Tag Archives: spiritual gifts

God’s grace through His children

08 Sunday Jan 2017

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Granted, this can apply in so many ways (and you may find this reused on this blog). However, one way we often act pagan is in our prideful response to those who offer assistance. So often we drive to the independent desire, and to a point we certainly should be.

Granted, this can apply in so many ways (and you may find this reused on this blog). However, one way we often act pagan is in our prideful response to those who offer assistance. So often we drive to the independent desire, and to a point we certainly should be. However, how often do we consider whether God is making that offer of help through that person? Just because we do not think we “need” does not mean God has to agree. (Is 55:8)

Did you know there is a gift of gifts? How about service, giving, mercy? In all instances, these gifts are given to individuals by the Holy Spirit because He has determined they are needed. If the Holy Spirit controls these gifts, and we believe God is sovereign and in control, doesn’t He place these special people where they are needed? If we see God as perfect in all things, does He waste resources?

We all know stories of individuals witnessed to one time on one day by a person they never saw again, who then became on fire for Christ. Some with the gift of evangelism witness to thousands. Others without it witness to just that one. Has God wasted His resources? His Son was given to atone for the sins of the whole world, many of which God knew full well, Jesus knew at the time of His crucifixion, they would not accept this heavenly gift. Was that a waste?

Think about what happens to people who do not accept God’s grace in Christ. Do we treat the grace in God’s people differently than we treat the grace given from Christ? Is there consequence if we turn away His people, His children, His loved ones? What scriptures point us to answers?

How about Luke 9:5 “And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony AGAINST THEM.” Or consider this passage, “Whosoever shall receive one of such children in my name, receiveth me: and whosoever shall receive me, receiveth not me, but him that sent me.” (Mar 9:37) Consider Matthew 18:6, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18:10 is also enlightening, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in Heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven.”

It is very clear as we consider these passages that God has identified there are consequences for rejecting his children, or even offending them. What a great offense we perpetrate upon God’s people by rejecting their loving care, their spiritual gift, their extending a loving hand. What a great offense we press as our pride gets in the way of our having to simply accept the inspired service, gift or mercy of a loved one in Christ. If a brother or sister in Christ extends themselves to you out of love, don’t reject it. Many consider the admonition in Hebrews 13:2, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” This admonition can weigh equally as one shuns mercy, grace, giving, service or any gift. Do we think we know better than God?

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God’s First Gift

21 Sunday Jul 2013

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Every gift is unique. Not every gift one receives is unique. You may receive the same pair of socks as the next person received, but to each individual that same gift has different meaning and importance. Whether there was conversation between the giver and the receiver, whether it simply struck the giver to select those socks, whatever circumstances revolve around the gift they are unique to both giver and receiver.

The ultimate gift through a series, born by pure grace, not of our own lest any man should boast.

The ultimate gift through a series, born by pure grace, not of our own lest any man should boast.

What we often do is give a gift that is needed from our point of view. We may surreptitiously interview the recipient or just know our loved one enough to know what they need. Regardless, we normally give a gift that we believe they need and will enjoy. Even the humorous gifts have these intentions. Someone may need a laugh.

God gives us many gifts. They begin with belief in Him. He gives us extra abilities, spiritual gifts such as preaching, teaching, evangelism, service and prophecy, among others (Eph 4:8; 1 Cor 12). We often do not realize that as gifts are given uniquely and mean something unique to each receiver, so too will gifts be used uniquely. God’s gifts to us and our abilities to use them will affect the gift in a unique way. The gift of preaching for one may be for conviction of sin . While that same gift to another may be for edification and instruction. We should never presume to know one’s ability or gift. Equally, we should never presume to know how that gift will be used by that individual for God’s glory.

One gift is essential for all others, even salvation. For this reason, faith is the first and must rank as one of the greatest gifts of God (Rom 12:3).  Without faith you will not believe in the Son and receive salvation, God’s ultimate gift. Through salvation we receive the gift of righteousness (Rom 5:17-18: 6:23). Those gifts mean different things to different people but all result in eternal blessings. Rejoice in this greatest gift and live by it (Hab 2:4; Gal 3:11).

