Kaleo San Diego Church

1 Corinthians 12:1-25: "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 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. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 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. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and all were made to drink of one Spirit. 14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,' that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you,' nor again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.' 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another."

INTRODUCTION

Over the last few weeks we've been looking at this great topic of calling, what it is, what it means, and how it works out in our lives. Our hope is that we would come away from these messages recognizing that our call to God is primary to all other secondary callings we may sense or experience in our lives.

As I promised for the last couple of weeks, we're going to look at the topic of gifts and gifting as it relates to our calling. This subject can be a touchy one in the Church because we have a tendency to over emphasize our particular gift mix and expect others to have the same. This means that gifts that are not natural to us are often looked at as unimportant or junior varsity gifts.

We're not going to be able to spend several weeks on this subject so we're taking a 5,000 foot overview and hoping that you will investigate the subject more fully. We'll also be holding our next Gospel and Church class which will spend an entire session on this subject and how we can discover our gifts and utilize them in the life of our family, the Church.

This is the classic text on spiritual gifts; I want us to highlight verses 4-7.

• There are different kinds of gifts

• There are different kinds of service

• There are different kinds of activities

Let's start with the second one first. I want to unpack the word service for you.

SERVICE

I. Varieties of Service

Spiritual gifts are a way of service in the Church. What is serving? One of the ways we can learn this best is to contrast it to what our culture believes.

A consumer culture is fueled by your pursuit of getting your needs met at a cost that is beneficial to you. Our culture panders to this view. It is considered good business practice and the customer is number one and always right, right?

We are looking for our needs to be met with a minimal time, minimal cost, and minimal energy. This is what drives our culture. Yet the Word of God says just the opposite. This is what makes our world go round.

The Bible says that what makes the Church go round, for lack of better expression, is putting others' needs ahead of your own. Service is putting the needs of the community ahead of the individual. Service is considering others greater than yourself:

Philippians 2:3-4: "Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

There is a paradox in service. It is only as you humbly serve, pick up whatever needs to be done and do it in the context of community life just because it needs to be done, will you discover:

1- Self-knowledge

You'll never really know what your gifts are unless you humbly serve. It helps you to discover what you're gifted in doing and what your aptitude is.

2- Community

Consumerism is a solitary business. To come and get your needs met alone, leaves you alone. As soon as you begin to serve in Christ's church and do things will you begin to develop strong relationships which are on mission together in various forms and service.

3- Fulfillment

The third benefit is fulfillment. When you serve together you begin to see that you're part of something that is touching others around you as their lives are being changed. This changes you as well. Even simple things like setting up musical equipment, cooking a meal at a missional community, or working in the family ministry-these various forms of service connect you with the multitude of lives that are being touched by God's grace. Someone may set up the speakers, another may play an instrument through them, another may sing, another may preach, but we're all doing this together for God's glory and for the express purpose of changing lives.

Here is the paradox of serving; though there are huge benefits to serving, if you serve in order to get the benefits, it's not really service and you won't really get the benefits.

Service is not doing things because they meet YOUR needs, but doing things for God's glory to serve Him and those whom He's put before you. You don't serve to meet people, though that usually does happen. You don't serve for personal fulfillment, though that usually happens. You don't serve to learn more about yourself, though that usually happens as well. You serve THEM not YOU.

Consumers only do things for the return on their investment. This is not an appropriate motivation to serve. The real reason to serve is because Jesus served you. And if He hadn't served you at such an infinite cost to Himself, you'd be spiritually dead. To the degree you understand what He's done, you'll want to serve others selflessly and not selfishly.

When you serve not to get your needs met but to meet the needs of others, you find your needs met in abundance. However, if you serve only to get your needs met, you're not serving so your true needs won't be met. I know, it sounds confusing, but it's helpful and true.

That's what service is. Service, however, is done through spiritual gifts. Let's look at the idea of spiritual gifts now.

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

II. Varieties of Gifts

Spiritual gifts are abilities that God gives to every Christian, to build up the body of Christ.

Verse 7: "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

Every Christian is given the Spirit. In being given the Spirit we are also given gifts of the Spirit at our conversion to build up the body of Christ.

