How Can I Help?

Sound of Freedom.

Well, we are continuing our series / / E2E: Encouraged to Encourage. This series on the top is about how we are all individually uniquely gifted to be a help and a service to each other, but under the service, it’s really about not being alone, it’s about being a community, it’s about the fact that we were not made to, designed to or meant to be alone, but we are meant to be in good and healthy community with each other. And by that I don’t just mean, “Hey, you need to be a part of a community, it’s for your health!”, like a doctor would tell you that you need to go to the gym, or eat healthier, although that is true - on all of those points.

But when we think about how Jesus talks about what he’s really inviting us into, he says in John 10:10 that / / “his purpose is to give us a rich and satisfying life”. And that’s not just talking about an after life. He’s not talking about eternity there, but he’s talking about the here and now. And yes, our life is instantly better with Jesus in it. As soon as we become Christian, and I said last week that’s based on our recognition that we need a savior, that we, in our humanity simply can not make ourselves right with a perfect God, and that’s ok, it’s not a you thing, it’s an everyone thing - Romans 3:23 says, / / …everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

The word sinned there means missed the mark. Which Paul is basically just reiterating there, Everyone has missed the mark, we all fall short in some way, shape or form...

Meaning? None of us is perfect. And by the simple recognition that we are not perfect, we are recognizing that if there is a way to be perfect, or to be right with an eternal, divine, creator, it is not by our own doing. We won’t ever be able to make that happen. But, if there was a way, and there is, it would have to be by some sort of divine intervention, because if we can’t do it for ourselves, no one else could do it for us either, because they aren’t perfect. Ecclesiastes 7:20 says, / / Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.

But Jesus is, because Jesus is God, and Jesus was the divine intervention we needed. And he was perfect when he came to this earth, and gave his life as a carrier for all of humanities problems.

Are there still problems? Yes.

The difference is that they’re taken care of through what Jesus did on the cross. And the more I think about that, the easier it is to simply say, “Thank you… thank you for doing something I could never do.”

So, there’s the personal, eternal benefit of becoming a Christian, we know that.

But there’s also what we looked at last week, that there’s a greater immediate benefit, and yes, sometimes challenge, of becoming a member, or a part of what Paul call’s the body of Christ. And I truly believe that when Jesus says in John 10:10 that he’s come to give us a rich and satisfying life, he’s actually including the fact that we’re gaining a community of people to do this with.

That’s supposed to be the greatest thing ever. True friends, good family, people you enjoy working with, the generations coming together, the wisdom of the older and the courage of the younger....

Problem is, I saw a really disturbing post this past week. The comment that was attached to it said this, “Most people die at 25 and aren’t buried until they’re 75.” and it was followed by 6 graphs that showed the different people we spend the most time with at various ages, but the disheartening part was that it showed one graph plotting how much time on average people spend alone, and from the age of 25 straight through to point of death between 75-85 it was a just steadily climb upward, while every other graph was on a decline for most of life, and especially in the later years.

Another stat I saw was that currently 15% of men and 10% of women have zero close friends.

This is not how God intended us to live. Not at all.

And as I was preparing for this morning I was thinking along the line of, “Isn’t it great that we are invited into this family...”

But that’s not even it. We aren’t invited to a family. We aren’t invited to be a part of the body. We ARE family. We ARE the body. And by our choices we show whether we are a dismembered part of this body or not...

And I think maybe in some ways I miss-titled this series. We’ve been calling it Encouraged to Encourage, and although that is still very true, I think that is simply just step 1 to a greater ideology and that would be / / Encouraged to Engage.

Encouragement is good, but encouragement does not cause engagement. We are each responsible for our own engagement. We are each responsible for the application of information that we receive. No one can christian for us. No one can engage for us. Yes, we can be pursued, but at some point we have to decide that this, what we are doing here, the community, the life, the body, the church the people are actually worth investing in.

