“Understanding and Unwrapping God’s Gifts to You” (Part 2 of 3)
Romans 12:1-16
INTRODUCTION
A few years ago, the World Press Review carried a quotation from the National Concord of Lagos, Nigeria. That paper reported that twenty-six lakes have been found beneath the Sahara desert. The American space shuttle “Columbia” determined by echoes it received that there are miles and miles of underground rivers beneath that arid land. It is sad to think of the people who are starving because those hidden resources have not yet been tapped. (#291)
What spiritual resources lie untapped in our congregation? How many are struggling when, all along, there is a hidden potential for success? And within us, as individuals, what potentially lies hidden? Are our lives arid and spiritually unproductive simply because we have not dug down deeply enough to tap the unseen reserves of spiritual power and strength that God has made available to us?
That’s what this series on God’s gifts is all about --- helping us tap the vast potential of talents and abilities God has given us.
In 17th century Italy, in the town of Cremona, lived a young boy named Antonio. Antonio was often sad because he lived in a town that was famous for its music, but he could neither sing nor play.
Antonio’s voice was high and squeaky, so he was not welcome in the Cremona Boys’ Choir. When he took violin lessons, the neighbors persuaded his parents to make him stop. Yet Antonio still wanted to make music.
Antonio’s friends kidded him because it seemed that his only talent was whittling, but he did not give up. One day the boy learned that a world-famous violinmaker named Amati lived in Cremona. The next morning Antonio went to visit Amati and begged to serve as his apprentice. For many years he studied and worked. Antonio’s knack for whittling grew into a skill of carving; his hobby became his craft. Patiently he fashioned many violins, striving to make each one better and more beautiful than the one before.
When Antonio died, he left over 1500 violins, each one bearing a label that said “Antonio Stradivarius.” Today they are the most sought after violins in all the world. The clarity of tone and careful craftsmanship remain untouched by the centuries. Today Antonio’s violins sell for more than $100,000. Antonio Stradivarius could neither sing nor play, but he did what he could, and now, over 300 years later, his violins are still making beautiful music. (#395)
Christians are sometimes concerned because they cannot sing or play or preach or teach.
However, the important thing is not where our talent lies, but whether we are using the talents we have. A song in the heart will surely find expression through some phase of the dedicated Christian’s life.
We learned last week that each of us have gifts and abilities which God has given us through His Spirit. We also learned that He expects us to use these gifts in serving one another and in continuing His work in the world.
You have a gift, perhaps several, which you should be putting to use in some area of service and ministry. We read in Ephesians 4 (11-12): “And (God) gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.”
God has given us His word, through the apostles and prophets -- and provided elders, preachers, and teachers for a specific purpose -- to prepare and equip the saints to use their gifts in works of ministry. If the church is to function according to God’s intention … if the church is to be growing and serving … then every Christian must discover his or her gifts and abilities and employ them in ministry to others.
Too many Christians, both young and old, are content to sit back and let others do God’s work. Too many spell service --- “serve us.” The poet has well-described this philosophy:
“There’s a clever young fellow named Somebody Else ---
There’s nothing this fellow can’t do.
He’s busy from morning ‘til way late at night
Just substituting for you.
When asked to do this or asked to do that
So often you’re set to reply;
“Get Somebody Else, Mr. Chairman ---
He’ll do it much better than I.”
There’s so much to do in our church;
So much, and the workers are few.
And Somebody Else gets weary and worn
Just substituting for you.
So next time you’re asked to do something worthwhile
Come up with this honest reply:
“If Somebody Else can give time and support
It’s obviously true, so can I.”
This morning we are going to study Romans 12:1-8 and try to see what is involved in the various gifts mentioned there.
I want to encourage you to analyze and evaluate yourself in relation to these gifts. Begin to think about the gifts you have, how you can develop them, and in a very practical and realistic way -- determine how you can use your God-given gifts in ministry for Christ and His church.
