God's Gifts to Us

I think all of us love to receive gifts. Actually, we're approaching the season of the year when the vast majority of people are going to be giving gifts, as we know. And it's funny, Norm and I were commenting the other day, Thanksgiving hasn't even arrived, and you can drive down a lot of streets, and they already have their Christmas decorations up. They're already pushing everything, and a lot of stores are really finding they have financial problems right now, so they're pushing things. And you find that Walmart seems to have the inside track this year because of their lower prices, and a lot of people are going to be shopping Walmart this year. I think we especially enjoy a present if it's a surprise. How often do you men surprise your wives with a gift, or a bouquet of flowers, or a card, or a small gift? Something to let her know that you're thinking about her. Well, I'll guarantee you that if it's a surprise, it doesn't matter what it is, she will deeply appreciate it. And you women, the same thing is true of us men. We appreciate those things also. You'll find that God is the greatest giver of gifts that there is in the universe. In James 1, verse 17, in James chapter 1, and verse 17, let's notice what James wrote about God.

We read here, Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. So, you find that every good and perfect gift does come from God Almighty. And God is a gift giver.

God calls us the sun to shine on the just and the unjust. He provides the good earth to supply us with food, clothing, shelter, occupations. And God has done this for all humanity, not just for the church. He also extends to man his grace, his gifts of forgiveness, of love, of mercy, of kindness. And you and I are some of the major recipients of those gifts that God has given to us.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ is probably the greatest gift that God has given us. That Jesus Christ came, he gave his son, so that you and I could have our sins forgiven. Then Christ gave himself his life, and so he gave as a gift. In Acts 2.38, we find another gift spoken of that God gives to us as his children.

Let's notice in Acts 2.38, Peter said to them, you might remember this was the day of Pentecost. This is the climax of the inspired sermon that God had given to him. Peter said to them, repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. So God gives us his Holy Spirit as a gift. Now, a gift is not something you earn. When you give somebody a gift, it's a gift.

I mean, you gave it to them, you thought about it, and it's not something you earn. It's something that is given to show love, to show friendship, affection, to show support. So you'll find that God's Spirit is a favor that God extends to us, and that God will eventually extend to all humanity. God's Spirit is the vehicle or the means whereby God is creating himself in us. He imparts other gifts to us, and whereby he will use to bring us into his family. Today, I'd like for us to take a look at the gifts that God gives his sons and his daughters to you and to me.

And I'd like for us to take a look at how he expects us to use those gifts. What does God expect us to do with those gifts that he has given to us? And how do they differ from good works, from ability, from the fruit of the Spirit, from natural talents, and from spiritual gifts? Well, in Romans chapter 5 and verse 12, we'll begin here. Romans chapter 5 and verse 12, we have a whole section of the Bible that talks about the gifts that God gives to his people, to his children.

Let's begin in verse 12. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, thus death spread to all men, because all sin. For until the law, sin was in the world. In other words, until the law was codified on Mount Sinai, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law.

Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned, according to the likeness of the transgression of Aaron, who is a type of him who was to come. Then verse 15, but the free gift is not like the offense. So, God has given us a free gift. God has given to us justification, forgiveness, being made right with him through Jesus Christ. He's extended his grace to us, and then God gives us his Holy Spirit as a result of that process.

But the free gift is not like the offense, for if by one man's offense, Adam, and then even Adam sinned, many died. In other words, they introduced sin into the world. They were kicked out of the garden, cut off from the tree of life, and so they set the direction that man was going to go in.

Much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of one man. So, Christ coming to the earth, coming as God in the flesh, born of a woman, is a gift that God has extended to us. So, if the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, abounds to many, and the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which comes from one offense resulted in condemnation.

So, we find that you and I have been cut off. Man has been subject to Satan, to this world, to its human nature and all of that, and we brought condemnation. But the free gift which comes from many offenses resulted in justification, resulted in us being made one with God, right with God. For if by one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness. Now, notice again, he talks about the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.

So, Jesus Christ is the one who's made it possible for us to be justified, to be forgiven, to be made one with God, to receive his Spirit, and then to have righteousness, God's very character within us. In verse 18, therefore, it's through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one man's righteous act. The free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. Or you might say, which results in justification, which results in life.

For as by one man's disobedience, many were made sinners, so also by one man's obedience, many will be made righteous.

And so, brethren, you find that God, this very clearly reveals that God gave to us a gift when he gave us his Son, and Christ was willing to give his life. It is through the Holy Spirit that God imparts many gifts to us as a body of believers. We have to realize that we receive the gift of Christ in the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit makes many other gifts available. In 1 Peter chapter 4, I want you to notice 1 Peter 4 and verse 10.

We have a summary statement concerning the gifts that God gives. And I want you to notice, why does God give to you and to me gifts? Well, let's notice. As each one has received a gift, so everyone within the body has spiritual gifts that God has given to us. Now, you might look at yourself and say, I have no idea what type of gift I have.