And that takes risk. That takes time. That takes effort. And we might get hurt along the way. We might find certain times are useless. I was having a conversation with someone that had been going to a meeting in the evenings at their church, and we were discussing at a small group level what the optimal size would be. There’s too small where it feels awkward, and there’s too big where it’s no longer personal and interactive.... what’s the right size.

And my encouragement in the moment was, “Just keep going...” It doesn’t matter whether it’s perfect or imperfect, you need the community. And it simply just takes time and commitment. It takes dedicating yourself to being there, to being involved, to being engaged.

The church, or the body of Christ is like any relationship, we receive from it what we are willing to put into it. Take marriage for example. If you get married, but then ignore your wife, or husband, you don’t engage with them, you just live your life on your own but you’re doing it under the same roof, what is the benefit, other than a tax break by filing jointly?

But if you engage, pursue each other, you can have a rich and satisfying marriage.

And ya, we have various seasons where maybe we’re a little more tired, or we’re going through something, or a little more busy, or we’re dealing with some things, but overall / / what is the movement of your life? Are you engaged?

And this is true for any area of our lives, isn’t it? Have you ever watched a really great motivational video? Whether it’s about health, or exercise, or investing, maybe it’s about your dream job, or a hobby you love. And you finish the video and your brain is just moving, how you could implement that thing they were just talking about. This could take my job to the next level. Or I’m ready to tackle this idea. I’m ready to jump in....

And what happens?

You are then faced with the much harder, and very real reality that you have to move from encouraged to engaged, because if you don’t, the encouragement doesn’t produce anything.

Again, I’m not talking about that time we need sometimes to warm up to an idea, or the time we need to heal from a past experience before we jump into a new one. There’s got to be wisdom in our engagement, of course, but if we are on a steady incline of being alone through age 25-75 and if 10-15% of us don’t have a close friend, then what are we doing? We’re waiting too long and it’s literally robbing life from us.

If the enemy is out to kill steal and destroy, he doesn’t have to put you in the grave to get you to live a dead life, he just needs you to stop living… And he’ll work overtime to get us to not engage with the life God has for us.

So, God designed us to live and be together, to encourage each other and to engage.

In fact, listen to what Hebrews 10:23-25 says, / / Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

That basically sums up the the Christian life here on the earth, split into three things.

/ / 1. Our Salvation, Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm. What’s that? That’s our salvation. The early churched called it the blessed hope, it’s the confident expectation that we will live for all eternity with Jesus in heaven because we are redeemed by his finished work on the cross. That’s our hope.

/ / 2. Our Community, think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. That’s the mission, right? That’s what we’re talking about here. Doing good together, for one another, helping and serving the body, and the world around us.

/ / 3. Our Worship, let us not neglect our meeting together. You are the church, you’re the body of Christ, so make sure you’re together because you can’t encourage each other if you’re not.

Of course we all know it’s not quite that concise, there’s a lot more to it, but in a nutshell. Have hope in Jesus, Be together as the Church, so that you can encourage each other both in the faith and toward serving and helping each other and the world. Right in the middle of it all, encourage each other to use the gifts you’ve been given. Which is what Paul and Peter have been saying as well. These gifts are given to serve, to help, to aid...

When Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:21, / / The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.”… it would do us a lot of good to take that one step further and say that whoever the eye is, or whoever the hand is needs to learn to say, / / “I DO need you...”

The eye without the hand can’t pick up the hammer, and the hand without the eye can’t even find the hammer to begin with. But together they are able to accomplish a task that both are intended to be a part of. Not one of them, but both of them together. So, we have to come to a place where we are not just encouraging each other to be something, or learn who we are, or to feel good about ourselves, or feel better when we need the comfort or encouragement, and all of those things are wonderful and good and necessary, but we have to begin to encourage each other, or as Hebrews 10:24 says in the ESV / / …let us consider how to STIR UP one another to love and good works. The KJV says we need to provoke each other....

And it’s important to see that it’s both ...love AND good works, not just love and not just good works. But both.

