Basketball
is my favorite sport and the Trailblazers are my favorite team. I was one year old
when my family took me to the parade where they were celebrated as
the new NBA champions in 1977.
Later, as I matured into a nine year old I began playing intramural
basketball. By this time I knew some of the basic rules, like free throws, but
I hadn’t yet grasped the concept of being a team player. During one of our
games we were running a man-to-man defense. However, I was trying to defend any
man who had the ball. The coach called me aside and explained that each player
was to defend one guy (for the most part), thus I needed to stick with one guy,
defend only him, and allow my teammates to defend their guys too.
Basketball
is a team sport. Within that team there are various positions that each player
plays. Every player does not have the same function, they work together and
bring their own strengths or gifts to the game. This is basic; you know this.
But do you know that the church needs team players too? Just as I could not
defend every player, not one member is to do more than his or her share within
the church. Each person’s share is to be done according to gifting, and may
vary according to calling and time. Furthermore, another trailblazer (Paul)
teaches us that “all the members do not have the same function” (Romans 12:4).
If everyone had the function of preaching then we would not be able to do much
in the way of serving. If everyone’s function was only to serve then the Word
of God and baptism may be left behind. Within the church, God gives a variety
of gifts so that when functioning properly the members work harmoniously unto
the glory of God.
Several of
the gifts given to the church appear in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome.
Read the passage below and notice the details that he provides:
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, [which is] your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, [each of us is to exercise them accordingly]: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Romans 12:1-8).
By gazing at
verses one and two it is obvious that Paul’s instruction to the Roman believers
is that they pursue actual Christlikeness. Then the rest of the passage teaches
us what this new Christlike community (i.e. the church) should look like. These
marks, as it were, are the things that we do, the thoughts that we think, and
the gifts that we posses.
We who make
up the church consist of many members and various gifts that differ according
to God’s grace toward each one (12:6). We are to exercise our gift(s) according
to our faith. This faith isn’t saving faith, but the faith that the Spirit has
given us so that we would be good stewards of our gift within this local body
called Prineville Community Church. Now, the gifts are many but limited, these
are the ones listed in Romans 12:7-8:
Prophecy-the ability
to clearly understand and proclaim Scripture with conviction, to preach.
Service-the ability
to help or assist by performing certain duties, often with humility.
Teaching-the ability
to understand the Bible and present it clearly, similar to prophecy (or
preaching) but less emotive and spontaneous.
Exhorting-the ability
to lift up and encourage someone’s heart.
Giving-the ability
to give of one’s money and items freely and sacrificially.
Leading-the ability
to guide others.
Mercy-the ability
to show sensitivity and sympathy toward those who are hurting and suffering.
Now, you are
probably expecting me to ask you to try to figure out your own gift. Well, I’m
not; and I probably won’t anytime soon. Paul’s point in listing out these gifts
wasn’t necessarily for us to pick one out and decide that it’s ours but to
encourage us to be team players. To respect the diversity of gifts. If you are
a believer, then you have a gift. And if you are part of a local church then
you are using your gift. It just happens according to God’s design and our
faith.
But I find
it interesting that before Paul delves into gifts he speaks of humility and
unity in the church (Romans 12:3-5). Then, after listing several examples of
the various gifts, Paul instructs us to bless our persecutors and to “be of the
same mind toward one another” (Rom 12:16). Could it be that the Bible lists the
gifts given by the Spirit and instructs us to exercise them properly to give us
a glimpse into what God is doing with the members who make up the church? I
think so. Paul assumes that the members are employing their gifts. But he isn’t
assuming that they do so with humility. He knows that certain people in the
church like to hog all the ministry. On the other hand, he understands that some
in the church think that they are immune from doing much of anything, expecting
the energetic ones to do it all. When we understand Romans 12, we understand
that the church is a team. Not all have the same role. We work together to
advance His kingdom unto the glory of God. To do this, all of us need someone
who will listen and cry with us as we deal with the pain that life chucks into
our faces. To do this, we all need someone to give to us (money or otherwise)
when we are facing a time of need. To do this, we all need someone, like Paul
needed Barnabus, to stand up for us and excite us about life and serving Christ
once again.
Are you
thankful for this church? Are you thankful to God for this church? With little
amusement, I’ve listened to a few one man bands. Not one of them was as good as
a three piece band. The Central Oregon Symphony is amazing and so were those
1977 Portland Trailblazers because each team member had their own gift and they
played with all their heart. Let’s be team players. We’ll amaze our neighbors
and bring glory to our heavenly Father.
