Spiritual Gifts Series
Part 2 – “Dividing to Every Man”
Rev. Bruce A. Shields – First Baptist Church Tawas City Michigan
www.TawasBaptist.org
I would like to welcome you to the First Baptist Church of Tawas City, we are very glad you are here today.
If you are visiting, please fill out a Visitor Card located in the back of the pew’s, and leave them on the pews as you leave, and someone will come by after the service and pick them up.
Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 12:11
“All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.”
PRAYER
Were continuing our series on Spiritual Gifts today, and we just read that all of the Spiritual Gifts are the work of one and the same Spirit, and to each one is given “Just as He Determines”
This fits with a couple scriptures we read last week;
1 Corinthians 12:7 - Gifts of the Spirit are given to every man to profit the whole body.
1 Corinthians 12:18 – God has arranged the parts of this body, every one of us, just as He wants us to be.
If you are here today, it’s because God wants you to be here. (God has arranged the parts of this body, every one of us, just as He wants us to be.)
If you are part of the body of Christ (or saved), then God has a gift placed within you.
He placed that Spiritual Gift within you to use in this church for the good and growth of this body of believers.
We don’t all have the same gifts or the same number of gifts, but we do ALL HAVE GIFTS.
The scriptures say so, and we are called to use those gifts.
We read in Matthew 25:14-30 last week, the parable of the Talents.
But, before we begin I want to clarify something about scripture.
There is only 1 interpretation of the scriptures, but many applications.
For example, the parable about the servants and the talents is about servants who are responsible and obedient receiving rewards and those who are irresponsible and disobedient being excluded from rejoicing with the master.
That’s the interpretation. That’s what the parable is about.
But, there are many APPLICATIONS of this scripture.
The principle of this scripture may be applied to many areas of our lives as long as it is in context with the interpretation and ongoing theme of the entire scriptures which expresses the will of God.
A few applications for this scripture would be;
Finances, tithing, Spiritual Gifts, obedience to God’s word, serving, etc...
This is one of the reasons why God’s word is so awesome, because we can apply one scripture or principal to many areas of our lives.
So, there is only 1 interpretation, but many applications.
So later on down the road when we use this scripture and apply it to another part of our life, we won’t be confused and think that this scripture is ONLY about Spiritual Gifts.
So,
Matthew 25:14-30 the parable of the talents
All the servants were “Called” by the Master.
One was given 5 talents, another 2 and another 1.
1 Talent is equal to $689.00 in today’s money. (3,000 shekel’s)
Why was one given 5, one 2 and the last just 1 talent?
Well by the end of the parable we know why. The master knew the ability of each servant to serve, and based on each servant’s ability to obey, he determined how many talents to give that servant.
And to the servant who obeyed and gained profit from the talents, the master rewarded him with more.
See, God knows where we are in our walk.
He knows what our ability to obey and serve truly is, even if we don’t.
He gives us talents that not only edify the body of the believers when they are used properly, but they grow us through our obedience, and draw us all closer together as one body of believers.
And when we use our gifts properly, God builds us and gives us more gifts.
Remember Matthew 25:29 of the parable?
“For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.”
Has what? Well we know God’s not talking about having the talents or Spiritual Gifts because all the servants HAD them, but they all didn’t receive an abundance.
He’s talking about having PROFIT from the talents, or Spiritual Gifts.
Everyone who uses their Spiritual Gifts properly and has a profit from them will be given MORE.
Having an abundance.
The Hebrew text here for abundance is “per-is-syoo’-o” Which means “to cause to excel”
If we use our Spiritual Gifts properly and profit from them, God will cause us to excel!
Another thing to note from the parable here is if you do not use your Spiritual Gift, God will take it from you and give it to someone who will use it.
Use it or loose it.
The scripture also says that the one servant who buried his talent, or like I like to think of it, took it to his grave instead of using it, was called a “wicked and lazy servant!” with an exclamation point!
Then the master said “throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Jesus says “weeping and gnashing of teeth” a few other times in the scriptures, every time referring to disobedient servants.
Such as in;
Matthew 13:47-50
“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Being thrown out into darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth doesn’t sound too pleasant.
But this is what is done with the wicked. And the scripture here says that if we are not DOERS of God’s word as opposed to JUST HEARERS, then God considers us to be wicked and lazy.
You know, one of the greatest obstacles to church growth is that churches a lot of times assign members to church positions on the basis of availability, rather than if that is their gift or not.
If it is not your gift, you are not going to excel at it.
