PRINCIPLE 1
Every Christian has a spiritual gift or gifts.
There are two types of talents I want you to think about.
There are physical talents and spiritual talents.
We have all kinds of gifts that God has naturally bestowed upon us and they are different.
We won’t be spending much time on those natural talents but we will be referring to them.
Spiritual gifts will determine how you use those natural talents.
Every Christian has a spiritual gift or gifts.
There are two types of talents I want you to think about.
There are physical talents and spiritual talents.
We have all kinds of gifts that God has naturally bestowed upon us and they are different.
We won’t be spending much time on those natural talents but we will be referring to them.
Spiritual gifts will determine how you use those natural talents.
PRINCIPLE 2
The spiritual gifts are to be received.
The Father has ordained your gift. Jesus has purchased your gift at the cross, and ascended whereby He gives gifts to men, then the Father has designed, decreed and sends those gifts as the Son has accomplished it and now the Holy Spirit delivers it to you. Gifts are not invented. Gifts comes from God.
They are unearned – they are gifts of grace therefore you may work on them and with them but you don’t work for them or work them up for God brings them down and you receive them.
These gifts are multifaceted and they are gloriously seen in the lives of a Christian as they are put together. You may see three different people with the gift of teaching but all three teach differently. The very nature of God’s gift is shown in the pallet, like that of an artist that has all different colors of paints on that pallet. The next thing you know there is a portrait over here and we’re all those colors. The Holy Spirit blends this thing together so we can accomplish the mission, the message and the ministry that Christ has given to us.
The spiritual gifts are to be received.
The Father has ordained your gift. Jesus has purchased your gift at the cross, and ascended whereby He gives gifts to men, then the Father has designed, decreed and sends those gifts as the Son has accomplished it and now the Holy Spirit delivers it to you. Gifts are not invented. Gifts comes from God.
They are unearned – they are gifts of grace therefore you may work on them and with them but you don’t work for them or work them up for God brings them down and you receive them.
These gifts are multifaceted and they are gloriously seen in the lives of a Christian as they are put together. You may see three different people with the gift of teaching but all three teach differently. The very nature of God’s gift is shown in the pallet, like that of an artist that has all different colors of paints on that pallet. The next thing you know there is a portrait over here and we’re all those colors. The Holy Spirit blends this thing together so we can accomplish the mission, the message and the ministry that Christ has given to us.
PRINCIPLE 3
Christians are stewards of the gifts.
Stewards of the house. In other words, God has given you a gift that you are to steward. What does a steward do? The steward manages. We (stewards) own nothing in this world. In our mind and heart if we live, we do not live unto ourselves, we live unto God for to live is Christ. God owns everything – everything we have in life – not just Sunday He owns all seven days, not just the tithe but He owns the bank account and thank God for the Sabbath and the tithe to teach us. He owns all my relationships and talents. I want to be a good steward of all that God has entrusted to me. Stewards also carry out the desires of the owner as they allocate the resources and use them. How does God (the Owner) give you direction to use His resources and spiritual gifts? He does it in His Word. His Word gives you the channel markers of life ministry.
Christians are stewards of the gifts.
Stewards of the house. In other words, God has given you a gift that you are to steward. What does a steward do? The steward manages. We (stewards) own nothing in this world. In our mind and heart if we live, we do not live unto ourselves, we live unto God for to live is Christ. God owns everything – everything we have in life – not just Sunday He owns all seven days, not just the tithe but He owns the bank account and thank God for the Sabbath and the tithe to teach us. He owns all my relationships and talents. I want to be a good steward of all that God has entrusted to me. Stewards also carry out the desires of the owner as they allocate the resources and use them. How does God (the Owner) give you direction to use His resources and spiritual gifts? He does it in His Word. His Word gives you the channel markers of life ministry.
PRINCIPLE 4
Spiritual gifts fall into two interdependent categories.
I Peter 4:11 says [11] whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. In the next two texts we cover on spiritual gifts we will see unbelievable lists of spiritual gifts that will be specific and distinctive but here he points out two categories – speaking gifts and serving gifts.
They overlap and work together. We can see this in the offices of the church – elder speaking and deacon serving. We see these categories in the lives of God’s people. As we get into the specific gifts you will see that they will fit into these categories.
Speaking gifts are more public, and serving gifts are more behind the scenes.
We too often value speaking and stage gifts at the expense of undervaluing serving gifts.
But both kinds of gifts are valuable and needed in the body of Christ.
Spiritual gifts fall into two interdependent categories.
I Peter 4:11 says [11] whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. In the next two texts we cover on spiritual gifts we will see unbelievable lists of spiritual gifts that will be specific and distinctive but here he points out two categories – speaking gifts and serving gifts.
They overlap and work together. We can see this in the offices of the church – elder speaking and deacon serving. We see these categories in the lives of God’s people. As we get into the specific gifts you will see that they will fit into these categories.
Speaking gifts are more public, and serving gifts are more behind the scenes.
We too often value speaking and stage gifts at the expense of undervaluing serving gifts.
But both kinds of gifts are valuable and needed in the body of Christ.
PRINCIPLE 5
Two indispensable resources....the Word of God & the Spirit of God.
You have to speak the oracles of God which is an Old Testament phrase referring to God’s Word. God’s people need to hear God’s Word to get the mind of Christ. So in whatever you do you are bringing God’s Word. Secondly, we need the Holy Spirit. We need the Word of God and the Spirit of God who brings the strength of God to accomplish these ministries.
Two indispensable resources....the Word of God & the Spirit of God.
You have to speak the oracles of God which is an Old Testament phrase referring to God’s Word. God’s people need to hear God’s Word to get the mind of Christ. So in whatever you do you are bringing God’s Word. Secondly, we need the Holy Spirit. We need the Word of God and the Spirit of God who brings the strength of God to accomplish these ministries.
The takeaway is a spiritual gift is a God designed and God delivered ministry resource from God to be used in concert with other believers.
I will tell you that you will never use your spiritual gift – discover, develop and deploy them – to the praise of God until you are connected to the body of Christ in a local church. Hands cannot work alone. Arms cannot work alone.
Legs cannot work alone. God has gifted us to be connected and serving one another to the glory of God. Other believers enabling Christ’s church to effectively exalt Christ by staying on mission, on message, in ministry for the glory of God in the midst of adversity whether your gifts speaking or serving.
I will tell you that you will never use your spiritual gift – discover, develop and deploy them – to the praise of God until you are connected to the body of Christ in a local church. Hands cannot work alone. Arms cannot work alone.
Legs cannot work alone. God has gifted us to be connected and serving one another to the glory of God. Other believers enabling Christ’s church to effectively exalt Christ by staying on mission, on message, in ministry for the glory of God in the midst of adversity whether your gifts speaking or serving.