Have you ever had an exaggerated opinion of yourself?
Have you ever felt inadequate?
Do you have, or have you ever had, an inferiority complex?
Do others ever say that you are arrogant or opinionated?
If you have answered “yes” to any (or all) of those questions, then this message is for you:
Text: Romans 12:3-8
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 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.
The context for Paul’s comments is the different gifts and functions that we have as we make up the Body of Christ.
Each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function.
It’s the same with the followers of Jesus. Though we are many people, we make up one body with each member having a different function. Paul then lists some of the gifts:
Prophesying: the gift of communicating and applying revealed truth.
Teaching: to help others know the written word of God.
Serving: waiting at tables (practical helping)
Encouraging: Lit. to stand up for others. Come to their defence.
Believing the best (parakleto, called alongside to help). Advocate.
Giving: Gk. cloth that is not folded. I.e. simplicity.
Refers to a person who chooses a simple lifestyle so they free up their resources to help others.
Leading: a well-established character which provides the needed model to direct others. i.e. to positively impact them by example. influencing people by having a respected reputation, i.e. one built on a solid track-record.
Showing mercy: to feel empathy with the misery of another, especially so it manifests itself in action more than in word. To be motivated by another’s grief.
No one possesses all of these gifts and so you can see why we need to work together to serve one another in these various ways. We need one another. Paul says, each member belongs to all the others.
When it comes to giftedness and serving one another with our gifts, Paul says, do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.
Think Soberly.
When people are plastered they become emotionally unstable, uncoordinated, and have trouble making judgment calls and remembering things. You might have blurry vision and lose your balance. Intoxicated people are known to take risks and boast about their accomplishments and abilities. They think more of themselves than they ought to. The Bible sobers us up: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.
Think Soberly.
Paul warns us against arrogance.
It’s a cover for feelings of inadequacy and inferiority.
They’re trying to build themselves up in your eyes.
Invariably it achieves the opposite.
We should also be on our guard against thinking less of ourselves than we ought. When we belittle and devalue ourselves we deny the unique way that God has made us. We should be able to say with the psalmist, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” And that we are!
Avoid conceit and avoid undervaluing yourself.
Think Soberly.
And embrace humility.
As C.S. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.”
I’ll wrap this message up by suggesting one positive reason to think soberly:
Humility, thinking soberly, frees us up to serve others.
John 13:3, Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up…