Friday September 12, 2014

Read: Romans 8:6-8

We have been talking the last few days about the spiritual gifts that God gives us for the sake of the church. Each and every believer in Christ receives a spiritual gift or gifts for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7). Each believer receives different gifts so that we might serve the body, build one another up and learn to rely on one another. Now that Paul has established our gifting for the sake of the body he turns his attention to how we should use our gifts.

Paul lists out seven gifts and describes the way each one should be used. Some of the descriptions seem a little superfluous at first glance. For example if the person’s gift is teaching, let him teach or if the person’s gift is encouraging, let him encourage. But Paul’s point here is not superfluous. He is encouraging and exhorting the believers to use their gifts abundantly, faithfully and with commitment in serving the local church. We see this intention coming through in some of the later exhortations. The one who is gifted to contribute to the needs of others is to give generously. The one who is gifted in leadership is to govern diligently. And the one who is gifted in showing mercy is to do so cheerfully.

In each of these exhortations we see that Paul’s intention is that believers should use their gifts faithfully and generously. They are to serve others in the church with commitment and passion. Whatever they do they are to do it diligently and generously.

It is striking that not all of the gifts that Paul lists are big, up-front gifts. Prophesy, teaching and leadership may involve some kind of visible, up front service in the church but the other gifts that Paul lists, serving, encouraging, contributing to the needs of others and mercy are all seemingly simple gifts that can be exercised quietly in the background. Just because we don’t think we have a big, showy, up-front type gift doesn’t mean we can’t serve the church through our gifts. Instead Paul exhorts us to be faithful and diligent in the way that we exercise these subtler gifts.

It doesn’t matter whether our role is a visible, up-front role in the church or a background role in serving, encouraging and giving. We are to be using our gifts to serve others and to grow the church.

This should cause all of us, no matter what our area of gifting, to examine the way that we use our gifts in the church. Are we committed to using our gifts to serve others? Are we using our gifts with devotion and generosity? Let us seek out opportunities to use our gifts, to build others up and to serve them. Let us be bold in taking advantage of those opportunities in a way that is generous with our gifting, our time and our effort. Let’s all do our part in growing the church, building up God’s people and preaching the gospel to all peoples and all nations. We all have a vital part to play.

Prayer:

Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.

Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¥ Pray for the Youth as they gather at ChristLife tonight to study God’s word together. Pray that the gospel would be faithfully taught and proclaimed. Pray that God would be at work in the hearts and minds of the youth and that they would grow in their love for Him.

¥ Pray for the youth of your church. Pray that God would be at work in the heart of each one. Pray that they would grow in their love for Him and their desire to use all of their life for His glory. Pray that God would guide them in their decisions and that they might choose to follow Him.

 Walk Moment:

It is hard to look for opportunities to serve with our gifts unless we know what our gifts are. If you don’t know your gifts make a time with a mature believer to help you to identify your gifts so that you can identify the best area for you to serve in the church.

 Discussion Questions For Families and Groups

1. Why do you think that many Christians are more interested in the up-front spiritual gifts than the background service gifts?

2. Think about your own gifts that you listed earlier in the week. What would it look like to use these gifts generously?

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro:  People are good at different things. Some people are good at sport. Others are good at music. Others are good at schoolwork.

Share:  What do you think you are good at? Why do you think you are good at it?

Read: Romans 12:6-8. Just like everyone is good at different things Christians have special things that they are good at. God has given those things to us. What are some of those gifts that are mentioned in the passage? How do you think they can be used to help others?

Pray Together: Thank God that He has given each of us gifts. Pray that He would help us to use our gifts to help other people.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro:  People are good at different things. Some people are good at sport. Others are good at music. Others are good at schoolwork.

Share:  What do you think you are good at? Why do you think you are good at it?

Read: Romans 12:6-8. Just like everyone is good at different things Christians have special things that they are good at. God has given those things to us. What are some of those gifts that are mentioned in the passage? How do you think they can be used to help others?

Pray Together: Thank God that He has given each of us gifts. Pray that He would help us to use our gifts to help other people.