Romans 12:3-8 Student Teaching Pastor Jason Salyer The Call to Humility The passage begins by grounding our identity in a humble recognition. There is an insanity with pride. God warns us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but to see ourselves through His grace. If we think of ourselves on a “path of humility”, one ditch we can fall into is pride, while the other ditch is insecurity. We must recognize the grace of God in our lives and renew our minds with this kind of redirected thinking. In today’s culture, the message we hear is “be true to yourself.” Then, the culture trains us to look around for validation. We then remove ourselves from anyone that would question that message. There is a better way! Paul is imploring us to look up and receive our identity from Christ. Then, because we don’t have to pursue our own lives, we can give our lives away. Once we think that way, we can recognize correctly the body of Christ. Members of the Body To explain how we relate to one another, Paul uses the image of a human body. Just as a physical body has many parts that all perform different but essential functions, the Church is one unified body in Christ. We are not just a collection of individuals sitting in the same room; we are saved into a new life and a new family of faith, being “members one of another,” meaning we are truly interconnected and interdependent. We serve one another because we need one another. The path to unity is humility and service. Gifts to Serve Christ and His Body When we trust Jesus Christ for salvation, one of the blessings that we receive are gifts from the Holy Spirit. The gifts listed in Scripture are not comprehensive lists, but are examples of ways that you can edify and build up the church. In Ephesians 4:7-8, Paul writes, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” This passage is referencing a conquering King that has come home and passed out the spoils of victory to his subjects. As the subjects use the gifts, it is a reminder of the victory. In the same way, we have received gifts of the Holy Spirit to remind us of the victory we have in Jesus…but we need to use those gifts! Because we have different gifts, Paul provides examples of ways our gifts can serve the community. Whether we teach, lead, give, or show mercy, our focus is to express our giftedness with the right mindset. More important than the gift is how we use it. We are called to serve not just with our hands, but with a specific kind of heart of generosity, diligence, and cheerfulness. You don’t have to fully understand your gift to use it. As you give yourself away, others will point out the gift you have been given. Remember, the gift is not about you. It is first about God, and then it is for building up the body of Christ. Reflection: Do you see the true value and role that you and others play in the body of Christ? How can you better align your perspective with God’s word? Discussion Questions: Why is it sometimes easier to either overestimate our lives in (pride) or underestimate it (insecurity) rather than see ourselves “soberly” through the lens of God’s unearned grace? (v3) Paul says we “belong to one another.” How does your view of the church change if you see yourself as a vital organ in a body rather than just an individual attending a service? (v4-5) Paul attaches specific instructions to the gifts (e.g., give with generosity, lead with zeal, show mercy with cheerfulness). Why is the heart-attitude so critical in how we use our gifts to serve? (v6-8) Think of some people at Carmel that you know are using their gifts to serve, give, and love the body of Christ. What gifts do you recognize in them. If you are not currently serving, where could be a place that the church could use your giftedness? Come by the Carmel room next Sunday and let someone know that you are willing to serve where needed.