Let's open our Bibles together to Romans chapter
12. Our text today is verses 3, 4, and 5 of Romans
12. And our theme is Self -Esteem, the Biblical
Perspective. Self -esteem is the bread of life
to the human personality. Dr. James Dobson...
And his book, Hide or Seek, reminds us that one
of the most important aspects of parenting is
seeking to develop within our children a healthy
self -esteem. By the way, I would recommend that
book to all of you who are parents. Hide or Seek
by Dr. James Dobson. We're living in a day of
extremism in many areas, including this particular
area. Recently, Dr. Robert Shuler authored a
book entitled Self -Esteem, The New Reformation,
in which essentially he takes Orthodox Christian
terms and redefines them according to the need
of the human personality for self -esteem. In
so doing, in the book, he seems to place himself
outside the mainstream of Orthodox Christianity.
That's on the one extreme. On the other side,
we have those who... believe in what might be
called worm theology. Probably in reaction to
that, Dr. Shuler wrote his book. But those who
believe in worm theology see man only as a worm.
They think of themselves as nothings, as big
fat zeros. And that too is an unbiblical extreme.
What we need is to get a biblical perspective
on self -esteem. That perspective will lead us
to a healthy balance on what each of us should
think of himself. Right thinking is based upon
having a right perspective. Let me repeat that.
Right thinking is based upon having a right perspective.
If one has a wrong perspective on an issue He
will think wrongly about it. Let me give you
some examples of what I mean. These days we sometimes
hear the statement from well -meaning but probably
unregenerate people, certainly a good God won't
send anyone to hell. Now they really think that,
but that is wrong thinking. What is the problem?
They have an improper perspective on what God
is like. They zero in on God's love, but forget
God's holiness and God's judgment. And because
they forget that perspective and have a wrong
perspective, they have wrong thinking. Likewise,
we sometimes hear the statement, abortion is
an expression of a woman's right to her own body.
That too is wrong thinking, and the problem is,
that it comes from a wrong perspective. The perspective
is distorted and forgets about the value of life
and the right of the most helpless of all, the
unborn. And that wrong, distorted perspective
leads to wrong thinking. And then one often hears
the statement among students, it's okay to cheat,
everybody else does it. And if I don't, I'm going
to get lower marks. Or you may hear among adults,
it's okay to cheat. Everyone else does it. And
if I don't, I'm going to have to pay more taxes
than the other guy. That's wrong thinking. What's
the problem? A wrong perspective. A perspective
which does not include God's honoring of the
virtues of honesty and truthfulness. And because
the perspective is wrong, the thinking is wrong,
and therefore the actions are wrong. I want to
take that principle into our subject for today
about self -esteem. A proper self -esteem will
develop when how one thinks about himself is
based upon having the right perspective. My two
key phrases are right thinking and right perspective.
Follow along with me. thinking for a moment,
and we see that in the first part of verse 3,
where we are warned not to hold an exaggerated
opinion of our own importance. He says, through
the grace given to me, I say to every man among
you not to think more highly of himself than
he ought to think, but to think so as to have
sound judgment. In other words, he exhorts us
here to think rightly or properly about ourselves.
And this is how verse 3 ties together with the
previous context. In verse 2, he has reminded
us that if we're going to keep the commitment
of offering our bodies as a sacrifice, living
and holy, to God, then we have to have renewed
minds, enabling us to be transformed. It is out
of our renewed minds that we are to think about
ourselves properly. Only a renewed mind really
can do that in a proper way. Our minds being
renovated delivers us from self -centeredness
and pride and the me -first attitude so that
we develop over the process of time a mind like
the Lord Jesus Christ. Right thinking is having
a properly balanced self -esteem. Now, there's
actually a play on the Greek words that's impossible
to pick up in the English translations of this
text. One commentator has written this literal
rendition of the Greek. He says it means not
to be high -minded above what... He ought to
be minded, but to be minded as to be sober -minded.
There is a play upon the Greek word for mind
or to think in this particular passage. He says
we are not to think above what we ought to think
about ourselves. The word ought means what is
necessary. Someone has said we are to think of
ourselves as we are compelled to think by the
warranted. William Graham Scroggie has put it
this way, and I think in a good way. Self -estimate
must be on one or other of three levels. Super,
above. Sub, below. Or seen, right. On the super
level are the superiority complex people. On
the sub -level are the inferiority complex people.
