You have a gift

Bottom line

God has given you gifts so that you can serve in the church and the kingdom of God can be advanced.

Opening Line

Have you ever met someone or know someone who was especially gifted in something?

Introduction

One of the default examples I come up with in this regard is sports. Anyone can play hockey, but when you watch someone like Connor McDavid or Wayne Gretzky in his hey day, they are truly gifted hockey players.

Same could be said about golf. Anyone can hit a golf ball with a club, but only a select few are really gifted at golf.

My favorite example of someone who is especially gifted is my wife. I met with a pastor recently and they asked if I led worship in any capacity. After I stopped laughing, I assured him that worship is not my gifting, but boy is it Michelle’s. He sensitivity to the Holy Spirit to put the right songs together and her singing ability is really just the tip of the iceberg. Yes I’m bragging about you. She has started playing the piano again, which is just another layer to her giftedness. What some of you don’t know is that she can also play guitar. I cam home from my council meeting the other night and she was in our playing strumming her guitar. She can play the drums, the cajun. Michelle is truly gifted when it comes to worship and I hope you appreciate the true privilege it is to have someone of her caliber leading us as often as she does.

Yes I am aware, I leveled up in the spouse department. I punched way above my weight class! I’m still not entirely sure how I won her over, but boy am I glad I did!

Main Point

My point isn’t to brag about my wife, but rather to let you know that I honestly believe that each of you has been given a gift by God. Some of you may know what that gift is, and some of you are still on the journey of figuring out what it is. But I want to assure you that it is not a matter of if you’ve been given a gift; you have gift, you just need to discover what it is and start using it.

Why it matters

See in order for the church to reach it’s full potential, it requires everyone using their gift to build up the church and advance the kingdom of God. In 1 Corinthians 12, the Apostle Paul refers to the church as a body, and the strength of a body isn’t that it is made of one part, but the sum of all the parts working in unison towards the common goal of making disciples. Some parts may be more obvious, while some may be smaller and more discreet, but all are necessary.

This morning as we dive into the second part of Acts 9, we are going to see the newly saved Saul using his God given gift, and we are going to see Peter using his. As we move through the passages this morning, I invite you to continue the posture of listening for God’s voice, asking him to reveal to you what your gift might be.

Scripture

We are in Acts 9, starting in verse 20 this morning. As a quick refresher, the chapter started with Saul encountering the Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus. He was blinded during the encounter, and the disciple Ananias came, prayed for him, he was healed and baptized. This is where we pick up the story.

Acts 9:20–25 NLT

And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” All who heard him were amazed. “Isn’t this the same man who caused such devastation among Jesus’ followers in Jerusalem?” they asked. “And didn’t he come here to arrest them and take them in chains to the leading priests?” Saul’s preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn’t refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. After a while some of the Jews plotted together to kill him. They were watching for him day and night at the city gate so they could murder him, but Saul was told about their plot. So during the night, some of the other believers lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the city wall.

Saul the Evangelist

What does Saul do? He starts telling people about Jesus. He’s going to synagogues, he’s debating with the Jews. The more he preaches, the more powerful his preaching becomes.

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I love the commentary of the people in v. 21. Isn’t this the guy who was supposed to be arresting the Jesus followers and taking them back to Jerusalem in chains? What in the world has happened to this guy?

He met Jesus. It is really as simple as that. That is the power the gospel can have over someone’s life. That comment probably caused some confusion, but more importantly probably got some people’s attention. Why the sudden change? I need to know more.

There is one other really important detail you need to know. Later in the book of Acts, Saul is going to say that he received the training of the Pharisees. He knows his stuff, and now that he understands that Jesus is the answer to all the questions he had, that Jesus is the promised Messiah, he can defend the scriptures more thoroughly than ever before. The other Jews never stood a chance! So what do they do when they can’t refute him? They do the same thing they did to Stephen and Jesus; they plan to kill him. So he escapes out a basket, and runs to Jerusalem where they welcome him with open arms, right?

