Go! And Use What God Has Given You - Romans 12:6–8
Romans 12:6–8 (NLT): “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
Introduction – God Gave You Gifts for a Reason
Welcome again to our series entitled "Go! And…", where we have been reminded time and time again that the Christian life is not a passive one. We are called, we are commissioned, and we are equipped.
Today, I want to speak to you on the theme “Go! And Use What God Has Given You.” This is a call not to sit back in comfort or hide behind humility, but to step out boldly in faith and obedience—because you are not saved to sit, you are saved to serve.
Let me begin with a powerful quote from R.T. Kendall: “The greatest tragedy of the modern Church is not that we lack spiritual gifts, but that we fail to use them.”
Church, God has not saved you just so you can attend church once a week. He’s saved you to be His instrument in a broken world. You are gifted for a reason. There is a supernatural calling on your life!
So let’s go into the Word together and understand how God calls us to GO! And USE what He has given.
Let’s read Romans 12:6–8 again: “In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”
Paul writes this letter to the church in Rome, a community with diverse backgrounds, facing challenges both from within and outside. Here in chapter 12, Paul turns from theology to practical Christian living.
The Greek word for “gifts” here is charismata, meaning “grace gifts” — these are supernatural enablements given by God’s grace. Importantly, Paul reminds us these gifts are for “doing certain things well” — God’s gifts have a purpose. They are not for our glory or comfort, but for building up the church and advancing His Kingdom.
Notice Paul’s emphasis on faithfulness and joy in exercising these gifts. To prophesy, teach, serve, give, lead, or encourage well requires faith in God’s power and gladness in serving others.
1 Corinthians 12:4–7 (NLT): “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”
Here Paul reminds us again that spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit, given for mutual encouragement and the common good. Gifts are diverse, but unified in purpose.
Ephesians 4:11–12 (NLT): “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”
This passage highlights that Christ Himself equips His church through gifted leaders to empower every believer for service.
1 Peter 4:10–11 (NLT): “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms... so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”
Our gifts are ultimately for God’s praise and glory — a powerful reminder that all our efforts are acts of worship.
Charismata (Gifts): From charis meaning “grace.” Spiritual gifts are not earned, but freely given by God’s grace.
Diakoneo (Serve): The word used for “serve” here implies active ministry and service to others, echoing Jesus’ servant heart.
Propheteuo (Prophesy): Speaking forth God’s message with faith and boldness.
Application for the Modern Believer:
God’s gifts are not just for pastors or church leaders; they are for every believer.
Are you aware of the gifts God has given you? Perhaps it is encouragement, hospitality, teaching, or leadership. Whatever it is, God’s call is clear: Go! And use those gifts boldly and joyfully.
R.T. Kendall again wisely states: “Spiritual gifts are God’s love made visible. To neglect them is to neglect God’s love to others.”
We must understand that using our gifts is not optional. When we fail to use them, others miss out on God’s grace flowing through us.
Jesus’ Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25 teaches a crucial lesson: those who bury their talents out of fear are rebuked, while those who invest and multiply their gifts are rewarded. Serving God with what He has entrusted to us brings blessing not only to others but also joy and growth in our own lives.
Imagine a lighthouse keeper who refuses to light the lamp because it’s easier to rest in darkness. Ships at sea risk wreck and destruction without the guiding light. Friends, God has placed light and gifts in you to guide, encourage, and save others from spiritual peril. Don’t hide your light; go and shine it brightly!
The Heart of Servanthood — Gospel-Centred Living in Our Gifts
As we come to the heart of this message, let me remind you of the third profound truth from R.T. Kendall on spiritual gifts:
“The exercise of spiritual gifts is never for self-exaltation but always for the glory of God and the building up of the body of Christ.”
This is a powerful corrective for the temptation we all face: to use our gifts for personal gain, recognition, or comfort. The New Testament constantly exhorts us to “do everything for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31), and that includes the way we serve.
Gospel Presentation: Christ, Our Servant King
The very model of servanthood is Jesus Christ Himself. Philippians 2:5–8 tells us: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
Jesus, God incarnate, came not to be served but to serve — and to give His life as a ransom for many. His death, burial, and resurrection is the ultimate gift for us — the source and power of every spiritual gift we have.
Because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are forgiven, reconciled to God, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve with humility and joy.
Jesus sets the perfect example — serving others is the hallmark of His followers.
Mark 10:45 is a stunning declaration of the heart of the gospel and the very nature of our Lord Jesus Christ. The verse says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many” (NLT). Here, Jesus reveals that true greatness in God’s kingdom is not about being served or exalted, but about humble service and sacrificial love.
