Spiritual Gifts, Part 1 Series

Happy Father’s Day to all of you. On Mother’s Day, the most phone calls are made. On Father’s Day, the most collect phone calls are made. Now that’s ok because we dads like to be needed. On average, children spend around three more minutes talking to their mothers on Mother’s Day versus fathers on Father’s Day.

Sometime over the past twenty years of being a dad, I have discovered the difference in how I view me and how my 3 kids view me.

Here are the Top 5 Great Reasons to be a Man:

#1 You don’t need a gift to visit someone’s house.

#2 Gray hair and wrinkles only add to your reputation.

#3 Car mechanics tell you the truth.

#4 You can admire Clint Eastwood without starving yourself to look like him.

#5 The line for public bathrooms is so much shorter.

In all seriousness, I hope you take the time to honor your father. Many of these men make tremendous sacrifices for you. I want to spend our Father’s Day together by looking at how God has gifted us and why God has gifted us.

I hope today’s message will help you discover your gift and develop your gift. Keep your Bibles open to Ephesians 4 with me.

1. You’re Gifted by God

Jesus Christ gave you a gift at your conversion: “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7). When the Spirit of God comes into your life, spiritual gifts also come into your life. If we are saved, then you have a spiritual gift.

A spiritual gift is a God-given spiritual ability for service and ministry. You cannot choose it. And you cannot earn it.

1.1 You Are Gifted

Did you know that you are a gifted child? Some of you are even wondering if you were a wanted child! Yes, you are wanted and you are gifted! You are a gifted child, and you have been given a gift by the resurrected Savior.

When I was a child, we had this thing in our schools called “gifted and talented.” The select group of children who performed well in school had a special class called “gift and talented.” I am not sure what to call the rest of us!

The Bible says, “You are a gifted child.”

1.2 What is a Spiritual Gift?

What is a spiritual gift? A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church. Let me say that again: A spiritual gift is any ability that is empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church.

When a believer serves in her spiritual gift, she is bringing healing to those in need. Christ, Himself is moving through you and you feel this power surge. For those of us who have discovered our gift, you know what you were made for. And Paul offers a sample of spiritual gifts in verse 11: “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers…” (Ephesians 4:11).

• You’re gifted to speak for Christ (speaking God’s words to me or over me);

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• You’re gifted to let people know the compassion of Christ … when you touch them, it is more than a touch of a human (you touch me and I feel Him).

Get this: I read about one young man who went for a hair cut weekly just so he could have safe human touch – WOW!;

• You are gifted to serve others as you cook and care for children;

You’re like the Good Samaritan. You do mercy, you help, and you serve.

• You’re gifted with a mind for ministry (you can dream and plan).

And there are so many more gifts than what’s listed here (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28; Romans 12:6-8; 1 Peter 4:11). Spiritual gifts mean that each of us has a ministry ability that’s part of the ministry ability of Christ. Now, your talents come in when you’re born physically but your spiritual gifts come when you’re spiritually reborn.

This means that you are not an accident in the body of Christ. When you received grace, it was because Christ gave it in a measure suited to His good purposes for the body. All of us have been saved to serve and all of us have gifted for service.

1.3 Jesus Determines the Gift

Now, not all of us have the same gifts. And not all of us have the same strength of gifts or the same potency of giftedness. You’ll find some people who have the same gift but less of the gift. You’ll find others that have more of the very gift you have.

Jesus measures the gifts out and the potency of our gifts: “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7). Jesus is the One who determines what gift this person is to have and what gift that person is to have. But every one of us has a spiritual gift. And the grace of God determines your gift.