But we have to begin to encourage each other toward using the very things that God has given us to do and be. And that takes both a recognition within ourselves of what we are, or who we are, and what gifts we have and also a willingness from each other to see those gifts in each other and begin to call them out, to encourage, or provoke the use of them. And again, I’ve said this over the last few weeks, I don’t fully understand it or have seen it working completely the way it should. Or maybe even we don’t know what it should look like because we haven’t seen it working completely. But I do believe that there is a way to begin to move towards a life where the body of Christ, the community of believers are able to lean on and feed into the various spiritual gifts that people have to accomplish a greater goal. And really, that is the point, that we are actually unable to accomplish the greater goals in Christ if we don’t grab a hold of this concept.

/ / The “few” doing so that the “many” can receive is not the way of the future.

But it is the many doing so that maybe just maybe a few at a time can be brought into a greater expression and a greater experience of the body of Christ so that they too can lean into and learn what it means to be a part of something that is healthy and growing and doing. And this is not just from a ministry perspective in what we would consider to understand as, let’s say “Sunday Church” or the various church related ministries that we might understand in our western church mentality. But I believe that this is a greater mission to both establish the church of believers, the body of Christ, and its greater mission of reaching the world for Christ. Because the reality is, this is bigger and broader than we’ve been before and has so many various and complicated aspects to it.

It’s easy to think that the leading of churches is just a spiritual thing, and being a pastor is about me reading my bible getting ready for Sunday morning and praying for people, and meeting with people and connecting with them, counseling etc…And all of that is amazing stuff that I love to do them. But you know this past week I spent hours dealing with air conditioning needs. And spent a majority of my week researching and buying book bags and school supplies. Last week it was dealing with contract resolution. The week before it was contractors, survey companies and county issues. This coming week is hours spent organizing and getting ready for food distribution.

And listen, don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any issue with any of those things, but, the reality is, there are better equipped people for a lot of these things. And when we realize that everybody is equipped in certain ways to do certain things, that’s when we can actually get a lot more done. / / Diversity of gifts creates greater opportunity!

If you are singularly focused and singularly minded and singularly talented, you can do one thing really well. And from a personal perspective, that’s a really good trait to have because being really great at one thing means you are valuable to the place you work at. But for an organization that is meant to be multifaceted and well equipped for multiple tasks, it cannot have that model or approach.

Listen even the greatest singularly focused companies have people who are NOT focused on that one single thing. A great construction company has a legal team, a finance department, an HR department, managers at various levels, specialists in various trades etc… Why would we think the church is going to be any different?

Again, just read Acts 6 again, the Apostles saying, “Listen, we should not be spending our time on this… we have other things to be doing.”

Not better, not more important, just other. And if we shift our focus, we won’t get done what we are meant to do. Imagine that. The church in all its booming growth would’ve halted immediately, because those who were preaching and teaching the gospel and how to be the church would’ve been organizing and delivering food.

So, with all of that in mind we are going to look at the next category of gifts which is / / Serving / Helps. This is probably considered the most natural set of gifts, but again, remember how we’re looking at this, and this is incredibly important - no matter how natural, or supernatural the gift might seem in it’s application, they are all spiritual - meaning, we are given the gift BY the Holy Spirit of God for the purpose of helping, serving and aiding the church and the world around us. And the Holy Spirit doesn’t give gifts without desiring to be a part of the process. Some love to get a gift and run, but the Holy Spirit wants to lead us into using these gifts well. There’s more to it than just thinking we have a gift to help someone so we go around helping wherever we can, or only when we feel like it.

We’ll look at five gifts today: / / Giving, Helps, Hospitality, Mercy & Serving.

And some of these might feel like they sound similar to each other or others, and we’ve kind of seen that anyways over the last few weeks, but we’ve also seen that there’s usually a distinction that really matters.

/ / Giving

Alright, looking first at giving, it’s mentioned in Romans 12:8 as Paul is listing various gifts, he says, / / If it is giving, give generously.

And this is specifically mentioned as a spiritual gift. He starts in vs 6, In his grace, / / God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to.... he lists a bunch and gets to vs 8, …if it is giving, give generously… and then continues through a couple more gifts.

