You Are Gifted! What Satan Doesn’t Want You to Know About Spiritual Gifts.
Sunday, January 15th, 2006
Part One of a Six Part Series
Intro:
A couple of years ago, my Dad and I took a week off and went up to our cottage at Delta Lake Camp. We went because it still had the original 25 year old roof on it and it was in desperate need of a new roof. My father built this cottage with his own hands and takes great pride in it, every part of it was carefully planned and crafted and he knew every detail of the building and was active in making sure that it stayed in good shape and looked nice so that it could continue to function the way it was supposed to. He had a specific job for me: roof it.
I had done roofing in college and was pretty good at swinging a hammer so I figured we’d get it knocked out pretty quickly.
Well, I was wrong. The first day of roofing went very slowly. See I’d never owned a “real “ hammer. I’d had plenty of hammers but never a heavy duty, put a nail through a brick wall, kind of manly man hammer. My father watched as I struggled a bit with sinking the nails and finally he left. I had no idea where he’d gone but I kept plugging away with my little girlie hammer. He came back about a half hour later, walked over to me, took my hammer and handed me a brand new heavy-duty beast of a hammer. It didn’t help my aim at all but when I did hit the nail it sure made a difference. It also meant that when I hit my thumb it hurt all that much more.
My dad had a job for me to do, something that he’d planned for a long time, a job that was very important to him, he had a very personal investment in the project. He knew that with the right tools, I could get the job done better. So, he gave me a gift that would allow me to do what he asked.
God is in the process of building His Kingdom here on Earth. The way that he’s chosen to do that is through His church. Not the wood and brick kind of church, not a particular denomination or specific congregation, but the church that is made up of His believers, He is building this kingdom through us. He has a personal interest in the project, to see as many come into a relationship with him as possible. And because of that, he has given us everything we need to be successful in our work. He has given us the right tools in the different ways that he created us and He has given to each believer, a gifts or set of gifts that will enable them to carry out the important role that He created them for. His desire is for the church to function as a relevant, healthy, impactful force in the world, his way of accomplishing that is spiritual gifts.
I. Definition of Spiritual Gifts:
1 Corinthians 12:6-7 says:
There are different ways that God works in our lives but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.
Spiritual Gifts can be defined as: God’s special endowment of believers for service primarily within the body of believers.
While God equips us in many ways to impact and help those who don’t know him, spiritual gifts have a specific purpose and they are primarily to be used in the church. Spiritual Gifts are to be used to strengthen and build God’s church.
1 Cor 4:26 All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church
1 Cor 14:12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.
The word that’s used for spiritual gifts is Charismata and the root of that word, Charis, is the Greek word for Grace. These gifts are part of the grace that God extends to us, an undeserved gift to equip us to do His work. They are more than just talents, although often a talent and a gift go hand in hand. They go beyond the basic commands of God. All are called to have faith, only some have the gift of faith. All are called to share the gospel, only some have the gift of evangelism. Spiritual gifts are a work of God in our lives that change us and empower us to do the everyday work of the kingdom.
"No local congregation will be what it should be, what Jesus prayed that it would be, what the Holy Spirit gifted it and empowered it to be, until it understands spiritual gifts." John MacArthur
So, for the next several weeks, we’re going to examine the doctrine of the Spiritual Gifts. We’re going to look at what they are and what they aren’t. We’ll look at what they’re for and who they’re for and how to find them. We’re also going to spend time looking at many of the gifts individually and in groups and define them and see how they can be practically used in the church to build the Body. My hope is that at the end of this series, each of you will have a better understanding of God’s grace that He’s shown through His gifts to us and will be able recognize what area or areas God has gifted you to serve in.
The New Testament addresses Spiritual gifts in several places. If you want to jot these down to look at on your own, the major passages for spiritual gifts that we’ll be looking at in the coming weeks in which you’ll find many of the gifts listed are:
1 Corinthians 12 and 14
Romans 12:4-8
Ephesians 4:11
1 Peter 4:10-11
As we begin our look at these gifts, let’s start with some basics of gift giving. All of us are a reflection of God, we were created in His image. So, we can see in some principles that apply to the way we give gifts to others, a shadow of the thoughts and attitudes of God as He gives gifts to us.
II. Principles of Gift-Giving
a. You give gifts based on your knowledge of a person.
This is one of the toughest parts about giving a gift. Each gift will only be a success if it fits the style and personality of the one you’re giving it to. You want it to be perfect. You choose a gift based on who you want to have it. I would get my wife a much different gift than I would get one of you. I would get one of you a much different gift than I would get a complete stranger. The only way to give great gifts is to know the one that the gift is intended for. When you know and care for someone, you know what they like and you can give a gift that you know they’ll appreciate.
