Gifts are wonderful and exciting things.
It’s always a joy to get the box or the bag with a gift inside; a gift that has been chosen especially for you.
On Easter Sunday I invited you to look in the mirror and see Christ’s hope for the world today. Yesterday you and I spoke about how Easter is STILL coming. In fact, that Easter is coming to SOMEONE because of you. Because, as you and I “remember” Easter and what Christ has done for us, we are also called to live it out. But if you’re like most people, you’re probably wondering just how to do that!
Thankfully, God has already thought of that.
Today’s verse tells you about a gift. It says:
GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF YOU A GIFT FROM HIS GREAT VARIETY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
USE THEM WELL TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
His gifts don’t arrive in a box or a bag. His gifts are found within yourself. Let me tell you about them. As I do, I know that you’ll recognise one or more within yourself. If you’ve committed your life to Christ and made Him your Lord; then He will be empowering you to use your gift for His glory. As you begin to grow in Christ it’s important that you’re not uninformed about spiritual gifts, because they are a source of joy – both in your life and in the lives of those around you.
God is not some sort of a cookie-cutter God, where His gifts all look the same. He’s much more creative than that! There are different gifts, but they all come from the same Holy Spirit. There are different ways for you to serve Him and show others that you belong to Him, but the power to do that comes from the same Lord. There are different ways of working for Him, but the same God is the one who works all things in all of His people.
And here’s the best part – EVERYONE who has made Jesus their Lord has received some way to show others around you that the Spirit is active and alive in them. No one is left out. All of us who are in Christ have been given the gift of His Holy Spirit, and that gift gets seen more and more as we allow Him to fill us and use us.
His gifts look different in each of us because we are all created differently. One translation of the bible puts it this way:
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Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:
wise counsel
clear understanding
simple trust
healing the sick
miraculous acts
proclamation
distinguishing between spirits
tongues
interpretation of tongues.
All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.
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The point is not which gift we get, the point is to use it to serve one another. We ought to be good stewards of these gifts, and neither hide them nor show off as though we were the source. If God calls us to speak for Him, we ought to speak in ways that bring Him glory.If God opens up opportunities to serve those around us, then we should give it everything we’ve got to give and serve by the strength that God supplies. Our goals should be that in everything God is glorified through Jesus Christ. He is the giver of the gift. He is the one who lets us speak and act on His behalf. So all the glory needs to go to Him.
GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF YOU A GIFT FROM HIS GREAT VARIETY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
USE THEM WELL TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
About 30 minutes south of Atlanta Georgia lies a small community named Locust Grove. You may be one of the four million people who’ve seen the video of something that happened at the Unity Grove Elementary School last year. (If you haven’t seen it, you owe it to yourself to Google “Unity Grove Elementary” and “Chris Jackson”) The description I’m about to share isn’t really a “spoiler” because nothing comes close to the impact of seeing it for yourself.
Chris Jackson is the school’s custodian, and he’d been walking the two miles to work for close to a year. Then a couple of teachers took it upon themselves to demonstrate Christ’s love. The video captures the moment when Chris gets given the keys to the used car they bought for him, and his reaction says it all. Of course there are the smiles, and the tears. There’s plenty of hugs, as well. But I think the biggest lesson of the video is found in the four words that Chris speaks after lifting both his arms skyward in praise. He says, “THERE IS A GOD!”
And THAT, my friend, is the lesson of spiritual gifts in a nutshell. HE gives us gifts. WE use those gifts in His power as we speak and act on His behalf. OTHERS look at His gifts in action. And when we do it right, they are compelled to recognize what Chris did. THERE IS A GOD!
As incredible as it may seem, God wants to let the world see Him through you. You are God’s gift to someone. You are the one who will live for Him in a way that someone else will see, and they will come to believe that there IS a God. They’ll want to get to know Him because you do, and they can see what a difference He makes in your life. They’ll see His power in you. They’ll see His peace in you. And they’ll be drawn to Him because of what they see in you.
I don’t know what gifts He has given you, but He says in His word that He gives them to all who are His. Different gifts for different people; but one purpose behind them all.
And the gifts are best seen as we work together for His glory. It’s just like our body, designed to work together. As believers in Jesus, we were intended to operate together. Our diversity is our strength. Remember Unity Grove Elementary School? Their motto says it all — UNITY MAKES US GREAT.
As we use the gifts that God has given us, people will say “There is a God!” And Easter – the fact of Christ’s resurrection and all that means – comes to another life because you were faithful to use the gift He gave you.
GOD HAS GIVEN EACH OF YOU A GIFT FROM HIS GREAT VARIETY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
USE THEM WELL TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER.
Jesus was right. It truly is more blessed to give that to receive.
