God Outfits His Church

So, I have this really nice pen. And at this point you’re thinking, “congratulations, I have a few nice pens myself.” Well yes but this pen is special. It was a gift. Now, I think we’ve all received many gifts over the course of our lives, some that are really perfect for who we are, and others that you accidentally-on-purpose re-gift to your cousin the next Christmas. This is one of those gifts that is perfectly suited to who I am. I love fountain pens. The way they write, the way they look. So on our very first Valentines day together, Katie bought me this pen. She even had it engraved. It is a great gift for someone like me, who is constantly writing this or that. I love the way it feels, the way it writes. It makes my chicken scratch look nice. Actually, a little while ago it stopped working, and I’m attached to it enough that instead of throwing it out I told Katie I might have to “retire” it.

Haha, Katie knows me well, and the gift she gave me that Valentines day in this pen demonstrated that she knew me well. I use this pen all the time. In the same way that Katie - knowing who I am - gave me a good, suitable and helpful gift, so God knows us and through the Holy Spirit gives us good gifts. Gifts that are suited to us, that we can use, and that are part of us. God outfits his church by gifting each person, and equipping his church. That is what today is all about.

SOET speel

The question we want to answer this morning is this: What are the gifts of the Spirit all about? We know that God gives them. All of us - I hope - have seen evidence of the gifts of the Spirit in our lives; be it wisdom, healing, prophecy, tongues, etc. They are there, and it is right that as believers we should be desiring these things. But why? That is the question we are going to answer today.

From the SOET: The Spirit gives all gifts to the church to minister to others in love for the purpose of bearing witness for Christ and for building up the church. The Spirit also empowers leaders, both female and male, to equip the church to fulfil its mission and purposes.

Through the Holy Spirit Christ equips us to be His hands and feet.

What does He give us, and why does He do it?

Good Gifts

Let’s read the first sentence in this paragraph again:

From the SOET: The Spirit gives all gifts to the church to minister to others in love for the purpose of bearing witness for Christ and for building up the church.

What we read in this first part of the SOET affirms both that all gifts are available from the Spirit of God to believers, and that these are for the purposes both of being witnesses and building up the body of Christ. What is important to note is that all these gifts come from the Spirit of God. This means that each is just as important as the other. All ministries, be it teaching, or service, or wisdom, or prophecy, they are all equally important.

Let’s break this down. First, what are these gifts?

The two main passages we will look at in considering the gifts of the Spirit are in 1 Corinthians and Romans. Let’s start with Romans

Romans 12:6–8 (ESV)

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts,

in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

This is a Practical Gifts set. Paul says that if you have been gifted in one or more of these areas, it is important that you exercise them.

Prophecy - The disclosing of God’s will through Spirit-filled speech. It’s not so much about the future, but focuses on bringing a word from God for the church to build it up and encourage it (Cornerstone). This should always line up with Scripture. His expression “in proportion to faith” is not about quantity of faith, but rather that as God gifts, we should be exercising them!

Service - Work done for others and God, to worship God. Someone who really loves to serve.

Teaching - If you are a teacher, give yourself to that. Throw your weight behind it and lean into the gifting God has given you!

Exhortation - Someone who might give a word of encouragement or advice to spur believers on in their faith.

Generosity - Freely giving. We should all be giving out of what God has given to us, but God gifts some with a love for generosity that goes over and above.

Leadership - To those who lead, Paul tells us here to lead diligently. Leadership is a gift and privilege that shouldn’t be taken lightly.

Mercy - Or to the one who serves the poor and the needy - do it gladly, because you are working for God!

This is a very practical set of gifts (Cornerstone). Paul’s main goal here is that these gifts NEED to be evident in the life of the church! And they are giftings from God. Often God will spiritually gift you in accordance with how you’ve been naturally gifted. Some of us here have a natural bent towards teaching, or serving others. Others naturally are leaders, or might bring a word of encouragement. Regardless, God has given you these gifts, and wants you to use them. However, Paul also lists some more charismatic gifts as well.

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 (ESV)

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy,

to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

As we look at these gifts, we find some overlap. Prophecy is found in both, but there are also many other gifts listed here.

Wisdom/Knowledge - Wise advice or words of wisdom - both for everyday matters and understanding the Word of God.

Faith - This one is tricky at first glance, because we think “well, shouldn’t we all have that?” Well yes, but in this case Paul means those who have a faith to obey? or go? or follow? God where God asks even when others think it’s crazy. We probably all have a story or two, or have heard them, of people who have taken great leaps of faith despite the odds. The Spirit gifts such faith!

Healing

Working of Miracles - For both healing and miracles Oh… ignore previous note, these gifts probably overlap, and intersect with faith. In this we are not the ones who heal, but God works through us, demonstrating His power to intervene in a variety of circumstances, but notable in terms of illness.

