God Outfits His Church Wheatland

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.

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; maybe wisdom, healing, prophecy, generosity, etc. They are there, and we should be desiring these things. But why? That is the question we are going to answer today.

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 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 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 - 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.

Conclusion

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

Just like the pen Katie gave me - a gift that not only suited me well but is something I can use often, so 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.

How can God use you, right where you are? Each of you has something to offer, doesn’t matter who you are or where you currently find yourself. 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. So, I’ve got something for you if you’d like it. This is a spiritual gifts test. It will help you to understand how God has gifted you. If you’d like a copy, let me know and I will happily pass it on! I want to encourage you to take these results and see how you can plug them back into wherever God has placed you. This is a great opportunity to bring your gifts to the table. If we desire to reach those around us for Jesus, and grow in relationship with Christ as Lord and Saviour, we need to engage the gifts God has given us. 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