First we want to take a look at Romans 12:1-2, where we see the need for …
I. TOTAL COMMITMENT TO GOD.
“I urge you, brethren, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to God, holy and pleasing to Him, as a spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind to be able to test and approve the good, acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Paul is taking about the will of God here. God’s will is two-fold: the will of God concerning character is universal, but the will of God concerning service is individual. This chapter brings in both sides. (Ridenhour)
A lot of Christians put the cart before the horse. They are all anxious to do something. They fume and fret about what kind of service they can be involved in -- when they are spiritually unprepared to do it. This is where verses 1 and 2 come in. Before God wants your service He wants a guarantee that He really has you.
The person who has nothing to give but himself is able to give the greatest gift. The rich young ruler was willing to give from his abundant resources, but in order to give himself, he had to learn the lesson of complete humility.
Like the little lad who came to church one cold wintry morning to get out of the snow and blustering wind. He had been trying to sell newspapers but not a single customer had passed by. He sheepishly entered the auditorium and hoped to pass his hour unnoticed on the back pew. Though the Sunday crowd was slim, the preacher delivered a stirring message, and when the sermon was finished, he called for the offering.
The ushers went from row to row, and as one drew near to the little newspaper boy, he stopped in front of the lad and held out the plate. The boy’s eyes were fixed upon it, and after a long pause he asked the usher to place the plate on the floor.
Then the boy did something both strange and beautiful. He literally stepped into the offering plate. And when he looked up there were big tears running down his cheeks. He said, “Preacher, I don’t have any money, I haven’t sold a single newspaper today, but if Jesus did all you said just for me, then I will gladly give my life to Him.” (#318) That is the response of humility: self-offering. Too often it is the one thing that we “lack.”
Paul doesn’t mince words. He says we are to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice; that we are to be different from the world; that we are to allow God to remold our minds from within. God wants to use us to fulfill His will. He has given us gifts and abilities, as He desired, so that we might best do that which He intends for us individually to do. If you haven’t committed your life to Christ, right now is the time to do it.
Don’t try to do things for Christ, if you’re not surrendered to Christ. That’s the point of Paul’s message in verses 1-2. God’s universal will for our character and attitude is that we be utterly surrendered to Him.
That’s the strategy behind our Life Development Process here at LCC. The 101 Class explains what it means to be a Christian, what it means to truly follow Christ and be committed to Him. The 201 class explains what we need to grow in our relationship to Christ, how to develop the spiritual habits to become spiritually mature. Then the 301 class helps us to understand our gifts and how God has shaped us for ministry and service in His body. First we are committed to Christ and growing in Him, THEN we commit to serve Him. Paul follows the same order here.
In verses 3-15, after discussing our commitment to Christ, he says …
II. THIS COMMITMENT IS SHOWN IN SERVICE TO OUR BRETHREN.
Here we come to the individual part of the will of God. God has allotted to each of us various gifts and for every gift He bestows, He has a planned sphere of service. That makes each of us unique. Since each believer has a different combination of gifts and ministries in which to employ those gifts, God’s will is individual with respect to our service.
Let’s take a look at those …
A. GIFTS GOD HAS GIVEN TO US -- in Romans 12:3-8.
“By the grace given to me, I say to every person among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.
And since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let each exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
Paul, like our Lord in the Parable of the Talents and the Parable of the Pounds, stresses that the number of gifts and talents we have is not important. It’s what we do with what we have that matters to God. And there’s no room for pride or boasting. The gifts we possess were given to us by God, we did not deserve them.
In fact, the root of the word translated “spiritual gifts” is the word “grace” – something undeserved. Furthermore, God has given them to us “according to His own will.” Paul tells us, “God has placed the members, (that’s you and me) each one of them, in the body just as He desired.” (1 Cor 12:18)
We didn’t choose our gifts, nor do we have a monopoly on the Holy Spirit. God gave the gifts as He determined they were needed. Gratitude and humility must control us in the use of our gifts. Those with several abilities or those with more public gifts, are not to be regarded as superior to those with fewer or less public gifts. When we begin to make such comparisons, we become judges of God who gave the gifts. Our responsibility is not to envy others’ gifts or compare our gifts with others, but to use the gifts God has given us for the benefit of the church.
