Intro

Last October my Bible study group was studying the spiritual gifts, and each took a gifts survey (you can find these at spiritualgiftstest.com).  My survey results- after much prayer- led to the creation of this blog.  Since then I have been amazed at what God has done.  With no promotional activities at all we have readers in 22 different countries on 6 continents!  This includes readers in several countries where Bibles are not permitted, so we will continue to use lots of scripture in the posts.  God is truly good!

For our topic this week I thought it would be good to circle back to the topic that got us started on this journey- spiritual gifts.  The inspiration comes not only from our 1-year anniversary, but also from something I heard a pastor say this week.  He relayed the story of a young man that came to Christ after belonging to a gang.  A few months after being saved the young man relayed a frustration: he was not able to find the same level of love, family, and community in the church that he had known with his fellow gang members.  Of course, this hit the pastor very hard, as it should all of us!  So, let’s look at what the Bible has to say about our gifts, and how we are meant to be using them to serve one another.

 

Scripture and Commentary

Jeremiah 1:4-8

4 A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 5 “Before I formed you in your mother’s body I chose you.  Before you were born I set you apart to serve me.  I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.”  6 “You are my Lord and King,” I said. “I don’t know how to speak. I’m too young.”  7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I’m too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to. You must say everything I command you to say. 8 Do not be afraid of the people I send you to. I am with you. I will save you,” announces the Lord.

 Psalm 139:13-16

13 You created the deepest parts of my being.   You put me together inside my mother’s body.  14 How you made me is amazing and wonderful.  I praise you for that.  What you have done is wonderful.  I know that very well.  15 None of my bones was hidden from you when you made me inside my mother’s body. That place was as dark as the deepest parts of the earth.  When you were putting me together there, 16 your eyes saw my body even before it was formed.  You planned how many days I would live.  You wrote down the number of them in your book before I had lived through even one of them.

Ephesians 2:10

10 We are God’s creation. He created us to belong to Christ Jesus. Now we can do good works. Long ago God prepared these works for us to do.

Proverbs 19:21

21 A person may have many plans in their heart.  But the Lord’s purpose wins out in the end.

These verses make it clear that God has a master plan.  We are each created with a purpose, ordained long before our birth as part of God’s design.  Regardless of social status, gender, race, class, disability, etc. each of us is a custom design, crafted with the exact characteristics we are meant to have, and placed exactly where we are intended to be.

Jeremiah 1:9-10

9 Then the Lord reached out his hand. He touched my mouth and spoke to me. He said, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 Today I am appointing you to speak to nations and kingdoms. I give you authority to pull them up by the roots and tear them down. I give you authority to destroy them and crush them. I give you authority to build them up and plant them.”

Exodus 31:1-5

1 Then the Lord spoke to Moses. 2 He said, “I have chosen Bezalel, the son of Uri. Uri is the son of Hur. Bezalel is from the tribe of Judah. 3 I have filled him with the Spirit of God. I have filled Bezalel with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skill. 4 He can make beautiful patterns in gold, silver and bronze. 5 He can cut and set stones. He can work with wood. In fact, he can work in all kinds of crafts.

Two points stand out to me in these passages.  First, that God will impart additional gifts to us as needed.  Second, our material, earthly talents are also part of His design, and intended to be used for His glory.

1 Corinthians 12:4-31

4 There are different kinds of gifts. But they are all given to believers by the same Spirit. 5 There are different ways to serve. But they all come from the same Lord. 6 There are different ways the Spirit works. But the same God is working in all these ways and in all people.

7 The Holy Spirit is given to each of us in a special way. That is for the good of all. 8 To some people the Spirit gives a message of wisdom. To others the same Spirit gives a message of knowledge. 9 To others the same Spirit gives faith. To others that one Spirit gives gifts of healing. 10 To others he gives the power to do miracles. To others he gives the ability to prophesy. To others he gives the ability to tell the spirits apart. To others he gives the ability to speak in different kinds of languages they had not known before. And to still others he gives the ability to explain what was said in those languages. 11 All the gifts are produced by one and the same Spirit. He gives gifts to each person, just as he decides.

