When preaching from a lay position that happens once or twice a year either filling in, or for practice for the future, I always think 1 Corinthians 1:21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. I have a friend whom I asked one time if he wanted to preach. He said “Nope, I do not think I can say the same thing 600 different ways.” So with this in mind, and the fact that I feel the topic of spiritual gifts is an important one, instead of stretching myself over several chapters and giving a brief overview of the many facets of this topic, I am going to focus on a couple scriptures that still gives a broad view but may fill in a few more details on what Pastor Mark laid out in his sermon on Unity in the Body. If you remember the summation of his sermon was an ekklesia does not become church until; it is of the same mind, it maintains the same love, until it is united in spirit; it is intent on one purpose.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians that he did not want them to be unaware of spiritual gifts. I believe it is safe to assume this is the case today. But it is important to understand what a spiritual gift truly is. My definition of a Spiritual Gift is as follows. Spiritual Gifts are “gifts of grace” given by God, worked through his Holy Spirit and are for the edification or strengthening of the Body of Christ. Paul writes in Romans 1:11.12 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you that you may be established; that is that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. Now as I read this, it sounds like Paul wants to come and give them some sort of spiritual power for them to build the church. However, when we look deeper we find that when Paul says to impart, he is using the Greek word metadidomi and this implies that he is coming to use his gift, and that will in turn encourage both of them. Like all that God does it is the endgame that is important, and anything and everything that strengthens us between here and there is a spiritual gift. One other very important thing is that Paul does not mention which gift or gifts he will impart to them. I think we can take this to mean that it is not imperative that we rack our brains trying to figure out exactly what our gift is. I think Paul deliberately leaves this open because he does not know their entire situation and all their needs until he arrives, he is however very convicted that God through his Holy Spirit will allow him to use one or more gifts of the spirit to encourage not only the Romans, but each other. Paul is giving of his entire life to allow the Holy Spirit to use him in order that the Body of Christ everywhere may be edified. For you and I being open to filling the needs you see as you can is a good step in discerning what God is putting in front of you to do. I believe that this type of action and devotion, when done in unity, and of course only out of love, is the true use of spiritual gifts. The question is not God where do you want me to use the gifts given to me as much as it is God show me your heart for these people, (the Evangelist in me means the ones saved as well as the ones lost) and filling the needs of the church that you see. How can we discern what we are able to fill and what we are not able to fill, well here is the thing… Just be open, and try when it comes up. Ask yourself, and pray what might I do this morning that or this afternoon, or at work that will strengthen somebody’s faith. And then you do it. I am convicted the Holy Spirit will help you. That is a way to discover your spiritual gift. Now, if you see someone who is struggling with something, and you have been there before and you give them a word of that helps them to stay focused on Jesus, and gives them the strength to persevere you may have the gift of encouragement. If you love someone when they are not loveable you may have the gift of love. And by love I do not mean enable, I mean love by doing what is right for them always. The list is endless, the bible names several but it is short minded to confine the gifts of the spirit only to what the bible names because when we understand they are for the encouragement and strengthening of the body, we realize how many things we can do to encourage and strengthen the body.
With this in mind, I want to mention something. I think lack of knowledge of our spiritual gifts is an issue in the church today. Personally I believe when someone becomes a Christian they need somebody to disciple them. This discipleship should first deal with sanctification, and second spiritual gifts. You see here is the thing, when Jesus returns he will separate the sheep from the goats, and he will tell the goats to depart from him. In Matthew 25:45 Then he will answer them truly I say to you to the extent that you did not do it to the least of these, you did not do it to me. Do you remember the context Jesus was talking about? He was talking about serving your fellow man. Now, I am not saying if we do not respond to the need around us all the time we are all going to hell. I believe that the goats in this passage may be professing Christians whom were never really transformed, never really saved. I do not believe the issue is knowledge of our spiritual gifts; I believe it is lack of desire for them. How do I get to this conclusion? Well simply put, being saved is not a requirement to be used by the Holy Spirit. But a burning desire to seek Jesus, which will ultimately lead us to want to be used by Him, is a universal byproduct of our salvation. It is part of what a saving faith looks like.( now write this verse down because people will tell you that you must be saved to be used as an encouragement to the body, and that is not true) Romans 11:29 says “for the gifts, and the calling of God are irrevocable. “Why is this important? Well, although I do believe God cares about the one using the gift, ultimately he cares just as much for the one the gift is intended to strengthen. So much so that he may use even the lowest beast of burden to do his will. This is in no way meant to cheapen the sacrifice of the giver, however just highlight the greater importance of God’s desire to further his kingdom.
Going back to Romans 1:11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you that you may be established. Paul has a sincere longing and burden to come to them, and strengthen them.
The key is not first to know your gift as much as it is becoming the kind of person that wants to be a strengthener. It is hard; personally I get annoyed way too easy, and sometimes I have given up instead of strengthening the person. I do not consider myself a failure though, I desire to be a strengthener with all my heart, and I have faith in my Lord Jesus, that I am being transformed into this person even as we speak. I honestly believe most everyone here has that same desire, so do not think I am not standing here passing any judgment; I am speaking what I believe to be truth. However, there is some really good news about this. Perfection is never the requirement. Desire is. But we must desire the right things; we must desire to be a blessing to the body. I do not mean monetary only when I say blessing, I mean to be a strengthener and encourager.
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