They are both off the right level. God wants
us to think of ourselves as we are compelled
to think. Not to think more highly of ourselves
than we should, or to think more lowly of ourselves
than is proper. We are to think of ourselves
as we ought. Therefore, we should avoid both
false humility and foolish pride. Both are out
of balance. In saying that, I think of a dear
lady who lives in a city far from here, who teaches
kindergarten. And she does a super job. And yet,
at the end of every kindergarten year, without
fail, she comes to the pastor of the church where
the kindergarten is to resign. And why does she
wish to resign? Because she feels she is a complete
failure and has done a terrible job and has no
abilities whatsoever. And yet, there is a waiting
list for her kindergarten, and she is greatly
loved. by every student who's ever gone through
the kindergarten. Now, what is the problem there?
An inferiority complex, which is out of balance
and is not a biblical self -esteem. On the other
hand, I think of the young man who thought he
was God's gift to young women in the college
where he attended. Handsome, talented, an athlete,
above average grades, everything that any girl
could possibly want. And yet his character was
so marred by his egotism that no one desired
him. He was far too self -assured without that
self -assurance being based upon warranted facts.
Is your opinion of yourself healthy? Do you have
a good self -esteem? I must say that it is far
more common for people to have inferior feelings
than to have the opposite. Because we grow up
in a cruel world where all of us experience at
times rejection. Sometimes that rejection comes
from parents. though they may not mean to come
across that way. Sometimes it comes from friends,
the school, or someone else who is in authority,
perhaps a teacher. But that rejection cuts the
self -esteem until one is left feeling inferior.
But there are those who, on the other hand, think
too much of themselves. Far more than they should.
What is your opinion of yourself? Or let me ask
it this way. What do others say your opinion
of yourself is? Have you dared ask anyone? Would
you dare ask your wife, how do you think I view
myself? Do I have a healthy self -esteem? Would
you ask your husband that same question? Or a
friend that you could trust? It is important,
dear people, for us to have a proper self -confidence
and self -respect. God does not intend for us
to go through life as a Rodney Dangerfield, getting
no respect. balanced, biblical self -esteem.
But if we're going to have that self -esteem,
we have to look at ourselves from the right perspective.
And that brings us to the second point of the
message. The right perspective is found in the
last part of verse 3 through verse 5, where it
says, God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
For just as we have many members in one body
and all the members do not have the same function,
so we who are many are one body in Christ and
individually members one of another. There are
basically two facts that I want to point out
in summing up what is said in those verses we've
just read. To get the right perspective on myself
so that I think properly about me, I must understand
these two truths. Truth number one is that God
has given me what I possess. Fact number two,
God has made me a vital functioning part of the
body, capital B. We'll discuss that in a moment.
Let's reverse direction and go back to point
number one. God has given me what I possess.
When it says God has allotted to each member,
it means God has distributed, God has apportioned,
God has divided to each a measure of faith. The
word measure is the root of our word for metric.
You musicians should see in this word metronome.
which measures out beats per minute. A measure
is that which is measured. It is a portion. Again,
there's a play on words, actually. The apostle
is saying, God has measured to each a measure.
God has allotted to each a portion, an allotment.
And he calls this measure the measure of faith.
What that means is, that faith brought it. It
comes with saving faith. In other words, at the
moment that I was saved, when I believed in the
Lord Jesus Christ, God divided to me a portion.
He gave to me a measure. Now, what is that measure?
Well, I believe we find the answer to that even
in verse 3, where the apostle begins by saying,
For through the grace given to me, I say to every
man among you, the measure or the portion that
God gives to us when we're saved is the measure
by which we can serve him. It is our spiritual
gifts and our potential ministry in life. So
at the moment that you trusted the Lord Jesus
Christ, God gave to you... abilities by which
you may serve Him, and He put within you a potential
ministry for your life. That is your measure.
It is an assignment, plus the ability to fulfill
that assignment. And notice that God has given
this to each. And as Paul writes that in the
original, he emphasizes that. He says, to each,
God has allotted a measure of faith. In other
words, there are no exceptions. For those who
have an inferior mind, let me put that a different
way. For those who are inferior minded, let's
put it that way. For those who are inferior minded,
it means that there is no excuse for a passive,
inactive spectating in the church. In other words,
I cannot legitimately say I am a nothing. I have
no abilities. I can't do anything. Therefore,
I will just sit and watch. That's unbiblical.
