“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.  For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.  Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them:  If prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.”                                          

Romans 12:3-8 ESV

               

           

            As we begin a new church year, having held the dedication service for nearly 100 different positions last Sunday, I just read this week this reminder from Paul in his letter to the church in Rome.  He writes that we should, “not think of himself (themselves) more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned…”  We have been called to serve, and in many if not most cases, to continue to serve the body of Christ here at Mt. Pleasant.  It is a sobering task, and one that if we are honest, is well over our head apart from the help that we receive from God’s gracious hand.

            Paul writes how that though we are many, we are all a part of one body in Christ.  That is what brings such a diverse group; diverse in age, in background, in experience, in education, in spiritual maturity, in personality; together for a common cause.  It is good that we have this diversity because of the value that it brings to our discussions, our ideas, our faithfulness to following Christ as we serve the church together. 

            The other thing that is diverse is our gifts.  Paul lists a number of them here that we are to use according to the grace given to us.  In 1 Cor. 12, in writing on the same subject to a different group, he writes, “But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose.  (1Cor. 12:18)  We aren’t the ones who get to choose what gifts we are given.  That’s God’s prerogative.  We can choose whether or not to use our gifts, but God is the one who gives them to us.  Finding how best to bring those gifts together in one place is God’s doing as well, and I’m convinced that He has given each church those people with the necessary gifts that each church will need to do the work He has called them to do.

            Sometimes it doesn’t seem like you have all the necessary pieces in place, but I believe they are there, though perhaps hidden by any number of factors.  Like Moses, when God called him to lead the Hebrew people out of Egypt, perhaps feelings of inadequacy prevent someone from offering their gifts.  He felt he didn’t have the gift to be able to speak, but God reminded him who it was that made his tongue.  Everyone has something that they can offer to a local church, even if all they can do is to pray for the church.  Paul writes,  “Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…”  I pray that we will do just that, for God’s glory, and for the building up of His church.

           

By His Grace Alone,

Pastor Bruce Jacobsen

           

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.”

(Proverbs 11:24 ESV)

            “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you.”

(Mark 11:25 ESV)

               

           

            At first glance, you might see these two Scriptures together and wonder what the connection is, but I’d suggest that you read the two passages through again, and let them speak to you.  When we read the verse from Proverbs 11, we immediately think of money or resources of a financial nature, and when we read the verse from Mark, we have an entirely different thought in mind.  I was reading through my Scripture reading journal looking for themes for this article and these two passages struck me as being very much related to one another.

            When we are generous with our forgiveness and not withholding that from others when it is in our power to forgive, is it not then also the case that we sense swift forgiveness from God in regard to our own failures and sins?  And conversely, when we are reluctant to forgive, and hold that back when we know that we should forgive, do we not also then sense distance and coolness in our relationship with God in regard to our sin?

            Our text for Sunday, August 12 will be Matt. 9-14, taking a look at the second half of that passage which includes, “…and forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors,…for if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”  If we are to think very long and hard about that thought, if you’re like me, you’ll find yourself on both sides of that thought.  There have been times when I’ve been slow to extend forgiveness due to a hurt or wrong done to me, and there have been other times, when I am more cognizant of the forgiveness I’ve known, and have been more willing to forgive others.

            As counterintuitive as it seems, as hard as it is to practice sometimes, “one gives [forgiveness] freely and grows all the richer [in being forgiven]; another withholds [forgiveness] what he should give, and only suffers want [in being forgiven].  It’s good for us to remember that generosity doesn’t just have to do with things financial, but with our relationships with one another as well.  My prayer is that along with me, you might work at being more generous with our willingness to forgive one another.  It will only benefit us in the end.        

           

By His Grace Alone,

Pastor Bruce Jacobsen