ALL CHRISTIANS RECEIVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Ephesians 4:7-13, 15-16

7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8This is why it[a] says:    "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."[b] 9(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until 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. 15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

RECOMMENDED BIBLE READING: Ephesians 4:1-16

REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD

As you reflect on this passage of Scripture, consider God’s wisdom and kindness in his plans and purpose for us, his people.  Our ultimate purpose as the church is to serve Christ and his kingdom.  This passage tells us that all Christians receive spiritual gifts, and these gifts are given so that the church is built up.  As the apostle Paul emphasizes here, Christian unity is God’s goal for his people.  In his kindness, God provides us with abundant resources for working towards that goal – fellow Christians who are equipped with spiritual gifts, so that the whole church benefits and grows into maturity as the body of Christ.  We learn from this passage that God indeed gives each and every Christian some spiritual gift or gifts, in some degree or other, but always for the mutual benefit of each other to strengthen the Christian community.  As Christians working together to serve Christ, we can become a strong witness for Christ to the world.

APPLYING THE WORD

Let’s spend some time thinking about the gifts that have been given to us – spiritual gifts from God.  Reflect on the great love Christ has for his church, that he came to earth for the purpose of redeeming people from sin.  And now, after he ascended to heaven he continues to provide for us by giving us spiritual gifts for the purpose of building up his body, the church.

In this passage of Scripture, the apostle Paul concentrated on those spiritual gifts that are unique to certain Christians: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.  If you don’t find yourself gifted in these areas (and most of us don’t!), be encouraged to know that there are many more spiritual gifts than what appear in this short list.  With open hearts and open minds, together let’s discover more truth from God’s word. 

SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE FOR SERVICE

1 Corinthians 12:4-7, 11

4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.   7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

RECOMMENDED BIBLE READING: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD

In this passage of Scripture, a theme develops to move us from the certain fact that we receive spiritual gifts, to explore the answer to this question – Why do we receive spiritual gifts?  As we read we learn that there are a great variety and diversity of spiritual gifts, but they all come from God.  And God (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) has given these gifts to empower his people to perform a wide array of diverse services and activities.  There is one source of spiritual gifts and one purpose for the gifts - to build up the church.  We begin to understand that God’s design is for Christians to apply their gifts in service to fellow Christians.

This passage further challenges us to consider another aspect of the spiritual gifts - that the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to us individually as he wills and determines. Perhaps we could call this a match made in heaven and confirmed on earth.  A spiritual gift is given to you so that you are equipped for the service and activities that God would have you do.

APPLYING THE WORD

As we draw closer to the One who “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).  Jesus gave us many examples of service, including the occasion when he washed the feet of his disciples and told them he gave this example “that you should do as I have done for you.” (John 13:15)  In our culture, we don’t normally walk long distances on dusty roads with sandals on our feet so that we require foot washing.  How then do Jesus’ words about service to one another apply to us today? 

Take time to reflect on the variety of spiritual gifts that God uses to build up his church.   Identify those persons in the church who model this match of a spiritual gift with an area of service – preaching; teaching; encouraging; designing worship services; organizing and directing music ministries; singing; playing of instruments; organizing administrative tasks; generously sharing resources of money, time, and talents; helping others; and so many others.  All of these are for the mutual benefit of the church.  Learn to appreciate and value whatever spiritual gift God has given you, even if it seems small compared to others.  God wisely has given that gift uniquely to you.  Let each of us have hearts open to receive and use our spiritual gifts as we remember that God graciously equips us for service.  “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)

GOD ASSIGNS AND EMPOWERS SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Romans 12:4-8

4Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[a]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

RECOMMENDED BIBLE READING: Romans 12:1-21

REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD

Paul uses the analogy of the human body with many diverse parts functioning together to benefit the whole person as a picture of the properly functioning church, which is comprised of many members who are united together in a unique way – “in Christ”.  Individual Christians are gifted by God with spiritual gifts so that when those spiritual gifts are properly used, the entire church benefits and is built up.  We understand this is no ordinary community or organization, no ordinary gathering of talented individuals, but rather a community of Christians who have each been assigned spiritual gifts by God.  It is God who decides upon the spiritual gift and provides it to the individual Christian as He determines.  God is the power source so that the person who is gifted can actually use the gift as it is intended.  We are first blessed with salvation by grace, and then gifted with spiritual gifts by grace, so that we can be blessed within a community of believers in Christ who use their spiritual gifts for the mutual benefit of the entire church.  “From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another.”  John 1:16

