Spiritual Gifts

You are necessary. You are needed. And we cannot be the church God means us to be without you! Have you ever thought of yourself that way? Do you believe that you have something in you that’s essential for the well-being of God’s church? Oh, you may not have graduated first in your class. You may not have any special talent. Or you even may think you are expendable in God’s family, but if you are a follower of Jesus, you bear a gift from God that is absolutely needed in His church. What I am talking about is the spiritual gift God put in you the moment you first believed in Jesus.

That’s why you are necessary. And why you are needed! God gave you a spiritual gift to bless, to help, to encourage and strengthen other believers in God’s family. For this reason, no Christian should ever say, “God can’t use me,” or “This church doesn’t need me.” For the reality of God’s grace to you at salvation is this: God gave you something of Himself for you to use to minister His grace to His people, so that God might build up and strengthen His Church through you. And that means, you are absolutely necessary to the well-being of God’s church today.

So, if you’d like to understand how God has gifted you to be a blessing in His Church, then let me encourage you to open your Bible to 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, where Paul gives us a crash course on the source, the nature, and purpose of spiritual gifts. So, if you’ve found 1 Corinthians 12, let’s begin where Paul begins, by addressing The Problem with Spiritual Gifts in the church. He begins in verse 1 saying: Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however, you were led. Therefore, I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:1-3

The problem in Corinth, and in the church today is that most Christians are uninformed about spiritual gifts. This word can also be translated as “ignorant.” These Christians were ignorant when it came to understanding spiritual gifts. They had come to faith out of a pagan background where evil spirits “spoke” through their followers in what was called “ecstatic” or “inspired” speech – tongues. This “spiritual phenomenon” had led them to worship mute idols.

So here, Paul is addressing their ignorance by contrasting what was spoken by the evil spirits, and what is spoken by the Holy Spirit, saying, if you have the Holy Spirit in you, you will never say what the evil spirits say, that “Jesus is accursed!” Instead, the Holy Spirit will lead you to say, “Jesus is Lord!” The point Paul is making is that the Corinthians were enamored with speaking in tongues, believing that if you spoke in an ecstatic language, you had a special standing with God.

So, Paul is correcting this error, pointing out their ignorance. Simply speaking with ecstatic utterings means nothing. Evil spirits use ecstatic utterings. So, the test to see if speaking in tongues was of God, you needed to listen to what he or she says about Jesus. Those who blasphemed the name of Jesus were not speaking by God’s Spirit. And these who proclaimed Jesus is Lord, were speaking by the Spirit.

Now, this is not so much an issue in the church today. But the issue that churches still face today is our ignorance of spiritual gifts. So, Paul takes the remainder of this passage to help us understand the source, the nature and purpose of these gifts. We need to grow in our understanding spiritual gifts. So, to gain clarity, let’s jump down to verse 7, we’re we are actually given A Definition of Spiritual Gifts: To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 1 Corinthians 12:7 There are three parts to this definition.

First, Spiritual gifts are given to each Christian Literally, God gives every believer pneumatika. We typically translate that word as “spiritual gifts,” but it literally means “spirituals,” It’s kind of a weird word, implying something like a “spiritual manifestation” or a “spiritual experience.” In other words, God gives to each one of us experiences with the Spirit through the pneumatika that He gives to each of us. This is not a natural talent, but an actual manifestation of the Spirit given to you to be used for the benefit of others. If you’ve trusted in Jesus, God has given you this special manifestation of the Spirit. No one is left out. Every believer has a spiritual gift.
Secondly, Spiritual gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit That’s a big word. Manifestation. But what makes this word so cool is that it communicates how God wants to work through you. This word “manifestation” is defined by the Greek English Lexicon as a “a clear indication of the existence or presence or nature of some person or thing.” So, a spiritual gift is a clear expression of God’s nature or presence working through you. Not only that, but when you exercise your spiritual gift, you are expressing the Holy Spirit’s power working through you. You are not simply doing something you are good at. You are manifesting the Spirit’s power.

In other words, when you use your spiritual gift, you are serving as a conduit of God’s presence and power to others. One saint coined this phrase about the manifestation of the Holy Spirit through us. He wrote: “Spiritual gifts are God going public among His people.” Spiritual gifts are God’s way of working through us to serve His church. And that leads us to the third part of this definition:

3. Spiritual gifts are given for the common good of God’s church. In Ephesians 4, Paul wrote: But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore, it says, “When He ascended on high, He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men” Ephesians 4:7-8

What was the purpose of these gifts? “To equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:12-13 The primary purpose of spiritual gifts is for the building up other believers. They were not given for our personal gratification. They were given to help us serve people in God’s family. This then, has a profound implication for those who claim to follow Christ. And that is this: The more spiritual you are, the more involved you will be with God’s people – the church. Why? Because as you keep in step with the Spirit, He will move you to use your gifts for the good of God’s people.
This is why every believer is necessary in God’s church. For if we don’t use our gifts, we will shortchange ourselves: We won’t experience the unity Christ desires. We won’t know Jesus the way we should, and we will not mature and become more like Jesus.