Now, Let’s get out of the way right away that this is not excusing anyone else from the biblical instruction of giving or tithing which is given to the whole of believers of God. Paul is not saying that some people should give and then others don’t have to. This is a specific ability enabled BY the Holy Spirit of God to give above and beyond what others would do or are able to do. You desire to, want to, feel compelled to give and give generously, by the leading and working of the Holy Spirit in and through you.

So, to lay some groundwork, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 9:6-10 what I believe to be the greatest outline for biblical giving as a Christian. And this is for everyone, this is not the gift of giving as referenced in Romans 12:8, but this is for everyone. Paul writes, / / Remember this - a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

In my opinion that pretty much covers it.

We all need to consider, think about and be in connection with God about how and what we give. Personally for me that involves the biblical invitation of tithing, giving 10% of the income Kelley and I both receive to the church to honor God and so the church can keep doing what it does. That’s what we do and whether we have been making a little or a lot we have always had enough and God has worked in us both on a heart level and a financial level through tithing. I think it’s one of the greatest ways to immediately assess how we respond to finances. Are we willing to honor God with them? Do we trust he will provide? Do we see value in giving?

Paul also says don’t be coerced or pressured into giving, and I 1000% agree. Again, if we are willing to talk to God about our finances, I believe we will hear what He desires for us. And that is through scripture and through conversation. I can tell you what I think scripture says and means, I can tell you what I do as a matter of practice and principle, and I should tell you the benefits. But in the end it’s a personal and individual conversation with God.

That being said, I believe the one who is given the gift of giving has been given that gift BECAUSE they have shown themselves faithful with little, and are being trusted with much, and called to a place to both expand and fund the work of God through the church or other various means. They themselves being a part of that very work.

Peter Wagner simply says that / / The person with the spiritual gift of giving contributes their material resources to the work of the Lord liberally and cheerfully, above and beyond the tithes and offerings expected of all believers.

And Jeff Carver explains that this gift really comes in two parts, first that the word giving means to impart or to give, but that the second word that Paul uses in Romans 12 is what is translated as generously, and it really makes this to mean to give sincerely, generously and without pretense or hypocrisy.

I’ve met people like that, they are just super generous but don’t act like it. You know what I mean? They have money, and they use it well, both in their life, in their business, but also in their generosity, and they don’t treat people differently just because they have more, and they don’t give to receive gifts in return or praise for it, and they don’t give out of some bad expectation. They just are generous and giving and normal.

Carver says the Holy Spirit imparts this gift to some in the church to meet the various needs of the church and its ministries, missionaries, or of people who do not have the means to provide fully for themselves. The goal is to encourage and provide, giving all credit to God’s love and provision. Those with this gift love to share with others the overflow of blessings God has given them.

These people are often excellent stewards of what they have, which maximizes their ability to give. And they are often grateful when someone shares a need with them because they see this as their opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus in the life of other believers. If Jesus said there was satisfaction in doing the will of the father, then for someone who has the gift of giving, when they have the opportunity to give to someone and meet a need, or to fund something in the church, or a ministry, they will feel that satisfaction of having done the work of the Kingdom of God.

I’ll say three quick things on this, because I think the Holy Spirit, through scripture shows various ways he brings this gift into the body of Christ.

/ / Personally giving because you have it to give

This really is the person who can give because they have the means to, most likely because they’ve been very wise with what God’s given them, and they have honored God with it. Scripture says that when we are faithful with a little we can be entrusted with more.

/ / Corporate generosity for a task at hand

When we read the book of Acts there was a moment where there was no one in need because those who had were giving. People were selling land and bringing the proceeds to the apostles to distribute as they saw fit. There was a corporate sense of the financial obligation to look after those in need and the work of the church.

In the Old Testament, when Moses wanted to build the tent of meeting he invited the nation of Israel to give toward it and he actually had to tell them to stop, there was such a sense of generosity toward the work of the Lord that people were giving so much.

