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Source: https://www.sermonindex.net/speakers/bruce-rodgers/spiritual-gift/
Could be turned to 1st Peter chapter 4. I'm still trying to finish my Bible reading. I'm just going to touch on a few details relating to the theme of spiritual gifts and If you Still have your outline from yesterday you will Know that there were a few details that are Mentioned that I think are very worthwhile looking at but I'm going to start at the end first Peter chapter 4.
Now it might be good to read from verse 7 down just for the connection First Peter 4 verse 7, but the end of all things is at hand be therefore sober and watch unto prayer and Above all things have fervent charity or love among yourselves.
For love shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging as Or according as each man or each one has received a 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 giveth or which God supplies that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ to whom be praise and Dominion forever and ever.
Amen. And when you think about this present time period one of the most wonderful things is that when God Vindicated his son by raising him from the dead he graciously Restrained his deep longing To vindicate him fully in this world immediately We call this time period grace and It is grace in many multiplied ways.
But the reality that the world is still continuing on in its Rebelliousness against God its denial of God and yet God has provided his son He has provided the redemption. He has made the way back to himself and yet he waits and he waits and he waits.
So I think when we look at this glimpse that is given to us here We're given the framework that the end of all things is at hand. The the the climax is impending we're in a time of grace a forbearance of God, but we're also in a time of the display of the multifaceted grace of God to mankind and While the world is still in rebellion God is at work in and through his people and as we look at these these Verses verses 10 and 11 particularly.
I don't see these as two Separate single gifts that are mentioned here, but rather two classes of spiritual gifts and It says here very simply in verse 10 and as or according as Every man or as each one has received the gift.
Now one of the things if you do a study of spiritual gifts the different passages Romans 12 Ephesians 4 first Corinthians 12 becomes very evident that God says each of us has a gift and there's a there's an obvious logic in it as being made members of the body of Christ.
Obviously we have a function. We don't believe in vestigial or organs Leftovers from evolution. We believe that God has designed us and just as in the physical body Where every part has a function so in bringing us together into this wonderful spiritual entity of Being the body of Christ.
Now he's absent but we are here to perpetuate the beauty of Christ in this world to do his work and so it says according as and so. This is a very important starting point to acknowledge that he has Endued us he has Enabled us to serve him.
He has equipped us and it should be obvious from this that we are responsible. We are accountable and the idea of stewardship is introduced here. According as each one has received the gift even so Minister the same as Good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Now I appreciate my brethren and sisters. There have been times when I haven't I remember a particular time when I looked around the assembly and all I could see was failure and limitations and I found within myself a certain Contempt for my brethren and sisters and then I began to recognize I've got a problem.
This is not the way to look at my brothers and sisters. Every passage the main three passages that deal with the subject of spiritual gifts Always gives it in the context of the body and that we are members one of another.
We belong to one another we are for one another and although we're all different and He intends us to be different He intends us to work in harmony because there is a genuine oneness Harmony that unites us and that is Christ himself.
And you've heard mention of the Spirit of God and that unfailing resource of his strength his energy his wisdom His power that's all for us that we might Accomplish what is spoken of here, but there's an individuality that we need to accept as a starting point.
I am a steward. And I will stand in the presence of the Lord Jesus and give account as a steward of What he has entrusted to me. That's what I become responsible to minister to you. Now when I was growing up and for most of my Christian life, I have rarely heard anyone speaking about spiritual gifts and There are many and varied theories about it.
I realize. But if we just look at the scriptures and gather some of these fundamental basic ideas. You have a gift what is a gift? It's an ability. It is a spiritual ability. Now you might say well, you know, but I was never a talker.
Well, I see many times that the Lord does harmonize our Natural abilities and talents with a spiritual gift. He often does but sometimes he does some Ironical things he takes someone who couldn't stand up in front of a class at school and Say two words and makes him a public speaker.
That's me. I was so shy as a teenager that when I had to stand in front of my class and say a little resume of a article of a story that I had done I was beet red and I could hardly say two words. That's what I am naturally it was faith.
Faith in him that drew me out of my of my self imposed cocoon Pulled me out so that I might be useful to him. Now we all have our our own little Idiosyncrasies our limitations and so on what we are naturally both positive and negative.
Let's think beyond what is natural and Acknowledge this that he has in Judas. He has clothed us with an Ability and so the language that is used here according as each has received the gift so it should be obvious from this that we should be interested in understanding the spiritual gifts and I'm going to make a few suggestions if I can get out of this passage and into Romans 12 on on Some details of that.
But just to accept this as a starting point I am a steward. You are a steward. The Lord does not ask of you what he has not equipped you for. But as he has in his grace conferred upon you some capability that is of himself with which you can serve his people and Glorify him and notice the language that is used here verse 11 is really giving what I would call two broad categories of gifts the speaking gifts and the serving gifts if Any man speak?