Prophecy - An integral part of the worship experience for the Corinthian believers in 1 Cor 11

Discernment - One who is gifted in distinguishing different spirits. Such a gift is needed so that, especially when someone gives a word, there is someone who can help discern if the word is from God. Discernment is a vital gift for keeping the church free of false teaching and in step with Christ.

Tongues - We’ve talked at length about this, but the gift of tongues - both other human languages and angelic languages is available. It’s purpose is to spur on your faith, to build you up. It is a sign that God is moving in your life - a testimony to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit.

Interpretation of Tongues - This is most vital in the church. Though the gift of tongues is a personal one, God may give a word for the church in tongues. When this happens - Paul says - there should ALWAYS be someone to interpret. This then is a gift from the Spirit also.

In the church today, there are a variety of schools of thoughts on the gifts of the Spirit. Are they all still available, or only some? If so, which are still available, if not all? Good scholarship - grounded in the desire to be as true to the Word of God as possible have landed on either side. Some say all the more miraculous gifts have ceased - such as prophecy, tongues, healing, etc. They hold that these gifts were given only for the apostles as signs in that time. Others argue that the gifts - all of them - are just as much available for us today as they were 2000+ years ago. Where do we land? As a Pentecostal church, we hold that all the gifts are still available, as much as they were for the Apostles and early church.

Let’s go back for a moment to Peter’s sermon at Pentecost.

Acts 2:17 ESV

“ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams;

Peter is quoting Joel 2:28-29. This is a prophecy about the “last days” - a period of time that the apostles saw themselves in, and by extension we are in as well. This is the time between Christ’s ascension and His second coming. In this time, the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon the church so that, in part, we might walk in power. Jesus actually commanded His disciples to wait in Luke 24:49 until the Holy Spirit came. The point here is this: It is right that we should desire the gifts of the Spirit. Our God gives good gifts, and as noted in our SOET, they are for both evangelism, and building up the church.

All of the gifts should be exercised in love. 1 Corinthians 13 literally is all about that. But a chapter later, Paul says this concerning gifts:

1 Corinthians 14:12 ESV

So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

In Acts 6:2-4, the apostles specifically had people appointed who were gifted in caring for others so that the work of ministry could continue. Moreover, these gifts are signs that accompany our testimony. This is what Hebrews 2 3-4 tells us:

Hebrews 2:3–4 ESV

how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

When we think about the gifts, it is best to remember the imagery of Paul in Romans 12:4-5

Romans 12:4–5 ESV

For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

Each of us has a gifting and a place within the body of Christ. Each of us is empowered and equipped by the Spirit of God to both care for our fellow brothers and sisters and as a sign to our testimony about Jesus Christ.

Good Leaders

The second way in which Christ, through the Spirit, equips His church is with good leaders.

From the SOET: The Spirit also empowers leaders, both female and male, to equip the church to fulfil its mission and purposes.

Why focus on leaders specifically? Because God does set apart some who are called to equip the church.

In Matthew 20:25-28 we find the commission Jesus gives the 12 disciples - those who would lead the early church:

Matthew 20:25–28 ESV

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

It is the job of leaders within the body of Christ not to be aloof, somehow better than the rest, but to join with the church, giving their time and attention to help equip the saints for ministry. For clarification, when I say “saints” I am not talking about the Catholic saints, but every single member of the body of Christ. In Ephesians Paul describes those who are gifted specifically to equip the church:

Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

It is the job of those who are gifted as apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers to equip the church to be the body, and the hands and feet of Jesus Christ! Note, these verses are not addressing an office, but gifts from the Spirit. So although elsewhere we find some specific “offices” or roles of authority in the church, in this passage we see God giving certain giftings to people to help equip the church.

Apostles in one sense refers to those who specifically saw the risen Jesus, and were sent out by Him. Now, I know some of us here have been around for a while, but last I checked no one has been around since the 1st century AD. So it’s safe to assume that Apostle in that sense was only for a certain time. But an apostle is also someone specifically gifted to establish churches in areas not yet reached by the church.

Prophets is this one coming soon to theatres?

Evangelists - these are those who function a lot like our modern missionaries do. They function to win people to the faith (though obviously it is the Spirit who convict and convinces people). Evangelists love to tell people about Jesus and their heart is strongly for the lost!

Shepherds or pastors - In the same way a shepherd cares for his sheep, so a pastor needs to care for his people by exhorting them, leading them in the things of God, and caring/comforting them.

Teachers - A teacher is someone who instructs. Often pastor and teacher walk hand in hand, though not always. They teach with authority on things from Scripture, or to help understand prophetic word.

Why does Paul tells us that Christ gives His church these people? So that the church might be built up! So, as a shepherd or pastor, and teacher, it is my job to help equip you for the work of ministry.

Here is a great definition for a pastor in a nutshell:

A leader of a church that cares for people and their spiritual needs like a shepherd would care for the physical needs of sheep.

