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October 12, 2003 |
"The Joy of Giving" Series |
Andrew Haboush
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"THE JOY OF GIVING -- AS A DISCIPLE"
Romans 12
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| The following message was delivered by Andy Haboush, one of our key laymen here at Banks Community United Methodist Church. Some of the text of this message is from a Bible study written by Roger Christopherson.
In Romans 12 we enter into a study of practical living that we ought to apply to our own lives, as part of the body of Christ."
| | Vs 1. |
Paul is saying that we should commit our lives to God as a living sacrifice.
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Certainly a dead sacrifice is of no earthly or heavenly good to the Father, but the living sacrifice is how we live each day of our lives. It is shown in the words we say and the kindness that we show one another.
Paul tells us that being a member of the family of God we are expected to represent the family well, especially expected by the Father, the head of the family. We are to set the example, whereby all people will see our lives and know that we are Christians by our holy living and conversation. If it gets to the point where I have to tell someone that I am a Christian because they can't see it in my life, then spiritually I am in trouble, and should take a close look at myself.
We all know of or have known people who say they are Christians but don't act the part. We had a neighbor at one time who professed
to be a Christian and would ride around on his tractor singing hymns to the top of his lungs. He had the annoying habit of lighting off huge brush fires, in the woods, in mid-August. He either had great faith or was nuts because when questioned about what he was doing he would retort, "If God wants the woods to burn, he will let them burn". Not my idea of Christian attitude or a neighborly one either.
How many of you read the Obituaries? I do faithfully. In fact, that's the first thing I look for in the newspaper. I usually skim through the names to see if I recognize anyone. I usually settle on one or two to read their full story. I know it is impossible to get ones full story from a couple paragraphs but one can get an idea of their life lived by what is written. Sometimes, at the end, will be written "no service held", and I get a feeling of emptiness. Often times it is stated, he or she are members of the church. One I read last week was of a young woman whose smile brightened up any room she entered. She was a practical joker, and was there to help anyone in need, she had the gift of cheering up those who were down and depressed. We can only hope our own obits will read like we are Christians.
| | Vs 2. |
When Paul refers to "This world" he doesn't mean the ground that we walk on,
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but in the Greek language, "world" is "aion", the world society, the way the world does things. We are not to conform to the pattern, or fashion that is set by the world standards for our lives, because the one that sets those standards is the prince of the world, Satan. We are not to conform to those things that the world considers a way of doing business, of bribery, stealing, lying, and you and I know that the list can go on and on. Those things are certainly of Satan. God's "will" is given to us through His Word by the prophets, disciples, and even through His own words while He walked on this earth. That is His Will, and the Will of God is perfect. When we strive to live within the Will of God in all that we say and do, then we are in His Perfect Will. It doesn't mean that we won't fall short, because all of us in the flesh fall short, but through Christ's forgiving grace we are free. Through His saving grace we are forgiven when we repent of our sins. This is a daily, hourly, and a minute by minute process, living our lives as a "living sacrifice unto God". Our "transforming" takes place within our mind and not our spirit, for God does the transforming in our spirit. It becomes our "duty" to change our mind. This is done by our seeking the knowledge of God. You can only renew your mind when the knowledge of God's Word is placed there. You place it there when you get into His holy word and study it.
| | Vs 3. |
When you have a gift that is given by God, then you know that it is He who should
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receive all the credit. Whether that gift is teaching, singing, sports, fishing, helping the sick, praying, or whatever it is, that gift is placed within you for the sole purpose of glorifying God, and not you. When you take the credit, then you play the role of the fool, and become high-minded. All wisdom, credibility, knowledge, ability and any wealth that you may have is God's and you are the servant of those gifts that have been assigned to your care for that gift. It is our heavenly Father that makes it all click, workable, and believable.
| | Vs 4. |
Each person in the body of Christ does not have the same function.
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We all have different gifts to support one another in the spreading of the gospel. It is our duty to reach others with the good news of the freedoms that we have in Christ. Don't go around thinking that you have to copy the gifts that God has given to another, but search yourself to see what gifts God has given you. Develop them, and learn how they can be used most effectively for Christ.
To the singer, it may require lessons to develop and strengthen his or her voice, or even take advantage of using that gift whenever possible. We have seen great football players, give God the glory when they make the right play, instead of strutting around like a fat turkey at the goal line. To you that God has given the ability to feel the pain of others, it is you that visit the sick and bring new hope to them. This is a special gift from God.
I don't know your gift and it's not important that we know each other's gifts from God. What is important is that each of us looks at our own gifts. We are accountable to the Father for how we use them. Paul uses the analogy of the body here, because we can easily see that each member or part of our own body has a specific gift to make the body function as a whole. You don't walk on your head, you think with your head and walk on your feet. Your heart pumps blood, while your blood carries oxygen. Your hands pick up things and your nose takes in air, and is used as a drain now and then. For some of us mostly all the time as a drain.
