Romans 12:3-8

Good morning, everybody. Take out your Bibles and turn to the book of Romans, chapter 12.

Romans 12 · chapter mention

I just want to express briefly my gratitude for all your prayers and encouragement.

! As we were gone up at Duke Hospital, kind of fighting through some infection that I have,

and still kind of doing it. I have my stuff going this morning.

I have a little medicine ball, and it pushes medicine through it, which is pretty cool.

But it's also too big to fit in my pocket of these cowboy-cut Wranglers, so I have it in a fanny pack,

which is really embarrassing. So, returning to the 80s slowly.

But I really want to just thank you for your prayers and encouragement.

That said, I still am a little short of breath, so it might take me longer to kind of get out everything.

But I will be watching the time. I promise not to keep you here longer.

At least at this point, Lord willing, I'm supposed to preach the next passage next Sunday.

So if I have to, I may wrap up some of this and just put it in with next week.

So, we'll see how it goes.

But it's times like this that it's good for the Lord to remind me to not rely on any kind of gifting or ability I have,

but on His strength and His power.

So just join me in a word of prayer.

Father, we offer this time to you.

Please just work in and through me to accomplish your purpose.

And may your word be applied to our hearts through your Holy Spirit.

And may it have the desired effect that you meant for it to have on our souls and our lives as we go from here.

So may you be pleased, Lord, during this time and this preaching and the hearing of your word.

In Christ's name, amen.

Amen.

All right.

Romans 12.

Nathan did a wonderful job last week on Romans 1 and 2, kind of the focus on renewing our minds.

And so, the book of Romans can be really hard to reconnect and just to make sure you don't lose the overall picture of it.

But in short, God's saving grace leads to a new life in Christ.

And in chapter 12 through 15, 13, Paul begins to work out the practical gospel implications of his saving mercy.

So, in light of all that God has done for us, in light of all that the book of Romans has unpacked, the idea that we were chosen by his grace, we've had our sins forgiven, we've been made right with God, justified in his sight, that Christ's righteousness has been given to us, that we are reconciled to him.

We've been adopted into this family, we've been given the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance.

So, in light of all that stuff that Romans has just talked about, now he's saying, therefore, live this way.

That's what starts in chapter 12 and kind of goes forward through the rest of the book.

And today, looking at, that's kind of where we've been, and now where we're going, starting in verses 3 through 8, Paul begins expounding on what the new life in Christ actually looks like.

As in most of his letters, he begins talking with teaching about doctrine, theology.

He does that in Ephesians very clearly.

Maybe the first three chapters are about our great salvation and what God has done for us, and the other three chapters are about working that out in response to that, how godly living, what it looks like.

Very similar at this point.

He concludes this letter with a practical outworking and application of what he's already expounded on.

And so, don't fall off on either side of this cliff, okay?

Truth and knowledge and sound doctrine are vital.

And without it, you will not be saved, all right?

But it is also insufficient without the Holy Spirit's empowerment and application to the inward man.

So, your learning must translate into living.

It must, your theology must transform into doxology.

Doxology.

It's not meant just to be head knowledge.

It must impact your heart.

It must impact your soul.

It must impact the way you think.

Or else it's just dead knowledge in your head.

Both are important, right?

Your head knowledge and your heart response to that truth are vital.

And so, the following verses, just to give you a simple outline, Paul begins with an exhortation in verse 3, an illustration in verses 4 through 5, and then an application in verses 6 through 8.

So, let's read together Romans 12.

We'll start.

You know what?

I'm just going to start with verse 1 just for fun.

To kind of not lose if you weren't here last week or whatever.

But, Paul says,

And he goes on in verse 3.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read together Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

Let's read Romans 12.

The one who leads with zeal.

The one who does acts of mercy with cheerfulness.

All right.

So, for you people out there that are particularly looking at the second part of verse 6,

that's not where we're going today.

So, just hang tight.

We're going to have a walk through this outline.

But three points today.

Number one, and this is the exhortation,

number one is right attitude.

That's the exhortation in verse 3.

He says,

For by grace given to me, I say to everyone among you,

not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,

but to think with sober judgment,

each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

So, Paul begins this whole part by recognizing

that what he has is a result of God's grace,

his apostleship, his ministry,

all stems not because of any greatness that's in him,

but completely by God's grace.

He was set apart for the service of Christ.