This verse calls us to follow Christ’s example: to lay down our rights, to serve others selflessly, and ultimately to recognise that His death was the ultimate act of service—paying the ransom for our sins. The Greek word for “serve” here, diakoneo, means to minister or to attend to others’ needs, emphasizing active, loving service.
As Tim Keller rightly notes, “Christianity is not first about going to heaven when you die; it is about God’s kingdom coming now as we live as servants to others.” Mark 10:45 challenges us deeply: if Jesus, the Son of God, humbled Himself to serve and to die for us, how can we claim to follow Him while seeking status or comfort? The gospel is a call to costly discipleship, rooted in Christ’s servant heart.
1 Corinthians 13:1–3 (NLT): "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."
Here, Paul is making a profound and timeless declaration: all spiritual gifts, all acts of sacrifice, and even the greatest faith are utterly worthless without love. Love is not merely one virtue among many—it is the very heart and soul of the Christian life. The Greek word for love here, agape, is selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional.
Paul’s challenge is clear: spiritual gifts and heroic deeds can become empty noise—like a gong or cymbal clanging—if they lack the foundation of love. This is a radical call to reorient our entire Christian walk. It reminds us that the Gospel is not just about what we can do or achieve but about who we are in Christ, loving as He loved.
In today’s context, this passage confronts any temptation toward pride in our spiritual accomplishments or service. It humbles us and points us to Jesus, who demonstrated perfect agape love on the cross. The mark of genuine faith is love that flows out to others, reflecting the love we have first received from God. Without love, even the greatest acts are empty; with love, even the smallest acts have eternal significance.
Paul reminds us that without love, spiritual gifts are meaningless. Our gifts must flow from the love Christ poured into our hearts.
As John Stott once said, “Without love, the best gifts become the worst hindrance.” Let us then pursue not just the gifts or the deeds but above all, love—the very essence of Christ Himself.
Galatians 5:13 says, “For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” (NLT)
Here Paul reminds us that Christian freedom is not a licence to indulge selfish desires, but a sacred call to loving service. We are no longer slaves to sin, yet this freedom must never become a cloak for self-centredness. Instead, it is an invitation to lay down our rights and live sacrificially for others. The Greek word for “serve” here, douleuo, literally means to be a servant or slave—reflecting Christ’s own example of humble service.
As Tim Keller wisely notes, “Christian freedom is freedom to love and serve, not freedom to do whatever we want.” The gospel frees us from sin’s chains so that we might joyfully bear one another’s burdens and reflect Christ’s love in action. Truly, we are saved not to sit, but to serve.
Our freedom in Christ calls us not to self-indulgence but to sacrificial service.
Practical Application:
Self-examination: Are you using your gifts to glorify God or yourself?
Faithful obedience: Take seriously the responsibility to serve well.
Joyful service: Serve gladly, as unto the Lord.
The Athlete’s Discipline
Think of an athlete training for the Olympics. Every day, hours of disciplined, often unseen work prepare them for the moment of glory. Serving in the church requires similar dedication — not for personal applause, but to honour Christ and build His church.
Call to Action:
Beloved, Go! And use your gifts boldly for Christ’s glory. Go! And serve one another with humility and love. Go! And be a living demonstration of Jesus’ servant heart in this world.
Invitation to Salvation:
If you have not yet trusted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, today is the day of salvation. Jesus gave His life for you, to rescue you from sin and death. He invites you to repent — to turn away from your sin — and to place your faith in Him.
Romans 10:9 promises: “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Will you respond now? Will you say, “Jesus, I repent and believe in You”?
Communion Reflection: The Servant’s Table
As we come to this table, let us remember the heart of our Saviour — Jesus Christ, the Servant King.
He did not come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). The bread we break is His body, broken for us — a body that bore the wounds of love so we might be healed. The cup we drink is His blood, poured out in sacrifice — the cost of our salvation and the seal of God’s covenant of grace.
This table is a reminder: we are not saved to sit idly by. We are saved to serve. Just as Christ humbled Himself, taking the form of a servant, so we too are called to live lives of humble, joyful service.
When we eat this bread and drink this cup, let us renew our commitment to follow Jesus fully — to lay down our lives, to use the gifts He has given us, and to serve one another in love.
May this Communion nourish and empower us to go forth with hearts surrendered, hands ready to serve, and lives that proclaim the glory of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Conclusion and Benediction:
As you go from this place, remember:
You are gifted by God’s grace, empowered by the Spirit, and called to serve with joy. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Go! And serve faithfully, glorifying our great Servant King, Jesus Christ.
