Connecting to Service
We live out our faith by Connecting to Service through the Local Church

Following his urgent call to surrender and transformation in Romans 12:1-2, Paul continues by explaining how the living sacrifice lives in the community of the church.  Since we are created for community and called to live in connection with one another, there must be a God-supplied manner in which we can live.  God never calls us to do something without also giving us the grace necessary for obedience. 

Romans 12:3-8 is a parallel passage to 1 Corinthians 12 in describing the service we render to one another through the exercise of spiritual gifts.  Spiritual gifts are defined in 1 Corinthians 12:7 as the “manifestation of the Spirit…given for the common good.”  We should not think of these gifts as our own personal talents or our property, but as the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives who shows Himself in various ways.  He works in our lives to benefit the life of the church.

Every believer is indwelled by the Spirit and therefore is capable of being used in service to the life of the church.  It is the responsibility of the individual believer to surrender to God as a “living sacrifice” so that the body of the church may be strengthened and may function as God intends.  It has been said that 20% of the people do 80% of the work.  That is not an accurate statement.  In truth 20% of the people are only able to do 20% of the work.  Those who do not serve limit the work of God that is accomplished because their gifts are not being used.

Connecting to Service emphasizes the importance of all believers finding a place of service in the ministry of the church and thereby demonstrating their commitment.  Commitment does not have to be demonstrated to the pastor or to other members, but to God and to oneself.  A person can claim to be committed to God, but if they are not serving they have nothing on which to base their claim.  Service demonstrates to ourselves that we are indeed committed to the Lord and to His church.

Right Thinking vs. Wrong Thinking
First Paul addresses the thoughts about ourselves which must be transformed.  He says in verse 3: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…”

1. About Yourself – Be humble and zealous
            Our human tendency is to be selfish and self-centered, to consider ourselves the center of the universe, at least of our own universe.  Here Paul exhorts believers to not be high-minded, considering others here as mere incidentals to the really important things in our own lives.  Humility means that we have a proper perspective about our own place in the world, not seeing ourselves as more important than we really are.  We are not to be self-righteous. 

            We also should be zealous, not thinking so little of our ability to contribute that we withdraw from the world.  God has given us faith to be exercised and we must see that God wants to work through us for the benefit of others.  False humility often becomes an excuse for laziness or a veil hiding our own lack of faith in God. Right thinking about our own lives should lead us to participate with others, not withdraw.  Can you imagine telling God that He is not big enough or great enough or strong enough to work through us.  When we withhold our willingness to serve from Him we are saying just that.

2. About the Church – Be humble and zealous
            Humility keeps us from separating ourselves from the body of Christ.  We need one another. We must not be so independent that we have no need for other people, specifically other believers.  We cannot accomplish all that must be done in our life of faith by ourselves.
           
            Zealously encourage others to be involved in the life of the church because they are needed also.  Right thinking about others enables us to see the importance of each person to the life of the church.  We must consistently seek out those who are new in the church or who are not involved.  Invite them and challenge them to participate with you in a ministry.  Remember, short term involvement opens the door for long term commitment.

Right Organization
Verses 5 and 6 emphasize two facts that lead to one truth.

1. The church is one body
            Twice in these verses the phrase “one body” is used.  While the universal church is the body of Christ, the local church is representative of the body and so we often refer to the local church in this way also.  As Paul writes to the church in Rome he uses the metaphor of the body which is common in his writings (1 Cor. 10:17; 12:12-30; Eph. 1:23; 4:4-16; 5:23-30; Col. 1:18, 24; 2:19; 3:15).  Obviously a physical body must be unified to function and so must the church.

2. The church has many members
            Not all parts of the body look the same or have the same function within the body, but each member is important to the life of the body.  Unity of the body does not mean uniformity.   Uniformity describes a body where each member looks the same and does the same thing.  Clearly this does not describe either the physical body or the body of the church.

Recognizing the differences among the members and yet the presence of one body leads to an important truth: We are interdependent.  As Paul says, “each member belongs to all the others.”  As members of one body our lives are tied together and yet the many members do not naturally value the others because we do not always appreciate what a different member contributes.  We must understand the value of the whole body and not merely the value of a single function within the body.

Obviously, if we do not see the value of each function we may be inclined to look on some members of the church with less respect than is warranted and we may also withhold our own contribution because we do not think it worthy.  But if the word of God is true, then certainly these words must sink deep within our hearts, “so in Christ we who are many form one body and each member belongs to all the others.”  This is the organizational strategy that God has chosen for the church and we must submit to the truth that we are all dependent on each other.  Again, we need one another.

Right Service
Since the organization says that each member is important to the life of the body and each member serves a function within the body, we must seek to understand our own place in the body of Christ.

In verses 6-8 Paul gives a partial list of gifts.  Other gifts are also listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28.  Neither of these lists is exhaustive because ultimately a spiritual gift is the work of the Holy Spirit through our lives and is not limited by any human description.

A review of Paul’s list in Romans:
Prophecy – people who could say, ‘Thus saith the Lord…” – There is no New Testament definition of prophecy

Service – the Greek word from which we get the word “deacon” – refers to all kinds of service, and nothing specifically.  “It is not given to all to prophesy.  If anyone is not given that great gift but is given the more humdrum gift of being able to serve in a lowly place, then he should not sigh for what he does not have but use the gift God has given him.  And the ability to do lowly service well is a gift.” – Morris, p. 441

Teaching – the ability to open the eyes of the learner to see the depth of the word and the application of it to life.

Encouraging – the exact meaning is unclear though NIV is good – could be exhorting or consoling.  Luther said the role of the encourager was to “stimulate.”

Contributing – coming to the assistance of the poor.  Most often those who have the gift of contributing also have the means of acquiring wealth to be given away.

Leadership – a general term referring to various types of leadership.  Paul is specific in his application when he says that leadership must be done with diligence, earnestness, eagerness.  Leadership affects many others so it must not be done in haste or without consideration of consequences.

Mercy – done cheerfully, the person with this gift sees it not as a grim duty but as a delight.