So, then he's connecting that truth to what we just read,

verses 1 and 2,

the idea of renewing our minds.

In light of that,

Paul calls all believers to think humbly and rightly

about themselves and their role in the church.

So, very clearly at the heart of our sin

and our rebellion against God

is wrong thinking,

temptations to boast about ourselves

and to demean others.

Every single good thing we have is from God.

Everything, including our gifts and our rules

that are in the body.

And Paul makes that crystal clear.

Everything that we have that is good is from God.

Every passage that mentions gifts,

okay,

which there's four, really.

It says in 1 Corinthians 12,

to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit

for the common good.

So, given,

God has appointed in the church

and that he gave,

Ephesians 4.11.

So, anytime gifts are mentioned,

Paul wants you to see it clearly

that it was given to you by God.

And so, if you understand that,

it excludes boasting.

So, he goes hard at that.

So, he's saying,

don't come at this

with an approach of pride.

So, the right response to this,

what is the right attitude?

The right attitude is humility

and not pride.

Richard Baxter,

one of my favorite Puritan writers,

said,

humility is not a mere ornament

of a Christian,

but an essential part

of the new creature.

It is a contradiction in terms

to be a Christian

and not be humble.

So, humility is our only

right response to God

because it recognizes

that we live the Christian life

in the same manner

in which we first became believers,

completely by his grace.

So, humility isn't just pretending,

faking that we're unworthy,

right,

that,

to sound spiritual,

but it's acknowledging

the true reality

that we are unworthy,

that everything we have

is from God,

and that excludes boasting.

So, in light of that,

Paul is calling them to think,

and he says,

in this verse,

I say to you,

right,

I say,

exhort,

warn everyone among you.

Not,

there's this idea of

don't do this,

but do this.

So, here's the negative part.

Not to think,

which means to estimate,

to evaluate himself

more highly

than he ought to think,

or to have an overblown,

exaggerated opinion

of your own importance.

Okay?

A man that I respect a lot

said this,

that a desire for preeminence

is the death

of spiritual usefulness.

Pride is cancerous

to the body,

and few things

can cause more harm

in a local church

than a person

who overrates himself

and tries to perform

a ministry

that he really isn't

gifted to do,

and he boasts about

those gifts

that he doesn't possess.

We've all seen that

in the church.

We've seen people

overrating themselves,

overrating their importance

and their role

in the church

and what great harm

that does.

We've seen people

who don't have gifts

destroy things

because they think

they have them,

and that we haven't

been bold enough

and honest enough

to say,

hey, you really

don't have that,

brother or sister.

So,

that's okay

because you've been

gifted in other ways.

So, let's find out

what that is.

Don't do that.

We also have seen

people boast about

gifts that God

has given

and use them

for their own glory

to exalt themselves.

And both

are expressions

of pride.

God wrote,

or James wrote,

God opposes the proud

but gives grace

to the humble.

In the writer of Proverbs,

pride goes before destruction

and a haughty spirit

before the fall.

So, Paul's really

just saying,

hey, look,

everything we have

is from God,

so what's so special

about you?

And that was

the sickness

that had infected

the Corinthian church

and why Paul

gives them

so many loving

rebukes

about them

boasting

in their spiritual

gifts and saying,

well,

you're neglecting

the biggest mark

of a true believer

and that mark

is Christ-like

love.

You don't have it.

So,

I don't really care

about what other

gifts you have.

And so,

that means

that godly character

counts more

than our gifting,

right?

Our hearts,

what God has done

in us.

So,

Paul is warning,

do not have

a over-inflated,

arrogant opinion

of yourself,

right?

We've seen

people abuse

these gifts.

I have a friend

who is

a campus pastor

of a larger

megachurch.

We disagree

on ecclesiology

a lot,

but he's a brother.

And

he was in

a large staff meeting

of all the different

campuses

that represent

this church.

church,

and the guy

who,

he helped

start this

church many

years ago,

he just kind

of dominates

the meetings.

And most people

are afraid to speak

up.

You ever been

in a meeting

like that

where everybody's

just like,

okay,

okay,

just sort of

nodding along?

Well,

my friend

noticed that

he just

thought he

would speak

up and

just say,

hey,

how about

instead of

doing this,

we maybe

think about

doing this.

You know,

fair assessment.

