The Ready Waiters in a Church
Romans 12
Aug 18, 2024
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church of Ballincollig
I. Introduction
A. We continue in Romans chapter 12 in the New Testament
B. Learning more about The Transformed Life of a Christian – saved, and changing
C. The Holy Spirit gives seven Spiritual Gifts that enable all of us as believers to meet the needs of other people in the church. They are supernatural gifts given by the Holy Spirit to every believer
D. To make servants out of us.
E. Often, there are Christians, even in this room, who are NOT using their gifts, or are wasting them on other people, and their life is dry and empty.
F. We were not saved to be that way… We were saved to serve!
II. Background (Romans 12:6-8)
A. What Gifts are Available? (Romans 12:6-8)
1. Romans 12:6-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
a. Prophecy (Preaching) – Proclaiming the absolute truths of the Bible, warning!
b. Ministry / Helps – Supporting and serving all the needs of the brethren
c. Teaching – Instructing People in God’s words, history, promises, prophecy, etc
d. Exhorting – Urging and Encouraging people
e. Giving – giving away your money to help reach people with the Gospel
f. Governments / Ruling – Governing and Managing people and Gospel projects
g. Mercy – Showing Compassion on people who others have given up on
B. What are these gifts?
1. They are Supernatural Gifts – Spiritual Gifts given by the Holy Spirit. We did not have these gifts before we were saved. But when we believed the Gospel, we were gifted!
2. They are all Different Gifts. Because WE are all different – each believer given different gifting to do different things just like all the different parts of a human body
3. They are Helpful Gifts – things that God has us doing to bless the people in our church. They are not about us – they are for helping other people
a. They EDIFY the church – build it – not tear it down!
b. And they ILLUMINATE the world around us – like torches lighting up darkness!
4. They are Sticky Gifts – they glue us together. A church full of people with these gifts is the most blessed, and close to each other, and strongest!
C. Why do we Come Together, Assemble Together as a Church?
1. Not just to be fed, encouraged, taught the Bible
2. And definitely not to just come and sit and do nothing, but…
3. Most importantly… To serve one another! We come for others!
4. To help one another
5. To feed one another with absolute truths – feed people / teach them this Bible!
6. To encourage one another – comfort – exhort (Hebrews 10:25) – make smile!
7. To provoke each other – to be pushed! Not to be coddled – we tend to just coast, and be lazy even as Christians – we need straight talk that pushes us in the right direction
a. How many of you want a Piano Teacher who when your child plays chopsticks, they say that they know all they need to know and should be very proud of themselves?
b. You would say that is a lousy teacher. You would get another teacher. You want them to be pushed farther!
c. How many of you want a football coach who loses every game, and then says to the team, That’s okay… as long as you love yourself, and as long as you believe in yourself! NO! You want a coach to teach the players to do better than they already know how to do! You want a coach that expects harder work!
d. Yet churches today have stopped demanding repentance, and stopped expecting higher standards, and rebuking people (in love) when they are doing wrong!
e. Hebrews 10:24,25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
8. To get what we cannot get anywhere else! We gather together to get what we cannot get from the TV, from the shopping centre, from the government, from the internet, from school, from work, from sports, etc
a. A real, living, honest, safe community to be a part of – real people, with real lives
b. Real help when hurting, or weak
c. Real opportunity to do something that lasts
9. To become Assembled for Use! Paul is saying here in Romans 12, we ALL have at least one gift, and we need to be BUSY using our gift towards others! When all the parts of a body are in place, great things happen! EXAMPLE of a Lego Kit
III. Message – The Service Gift of Ministry / Serving / Helps
A. Listen to Romans 12:6,7 Or [THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE THE GIFT OF] ministry, let us wait on our ministering…
B. Best Definition of the Gift of Ministry
1. Ministry simply means “serving” – to supply someone with the means of relief; to relieve another person’s burden, and do it for them.
2. “Doing the will of someone else”
3. Like a waiter in a restaurant – they do what you ask them to do, supplying THEIR needs!
4. Luke 4:38,39 And he [JESUS] arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's [PETER’S] house. And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.
a. Peter’s mother-in-law (he had a wife) had been very sick, and then Jesus healed her
b. And she IMMEDIATELY got up and made lunch for 13 grown men
c. Cleaned the house. Washed the dishes
d. It was an honour to her to minister to all those people, and it was her GIFT to Jesus, who had just given her back her health! AMEN!
e. The gift of ministry – service!
5. There are three different kinds of servants
a. People who have been FORCED into servanthood – those are slaves
b. Those who have chosen to serve because they love to serve and they love their Master – like a mother towards her children, or a wife serving her husband because she loves him, and a husband serving his wife because he loves her!
c. And there are those who serve because they get paid to – a hireling – they only love the money, and will quit as soon as things get hard or dangerous!
d. Every restaurant has two kids of waiters:
1) Those that are there because it is a job and they get paid
2) Those that are there because it is their pleasure – they really enjoy serving people!