Spiritual gifts are a way of working for the common good (the Church).

These spiritual gifts are a way of building up the body and serving Christ's community rather than yourself. Spiritual gifts are a way of building people up to make the Church what it ought to be.

How are spiritual gifts distributed? How do you find them? First we have to find out what they are and how they're described.

Since there is "a variety of gifts" (v. 4), it's important that we look at the whole of Scripture to determine what they are and not just one passage here and there.

The variety individual gifts are normally found in a few passages. These are the usual suspects when considering gifts: Eph. 4, 1 Cor. 12, 1 Cor. 14, Rom. 12, 1 Peter 4, as well as a host of gifts which I think are important but are disputed which are mentioned in the Old Testament in Exodus, Deuteronomy, Daniel, Jeremiah, 2 Chronicles, Proverbs, Psalms, and 1st & 2nd Samuel. When we go through this study in our Gospel and Church class we'll bring in all 25, but for this morning, and keeping with the New Testament, we'll just look at 16.

One of the best ways to understand spiritual gifts is to cluster them into three different categories. They don't all fit exactly into one particular category, like exhortation, but you can cluster them and understand them when you look at them in a prophetic, priestly, and kingly categories. Most people's gifts tend to lean in one of those three.

We tend to have prophetic gifts, priestly gifts, and kingly gifts. This makes sense since the Office of Christ was the office of Prophet, Priest, and King and the entire Old Testament was spent foreshadowing Christ through its representative prophets, priests and kings. Christ came to fulfill the hopes and descriptions of these foreshadows and only He was the One to fulfill all three simultaneously.

So, when we put all our gifts together as a body we can reflect all of Jesus' offices. As a side note, let me say that we are already perfected in Christ and therefore we are, by nature of Christ's perfection given to us, priests of God, vice-regents and representatives as kings, and prophets of God. Our status is perfected through Christ. He is the fullness and consummation of those offices and we are seen by our Father as fulfilled humanity in His Son, since His Son was the perfect Human.

However, though we are positionally perfect, we are gifted in different and unique ways to show Christ to each other and to the world. Only all together can we reflect all of Jesus' ministerial work as He's gifted us to work in various services through our various gifts. Individually, His abilities are distributed and they tend to be distributed along the lines of prophetic, priestly, and kingly gifts.

Prophetic/Priestly/Kingly Gifts

PROPHETIC GIFTS

Prophetic gifts generally mean that the gift represents God to people. A prophetic gift is exercised by my coming to you to bring God's truth to help you understand it or to teach and tell you of God's will. These individuals are uniquely gifted to minister the Word of God to people and the world. Prophets tend to speak to people for God. Prophetic people tend to be truth tellers.

People with prophetic gifts tend to be those who come to you on God's behalf to represent Him to you.

Evangelism

Evangelism is the ability God gives to some to proclaim the Gospel of salvation effectively so that people respond to the promises of Christ through conversion to Christianity. It is the divine enablement to effectively communicate the Gospel to unbelievers so they respond in faith and move toward discipleship.

People with this gift:

- communicate the message of Christ with clarity and conviction

- seek out opportunities to talk to unbelievers about spiritual matters

- challenge unbelievers to faith and to become fully devoted to Christ

- contextualize how they communicate the Gospel to connect with people

- seek opportunities to build relationships with unbelievers.

Ephesians 4:11-16, Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 2:36-40, Acts 8:5-6, Acts 14:21

Acts 8:26-40, 2 Timothy 4:5

Teaching

Teaching is the ability God gives to some to explain the truths of the Word of God clearly and to apply them effectively so that those taught understand and learn.

It is the divine enablement to understand, clearly explain, and apply the Word of God causing greater Christ-likeness in the lives of listeners.

People with this gift:

- communicate biblical truth that inspires greater obedience to the Word

- challenge listeners simply and practically with the truths of Scripture

- focus on changing lives by helping others understand the Bible better

- give attention to detail and accuracy

- prepare through extended times of study and reflection.

