Looking at the Gifts

  • when the famous St. Paul’s Cathedral in England was just completed, the equally famous architect Sir Christopher Wren took the then King of England around for a tour
  • as the King walked through this edifice, he didn’t say anything
  • when he finally emerged on the other side, he turned to the waiting, expectant architect and said, “It’s awful, artificial, and amusing”
  • this would strike us as a pretty terrible blow if we were the architect, wouldn’t it?
  • actually, it wasn’t a problem at all
  • the architect was really delighted
  • because in those days, awful meant awesome, artificial meant a work of art, and amusing went amazing
  • so what the King really meant is that it is awesome, a work of art, and awe-inspiring
  • no wonder the architect was pleased
  • it just goes to show how much words can change their meaning after time
  • and that is within the English language in just a few hundred years
  • imagine, then, if we were to try to find the meaning of words as the author intended them, not three hundred years ago, but two thousand years ago
  • and not in the English language, but in Greek, and not the type of Greek spoken today
  • that’s the sort of problem we run into when we talk about the spiritual gifts
  • with some of them, we simply do not have enough linguistic information to be able to be dogmatic about what the gifts really are
  • so we’ve had to draw upon the experience of people who have seen these gifts operating
  • and it is probably wise to adopt a less than dogmatic stance on some of these gifts
  • I’ll explain this to you as we go along
  • this is the one of three challenges we face as we examine specific spiritual gifts
  • another problem is the classification of these spiritual gifts
  • depending on how you interpret the different passages, there are between 22 and 27 different gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the Scriptures
  • some people have tried to classify them to make them easier to remember
  • Gothard, for instance, classifies them as motivation, ministry, and manifestation gifts
  • Ray Stedman from California, who built a big church around the concept of body life ministries, talks about gifts, workings, and manifestations
  • the only problem is, the Scriptures themselves do not naturally lend themselves to any sort of classification
  • the three major lists of gifts, from Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Corinthians 12, are not complete
  • not one of them contains all the gifts that are mentioned in the Bible
  • secondly, they are partially overlapping
  • some of the gifts are mentioned in all three lists
  • some of them are mentioned in two, some only in one
  • and there are some not mentioned in any one of them that are mentioned in other passages of the Bible that are not primarily concerned with the subject of spiritual gifts
  • so it would seem that the New Testament is not as concerned with classifying the gifts as it is putting before us the incredible diversity of the giver of the gifts, the Holy Spirit
  • and along with that, the richness of the body of Christ, to whom these gifts have been given
  • God has given us an amazing variety of spiritual gifts, and they are all tokens of his varied grace, as 1 Peter 4:10 says
  • then you also have the question of cessation: have some of the gifts ceased?
  • some would argue that the gifts of apostleship, tongues, prophecy and so on no longer apply today
  • others argue that all gifts are available
  • for this morning, at least, I’m going to entirely sidestep this problem to focus on the big picture
  • in the light of these three challenges, we want take a broad approach, and to put the emphasis where the Scripture puts it: on action, not analysis
  • so I want to give you some working definitions this morning
  • a working definition is for someone who, after a while, tires of esoteric discussions, and says, “All I want is a handle on the phenomenon so I can get busy doing what I should be doing”
  • this morning, we won’t dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s
  • we’ll just get to the point where we can get on with the job and put it to work
  • I want to give you sort of a starting block in which you can place your feet and begin running
  • you might disagree with me on some of my positions
  • that’s okay
  • I’m not here to win any arguments; I approach the subject with a great deal of humility, and I don’t have the final word
  • now, I’ll cover 21 of the gifts this morning
  • I obviously won’t have time to cover all of them in depth
  • I’ll vary my emphasis based on the need
  • the ones that need explanation, I’ll explain
  • the more obvious ones I’ll touch only with passing comments
  • where possible and where appropriate, I’m going to mention individuals you may know who are demonstrating these gifts
  • as the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words
  • in this case, a person is worth a thousand words
  • the purpose will not be to glorify these people, because they can’t really claim credit for their gifts anyway
  • it will simply be to flesh out real-life examples of this in our own congregation and beyond
  • I also want to avoid slipping into the lecture mode
  • I don’t want this to be a pedantic, intellectual discussion of the gifts, as much as a description of Richview Baptist Church
  • somewhere in here, everyone fits in
  • so see this as descriptions of people in this particular church
  • imagine ourselves as a diamond that sparkles in different ways
  • that’s the purpose this morning
  • THE FIRST GIFT I WANT TO MENTION IS THAT OF APOSTLE
  • it’s used in 1 Corinthians 12:8 and Ephesians 4:11
  • are there apostles today?