3) I usually can tell which one is which!
C. Serving, Ministering is Our HIGHEST Calling
1. Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God
2. To serve the King of kings, Jesus Christ – Lord of lords
3. But… Serving God means serving people – horizontal actions of service
a. Everyone wants to claim that they are worshipping God, and even serving God
b. But most do nothing for people around them – especially other believers
c. They constantly find fault, and are criticizing, and bitter about something
d. But true worship means serving the people around you – making them better off
e. In other words, You and I are not worshipping a worthy God if we are not serving unworthy people down here! Ouch!
4. This changed the face of government – from RULERS to ministers!
a. All TD’s are called MINISTERS
b. The minister of defence
c. The minister of Justice
d. They are all Ministers of the people – servants of the people of Ireland
5. This gift of ministry holds a church together – it is the glue, the binding cord that makes sure everyone is being ministered to in a church!
a. In the tough times, Christian servants pull us all together – hold us together!
b. In the times of weakness, a ministering heart drives men and women to reach under the arms of fallen believers and carries them forward to victory!
c. It picks up the weaker brethren, the defeated, the discouraged, the empty (Gal 6:1)
d. EXAMPLE: In Acts 27, Paul is a prisoner on board a small ship that is riding through a storm, and it starts to creak, and crack, split, and leak – so, out come the “helps” that would be wound tight around the craft in the area of the ship that was coming apart.
e. Acts 27:14-17 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat: Which when they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and, fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail, and so were driven.
f. Oh that more people would reach around hurting people and hold their lives together
6. We ALL are supposed to “pull together”. Everyone is commanded by God to minister to each other – serve each other – edify each other (Romans 15:1-3)
a. Romans 15:1-3 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
b. None of us can escape the responsibility of serving each other!
c. Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
d. Will you say that last part out loud with me? “but by love serve one another.”
7. But there are some that God specially equips to really help us and hold us together in times of storm and trial (Romans 12:7a)!
a. Luke 8:1-3 And it came to pass afterward, that he [JESUS] went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils, And Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
b. As Jesus and His disciples travelled around Galilee and healed and taught, there were people who were preparing meals for them, and preparing lodging, gathering people together to hear Him teach - they were constantly ministering to Him and to the disciples!
c. Paul says in Acts 20:33-35 I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. WOW!
d. One of the best things of being in the ministry is not preaching, even though it is a great thing. One of the greatest things about being in the Gospel ministry is working with your hands and serving others, without complaining!
e. That includes mowing someone’s grass, buying them groceries, changing their oil, etc
D. The Gift of Serving is the Least Exciting Gift
1. This gift seems so unexciting
a. Because a servant has no fancy title
b. A servant doesn’t lead… he or she serves, does the will of someone else
c. This is not talking about being a slave! A slave has no choice in the matter
d. But a servant chooses to serve, and serves out of a pulsing drive from their heart to minister to others, and to help others
2. The Lord designed Christianity this way! Jesus has directed that the best leaders in His kingdom will be the greatest SERVANTS, and will actually seek to be the best servant!
a. Matthew 20:25-28 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
3. Those who have this spiritual gift use it to everyone else’s benefit
4. And those who fail to exercise this gift do so to our hurt.
5. These people are the unsung heroes of the church! These are the people who are willing to work behind the scenes at those necessary but unglamorous tasks.
a. Servants are the least appreciated group in any organisation and in any home.
1) Rarely are husbands appreciated for the amount of sacrifice that they make working hard making sure bills are paid and making sure everything that is needed is purchased and paid for! Yet they keep serving!
2) Moms and wives are NOT often appreciate it enough for all the things that they do sacrificially for their family. Yet they keep serving!
b. Without these servants, the church would be crippled.
c. For a church to be vibrant, there must be those who are willing and eager to take care of the needs of the brethren in that church. Not blind to the needs!
d. EXAMPLE: I have tried to go out of my way to walk up to people who are picking up bits of rubbish on the street for Ballincollig tidy town and tell them thank you simply because I want them to know they are appreciated.
e. EXAMPLE: I try to go around and personally thank people who are serving here
f. But the truth is, there are so many people in the background of everything that is successful that only God Almighty will be able to acknowledge ALL the efforts of countless people who have given their time and service.
g. Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. GOD notices the smallest acts of service!
h. We have too many “customers” sitting in church, when we need a church full of waiters
E. There are Many “Great” men and women throughout history – who did great things
1. Alexander the Great of Greece
2. Julius Caesar of Rome
3. Cleopatra of Egypt
4. Napoleon Bonaparte of France – called him Napolean the great
5. Cyrus the Great (c. 600-530 BCE) - Founder of the Persian Empire
6. Herod the Great (73-4 BCE) - King of Judea
7. Constantine the Great (272-337 CE) - Roman Emperor
8. Charlemagne (Charles the Great) (742-814) - King of the “Holy” Roman Empire
9. Peter the Great (1672-1725) - Tsar of Russia
10. William Shakespeare
11. Henry VIII of England
12. Karl Marx
13. Martin Luther
14. Albert Einstein
15. Queen Victoria
16. Ludwig van Beethoven
17. Genghis Khan
18. Joan of Arc
19. All these men and women have been considered great in the eyes of people
F. Let’s Focus on the Work of Great Men and Women in the Kingdom of God
1. In atheism, the highest virtue for good is selfishness or what makes me happy. As long as I don’t hurt anyone else, what I do is seen as good.
