Excellence - Spiritual Gifts
September 27, 2020
Have you ever driven in foggy weather? It’s not necessarily fun. You put on your brights, but you quickly realize the more light you use, the more difficult it is to see what if anything is in front of you. Sometimes foggy weather can be a good metaphor for our spiritual lives. Sometimes we seem to be in a fog spiritually. We’re moving, but we really can’t see what’s in front of us. Driving in fog is sometimes a matter of trust.
In the same way, sometimes it’s difficult to know where you fit in! It seems that life is one big foggy mess. We may have those issues at home . . . where and how do you fit into your family system. We have that at school — it happens at work. Really wherever you go and whatever you are part of, there are questions about where we fit in.
This is just as true . . . when you attend a church. If you’ve been here long enough, you tend to know where you fit in. But it can actually take years before we figure it out. Then the times change . . . or life changes, then we go through that process again. I’m not lamenting that. It can actually be a good thing . . . if we’re willing! It gives us the opportunity to take another look at ourselves and maybe rediscover God’s purpose in our lives.
Sometimes we have to cut through the fog - - and at other times, we have to wait for the fog to clear, to be still and trust in God’s plan for our lives. It’s not always easy to wait on the Lord, is it?
For the past weeks we’ve been talking about God’s call in our lives . . . and believe it or not, what we started at the beginning of the year, if we can remember that long ago . . . we are coming to an end.
My hope is that over the past weeks and months, we’ve gained a better understanding of who God is calling us to be, how God can use us according to our unique SHAPE . . . so that we can serve Him and at the same time experience fulfillment in God’s call in our lives.
Part of that process is to seek to attain excellence in all that we do, because ultimately, everything we do is to honor and glorify God. When we’re at school, at work, at home . . . wherever we are - - we are to seek to serve God.
In order to achieve excellence, or at least move in that direction, we must have an understanding of where we fit in God’s kingdom. If the fog is too thick, then determining our place becomes even more difficult. Part of finding our place is knowing who we are, knowing our personality, our skills and abilities, our passions . . . and our giftedness.
I really do want you to complete those Spiritual Gift assessments. Turn them into me, and remember, nobody fails this. We have all been gifted by God. These gifts are to enable us to better serve God, as we do it not for our glory but for the common good.
We’ve all been gifted differently and so we act differently and we serve differently. Friends, this church has every gift that’s needed in order to function as a biblical community. But, if we don’t know our giftedness, then we will never be the church Christ calls us to be. Our church will be in a fog. We will never make a difference in the manner and magnitude Christ desires. And I really believe, that grieves our Lord.
We need to better understand spiritual gifts as we allow the Holy Spirit to change us into the people we are called to be. If we are to fulfill our calling in life, then we need to be able to identify our spiritual gifts.
Last week I shared a number of slides showing about 23 different Spiritual Gifts. And it is the Lord who gives us Spiritual Gifts for the common good. Never for our glory. And God empowers us to use these gifts for His glory and honor. God will give us the power and ability to use these gifts.
Paul told the church in Ephesus --
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. – Ephesians 4:16
Do you see - - - each part is supposed to do their work. Paul uses the image of a body because every part functions to work together. When our body is not working properly, it’s like an alarm goes off in our body. We experience pain, a tingling sensation, cramping, whatever it is . . . we recognize the pain when our body is not working as it should.
But within the church, when we aren’t working properly, often times we don’t know it. We allow for a ‘less than’ approach, we make excuses for people, and we allow things to slip and fade away. Imagine having a headache, and you make excuses day after day after day. You do nothing for it. That’s what we do in the church world. Doing that does not bring glory to God. In many respects we’re desecrating the cross and work of Christ when we choose not to be involved in His kingdom.
Gifts are given so they can be used in service to others so that the church will be strengthened. Remember gifts are received, not achieved. As Paul said — 11 The Spirit gives to each one, just as He determines. – 1 Corinthians 12:11
I’m working off the assumption you know Jesus. That you’ve proclaimed Jesus as your Lord and Savior. When you do that, you are supernaturally filled with the Holy Spirit and with Spiritual Gifts. You may not feel this, but this is what occurs in your life. If you don’t know Jesus, then let’s talk about Him after worship.
If you do know Jesus, then we need to move forward in order to identify your gifts and that occurs through the Spiritual Gift inventories. When you turn them back in to me, I will score them and get you your results in a couple of days.
After you know what your gifts are, you can’t just hold onto them and not share them. It would be like you receive a humungous cake or steak or whatever it is you love to eat. And it’s so good, but there’s so much and because it is so good, you want to share it with others. And that’s like Spiritual Gifts. You need to share them with the world. The expectation is that you can’t wait to share them.
It’s not enough to just know what your gifts are, they need to be used. You’ve received gifts and a key role to play in this church. Until each of us opens our gifts and begins to use them, our church will not be who we could and should be.
Now, the church at Corinth believed some gifts were better and more important than others. Some gifts were considered “less than” gifts. Paul addressed this issue. For example - - - I know many people have different collections. I have a hot sauce collection. There’s nothing wrong with them. What if you collected screwdrivers. Would you spend all your time counting them, naming them, organizing them, polishing them, but never displaying them?
Would it be so bad that you had to borrow screwdrivers from other people because you wouldn’t use any of your own. It’s the same way with the Spirit of God and the gifts given to us. They are tools to be used for the common good, not tools to hide. Use them! As you serve God, you will be serving others.