Ephesians 4:11-16, Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Hebrews 5:12-14

Acts 18:24-28

Prophecy

Prophecy is the ability God gives to some to proclaim the Word of God with clarity and to apply it fearlessly for the strengthening, encouragement, and comfort of believers and the convincing of unbelievers. It is the divine enablement to reveal truth and proclaim it in a timely and relevant manner for understanding, correction, repentance, or edification. There may be immediate or future implications.

People with this gift:

- expose sin or deception in others for the purpose of reconciliation

- speak a timely word from God causing conviction, repentance, and edification

- see truth that others often fail to see and challenge them to respond

- warn of God's immediate or future judgment if there is no repentance

- understand God's heart and mind through experiences He takes them through.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11-13, 1 Corinthians 12:28-31

Deuteronomy 18:18-22, 1 Corinthians 14:1-5, 1 Corinthians 14:24-25, 1 Corinthians 14:30-33, 1 Corinthians 14:37-40

Knowledge

Knowledge is the gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to understand in an exceptional way the great truths of God's Word and make them relevant to specific situations in the Church. Also, it includes the desire to seek out and learn as much about the Bible as possible through gathering much information and the analysis of that data.

It is the divine enablement to bring truth to the body through a revelation or biblical insight.

People with this gift:

- receive truth which enables them to better serve the body

- search the Scriptures for insight, understanding, and truth

- gain knowledge which at times was not attained by natural means

- have an unusual insight or understanding that serves the Church

- organize information for teaching and practical use.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 2 Chronicles 1:7-12, Colossians 2:2-3, 2 Corinthians 11:6 Daniel 2:20-21, Proverbs 2:6, Proverbs 9:10, Psalms 119:66, Jeremiah 3:15

PRIESTLY GIFTS

Priestly gifts are abilities to understand someone and primarily are exercised by representing people to God. These are individuals uniquely gifted to minister the presence of God to people through listening, sensing, and emotionally connecting with someone. Priests tend to speak to God for people. Priestly people tend to be sympathy bearers.

Priestly people are usually gifted to be sympathetic and advocates for people. Priestly people love to come along side and help them deal with God and other people.

Encouragement

Encouragement is the ability God gives some to offer comfort, words of encouragement, hope, and reassurance to discouraged, weak, or troubled Christians in such a way that they are consoled.

People with this gift:

- come to the side of those who are discouraged to reassure them and give them hope

- emphasize God's promises and confidence in his will.

Romans 12:6-8, Titus 1:9, Acts 11:23-24, Acts 14:21-22, 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

Exhortation (parakaleo is a mix of prophetic and priestly gifts)

Exhortation is the ability God gives some to help strengthen weak, faltering, and fainthearted Christians to motivate them to be what God has called them to be. It is the ability to help others reach their full potential by means of encouraging, challenging, comforting, and guiding. It is the divine enablement to present truth to strengthen or urge to action those who are discouraged or wavering in their faith.

People with this gift:

- come to the side of those who are weak in spirit to strengthen them

- challenge or confront others to trust and hope in the promises of God

- urge others to action by applying biblical truth

- offer advice, an outline for a solution, or a program for progress

- motivate others to grow.

1 Timothy 5:1-2, Hebrews 3:13, Hebrews 13:22, 1 Thessalonians 5:14

Helps/Serving

Helps/Serving is the gift that enables a believer to work gladly behind the scenes in order that God's work is fulfilled. It is the ability God gives to some to serve the Church in a supporting role or to invest their talents in the life and ministry of other members of the body enabling them to increase their effectiveness.

It is the divine enablement to accomplish practical and necessary tasks which free-up, support, and meet the needs of others. Helps is the ability to give real assistance without usurping. This means they don't take away the work from other person, they help them accomplish what they need to.

People with this gift:

- serve behind the scenes whenever needed to support the gifts and ministries of others (without having to be asked)

- see the tangible and practical things to be done and enjoy doing them

- sense God's purpose and pleasure in meeting every day responsibilities

- attach spiritual value to practical service

- enjoy knowing that they are freeing up others to do what God has called them to do

- would rather do a job than find someone else to do it.

