hospitality. 00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:36.420 Has God been hospitable to you? Be hospitable 00:38:36.420 --> 00:38:40.179 to his people. Okay, let me close with this. 00:38:41.559 --> 00:38:43.820 The question for all of us today is not simply, 00:38:44.349 --> 00:38:48.570 Am I part of a church? Or do I attend a church? 00:38:49.349 --> 00:38:53.030 The New Testament question is this. Am I functioning 00:38:53.030 --> 00:38:56.030 as a true member of Christ's body and a true 00:38:56.030 --> 00:39:00.329 member of one another in that body? That's the 00:39:00.329 --> 00:39:05.389 question. Now, when the service is over, after 00:39:05.389 --> 00:39:07.789 we sing some more, I'm going to give you guys 00:39:07.789 --> 00:39:10.190 several ways that you can immediately apply what 00:39:10.190 --> 00:39:12.659 we've learned in God's Word today. There are 00:39:12.659 --> 00:39:15.579 opportunities here in this fall season to engage 00:39:15.579 --> 00:39:19.320 in the body. Here's the thing. You ready? To 00:39:19.320 --> 00:39:26.340 engage in the body requires relationship. There's 00:39:26.340 --> 00:39:28.960 no other way. You've got to build a relationship 00:39:28.960 --> 00:39:31.380 with people, which means you've got to be together. 00:39:32.139 --> 00:39:34.570 So we're going to give you a few chances. A few 00:39:34.570 --> 00:39:36.230 ways to do that. I'm going to put some things 00:39:36.230 --> 00:39:38.269 on the screen. The first one is today we're talking 00:39:38.269 --> 00:39:40.650 about community groups. By the way, if you're 00:39:40.650 --> 00:39:42.869 a community group leader, will you stand real 00:39:42.869 --> 00:39:46.710 fast? All right, we've got a bunch of them. Very 00:39:46.710 --> 00:39:51.190 good. Praise the Lord for you guys, okay? Community 00:39:51.190 --> 00:39:53.570 groups, they look like that. Where's Grant? There 00:39:53.570 --> 00:39:56.409 he is. Hey, that's Grant's house. Way to go, 00:39:56.469 --> 00:40:00.010 man. Community groups, okay? At the end, we're 00:40:00.010 --> 00:40:02.289 going to let you, if you want to, sign up for 00:40:02.289 --> 00:40:04.820 a community group today. That's number one. Second 00:40:04.820 --> 00:40:08.139 thing is called grove groups, okay? This is for 00:40:08.139 --> 00:40:11.039 our ladies. This is ladies coming together in 00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:14.139 groups of, what is it, six or seven? Seven coming 00:40:14.139 --> 00:40:18.679 together to live life in a smaller group where 00:40:18.679 --> 00:40:20.599 they can really share life with one another. 00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:25.619 We got ladies. Ladies in groves. That's the second 00:40:25.619 --> 00:40:28.679 thing. And I'll explain this at the end of the 00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:30.820 service. The third thing is, is we have something 00:40:30.820 --> 00:40:34.619 called the Ambassador's Well. If you want to 00:40:34.619 --> 00:40:37.599 take the gospel into our community, right? If 00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:40.480 you want to spread what you've learned in this 00:40:40.480 --> 00:40:42.539 body and go out and fan out in the community, 00:40:42.780 --> 00:40:44.800 we have something called the Ambassador's Wells 00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:48.059 Table. Out in the community at the mall, challenging 00:40:48.059 --> 00:40:50.639 people with questions like, how do you know you're 00:40:50.639 --> 00:40:53.320 going to heaven? Starting conversations. There 00:40:53.320 --> 00:40:55.780 are people here this morning that came to Oak 00:40:55.780 --> 00:40:58.579 Hill because of that table. It is an incredible 00:40:58.579 --> 00:41:01.860 opportunity to serve. So we're going to talk 00:41:01.860 --> 00:41:04.260 about all of that at the end of the service. 00:41:04.320 --> 00:41:06.579 But again, as you consider this, can I remind 00:41:06.579 --> 00:41:09.719 you again, Christianity is not a works -based, 00:41:09.780 --> 00:41:13.280 guilt -driven life. It is a life motivated by 00:41:13.280 --> 00:41:16.619 our union with Christ, a life motivated by humility 00:41:16.619 --> 00:41:20.119 and thankfulness and healthy conviction based 00:41:20.119 --> 00:41:23.300 on God's word and by our responsibilities that 00:41:23.300 --> 00:41:26.840 we have towards our brothers and sisters in the 00:41:26.840 --> 00:41:29.579 faith. That's what I want to motivate you. as 00:41:29.579 --> 00:41:31.559 we talk about these opportunities later. Amen? 00:41:32.340 --> 00:41:37.619 Let's bow our heads. Lord Jesus, thank you for 00:41:37.619 --> 00:41:42.500 both the high theology, the mystical theology 00:41:42.500 --> 00:41:46.000 of this beautiful picture that you've drawn for 00:41:46.000 --> 00:41:48.599 us in this body metaphor. Thank you for that, 00:41:48.639 --> 00:41:51.619 Lord, but then thank you also for all the practical 00:41:51.619 --> 00:41:54.980 applications of how we live that out. Father, 00:41:55.039 --> 00:41:58.039 make us more than a gathering of individuals. 00:41:59.150 --> 00:42:02.409 Make us a healthy body that is humble in spirit 00:42:02.409 --> 00:42:06.369 and faithful in service and tender in our bearing 00:42:06.369 --> 00:42:10.369 with one another. Keep us united in truth and 00:42:10.369 --> 00:42:12.889 deeply committed to one another for your glory. 00:42:13.090 --> 00:42:15.190 Thank you for our time this morning. We love 00:42:15.190 --> 00:42:18.389 you. We praise you in Jesus' name. Amen.