Identifying And Using Your Spiritual Gifts

Let me illustrate. At a dinner last week, suppose someone dropped a plate full of dessert on the floor in the fellowship hall.

• Gift of prophecy: "That’s what happens when you’re not careful.”

• Gift of service: "Oh, let me help you clean it up.”

• Gift of teaching: "The reason that it fell was because it was too heavy on one side.”

• Gift of exhortation: "Next time, maybe you should let someone else carry it.”

• Gift of giving: “Here, you can have my dessert.”

• Gift of mercy: “Don’t feel too bad. It could have happened to anyone.”

• Gift of administration: “Jim, would you get the mop? Sue, please help pick this up. Mary, could you get him

another dessert?”

God gifted each of us differently, we act differently and serve differently. This church has every gift that it needs to function as a biblical community. 1 Corinthians 1:7, “Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” Paul wrote this verse to the entire church at Corinth. Even with all its problems, this community of faith did not lack any spiritual gift. We are all ministers and priests according to 1 Peter 2:9, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” The priesthood is for all believers. Our job, according to Ephesians 4:12 is, “To prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

About 35 years ago, when Saddleback Church in Southern California had grown to approximately 500 people, Rick Warren, the Senior Pastor, said, “Folks, I’m out of energy and the church is getting so big that I can’t do much more. As I read the Bible, it does not say I am supposed to do it; anyway, I will make you a deal. If you’ll do the ministry God’s gifted, you to do then I’ll do my part which is to make sure you’re well fed.” Warren said they then “shook hands” and made a pact together. It was after that the church began exploding with growth.

Each of us needs to identify our Spiritual gifts. Verse 7, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Learn about your particular spiritual gift. The word manifest means to make plain. God gives spiritual gifts to make plain the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This verse teaches us two things. First, notice the phrase “each one.” Every born-again believer has been given the manifestation of the Spirit. Second, God gave you at least one spiritual gift for the “common good,” or profit of the church. Ephesians 4:16, “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Gifts are given so that they can be given in service to others so that the church will be fortified. 1 Corinthians 12:11 tells us that the Spirit, “gives to each one, just as He determines.”

We must use our gift in God's service. While it is important to identify your gifts, it is not enough. God gave you gifts to use. Verses 12-30 describe how the church is like the human body, with each part playing a critical role in the body. You each have gifts and a key role to play in this church. Until we implement our gifts, our church will not mature in faith. Verse 14, “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.” The foot needs the hand, and the ear needs the eye. Likewise, we all need each other. If you are hoarding your gifts and not using them, the entire body is handicapped.