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The Just Shall Live by Faith

“The Call to Serve” Romans 12:3-8, Eph. 4:7-16, 1 Cor. 12:1-11

Date:February 26, 2025
Author: Wayne J. Edwards

Introduction:

In Romans 12:1-2, the Apostle Paul said, given all the things God has done for us to redeem us from our sins and to assure us of our home in heaven, the only reasonable response would be to “present ourselves unto Him as living sacrifices,” giving up our wills and fully surrendering ourselves unto His will for us, and that should include our worship of Him, and our ministry to others.

The New Living Translation expresses Paul’s appeal: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him” (Romans 12:1).

No matter how we interpret reasonable service, we can conclude that God desires worshipers who offer Him authentic, heartfelt, and radically lived-out devotion based on a solid foundation of gospel truth. That includes our ministry to others, especially those of the household of faith.

Tonight at 6:00 PM, we will continue our study of Paul’s incredible letter to the Christians in Rome. In this sermon, we will examine Romans 12:1-8.  

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Heritage Baptist Church Sermon

The Just Shall Live by Faith
“The Call to Serve”
Romans 12:3-8, Eph. 4:7-16, 1 Cor. 12:1-11

Wayne J. Edwards, Pastor

  • In Matthew 28:18-20 – Jesus made it clear that He alone had the authority to delegate the power of God to another person.
  • In Acts1:8 – that power came upon the disciples and they began to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, and 3,000 people received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
    • That was the birthday of the Church – the ekklesia – “the called out and assembled.”
  • In Ephesians 4:7, the Apostle Paul said every member of the Church is given a measure of “grace” the very moment they are born again.
  • This measure of “grace” is to be used to edify and build up the Church, which is the Body of Christ.
  • Grace defined as the desire and power to do God’s will.
  • It was God’s will that I be saved.
  • When He gave me the gift of His grace, I had the desire to be saved and the ability to respond to His love.
  • This same measure of grace motivates me to serve Him, and the desire to serve Him is always matched with the power to obey Him, so that what is done through me is not of me, but of Him, so that He gets all the glory.

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-7, the Apostle Paul said there are: “Diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit, differences of administrations, but the same Lord, diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all!”

  • The Holy Spirit gives the gift of power, the Lord Jesus dictates the area of ministry, and God the Father causes that work to accomplish the greatest good – for His glory.
    • Romans 12:6-8 – Paul lists the seven motivational gifts: Prophecy – Ministry – Teaching – Exhortation – Giving – Ruling – Mercy.
  • Every believer has at least one of these seven motivational gifts.

In 1 Corinthians 12:18-31 – Paul lists the ministry opportunities within the church body

  • Apostles – Prophets – Teachers – Miracles – Healings – Helps – Governments – Diversity of tongues – Ephesians 4:11-12 adds Evangelists – Pastors and Teachers.
  • This is where the priority of our ministry is going to be fleshed out in and through the church body.

In 1 Corinthians 12:6-11 – Paul lists the manifestation or the effects of the work of the Holy Spirit through the believer.

  • Word of wisdom, Word of knowledge, Faith, Gifts of healing, Working of miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Divers kinds of tongues, Interpretation of tongues.
  • When a believer uses their motivational gifts in the area of ministry where the Lord has placed them, the Holy Spirit determines the manifestation that is appropriate to the needs of those being ministered to.

In Ephesians 4:12-16 – Paul gives the purpose for the gifts within the church, which is spiritual maturity, that every believer should GROW UP in their understanding of God’s call upon their lives:

  • Every believer has been gifted for God’s use.
  • The believer should not seek after the gift.
  • The believer must willing submit himself/herself as a bondservant of God, willing to be used of God in the way he/she has been gifted by God – for His glory.