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Grace Baptist Church

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  • Mailing Address: 1300 Ceitus Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33991

 

 

Living Out the Gospel

Living Out the Gospel

May 22, 2016

Passage: Romans 12:1-11

Preacher: Baruch Maoz

Category: Sunday Morning

Keywords: gifts, gospel, ministry, sacrifice, service

Detail:

Guest speaker, author, and retired pastor Baruch Moaz brings a message entitled “Living out the Gospel” based on Romans 12:1–11. Opening with a quote from Psalm 133:1, “how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity,” our speaker sets out to show how Paul’s passage in Romans 12 takes it cues from the broader context of the first eleven chapters of the book in order that the brethren may live together in unity.

In Romans Chapters 1 through 5 Paul presents the Gospel’s righteousness particularly compared to the sinfulness of man. Chapters 6 through 8 speaks to the life of those rendered righteous by the application of the gospel to their lives. Finally, in Chapters 9 through 11 Paul exemplifies that life. Throughout the book a theme of unity is pervasive. Whether Jew or Gentile, believers now are to live in harmony and unity with each other. Chapter 12 explains how to implement this in one’s life.

Jew or Gentile, slave or slaveholder, these differences of the past were to fade into non-existence by virtue of the call to live together in the gospel. Acts Chapter 2 provides a working example. Christians have become instruments of righteousness toward each other, free from sin, though still sinners, now slaves to righteousness. The “Therefore” with which 12:1 begins indicates that we, having died to the control of sin, are to live a sacrificial life centered on love for the Lord and love for the brethren. Living out the gospel, resisting sin is no easy matter yet the lack of ease is no reason not to surrender.

Remembering we are together in one body Paul teaches we are to exercise the gifts God has given to believers for the good of the whole body. We are to carry these out by God-given grace. Interestingly, recalling our need for grace ought to be humbling so that we consistently exercise grace towards others. This grace-led life is flabbergasting to the world. They have not seen or experienced the true love and grace that should be emblematic of the church. The uniqueness of this way of life is the attraction of the church. Whether leaders leading without hypocrisy, helpers helping without overt acknowledgment, teachers teaching with humility, whatever gift is exercised, all is to be done for the love of God and brethren.

This type of life reflects a body that is constantly being renewed. As a church lives this way, it does become a “city on the hill” challenging the world to come to Christ. This is our calling. We are to live out the truth of the gospel in unity that others may be attracted, see their need of a Savior, and come to Christ through his shed blood on Calvary’s Cross.