/ / Culture of generosity through a community

Paul talks about various churches that he’s just so amazed by their generosity to give to other churches in need. Now, to do that you have to have what you’re doing covered. It’s hard to give out of lack. So there are these churches that no only have enough to do what they are doing, and look after things there, but they are able to be abundantly generous to other churches. Paul says that when he shows up there’s funds waiting for him already. Or that he’s well looked after by them and their generosity so he can continue the work of going around to the churches.

I’ve seen all of those at play. I’ve seen moments where a need arises in a church and in a moment all of the funds come in, or are pledged in faith. I’ve seen moments where one person seems to come through, but it’s not pretentious or awkward, it’s just a real moment with someone doing what they can as they have received from God. And I’ve been to places that have just created a culture of generosity because they teach and believe the bible when it comes to giving.

I don’t talk about giving too often because I don’t ever want people to feel like they are being manipulated for money for this organization called Cutler Bay Worship Center, or by me as pastor and leader. But the reality is, God blesses generosity. God works through generosity. God instructed the tithe so that there would be enough in the temple to look after the work of the temple AND help people in need. There was meant to be an abundance that came through the faithful giving of God’s people.

And we see it through the New Testament as well, people being generous with what God has given them.

I want this to be a place like that. Where we as a community understand we GET to give out of a heart of generosity, not like we are being pulled at and coerced into giving more than we can handle, but that God in and through us is providing for our needs and we recognize that we want to be faithful stewards of that provision by both using it well in our lives and businesses, but also through generosity and the work of the church.

/ / Serving & Helps

Alright, we’ll do these two together.

Serving is also listed in Romans 12:7, If your gift is serving others, serve them well.

And Helps is in 1 Corinthians 12:28, and I love this one because what we would consider these powerful list of gifts and then “help” thrown in there. It’s so great. / / Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others...

Boom!

But there’s a pretty good difference between these two and I think this is why it comes in as part of this list, which might seem unusual.

Let’s look at serving first.

/ / The gift of service, or serving, or sometimes called the gift of volunteer is a special ability in and through a believer by the Spirit of God to identify the unmet needs involved in a task related to the work of God in and through the church. It’s working with the available resources to meet those needs and help accomplish the desired goals.

Think of it this way, I think we’ve all met that person who just loves to help and when they ask if there’s anything they can help with you know there’s nothing behind it and that they actually just want to do it. And a lot of times they just serve in whatever way they SEE necessary - and they won’t even ask, they just see something needing to be done, and they do it, with no expectations of recognition.

And let me tell you, that is a spiritual gift. Because there are people who WILL help, there are people who WILL serve if and when they are asked, and then there are those who are just led by the spirit, full of the spirit to do it without question and do whatever needs to be done. It’s not a burden to them.

In the same way the apostles said they needed to find people who could manage the distribution of food, those people who were managing would’ve need to find people who would serve. And I don’t just mean serve the food, but all that is involved in that, and really, even without a specific role. These are people who just want to serve to see the mission of God happen! Doesn’t matter where. Background, foreground, they are just happy to contribute to see the church blessed and to display the love of God to the world around them.

And we all know, Food Distribution is a LOT more than just putting boxes of food in trunks of cars, isn’t it? It takes a lot of work, a lot of hands, a lot of prep and a lot of cleanup!

Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16, / / “You are the light of the world… [so] let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.”

Not recognition for self, but glory to God.

These are the people who serve with a smile because they know that their serving is part of declaring the gospel of Jesus to the world around them. And this allows the work of the church to get done.

Now, I don’t think that means if you don’t see yourself with this gift that it gives you a pass on things that need to get done. Sometimes we clean because it needs to be done, sometimes we move things, carry things, organize things, mow lawns or clean branches because it needs to get done, and we might not have a smile on our face while we’re doing it. That’s ok too. Sometimes we just work together because many hands make light work, and we want those who are more prone to serving to not get grumpy because they feel like everything always lands on them. Although, the more people that are around the more hands there are in each of these gifted areas, right?