Unity of the Local Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:3-9; Col. 2:19; Romans 12:5)

31 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in From the Pulpit, One Another

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[This is part of a series of sermons on the topic of “One Another”.  To access previous messages, please click here.]

Last week we talked about the hypocritical attitude we can have with our works and our conscience. With our works, we can get to a point where we think we deserve a position in the ministry for the Lord. I have literally had people list the works they have done for 20 or 30 years to justify why they demand a position of leadership in the church. They ask why they were not chosen. They ask why the pastor would disqualify them. They do not understand. If they have taught Sunday school, taught children, helped others, shoveled walks and driveways, witnessed for the Lord and visited many, why are they not qualified to be a deacon, or trustee or in some churches an elder? The answer is that none of those things are requirements to be a deacon. They are things deacons do, services they perform. The chief requirement to serve as a deacon is for the man to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 6:3). Other requirements, articulated in Titus and 1 Timothy, include submissiveness, blamelessness, not being an adulterer, having faithful children, being a steward of God, not quick to anger, not given to wine, not someone who would fight or be greedy. There are more qualifications, but the point is that through their own personal admission and line of argument, the individual listing their accomplishments and demands was neither submissive nor full of the Holy Spirit.

As we studied both works and conscience, we quickly find that our works do not earn us salvation, but our salvation is evinced in our works. We also found that our conscience can both accuse and excuse. We can accuse some by simply having a testimony that convicts them. The Christian testimony convicts because it involves submission. Christian submission to God is a bane to man who seeks only to please himself.[i] Man cannot understand how faith in things unseen motivates the Christian. Through faith, the Christian accuses the unbeliever and excuses the believer.

The believer’s faith in Christ’s vicarious sacrifice forces self-assessment and understanding of personal sin. With true understanding of imperfection, every believer knows he makes mistakes. Therefore, believers are forgiving as God in Christ is forgiving (Eph 4:32).

We will look at three passages today. Our first is the most extensive, but they are all essential to understanding how a unified church body functions. We will consider who moves the body, what our parts are in the body, and how we all submit in the body and the construct of the body. We should personalize this entire discussion. This is not sophistry, but functionality in the Christian life. All the way through this exposition you should be asking yourself, where do I fit in all of this? Continue reading →

Minister to One Another (1 Peter 4:10)

10 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by in From the Pulpit, One Another

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[This is part of a series of sermons on the topic of “One Another”.  To access previous messages, please click here.]

In our last “one another” study we talked about hospitality. I’ll admit, I left off a discussion without discussing the performance of our reasonable, ungrudging hospitality. I did so in order to briefly touch on it here.

Being hospitable can become burdensome, costly and exhausting. One can also be irritated by such a task. The Greek term for “grudgingly” indicates that one performs the task while uttering under their breath about having to do so. It is an indication of pure displeasure in the performance of what should be a normal, natural and joyous function of the Christian heart. This is Martha, always busying herself with tasks and not taking the time to appreciate her service and how it blesses others (Lk 10:40-41). This attitude destroys any enjoyment one might otherwise gain from Christian company, fellowship and love. One can get so disgruntled in service that it is no longer a mere Martha syndrome where we are too busy to enjoy it. This situation grows and the heart is distressed to a point that the individual is simply begrudging having to be hospitable. The thought of hospitality itself is distressing.

One thing to realize is that Peter does not seem to be saying his people were grudgingly hospitable. It simply acknowledges the fact that hospitality can be a very trying and tiring service. Still, we should approach all these opportunities with the strength only Christ can muster within us. Seek Him for faith and the right heart to cheerfully serve the people of God.

This is where we are today. We are given a couple of gifts universally for the body of Christ. Hospitality is one such gift. Love is another such gift. As with all gifts in the body, we can only properly use them with Jesus at the center. Today we are encouraged in the use of our heavenly gifts. We must understand first the ultimate purpose in any spiritual gift, which is glorifying God in the body of Christ. If we ever lose sight of this, we fail in our own individuality and potentially hurt the church body in the process. Continue reading →