We are all important, the apostle says. Just like our human bodies, which part would you like to do without? All parts are important, needed and desired.
What if my thumbs decided they wouldn’t work because I put a ring on this finger, but not on them? I’d be pretty clumsy! What if my hand wouldn’t help my foot when I accidentally set the refrigerator on it because I spent $100 to cover my feet, but only $20 on gloves for my hands? Well, the church is the body of Christ and each of us are the various parts of that body, even as every single part of my physical body is essential for me to be a whole and complete person, even though all of them don’t get equal credit or honor.
Even so, if the body of Christ is not to be handicapped … if God’s purpose is to be accomplished and His body to grow, everyone of you who are members of His body are absolutely essential and important. Nobody is a nobody in Christ’s body. Each of us has gifts and abilities we must use to make Christ’s body whole, complete, and functional.
The gifts listed in Romans 12 are gifts the church needs to be able to meet needs. There are probably many other gifts than the seven listed here. These may be general categories into which all our gifts and abilities fit. As we seek to define them, be thinking which gifts you possess.
He starts with an extremely important one, the gift of …
1. PROPHECY.
Peter explains very clearly the work of the prophet: “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about from the prophet’s own understanding. For prophecy does not have it’s origin from the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were moved along by the Holy Spirit.” (2 Pet 1:20-21)
The prophet was not a preacher, teacher, or expounder of God’s word, he was God’s word. God spoke His words through the mouths of the prophets. We already saw from Ephesians 4 that the apostles and prophets were gifted by God to give the church His word. And that word is complete … containing “everything necessary for life and godliness.” There is no other gospel than the one “once and for all delivered to the saints” through the words of the apostles and prophets. It is not to be added to or subtracted from. (2 Pet 1:3; Gal 1:8-9; Jude 3; Rev. 22:18-19)
We have people today who explain God’s word and teach God’s word --- but the Bible is complete, we don’t have people today who speak God’s word by revelation and inspiration as the apostles and prophets of the first century did.
But we do have their gift to us, each of us possesses it. Here is their gift, the inspired, inerrant, infallible word from God that guides and directs us in the use and development of all other gifts and abilities we have.
The second gift Paul mentions is:
2. SERVICE.
Although all Christians should be willing to serve at every opportunity because Ministry is one of the primary purposes of the church, some will receive their greatest joy from activities of assisting and ministering to others. They will also feel most adequate to carry out these types of functions.
This gift is for lending a hand wherever it will help another, and especially when it will release another from menial tasks to better perform his or her gift. One preacher commented “I have never Xeroxed a page in all my years of preaching.” This wasn’t because he refused to, or didn’t like to, but because others did it for him. When a man is trained to preach, teach, counsel, and lead -- why should he give the time that he could be spending in those activities doing what many others could capably and willingly do? (Flynn, 19 Gifts)
This is what the servers in Acts 6 (1-8) did for the apostles. Remember what was happening. “A complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. So the twelve (apostles) summoned the congregation … and said, ‘It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables….
Therefore … select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.’” (Acts 6:1-3)
The apostles were freed up to use their gifts of teaching and leading and other men were selected who had the gift of service to take care of the widows. That’s how the gift of service works.
The third gift is …
3. TEACHING.
This gift is very close to prophecy, as a matter of fact, it is often mentioned together with prophecy in the New Testament Scriptures. All of us do a certain amount of teaching through our words and example. However, the person who is consistently effective at explaining clearly and applying skillfully the Word of God is definitely a gifted individual.
But the teacher is not the voice of God, he is not inspired. Rather, he uses the inspired words of the prophets and expounds them. His goal is to preserve and perpetuate the truth by recording it in a learnable form and planting it in the minds of others so that it is reproduced in their lifestyles.
He is a researcher, a student himself, usually interested in details and is able to put these across in a memorable and motivating way.