Peter tells us ~ Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. – 1 Peter 4:10
That’s our call within the church. Use the gifts we have received.
You’re needed in this church! God has gifted you and wants you to find fulfillment and enjoyment as you serve Him and make a difference in the world. This is how you can glorify God and enjoy Him, using your gifts to His glory. Don’t allow yourself or anyone to tell you that you do not matter. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.
One of the lessons we can learn from the church at Corinth is this: having spiritual gifts does not make you spiritual. It’s possible for a church to have all the gifts that are needed, and for every believer to know what their gifts are, and still miss the mark. In the last verse of 1 Corinthians 12, we’re reminded that there is something far greater than even our divine abilities. Paul wrote -- 31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
Don’t you love it when someone tells you, let me show you an even better way to do what you’re trying to do. That’s what Paul is doing. What he says next is kind of astounding. It’s surprising, because we use this next passage in some really, really special occasions.
The next verses are found in 1 Corinthians 13. You know that as the “LOVE CHAPTER.” Yet, we do this passage a disservice to Paul’s intent when we only read it at weddings. This love chapter is sandwiched between a discussion of spiritual gifts in chapter 12 and chapter 14. Paul isn’t talking about marriage, he’s still talking about Spiritual Gifts.
Paul wrote -- 1 If I SPEAK in the TONGUES of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have PROPHETIC powers, and UNDERSTAND all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all FAITH, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I GIVE AWAY all I have, and if I DELIVER up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. — 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Notice the gifts that are listed in these verses. Paul is reminding the people of Corinth and he’s reminding you and I - - - if we have all these great, powerful gifts, but we don’t use them in love, then they are really worthless.
If we don’t have love when doing anything, we’re nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. We gain nothing and we are nothing. That’s a brutally blunt statement, yet it’s a great reminder that anything we do, do it in love.
What’s your motivation for anything you do? Do everything in love. Do it in your marriage. Do it at home, school, work, the store, some outside event, whatever you do, wherever you are, do everything for the glory of God — doing everything in love.
Here’s a great thought about God’s gifts. In Romans 11:29, Paul wrote -
29 for God's gifts and His call are irrevocable.
This is such a great passage. Think about it, God’s gifts, our spiritual gifts, are irrevocable. That means they cannot be revoked or taken back. God is not an Indian giver. There are no take backs. God gives us our gifts, and our job is to use the gifts. But notice what else Paul says, God’s call is also irrevocable. This means His unique call to you and me also has no take backs.
There is an interesting dynamic in the word irrevocable. The literal translation as found in the KJV is the word not to repent of or repentance - and reads this way --
29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
That sounds kind of strange. But it means God is not going to repent or change His mind for giving you the call and gifts He gave to you. God doesn’t regret choosing you to be in the kingdom! Isn’t that a great thought?
God is proud of you, He is thrilled and delighted at what you are to become in His sight . . . a minister of Jesus Christ, called, chosen, elected, a royal and holy priest in the kingdom of God, uniquely gifted to make a difference.
How great is that!!
God loves to take ordinary people like you and me and through us - - - do extraordinary things! He doesn't need superheroes. He’s looking for everyday believers, willing people whom He calls, equips and gifts. When we function in the way God has gifted us to function, we can accomplish great things. And at the same time, we will find great joy in doing His will and His work!
When God calls you, He will lead the way, He’s not going to call you, then go and hide and make you figure it out all by yourself. He wants you to walk with Him, not for you to lead, but to follow the plan God has set up for you.
Wayne Cordeiro wrote --
When you are not operating in your gift and passion, you will experience MAXIMUM WEARINESS with a MINIMUM OF EFFECTIVENESS (P. 50).
Have you ever experienced that? You tried and you were totally worn out because you were not doing what you were called to do. You were being a good team player, but it wasn’t where you were gifted. You were working in a deep fog. Trying to do something like that, we eventually lead to burnout.
Cordeiro then added --
When you are operating in your gift and passion, you will experience MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS with a MINIMUM OF WEARINESS.
That’s the plan. When you’re doing what you’ve been called to do, you will be having the time of your life. The work may be hard, but you will be passionately doing the work, celebrating and thanking God! The fog will have lifted.
As we come to the end, my hope is this - - -
If we feel we’re in a spiritual fog. That our fog would lift. That we would experience the power of the risen Son of God. The sun would shine in our hearts, spirits and minds. That we would continue to move towards God and as we do, we gain His power and strength. His hope and grace to keep us going forward.
I would like to see everyone fill out the Spiritual Gift assessments. You may be surprised at what you learn.
I really believe our work in the church should be a combination of looking at our
Spiritual Gifts
Heart / Passions
Abilities and Talents
Personality (Introvert / Extrovert)
Experience
We need to ask God ~
“Lord what do You want me to do for You?”
“Lord how can You use me to build Your kingdom?
“Lord who can I serve today for You?”
Those are pretty simple questions, but if we are willing to stop and listen to what God is trying to tell us, then we will come to understand His call in our lives, and then we can act upon it and find fulfillment as we serve Him.
I want us to follow God’s call, and when we do that, our passions and commitment to what we have been assigned will always come along with the Call. It may not be easy, but we will find ourselves working at maximum effectiveness as we serve God and one another . . . and demonstrate to the world what the church is supposed to look like.