The best gifts are not necessarily big and expensive and flashy, the best gifts are well thought out and meaningful to you and come from someone who knows you well.
b. Giving a Gift is Fun
How many times as a child did your mom or dad say, “It’s better to give than to receive.”? When your little your response is usually outwardly to shake your head and look sincere, but on the inside you’re thinking, “What planet are you from?” As you get older though, it starts to make more sense. There is joy in giving. Think of the best gift you’ve ever given to someone. I guarantee that the excitement and anticipation you felt as you waited for them to open it and be surprised and see how much you care for them rivals the excitement that a child feels on Christmas morning at the thought of receiving gifts. If I get someone a gift I know they’ll love, I’m on pins and needles until they open it. Selecting and giving gifts is fun.
c. Gifts are to be Used and Appreciated
You wouldn’t intentionally pick out a gift that you thought would get thrown under the bed or into a closet and forgotten about.
One of the most disappointing celebrations for me was Ethan’s second birthday. Erin and I had already gone shopping and I got the bright idea to go back out by myself and get him some stuff that he’d really love. I got him a remote control car and a bunch of other stuff that was made for 5 or 6 year olds. I figured, he’s my kid, that means he’s advanced, he’ll be fine and he’ll love the stuff. Long story short, most that stuff is still in a box in our basement and has never been used. The gifts weren’t used or appreciated and so they were wasted. He did have fun with the boxes they came in though. Gifts are meant to be used and when a gift isn’t used, it affects the gift giver.
Now, these three principles aren’t rocket science. Most of us would agree with them and knew them already. But, the reason I pointed them out is that they are something that all of us can relate to, we’ve all given gifts. They also help us to understand the mind and heart of God when He gives. Each of these principles is a reflection of the way that God gives His spiritual gifts to us.
When God Gives:
a) Knows Us and Gives just the right gift.
JN 10:14 "I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
The word that’s used here is not just to know in a general sort of way, as an acquaintance, it literally means to know the innermost workings of. Like a watch maker knows every detail of his creation inside and out, that’s the way God knows us and has known us since before we were even born.
JER 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;
God has an intimate knowledge of each of us because it was he who formed us and gave us life. As He chooses to give gifts as he see fit, they are not random. They are a reflection of who He created us to be and what He created us to accomplish. He gives his gifts perfectly. Knowing that will help us to understand and accept the way that He’s gifted us.
b) He Enjoys Giving
You can see throughout Scripture the ways that God blesses His people. The way that He loves to provide and to surprise. He gave Abraham a baby in his old age, He gave the Israelites food and water when they needed it. He gave Adam a wife when He needed companionship. God enjoys giving to His people.
Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!
God is saying here, if you who are imperfect and sinful enjoy giving gifts and seeing your children be blessed. Imagine how much more in my perfection and holiness I enjoy giving and blessing my children. God enjoys giving. As we seek our gifts, we need to understand that it is a pleasure for God to give them to us. He delights in it. And it should also be a pleasure for us to accept them.
But, when He gives,
c) He intends us to use and appreciate what he gives us
He doesn’t give gifts for show. He doesn’t give gifts that are impractical or unusable. He gives us gifts that fit our personalities and our passions and our talents and then He wants to see those gifts used for His purposes and to His glory.
1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
Romans 11:29 For God’s gifts and His Call can never be withdrawn.
This isn’t something you can return to Wal-Mart if you think it doesn’t fit right. When God gives a gift to you, it’s based on those other two principles. He delights in it and he gives it because he knows you in a way that no one else can, and then He expects to see you use that gift or gifts to build His Church.
Those are some of the principles of gift giving that apply to spiritual gifts. Now, I want to look with you at some of the Truths about spiritual gifts. There can be a lot of confusion among Christians about spiritual gifts and who has them and where they come from and what we’re supposed to do with them, but Scripture is pretty clear on all of those issues and gives us a complete picture of what is and isn’t true about spiritual gifts.
II. Real Truth about the Gifts
a. For Every Believer
If you don’t understand anything else we talk about in the next 6 weeks, please understand this. Scripture teaches that God gives a spiritual gift to every believer. For years, Satan has kept many Christians ineffective because they have fallen for the lie that they have nothing to offer God or their local ministry. They think they’re not good enough, not smart enough, or not as qualified as the person next to them in the pew and so they come and they sit and they never enter into the work of the ministry.