Up next is the gift of …
4. EXHORTATION.
The Greek word translated “exhort” is also often translated “encourage,” “comfort.” “console,” and “counsel.” In its noun form it is a proper name/title for both the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus. In John 14:16 the Holy Spirit is called the “Comforter,” “Counselor,” “Helper;” while in 1 John 2:1 Jesus is called our “Advocate” or “Counselor.”
You often hear the word transliterated as Paraclete. That’s not a Chinese bird -- rather it is a Greek word for one who is called alongside to offer help, assistance, or advice. Thus the exhorter is one who majors in a ministry of encouragement to others. He has the ability to come alongside another and help.
He strengthens the weak, reassures the wavering, steadies the faltering, buttresses the buffeted, consoles the troubled, and encourages the halting. He is the counselor, who deals with hope and solutions to problems by offering constructive direction to people’s lives.
Barnabas is a good New Testament example. He sold a field and gave the money to encourage needy saints. There his exhorting was connected with his gift of giving.
He took Paul, as a new convert, and introduced him to the church that had refused to accept Paul, thus encouraging Paul. He went to the church in Antioch and accepted, worked with, and ministered to non-Jewish Christians, encouraging them.
He enlisted Paul to help him teach and preach. He took Paul as his assistant on a missionary journey and then graciously gave way to Paul’s definite gift of teaching. (Initially, when the two are mentioned, they are referred to as “Barnabas and Paul.” But, as Paul’s teaching and leadership gifts came to the forefront, they are referred to as “Paul and Barnabas.”)
He encouraged John Mark to continue to work and serve the Lord, even after Mark had deserted him earlier. Barnabas never wrote a book of the Bible but he encouraged two men who wrote 14, over half the books of the New Testament! (Acts 4:36-37; 9:27; 13:1-3; 11:25-30; 15:36-41)
The next gift is …
5. GIVING.
Paul says that the person with the gift of giving gives “liberally.” That word can be translated many ways. Literally it means “without folds,” as a piece of cloth unfolded -- and it is rendered “simplicity,” “singleness of mind,” or “without pretense.” When one gives with such openness of heart, he does so “freely,” “with delight,” and “generously.”
No ulterior motive will ruffle the cloth of his mind to make a fold or two in it. He will not give to salve a conscience uneasy because of the way he acquired his money. Nor will he give to gain something in return.
While all of us are commanded to give generously and faithfully, the gift of giving is the God-given ability, perhaps to earn, certainly to manage wisely and give money for the progress of God’s work, with such care and cheer that the recipients are fortified and their needs are met. God has given to some people large possessions because He can trust them to use their assets in Divine service.
Very often, the gift of giving combines with another gift to meet the needs of others, as we saw in Barnabas. The church needs those who will respond with their pocketbook in meeting the needs of others and helping expand the kingdom.
Gift number six is …
6. LEADING.
The church will always need diligent leaders who are gifted in areas of wise management and administration. Christian leadership is never dogmatic, demagogic, or dictatorial. Rather, spiritual authority expresses itself in wisdom, tact, example, humility, and service.
The leader is one who has the God-given ability to see where others can be used, to analyze situations, and establish a plan of action whereby the work can be accomplished. This is the job of the evangelists and elders, as we see from Ephesians 4.
The final gift mentioned here is:
7. SHOWING MERCY WITH CHEERFULNESS.
The mercy show-er is the most sensitive of all individuals. They are very conscious of the feelings of the people around them, with the uncanny ability to know how someone else feels without a word being spoken.
The verb “show mercy” may be translated “to pity,” “to commiserate,” or “to have compassion on.” When disaster strikes, people invariably are sympathetic and feel pity. But, too often, this emotion soon dies until word of the next tragedy. Not so with the one who possesses this gift.
The mercy show-er has the Spirit-guided ability to manifest practical, compassionate, cheerful love toward suffering members of the body of Christ. But this gift doesn’t only involve the emotions of sympathy, but the deeds. Jesus’ pity was no vague abstraction. It was expressed in concrete deeds and acts of mercy and benevolence.