If it is your gift and you are using it properly, God will excel you in that area!
Last week we talked about not confusing Spiritual gifts with natural talents, and not confusing them with Fruits of the Spirit.
Natural talents are what you can do.
Spiritual Gifts are what God does through the Holy Spirit in you.
Fruits of the Spirit are eternal characteristics of God shining through you when you have the Holy Spirit.
Spiritual Gifts are temporal abilities God gives to us while on earth.
Spiritual Gifts are for edifying the body of Christ, that won’t be necessary once we leave this earth. So Spiritual Gifts are for HERE and NOW.
They would serve no purpose in heaven.
I was thinking about it last week after the service, and there’s one more way we can confuse Spiritual Gifts.
We need to be careful not to confuse Spiritual Gifts with Christian roles.
What I mean by that is,
There is the Spiritual Gift of Faith, but all Christians are to have faith.
There is the Gift of hospitality, but all Christians are to be hospitable.
There is the Gift of intercession or prayer, but all Christians should pray.
We can’t say, “I can’t pray because it’s not my gift.”
There is the Gift of service, but we must all serve.
There is the gift of giving, oh, oh. He’s going to say “tithe”.
Giving is MORE than just tithe.
So, some gifts may seem bigger and better than others, but that’s not true.
God has given us all gifts according to our ability to obey and serve and each gift is an important part of the whole body.
An illustration I like to use for this is about my Grandfather.
We called him Fat Daddy; it was just a nickname that stuck.
Fat Daddy came over one day and he was on crutches.
I asked him why and he said because he broke his big toe.
I laughed not really believing him, but it was true!
I asked why he had to have crutches if just his one big toe was broke, because I thought it was strange.
He told me that, when you walk, all of the weight of your body is pressed down on your one big toe with each step.
At one point, your entire body weight is on that one toe!
A big toe does not seem like a very important part of your body.
In fact, if I was to ask you to list your most important body parts, you may even overlook the big toe.
But when that one part, although small and seemingly insignificant part of the whole body is not functioning, it slows the body down to a crawl.
Because Fat Daddy’s big toe was not working, he had to use crutches or he couldn’t walk!
Because of ONE TOE the whole body is hampered!
I wonder how many big toes there are in here today.
How many are telling themselves their gift is too small to matter, or they are insignificant.
How many here today think they couldn’t possibly make a difference in this church.
You couldn’t be more wrong.
If there is just ONE here today and you are not using your gift or operating as you’re supposed to. This church body is now on crutches.
If 2 or 3 are not operating as they are supposed to, this church is crippled.
We all need to be doing our part, DOING what God has called us to do so this body can function properly.
People say, we want the church to grow, we want more families, we need more children, the tithe seems low.
Let us not forget Psalm 127:1?
Only God can build us. We can’t do it.
And when we operate as a whole body, each doing their part,
GOD WILL SAY “WELL DONE GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL OVER A FEW THINGS, I WILL MAKE YOU RULER OVER MANY.
ENTER INTO THE JOY OF THE LORD.
FOR UNTO EVERY ONE THAT HAS SHALL BE GIVEN MORE, AND I WILL MAKE THEM EXCEL!”
Points to remember!
• All Christians are given at least one Spiritual Gift
• Spiritual Gifts are essential for Church health and growth
• We do not all have the same gifts, so we must work together as ONE!
• NO GIFT IS NON-ESSENTIAL!
And we must remember that Paul stresses in 1 Corinthians 13 the without Love, the Spiritual Gifts are worthless!
Prayer
Lord, we know that you have filled us with your Spirit.
We know that you have given us gifts as you willed.
Please help us discover our gifts, our talents that you have given us through the Holy Spirit so that we may function as ONE, as a whole body as you intended us to.
Give us the understanding over the next couple of weeks as we examine some of the gifts to know what it is you are trying to show each one of us.
We pray that you give us grace during this time of new grounds, this uncharted area of our church growth, as we move into searching for you and your Spirit within us.
We pray that you guide this body Lord for you are our head and we are here to serve you Jesus.
Give us the ability to function not just as a whole, as ONE body, but to have ability to know and understand what we are to do to function properly.
As we examine these Spiritual Gifts listed in your word God, we pray that if someone here is led by your Spirit to recognize a gift, that they reach out for your word and study that gift.
We pray that if it be their calling and your will that those here can see what it is you want them to do, thus fulfilling YOUR will Lord.
Father, continue to grow this body and making it pleasing in your sight.
In Jesus name. – ALTAR CALL
