Bible In A Year | Read: Romans 12
5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 9 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10 Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. 11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. 12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ‘Romans 12:5-12
Band Unbroken
Thoughts on the verses
Western culture greatly values individualism. Our self-important, self-reliant society strikes a serious contradiction to Christ’s will for the Church. We aren’t created to go it alone; we are wired for authentic community. Paul describes the Church as one body with many members. Your gifts and abilities are desperately needed! As we take time to employ our gifts, we not only build up one another, we bring God’s love to a broken world.
Overview of Chapter
Romans transitions from teaching us about the things God has done for us to giving practical instructions for how we should live. It all starts with giving ourselves as living sacrifices and being completely transformed. The idea of a sacrifice refers back to when animals were sacrificed to various gods. Once we have given ourselves as a sacrifice, we are able to humbly operate as a gift to others and to love others in self-sacrificing ways.
There is an old saying that the problem with being a living sacrifice is you can still crawl off the altar. We can decide at one point we want to submit everything about ourselves to God and then later take some of the control back. That will be a struggle for everyone while on this earth, but recommitting ourselves to God is something we can do today.
Action Steps
Bible: What is God showing me? What am I going to do about it?
Bless: Serve one person through word, action, or gift today.
Have you ever thought it would be cool to hear some C3 leaders discuss the daily verses, share about their lives and mostly just talk about nonsense? Of course not!…even though nobody has ever thought that we are still doing it. You can follow along with us each morning in a brand new podcast – Monday Comments & Aaron was homeless at Walmart.
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