The practice of service

So let's push into that because what I want to talk about firstly here is about the body of Christ and me.

And I'm not talking about me personally, but you.

I want you to ask that question.

What does it mean to, what do we mean by this phrase, the body of Christ and me? So have a look at Romans chapter 12.

Let's begin with verse 3.

Here's the first thing, because Paul is talking about service here.

He's talking about the renewing of the mind.

You remember that last week, verses 1 and 2, and the practice of renewal and how we grow in Christ.

Now he pushes into this area of giftedness and service.

Most important thing about service, service flows from humility.

Paul makes it obvious here in verse 3.

Look at what he says.

For through the grace given to me, I say to every man among you not to think more, or every person among you not to think more highly of yourselves than you ought to think.

The word means high-minded.

Don't become high-minded about yourself, says Paul.

And then he goes on, he says, but think with sound judgment.

The easiest way to describe sound judgment is to be right-minded about yourself.

So Paul says, don't be high-minded, be right-minded.

In other words, what he's saying is, have a balanced assessment of yourself.

Don't think of yourself as being too great, but equally so, don't think that you are a worm.

That's not what he's talking about.

He's just talking about that humility is having a correct assessment of yourself, a balanced view of yourself.

And here is the reason why.

Because here's where he presses into service.

It all starts with humility.