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Questions:  People often say they ‘go to church’. What does ‘church’ means in that context?  Why did people go to church when they were children?  Why did some quit when they become an adult?  Have you ever seen Jay Leno in the ‘Jaywalking’ segments? If he asked people at random on the streets of New York City to define ‘church’, how do you think they would respond?  If you ask a Southern Baptist preacher to explain the church he is a part of, what do you think he would say? If you asked a Methodist minister the same question, how do you think he would respond? …a Catholic priest? …an Episcopal priest? …a Church of God preacher? …Presbyterian minister? …etc.? …etc.? …etc.?  Which denomination is ‘The church’?  Does a person need to be a member of a church to be a Christian?  Does a person need to be a Christian to be a member of a church?  How does a person join a church today?  Do they become a Christian when they do?  Are the requirements for church membership in the Bible?

Scripture: (Underline/italics/highlights in Scriptures are mine for emphasis.) Romans 12:1-8(NIV) 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual£ act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will. 3For 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 measure of faith God has given you. 4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  To what are those in Christ compared in verses 4 and 5? (A body with many members.)  How does verse 5 say the members are to relate to each other?  Our bodies are made up of many parts; some we think of and care for often and some we think of only when they break down. Which parts of our body receive most of our attention? What are the parts of our body we rarely think about? Which part of your body functions best? Is there a part of your body that you would like to change or improve?  What part of our body is the most important?  What steps do we take to keep our bodies in shape?  When one of our parts is damaged, injured, or broken, how is the overall function of our body affected?

Romans Chapter 12.3, page 1  Given verse 5, I belong to you and vice versa as fellow members in the body of Christ; what will be the impact on you and others who depend on my ‘body function’ if I don't feel like going to church (or any other activity that keeps us together as a functioning body)?  Many people say “I don't need to go to church to be a Christian!”, or “I can worship God on the lake and in the woods!”, but what does this philosophy do to a group of people who are depending on that person's function in the body?

6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his£ faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.  What does verse 6 say each person in the body of Christ has?  What are the gifts? o How important is prophesying (preaching) to the body of Christ? o What would happen to the body of Christ if no one wanted to serve? o How important is someone who is a gifted encourager? o How does God use ‘givers’ in the body of Christ? o Why does the body of Christ need leaders to govern? o How do people use the gift of mercy in the body of Christ?  Notice all the gifts in the body of Christ fall into 2 categories—speaking gifts and serving gifts. And…even the speaking gifts are administered in a servant manner. 1 Peter 4:10-11(NIV) 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Jesus put the servant mindset into perspective for His disciples…and for all of us in the body: (Matthew 20:20-28 NIV) Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him. {21} "What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom." {22} "You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?" "We can," they answered. {23} Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father." {24} When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers. {25} Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. {26} Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, {27} and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- {28} just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."  What favor did the mother of James and John ask of Jesus in verse 21?  What ‘pattern of the world’ did Jesus say this request conformed to in verse 25?  What ‘mind-transforming’ advice did Jesus offer instead in verse 26? Romans Chapter 12.3, page 2 “Life is like a game of tennis; the person who serves well seldom loses.”

Paul wrote about the gifts to the church in Greece… (1 Corinthians 12:4-31 NIV) There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.  These verses tell us about the gifts of the Spirit given to believers. What does verse 4 tell us about the gifts? (There are different kinds of gifts.) {5} There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. {6} There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. {7} Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.  According to verse 7, which believers receive these gifts? (Each one.)  Why do we each receive them? (For the common good.) {8} To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, {9} to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, {10} to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. {11} All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.  After verses 8-10 describe some of the gifts, what does verse 11 tell us about who gets which gift? (The Holy Spirit determines.)  Some groups suggest that the individual determines which gift he/she receives—such as speaking in tongues, healing, etc.; according to this verse, should any of us ever feel slighted because we have not been given a specific gift(s)? 12} The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. {13} For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. {14} Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. {15} If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. {16} And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. {17} If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? {18} But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. {19} If they were all one part, where would the body be? {20} As it is, there are many parts, but one body. {21} The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" {22} On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, {23} and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, {24} while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, {25} so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. {26} If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. {27} Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.  To what do verses 12-27 compare the individuals who have received these gifts? (A body.)

Romans Chapter 12.3, page 3  How would we summarize the point of the comparison? As every body part…even the smallest…plays a significant role in the human body, so it is with the body of Christ; everyone is significant, particularly if that part (person) is hurting or missing. {28} And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. {29} Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? {30} Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? {31} But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.  Almost in passing, the body that has been described is given another name in verse 28. What is it? (The church.)

