Timeless Truths: Body Building - The Reward, Part 4b

As the Body of Christ we share at least four things in common.

1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:1-10

All quotations from the NIV Bible.

WHAT WE SHARE…

1.  COMMON GOAL

Our goal, our purpose, is to love God passionately and to extend His love to our world.

• We can use our diversity and our creativity to do that in many different ways.
• Understanding we have a common goal will keep us from chasing spiritual butterflies.

...offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. (vs. 1-2b)

This was a new thought for this group of people. The nature of a sacrifice was that it had to die. Paul says we are to be a LIVING SACRIFICE presented to God as our act of worship.

• If you know Christ, you are in the game and it's critical that you comprehend the composition of your team.
• The team that we share is made up of people who are different than we are.
• We are different and it's okay.
• Unity does not mean sameness of persons, but oneness of purpose.
• You must be a team mentality.

2.  COMMON GRACE

• We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.
• God chose to extend grace to each of us.
• His grace is what levels the playing field.

For by the grace given me…according to the grace given us.

(vs. 3a, 6b)

Paul gives us a list of some of the spiritual gifts with the encouragement that whatever gift you have, whether it be teaching or encouraging or giving or serving or leading, you need to do with a great sense of purpose because of the common goal and common grace we share.

Many of us choose to sit on the sidelines and stay unemployed in the Body of Christ.

Why is that?

The Gallup Organization did a study and discovered that company productivity soars when employees get a chance to do what they do best at work.

Gallup took that study to the church and here’s what they determined. “Members of faith communities are more similar to a company’s employees than they are to ‘customers’ of a church…members who regularly have the opportunity to do what they do best in the context of their faith communities are more engaged than those who do not…engaged members are more satisfied with their lives, give more in terms of both dollars and volunteer hours in their communities, and are more likely to invite others to participate in their congregations…a key ingredient in engagement is having the opportunity to do what one does best.”

3.  COMMON AGENDA

Teams that succeed have put aside their personal agendas and embraced a common agenda.

What’s our agenda as the Body of Christ?

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love*. Honor one another above yourselves. (v. 10)

*even if you don’t like someone.

We are required to honor each other above ourselves.

1. What could happen if the Body of Christ decided to adopt an agenda of intentional acts of devotion and honor.
2. How long would it take for people to be impacted?
3. The Church just needs to start acting like the Church instead of like the world.

We possess a common goal, share a common grace, are instructed to pursue a common agenda, and if we do we will achieve a…

4.  COMMON SUCCESS

The way to measure success is based simply on how many of us individually and then collectively as the Body of Christ know and are doing God’s will.

“Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (v. 2c)

Present yourself as a living sacrifice and then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is.

That’s success.

• It is a success that the world won’t understand.
• It is what the world needs.

Special thanks to Dr. Keith Newman for the primary teachings used in this post. I invite you to his blog, which he's titled Curious Sojourner.

Next Thursday ends the Timeless Truths Series with: Body Building - The Reward, Part 4c

Follow me on Twitter: @CRDowningAuthor and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CRDowningAuthor

My website is: www.crdowning.com

I'd appreciate your feedback!

Email me at: chuckdowningauthor@gmail.com