Gift Giving Part 1 Series

Gift Giving Part 1

Speaking Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Romans 12:6-8

Which is better, receiving gifts or giving gifts?

The old saying goes “It is better to give than to receive”

Try and teach that to your kids

What makes Christmas so great for the kids?

Is it going to the toy department, searching each shelf on every aisle looking for that awesome toy

Taking it home, wrapping it, placing it under the tree

And then giving it to your mean old cousin who likes to kick you in the shins?

No, the best thing for a child at Christmas is opening their presents

Now it is entirely different for adults

Usually the best thing about Christmas for adults is

Finally getting all the tiny pieces of wrapping paper off the floor

Sweeping up the fallen tree needles, and putting the living room back to its original arrangement

No of course it is the joy of seeing your gift recipient opening that gift

And it being exactly what they wanted

There is one thing I like about Christmas shopping

It is knowing exactly the perfect gift for someone and the joy of purchasing and wrapping it in anticipation of their joy

But of course there is on everyone’s list that hard to buy for person

For us it is my dad

We never know what to get Dad

But out there, somewhere, there is the perfect gift

Gift giving is a wonderful experience

We enjoy giving them and receiving them

But what about spiritual gifts?

Have you received yours?

If you are a child of God the answer is yes

This morning we will start a two part series on spiritual gifts

There are many things we can learn about spiritual gifts

And the most important truth about these gifts is

Every Christian has spiritual gifts

1 Corinthians 7:7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.

1Peter 4:10 As every man hath received the gift,

For a list of all the spiritual gifts we must look at a few different passages

Stand and READ 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

This passage contains only a partial list

Romans 12:6-8 helps complete the list of spiritual gifts

Wisdom

Knowledge

Faith

Healing

Miracles

Prophecy

Discernment

Tongues

Interpretation of tongues

Serving

Teaching

Exhortation

Giving

Leadership

Mercy

These lists supports the truth that each of every believer has been given a spiritual gift

Some people falsely believe that God skipped them when He was passing out spiritual gifts

But the Bible clearly teaches that all believers have spiritual gifts

So we all have one

You ever receive a Christmas gift, open the package, look it over, turn to the giver and say

Thanks, what is it?

Maybe you are here this morning saying

Thank you very much God for my spiritual gift

What is it?

Well the second truth about spiritual gifts is actually what it isn’t

It is not a natural talent

If you could sing before you got saved, not a spiritual gift

God can use your talents, but they are not spiritual gifts

They are also not a fruit of the Spirit

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, (23) Meekness, temperance:

We grow into the fruits of the Spirit. It’s a process

Spiritual gifts are instantaneous and immediate

Its not a title either

You can be a Sunday School teacher and not possess the gift of teaching

You can take up offering and not have the gift of giving

So we all have one, and they are not necessarily just our talents

First we must define what a spiritual gift is

"The moment you are born again God instantaneously and graciously gives you a perfect present, or spiritual gift, that gives you the power to do or say anything beyond your own natural ability so you can fulfill a specific purpose of God at a specific time."

So if everyone has a spiritual gift, what is so unique about them?

The second truth about spiritual gifts is

YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT FITS YOU PERFECTLY.

1 Corinthians 7:7 "Every man hath his PROPER gift from God." KJV

"Proper" means "fitted"

If I want a hunting boot that will enable me to hunt my stand all day long even in 10 degree weather, I go to Bass Pro or Gander Mountain and tell them what I want

They measure my foot, and then say, "We’ve got the perfect boot to perfectly fit your size and will perfectly suit your lifestyle."

God has given you a spiritual gift that "fits" you perfectly

Perfect for your life stage, life style

There is some danger in this illustration though