Some group these two together, Helps & Serving as one gift. But I like the distinction that Peter Wagner makes.

This is the difference he sees. Where the gift of service is generally someone who is willing to do whatever is necessary for a cause or project, the gift of helps is often someone who is focused on serving someone in particular for the working of their gift. The Gift of helps is when someone invests the talents they have in the life and ministry of other members of the Body of Christ. This enables that person to be more effective in what they are called to do because they have this person helping them. This makes the effectiveness of some gifts even greater because of those willing to help.

This is why I think this is different from serving. Serving in Romans 12:7 simply says, If your gift is serving others, serve them well. But I think helps is listed in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and in the list of other gifts as it is, because those are often the gifts that need help. This is the most basic of examples, but think of a really great administrative assistant - they get things done for the person they work for that enables that person to be more effective in what they’re doing. So, Paul lists these gifts, apostle, prophet, teacher, miracles, healing....and those who help...

I have seen first hand, and been a part of this for seasons of my life, where my purpose was to help in ways that enabled those with leadership gifts to excel at what they were doing because they had someone like me looking after things that got in the way of what they were doing. Again, think Acts 6, if we are looking after this, we’re not looking after what we need to.

And remember, we’ve talked about this, there is no hierarchy as far as importance or value, there are just people who are super gifted at serving and helping others be great at what they do. When Kelley and I were in Ottawa, we had this amazing woman working for the church, her name was Vanda, and it didn’t matter what it was, if you didn’t know how to do it, or needed something to get done, as soon as it was in her hands, she would have it sorted in no time, whether that was finding information, or doing something for you directly, or finding the right person to do it. As soon as she had it, you could let it go from your brain and shoulders because she was amazing at helping and serving in that way.

Ok, so serving, there’s a lot of things that need to get done, and those with this gift find joy in doing it.

Helps, there’s people who need specific help so they can accomplish their goals, and these people find joy in being that help.

/ / Mercy

In the same way as serving is geared to helping where help is needed and helps is geared toward alleviating the work load and pressure on a particular person, mercy is geared toward those who personally need help because of a particular problem.

Wagner says that these members of the Body of Christ feel / / genuine empathy and compassion for individuals, both Christians and non-Christians, who suffer distressing physical, mental or emotional problems, and that is reflected through cheerfully doing for them what they need done to reflect God’s love and to alleviate the suffering they are experiencing.

Again, the distinction should be made. All Christians are called to be merciful, because God is merciful toward us. We forgive because we have been forgiven, we comfort because we have been comforted, we show mercy and compassion because we have received mercy and compassion. But there are some who are just absolutely built and empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve people because of a Holy Spirit gifted mercy and compassion. Where it might take extra patience to help those who are suffering or afflicted the person with the gift of mercy has that. And that doesn’t mean they always do it with the biggest smile on their face, but when you know you’ve been gifted to do something, it changes how you respond and react to certain situations.

Another mark of this gift is that they are able to walk with the people they are compassionate towards for long periods of time. Some of us might be good to help out in a moment, while others seem to be able to just help and help and help those in need for as long as they need. Romans 12:15 says, / / Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. There’s a gift to be able to sit in someone’s sorrow with them. And trust me, not everyone can do that. Some people are so “fix it focused” that they have a hard time showing prolonged mercy and compassion because their gift is to give the person the way out of it, to design the plan and get them moving.

Ecclesiastes 3 says, / / For everything there is a season… a time to tear down and a time to build up… a time to grieve and a time to dance… a time to cry and a time to laugh… a time to embrace and a time to turn away… A time to be quiet and a time to speak…

Those are just snippets of a great passage of scripture, but basically there are those of us who want to fix the problem and be joyful and laugh and there are those who are great at sitting with someone in their sorrow, showing them compassion and meeting their needs where they are at.

And let’s be honest, we need both. One of the hardest things to come to grips with as a married couple, when does our spouse need an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on, and when do they need the truth to get them back on track and a push forward. Sometimes we need both. Kelley and I have learned to preempt some conversations with that, “I don’t need a solution, I just need to talk it out for myself...” And that prepares the other person. It helps!