The truth is, we all have a part to play because God has uniquely gifted each of us.
i. Gifted Class Illustration
There was a definite line drawn between the gifted and the non-gifted and many of my friends felt left out and not as good if they weren’t included among the gifted. Well, God made sure that should never be an issue in His church. He did not gift only the pastors or the elders, each one is gifted and each one is a part of the work.
1CO 12:7 A Spiritual Gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church(NLT)
1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, God has given you a spiritual gift to use within His Body, the Church. Don’t fall for the lie that you have nothing to give.
b. Given by the Holy Spirit as He sees Fit.
1 Cor 12:11 It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. (NLT)
Spiritual gifts are not something that we get to pick and choose between the ones that we’d like to have and the ones we wouldn’t want. There’s no spiritual gifts catalog. They don’t come through hard work or wanting them bad enough. They come from God’s Holy Spirit. We already talked about how well God knows us and in that knowledge he gives gifts according to how he wants to see you serve. Your gift or gifts may surprise you, they may scare you, they may even anger you but the reality is that God knows what he’s doing and asks only that we are willing to use what he’s given us for His glory.
c. For use in the Church
We’ve already looked at the Scripture for this one but I wanted to mention it again here so that there is no confusion. Scripture is clear that Spiritual gifts are mainly for use in the church.
d. Uniquely Suited to each Person
When I was in grade school, I used to have to wear hand-me-downs from my older cousin. The clothes never fit right and I also felt ridiculous when I was wearing them. They just weren’t me. Not the right size, not the right style, not the right colors. I wanted clothes that suited me, ones I was comfortable in. The gifts that God has chosen for us don’t fit any one else, they suit us. They fit right because we were made for them to be a part of us. They’re ours.
Each gift is important. One is not more important than another. Each one is Essential to the Health of the Body, they compliment each other. Paul talks about this in 1 Corinthians 12:14-26.
Your gifts, your ministry are vital to this ministry as are the gifts and ministries of those around you. This is important to understand because it keeps us from peeking around and wishing that we had someone else’s gift or expecting everyone to minister in the same way that we do.
Rick Warren has said in his book “Purpose Driven Life” that there are 2 main problems when thinking about spiritual gifts. One is called “gift-envy”. This means that we compares our abilities and gifts to others. In doing that, we might feel tempted to feel jealous of others or feel dissatisfied with what God has given us. The second problem is “gift-projection”. This happens when you expect other people to have your gift, do things as you do them and to feel the same way you do about that subject with the same passion. This just isn’t going to happen.
The Spirit has given in perfect wisdom gifts that fit, that are suited to each one.
e. Can Have More than One and they can change
To every believer a gift is given. To many God gives a variety of gifts that work together to enable the person to minister in different ways in the church. The apostle Paul claims that he had the gift of tongues, he certainly had the gift of preaching and the gift of missionary among other things. God does not stop at one gift for each person. In fact, in 1 Cor 12:31 he tells us to: eagerly desire the greater gifts.
We are to desire the opportunity to use more gifts in our lives to build the church. We are certainly to be satisfied with the gifts we have but should put ourselves in situations where God can bless us in new ways and use new gifts in our lives. In the parable of the talents in Matthew 25, each servant is given a number of talents. The ones who used them wisely were entrusted with more while the one who hid his and wasted it was rebuked and what he had was taken from him. God wants us to use our gifts and if we are faithful with what we have, I believe that He will entrust you with more.
Spiritual gifts can also change. You may have some later in life that you never had before. You may be given a gift for a time or for a specific purpose. I heard the story of a preacher who had the opportunity to speak to an Indian tribe in New Mexico. As the translator stood ready to translate, the preacher began to speak in the language of that tribe. He delivered his message and God moved mightily and many were saved. That man received the gift of tongues for that time and that place and he said it has never happened again. The bottom line is that God will gift in the way that best builds His kingdom through His church. Some may have more gifts than others, some may add or lose gifts over time, but the important thing is that we are faithful with what God gives us and seek to use our gifts for His glory.
So, what you have when all of these truths are taken together is a church full of gifted people, that have been given exactly what this church needs to be what God wants it to be.
Like the the original temple being built by the Israelites, if he gave everyone the same tools and the same job, they never would have been built it. One part may have gotten done well but other areas would be lacking or ignored. But, by dividing the work and giving it to the people who have the right tools, God’s dwelling got done. And His dwelling place today is in us, in His church, by giving us different tools, the work can get done. But first, we need to recognize the tools and learn how they are supposed to be used and be willing to use them.
Because Each of You is gifted by God for the benefit of His church.
