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GIFTED TO SERVE
Part 1: Gifts of God
By Rev. Will Nelken
________________________________________
Presented at Trinity Community Church, San Rafael, CA, on Sunday, September 26, 2021
Over the next four weeks, we’re going to explore many of the gifts with which God equips His
people—what they are, how they come, what they’re used for, what you can do to develop
them, and how to make the most of them.
Some Christians are afraid of the subject of spiritual gifts, because they’ve witnessed abuses of
power, bizarre behaviors, and harmful treatments.
Are the gifts really necessary?
Some Christ-followers imagine that they have no significant gifts.
Is that really true?
Some Christians wear their gifts proudly, like merit badges.
Is that what they are?
Others know they have gifts, but seldom use them because they see no opportunity.
Must we
just wait for the weather to change?
My aim, over the next month, is to help you understand why God has given gifts and to whom,
and to instill confidence in the supernatural ways God works through people, as well as discernment of counterfeits and aberrations.
I encourage you to make notes of points that seem to speak to you, as well as questions that
arise from what I have to say.
If you will, share them with me, so I may address them, if I am
able.
Even more helpful, if you will join us Thursday nights on Zoom from 7:00-8:00 for
WordREFLECT, we can discuss your thoughts and experiences together.
The Scripture that drives this theme is found in 1 Peter 4:10 – “As each has received a gift, use
it to serve one another.”
This underscores four vital points, which I’ll briefly introduce at this point:
EACH ONE has a gift.
No one has been omitted; God has given gifts to each one of His children.
Each one has RECEIVED A GIFT.
These gifts have been received from God; they are not environmentally formed.
USE it.
God’s gifts are meant to be used; don’t waste them, don’t bury them.
Use it to SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
They have not been given for your own benefit.
Spending them on yourself will not be fulfilling.
Gifts of God
There are three New Testament passages that explicitly mention gifts from God for those who
follow Him—they are found in Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Corinthians 12.
A brief examination of each passage will give us needed background on the subject.
Gifts of the Father
Romans 12
12:4
For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same
FUNCTION, 12:5 so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members
who belong to one another.
12:6 And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us.
If the gift is prophecy (ability to prophesy), that individual must use it in proportion to his faith.
12:7
If it is service (serving others), he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; 12:8 if it is exhortation (encouragement), he must exhort; if it is contributing (giving), he must do so with
sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy (kindness), he
must do so with cheerfulness.
This list, and those to follow, should not be viewed as exhaustive.
In other words, that Paul
listed seven motivational gifts does not mean there are only seven and can be no others.
Rather, these lists are suggestive of the types of gifts that fit in each of the three categories.
As you can see by the bold-faced UPPER CASE highlight, this group of gifts has to do with our
functions as members of the church (the body of Christ, the family of God).
Therefore, I believe
these gifts come to us from the Father, as personal motivations for our family relationships.
These gifts form our personalities and motivate the way we function most effectively among
other believers.
Let’s look at each one briefly (I think you’ll see yourself described here):
Prophecy – (not policing, but) discerning righteousness and injustice, and prodding faithfulness.
Serving – recognizing others’ needs, with a desire to lend practical help
Teaching – yearning to bring understanding of God and His ways
Exhortation – readiness to encourage faith and obedience
Contributing – eager generosity to meet needs
Leadership – ability to organize and coordinate the efforts of others
Merciful – tenderhearted patience and compassion
I remind you that each one has received such a gift—it’s the way God made you.
A motivational gift is not something you choose; it’s the way you naturally see the people and the relationships around you.
It is the Father’s gift to you, to make you who you are (who He meant
you to be).
You are the best and most fulfilled you when you operate in this gift.
Your motivational gift is what attracts you to some people, and irritates you about others.
These gifts drive your personal passion—defining what matters most to you about the ways
people relate.
The motivational gift God has given you will provide enthusiasm for a course of
learning and should suggest your career choice.
It’s not unusual to recognize more than one of these gifts operating to some degree in your
life.
In fact, the longer you sincerely walk with Christ and yield yourself to the influence of His
Spirit, the more likely you will have seen many, if not all, of these gifts in your experience.
Yet, most people will acknowledge that one of them is expressed more often than all the others—a primary gift—with one or two in the secondary or supporting position.
Do you recognize the primary motivational gift your Heavenly Father has given you?
Considering our theme text again, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another,” we
may recognize the universal and inherent nature of our Father’s motivational gifts.
Gifts of the Son
Ephesians 4
4:11
It was he who gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as
pastors and teachers, 4:12 to equip the saints for THE WORK OF MINISTRY, that is, to build up
the body of Christ, 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the
Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature.
Again, the bold-faced UPPER CASE highlight reveals that these gifts from Christ the Son, given
to His church at the time of His return to Heaven, are designed to direct and enable God’s people to do the work of ministry—their service in the church and the world.
There are only four (or, perhaps five) gifts in this list, and they are, in fact, gifted individuals
whose gifts are designed to provide stability, direction, leadership, and maturity for the church
on earth in the absence of Jesus.
(Some divide the last two, but I believe the underlying Greek
construction suggests a composite, instead; thus, four, instead of five ascension gifts—pastors
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