“SERVING IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING”

I Peter 4:10-12

It is not by accident that the passage on serving God (vv. 10, 11) occurs in the context of verse 12:

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing happened to you.

Suffering is designed to press us into service. Verses 10 and 11 deal with the subject of spiritual gifts. A spiritual gift is a capacity for serving God.

QUESTIONS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS - verse 10

1. Who has a spiritual gift? “As each one of you has received.” Each believer has at least one spiritual gift. I Corinthians 12 is a Biblical commentary on gifts and their usage.

2. When did you receive your spiritual gift? I take it as being when you were saved - “as each one has received.”

3. What are we to do with our gift? Employ it in serving one another. My gift is for your benefit as your gift is for my benefit.

4. What is the nature of our gifts? These are grace gifts - “as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” The gifts are not ours. They belong to God. They have been granted to us to manage for Him.

THE CLASSIFICATION OF GIFTS - verse 11

1. Speaking Gifts - For a list of the speaking gifts see I Corinthians 12. “Oracles of God” Speaking gifts are to be exercised in the context and content of the Word of God.

2. Serving Gifts - Serving gifts are also listed in I Corinthians 12. They are to be exercised in the strength supplied by God.

THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS AS THEY ARE EXERCISED IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS WORD AND IN HIS STRENGTH - verse 11

So that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.

• These are His gifts.

• We are His people.

• It is in His Word and by His strength that we are to serve.

• He gets the glory. None of it belongs to us.

So beloved, if you are suffering today, let God use it to press you into serving Him!

Love to you all.