You get the picture: The body of Christ is the same way, every part is necessary, and the body suffers when any part of the body is hurting. When a speck gets into your eye, the whole body stops until the speck is removed. Gail can tell you of countless times when I would spent whole evenings in front of the bathroom mirror with flashlight and toothpick trying to pick out steel slivers from my eyes. It is getting impossible to see them now with my sight changing, and it really is easier for Bud to do the job. When one of your feet steps on a nail, the whole body is under attack. This is how it ought to be within the body of Christ.
Now let's say that the entire body of Christ was as one individual member, like maybe the nose. What would it look like if there were one huge nose running all over the place? All that could be done by that nose is smelling and draining. Doesn't that sound stupid? Sure it does. The body needs to be rounded out with all of it's parts functioning in the capacity that God intended it to be. Every part is important and necessary for the body of Christ.
| | Vs 5. |
This addresses the brethren, as to how you get along with one another.
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If you recall the story from the children's time, the Cock and the Mouse and the Little Red Hen finally worked out that to work as a functioning family they each had to do their part. But it took a near disaster to bring them around.
| | Vs 6. |
"Prophecy" is teaching what God has spoken. Prophecy can be trusted
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because it is based upon the plan and will of God. In the prime root of the word "prophecy" it is the teaching of the prophets. There has never been a prophet that walked on this earth that could see into the future and tell what the future would bring. Every prophet has had the same God that you do, and it was God that told the prophet what tomorrow would bring, so be careful of listening to those seers that run around telling others what the world is going to bring. They have no idea what is in the word of God. All prophecy is freely given from God, and when one tries to peddle it as his or her own revelation ….. run. When one tells you something that is not written in Gods Word pertaining to prophecy, he is a liar, and not part of the true body of Christ. He is practicing "Simony."
Remember back in Acts 8 where there was a certain man named "Simon" who followed Philip around and saw the powers that God had given to Philip. Simon was a sorcerer, and did great things for money, but when Simon saw those things that the disciples were doing, he wanted them. The miracles of Philip were greater than what Simon had, so Simon tried to buy those powers to commercialize them for his own gain. Simon wanted to buy the Holy Spirit from them, and as historical record has it, Simon thought that if Christ was so great that He was buried and rose three days later, so was Simon going to do the same act. So Simon had them bury him, and friends, poor old Simon just never came out of the grave. That ended Simon's ministry.
| | Vs 7. |
Don't jump into your ministry until God has prepared you for that ministry.
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When you have the gift of teaching, it means that you understand the entire plan of God, and God has given you the ability to tell God's word to others with understanding.
| | Vs 8. |
"Exhorting" means that you have the gift of speaking, to make God's Word come
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to life in the mind of the listener.
When you give, just don't make a big deal out of it. The joyful giver is what makes the Word of God flow. We are to give to the point that is necessary to accomplish the task that is set before us. It becomes a pleasure to give, because the center of the giving is not the gift of money, but the satisfaction that comes from the end results is what the money brought in the spreading of the gospel.
"Showing mercy, with cheerfulness", is directed to those that are gifted with the ability to make the sick and down trodden lifted up just by being in their presence. It is a gift from God, when you have the ability to make those around you feel good, just by your being there.
| | Vs 9. |
This is to say, let love be real, don't give out that fake stuff.
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To stay away from evil things and people, and follow with good things and people is not difficult. It is just good common sense. We are to be happy when our brethren are successful in their gifts. We are also to be happy while in our community and on the job, setting a good example for those around us, that they will seek what we have. This is great advice for even in business, you learn quickly that to be successful, you must give service and please others. It gets right to the core of humanity. We all wish to be pleased. Though there is financial gain for doing this in business, we should do it for the glory of God. We do it so others will not just be drawn to buy our goods, but they will be drawn to our heavenly Father.
Remember that when God gives a gift to you, it is without repentance. He will not take it back from you. However, when you misuse that gift, He will take you down a peg or two. God has His ways to get you back to the reality that we have in Christ.
| | Vs 10. |
Our dealings with our fellow Christians must be honorable when we use our
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gifts in the service for the Lord. What Paul is saying, in a sense is, "Don't be lazy." If you have a gift to lead or teach, and you see something that needs to be done in the body of Christ, do it! Lead the way! That is why there are many different gifts scattered amongst the flock. All members of the flock do not have the same ability, and when you see that the gift that you have is needed, get busy and get it done. If the church needs a new roof, and there is a roofer in the church, your gift may be your ability to go get the shingles, or carry them up the ladder. If one is sick in your midst, and you see where some flowers and a good word is needed, don't wait to be asked, cut those flowers, and go visit that sister or brother in the Lord. Don't sit back and do nothing. Take the lead! God will bless you many times over. not only in this world, but in the world to come. You simply cannot out give God!
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