God has given to each of us some gifts and a
potential ministry by which we may serve Him.
No exceptions. On the other hand, For those who
are superior -minded, it means that there is
no excuse for pride. I cannot say, well, you
know, I'm pretty great. I can do this and do
that, and surely God is blessed to have me on
His team. For those who are minded that way,
what is said here brings them down a bit, because
God is the one who's given us what we have. And
the pride... actually nullifies one's service.
What I'm saying here is corroborated by other
scriptures in the New Testament. 1 Corinthians
4, 7 says, And what do you have that you did
not receive? Good question. What do you have
that you didn't receive from God ultimately,
perhaps through your parents or for those who
have trained you in your life? What do you have
that you did not receive? He goes on to say,
but if you did receive it, why do you boast as
if you had not received it? In other words, as
though it were innately yours. Why do you brag
about it? In other words, there's no place for
boasting about one's abilities, one's service,
one's ministry. Because God is the one who's
given us everything we have. Ephesians 4, 7.
But to each one of us, grace was given according
to the measure of Christ's gift. 1 Corinthians
12, 7. But to each one is given the manifestation
of the Spirit for the common good. To each one
is given the manifestation of the Spirit. 1 Peter
4, 10. As each one has received a special gift.
employ it in serving one another as good stewards
of the manifold grace of God. So I have received
a special gift from God and now I am responsible
to God as a steward of something He's given to
me to employ that for the good of others. Have
you got a hold of that in your own life? That
God has given you what you possess? You say,
I don't possess anything. You're wrong. You do
possess. You say, I possess a lot. Look at it
again and realize that whatever you have came
from God and not from you. Second truth, God
has made me a vital functioning part of the body.
In other words, not only are we individually
assigned a task and the ability to perform it,
But we are interdependently related to others
who are also assigned the same thing. What I
mean is that God has not given this person over
here a certain ministry, a measure of faith,
and this person over here a certain measure,
and this guy back here a certain measure. No.
God has given it to each, but then he's put us
together. so that we are dependent on each other.
We are not independent, we are interdependent.
And the analogy that he uses is the analogy of
the human body, which he says has many members,
but one body. How many fingers do I have? How
many? Wrong, eight. Two thumbs. Caught you. I
have ten toes, my last count. Though when I stubbed
it the other night, I thought I'd reduced it
to nine. Two legs, two ears, a little crooked,
but two of them on there. Two eyes. See, I have
many different members to my body, and yet my
body is one. We all go along the same places,
do the same things. See, we're together. Furthermore,
all the members of my body do not serve the same
function. I don't hold a rose up to my ear to
smell it. I don't put headphones on my feet to
listen to my stereo. I mean, my members each
have a function, unique and special. And yet
the members are members one of another. They
are dependent on each other. My mouth is quite
dependent on my hands to get the food up there.
If my hands don't work, my mouth is embarrassed
to be so messy to go down to the plate to get
it. Though it will. My feet govern where my body
goes. and the rest of me is dependent on my feet
for getting me there. My members belong to each
other, and they depend on each other so that
I am a whole. Now, what are the applications?
Well, they seem to be very obvious, don't they?
But let me just state them in three statements.
Number one, there is an organic spiritual unity
among the differing members. of the body of Christ.
Turn over to 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and look
at verses 12 and 13. Verse 12, he reminds us
of what we've just said. Even as the body is
one and yet has many members, and all the members
of the body, though they are many, are one body,
so also is Christ. Same analogy. For by one Spirit
we were all baptized into one body. For the Jews
or Greeks, for the slaves or free, we were all
made to drink of one Spirit. So though we come
out of different backgrounds and different nationalities,
different colors, and though we have differing
spiritual gifts, Yet we are members of one body.