The guy

who is the

head guy,

the guy

who telecasts

himself,

broadcasts

himself over

all these

campuses,

his remark

back to my

friend was,

well,

one day

when you

start a

church,

you can do

things the

way you see

fit.

And that

is dangerous.

This man

has an

over-exaggerated

view of

himself and

an arrogant

view that if

he pulled out,

this whole thing

would just fall

apart,

right?

We have to be

careful that

there could be

something there

just besides

boasting.

It could be

someone who

thinks they're

a believer and

is not because

they lack the

humility that

believers are

supposed to be

characterized by.

This is why

Paul wrote

in verse

Corinthians 4,

7,

for who

sees anything

different in

you?

What do you

have that you

did not receive

from God?

If then you

received it,

why do you

boast as if

you had not

received it?

So a gift

can never be

the source of

spiritual pride

because it's a

gift.

Pride is

deception

because,

again,

everything we

have,

this good,

comes from

God,

including our

gifts from

His hand.

So therefore

we have no

grounds to

boast.

But look at

the next part

of this verse.

He says,

rather,

right,

but to

think or

rate your

own ability

with sober,

sound,

clear-headed

judgment,

which leads

us to

recognize in

ourselves we

are nothing.

but in

Christ we

can be

used to

glorify God

with the

gifts that

the Spirit

has bestowed

on us.

So a quick

question.

I mean,

I guess you

could say it's

a real question

for the elders

of our church,

including me,

but just a

question to

all of us.

Do you think

that this church

would fall

apart if you

left?

Do you think

that if you

weren't here to

get things done

that things would

just become

unraveled?

Do you

cherish an

overly

exaggerated

idea of

your own

importance?

Paul responds

to such people

in Galatians 6,

For if anyone

thinks he is

something when

he is nothing,

he deceives

himself.

Think about

this.

Do you use

the gifts

that God

has given

you to

exalt

yourself and

make a name

for yourself?

Jesus would

respond,

whoever exalts

himself will

be humbled,

and whoever

humbles himself

will be

exalted.

Matthew 23,

12.

Or do you

recognize that

any gift,

any ability

you have,

has been

graciously given

by God,

and that he

intends to

use those

gifts for you

not to make

a name for

yourself,

but to use

it for his

glory and the

strengthening of

the church?

Another scary

prospect,

do you recognize

that he could

take that

gift from

you?

Because he

gave it to

you.

Those are all

things that

stem from

God.

Have you

asked God

to help

you evaluate

yourself

realistically

with sober

judgment about

your role in

the body,

a single

member of

the body

of Christ?

All right,

and he goes

on and he

uses this

phrase in our

text in

verse 3,

this idea

of the

measure of

faith.

Now,

real quickly,

it doesn't

mean saving

faith,

it doesn't

mean quantity

or amount

of faith

given to

individuals,

rather,

each according

to the degree

of faith

apportioned

or allocated

by God

for each

believer to

properly

exercise

their gifts.

This kind

of faith is

a spiritual

endowment,

an ability

given by

the Holy

Spirit to

empower

them to

use their

particular

gift.

Another way

to read

this verse,

each according

to the

degree of

faith that

God has

assigned or

apportioned,

allotted,

allocated,

it seems to

refer right to

the correct

measure of a

spiritual gift

in its

operating features

that God

has given

to every

believer.

So,

if you ever

sat in a

hospital room,

it gets

long days.

There's not

always cool

stuff to

watch on

TV,

and you

don't really

feel like

reading because

you're about

to fall

asleep because

you feel

sick.

So,

what do you

do?

You talk

about kids,

and you talk

about your

kids,

and you look

at pictures.

But at the

time,

we were,

my mother-in-law

sent us a picture

of our two

Labradors,

and I was

like,

wait a minute,

and I had

an apostrophe

epiphany.

But,

some of you

got that

reference.

All right.

An example,

it's just an

example.

All right,

we're going to

use an example

of dogs.

So,

you either love

dogs or you

hate them,

so I don't

know which

one you are

today.

But,

there are

different

categories of

dogs.

Right?

Whether you

knew that

or not.

There are

sporting dogs

like mine,

Labradors,

Spaniels,

Setters,

really good

at just

going out

and having

fun with

and swimming

and chasing

balls.

There are

hounds,

bloodhounds,

blue ticks,

basset hounds.

My brother

used to coon

hunt,

so he had

walker hounds

and blue ticks.