1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Romans 16:1-2, Acts 9:36, Mark 15:40-41, Galatians 6:2

Romans 12:6-8, 1 Peter 4:11, Philippians 2:19-23, Luke 22:24-27, John 13:14

Intercession/Prayer

Intercession/Prayer is the ability God gives to some to pray for extended periods of time on a regular basis and see frequent and specific answers to their prayers to a degree much greater than that which is expected of the average Christian. It is the divine enablement to consistently pray on behalf of and for others, seeing frequent and specific results.

People with this gift:

- feel compelled to earnestly pray on behalf of someone or some cause

- have a daily awareness of the spiritual battles being waged and pray

- are convinced God moves in direct response to prayer

- pray in response by the leading of the Spirit.

Ephesians 6:18, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, 1 Kings 13:6, Luke 11:1-10, Matthew 6:6-15

Mark 11:22-25, James 5:14-16, Colossians 4:12-13, 1 Thessalonians 3:10

Pastoring/Shepherd

Pastor/Shepherd is the ability God gives to some to assume a long-term personal responsibility for leadership and the spiritual care, protection, guidance, and feeding of a group of believers. It is knowing or getting what a person needs in order for them to grow in Christ. This is not the same as preaching and teaching, it is much more sympathetic and caring.

It is the divine enablement to nurture, care for, and guide people toward on-going spiritual maturity and becoming like Christ.

People with this gift:

- take responsibility to nurture the whole person in their walk with God

- provide guidance and oversight to a group of God's people

- model with their life what it means to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus

- establish trust and confidence through long-term relationships

- lead and protect those within their span of care.

John 10:1-16, Acts 20:28, Ephesians 4:11-15, 1 Timothy 3:1-7, 2 Timothy 4:1-2

1 Timothy 4:11-16, 1 Peter 5:1-4

Hospitality

Hospitality is the ability God gives to some to provide an open home and warm welcome to those in need of food, lodging, and fellowship. It involves a readiness to invite strangers to your home (or Church) for the sake of the Gospel.

It is the divine enablement to care for people by providing fellowship, food, and shelter.

People with this gift:

- provide an environment where people feel valued and cared for

- meet new people and help them to feel welcomed

- create a safe and comfortable setting where relationships can develop

- seek ways to connect people together into meaningful relationships

- set people at ease in unfamiliar surroundings.

1 Peter 4:9-10, Romans 12:9-13, Acts 16:14-15, Luke 10:38, Hebrews 13:1-2

Sharing/Giving

Giving is the gift that enables a believer to recognize God's blessings and to respond to those blessings by generously, sacrificially, and cheerfully giving of one's resources (time, talent, and treasure) without thought of return.

It is the divine enablement to contribute money and resources to the work of the Lord with cheerfulness and liberality. People with this gift do not ask, "How much money do I need to give to God?" but, "How much money do I need to live on?" It is the gift to use your money in unusually generous ways to build people up.

People with this gift:

- manage their finances and limit their lifestyle in order to give as much of their resources as possible

- support the work of ministry with sacrificial gifts to advance the Kingdom

- meet tangible needs that enable spiritual growth to occur

- provide resources, generously and cheerfully, trusting God for His provision

- may have a special ability to make money so that they may use it to further God's work.

Romans 12:6-8, 2 Corinthians 9:6-15, 2 Corinthians 8:2-5, Mark 12:41-44, Matthew 6:3-4

Mercy/Compassion

Mercy & Compassion is the gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to feel exceptional empathy and compassion for those who are suffering (physically, mentally, or emotionally) to feel genuine sympathy for their misery, speak words of compassion, but more so care for them with acts of love that help alleviate their distress.

It is the divine enablement to cheerfully and practically help those who are suffering or are in need by putting compassion into action. It is the ability not only to be merciful but also to lift you up and assist you to restored joy in Christ.

People with this gift:

- focus upon alleviating the sources of pain or discomfort in suffering people

- address the needs of the lonely and forgotten

- express love, grace, and dignity to those facing hardships and crisis

- serve in difficult or unsightly circumstances and do so cheerfully

- concern themselves with individual or social issues that oppress people.

