Our Church: An Incubator of Grace
We are in the middle of a sermon series on the topic of grace. And I have desired to discuss the community aspect of grace. Part One discusses being saved by grace. Part II, our current sermon, discusses our church being a nurturer of grace. In short grace is not only for our fire insurance. Grace does save us from hell, but grace also transforms us and fits & fuels us for ministry to one another and the world. Let us take a look at Romans 12 - 13:10.
Romans 12:1-13:10
(ESV)
(ESV)
12
1. I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
2. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3. For by the 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.
4. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
5. so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
6. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophesy, in proportion to our faith;
7. if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;
8. the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
9. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
10. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
11. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
2. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
3. For by the 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.
4. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function,
5. so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
6. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophesy, in proportion to our faith;
7. if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching;
8. the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
9. Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.
10. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.
11. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.
12. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
13. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
16. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
17. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what honorable in the sight of all.
18. If possible, so far as depends on you, live peaceably with all.
19. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
20. To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
13
1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? The do what id good, and you will receive his approval,
4. for he is God’s servant for your good. but if you do wrong be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
5. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
6. For because of this you also pay takes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
7. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect id owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
8. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10. Love does not wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
If we remember chapters 9-11 dealt with Paul's anguish over his kinsmen ... who are the very elect of God, chosen by grace ... have not chosen themselves Jesus, their messiah. Rather the non-elect have chose Jesus. Yet, grace will not leave Israel alone. Grace is wonderful but care must be taken, otherwise we could be broken off as well.
13. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.
14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
16. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.
17. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what honorable in the sight of all.
18. If possible, so far as depends on you, live peaceably with all.
19. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
20. To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
13
1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
2. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.
3. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? The do what id good, and you will receive his approval,
4. for he is God’s servant for your good. but if you do wrong be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.
5. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.
6. For because of this you also pay takes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing.
7. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect id owed, honor to whom honor is owed.
8. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
9. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
10. Love does not wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
If we remember chapters 9-11 dealt with Paul's anguish over his kinsmen ... who are the very elect of God, chosen by grace ... have not chosen themselves Jesus, their messiah. Rather the non-elect have chose Jesus. Yet, grace will not leave Israel alone. Grace is wonderful but care must be taken, otherwise we could be broken off as well.
In 12:1 Paul speaks of "therefore," which refers to the above discussion of grace. "Therefore, brothers, by the mercies (grace) of God ... present your bodies as a living sacrifice ... which is your spiritual worship.
Paul says that because of the grace of God worship God with their bodies. With their bodies they are to be vessels for the Holy Spirit to minister to the whole body supernaturally (12:2-8). With their bodies they are minister the grace of God in their relationships with one another (12:9-21). With the grace of God they are to minister to those in the world, including vile people (13:1-7).
Paul sums this concept up quite nicely:
Owe no one anything, except to love eache other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "you shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet," and any other commandment are summed up in this word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:8-10, ESV).
Church is not simply for us, and God did not save us simply to give us "Get out of Jail Free" cards. God's grace saves us, transoforms us, and equips us for ministry to one another and to the world.
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