Spiritual Gifts and Serving

RBSG Christian topic sharingJudy Tseng Tuan

3-30-13

Case studyAndy/Ann addicts to computer games, which leads to his/her poor performance at work and eventually lost his/her phD career. Couldn’t find anything else to continue and staying home all day long, Andy/Ann gets deeply depressed. One day someone refers him/her to your fellowship, where he/she befriends with a lot of good meaning people such as you. His/her rent is due very soon, he/she no longer affords car and hasn’t been sleeping well. He/she comes to you for help. How would you begin to help him/her?

• Your initial reaction to a(any) situation may tell your

spiritual gift.

Purpose of gifts

• “Spiritual gifts are given to equip the church to carry out its ministry until Christ returns” (Grudem p 1018)

– Build up each other in love– Dependent on each other– Unity among believers– Partial foretaste of the perfect to come (1 Cor.

13:10)

Overview of gifts• Apportioned by the Holy Spirit. Some exercised not by our own

will (ex. healing, prophecy). Immature Christians also have gifts, it’s not a source of pride or proof of maturity. Higher gifts are those build up church more and bring more benefits to others.

• Bible made no distinguish between miraculous (supernatural) or non-miraculous (natural) gifts. Even natural abilities come from God! Give thanks to God, don’t de-value.

• No 2 people’s gifts are exactly alike, and may differ from what we expect. Not all have every gift and not all have 1 gift.

• Gifts differ in strength, more usage lead to effectiveness and increase strength.

Types of spiritual gifts

Speaking Serving Signifying

Apostleship/Missionary Helps Miracles

Prophecy Hospitality Healing

Evangelism Giving Tongues & interpretation

Shepherding/Pastor Government

Teaching Mercy

Exhortation/Encouragement Faith

Knowledge & wisdom Discernment

1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30Rom. 12:3-8Eph. 4:11

“19 Gifts of the Spirit” Leslie Flynn, Chariot Victor Publishing, Colorado Springs CO, 1974“Systematic Theology” Wayne Grudem, Zondervan, Grand Rapids MI, 2000

• Number of gifts depends on how specific we wish to summarize. Gift of celibacy, marriage, administration, leadership, etc.

Specific gifts (1)Gifts not well understood or arouse some controversy• Prophecy—telling something that God has spontaneously brought

to mind.– Not equal to the authorities of prophets and apostles, who

speak & write with absolute divine authority. – Not equal to the authorities of scripture.– Speak to the needs of people’s hearts in direct way. Offers vital

subjective relationship with God. Example: Lead by the Spirit to pray (in prayer meeting), focus (in worship), or say certain things (to a person).

– Apostle Paul values this gift (1. Cor. 14:4, 39). Balance the intellectual, objective, and narrowly doctrinal churches.

– Emphasize scripture as the vastly superior source, made in less formal worship services, smaller groups, seek not personal prestige but edification of church.

Specific gifts (2)• Teaching (preaching)—ability to explain scripture

and apply it to people’s lives– Can be mixed with elements of prophecy but not the

same. Repeating and explaining God’s words, and apply to the hearers.

• Miracles (Greek means power)—any kind of activity where God’s mighty power is evident.– Working of divine power in deliverance from physical

danger, in judgment of those irrationally and violently oppose the gospel message, in vanquishing the demonic forces, and in other ways where church will be helped and God’s glory be evident.

Specific gifts (3)• Healing

– Sickness is a result of the fall of Adam. Christ redeemed us from the curse, but our full and complete possession of physical wellness won’t come until Christ’s return—the perfect resurrected bodies for eternity.

– Healing miracles of Jesus demonstrate God’s willing to grant partial foretaste of the perfect health. Also ministry of healing today.

– Purposes to function as a “sign” to authenticate the gospel message, brings comfort to the sick, demonstrates God’s attribute of mercy, and equips people for service as illness is removed.

– Available medicine used in connection with prayer--expect God to bless and multiply the effectiveness of medicine. No medicine available--God can heal where doctors cannot!

– Pray for God be glorified, whether He choose to heal or not. Out of compassion like Jesus toward those who are sick. • If God does not heal, we give thanks to God. God uses sickness to draw us closer

to Him, increase our obedience to His will, and sanctify us (heal or not).

Specific gifts (4)• Tongues (Greek means language) and interpretation—

prayer or praise spoken in syllables not understood by the speaker. – Foretaste of a unified language in heaven (Pentecost, Acts 2:4)– Primarily directed toward God, 1 Cor. 14:2, 28. Language no

one understand, whether human language or not. – Keep us humble and prevent intellectual pride. Remind us

God’s grater. Characteristic of much God’s work in unseen, spiritual realm.

– Self controlled not disorderly and frenzied. No speech of tongues without interpretation in church service. Not all Christians speak in tongues.

Specific gifts (5)• Words of wisdom/knowledge (1 Cor. 12:8)—ability to

speak a wise word in various situations, and with knowledge about a situation. – Base on scripture acquired in ordinary course of life.

• Distinguishing between spirits and spiritual warfare—ability to recognize the influence of the Holy Spirit or of demonic spirits in a person.– Discernment (1 john 4:1)

Discovering your spiritual gifts

• Leaders– Provide opportunity for various gifts to be used. List in NT

is not exhaustive. • Individuals– Ask and seek the need of your church/fellowship– Pray to seek wisdom from God, and do some self-

examination:• What’s my interest, desires, and ability? Can other people offer

advise? Were there blessings observed through my past ministries/servings?

– Begin to minister/serve in various areas! • Judy’s story

Exercising your spiritual gifts (1)discernment

Is there anything wrong with this thinking?

A. I own a special power. (X-men)- Not for me but His will be done

B. I need to protect the earth. (Superman)- I need to let God work on me.

C. This is my purpose. (Spiderman) - Christ is my purpose.

D. Simply reacting. (the Hulk) - Submission to God’s words.

E. We better build a team to fight against the enemy. (the Avengers)

- Jesus already won the battle!

Exercising your spiritual gifts (2)Prerequisites

• Be humble• Be teachable• Be loving• Be filled by the Holy Spirit—devotion &

worship• Be following Jesus• Be sacrificing • Be expecting God

Exercising your spiritual gifts (3)Outcome for you and others

• Growing fruit of the spirit • Growing dependency on Christ• Growing abhorrence to my own sins and pride--

desiring (渴慕 ) holiness and God• Growing praises and worship to God• Growing love toward each other• Growing spiritual maturity—living out God’s

words• Growing faith toward God to glorify His name

Gifts and serving• Parable of talents (Matt. 25:14-30, Luke 19:12-28)

– God has already given you various gifts, which also includes your time, age, experience, personality, and degree.

– God expects you to use them– The more you use, more be given. No use, it will be taken! – Reward in heaven and from God.

• Serving God is a must for Christians– Serving God in every areas of my life

• Servant criteria weighs more heavily on the person than the gift– You can ask God for spiritual gifts! Be aware of your motivation. – Esther mentality, you’ve been given much for a time like this! – Don’t think too much of yourself—Unworthy servant mentality (Luke

17:1-10)• Encouragement

– Mark 10:28-30– John 12:23-26– Philippians 3:7-14, 4:13