Priceless: Finding Your Value In God
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THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
Know any “gifted” people? When I hear that word, it takes me back to the third grade. I don’t know how or why, but I was chosen to go to the school library once a week and work with a “gifted” teacher.
When we met for the first time, the teacher challenged me to write using my imagination. I was happy to oblige—but all I wanted to write about was Jesus. That previous summer I had given my life to Christ, and He was all I could talk about. Displeased, the “gifted” teacher told me if I didn’t open up my mind to other subjects, I would have to go back to the not-so-gifted classroom.
And that’s how I got kicked out of the “gifted” class—because my gift was talking about Jesus.
As we’ll see in today’s session, the Bible talks about giftedness from a much different perspective. God gifts His followers in a way that is far different—and far greater—than any talent or giftedness typically celebrated in modern culture.
The
world gravitates to people who are talented or highly skilled with
unique abilities. The more talented a person, the more popular that
person is. But a multi-talented person does not necessarily make the
world a better place. God has a different focus. His desire is for us to
serve and support others, and He equips us for that very purpose.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NIV)
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
The manifestation of the Spirit (v. 7)—As believers allow the Holy Spirit to guide and empower them, they reveal the working of the Spirit through their service to God and others. Implied is that the use of a spiritual gift is never to bring attention to the believer, but only to God.
Distinguishing between spirits (v. 10)—The Holy Spirit gives some believers the ability to determine if teachers, leaders, and other individuals are being led by God or by Satan. Satan works through false teachers to lead people away from God and His truth and to disrupt the unity of the church. If an individual is under Satan’s control, those with this gift can warn others to avoid such a person.
1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Have you noticed how easily we make distinctions between people by slapping labels on them? Blue collar or white collar. Republican or Democrat. Cat people or dog people.
The church in Corinth found another way to divide itself. The Corinthian believers had created faulty divisions around who they considered to be their leader (see 1 Cor. 1:10-13). This was faulty because the church, and every single believer within the church, is under the leadership of Christ. Catch the repeated emphasis Paul gave in verses 4-6: “the same Spirit ... the same Lord ... the same God.”
The same Lord and Christ in your life is the same Lord and Christ in my life. Every follower of Christ knows Him and experiences Him in a personal and powerful way, because the Holy Spirit indwells all believers.
Now, the fact that we have the same Leader and the same Spirit doesn’t mean we’re all the same as individuals. The Holy Spirit has taken up residence to work in and through us. Part of that work is empowering us to serve through our spiritual gifts. These spiritual gifts are not material gifts, nor are they natural abilities or talents. Instead, spiritual gifts are given to us by God when we are born again. In fact, the word translated as “gifts” in this passage literally means “a gift involving grace.”
So, even though we share one Spirit, one Lord, and one God, we are still unique. God works in our lives in different ways. The same Spirit gives “different kinds of gifts” (v. 4). And all of those spiritual gifts can be used in “different kinds of service.” In other words, even believers who have the same spiritual gift can be used by God in a variety of ministry settings and opportunities.
The result is “different kinds of working.” The word working is much richer than a list of actions on a to-do list. The Greek term carries the idea of working and getting something accomplished. In other words, it’s effective. These activities accomplish the fruitful work that God desires.
Now let’s run all that together. The Holy Spirit works through you and me with a diversity of spiritual gifts, and He places us in different ministries and roles to use those various gifts. And these ministries of God will result in effective work for His kingdom.
Paul offered a list of spiritual gifts in these verses, but it wasn’t intended to be exhaustive. He listed other spiritual gifts in Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10,27-30; and Ephesians 4:11. Peter also discussed spiritual gifts in 1 Peter 4:9-11.
People have attempted to group these gifts in various ways, but perhaps the simplest way is to put them in four broad categories:
- Gifts that support. Gifts such as helping and managing (see 1 Cor. 12:28) guide the work of the church.
- Gifts that share. Gifts such as showing mercy (see Rom. 12:8) and hospitality (see 1 Pet. 4:9) are tangible ways of communicating God’s love.
- Gifts that speak. Gifts such as teaching (see Rom. 12:8) and prophecy ground the church in God’s Word.
- Gifts that supplement. Gifts such as wisdom, knowledge, and faith support the other gifts.
The wonderful thing about the list of spiritual gifts is their variety. They are diverse, and their many combinations create more and more ways we can serve Christ and His church.
Remember, however, that Paul’s goal wasn’t to categorize spiritual gifts. Rather, Paul focused on the purpose of those gifts: “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (v. 7).
Your gift is not for your personal benefit. In fact, any use of a spiritual gift to direct attention and glory to an individual is a misuse of that gift. God has given us these gifts so that we might build up, strengthen, and encourage the church; reveal Christ; and glorify Him. Properly using your gift accomplishes all three!
1 Corinthians 12:11
God knows you very well—far better than you know yourself, in fact. God also knows what His church needs. Therefore, the spiritual gifts He desires to work through you are just right for His will. He distributes His gifts “to each one, just as he determines” (v. 11). That does raise some interesting questions.
What if you have a gift you don’t want? I heard that question one night when I was teaching a class on spiritual gifts to young adults. The man who asked it looked mad and miserable. I prayed a quick prayer for wisdom, and immediately God put the answer in my mind. I said, “God will change your ‘wanter!’” A few days later, that young man came to my office. God had called him to preach, but he’d been running from God. Since that class, God indeed had changed his heart—and his “wanter.” God put a desire in him to use his gift in the local church, and he’s been faithfully doing that now for over 25 years!
It bears repeating: God knows you better than you know yourself. Trust Him. The gift you have is the gift you need.
Why doesn’t the Holy Spirit give every believer every gift? A healthy body needs every member working in harmony together. Accordingly, God has orchestrated His church so that no one has everything he needs without the involvement of others in his life. We were designed to live in relationship; therefore, through God’s distribution of the gifts, we are interdependent of each other even as we depend on Christ. Life in Christ fundamentally requires cooperation and partnership.
"The place God calls you to is the
place where your deep gladness
and the world's deep hunger meet."
—FREDERICK BUECHNER
place where your deep gladness
and the world's deep hunger meet."
—FREDERICK BUECHNER
LIVE IT OUT
God has uniquely gifted you to serve Him and contribute to His church. How will you respond to those realities this week? Consider the following options:
- Worship. Praise God that He has a divine purpose for your life. Set aside a specific block of time to thank Him and praise Him for the ways He has uniquely gifted you to accomplish that purpose.
- Discover. If you don’t know your spiritual gifts, take an assessment to help you discover how God has blessed you and how your gifts can be used in and through your church.
- Train. Make it a priority to mentor other believers who are unsure about their spiritual gifts. Help them discover ways they are gifted and able to serve.
As a follower of Christ, you’re part of the “gifted” class. But remember that your desire should always be to glorify God by using the gifts He’s given you. Those gifts are for the benefit and good of the whole church, so use what you’ve been given as an act of love.
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Prayer of Commitment
Father God, by Your Spirit You have equipped me with just what I need to serve others in the body of Christ. Open my eyes to see where I may apply my gift in ways that benefit my brothers and sisters in Christ and bring honor and glory to Your Name. Amen.
Prayer of Commitment
Father God, by Your Spirit You have equipped me with just what I need to serve others in the body of Christ. Open my eyes to see where I may apply my gift in ways that benefit my brothers and sisters in Christ and bring honor and glory to Your Name. Amen.
Let's make 2016, less about us and ... "All About Christ"
HAPPY NEW YEAR
In His Love,
David & Susan
