Chosen to Act
This is part 3 in a study of Romans 12. Begin with part 1: Sacrificial Lifestyle.
As a worship pastor for the past thirty years, there have been times when I wished that I could just sit in the congregation and be part of the worshippers rather than a worship leader. But that is not my function. There have been times when I wanted to participate in the Wednesday night youth fun rather than lead choir practice. But that is not my function. There have been times when I wished I could stand at the doorway and be a greeter. But that is not my function.
In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t. (Romans 12:4-6, The Message)
God has given each of us a job to do. We have been called to that task by God. We are a chosen people. We have been put there by God and we need to stay put until He chooses to put us somewhere else. Just as a body requires all of its parts in order to function properly, the church requires all of God’s people to do the tasks that He has given specifically to them if we are to function properly. When members start complaining because Bob gets more attention or because Mary gets to sing solos, then our church family starts to become dysfunctional.
God called each of us and gave us certain guidelines for the work we are to do. Many people do not seem to know about their own guidelines, but they are there. God has placed specific talents, skills, training, spiritual gifts, etc. into our lives for a purpose. Those He has called, He will also equip to do the work for which He has called them.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. (Ephesians 4:11-12, NIV)
Don’t let your lack of equipping keep you from serving. Some people God calls first and equips later, but God can also equip you before He calls you as well. Many pastors accepted the call to preach years before they actually completed their seminary or bible school training. Some pastors started preaching shortly after their call and then started working on their education.
So it is important that we understand that we are all made for a specific task, but it is also important to know that we have each been giving different gifts based on God’s grace and not our own talent or good looks. Some Christians live in a constant state of Eeyoreism. Remember Winnie the Pooh’s donkey friend, Eeyore? He was constantly mopey and always certain that others were better and more deserving than he. Other Christians seem to suffer from the James and John disease of believing that they are better than everyone else and deserve that special place in the presence of God. Your spiritual gifts are not burdens, nor are they bragging rights. Each gift is necessary for the full function of God’s Body, the church.
Seven of the spiritual gifts are shown here in Romans 12: prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leading, and mercy. There are twenty-one gifts mentioned in scripture, although we typically only focus on nineteen of them. After all, nobody wants to find out that they have the gift of celibacy or martyrdom. The scripture passages that discuss the nineteen typical spiritual gifts are: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; and Ephesians 4:11.
If you do not know your spiritual gifts, take some time to learn more about them by taking this free test now at SpiritualGiftsTest.com.
The basic point of Paul’s listing the seven spiritual gifts in Romans 12 is that he wanted to instruct and encourage Christians to focus on their own individual calling by God using the gifts He has give to them. I personally like the way The Message describes these gifts and our responsibility for using them.
If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face. (Romans 12:6-8, The Message)
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