APPLYING THE WORD

Our spiritual gifts are varied and different and, in a human sense, some gifts could appear to be greater than others.  The apostle Paul would have none of that.  However we are gifted, we are to use our gifts in caring relationship for the good of the entire church.  Remember that it is God who graciously assigns spiritual gifts, and it is God who graciously empowers them.  His grace is at work today in our lives, just as it was at work in the lives of Elizabeth and Mary.   In response to that grace, engage your mind and seek opportunities to identify your spiritual gift.  God has given it to you so that you will be equipped to accomplish the work that he would have you do in ministry to others.  Appreciate your spiritual gift whatever it is, and dedicate it to God’s service, remembering that you have been blessed to be a blessing to others. 

BEING FAITHFUL TO USE OUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

1 Peter 4:10-11

10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

RECOMMENDED BIBLE READING: 1 Peter 4:1-11

Reflections on the Word

The apostle Peter wrote this letter as an encouragement to Christians who were suffering persecution for Christ’s sake.  During Jesus’ earthly ministry, Peter was one of the ”inner circle” of apostles who enjoyed a particularly close relationship to Jesus, being present when Jesus raised Jairus’s daughter from the dead, at the Transfiguration, and at Gethsemane.  From scripture we observe that Peter himself received a variety of spiritual gifts. Among them, he was gifted as an apostle, as an evangelist, and as a healer.  He was graced with faith - enough to actually walk on water! - and the ability to encourage others, just as Jesus had told him to strengthen his brothers (Luke 22:32).  These were certainly unexpected gifts for an ordinary fisherman to receive.

In this passage, we see Peter using his own spiritual gifts for the benefit of the church at a critical period of persecution.  He encouraged those Christians to be calm and to remain faithful to God under extremely difficult circumstances (“be clear minded and self-controlled” - verse 7), and to use whatever gift they have received to serve others.  Peter’s words also carry forward to us today, as he reminds Christians of the importance of being faithful in administering God’s grace.  Whatever the gift, remembering that each of us has been graced in one or more ways by the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts should be used to serve others, always keeping before us the intended end result – that, through Christ, God would be praised, as it is God who gives the strength to serve and the words for edifying speech.

Applying the Word

“For the Word of God is living and active.”  Hebrews 4:12

From the pages of Scripture, we receive not only Peter’s teaching that we are to use our spiritual gifts to serve others, but also the example of the apostle using his own spiritual gifts to benefit the whole church.  He encouraged persecuted Christians in the first century A.D. and continues to teach and encourage us today.  An ordinary fisherman-turned-apostle, faithful in using his spiritual gifts, has spread the encouragement he received from Christ to the whole Christian community for 2000 years.

Let’s turn to other pages of Scripture (Luke 1:8-20) to read the familiar yet amazing account of ordinary shepherds who received an unexpected gift one night. An angel interrupted their regular nightly routine to bring them a message from God - good news that the long-awaited Savior has been born that day in Bethlehem.  Examine the response of these shepherds:  No hesitation and no expression of doubt whatsoever.  “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has told us about.”   These ordinary shepherds received the gift of good news, and the faith to believe the good news. They responded by using their gift of simple faith, which produced the fruit of joy for themselves, which overflowed to be an immediate encouragement to Mary and Joseph.  But it didn’t stop there.  These shepherds spread the word to other people concerning what had been told them about the Christ child.  And the end result – “The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.”  Ordinary shepherds, faithful in using their gift of faith, spread the word about Christ’s birth within their sphere of influence.  And, two thousand years later, we still read about and marvel at the news they shared.

Returning to Peter’s words, how do we respond when presented with this imperative to use whatever spiritual gift we have received to serve others?  Is there any doubt that we have been given a spiritual gift?  Is there any hesitation in using our spiritual gift in service to others?  As we consider these questions for our personal application, let’s remember the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem that first Christmas night, who faithfully responded to God’s grace.  Their words and actions are recorded by the gospel writer Luke to serve us today with inspiration to respond likewise.  God’s word is indeed alive and active today, informing us that every Christian receives a spiritual gift, empowered by God, which is to be used in service to others.  Let us truly be encouraged by the words of Scripture to discover and faithfully use our spiritual gift, confident that God will provide the strength to serve, and to look forward to the day when we hear the Master say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”