Romans 12:6-8, Luke 7:12-15, Luke 10:30-37, Matthew 20:29-34, Matthew 25:34-40, Mark 9:41, Matthew 5:7

KINGLY GIFTS

Kingly gifts are the abilities to understand and give direction to group needs. They are gifts of wisdom, leading, structure, direction, and focuses on "we" primarily.

Apostleship/Founder

Apostleship gifting is the ability God gives to some to exercise general leadership or oversight in a church, movement, network, or denomination. In the strict sense this gift was confined to the twelve apostles. The New Testament does, however, give this title to a number of others, e.g. Romans 16:7 and Acts 14:14. It is the gift whereby the Spirit appoints certain Christians to lead, inspire, and develop the Churches of God through leadership.

It is the divine ability to start and oversee the development of new churches or ministry structures. It is exercised through plowing new ground or desiring to see new movements of the Church and Gospel started.

People with this gift:

- pioneer and establish new ministries or churches

- adapt to different surroundings by being culturally sensitive and aware

- desire to minister to unreached people in other communities or countries

- have responsibilities to oversee ministries or groups of churches

- demonstrate authority and vision for the mission of the Church.

1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Ephesians 4:11-16, 2 Corinthians 12:12, Matthew 10:1-8, Acts 2:42-44

Administration

Administration is the ability God gives to some to steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing, and supervising others.

It is the divine enablement to understand what makes an organization function and the special ability to plan and execute procedures that accomplish the goals of the ministry.

People with this gift:

- develop strategies or plans to reach identified goals

- assist ministries to become more effective and efficient

- create order out of organizational chaos

- manage or coordinate a variety of responsibilities to accomplish a task

- organize people, tasks, or events.

1 Corinthians 12:28-31, Luke 14:28-30

Wisdom

Wisdom is the gift that allows the believer to sort through opinions, facts, and thoughts in order to determine what solution would be best for the individual believer or the community of believers. It is the ability to apply knowledge to life to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision making and daily life situations.

It is the ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to know the mind of the Holy Spirit in such a way as to receive insight into how knowledge may best be applied to specific needs arising in the body of Christ.

People with this gift:

- focus on the unseen consequences in determining the next steps to take

- receive an understanding of what is necessary to meet the needs of the body

- provide divinely given solutions in the midst of conflict and confusion

- hear the Spirit provide direction for God's best in a given situation

- apply spiritual truth in specific and practical ways.

1 Corinthians 12:8, Acts 6:3, Acts 6:10, Ephesians 1:15, James 3:17

Faith

Faith is the conviction God gives to some to be firmly persuaded of God's power and promises to accomplish His will and purpose and to display such a confidence in Him and His Word that circumstances and obstacles do not shake that conviction.

It is the divine enablement to act on God's promises with confidence and unwavering belief in God's ability to fulfill his purposes.

People with this gift:

- believe the promises of God and inspire others to do the same

- act in complete confidence of God's ability to overcome obstacles

- demonstrate an attitude of trust in God's will and his promises

- advance the cause of Christ because they go forward when others will not

- ask God for what is needed and trust Him for His provision.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11, Mark 5:25-34, Acts 27:21-25, Hebrews 11, Romans 4:18-21

There are many gifts and they are usually seen within their particular mix of prophetic/priestly/kingly, but they come in clusters of mixes as well. We have to be very careful not to lump someone into a particular group because each person is gifted differently and is unique in the family of God.

For instance, in Ephesians 4 we're told about a pastor/teacher. The two gifts are put together. But in 1 Corinthians 12:39 we see the gift of just teacher. It is possible that individual gifts can be clustered, and they often are, and this mix modifies each gift just a little.

Someone might say "why isn't there a gift of preaching?" For this reason, some preachers are exhorters, some are teachers, some are evangelists, etc. You can't just be gifted at preaching alone. Preaching in what gift is what should be discovered. There is no such thing as a preacher who is able to unite all gifts perfectly and therefore reach everyone. This is why we need multiple churches planted because they are each going to reach people differently. Some of you don't like evangelistic preaching because you're tired of what you call the "milk" so you come to Kaleo looking for the meat. Of course, because you're already a Christian! But that doesn't mean that God isn't using that person to do exactly what He's gifted them to do.