There's

herding dogs

like German

shepherds,

collies.

Healers.

And then

there's toy

dogs,

the most

worthless

category.

I'm just

kidding.

I'm going to

get mean

emails later.

Pomeranians,

Yorkies,

just lap

dogs,

right?

Each kind

of dog,

listen,

each kind

of dog

is given

a specific

but limited

set of

capabilities

and functions

to do

what God

intended it

to do.

it's

amazing

to watch

each breed,

each type

of dog

function in

the way

they're

supposed to.

Like,

I'm amazed

to watch

my Labradors,

like,

the younger

one,

he'll swim

down in

the bottom

of the

lake

and get

something that

we threw

down there

and he'll

bring it

back up.

It's like,

he'll find

things in

the dark.

He'll do

a zigzag

pattern to

find it.

I've seen

my brother's

hounds,

you know,

like,

track down

things.

I've seen

toy dogs

just sit

and be

fed

and petted.

I've seen

German

shepherds

being protective

of their

family members.

So,

given specific

but limited

set of

capabilities,

so,

awesome to

watch them

function.

However,

you would

not want

a St.

Bernard

to function

as a lazy

indoor

toy dog.

Anybody

seen

Beethoven?

He would

just,

without a

job to

do,

he would

go crazy

and he

would just

chew up

your

furniture.

Likewise,

he wouldn't

want a

Pomeranian

swimming out

in the

middle of

a freezing

cold lake

to retrieve

a duck

on a

hunt.

It would

just not

make it.

It would

just sink

and drown.

So,

you wouldn't

want a

Yorkie

to herd

and protect

your sheep

from coyotes.

It just

wouldn't

work.

So,

I know

this is

silly,

but I'm

telling you

this for

a reason.

So,

like dogs,

every believer

has his

own special

but limited

set of

capabilities.

Trying to

operate outside

those capabilities

only produces

frustration,

mediocrity,

anger,

discouragement,

and ultimately

defeat.

But when we

joyfully

fulfill what

God has

given us,

we function

according to

what He

has designed

to us.

It's a

beautiful

thing.

right?

And Paul

says in

Corinthians

12-11,

all these

are empowered

by the

one and

the same

Spirit

who appoints

to each,

each one

individually

as He

will.

So,

He's given

us individually

gifting.

As God

has given

different gifts

to different

people,

He also

provides

everything

we need

to serve

in that

capacity,

to serve

one another.

So,

that's what

that means.

So,

that's the

right attitude.

It's humility,

not pride.

It's to

serve others,

not yourself.

It's to

exalt God

and not to

make a name

for yourself.

This goes

to point

two,

which is

right

relationship.

Alright?

Right

relationships.

And this

is the

illustration

part,

verses

four and

five.

Verse

four,

for as in

one body

we have

many members,

and many

members do

not all

have the

same

function.

So,

we,

though we

are many,

are one

body in

Christ and

individually

members of

one another.

Alright?

So,

this is this

faithful

cooperation we

see.

Paul uses,

again,

this very

endearing,

familial

language.

If you

want to

remember the

beginning of

the book of

Romans,

which was a

long time

ago at this

point,

he said,

in chapter

one,

verse seven,

to all

those in

Rome who

are loved

by God,

called to

be saints,

grace to

you and

peace from

our Father

and the

Lord Jesus

Christ.

So,

emphasizing this

familial

language,

he points

out the

reality that

each individual

Christian is

a part of

a larger,

greater

whole,

the church.

church.

So,

to show the

diversity and

unity of the

church,

when Paul is

speaking about

diversity,

he doesn't

mean skin

color,

gender,

he's talking

about giftedness,

people that,

the ways that

we as

individuals serve

the body and

the variety that

that brings.

He uses it by

an analogy to

the human body

to teach

believers humility

and interdependence.

Paul gives you a

larger illustration

of the body

in 1 Corinthians

12,

12 through

27.

You can go and

check that out.

He just goes on

and on about

the function

of the body.

All right?

But just as

Paul wrote here,

just as one

human body

is one with

many members.

So,

the Greek word

for members

means body

parts,

limbs.

All right?

So,

if the church

is united,

though it is

composed of

many,

different

members.

So,

on the theme

as the body

of Christ,

just as the body

has different

things to do,

different functions,

different needs,

so the church

has and needs

people with

different gifts

and different

abilities to

function properly.