In Bible school, one of the exercises we were given was to intentionally ask God to hone our calling. At this point, I think most of us knew we were called. But the idea was to get a better of what that calling was all about.

Here’s my calling as a pastor: To shepherd the flock. To care for it, to protect it, to build it up.

It is my job to equip you as the believers that God has placed in my care. In the economy of the Kingdom of God, leaders must be servants, or servant leaders. That means we serve together. It means I serve you, even as Christ served His disciples. My job is not to do all the ministry myself, or be the token Christian in the town. Nor is it my job necessarily to grow this church - only God can do that!. It is my job to trust God, to seek God, and to help equip you for the work of ministry.

Haha, now having said all that I hope you will give me some grace, because I still figuring out how all that works! But the bottom line is this: God gives good leaders to His church so that it might be cared for and empowered to be the Body of Christ. To be Christ’s hands and feet in this world. There are different functions for leaders. Certainly I am not a traditional apostle - I haven’t seen the risen Jesus walking around recently. But I am a pastor, and I am in this season called to teach.

Notice that our SOET specifically lists both men and women as leaders in the church, and does not place different parameters depending on gender. As a church, we accept and affirm both men and women as leaders in the church. We see ample proof in the NT of women leading in the church, including Romans 16 7 with Andronicus and Junia, and Romans 16:3 with Pricilla and Aquilla, Phoebe, and others.

Women in leadership in the church is another area of tension, and our own church has seen significant struggle over this matter in recent months. We don’t have all the time to deep dive into this right now, but if you would like to know more I want to invite you to come talk with me after about this subject. Here’s the bottom line: Not everyone is going to line up on this. Again, solid Christians sit on both sides of the debate. Some will interpret this issue in Scripture differently and not be comfortable with women leading, or teaching or preaching. When these concerns are raised from a heart of genuinely searching God’s Word and wanting to be careful to abide by Scripture, they are fair concerns. As a PAOC church, we affirm a non-restrictive view, meaning that we affirm and encourage both men and women to preach, teach, and lead. We do this from an equal place of having searched the Scripture and finding it to be a healthy practice to offer any who are called, gifted, and demonstrating a Spirit-filled life the ability to lead and serve in the Body here at LGT. We have been blessed in this church to have more than just myself able to teach and preach. We can thank God for how He calls and equips not just a few, but many to help equip His church for the work of ministry.

Conclusion

Through the Holy Spirit Christ equips us to be His hands and feet.

God outfits His church by giving us good gifts. Paul, in both Romans and 1 Corinthians makes it clear that we are all given gifts, be it service, or prophecy, or leadership, or generosity, or many others. Each gift is needed and important, and none are more important than the others. All of these gifts are given by the Spirit of God so that - exercised through love - the church may be built up, and that we may continue to be a light and witness in this world.

God also equips His church by gifting people as leaders, to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors or shepherds, and teachers. These people are supposed to help equip the body of Christ for the work of ministry! That’s my job - to serve alongside you and equip you for the work of ministry.

Here’s my hope for our church: That each of us would bring our unique gifting to the table, and ask: How can God use me here? Each of you has something to offer. Each of us has been given a gift that we have the privilege of bringing to the table. There are certain things you are gifted in that I am definitely not gifted in. Likewise there are things I am gifted in that you may not be. As Paul puts it in Romans 12, we are all different members of the one body, whose head is Jesus Christ. We serve our Lord - not because we have to, but out of love for Him - by bringing our gifts to the church and asking, how can God use me where He has placed me?

I don’t know where you’re at right now in your walk with Jesus. Maybe you’ve been serving Him a long time. Or perhaps you’ve just started coming to God or back to God. Wherever you’re at right now, I believe that there is a place for you in the body of Christ. God gifts everyone who accepts Christ as Lord and Saviour with something. It’s amazing that Jesus creates a place, for each of us, in His body. So, what is your place?

The challenge for us this week is to take some time this week to explore how God has gifted you, and where He wants you to use those gifts. As you walked into church today, you received a piece of paper. This has a link to an online survey that takes about 10 minutes, and will help you to discover your gifts. If you’ve already taken one in the past year, I encourage you to take it again and see if things has changed, or if God is emphasizing a particular gift in your life right now. If you’d like a paper copy instead, please let me know after service today. From there, I want to encourage you to take these results and see how you can plug them back into your church. Maybe you are already serving. If so, thank you for using your gifts! Hopefully this will be a chance for you to further hone how God wants to use you in His church. Maybe you are not involved yet but God is prompting you to get involved. This is a great opportunity to bring your gifts to the table.

If we desire to reach our community for Jesus, and to make a difference here. If we desire to see this church grow as God brings the increase, all of us - not just a few - need to engage in the ministry work at LGT. God has given you gifts that He wants you to use, and I’m excited to see how God will use each one here for His glory.

Pray