Sermon Outline

Prepared by

Joseph P. Metoyer, Jr., D.D., Pastor/Teacher

Spiritual gifts are divine empowerments for ministry, which have been given to each of us.  We do not all share the same gift.  To be proficient, we must discern what our gifts are and then do our entire ministry through the motivation and energy of that gift.  When we are not functioning in the context of our gift, we end up being frustrated, drained, and stressed beyond our capacity to cope.

Let’s study the Word of God from

Romans 12:3-8

May 5, 2002

“Doing Church As A Team!”

Introduction: Many people want to be hotshots, but God wants obedient servants.  In I Corinthians 4:2 Paul says, ‘It is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.’  God doesn’t want a person to come up with a clever way to pull his oar and shear off everyone else’s in the process!  He wants faithful rowers who see themselves as willing servants.[1]

I.                    Willingness to serve

There are several words in the Greek language for servant, and Paul used the one that best conveyed the idea of a lowly servant.

Huperetes meaning under-rower!  Remember the movie Roots?

Service to others does not necessarily have to be related to church-designed programs.  In Romans 12 Paul talks about the Function of the servants (v.4).

A.   (V.5) Paul uses the analogy of the human body… If you have a headache don’t rub your feet!  If you have arthritis don’t put eye drops in your eye to heal the arthritis in your hands! 

B.       (V.6) God gave us different Gifts!  God wants us to use what HE has given us.  But let me say that if you have not been to the altar (Rom. 12:1-2) with what God gave you, sin could hinder your effectiveness to minister.

Sins:  Pride, High-mindedness, Jealousy, Covetousness…  could cause people who have needs from approaching you! 

C.       Paul says, let us use them, Meaning For Service

·         Prophecy:  The capacity to have a clear view of right and wrong and of God’s truth in relationship to it.  (Preaching)

·         Serving:  The ability to spontaneously desire to be of help, with no thought of personal gain or acclaim.

·         Teaching:  The capacities to understand, clarify, and communicate truth related to biblical facts and systems of theology.

·         Exhortation:  The instinctive ability to relate truth to life and to stimulate others to spiritual growth through the application of that truth.

·         Giving:  The capacity to gain resources and the energy and interest to give resources away.

·         Leading:  The ability to envision, organize, and oversee a task with a desire to see it brought to completion.

·         Mercy:  An innate capacity to feel deeply with others, particularly those who hurt or who have experienced loss.[2]

   II.       The Gift Of Leading

This gift stands out as a special gift in the life and infrastructure of ACTS.

A.  The Greek word for “Leading” is Proistemi.  Proistemi literally means to “Stand first”.   It speaks of the duty of general oversight common to all elders.

A.   (I Timothy 5:17) Elders rule or “Stand First” in different capacities

B.       (I Timothy 3:4-5) Elders “Stand First” in their homes;

C.       (I Thess. 5:12) They “Stand First” to admonish & 1^st to be admonished (5: 19-20).

The Word of God says that this Elder, this Gift that “Stands First” is to rule or “Stand First” by precept as well as by example. (Heb. 13:7).

I believe if God surveyed the Church today He would see all the Gifts He has given Her to minister with but He also would see many of us sitting and drying up in guilt, shame, laziness, slothfulness, jealousy, low self esteem, or just plain I don’t care, let somebody else do it!  (Ezekiel 37:1-6ff)…

There are people who never want the Church to succeed with any type of structure but the world system:  “Friends in Charge” Concept!

But when it comes to His Church Jesus declares:  (Matt. 16:18) You are Peter (Petros) and on this rock (Petra) I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Application:  A willing servant is spontaneous in what he does.  You can either sit back and say, “I don’t know if I want to get involved in that; I don’t know if I want to work with those people,” or you can just get involved and serve.   

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