It says here,

look,

it says,

individually members

of one another,

which means that

we are connected

connected and

bound to one

another.

Just as an arm,

a leg,

an eye,

an ear,

a foot,

a hand,

has a role

in the way

your body

functions.

We need all

those things.

They're there for

the benefit of the

entire body.

So,

furthermore,

these gifts

do not,

this is important,

these gifts

do not

belong

to you.

They belong

to the body.

See that?

It's not,

this is my gift,

my ministry,

me,

me,

me.

It's like,

no,

this is a gift

that God has

given to you

for the benefit

of the entire body.

It's really

important to hear

that.

And so,

as we

understand this,

we won't think

too highly

of ourselves,

like you just

mentioned.

And we

give ourselves

fully to God,

we will give

ourselves fully

to one another.

Paul wrote

in 1 Corinthians

12,

if one member

suffers,

all suffer

together.

Think about this,

think about your

life inside

the body of

Christ.

If one member

suffers,

all suffer

together.

If one member

is honored,

all rejoice

together.

together.

Now you

are the body

of Christ

and individually

members of

it.

Beautiful

illustration,

1 Corinthians

12,

26.

So,

it's important

for you to

hear this.

So,

Paul's goal

when he wrote

this 2,000

years ago

was not

to spark

a fight

or a debate

over what

prophecy means.

He wasn't

thinking,

you know,

in the future

they're just

going to

have fun

with this

one.

That's not

what's on

his mind.

His emphasis

here in this

passage is on

our interdependence,

our love,

and our

responsibility,

our faithful

cooperation

towards each

other.

God has given

different gifts

by his spirit

to different

people by

his grace,

and we should

use them in

a manner

appropriate to

that gift

in order to

build up or

to edify

the rest of

the body.

So,

just think

about your

own life

inside this

local church.

Do you

have a

spiritual

sense that

you belong

to one

another,

that when

someone suffers

in this

church,

you suffer

with them?

When they

rejoice,

you rejoice

with them

because we

are members

of one

another.

We belong

to one

another.

And any

harm that's

done to the

body is a

harm done

to you,

and any

good done

to the

body is a

good done

to you

because we

are all

one.

So,

very important

then that we

learn to

cherish one

another,

and to

cherish our

brothers and

sisters in

Christ and

to see them

as a

critical part

to the

body

functioning.

Alright?

Let's see

what we got

here.

The third

one and just

see how far

we can get.

Alright?

We may have

to park

it before

I run

out of

time.

But,

this is

point number

three.

So,

we've had

right attitude,

right

relationships,

and this is

right service.

Alright?

And this is

the application.

Verse six,

having gifts

that differ

according to

the grace

given to

us,

let us

use them

if prophecy

in proportion

to our

faith,

if service

in our

serving,

and one

who teaches

in his

teaching,

the one

who exhorts

in his

exhortation,

the one

who contributes

in his

generosity,

the one

who leads

with his

zeal,

and the one

who does

acts of

mercy

with cheerfulness,

all right?

Excuse me.

Alright,

so Paul

mentions these

gifts we

possess to

show that

they don't

come from

us,

they come

from God

and to be

used for

his glory.

Rather,

these gifts,

as he says

right here,

grace given

to us

in that

passage.

Therefore,

because we've

received these

gifts by God,

grace,

let us use

them,

alright?

In light

of all

that,

Peter says

it in a

wonderful way

about gifts

in 1 Peter

4.10,

as each

has received

a gift,

use it

or employ

it.

You know,

you've got

this amazing

tool,

use it.

Use it

for the

function

that God

has ordained

for it,

to serve

one another

as good

stewards

of God's

very grace.

gifts.

So,

I think

it's pretty

well accepted

on any

side of

the aisle.

There's just

a definition

for you.

A spiritual

gift is

an ability

that is

given

and empowered

by the

Holy Spirit

to be used

in any

ministry

of the

church

for its

equipping

and strengthening

until

Christ returns.

The most

familiar list

of these

are in

1 Peter 4,

Romans 12,

1 Corinthians 12,

and Ephesians 4.

So,

all kind of

coming together.

But,

you know,

just to pose

the question

though,

like,

why are

spiritual

gifts so

controversial?

you know,

again,

we preach

verse by

verse,

and this

is one of

the passages

that some

people will

be like,

I just don't

want to

touch that

one,

because I'm

afraid of

what might

happen,

how people

will respond.