There is an organic spiritual unity among the
differing members of the body of Christ. And
how is this unity achieved? It's not something
we have to work up. It's something that happens
through what he calls the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. He says by one spirit we were all baptized
into one body. Now let's just talk about that
a minute because of a lot of confusion on the
subject of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Let's
go back first to Matthew chapter 3 and see some
words of John the Baptist. In verse 11 of Matthew
3, that Old Testament... the greatest of them,
says, As for me, I baptize you with water for
repentance. But he who is coming after me is
mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove his
sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
and fire. Now, what does the fire refer to? That's
often a question asked, and boy, are there ever
some interpretations of it. You see a lot of
wildfire in that fire. But in verse 12, he explains
to us what the fire is. And his winnowing fork
is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clear
his threshing floor, and he will gather his wheat
into the barn, and he will burn up the chaff
with unquenchable fire. In other words, the fire
that's talked about in verse 11 is the fire of
judgment upon those who reject him. Primarily
in the context here, it's national Israel. But,
of course, the application can be broader than
that. But the thing I want to point out in verse
11 is what he talks about in the baptism with
the Holy Spirit or in the Holy Spirit. It can
be read either way. Well, let's turn over to
Acts chapter 1 where we see a similar phrase
used. In verse 4, we have now the words of the
Lord Jesus Christ himself. Not many days from
now. Notice he left out the fire. And he says,
you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Now,
in other words, it had not happened at this point.
The word had been given by John that it was coming,
that Jesus would do it, and yet Jesus says, after
his death and resurrection, that it had not yet
happened. But he said it's going to happen shortly,
in a few days. He tells them to wait there in
Jerusalem until that time had come. And that
time occurs in Acts chapter 2. It's when the
day of Pentecost had come. That is the celebration
of that Old Testament Jewish feast of Pentecost.
That was the proper time. And in Acts chapter
2, we have the historical coming of the Holy
Spirit. And the initial baptism of the Holy Spirit.
which began the body of Christ. Please remember
that before this, the church, the body of Christ,
did not exist. There was national Israel, but
that was all. Now God is doing something new,
and the Holy Spirit comes forth from the Father
and the Son into the world in this special ministry
to indwell believers permanently and to begin
to glue them together. as the body of Christ.
So the body of Christ, comprised only of a few
score of people on that day, has been growing
ever since. He's the one that brings us together,
1 Corinthians 12, 13. The Holy Spirit places
us into the body of Christ. He began that work
in Acts chapter 2. Now for us today, that work
is done at the moment of salvation. We hear a
lot of teaching these days about the baptism
of the Holy Spirit. Let's clarify some things
as far as the New Testament is concerned. Number
one, nowhere are we told that Pentecost is going
to be repeated. In fact, Pentecost does not anymore
need to be repeated than Calvary, the work of
Calvary does. It is a once -for -all work of
God. When Jesus died for our sins, He died once
and for all in shedding His blood for our sins.
And when the Holy Spirit came, He came once and
for all to begin His work of uniting believers
and bringing them together, among other things.
And so that is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, never once in the New Testament
are we commanded to be baptized with the Holy
Spirit. We are never told once in all of the
New Testament to seek the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. Not once. I don't care what you hear
on television, what you read in books, it's not
there in the Bible, friend. We are never commanded
to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The filling
of the Holy Spirit, in other words, His empowering,
yes, but never the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, even in Acts chapter 2, did you
know the word baptism is not even used in terms
of the work of the Holy Spirit? It's the fulfillment
of what Jesus talked about in Acts chapter 1.
In fact, in the book of Acts, the word baptize
or the word baptism are found 27 times. And 25
of those times it refers to water baptism. Only
two times in the book of Acts is the baptism
of the Holy Spirit even mentioned. It was mentioned
in the one context we read in chapter 1, another
time in chapter 11, verse 16, where that is quoted.
And so those who try to tell you that the book
of Acts is all about the baptism of the Holy
Spirit had better look again at even the language
that is used within the book. On that day of
Pentecost, amazing things happened. It says in
verse 2, Suddenly there came from heaven a noise
like a violent rushing wind. It filled the whole
house where they were sitting. And there appeared
to them tongues as a fire distributing themselves,
and they rested on each one of them. And they
were all filled with the Holy Spirit. That's
the term that's used here. And began to speak
with other tongues as the Spirit was giving them
utterance. Amazing things happened. They began
to speak in languages they had never heard. So
when the Bible talks about the gift of tongues,
that's what it's talking about. The gift of languages
which they've never learned, I should have said.
It was the ability to speak in a foreign language.