  • in the narrow sense, no
  • the two qualifications of an apostle appear to have been (1) having seen Jesus after his resurrection with one’s own eyes; and (2) having been specifically commissioned by Christ as an apostle
  • in that sense, Paul appears to have been the last person made apostle
  • but in a more general sense, the New Testament has three verses in which the word apostle is used in a broader sense
  • for instance:
  • (Philippians 2:25) But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger [apostle], whom you sent to take care of my needs.
  • so some today would use apostle to describe someone who is an effective church planter or a significant missionary pioneer
  • Network describes apostleship as “the divine ability to start and oversee the development of new churches or ministry structures”
  • these people are extremely rare, although they do exist
  • we only have to think of some of our missionaries who are gifted in pioneering and church planting
  • although I would be extremely cautious in attributing the gift of apostleship to anyone, because of the confusion between the narrow and general senses of the word
  • WHAT ABOUT PROPHETS?
  • prophets are mentioned again in 1 Corinthians 12:28 and Ephesians 4:11
  • if you define a prophet as a person through which an authoritative word of God is to come with a “Thus says the Lord” approach which is binding on everyone, that gift doesn’t operate anymore
  • the canon is closed
  • but I believe the gift of prophecy in the New Testament is distinct from this
  • there are many indications in the New Testament that prophets did not speak with authority equal to the words of Scripture
  • for instance:
  • (Acts 21:4) Through the Spirit they urged Paul not to go on to Jerusalem.
  • this was a prophecy that Paul ignored
  • it appears that the New Testament gift of prophecy is not inspired revelation, but rather process in which a person spontaneously discerns and communicates a message from God to the people
  • not canonical revelation, but for instance, when an unplanned but urgent request to pray for certain missionaries in Nigeria
  • then much later finding out that at that exact time, the missionaries involved had been in an auto accident or an intense spiritual conflict
  • at other times, when preaching, a preacher-teacher may experience a special unction to communicate things he hadn’t planned
  • some would say that this is the gift of prophecy
  • some argue that those who are outspoken in confronting evil and sin in a decisive and authoritative manner have this gift – people like Charles Colson or Ken Campbell
  • they might have this sort of gift
  • I HARDLY HAVE TO MENTION EVANGELIST, MENTIONED IN EPHESIANS 4:11
  • although we all have a responsibility to evangelize, some are especially gifted in communicating the Gospel to unbelievers so that they respond in faith
  • according to 2 Timothy 4:5, Timothy was an evangelist
  • for an evangelist, sharing their faith is almost as natural as breathing
  • whereas most of us share our faith from time to time, an evangelist can’t help but share their faith almost daily
  • HOW ABOUT A PASTOR-TEACHER?
  • the root word for pastor is shepherd, and a pastor is someone who cares for his flock, feeds the flock, and protects his flock
  • and usually the pastor commits himself to one flock, and cares, feeds, and protects them
  • you could define it as a long-term responsibility for the spiritual welfare for a group of believers
  • elders, by the way, would function as pastors – there is no scriptural difference
  • some of our deacons, who provide spiritual oversight, would qualify
  • a New Testament shepherd isn’t someone who gets itchy feet every year or two and moves on to a new congregation
  • they commit themselves, as pastors, elders, or small-group leaders, to a long time to serve the same group of people
  • you don’t have to be called a pastor to have this gift
  • some examples, I think, in our own congregation would be people like Steve Smith and Bob Fukumoto, men who continue to exhibit pastoral gifts even though they’re not serving as vocational pastors right now
  • CLOSELY RELATED TO THIS IS THE GIFT OF TEACHING, MENTIONED TOGETHER WITH PASTOR IN EPHESIANS 4, BUT SEPARATELY IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12:28 AND ROMANS 12:7
  • it is self-evident – a teacher is able to clearly explain and apply God’s Word, causing greater Christ-likeness in the lives of listeners
  • it is not only a knowledge of God’s Word, as many people have a knowledge who cannot teach
  • it is the ability to clearly communicate God’s Word, leading to life-change in the lives of students
  • people like Charlie Hynds and Dawna Haywood have exhibited this gift in abundance here
  • THEN THERE’S ENCOURAGEMENT, MENTIONED IN ROMANS 12:8
  • this is an interesting one, because the word for encouragement comes from the same word used to describe the Holy Spirit: paraclete – to come alongside, to encourage, to exhort
  • it was used in classical Greek of exhorting troops who were about to go into battle
  • it is the divine enablement to present truth to strengthen, comfort, or urge to action those who are wavering or discouraged
  • you know this sort of person – one who is sending notes and cards, phoning just when we need it