2. But in the Kingdom of God the highest virtue is selflessness and to please God and others! You cannot claim to be pleasing God if you are not being a blessing to others.
a. And there is a difference between pleasing others and being menpleasers. Menpleasers are people who are still very self centred.
b. They have to have other peoples approval for them to have self-worth and for them to be happy.
c. This is why people seek power, whereas Jesus gave up power
3. So let’s talk about the Best example, Jesus washing the disciple’s feet (John 13:1-17)
a. As a Servant, Jesus LOVED the ones he ministered to (John 13:1) Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
b. As a Servant, Jesus HUMBLED Himself (John 13:3,4) Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. He took off the plain garment He wore, and put on an even LOWER style of clothes! Stepped DOWN to the lowest position in society!
c. As a Servant, Jesus met the most embarrassing needs – the washing of stinking, dirty feet (John 13:5) After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Have you ever just LOOKED at feet? Especially feet that did a lot of walking BAREFOOT?
d. As a Servant, Jesus was misunderstood and rejected by those He was trying to bless
e. As a Servant, Jesus was doing God’s will, not His, and NOT even theirs!
f. As a Servant, Jesus was an example for others to become servants also. (John 13:12-15) So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
g. As a
Servant, Jesus was Happy (John 13:17) If ye know these things, happy
are ye if ye do them. Oh that we looked for JOY IN SERVING, not in
possessions, or controlling, but serving!
If you want happy children, teach them to SERVE, and never let them DEMAND!
h. Jesus came not to be worshipped and served at first, but to serve, and sacrifice HIS own life, for others! That USED to be the Christian’s life. Not anymore!
4. The Stephanas Family (1Corinthians 16:15,16) – They addicted themselves to ministering to others!
a. 1Corinthians 16:15 I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,)
b. And we all need to submit and follow the example of SERVANTS more than the “great” leaders of today! 1Corinthians 16:16 That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth [SERVES] with us, and laboureth.
5. Listen to the Apostle Paul (1Corinthians 9:19-22) For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
G. How to tell if you have the Gift of Ministry and Helps
1. You probably are gifted with timidity – want to be hidden, out of view
2. Yet you earnestly desire to meet practical needs
3. You disregard Weariness
4. You have a hard time saying No to people’s requests – you sometimes NEED to say no, but you don’t want to!
5. You have a knack for knowing what really blesses people. You make things special for people – you care to do what makes THEM happy
6. You are driven by short-range and immediate needs – you find it hard to make long term plans
7. You enjoy putting extra touches on the jobs you do
8. By the way, perfectionism destroys the servant – just do your best for the Lord!
H. The Cost of Being a Ministering…
1. You can get lonely, being unnoticed by people – can turn into resentment
2. You will often find yourself neglecting your own home as you minister to others so much. Peter’s wife didn’t have Peter always at home. Moses’ wife had to live with a servant of others.
3. You will wear yourself out, overextending yourself – so share the load, don’t take it all on yourself. Just know that sometimes, you may be the only one carrying the burdens!
4. You will find it hard to step back when God is chastising someone (The prodigal’s FATHER in Luke 15 had to step back or else his son would NEVER have gotten right)
5. Must constantly battle with resentment and an hardened heart
I. Every Servant Will be Rewarded
1. Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.
2. With Joy – comes from the Holy Spirit AS you serve
3. Actual change – it is not possible for you to change without humbling yourself
4. Greater roles of leadership – God will give you more responsibility
5. And Rewards in heaven “well done thou good and faithful SERVANT”
IV.Conclusion (Mark 9:35)
A. Mark 9:35 And he [JESUS] sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.
B. Who are you serving? It is funny and sad at the same time that Christians serve so tirelessly their boss, or their families, but never the people in their own church! We have an epidemic of apathy towards the local church – to the family of God that the Lord has placed a believer into.
C. If you have this gift, USE IT! Don’t be a perfectionist. Don’t waste it on the world only!
D. This gift is the God-given ability to serve others. Ministers are the unsung heroes of this church! You are the people who are willing to work behind the scenes at those necessary but unglamorous tasks. Thank you for being willing and eager to take care of the needs of the precious people in this church. Thank you!
E. This gift holds a church together – it is the glue, the binding cord that make sure everyone is being ministered to in a church, especially in times of storm and troubles!
F. And it all began with Jesus, who came to minister to your and my lost sinful soul! To lose HIS life, to save MINE! He wants to save you! Let Him!