And people from all around the world gathered
there for that feast that day, heard them speak
in their languages. That is, the apostles were
speaking in languages they had never studied.
Another point I'd like to make is that on that
day of Pentecost, tongues was not just the sign
of the coming of the Holy Spirit. There was a
flame of fire over the head, and there was the
noise of wind blowing, rushing. So if we're going
to talk about the signs, as some people want
to do, they should take all the signs or none
of the signs. Well, that's my point. And so baptism
of the Holy Spirit is that which brings about
the organic union of the body of Christ. Do you
understand that? The baptism of the Holy Spirit
is not something that happens after we get saved.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the work of
God's Spirit putting you into the body of Jesus
Christ the moment you're saved. You don't have
to seek it. You don't have to tarry for it. It's
not another work of grace that God does in your
life. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the Holy
Spirit bringing you together with other believers,
putting you into the body so that we're members
one of another. And even though we come out of
different backgrounds, we have different gifts,
we are a part of the same body. Now, a second
statement to summarize what is being said back
in the book of Romans. Within the unity of the
body, there is diversity of function. so that
the body will be healthy. In other words, each
member of the body has a job to do. And those
jobs are diverse. How we need to be careful of
judging other members of the body because they're
not doing exactly the same thing we're doing.
I mean, it would be a terrible thing if your
body was all mouth, right? Suppose your hands
talked, your feet talked, your ears talked, your
nose talked, your eyes talked. Everything talked
about you. You'd be in a mess. A worse mess than
you are with the one tongue you've got now. You
see, the body is made up of different members
that have different purposes and functions, and
so is the body of Christ. And so there are some
who are gifted for teaching, but not everybody
can teach or should teach. There are some who
are gifted for evangelism, and while all of us
are to be witnesses, not everyone has the gift
of evangelism. And on and on it can go. We have
different functions. We are to harmoniously work
together. There is to be a mutual dependence.
There is to be respect for the other members
of the body. Your physical body is in trouble
when its members don't function harmoniously.
Simply, that's what cancer is. For example, the
white blood cells in your bloodstream are vital
to the germ disease fighting ability of your
body. And yet, if those white blood cells commit
mutiny and rebel against the body, They can begin
to reproduce themselves many more times than
they are needed and you are struck with leukemia.
Cancer, in essence, is the mutiny of certain
cells within the body against the rest of the
body. They become diverse in a very bad sense.
There is no harmony and eventually it can cause
death to the body. And so, my friend, it is so
in the body of Christ. We are diverse. We are
different. We are to respect each other's differences.
But we're to work together as one. The third
statement I'd like to make regarding this fact
that we are each one members of the body is that
because we are members one of another, we must
look out for one another. Let's go back to Romans
12. I want you to notice there that very statement,
we are members one of another. In verse 5. And
because we are members of each other, we have
certain responsibilities. Your physical members
are related, are they not? You stub your toe
on the bed post at 3 o 'clock in the morning,
your little finger hurts. Your earlobe aches,
right? I mean, every part of your body suddenly
goes into spasms of pain when all you did was
to stub your toe on the bed. Your members are
one of another, you see. Likewise, because we
are members one of another, when one of us hurts,
the whole body hurts. When one of us is in sin,
it affects the whole body. When one of us has
a victory, the whole body shares in that victory.
And we have responsibilities for one another.
Let's survey some very quickly. Look in chapter
12, verse 10. We have, be devoted to one another
in brotherly love. In other words, there is to
be a family loyalty about us, a close -knittedness.
The last part of verse 12, give preference one
to another in honor. Let me illustrate that in
this way. It may be that an accompanist is more
talented than a soloist. But for the moment of
that solo, the accompaniment needs to be subjected
to the solo. And so the accompanist obediently...
giving preference of honor to the one who is
singing the solo. So it is in the body. We are
to prefer others before ourselves. Turn to chapter
15, verse 5. We'll be looking at these in detail
as we move on through the rest of this book.
But just now to survey them, he says, Now may
the God who gives perseverance and encouragement
grant you to be of the same mind with one another.