But the spiritual gift of mercy is wonderful. It’s given to some in the church to love and assist those who are suffering, and walk with them until the burden is lifted. Galatians 3:2-3 says, / / Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

/ / Hospitality

And the last one we’re looking at today is Hospitality.

Primary scripture on this is 1 Peter 4:9, which says, / / Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.

And the reason this would be included is that the very next verse says, / / God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts.

It’s in the conversation, but not directly listed as a spiritual gift. So, why include it? Because honestly, this does not make a lot of lists when it comes to spiritual gifts. One of the books I’ve been quoting is by Jeff Carver, he does not list this as a spiritual gift. But I have to argue differently.

I think there is good biblical encouragement to look at this.

First, what we just read, Cheerfully share your home… the ESV says it this way, / / Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. And the word hospitality is the greek word / / philoxenos which means fond of guests, given to hospitality, a lover of hospitality, one who is generous to guests.

Now, I know for a fact that there are people who fit that category, and there are some who definitely do not. There are some people who are just absolutely amazing at presenting and creating an environment of being welcomed and looked after. And the church needs that. This is our home, as a community, and what does it say when someone walks in and does NOT feel welcomed. We’ve then missed a big opportunity to express the love of God through this gift. Plain and simple.

And just like this is around the gifts listed in 1 Peter, Paul does the same thing in Romans 12. vs 6-8 describe the spiritual gifts, but listen to vs 9-13, so this is after Paul describes the spiritual gifts, and then he writes, / / Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

Bit of a different word, but from the same root, it’s / / philoxenia, and it means hospitableness - entertain strangers, lover of strangers, or showing love and hospitality to strangers.

I think this gift is exactly about these two things. Both an ability and desire to be hospitable toward those you know, and the ability and desire to create a warm and hospitable atmosphere within the community of believers.

One of the most popular catch phrases being used by the church world wide right now is, / / “Welcome Home”. Why? Because coming into this community of believers, where John 13:34-35 is being expressed, learning to love like Jesus loves, that’s how the world will know we’re his followers, should be expressed in feeling like you’re in the comfort and safety of an inviting family home.

It’s even one of the marks of leadership outlined in both Titus and 1 Timothy, that a leader should be hospitable. Well, some leaders are incredible leaders, and have incredible people around them that make what they do hospitable because they know it’s not their greatest gift.

Obviously this is like all the gifts, there’s an element to all of us that we need to be hospitable, we’re not going to be very good at getting along with each other if we don’t get that, but also that there are those who are just spiritually gifted to do this.

Kelley and I went to church with a couple a bunch of years back, and he was keen to be in ministry, to teach and work with people, and his wife was the most southernly hospitable person you’ll ever meet. She was amazing. But she struggled with thinking that to support her husband and to be involved in the church she also had to be ministry minded, and Kelley and I were able to really show her the value of the gift she had and that the gift of hospitality is both just as valuable as what she considered to be “ministry gifts” AND that it is a spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit for the purpose of ministry. No less a ministry gift than any other. It’s a PART, just like we are all a part of the body.

They would have people in their home and the atmosphere she could create was an invitation for people to feel comfortable, let down their guard and listen to the gospel being shared by her husband.

Being led by the Spirit in this way is actually a really great and wonderful thing. And we all know it, there are a LOT of people who just don’t have that. So wouldn’t it be valuable to recognize those who do? Yes, you could lump it into helps or serving, but I think really it is its own thing.

Alright, so serving and helping gifts. Do you see how these gifts that we’ve looked at are all geared toward that?

And if we look at what Romans 12 says, after talking about the gifts, / / Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. If you have any of these gifts, helps, serving, mercy, giving or hospitality, you are truly truly blessed by the spirit to be an incredibly valuable and much needed part of the Body of Christ. You are the hand that the eye can’t do without! You are the feet that the head needs to accomplish the goals of the church.