  • I’ve noticed that there are many of these people at Richview – people like Lori McMurray and Joan Marshall
  • they always seem to be encouraging others within the church
  • I’M GOING TO PUT TOGETHER TWO OF THE GIFTS: LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION
  • leadership is mentioned in Romans 12:8
  • administration is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28
  • they are distinct but related ideas
  • to lead means to preside or have the first place
  • it means a person who stands before to speed up the process
  • in other words, the leader is someone who has a grasp of the big picture – where the people they are leading are going to be five or ten years from now
  • they have the ability to communicate those goals to the people they are leading, so that people spontaneously follow
  • you don’t have to hang around Joe Tullo for long to know that he has this sort of gift and is using it in the church
  • administration, however, is a nautical term
  • it is used of a helmsman, or someone who steers the ship
  • you can draw a distinction between the captain, who knows the big picture of where the boat has to be in five days, the conditions they will face, and so on
  • but the helmsman takes the wheel and maneuvers the boat through the details
  • the administrators are not necessarily the dreamers, but once they are told what to do, you can relax because they will take care of the details
  • they love to make lists and tick them off
  • you can depend on them to follow through
  • someone like Arlene Rawson or the office administrator here, Janis Percy
  • both are needed if the church has to accomplish its mission
  • if the church has an administrator but no leader, the church will function very smoothly but have little purpose or direction
  • on the other hand, if all you have are leaders but no administrators, you’ll know where we have to go, but we’ll never get there
  • both leaders and administrators are necessary
  • ANOTHER PAIR OF GIFTS THAT ARE RELATED BUT DISTINCT ARE SERVICE AND HELPS
  • helps is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28; serving in Romans 12:7
  • these are doing gifts – they’re task related
  • helps means the performance of helpful deeds in aiding another
  • service probably means a personal ministry done to serve another – probably referring to meeting physical needs
  • they both achieve the same function in the body: the divine enablement to accomplish practical and necessary tasks, with a view of freeing up, supporting, and meeting the needs of others so they can use their gifts more effectively
  • by using their gifts, they free up others to use their gifts
  • the difference comes in the area of motivation
  • it would appear that people with the gift of service are task-oriented people
  • when they see something that needs doing, they jump in and do it
  • they can’t walk past a need without doing it
  • most children don’t appear to have this gift!
  • according to wives, most husbands don’t either
  • but if there’s snow and a shovel’s there, they’ll do it
  • if tables need to be carried, they’ll jump in and carry them
  • the person with the gift of helps may do all these things, but their focus is not on the task, but on the people they’re going to help out
  • their focus is to free the individual
  • these are no glory roles
  • nobody lines up the streets to thank these people
  • they are often ignored, but they are desperately needed in the congregation
  • I’ve noticed a number of people with the gifts of service and helps
  • if tables need to be packed away, or snow needs to be shoveled, they’re there
  • to give two examples, Jack Caldwell and Paul Payne
  • SO IS THIS NEXT GIFT, THE GIFT OF MERCY, LISTED IN ROMANS 12:8
  • it’s the enablement to cheerfully and practically help those who are suffering or in need without thought of repayment
  • these people always side with the underdog
  • they are spontaneously drawn to those that others reject or find undesirable
  • in the kind of broken world we live in today, this is a needed gifts in the church
  • a ll of us are exhorted to show mercy, but those with the gift of mercy do it spontaneously and cheerfully
  • they continually bring stories of how they’re helping those in need
  • for instance, the Beattys and Shields
  • GIVING IS THE NEXT GIFT, ACCORDING TO ROMANS 12:8
  • it’s also a duty
  • but people with the gift of giving approach it somewhat differently
  • those who do it out of a sense of duty have to work hard to learn how to give joyfully
  • they have a tendency to count what they give
  • but people with the gift of giving do not tend to focus on what they give
  • they usually also recognize opportunities to go ahead and make money, and go ahead to do it with a goal to give their money back to God
  • they go by the motto, “Make all you can, give all you can”
  • they don’t give a tithe, they may give 70% or more of their income to God
  • it’s not just the rich who have this gift; the poor widow who gave all did
  • it’s like what Paul wrote:
  • (2 Corinthians 8:3) For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own,
  • (2 Corinthians 8:4) they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