According to Christ Jesus. So we're to be of
the same mind with one another. Satan's strategy
is to what? To divide. To magnify differences
out of proportion. To destroy harmony. My friend,
harmony is the result of the Holy Spirit's control
and of spiritual maturity. Look down at verse
7. Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ
also accepted us to the glory of God. We are
to accept each other for what we are and where
we are. We don't have to accept the sins of someone
else, but you know there are people who come
into our church out of different backgrounds.
They may be immature spiritually. We need to
accept them, though they may do some things or
say some things that don't quite match where
we are. But we accept them as brothers in Christ,
not on the basis of their actions necessarily,
but of who they are. their identity. We need
to avoid judging one another in those kinds of
things. But to balance that, look in verse 14.
He says, As concerning you, my brethren, I myself
am convinced that you yourselves are full of
goodness and filled with all knowledge and able
also to admonish one another. And so there is
a place in which we are to correct or warn others.
regarding sin in their lives. That balances what
we've said before about accepting one another.
He says admonish one another, and notice the
qualifications for doing that, being full of
goodness and filled with all knowledge. And then
in chapter 16, verse 16, we're going to find
a verse now that all of you teenagers will appreciate.
You haven't appreciated what I've said thus far,
but here's one you will like. Greet one another
with a holy kiss. If you don't get anything else
out of the message this morning, you'll probably
get this. Did you know that five times in the
New Testament that is said? I did not know that
until this last week, that it was five times.
The Holy Spirit repeats the same words. Greet
one another with a holy kiss. The thought is,
of course, that we are to allow nothing to be
between us in our fellowship. The kiss was the
oriental custom of greeting. And as we greet
each other in our customary way, we are to allow
nothing to interrupt our fellowship. I should
never go out of my way to avoid somebody. If
I do that, if I say, I'm not speaking to that
person, then somewhere I've got sin in my attitude.
It also means we're to develop a genuine interest
in others and their welfare. Greet one another.
Now, putting all of this together, let's summarize
it by saying, when we understand, dear people,
our relationship to others in the body of Christ
and God's sovereign allotment to each of us,
whatever gifts and ministry we have, it gives
us a proper perspective. which results in right
thinking about ourselves, we'll have a good self
-esteem, a biblical self -respect. And so I ask
you again, is your self -esteem properly balanced?
Do you think of yourself on the right level?
Not superior, not inferior, but balanced? Would
your friends, your family agree with you? And
as a member of the body of Christ, what is your
God -assigned function? What are your gifts and
abilities? And then are you a healthy, functioning
member of the body? There is another member of
the body that needs your ministry this week.
Someone needs you. We cannot spectate. We cannot
sit on the sidelines and say, let others do it.
We need to say, God, you have given me this measure.
You have made me a part of the body. Now enable
me that I might fulfill my function in that body.
Let's pray. closed as the Spirit of God brings
the point of His finger into our hearts and shoves
it to that place where we have a need, a commitment,
a decision. What is it, my friend, He's talking
to you about? Will you today confess that sinful
inferiority complex? Will you confess that sinful
superiority complex? And ask God to give you
a balanced self -esteem. Are you a functioning
part of the body of Christ in a local church?
You may be a member far from here. You're just
visiting today. Are you functioning in that body
where you belong? Do you belong to a church?
I can say without hesitation, that is God's will
for you. God does not intend for us to be floaters
month after month, year after year. We are gifted.
We are measured out. We are allotted to have
a ministry. Where are you employing your measure
that came with your faith? Heavenly Father, I
pray that whatever the decisions are that need
to be made today, we'll make them in obedience
to your word. May we be doers and not just hearers.
In Jesus' name. Amen. I invite you to take a
hymnal and turn with me in closing to Hymn 450
as we sing about living for Jesus, a true life.
And if today in order to live for Jesus Christ
you need to make a commitment of some sort, we
invite you to do that. If you today would trust
the Lord Jesus Christ, you're not even a part
of the body of Christ. Would you come today that
we might have counselors pray with you and show
you how to be saved? Are you saved but you're
not a member of a local church? Have you been
coming here? Are you thinking about membership?
When will you make your decision? God wants to
know. That is an important commitment for you
to make, to plug into a local expression of the
body of Christ and put your measure to work.
Are you a Christian who's been disobedient? Maybe
your esteem has been off balance one way or the
other. My friend, if we can pray with you and
help you, I invite you to come as we stand and
sing together this hymn. I'll wait right here
at the front. Let's stand together.