GIFTED
Are you familiar with cartoonist Gary Larson-Far Side. One of his more popular cartoons is "the school for the gifted". [show cartoon]. That's how we can be sometimes, isn't it? God has gifted us but the way we act sometimes you wouldn't know it. Mark's sermon last week featured the parable of the talents.
God gives us each a number of gifts based on how he chooses to distribute them. We need to make sure we're not like the one who buried his talent, but rather like the other servants who used what they had been given and brought the increase to their master. Let's take a look into the subject of spiritual giftedness.
1) Given by God to be used for God.
The Holy Spirit is the gift who brings all the other gifts to us. In Acts 2:38, Peter said when we repent and are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. That means the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence in us and fills us. Before this, the Holy Spirit can manifest himself to us and he can influence us and move and motivate us.
It's the Spirit who draws us to Christ. We wouldn't seek him on our own; the Spirit reveals himself to us to open our eyes and prick our hearts. So when we respond to that, the gift of the Holy Spirit comes into us. And what follows is the Spirit bestowing his gifts to us.
1st Cor. 12:1-11, "Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines."
Paul wants the Corinthians to understand where their gifts come from and what they are to be used for. Before they were saved the Corinthians followed worthless gods. And whatever talents they had before coming to Christ they probably attributed them to specific gods. But Paul wanted them to know that any and every ability and gift they had came from God.
I like how Paul involves the trinity in his wording-the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God. They are all incorporated in the administration of the gifts. There are different gifts but the same God is responsible for all of them.
We had abilities and talents before we come to Christ. These abilities are God-given, although we probably didn't credit him for them. We may have understood that certain people possess raw or natural talent but no doubt credited ourselves for the development of those talents.
But if we did realize that our talents were God-given we weren't using them to glorify him. We used our talents for our gain; how they would better our agenda; how they would draw attention to us. But Paul says in verse seven that the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. The purpose for our gifts is not to put ourselves on a pedestal but to better the whole.
The Greek word for "gifts" is charisma. Interestingly, the way we use this word is to describe someone who is charming or has appeal or magnetism. And in essence, when we use our spiritual gifts we should be appealing to others. We should be alluring to them; we want them to be attracted to us. Albeit for the right reasons; not for personal glorification but for the glory of God.
The next section of chapter twelve talks about the fact that we are one body but there are many parts that make up the body. We are one church body but we are all different parts that make up the body. And Paul stresses that all the parts need each other to function.
We all need to use our talents to fulfill the role that God has for us to build up the church. All of us need to work together in love and humility to accomplish the purposes of God. I think that's why he starts out chapter 13 this way.
13:1-3, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."
It doesn't matter what gift we have or what success we have because of it; if our work isn't done with love for God and love for each other then we haven't gained anything. If love isn't the driving force then we've missed the mark. Paul starts out chapter 14 by telling us to follow the way of love and to eagerly desire spiritual gifts.
Then he goes into talking about the gifts of prophecy and tongues. I'll talk about the specific gifts in the continuation of the series but the point Paul makes in the passage is the gifts are to be used for the edification of the church. To edify means to enlighten or inform-to improve. Our gifts are meant to bless others; to help others-to strengthen others.
As Paul said in 14:26, "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church."
When we use our gifts to help people get stronger or further along then we're using our gifts appropriately. If we use our gifts to better the lives of the saints and help them to be inspired and motivated to get closer to God then we are using our gifts in the right way.
1st Peter 4:10-11, "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."
Our gifts are to be used to serve God and the church.
2) Choose to be used.
Rom. 12:1-8, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
Before Paul encourages those who have gifts to use them he first instructs them to do what is necessary to be able to use their gifts. We first need to want to be used. When we offer ourselves to God we are telling him that we're ready to be used however he wants to use us.
We commit to no longer live in sin but in the Spirit. We no longer have the focus of putting ourselves first. Instead, our new motive is to please God and benefit his kingdom. We have agreed that his will is better than ours. That takes humility. Paul said we need to think of ourselves with sober judgment.
When God gifts us we can get a swelled head. We can get to thinking we're pretty special. Not that we're not special to God but we're no more special than anyone else and the reason we're special isn't because of anything we have or anything we have done to earn God's favor-it's all as a result of God's love and grace.
So, because of the gifts we have we might be tempted to be proud; we might be tempted to look down on others who don't have the gift we have. Paul wants us to kill that and remember that we are one part of the body and all members are important. And that the gifts we have are because of God's grace, not because of any deservedness on our part.
Then Paul mentions various gifts and encouraging that they be used. He's basically saying, "if this is the gift you have-then use it". Why would he need to say that? Maybe we don't want to use the gift we have. Maybe we don't like the gift we have. Maybe we want the gift that someone else has. So, we decide we're not going to use our gift; we're not going to serve.
This is not the mindset of one who's offering themselves as a living sacrifice unto God. This is not the attitude of the renewed mind. This is not the behavior of one who has the betterment of the whole in mind. This is not the person who recognizes God's grace in their giftedness.
