THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES SPIRITUAL GIFTS
I Peter 4:10,11
Now we come to the final aspect of the work of the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation. Maybe this is not His final work in sequence, but for the purpose of this pen pulpit we will treat it as final. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are really identified with the Baptism with the Spirit. As the baptism with the Holy Spirit places you and me into the body of Christ and gives us membership in that body – the Gifts of the Holy Spirit give us our job description in the body.
I don’t think I have to remind this congregation of the importance of serving God in the church. Not just in CGBC Long Beach, but in the Body of Christ. But what exactly is serving God? Serving God is putting your spiritual gift to work. Using your spiritual gift is God doing His work through you and using you to do it (I Corinthians 12:7).
We read in I Peter 4:10,11 “As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion forever and ever - Amen.”
Peter discusses three major movements –
The first is the NATURE of Spiritual Gifts within the Body of Christ – he emphasizes six truths:
1.
Gifts are universal within the Body of Christ. Everyone has received at least one spiritual gift. This is soon discovered when a member of the
body ceases to function. Everyone is
important and no one is more important than anyone else.
2. Gifts are a present possession. Everyone in the body has received a spiritual gift. Spiritual gifts are not given upon the attainment of a level of spirituality. In I Corinthians I:6,7 we read “Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so you are not lacking in any gift.” The reception of gifts is not based upon spirituality, rather upon regeneration. When a baby is born, that little one is born with all his parts intact. So a spiritual gift comes with the Spirit when we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. Gifts are Functional within the body. They are ministered one to another. Do not sit idly by and admire your spiritual gift. Use your gift. The function of your spiritual gift contributes to the edification of others. To withhold your gift is to withhold what the body needs. The word “minister” indicates a regular consistent basis for our service. Timothy admonishes us not to neglect our gifts (I Timothy 4:14) and to “kindle afresh” those gifts (II Timothy 1:6).
4. Along with the gifts comes responsibility. Believers are stewards of the gifts. We do not own them – we only manage them for God. The word “steward” implies one who manages the affairs of another. This concept should eliminate pride regarding gifts.
5.
Gifts are diverse within the body. There are many gifts in the body and none is
more important than another. Gifts are VARIGATED – (Romans 12:4,5) “Just
as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same
function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ. And individually members
of one another.”
6.
Gifts are undeserved. They are grace gifts. No
one deserves the high and holy honor of serving Jesus Christ. It should be counted as the highest of all
privileges to serve Him. But at the
same time don’t make light of that privilege as though it were nothing. In I Corinthians 15:9 Paul writes “for I am the least of the apostles, who am
not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.”
The
CLASSIFICATION of Spiritual Gifts within the Body of Christ (v.11a). There are two categories:
1. The Speaking Gifts – All speaking gifts are to have the Word of
God as their curriculum. This is their
qualifying factor. “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the
oracles of God.” The pattern of
Paul revealed the speaking gifts as very evident in His life and ministry. Acts 28:30, 31 reveals Paul’s faithfulness
in using these gifts.
2. The Serving Gifts – The
second category of spiritual gifts. The
qualifying factor of the serving gifts is the power or ability supplied by God.
“ If anyone ministers, let him do it with
the ability which God supplies.”
The
PURPOSE of Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ (v.11b) “so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to
whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever.” God is to receive the glory in everything
that is accomplished in the Church.
SOME
FACTS TO REMEMBER:
1. We are HIS people
2. These are HIS gifts.
3. It is HIS Word we speak – and
4. It is with HIS ability we serve - And all
so that HE may receive all of the glory.
Beloved,
let’s remember this as we serve Him day by day. God Bless.
In
His matchless grace,