But we

have a

tendency to

wrap up

too much

of our

worth and

our identity

and our

giftedness,

and I think

that's one

reason that

we tend

to quarrel

over these

things.

It gives

us a chance

to become

tribal and

pick a

camp,

and so

we're not

going to do

that.

But the

most

controversial

gifts of

the Spirit

are healing,

miracles,

prophecy,

tongues,

and their

interpretation,

all found in

1 Corinthians 12,

9 and 10.

So,

I will go

ahead and

just say

that there

are two

main views

of the

gifts,

of these

controversial

gifts.

things.

And to

the best

of my

knowledge,

our

congregation

is almost

split down

the middle,

okay?

I think.

That's just

my observation.

And these

don't define

us.

They're not

first-tier

issues at

all.

They're not

something to

fight and

divide over.

Wouldn't that be

a shame?

Like,

everything is

supposed to

make us

stronger and

tearing us

apart.

But,

there are

two main

views.

There's

cessationism,

which is the

view that some

of the charismatic

gifts of the

Holy Spirit,

such as tongues,

prophecy,

have ceased

being practiced

since the early

church,

especially following

the compiling of

the canon of

Scripture.

All right?

Like,

so those gifts

have stopped.

They served

a purpose for

a time,

and now they've

ceased.

And now,

it's just

that ceased

with the

coming of

the Scripture

particularly.

And there

are many

faithful brothers

in this

church,

and men

that I do

respect.

John MacArthur

is probably

the most

noted guy

in this

camp,

but there

are others.

And this

is a

misconception

about

cessationists,

okay?

About them.

That would

be they don't

believe that

God heals

people,

or that God

doesn't do

miraculous things

anymore.

They don't

really believe

the Holy Spirit

is active

in the life

of the church.

That's not

true.

Like,

the cessationists

that I know

don't believe

that at all.

That's a

misconception

from the

other side.

And then

there's

continuationism.

There's so

many different

ways to

frame this,

but in

short,

that the

charismatic

gifts of

the Holy Spirit,

such as

tongues,

prophecy,

healing,

are still

in operation

today,

as they

were in

the early

part of

the church,

and they

will continue

until Christ

returns.

So here are

some misconceptions

about

continuationists.

They all

believe in

health,

wealth,

and prosperity.

Like,

unfortunately,

there are many

people on TV

and other

places that

really abuse

this stuff,

and that we

would not

ever associate

with,

right?

Name it

and claim it.

Or they

think that

God still

speaks through

prophets,

thus saying

the Bible

is not

sufficient.

That's not

true.

I,

myself,

am a

continuationist,

and like you,

so a big

example would

be cessation

was to say,

hey,

the Bible

is sufficient,

so why do

we need

all this

stuff?

As we

would say,

it is because

the Bible

is sufficient.

that we

practice these

things.

It says to

practice them

in the Bible.

So that's,

yeah,

we agree,

it's sufficient.

So,

the goal today

is not to

unpack all

the different

differences

and issues

that each

camp has

with the

other.

That's not

really the

goal.

I don't

think that's

what Paul

meant by

writing any

of this.

But,

as we move

forward as

a church,

I hope we

can find ways

to cooperate

and move

forward in

a way

that's

glorifying

to God

and loving

to the rest

of the body.

So,

just a few

things,

and then we'll

see what we

can do

to get here

with these

gifts.

Just trying to

watch the time

a little bit.

It's important

to understand

why we have

spiritual gifts.

Why do we

have them?

I have at

least four

reasons why

we have

them,

okay?

and they're

not exhausted

but there's

just a few.

But the

ultimate one

is to bring

glory to

Christ through

his church.

Peter wrote

that God

gives us

gifts.

He says

this,

as each

has received

a gift,

use it to

serve one

another in

order that

in everything

God may be

glorified through

Jesus Christ.

To him belong

glory and

dominion forever

and ever.

So,

first and

foremost,

the gifts

are given

to us

not to

make a

name for

ourselves,

which we've

covered.

It's also

not to

make a

name for

our church.

And how

many churches

do you know

that boast

about their

preacher or

their ministry?

And that's

like their

boast.

And that's

not the

goal.

The goal

is to

point to

Christ and

to glorify

him in all

things.