So, the implication of God giving us gifts is profound: I need you, you need me, we need each other if we are going to become the Church God wants us to be. And that necessitates involvement of every believer in God’s church.

You see, there are the people today who say they love Jesus, but don’t want anything to do with the church. They would rather worship God in nature or alone at home. But do you know what you are doing if you reject God’s role for you in the church? 1) You are rejecting God’s gift. 2) You are robbing yourself of the joy of God working through you. And 3) You are saying No to the Holy Spirit.
This is why God’s people need to understand spiritual gifts. If there were ever a time when we need to say yes to the Holy Spirit, it is now. Every one of you is needed in God’s Church. This isn’t man’s idea. It’s God’s plan. So, if you choose not to exercise your gift, you are not just rejecting the Holy Spirit, you are messing with God’s will for your life. God gave you His gift, a manifestation of His power and grace to bless, to serve, and build up His people. Spiritual gifts are given for the common good of His Church. So, it is imperative that we become good stewards of the gift God has given.
And that begins by understanding The Nature of Spiritual Gifts: Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit, and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 1 Corinthains 12:4-6 Again, let me make three observations about the nature of these gifts.

First, There is a motivation for the gifts there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. The motivation for the gifts is gratitude. These gifts are of God’s grace to us. We didn’t deserve them. But God freely chose to give His gifts of grace to us. So that, when we use these gifts, God’s grace is literally flowing through us to serve others.
I marvel at this. Before God saved me, I had no ability to teach, no desire to encourage or help people understand the truth of God’s Word. The last thing on my mind was to spend my life teaching God’s Word. But when God saved me, He gave me the spiritual gift of teaching. I know I am called to give mercy, and I will give mercy when needed. But that’s not my gift. I know I am called to be hospitable, but I know that’s not my gift either. And I know I am called to lead, but I’ve never thought I had the gift of leadership. However, I am grateful for God’s gifts. I’m grateful for the ability to teach God’s Word and I’m grateful He’s gifted me to be a pastor. Sometimes I wonder what He was thinking. But I don’t doubt Him. I just try to be a faithful steward of His gifts. But what about you?… What has God given you that you are thankful for? That just might be your spiritual gift. That’s the motivation behind the gifts. God has all kinds of gifts that He gives to all kinds of people. And when God uses you with the gift He’s given you, that usually results in an attitude of thanks. That’s our motivation behind the gifts He’s given.

2. There is a ministry with the gifts there are varieties of service, but the same Lord There are a variety of ministries God wants us to perform. He gives gifts to us so we might heal, or help, or give, or teach, or lead and to simply serve. The key word behind this translation “service” is the term diakonian. This is not a “ministry” in a technical or formal sense; it simply expresses the idea that your spiritual gift is meant to serve God’s people in some capacity within His church. These are not “jobs” per se, but opportunities to impart God’s grace to God’s people as we serve them.

3. There is a might behind the gifts there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. Verse 6 speaks of “varieties of activities.” The Greek word for that is energematon, which give us the word “energy.” We exercise His gifts to us by the power of God. That’s what sets your gifts apart from your talents. All of us were born with talents/abilities. Our talents are great things. We can also use our talents in service to God.

For example, you may have technical talents that can be used in running sound, or financial talents that can assist the church in balancing the books, or administrative talents that can help you organize things like Operation Christmas Child. But the difference between a talent and a spiritual gift is that a person without the Spirit can have these same talents. So, the difference between a talent and a spiritual gift is supernatural power – God’s power! That is the might behind the gifts! Which leads us to get a glimpse of the power of these gifts in the gift list that follows, which I call…

The Manifestations of Spiritual Gifts: Here we have just one of four lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament. Some of the gifts I’ve spoken of already: the gifts of teaching, giving, leading, serving and mercy come from Romans 12. This list is quite different. Let’s look at it: For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 Here are three gifts we need today:

The gift of wisdom: Wisdom is not just knowing the ways of the world. It is not just being a clever person, nor is it just common sense. Wisdom is not just education. You can have a PhD, but if you don’t believe in God, the Bible calls you a “fool.” Wisdom is supernatural in origin (James 1:5). You can get knowledge from a book and education in a school, but true wisdom comes only from God. A message of wisdom is a special spiritual insight into the ways and Word of God that gives you the ability to see a situation from God’s point of view.