  • that’s a beautiful description of someone with the gift of giving
  • ANOTHER MISUNDERSTOOD GIFT IS THAT OF FAITH
  • faith is a gift, according to 1 Corinthians 12:9
  • George Mueller had this gift; he started and ran many orphanages
  • on many occasions, there was no food, but he would lead the orphans in a prayer of thanks for the food they were about to receive
  • and right in the middle of the prayer, trucks would drive up with bread and eggs and all sorts of food
  • it happened consistently in his ministry
  • some preachers try to shame us all into having the faith that George Mueller did, without realizing that Mueller probably had this as a spiritual gift
  • there are three types of faith in the Bible: saving faith, which every Christian has
  • then there’s the fruit of the Spirit, called faith: the growing ability to live in the light of invisible reality, as in Hebrews 11
  • and then there’s the gift of faith: the divine ability to discern with extraordinary confidence the will and the purpose of God in seemingly impossible situations and to trust God to accomplish this work
  • this is what Mueller had
  • we’re almost at the end
  • KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM ARE MENTIONED IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12:8
  • they are two related gifts
  • knowledge is the divine enablement to systematize and bring biblical truth to the body
  • theologians and scholars would have this gift
  • these are the intellectual pioneers and seminal thinkers
  • knowledge and teaching together become powerful gifts in the church
  • wisdom, while closely related, is probably more specific in its application
  • it is the Spirit-given ability to receive insight as to how any given knowledge can be best applied to the needs of the body
  • for instance, Peter Wagner has an incredible amount of knowledge on church growth
  • but he says that if you sit him in a pastor’s study and ask how to apply that knowledge to a particular church situation, he doesn’t have a clue
  • but he has a colleague named Carl George
  • within fifteen minutes of talking to Carl George, he can say, “Here are the four things that will go wrong with your church in the next year. Here’s what you need to fix it”
  • he can bring the knowledge to bear on a particular situation
  • NOW I WON’T SAY MUCH ABOUT THE WHOLE AREA OF MIRACLES, HEALINGS, DISCERNMENT, TONGUES, AND THE INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES
  • they’re mentioned primarily in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10
  • they’re all together and they all have to do with altering the normal course of nature, whether in healing, casting out of demons, or discerning whether something is human, divine, or demonic in its nature
  • the meanings of many of these gifts are self-evident
  • in many churches these gifts get the most attention out of any gifts, but it is helpful to remember not to focus on some gifts at the expense of others
  • some people believe they don’t exist anymore
  • others believe they do exist, but need to be exercised under the guidelines given in Scripture
  • but they all have to do with altering the normal course of natural events, whether in speaking prayer or praise in syllables not understood by the speaker, or in the whole area of healing
  • LET ME QUICKLY FINISH WITH PROBABLY THE LEAST POPULAR GIFT: CELIBACY
  • it’s given as a gift in 1 Corinthians 7:7
  • not too many people want this as a gift
  • but celibacy can be defined as the God-given ability to remain single and enjoy it
  • or, perhaps more in light of 1 Corinthians 7, to say that those who have this gift are not overly concerned with the disadvantages of being single, primarily in the area of sexual temptation
  • and have come to the point where the advantages of singleness exceed the disadvantages of singleness, as far as ministry is concerned
  • this gift is never a standalone gift
  • it’s for the purpose of taking some other gift of theirs and enlarging its effectiveness
  • John Stott, for instance, has a gift
  • because of his gift of celibacy, he’s been able to take his gifts of knowledge and teaching to benefit the church around the world in a way that, if he was married, he would probably not have been able to do
  • tell me something
  • isn’t the Holy Spirit rich to give us all this diversity at Richview?
  • hasn’t Christ lavished on us the riches of his grace?
  • on this Thanksgiving Sunday, when we thank God for giving us so many precious gifts, I think it’s only appropriate that we pause to think of the spiritual gifts that he has given us, and thank God for giving – for lavishing – these gifts upon this church
  • wouldn’t it be amazing if every individual at Richview fit themselves under one of these gifts and began to work together toward the common goal that the leadership is taking us in?
  • I want you to dream it, pray for it, and make it happen
  • and then we will see an impact for Christ’s kingdom that we’ve never seen before
adapted from a message by Sunder Krishnan, Rexdale Alliance Church
Darryl Dash

Darryl Dash

I'm a grateful husband, father, oupa, and pastor of Grace Fellowship Church Don Mills. I love learning, writing, and encouraging. I'm on a lifelong quest to become a humble, gracious old man.
Toronto, Canada