The servant who was given two talents didn't say, "hey, why did he get five and I only got two? No fair! Forget this!" Instead, he accepted what God gave him and he went and did the same thing the one with five did-he doubled it.
And he received the same response from the master as the one who had been given five. "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!"
It's not about favoritism; it's not about preferential treatment-it's about humility, love, gratitude and commitment. If you've got it then you're expected to use it. But we need to use our gifts responsibly.
To qualify: many of the things that are mentioned as 'gifts' are things we all need to be doing. But they are mentioned as 'gifts' because, although everyone should be contributing to the needs of others and being merciful, some people have a special giftedness and calling to do them more extensively.
Notice Paul gives instruction about how to use them. "If it is contributing to the needs of others then let him give generously". If our gift is being focused on the needs of others we need to go above and beyond.
"If it is leadership then govern diligently". Leadership, as with other gifts, are oftentimes not too easy to do. Just because we're gifted it doesn't mean we will be able to perform it effortlessly. It takes work; it takes commitment. So Paul says do it diligently. When things become difficult or overwhelming stay the course; don't give up.
"If it is showing mercy then do it cheerfully". Are we always cheerful when we're using our gifts? Probably not; but we should be. We could actually show mercy with a bad attitude. Maybe we're being merciful out of a sense of duty but we don't feel like it. We do it but not cheerfully.
How will the recipient of our mercy feel when they pick up on your not-so-subtle lack of cheerfulness? They might be thankful that you showed mercy but they're not convinced you meant it and therefore walk away still feeling discouraged, not encouraged.
We need to use our gifts but use them in the right spirit.
3) Regardless of the opposition.
In 1st Tim. 4:12-16, Paul was instructing his young minister regarding being a leader in the church. In doing so, he had some concerns that needed to be addressed. "Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity. Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching.
Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers."
Paul told Timothy to not neglect his gift. Timothy had concerns about being in this position of authority. Paul told him to not allow anyone to look down on him because he was young. He may have felt intimidated by those who were older than him and concerned about them respecting his authority and his validation for being in this ministry.
It's easy to have issues with confronting others in general. In Timothy's case, he was going to be asked to deal with sin in the church and to instruct others in accordance with the hard truth of God's word. Timothy may have lacked some of the boldness he would need to have in teaching, preaching and addressing problems and concerns.
Paul knew that Timothy was anointed and because of that he knew Timothy was going to have to contend with Satan who was going to try to get in the way of him successfully carrying out God's calling on his life. He encouraged Timothy some more in his second letter to him.
2nd Tim. 1:5-7, "I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."
We will need to do the same things in order to be successful. When we use our God-given spiritual gifts it is a threat to Satan. He will do whatever he can to get in the way. He will try to intimidate us to get us to back down. There are times when we know God is pricking our hearts to act and because of fear we freeze.
There are times God wants us to speak to someone about the gospel but we don't do it. There are times when we know God wants us to speak into someone's life about something but we stay silent. There are times when God wants us to serve but we don't step up.
This can be because we're afraid of failure or because we're lazy or because we're proud or because we're angry. There can be many reasons why we neglect to use our gifts. But we need to be mindful of the effects. Eph. 4:30 tells us to not grieve the Holy Spirit of God. When we don't use the gifts God gives us this grieves the Holy Spirit. He knows the damage caused to us and others when we don't use our gifts as well as the influence that would result if we were to use our gifts.
1st Thess. 5:19 says do not put out the Spirit's fire. Paul told Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God. When we put our gifts to use we're fanning them into flame. Therefore if we don't use them we're putting out the Spirit's fire. If a fire goes out we become cold. If a fire goes out it dies. God wants us on fire; he wants us hot.
That means we're going to have to fight against the enemy who wants us cold and dead. That means we need to deal with the reasons why we aren't using our gifts. That means we need to get and stay zealous for God and his church. We are God's people and we have been gifted by God to do his work and glorify his Name.
The Stradivari Society of Chicago performs an important role in the music world. The society entrusts expensive violins into the hands of world-class violin players who could never afford them on their own. Stradivarius violins produce an incomparably rich sound and sell for millions of dollars and are highly sought after by investors.
"But great violins are not like works of art", writes music critic John von Rhein. "They were never meant to be hung on a wall or locked up under glass. Any instrument will lose its tone if it isn't played regularly; conversely, an instrument gains its value the more it us used."
And so it is that those who own the world's greatest violins are looking for first-rate violin players to use them. The Stradivari Society brings them together, making sure the instruments are preserved and cared for.
One further requirement made by these investors is that the musician will give the owner at least two command performances a year.
Like the Stradivari Society, God entrusts exquisite "violins" into the care of others. He gives us spiritual gifts of great value, which remain his property. He wants them to be used. They're doing no good if they're hanging on a wall somewhere. God delights to hear beautiful music coming from them. He wants us to play for him. Are we using the gifts he's given us to use?
