Title: Orchestra of the Faithful Life
Contents
Bible Text: Romans 12:3-13
Orchestra of Faith Life
Dear saints,
There is a man named Myung-Hoon Jeong, a world-renowned orchestra conductor born in Korea.
The family has stood at the top of the world with pianos, cellos, and violins, and their concerts leave the listeners with boundless emotions. And Myeong-Hoon Jung established himself as a world-class conductor at the piano.
A person who conducts an orchestra conducts as if possessed by a god, and sometimes comes to think that he is like a general who conducts thousands and thousands of horses. Orchestras create beautiful harmonious music where different instruments each have their own distinct tones, but when you follow the conductor's baton and sound their own notes to the score.
Violin and cello are different, clarinet and piano are different. However, in fact, despite the variety of instruments, despite the different sound characteristics, it has a wonderful harmony and evokes emotion and emotion. However, what we can find in the words we read together today is that we realize that our religious life in the church and our religious life at home are similar.
From Romans 12, we, believers, teach us how to live in detail.
If we look at each person, we can see that the degree of faith is different. People with different personalities, different personalities, and different levels of education gathered together. People with different hobbies, interests, and facial features gathered together.
But now we have become brothers and sisters through the grace and blood of Jesus Christ.
The church is the body of Jesus Christ. Nevertheless, the church is also called a community of faith.
In analogy, we would say that our members are like members of an orchestra gathered to praise God. There is not a single soloist who has lived a church life like that, but like an orchestra member, each has its own characteristics and there are rules, order, and manners that are in harmony with the conductor.
First, it is to lead a harmonious life of faith according to the measure of faith.
Dear saints,
In verse 3 of the verse we read together today, Paul exhorts us to:
“Do not cherish more thoughts than you ought to think, but think wisely according to the measure of faith that God has given to each of you.”
These verses teach us some truths. First of all, you must not exceed certain limits. Excessive idealism or vain dreams, even in the world, drive oneself to ruin. In this way, it is said that it is beneficial to know what to think and protect oneself in this life of faith.
And the gift that God has given to each person is different. Because the gifts are different, there is a difference in function. Everyone has their own unique gift.
A well-educated person does not necessarily succeed in business. A person who writes well cannot exercise well. Therefore, making full use of the talents God has given you is the key to success. Nevertheless, many people do not know how to think wisely according to the measure of their faith, and they often break the harmonious life of faith by thinking more than they think.
When God uses people, He uses them as wrong things.
When a carpenter builds a house, he uses the pillars, the beams, and the stone garae separately.
Therefore, it is necessary first to know ourselves well.
We should not fall into the setbacks that come from thinking openly beyond that.
The church is the body of Christ and the community of faith. Therefore, order is necessary.
Soprano, alto, tenor, and bass all sound different and have different pitches.
However, if each produces a sound according to his or her own measure, it becomes harmonious and beautiful music.
When a soprano has a bass voice, it's an event, not music.
Knowing oneself rightly and keeping order is absolutely necessary for the wonderful harmony of a community.
Some of us may feel that our work is too heavy, while others may feel that what is entrusted to us is nothing. But Jesus valued the little things. He is the Lord who entrusts big things to those who are faithful in small things.
Today, there are disorders and problems in the church, society, and in not being able to value and value small things.
The kingdom of God and the church of the Lord are not small things. Big things are not the only thing that glorifies the Lord. For the truth of the Bible, it is important to believe that God has given all the gifts given to each person, that is, the measure of faith.
It is wrong to adjust the gifts God has given you to your own will.
It is also a problem to underestimate or overestimate God-given gifts.
You have to think about what you should think. Doing it your way will ultimately devalue the gifts God has given you and result in disobedience to God's Word.
Second, we have to admit that we have different roles and functions according to the measure of our faith.
In the words we read together today, verses 4 to 8 explain that we have different roles and functions as members of the body of the Lord, the church. First, look at verses 4 and 8.
“For though we have many members in one body, not all members have the same office, so in the same way we, who are many, are one body in Christ and members of one another.”