At the same time, this gift will enable its possessor to decide whether to help directly or indirectly. Sometimes, it may be more merciful not to give a person a direct handout. One might give a man work to do or show a woman how to sew or manage a household. This gift will enable a Christian nurse to know when to stop feeding the seriously injured auto accident victim and when to stop helping him walk down the hallway and mercifully make him learn to take care of himself. (Flynn p. 135)
The gift of mercy will help us to discern when we are really helping someone by providing them food and lodging, and when we are hurting them by letting them take advantage of our benevolence.
The mercy show-er differs from the server in that the server, by his service, sets free other members of the Body of Christ to exercise their gifts and abilities. The mercy show-er may perform some of the same services, but his recipients are those who can’t do for themselves: the blind, the aged, the ill, etc. The server’s ministry tends to be more general.
As you look at the perfect life of Jesus upon this earth you can see all seven of these gifts exemplified:
Prophet – He spoke the very words of God.
Servant – We watched Him gird His waist and wash the feet of His disciples.
Teacher – He was the master teacher.
Encourager – He is called our advocate, our “Paraclete.”
Giver – He gave His life – all He had – for us.
Leader – Who organized the church? Jesus changed the world and its future with 12 ordinary men.
Mercy show-er – The blind, the lame, the paralyzed, the sick, the deaf -- never had a better friend.
Well, if these were all a part of Jesus’ life and ministry, and if we are His body, left behind to carry on His work, then we, too, are to be performing in these same ways. That’s exactly why God saw to it that the church has these gifts. Just look at these seven again. Note how indispensable and significant each of them are to the proper health and functioning of the Lord’s body.
Each of us has gifts that God has given us to use in His service. The first step in discovering our gifts is to do what we did today, try to understand the gifts God gives. Next week, we’ll look specifically at how to discover our gifts and how to develop and use them for the church.
You and I -- we are the church. Think on this:
What if every member witnessed like I do --- would the church be growing and touching lives for Christ?
What if every member gave the percentage that I give --- would the church have the finances it needs to accomplish its purpose in the world?
What if every member gave of his time to various ministries like I do --- would the church be more effective in its service to others?
What if every member attended like I do --- would the church be a great force for God in the world?
What if every member practiced love and forgiveness toward others like I do --- would the church be the epitome of love and unity that God wants it to be?
Ask yourself these questions. What if every member were like me? This church is what you make it. You are important to whether or not we fulfill God’s purpose for us! (#383)
One man told me about a time when he and his small son were taking a walk. In the far corner of the field they found a small patch of beautiful and fragrant flowers. They were in the middle of weeds, almost completely hidden and unnoticed. Yet these flowers were blooming in full beauty and they sensed their fresh fragrance.
All of us have met persons unnoticed by many, but who, in the middle of struggle and unlikely surroundings, far from the center of attention, live lives of beauty and fragrance.
And living lives that seemed obscure they faithfully fulfilled God’s calling for them. God’s question on the last day will not be, “How much were you noticed?” or even “How much did you do?” Rather, His question will be, “Were you faithful in fulfilling your calling where I placed you? Were you faithful in using the gifts I gave you?” (#181)
God has put you and me here in LCC for a purpose. It is no accident that we are in this family together. You have gifts that I need. I have gifts that you need. And God asks every single one of us to be His body in this community to accomplish His purpose of bringing lost men and women to their full potential in Christ.
I want to challenge you to give some thought to the gifts that God has given you. Seek to understand and then unwrap those gifts to use them in service and ministry for Him.
If you are with us this morning and have never become a Christian, the Lord invites you to come to know Him today. He wants to come into your life and give you His gifts. The first gift He wants to give you is the gift of deliverance from sin. He wants to forgive you of your past and assure you of a wonderful future. Jesus died to make this gift possible and invites you to receive it by faith, by putting your trust in Him and committing your life to Him.