12 There is one body, but it has many parts. But all its many parts make up one body. It is the same with Christ. 13 We were all baptized by one Holy Spirit. And so we are formed into one body. It didn’t matter whether we were Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free people. We were all given the same Spirit to drink. 14 So the body is not made up of just one part. It has many parts.

15 Suppose the foot says, “I am not a hand. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 16 And suppose the ear says, “I am not an eye. So I don’t belong to the body.” By saying this, it cannot stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 God has placed each part in the body just as he wanted it to be. 19 If all the parts were the same, how could there be a body? 20 As it is, there are many parts. But there is only one body.

21 The eye can’t say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 In fact, it is just the opposite. The parts of the body that seem to be weaker are the ones we can’t do without. 23 The parts that we think are less important we treat with special honor. The private parts aren’t shown. But they are treated with special care. 24 The parts that can be shown don’t need special care. But God has put together all the parts of the body. And he has given more honor to the parts that didn’t have any. 25 In that way, the parts of the body will not take sides. All of them will take care of one another. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. If one part is honored, every part shares in its joy.

27 You are the body of Christ. Each one of you is a part of it. 28 First, God has placed apostles in the church. Second, he has placed prophets in the church. Third, he has placed teachers in the church. Then he has given to the church miracles and gifts of healing. He also has given the gift of helping others and the gift of guiding the church. God also has given the gift of speaking in different kinds of languages. 29 Is everyone an apostle? Is everyone a prophet? Is everyone a teacher? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in languages they had not known before? Do all explain what is said in those languages? 31 But above all, you should want the more important gifts.

Romans 12:4-8

4 Each of us has one body with many parts. And the parts do not all have the same purpose. 5 So also we are many persons. But in Christ we are one body. And each part of the body belongs to all the other parts. 6 We all have gifts. They differ according to the grace God has given to each of us. Do you have the gift of prophecy? Then use it according to the faith you have. 7 If your gift is serving, then serve. If it is teaching, then teach. 8 Is it encouraging others? Then encourage them. Is it giving to others? Then give freely. Is it being a leader? Then work hard at it. Is it showing mercy? Then do it cheerfully.

I Peter 4:7-11

7 The end of all things is near. So be watchful and control yourselves. Then you may pray. 8 Most of all, love one another deeply. Love erases many sins by forgiving them. 9 Welcome others into your homes without complaining. 10 God’s gifts of grace come in many forms. Each of you has received a gift in order to serve others. You should use it faithfully. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do it as one speaking God’s words. If anyone serves, they should do it with the strength God provides. Then in all things God will be praised through Jesus Christ. Glory and power belong to him for ever and ever. Amen.

When we are saved and receive the Holy Spirit, we are given additional gifts to be used in God’s ministry.  Since God is a master of design, we can be sure that our spiritual endowment upon rebirth perfectly complements the natural talents bestowed on us at our physical birth.  And the Bible makes it clear that the purpose of these gifts is ministry, including service to our fellow members of the Body of Christ.  All of us are necessary to the plan, ministry is not a responsibility or calling just for our pastors.

Conclusion

In the introduction this week I relayed a story about a gang member that struggled to find a family within the church.  After much prayer the pastor in the story has decided to reorganize his church into several small groups.  Each group is under the leadership of 2 pastors, but everyone in the group is expected to understand and use their spiritual gifts to minister to one another.   I’m looking forward to seeing how God uses these people to minister and love one another, and to then take that love out into San Francisco and minister to the community!

Most of us won’t have access to a church organized in this way, but we can all take responsibility for knowing our gifts, and for actively looking for ways to use them in ministering to one another and to our neighbors, coworkers, and towns.   Let’s spend time in prayer this week regarding God’s will for us in the use of our gifts.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, please share.

Be blessed.

K