These words of the Apostle Paul express that the church is the body of Christ and we are members.
Because we are one body and members, each member has an organic relationship, expressing that each has a different role and function.
In fact, when we look at our own body, we don't usually know it when we are healthy, but once a member of the body becomes sick and sick, we realize how precious that member is.
Those who have hurt their eyes realize how precious they are.
Anyone who has ever suffered from a toothache knows how precious teeth really are.
Anyone who has suffered from a back injury will realize how precious the spine like a pillar in our body is.
That's right. In our body, hands act as hands, feet act as feet, legs act as legs, ears act as ears, and eyes act as eyes. More important than what we see are the invisible nerves and blood vessels and all the functions of our internal organs. None of these are invaluable. No one institution can despise or despise the other. No matter how small it seems, if it breaks down, it can have a huge impact on the whole body. In this way, as members of the church, the body of Christ, each of us must carry out our mission.
Verse 6 says, “Each one has different gifts according to the grace given to us.”
We need to acknowledge that each of us has different gifts from God.
That is, prophecy, service, teaching, authority, giving, and ruling were enumerated. Taking on these tasks teaches us that domains and functions are different.
There are large bowls and small bowls in the house.
There are square bowls and long bowls. There are brass bowls as well as porcelain and glass bowls.
All of them are used according to the master's will. As such, it is important for us to faithfully carry out our duties in the position we are in.
We are not the same person in appearance, voice, aptitude, or ability.
They all have different levels of faith, personalities, and backgrounds.
Nevertheless, we have become one body and one member in Jesus Christ.
We didn't know each other at all until this church was founded.
Although they have never met each other, they have become the community to which Jesus Christ has been called.
The church is not a community where the laws and order of the world work. The church is a place where the truth, grace, and love of Christ flow. A place where the lowly are exalted and the humble are loved.
A place where those who persevere will be rewarded, and those who confess that they are sinners will find the joy and joy of forgiveness. Since we are all children of God and we are all gifted by God, we must love each other. We need to recognize and cherish each other's gifts.
There is the gift of a minister, there is a gift of an elder, and there is a gift of a deacon, a priest, and a teacher. Exceeding each one's own gift is a privilege and will hurt other members.
Cancer, which remains an incurable disease in modern medicine, is actually abnormal cell division. When cells in a certain area divide and grow abnormally, it causes fatal injuries to the body.
Therefore, the Bible testifies in Philippians 2:3 and 4 as follows.
“Let nothing be done out of strife or vanity, but in lowliness of mind let each one consider others better than his own, each looking out for his own business, but also for the interests of others, so that my joy may be full.”
It is the life of the saints that makes the beautiful harmony of the orchestra.
Third, we must faithfully carry out our mission as saints according to the measure of our faith.
Now the apostle Paul speaks more specifically about how to carry out his mission in the community according to the measure of faith. Here is a summary of the apostle Paul's exhortations:
“Be kind to one another with love for one another, and show respect first; do not be lazy in diligence, but be zealous and serve the Lord.”
Other than that, he told them to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, always focus on prayer, provide for the needs of the saints, and strive to provide hospitality.
Blessed are the churches and families where there is love, fraternity and respect.
Just as diligent and zealous people and groups succeed in life in the world, the church should be a church that strives hard for the vocation and mission the Lord has entrusted to it.
Even praying and reading the Bible are not enough.
Even attending official worship services is too zealous.
Dear saints,
Let's love more and be zealous.
Let's keep our position and serve the church more actively and positively.
Calculating profit and loss is not true love.
If God is our priority in our lives and Jesus Christ is our priority, then doing it for him should be our priority.
To this end, do your best in your position, and do your part.
Then you will have beautiful chords in a wonderful orchestra.
It will be so when you fulfill your mission in line with the conductor's baton.
Although our faces are different, our dispositions and characteristics are different, but I pray in the name of the Lord that you will become harmonious and unified with each other in Jesus Christ and dedicate yourself to the Lord's kingdom and your body, the church, according to the measure of your faith.