Acts 9:26–30 NLT

When Saul arrived in Jerusalem, he tried to meet with the believers, but they were all afraid of him. They did not believe he had truly become a believer! Then Barnabas brought him to the apostles and told them how Saul had seen the Lord on the way to Damascus and how the Lord had spoken to Saul. He also told them that Saul had preached boldly in the name of Jesus in Damascus. So Saul stayed with the apostles and went all around Jerusalem with them, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord. He debated with some Greek-speaking Jews, but they tried to murder him. When the believers heard about this, they took him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus, his hometown.

The church is cautious

Saul arrives in Jerusalem and the believers are little skeptical. When Saul got to Damascus, they knew why he was originally sent there, but Saul hadn’t actually arrested anyone yet. However, the same could not be said in Jerusalem. Acts 8 starts off by recording that Saul was going throughout the city, dragging people out of their homes and into prison. The church had not forgotten, and were skeptical about his so called conversion.

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So what changed their minds? Barnabas. One guy came forward to testify and confirm that the change Saul was claiming really did happen. Now the church didn’t just have to trust the word of one person; they were able to trust the word of one of their own who could confirm everything Saul was claiming had happened.

I feel like this is a good spot to add to a comment I made last Sunday at the Pavilion. I had commented on the short season where OneChurch had to lock the doors during our gatherings. I said that we were in a tough place, knowing that no one is too far removed from the Gospel that they cannot be changed by it, while also trying to create a safe space for people to worship and experience Jesus. Now I was vague about who this person was because I don’t want to publicly call anyone out, but in my vagueness I left the door open for speculation and assumption. So I want to make something clear. The situation that led to OneChurch locking the doors during our gathering involved someone who had committed crimes, had done time for some of these things, and was being investigated for other offenses. I say all that because I don’t want rumors starting that don’t need to be started. I again want to reiterate; if something is going on or I say something that you don’t fully understand, please come talk to me or a Pastor’s Council member. Don’t jump to conclusions please.

I bring this up because it is a perfect example of what is happening in this story. For Saul, he has a fellow believer come to his defense and it helps win the church over. In this particular situation that we were dealing with, we had the opposite happen where someone came with serious concerns about this individual’s involvement in the church. Never underestimate the power of your testimony and defense of someone. It can honestly make all the difference for them.

The church warms up to Saul, he goes around preaching with them, and the Jews in Jerusalem try to murder him too. So the believers take him back to Tarsus where they hoped he would be safe.

Acts 9:31 NLT

The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

The Fear of the Lord

I love that as we go through Acts, Luke will throw in these little one verse updates on how the church is doing. At this point in the story, the church has now accomplished phase 3, and it is at peace and becoming strongers through Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. In fact, with the help of the Holy Spirit, it is continuing to grow.

But what is the one key element that Luke notes? The believers lived in the fear of the Lord. So what is the fear of the Lord?

Deuteronomy 10:12–13 NLT

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your heart and soul. And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.

Proverbs 8:13 NLT

All who fear the Lord will hate evil. Therefore, I hate pride and arrogance, corruption and perverse speech.

Proverbs 16:6 NLT

Unfailing love and faithfulness make atonement for sin. By fearing the Lord, people avoid evil.

I think this passage from the gospel of Luke actually captures what the fear of the Lord is.

Luke 12:4–7 NLT

“Dear friends, don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he’s the one to fear. “What is the price of five sparrows—two copper coins? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.

I think that when we read scipture, it is easy to read these two things as disconnected, but actually Jesus intentionally teaches in this order so that we remember that the fear of the Lord actually leads us to experience his love more thoroughly.

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It is like my relationship with my kids. 99% of the time, the relationship between me and my kids is defined by the love we have for each other. We play together, we laugh, we go on adventures, we pray together. Your typical relationship between a dad and his kids.

But when my children do something they are not supposed to, like punching their sibling or not cleaning their room after being asked 18 times or lying to me, there enters an element of fear. Why? Because discipline is coming, and no one enjoys discipline, even when it comes from a place of love.

This is how the fear of the Lord works in the hearts of a believer. I actually live in a way that pleases God because I love him, but I also recognize that when I intentionally step outside God’s good plan and live in a way that is not pleasing to him, discipline is coming because he loves me and doesn’t want to remain outside his plan.

