God's Gifts to the Church

Introduction

Last week we spoke about the power of preaching, how the Church was birthed by a preaching message, and how it was empowered by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. We learned that the only way for faith to grow is by hearing the Word, and that the Word preached by a preacher is the way that God established for His church. The world sees this as foolishness, but God chose to make it THE way He reveals His wisdom. When we left off, we read that because of the boldness and authority of the apostles, the church enjoyed the esteem of the people. While this is true, this does not mean that everything was always fine and dandy for the church, but as we will learn today, the church wasn’t interested in having an “easy” time of it, they were specifically looking to spread the Gospel and to impact their community with God’s love and power. Doing the work of the church is never easy though, as the apostles were to discover. Let’s pick up the story there.

Acts 6:1–7 NKJV

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.

So here we have a very typical church problem. When God sends His blessing, He often does so in a way that is so completely overwhelming that the leadership structure is overwhelmed. Here we see the early church and their 12 pastors completely unprepared for what happens. It seems that the apostles were overseeing the day to day operation of the church and a situation rises up that causes some stress in the body. Of course we never have disagreements today because we are so beyond that pettiness right?

Well, isn’t it good to know that these types of problems are not exclusive to us? So what is happening? Some Greek-speaking Jewish Christians complain that their widows are not given a fair share in the daily food distribution. If you remember, the church pooled their resources and took care of people who had need. This was the church’s way of loving each other. They were showing love in action. Peter and the rest of the apostles were busy trying to minister the word and spending lots of time in prayer it appears, and the oversight of the daily food distribution is a bit more than they can effectively accomplish. The search for servant leaders is now on.

Last week, we saw how Dr. Luke is describing the authority of the apostles? Today we see that the good doctor is now showing us what the lay leadership looked like. So we see that God, through the apostles, establishes the other important functions of the body. Last week we talked about the five-fold ministry gifts as listed out in Ephesians:

Ephesians 4:11–12 NKJV

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Notice very carefully the wording - some are called to be those things - not all. Not everyone is intended to be in church leadership. I’ve seen churches get torn apart because of people vying for leadership position simply because they feel it’s owed to them. But let me be clear, I’m not saying that only professional minsters are equipped to do God’s work. Let’s take a closer look at the Word of God. God intended for each member of the body to have its part, and to do its fair share.

1 Corinthians 12:18–19 NKJV

But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

Now let’s look at this list more closely. Let’s compare.

Romans 12:3–8 NKJV

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

So we have the gifts broken down here like this:

The Five-fold Gifts · A person given as a gift · Given to some · Given to the church · Given to equip the saints · Given for church government

Now compare that to this Grace Gifts · A gift given to a person · Given to each one · Given to the members · Given for body life · Given for service

So as you can see, God intended that every member in the church should have a place and a function, but not that every member should be in church government- which runs contrary to what is being taught in many churches today.

Then there are the Gifts of the Spirit. These are very specific gifts given for very specific purposes to the believers. Like the grace gifts, they are for all Christians. These gifts differ in that they are not in proportion to the person’s faith, they are given by the Spirit to all and they are given as He wills. In other words, these gifts operate in accordance with the Holy Spirit’s desire and the needs of the body at a specific time.

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 NKJV

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

So let’s review. The ministry gifts are people that are given as gifts to the church, and they serve as the main leadership to “equip the saints for works of service”. Grace gifts are given to “each one according to his faith”, and they are to build up the body of Christ and finally the gifts of the Spirit are given “to each one for the profit of all” and are given according to the will of the Spirit.

So what does this all mean? Well it means that even though if you are not a prophet, you can still prophesy, and in fact, you should! it is both a grace gifting and a gift of the Holy Spirit. Just because you are not a “Teacher” doesn’t mean that you don’t have a God-given ability to teach, and maybe even teach the Word. What’s the point? There is too much ministry work to be done for just the five-fold ministers to do alone- everyone needs to do their part.

So then, what is the difference between a prophet and someone who prophesies? Well this is the best way to explain it:

A person who prophesies, does so according to the will of the Holy Spirit when He - The Holy Spirit decides to direct it. A prophet on the other hand, can almost at will, inquire of God and get an answer and prophesy confidently and with power.