God’s people always need this gift. Especially in our secular age where feelings tend to guide decisions rather than God’s truth. We need this gift to impart wisdom to our children and grandchildren. We need this gift in the leaders of God’s church. And we need this gift in our Journey Groups as we seek to apply God’s truth to daily life. Imparting spiritual insight into the way and Word of God is truly needed in the church today.

The gift of faith: The gift of faith is the special ability to discern with extraordinary confidence the will and purposes of God for the future of His work. There are certain people who have the ability not only to see what no one else can see, go where no one else will go, risk what no one else will risk, but do it with a quiet confidence and unshakable assurance that God is going to come through. I saw this gift firsthand in one of our initial leaders of the church, Dave Douglas. When we first started and wondered how we would make ends meet, Dave had total confidence that God would meet our needs in our giving. When we started Operation Christmas Child, Dave believed we could pack 500 boxes, then 800, then 1500, 2000, 2500. And we met all of those goals. And he believed in me, which allowed me to be free to pastor this church!

We especially need this gift among those leading God’s church. The temptation to be influenced by our culture or be guided by fear causes churches to compromise the truth, rest on past successes, or lose sight of our calling to fulfill the Great Commission. Without the gift of faith churches become ingrown, ineffective in reaching the lost and eventually die. God’s people desperately need this gift today.

The gift of miracles: I purposely included this gift today, to challenge our thinking. Many of us have been taught that God no longer works miracles today. That’s unfortunate. The word “miracles” literally means “the workings of powers.” In this way, the gift of miracles has a connection with the gift of healings. God still heals today. Sometimes God uses medicine to heal. Sometimes He uses prayer to heal. But God can and does still heal today. It is also connected to the gift of faith.

In the New Testament, Jesus transformed water to wine, calmed the storm, healed the sick and raised the dead to life. We’re not called to duplicate these miracles today. But God gives miracle working power to His people to transform hearts, calm the anxious, heal the brokenhearted, and rescue the perishing. Once again, if God’s gifts are the working of His power to transform lives, then we need this gift desperately today. Not to show that we have a corner on God’s power, but to help us redeem a lost and broken world. We need the gift of miracles today! Which leads us to the final category that God wants us to understand about spiritual gifts, and that is this:

The Distribution of Spiritual Gifts: All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:11 Here Paul repeats himself for emphasis. He wants us to know that not only are these gifts of God’s power, but they are given to each individual who believes in Jesus. That means that if you believe in Jesus, God has given you at least one spiritual gift where He can now unleash His life-giving power through you.

The second thing Paul wants us to know is that we don’t get to choose our gifts. God chooses our gifts for us. He distributes them as He wills. Think about that. God didn’t just save you from the penalty of your sin. And God didn’t simply make you a new person by His Spirit so you can have the hope of heaven. God saved you, so He could work through you to build up His people. That’s why none of us can say, “God could never use me.” Quite the opposite. God saved you for a purpose – to impart His grace to others in His church. God saved you to be His hands, His feet, He ears, His loving arms to His people. So, God in His infinite wisdom and according to His good pleasure chose the exact gift He wanted to give you. So, the implication is obvious: God gave you the gift He wanted you to have, so you could be a blessing to others. So that begs the question: Do you know the gift or gifts God has given you? Which leads us to our final point today:

Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts: Now there’s a lot that could be said about taking spiritual gifts tests. But for two centuries, Christians didn’t take gift tests to discover their gifts. So how did they discover them? They discovered their gifts by being with God’s people. In other words, God’s gifts are discovered as you fellowship with God’s people. So, I’m going to leave you with three questions that can help you discover your spiritual gift as you fellowship with God’s people. First, ask yourself…

1.What opportunities has God given you to serve God’s people? At Rock Springs we have two environments where God can give you opportunities to serve His people. One is our Journey Groups. The other is our Serving Teams. When you are together with God’s people in those settings, God will give you opportunities to use your gifts.

2. Where are you most effective in serving others? Is it in listening to them, serving them, leading them, encouraging them, teaching them, praying for them, etc. You usually learn how effective you are when others express their thanks to you.

3. What do you enjoy in serving others?
Do you like to work behind the scenes? You might have the gift of service

Do you like to write notes of encouragement? You might have the gift of exhortation

Do you like to visit the sick and hurting? You might have the gift of mercy

Do you enjoy giving to OCC, Christmas with a Cop, Samaritans Purse?
You might have the gift of giving

Do you find yourself always praying for the sick and hurting?
You might have the gift of healing

Do you like helping people feel included?
You might have the gift of hospitality

You will discover your gift as God’s Spirit moves you to serve God’s people. Just as 1 Peter 4:10 says, Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms

That’s why, if you call yourself a follower of Jesus, you’re not just needed today in God’s church – you are essential to the life and health of God’s church. And we need each one you, every one of you to share the gift God’s given you – with us.