Now, this doesn't mean if you're going to be a preacher/shepherd/teacher that you are exempt from growing, but you may not ever become a scholarly doctrinaire because God hasn't gifted you to sit in a classroom and think about abstract theological points. You can see how this can work out in any number of ways.

You might also ask, "Why there isn't a gift of counseling?" Because some counselors are mercy types, some are teacher types, some are wisdom types. Each of those makes you a different kind of counselor. Someone who is great at mercy may not be great at practical wisdom issues and vice/versa.

There are different ranges of different problems which need to be solved and one counselor won't be able to solve them all because they're not gifted in every area.

Some people might be better with adults than children, some may be better with small groups than large groups. There are also different levels of gifting. Some may be good at a particular gift while another is considerably better or more gifted in that area. We aren't to compare or become jealous, just to recognize that we're to use our gifts for God's glory and another's benefit.

Put this all together and your gift matrix is as unique as a fingerprint or snowflake. This means at Kaleo and in this world that only you are uniquely gifted to help. There are certain things that need to be done in the life of the Church that you are uniquely gifted to do. They're just waiting for you.

Ephesians 2:10: "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

You've been crafted as a work of art which God has shaped and crafted for specific types of work that only you can do.

How do you find what your gifts are?

TWO THINGS TO LEARN ABOUT GIFTS

Before you discover what your gifts are, you have to learn to things:

1-The difference between gifts and fruit

2-The difference between gifts and talent

1-You have to learn the difference between gifts and fruit

Whenever the Bible mentions fruit of the Spirit, you're supposed to possess ALL of the fruit. As you grow, even if only in sprouting form, you're not just to grow in only one, but in all of them as you mature in Christ. Spiritual growth happens symmetrically.

However, no one has ALL the gifts. It is only in the context of community that the full range of gifts are displayed and exercised.

This also means that since fruit is different than gifts, I have to be careful not to make the mistake that just because I'm exercising my gifting I'm also growing in the fruit of the Spirit.

My spiritual fruit could be in the toilet and yet work in such a way that I'm exercising my gifts. It is a dangerous thing to assume that just because I'm gifted I'm also growing in spiritual maturity, or just because I'm seeing others grow through my gifting, it means that I'm maturing.

There are days when I'm in emotional turmoil, or a spiritual funk but I'm invited to speak somewhere or help someone with a theological problem and the opportunity brings out my gifts. The person or people I'm helping may wrongly assume that just because I'm gifted and exercising that gift that I'm also well developed in the fruit of the Spirit. We can't mistake gifts for fruit. I can't walk away thinking that I'm close to God just because I did something that used my gifts. And, you shouldn't assume that someone who is gifted is doing well either. Working in your area of gifting can be used as a smokescreen to hide from God.

Be careful not to mistake the operation of the spiritual gift with the growth in your fruit. A gift without fruit is like a tire without air. You'll collapse if your fellowship with God which results in fruit is not growing along with your use of gifts.

If you're too busy using your gifts, or too desirous to be noticed for your gifts without cultivating your life in Christ so that He's not just a concept but real to you, you're heading for trouble.

2- You have to learn the difference between gifts and talent

You have to be very careful not to assume that just because you do something naturally well, that necessarily means that talent will be used as a gift in the Church.

This doesn't mean it won't, it just doesn't guarantee that the Spirit of God has uniquely gifted you in that way to be exercised in the Church.

Just because you're a good public speaker doesn't mean you'll be a preacher or teacher. Just because you're a good manager doesn't mean you'll come to Church and automatically become a shepherd or pastor.

This keeps the big-shot manager from walking into the Church and saying "I can't just serve by ushering, I need to be running things." Don't mistake talent for gifts, and don't mistake talent for service.

TWO PROBLEMS WITH GIFTS

We should avoid two things:

1-Gift copout

2-Gift projection

1-Gift copout

Every gift is also a task. There is a gift of evangelism and yet all Christians should share the good news of Christ in some way. There is a gift of mercy, yet all Christians should be merciful. There is a gift of hospitality, yet all Christians should be hospitable.