Let him speak as the oracles of God. Now that's a very significant expression the oracles of God. The word is used in Romans chapter 3. That the the supreme blessing really I guess you'd say Israel had two supreme blessings.
One was the divine presence Revealed to them the glory of God was among them. The other is that the Word of God was given to them and Romans 3 highlights that fact. The oracles of God were committed unto them the Word of God.
So what does this mean then? Well, I'm sure we have heard of the claimed infallibility of The head of a certain large religious organization that when he speaks out of the chair. It's infallible. Well, I hope none of us get to the point where we think that everything we say is infallible yet We must accept this if we are going to speak.
We are to speak as having come out from his presence. With a message from his presence to his people or to the world around us. So it is serious. We're not just up here ad-libbing to entertain. It is to communicate the mind of God the heart of God to his people.
So we need to seek to be truthful to be honest to be sincere. And that we as we present the Word of God. That it is in harmony with the character of the God that we are called to represent. If any man speak there's a dignity there is a nobility a tremendous responsibility to speak as speaking for God his messages.
Then it says if any man minister let him do it as of the ability which God supplies now the word minister as You probably know or have been told a number of times the word minister or to serve Can be used in different senses sometimes and we use that this expression a ministry meeting and We're not going around, you know feeding each other Food or or something like that we're teaching the Word of God, so Ministry I am ministering the Word of God at this moment.
But I would suggest that in the context of this passage it's in contrast to speaking and it is serving one another. And he says if anyone serve let him do it as of the ability Which God supplies. Again, I want to encourage you with this.
There is a tremendous amount of need among God's people. There's a tremendous amount of need. There are many who are who are suffering there are many who could be encouraged and strengthened and If God has put it into your heart to encourage someone.
Don't put it out of your mind. My wife has been very helpful to me in this way she is an acts of service kind of person and she serves me. And puts me to shame. For how she serves me. She shows her love through her service and when it comes to among the Christians.
She is very alert To what she sees as the need of various ones. And she will often point it out to me. You notice how this person was this morning. Because she is someone who has this kind of a spirit.
Now at the same time at times and I'm I'm just using from personal Experience here, but I'm sure there's going to be a number of you here who will harmonize with this. You get awfully weary of doing that service.
It seems and you wonder why doesn't anybody else notice? These needs. Is it always left up to me. Well, yes, we can be negligent of our gift we can be negligent of our responsibilities. But again, if God has put it in your heart, I want to encourage you with this.
Do it with the ability that he supplies. The word to supply here is very interesting word and it's a word that is used of. We would say today in in the sports field or entertainment field or some something like that where where someone wants to dedicate Themselves to just their training.
An example would be the Olympics where someone will. They will be training for four years to go in at the Olympics. Well, how do you provide your own living and all of the rest of well they usually don't they get somebody to sponsor them and this is that concept of someone who is supplying all that person needs so that they can just go out and do their thing and Train and develop their abilities and so on and some company usually is prevailed upon To be the sponsor to supply all their need.
That's kind of some of the idea to to supply to furnish and to equip. What is the outcome? The intended outcome is that God in all things? may be glorified. Our assembly gatherings Should be times of encouragement.
Refreshing building up. These are some of the terms that are used in first Corinthians 14 where we have different activities mentioned in assembly functioning. It should be that an assembly would be an attractive place.
That people would be drawn to the people of God. They would sense that there is There is a love there. And that's why a little earlier in this passage says above all things above all things Have fervent love among yourselves.
Why. Because all of this service Can only be properly fulfilled in the atmosphere and in the power of love. That is what is going to make it effective. Living and a true representation and manifestation of the glory of God.
And so Christ is absent. Christ is not physically here in this world. But the people around us should not be able to think that he's just a historical figure. They should know that he lives as they see his life being reproduced in his people and a people who love one another and who care for one another who encourage one another strengthen and encouraging godliness and Manifest that same life you notice that it's not just that God may be glorified.
It's that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. That what we do what we say will reflect back upon the Lord Jesus and He will be honored and through him. God will be honored now. Obviously, I'm not going to get to the other passages.
When I look at the idea of spiritual gifts and you might say where do you start. Well, one of the things I would suggest is that Romans chapter 12 in those first eight verses really gives to us the pattern of the discovery and development of our spiritual gifts.
It begins with the dedication of ourselves that the presentation of ourselves to God that we are to serve him and Then our Spiritual condition be not conformed to this world be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
God is more concerned with your spirituality than your spiritual abilities. He can give you all the ability you need. But he wants you in a spiritual condition in harmony with himself. And then the passage flows out from there to the idea of the grace given to each one of us individually.
Grace given to serve and so that's how those that passage opens up and I trust that as You think about yourself? You will acknowledge God has Entrusted to you Individually as a steward part of his grace part of his capability of his of his beauty so that you might magnify him through serving God.