This is what made the church strong. It was a recognition of what sin was, and doing everything in their power to stay as far away from it as possible, out of reverent fear of the Lord. If I can be honest, I would say the church in the West could use a little more fear of the Lord. I know I could.

Acts 9:32–43 NLT

Meanwhile, Peter traveled from place to place, and he came down to visit the believers in the town of Lydda. There he met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you! Get up, and roll up your sleeping mat!” And he was healed instantly. Then the whole population of Lydda and Sharon saw Aeneas walking around, and they turned to the Lord. There was a believer in Joppa named Tabitha (which in Greek is Dorcas). She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor. About this time she became ill and died. Her body was washed for burial and laid in an upstairs room. But the believers had heard that Peter was nearby at Lydda, so they sent two men to beg him, “Please come as soon as possible!” So Peter returned with them; and as soon as he arrived, they took him to the upstairs room. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showing him the coats and other clothes Dorcas had made for them. But Peter asked them all to leave the room; then he knelt and prayed. Turning to the body he said, “Get up, Tabitha.” And she opened her eyes! When she saw Peter, she sat up! He gave her his hand and helped her up. Then he called in the widows and all the believers, and he presented her to them alive. The news spread through the whole town, and many believed in the Lord. And Peter stayed a long time in Joppa, living with Simon, a tanner of hides.

Peter the Healer

All throughout the book of Acts, it becomes evident that Peter has the gift of healing. In Acts 3, right after the believers are filled with the Holy Spirit, he grabs the hand of the lame man at the temple and picks him up. In Acts 5, people are bringing the lame to Jerusalem, hoping that Peter’s shadow would fall on them and they would be healed. Now Peter was healed a man that has been paralyzed for 8 years and raised Tabitha from the dead. That is a gift.

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But there is a key element that pops up as we read through these stories of Peter healing people. When he healed the lame man, what did he say? In the name of Jesus Christ, walk. What does he say to Aeneas? Jesus Christ heals you, Get up. What did the people do in Acts 3 after the lame man was healed? They praised God. What did the people of Lydda and Joppa do after the healings took place? They turned to the Lord.

I mention this because it puts the purpose of the gift in right perspective. I’m sure many of you have seen people who claim to be healers, but they seem to draw all the attention towards themselves and charge a pretty penny for you to go see them. The gift is never meant to glorify the one who receives it; it is meant to be used to glorify the one who gave it.

Saul was a great evangelist and turned many towards saving faith in Jesus. Peter was a healer, and because of the miracles Jesus did through him, whole towns turned to the Lord.

Transition to Application

Just like the believers in Acts, I believe that each of you has a gift that God has given you so that the Kingdom of God can be advanced. Why do I believe that?

1 Corinthians 12:7 NLT

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

Main To Do

This is why we do the Ministry Expo. On one hand, yes, we need people to serve in various roles so that Sunday morning and the other ministries we have run smoothly. Let just call a spade a spade. But on the other hand, it is when you serve and use the gifts that God has given you that you really begin to grow in your faith. When you serve, it is your opportunity to take what you are learning from the word and from your prayer times and really put it into practice.

Why it matters

It is why they are called ministries. When you serve as a greeter, you serve as a minister in the ministry of greeting or hospitality. Scripture lists hospitality as a gift. We are all called to be hospitable, but some have a gift of hospitality. Its why we have some really outstanding greeters, because they are using their God given gift.

It is why we call the muffin crew a ministry. What might just be a batch of muffins to you could literally be the very thing that makes a new person feel at home enough to open their heart to hear the gospel for the first time. It is a ministry.

Closing Line

You have a gift. Are you willing to use it to see the good news about Jesus spread in our region? Are you willing to take that small step of obedience?

Discussion Questions

What stood out from the message?

When you came in, you were given a list of gifts. Look through the list prayerfully. Share 2 or 3 gifts on that list that stand out to you.

Why do you think it’s important for everyone in the church to use their gifts?

In what ways do you see yourself serving in the church community?

How does understanding that the church is a body with many parts change your perspective on your role?

Have you ever felt a little hesitant to use your gifts? What held you back?

How can you actively seek God’s guidance to discover your gifts?