The Gifts that Engage Person's Outside the Church

1 Corinthians 12:18 says “But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.”

As we learned last week, no single person in the church is more valuable than any other.

In the same way that God designed the human body with each part functioning exactly as he intended, God gave us gifts exactly as He wanted. Everything we are is all about Him.

The day God’s gift becomes “my” gift is the day that the spiritual gift loses its value.

Tight end in 8th grade.

Gifts are meant to be shared to make the church a better place and to best honor the King.

How can gifts engage people on the outside of the church?

1. Hospitality

1 Peter 4:9 says “Be hospitable to one another without complaining.”

All Christians are encouraged to practice hospitality, but God has gifted some believers with a unique capacity for making others feel welcome.

Greek word for hospitality is (philozenia) meaning “love of strangers”.

Those with this gift see people on the outside and make the effort to make them feel welcome.

There are certain people who know how to make sure people are glad that they have come to church. Also at home with “Residential Steeples”. If God has given you the gift of making your home a place to feel warm, you may need to pay attention.

“The world shouts ‘look at my house. Look at my car. Look at my stuff.’ The gift of hospitality whispers, ‘Whether little or much, fancy, or plain, what’s mine is your. So make yourself at home. You are welcome here.” - David Franci.

People 1st. Things 2nd.

2. Mercy

Romans 12:6-8 says “According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts: If prophecy, use it according to the proportion of one’s faith;  if service, use it in service; if teaching, in teaching;  if exhorting, in exhortation; giving, with generosity; leading, with diligence; showing mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Matthew 25:34-36 says “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  “ ‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took me in;  I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me; I was in prison and you visited me.’”

“cheerful” (hilarotes) - hilarity or hilarious

“mercy” (eleonen) - charitable organization

The stranger needs the gift of hospitality. Those who are hungry, thirsty, poorly clothed, sick, or imprisoned need the loving ministry of someone with the gift of mercy.

It is to the “least of these” that Christ calls those with the gift of mercy.

Mercy is a powerful way for the church to make a significant impact on society.

What does Dave Ramsey say when people ask him how he is doing?

Those with the gift of mercy are experts at dealing with the underserving.

Without mercy, churches will eventually fail miserably.

People with the gift of mercy need to partner with people who have other gifts to ensure that all needs are addressed.

Spiritual gifts rarely operate well when isolated.

3. Evangelism

Matthew 28:18-20 says “Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.  Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Gifted evangelists are very good at helping people make a decision to trust and follow Jesus.

The gift of evangelism is measured by effectiveness.

One of the best ways to learn to lead someone to Christ is to see someone led to Christ.

Jon Randles “A two-point is actually a 3-point sermon.

Satan hates the gift of evangelism

There are many with this gift that are not using it.

We don’t need to overburden someone with this gift so they can exercise it. We also make others aware of their gift.

4. Apostleship

Apostle - “one sent”

The New Testament uses this term in a general sense to describe those who start a new work or strengthen existing work - often in different or multiple cultures.

Barnabus, James the brother of Jesus, Silas, Timothy, and Paul were called apostles.

This gift is the God-given capacity to exercise extraordinary authority in the establishment and development of church, especially new ones, often in the face of cultural barriers.

Church planters and missionaries

Romans 15:20 says “My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation,”

God has gifted people to see that He has a way when there seems to be no way.

God has gifted the church with the responsibility to have eyes for people on the outside.