Every gift is also a job that we are all to have. Gifting simply means that some are uniquely gifted for that particular task. But this doesn't mean that you no longer have to be merciful or hospitable just because it isn't your gift.

We aren't allowed to say, "I'm not gifted at helping, so I'm not going to do it," when Scripture clearly calls us to consider others greater than ourselves and to help others.

The 2nd mistake is gift projection.

2-Gift projection

Gift projection is where you look at other people who have gifts that you want and you become jealous because you don't have them.

My wife is an excellent listener and usually finds herself on the gifts of mercy to people I want to extend the right hand of fellowship to. I could easily become discouraged because I'm not as gifted at mercy as she is, and I could feel that I'm not a very good Christian because of it. She could do the same with me as it relates to evangelism or teaching. Yet together we complement each other in such a way that I appreciate where she's gifted and she does the same for me and instead of envying one another, we relish the difference and thank God for it. Can you imagine if we were all merciful but no one was willing to share the Gospel clearly and courageously? Can you imagine if we were all evangelists and no one had the gift of mercy? Sure you can imagine that, it's how we started Kaleo and it wasn't very effective back then!! J

It's also very easy to recognize your gift and slip into pride by wondering why other people don't have it as well.

Some may find it easy to help the poor and you look at those who struggle with it and think, "If you were a true Christian like me, this church would be better." Well, except for the lack of humility, of course.

We easily absolutize our gift and not only expect but require that others have it as well. When they don't, we can easily become put off by what seems to be a lack of sensitivity in that particular area.

This is the beauty though: God has made you sensitive in that area not because everyone else is as sensitive as you over that gift, but because you are uniquely made and needed in the Church so that we represent the full body in such a way that Christ is most clearly seen to each other and to the world. This is the running argument in 1 Cor. 12 about each member of the body playing its part with joy and not division.

If God has made you concerned or sensitive about an issue, humbly pray and labor towards serving in that area. Not to be noticed, but to serve without grumbling or concern for the benefits you'll get from it or the pride you'll feed through it.

We don't want a church where everyone is doing the same thing!

Finally, how do you discover your gift?

DISCOVERING YOUR GIFT

We should ask three questions when trying to determine our gifting.

1. What can I do?

We should reasonably assess our abilities, skills, and aptitude as part of the decision making process.

-What are my abilities?

-What am I equipped by God to do?

2. What am I good at doing?

The concept of aptitude is important and relevant.

-What am I good at doing?

A person may have no aptitude whatsoever for abstract things but still desire to be a philosopher.

It is only through the influence of Gnostic heresy that some Christians have absorbed the idea that the only way they can possibly serve God is to live out their lives "on a bed of nails."

Some Christians assume that to devote themselves to a life of service necessitates physical or spiritual unhappiness.

3. What should I do? (We should start first with this)

Do what your motivated ability indicates you can do with a high degree of competency.

If what you would like to do can be of vocational service to the Church, then by all means you should be doing it.

However, any work done unto the Lord is spiritual work and is a means He will use to fulfill not only the evangelistic mandate but also the cultural mandate:

Genesis 1:28 "God blessed Adam and Eve and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule...'"

 

R.C. Sproul says this:

"God is efficient in His summons, calling us according to the gifts and talents He has given us. In contrast, Satan's strategy is to manipulate us into positions for which we have no ability or skill from God to perform well."

LAST WORD OF CAUTION

If you take the model of only doing what you can do and only what you're good at in the context of serving the Church, you'll rarely begin and may never find your gifting.

When you come to serve you should come wanting to learn more about your specific gift mix. If you serve acting as if you are totally sure what your gifts are, you may miss gifts God has given you in different areas that have yet to blossom.

Don't come into the Church only with an attitude of doing solely what you are 100% sure you're passionate about. Start with opportunities first. Begin by serving where there are needs and you'll discover your gifts in ways you may not have expected.

Look around to see what should be done. If you start with the opportunity, you'll get the benefits of true service with a servant mindset instead of a consumeristic attitude. Always be ready to serve, ready to fill the need at the moment.

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