A prophesy coming through a prophet will carry much more authority and much more anointing- it will be almost palpable. That’s not to say that you can’t be blessed and that a layperson teaching can’t be powerful, it is to say that there are different gifts and that these gifts come 1) according to His will and 2) according to your measure of faith and so a five-fold teacher that teaches will have a much greater impact than the lay-leader. It is who they are—who God made them, not just a gifting that they possess. So with that in mind, let’s look at the next story from Acts.

Acts 6:8–15 NKJV

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people. Then there arose some from what is called the Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia), disputing with Stephen. And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke. Then they secretly induced men to say, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people, the elders, and the scribes; and they came upon him, seized him, and brought him to the council. They also set up false witnesses who said, “This man does not cease to speak blasphemous words against this holy place and the law; for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and change the customs which Moses delivered to us.” And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.

So Stephen was not an apostle, he was a lay leader, but it says there that he did some pretty impressive stuff. What gifts of the Spirit do you think were in operation in Stephen’s life? Now consider the job that he was originally chosen to do. What grace gifting do you think Stephen had that recommended him for that position?

Here is a very clear example of where your gift makes a place for you. If you are anointed by God, you will get noticed. Promotion always comes from God, but men try to seek it from each other. All that does is create a bad situation. In this case Stephen’s grace gifting is ministering (or serving) and then in the process of simply serving God, this outbreak of miracles and signs and wonders happen… how? What is actually happening is that God is using Stephen to get his word out as Stephen goes about his normal routine in life. He’s got gifts of faith and working of miracles going at least. There may be more. The thing is, he is there, and he is making an impact. It doesn’t stop there, read the next part:

Acts 7:2 NKJV

And he said, “Brethren and fathers, listen: The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Haran,

He goes on to preach a message about how they departed from God, even calling them out on not only their past, but the history of Israel. Sadly, this sermon did not result in the salvation of thousands. It doesn’t always happen that way, because of various reasons, in this case not only is there no organized altar call, but the reaction of the crowd is violent. Though the Bible says no weapon formed against me shall prosper, Stephen is killed- sacrificed for his boldness.

Acts 7:54–60 NKJV

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

But pastor! What about no weapon formed against thee shall prosper? What about God answering the prayers of His people? Well let me ask you this. What if God was answering the prayers of His people? What if Stephen had a higher calling as a Christian and having his life taken was a better thing for him than living?

What could have resulted from it? Well, we don’t know what his prayer was beforehand, but we know a prayer he had while he was being stoned. “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” Who is he talking about? Right the people that were stoning him. And why is that significant? Look at the beginning of the next chapter.

Acts 8:1–3 NKJV

Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Look at that! Saul of Tarsus was there present when Stephen was killed. And the church suffered persecution. Now let’s see two things. 1) The obedience unto death of Stephen had to have stuck in Saul’s mind and 2) The Gospel was actually spread by the dispersal of the Jerusalem church!

The number one goal of a Christian needs to be that the Gospel is spread. Not that our lives be made more comfortable, or even that our life is spared. That means, like Jesus, we must be willing to die for the sake of the Gospel. Does that mean we are to live like a bunch of suffering weaklings? No, it just means that God can and will answer all of our prayers. Sometimes He even answers the ones that we made when we were feeling particularly spiritual when we say, “whatever it takes to bring them to you Lord…”

Conclusion

God has a magnificent storehouse of grace and spiritual gifts stored up for us. There is supernatural provision for all of our needs according the riches of God. If we live for Him, and the whole focus is to serve Him in whatever capacity He desires, we have provision- even if that means dying for Him? But will He actually ever call us to that? He just might. But it takes God’s provision to live for Him, and it takes God’s provision to die for Him.

That is not an easy thing to hear. This is not an easy message to preach. I want to reassure you of a couple of things. 1) God is able to meet all your needs. He is able to heal you and provide for you. 2) God is willing to meet all your needs, He is actually desirous of doing so, but we must also be willing for God to ask us to make a sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel.

Stephen was given a supernatural faith to die, and you know, in many ways dying for a cause is much easier than living for one isn’t it? But when God does require us to go through hardships for the sake of the Gospel He just as assuredly provides us gifts to be able to endure victoriously. Aren’t you glad for that?