So…how do we ‘join’ the body of Christ, [which is] the Church? (Ephesians 1:13-23 NIV) And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, {14} who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.  This is another passage about the body of Christ—the church—and how a person ‘joins’. According to verse 13, how is a person ‘included in Christ’? {15} For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, {16} I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. {17} I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. {18} I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, {19} and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, {20} which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, {21} far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. {22} And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, {23} which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.  How is the ‘church’ identified in verses 22-23? (Christ’s body.)  Therefore, if you combine the information in verse 13 with that in 22-23, how does a person ‘join’ the church, which is his (Christ’s) body? (A person is included in Christ when he/she heard the word of truth, the gospel of their salvation and believed…verse 13.)

(Colossians 1:12-18 NIV) giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. {13} For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, {14} in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.  Who rescued us? From what? To bring us into what? In whom we have what? {15} He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. {16} For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. {17} He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. {18} And he is the head of the body, Romans Chapter 12.3, page 4 the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.  According to verse 18, who is the head of the body, the church? (Colossians 1:24 NIV) Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ's afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.  Once again, according to verse 24, how is the church defined?

Some people think of the church as a building…or at the very least, an organization that meets in the building… (Acts 8:3 NIV) But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off men and women and put them in prison.  What did Saul set out to do?  How was he planning to destroy the building? (He wasn’t…because the church is not a building.)  How, then, did he begin to destroy the church? (Putting men and women—the church—in prison.)  Where did he find the church? (Going house to house; the church was wherever the people were.)

(Acts 9:31 NIV) Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace. It was strengthened; and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it grew in numbers, living in the fear of the Lord.  Where was the church in this verse? (Three different countries.)  Many Christians today would describe this as 3 churches in three countries, but what do you notice about the pronoun referring back to the [one] ‘church’? (The pronoun ‘it’ is singular; it refers back to one church in three countries, not three.) What does that tell us about the church? (The church is the collective body of Christ, not individual buildings or groups.)

(1 Corinthians 1:2 NIV) To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ--their Lord and ours:  The last reference pointed out that the church was the body of believers as a whole…in no one particular area, and yet, what does this verse show us about the church? (It refers not only to ‘all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’, but to a specific group…the church of God in Corinth. That is, the ‘church’ includes the local groups of believers as well as ‘all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ’.)

Back to Romans 12… Romans 12:9-21(NIV) 9Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 10Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. · What is the key word and focus of verse 9? (Love that is sincere.)  How have we lost sight of the second sentence in verse 9 today? · What does verse 10 gives us as a target for this sincere love? (One another.)

Romans Chapter 12.3, page 5  What does "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love" mean? What is a practical example of being devoted to one another in brotherly love?  What does "Honor one another above yourselves" mean?  How can we realistically honor others above ourselves?  What could be some of the effects of implementing this into our day-to-day routine?  How could this be a vulnerable position? (The shrewd could abuse us.)  How is it a strong position? (God will honor us.) · How would you summarize the conduct recommended in vs.9, 10? (Not about ME.)

11Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  What causes a person to lack zeal and lose his/her spiritual fervor? (When they lose sight of the last three words in the verse. The key is to remember we are serving the Lord…not people. We read in Ephesians 6:7 (NIV) Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men,…)

12Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. · Verse 12 has three parts. How do these three relate to each other? (Impatience breeds unhappiness, lack of joy: patience will lead to joy…an impatient person is definitely not joyful; faithful prayer is the means for achieving both patience and a joyful attitude.)  How can we remain joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer? (Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV) He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. {30} Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; {31} but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

13Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality. · How does verse 13 deal a selfish attitude a fatal blow? (As we are conscious of giving to others, we avoid the normal temptation to constantly focus on our own needs being met.) · What are some of the ways we can practice hospitality?

14Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. · Verse 14: Is the context of our "personal ministry" always designed around people whom we like and those who are kind to us?

15Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. · Verse 15: When others around us are happy, we are to ______. When others around us are down, we are to ______.  Who is the burden of behavior on? (Us. We are to adapt to the situations of others…not always expecting others to adapt to ours.)

16Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.£ Do not be conceited. · How are we supposed to get along with others? (In harmony.) · What two things should we not be? What should we be?

Romans Chapter 12.3, page 6  What are some of the ‘sounds’ of people living in harmonywith one another? (Laughter, encourage, etc.)  What are some of the sounds of people living in lack of harmony with one another? (Arguments, slander, gossip, etc.)  How is being willing to associate with people of low position a lack of conformity to the pattern of this world, i.e., what is a person’s normal tendency toward people of low position? (Avoidance.)

Verses 17-21 address the recommended conduct in adversarial relationships… 17Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.  What should we not do? …Do? 18If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.  If possible, do what?  What is implied by “If”? 19Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”£ says the Lord.  Have you ever been tempted to take revenge?  What are we to do instead? 20On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”£ 21Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.  What will overcome?  Why do we need to be able to properly handle adversarial relationships within the church?

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