Gifted to Serve: Part 1

One of the joys of belonging to a church is discovering where we should serve within and outside the church. Serving is a blessing. It is a blessing to serve God and others. As Acts 20:35says, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." 

In order to enjoy the blessing that can only come through a life of service, two things are absolutely necessary. First, accept the gospel. We can't the blessed servant God wants us to be unless we first humble ourselves and allow God to serve us the grace we so desperately need. Jesus came from heaven to earth not to be served but to serve; and He did so through His sinless life and through His atoning sacrifice on the cross.

Second, we must discover what spiritual gift(s) God has blessed us with. God doesn't only bless us with grace and forgiveness, but He blesses us also by empowering us to live the blessed life of a servant.

So here's my quick attempt to provide a little insight into the spiritual gifts. Hope, this helps you to discover yours that you may enjoy the blessing of serving for the glory of God.

What are spiritual gifts?

Spiritual gifts are unique God-given abilities which empower Christians to serve God, serve the church, and to serve the mission of the gospel. These are not talents, skills, or natural propensities but rather "manifestations of the Spirit" (v. 7). They are divinely inspired speech, actions, or insight bestowed on individual followers of Jesus. 

What is the purpose of the spiritual gifts?

Verse 7 tells us that they are for the common good. In other words, every Christians is allotted at least one of these gifts for the good of the church, the health of the church, and the advancement of the mission of the church. God grants us these unique empowerments to build-up the church. Thus, a spiritual gift is not so much given to an individual as much as it is given to the church. We are simply stewards through whom God grants unique blessing to the church.

What sort of things are considered to be spiritual gifts?

According to 1 Cor. 12:8-10, these gifts include the utterance of wisdom, utterance of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, tongues, interpretation of tongues. To that verse 28 adds: teaching, helping, and administration. Romans 12:6-8 adds: serving, exhortation, giving, and acts of mercy.

Please note that Scripture does not provide an exhaustive list of every possible spiritual gift. 

How do we discover what spiritual gift(s) God has entrusted to us?

Personally, I don't trust spiritual inventory assessment surveys and questionnaires. I'm not saying that they are wrong to take. However, I do not believe that they are an affective means by which to discover spiritual gifting. Those man-made tools are too subjective and too easily affected by one's mood.

The best way to discover your gifting is by belonging to a church and serving in it. If the spiritual gifts are for the common good of the church, then it's impossible to discover those gifts outside of belonging and serving in a church. Over time it will become clear how God wants to use you to benefit the body, and fellow believers will affirm and confirm the areas in which you're gifted (and where you're not). 

This takes time. Belong to a church. Humbly pray for God to direct you in how to serve. And begin to serve (do something and try different areas of ministry). The payoff is huge. You'll enjoy the blessing of serving and the church will be blessed through your service.

Next week I'll explain more about the specific gifts that are mentioned in Scripture. For now, will simply commit to discovering and to utilizing the gift that God has entrusted you with? Devote yourself to finding out why it is more blessed to give than to receive. Give yourself to enjoying the blessed life of serving God, the church, and the mission of the church.

In awe of Jesus,

Pastor Rick