Sermon for October 12th, 2014

Romans 12:1-8

1 I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. 6 We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; 7 ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; 8 the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Spiritual Gifts, Spiritual Ministries: Compassion

For the past several weeks, we've been on a journey through the seven spiritual gifts Paul identifies in Romans, chapter 12.

EATING GRASS (1:53): One evening a wealthy businessman was riding in his limousine when he saw two men along the road eating grass. Disturbed, he yelled at his driver to stop, and he got out to investigate. He asked one man "Why are you eating the grass?" "We don't have any money for food" the poor man replied. "So we have to eat grass." "Well then, come with me to my house and I'll feed you" the businessman said. "But sir, I also have a wife and two children with me. They are over there, under that tree." "Ok, bring them along too" the businessman replied. Turning to the other poor man he stated, "You come with us, also." The second man, in a pitiful voice, then said, "But sir, I also have a wife and SEVEN children with me!" "Very well then, bring them all" the businessman answered. They all piled into the limousine, which was no easy task. Once under way, one of the poor fellows turned to the businessman and said, "Sir, you are truly too kind.. Thank you for taking all of us with you. The businessman replied, "No problem, I'm glad I could help. Besides, you'll really love my place...the grass is almost a foot high!"

ALLEGORY OF THE SPOONS (2:25): The story is told of a man who prayed to the Lord, asking to see a vision of what heaven and hell are truly like. That night in a dream, the man was taken by an angel to a beautiful house filled with people gathered around a table. On the table was laid an incredible feast, with every kind of food imaginable. But the people were sick and starving, ravenous, with wild hunger in their eyes. They had giant utensils, forks and spoons that were longer than their arms, and so while they could put large quantities of food on the forks, they could not reach the forks to their mouths. The people were angry, and frustrated, jealous, and most of all...hungry. The man said to the angel, "Surely this is hell--a most wretched place."

Then, the angel took him to another house, that looked identical to the first. It, too, was filled with people gathered around a table. On this table, as well, was laid an incredible feast, with every kind of food imaginable. The people in this house also had giant forks and spoons, longer than their arms...but they were happy, laughing, and obviously well-fed. This was surely heaven, but at first the man couldn't figure out what made the difference. The people had exactly the same opportunities, and the same challenges...but with such obviously different results. The Angel simply pointed, and said, "watch." And the man began to notice something beautiful: The people in heaven, with their long forks and spoons...were feeding each other.

PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN (3:00). One day a lawyer came to Jesus, in order to test him: “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?” Jesus answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?” The lawyer said, “That I should love the Lord God with all my passion and my intellect and my strength--and that I should love my neighbor as much as I love myself.”

“Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do that and you’ll live.” But looking for a loophole, the lawyer asked, “And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”

Jesus answered by telling this story: “Once there was a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a pastor was on his way down the same road, but when the pastor saw the man he crossed over to the other side, and pretended he hadn't seen. Then a church elder showed up; but he also went out of his way to avoid the injured man.

“Then a despised, dirty, no-good Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man's condition, he felt compassion for him, and his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds. Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn, and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill—I’ll pay you on my way back.’

Having finished his story, Jesus turned to the lawyer. “What do you think?" Which of the three was a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?” The lawyer knew the answer, but could not bring himself to even say the word "Samaritan" so he simply said, “The one who showed him compassion.”

Jesus said, “Go and do the same.”

Prophecy, in proporation to faith

Ministry, in ministering

The teacher, in teaching

the exhorter, in exhortation

the giver, in generosity

the leader, in diligence

the compassionate, in cheerfulness