But you've got it. God has given us all gifts. We find minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. So verse 10 actually reveals the purpose. You notice that God has given us each gifts, and you and I are to use it to serve others. That's the purpose behind it. They're given to serve or to minister one to another. The new Revised Standard Version translates verse 10 this way. Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you have received. So God gives us gifts, and we're going to see those gifts are given according to our natural abilities. Gifts are not given as a personal decoration to be used as a point of vanity. I've got something you don't have, so therefore I'm more important than you. What if God had given you a gift of making money? That would be a great gift, you would think. Or what if God gives you a particular gift of service or a particular gift? Doesn't matter what it is. We walk around and we begin to look down our noses at others and think, well, they're inferior. They don't measure up to me. Look at what I have. Look at what I'm able to do. Look at me. Well, that's not the reason God gives us gifts. And yet, that's exactly the way some people have used gifts that God has given. We have to realize that God gives us gifts, and it's up to us to use those gifts in a right way of service, and they can be misused.

There are gifts that can be misused. The church in Corinth, I think, is a classic example of what I'm talking about. They'd been given the gifts of speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues, and yet you find they were not using those gifts as God intended.

Let's go over to 1 Corinthians 14 in verse 1.

1 Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 1. Notice here, pursue love and desire spiritual gifts.

So chapter 13 talked about the greatest gift that God could give, and that gift is the gift of love. We are told here, pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. The word prophesy here means inspired preaching. I could be talking about the future, but it's not somebody who has a vision, has a dream, and God reveals things that way, but takes the word of God and preaches inspired sermons dealing with the future.

He understands what he's talking about. What good is it? What prophet is it? Who has he helped?

But somebody who preaches, can edify, can build up, can exhort, encourage people, and can bring comfort to people. He who speaks in the tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the Church. So Paul is beginning to get at the heart and the core of what we're talking about here. The Church is to be edified and built up by the gifts that God gives to you. Every one of us sitting here has at least one gift. Some of you may have five gifts, some may have ten, some may have many more. Who knows? But those gifts are not given to tear the Church apart, to destroy the Church, but to help it to grow, to build it up, to comfort, and to serve one another.

Beginning in verse 6, we find the gifts are given, and it especially shows that those gifts are given, to build the Church. Let's notice. But now, brethren, I come to you speaking with tongues. What shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophecy, or by teaching?

Even things without life, whether flute or heart, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sound, how will it be known what is piped or what is played? So if you're playing a musical instrument, you've got to be able to hit a note. You've got to be able to play something that was understandable. For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how will it be known what is spoken, for you will be speaking into the air?

I know a number of people over the years I've talked to who have earnestly desired to speak in tongues. I mean, that was their chief goal. You know, they wanted to be able to speak in tongues. And I think they never said this, but that speaking in tongues would impress people. People would say, ah, look at that gift that you have. But as he says here, what good is it if nobody understands it? Verse 11, therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.

Now you find that God gave tongues, basically, to help when a minister, especially, or someone, goes into an area. He doesn't know their language. God gives them the ability to speak in their language. But here you find that gifts were also given. These were not given to go out and speak to different churches or different areas where people spoke different languages. Notice in verse 12, even so you sense you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for edification. If you're asking God, and sometimes we pray and ask God to give us gifts so that we can serve others, God says it should always be used to build up other people.

Therefore, let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. So you find in verse 15, what is the result then? I will pray with the Spirit, I will also pray with understanding, I will sing with the Spirit, I will also sing with understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the Spirit, how will he who occupies a place to be uninformed say, Amen, at your giving of thanks?

If I stood up here and spoke in Swahili, I don't know how many of you know Swahili, but it might be interesting for the first five minutes, but after a while you'd say, I have no idea what he's saying. Well, unless somebody is standing over here and interpreting what I say doesn't make any sense. Now, I've gone to Germany as an example, spoken in English, two-thirds of them speak in German, did not understand English, and there was somebody, not necessarily standing there, but somebody in the background, interpreting what I said, because it needed to go from English to German.

Now, that's the sense of what he's talking about here, the way that gifts should be used. And notice verse 17 in this chapter. He says, Where you indeed give thanks well, but the others not edified. Notice edification or building up. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all, yet in the church, I'd rather speak five words with my understanding that I may teach others than 10,000 words in a tongue.

Now, brethren, we need to realize that the gifts that God gives are different from the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is fruit that God imparts. The Spirit of God imparts both. It imparts spiritual gifts. It imparts the fruit of the Spirit, and some of these overlap one another.

Let's notice Galatians chapter 5 and verse 22, where the fruit of the Spirit is mentioned.

The fruit of the Spirit is something that is given to all Christians.

Every one of you, if you have God's Spirit, you have the possibility of having these fruits demonstrated in your life. And they are mentioned in verse 22, the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit is something that a tree produces. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.

So you find these are fruits that God gives and He offers to all Christians. God's Spirit imparts these qualities of God because they're part of the nature of God, the character of God. These are spiritual qualities that God gives to us. As the Bible says, we live in the Spirit, and we walk in the Spirit. You and I are to exhibit these as traits. We of all people should be known by the fact that we love one another, that we have peace of mind, faith, that we trust God. But notice verse 17, we see the difference between God's nature and man's nature influenced by the devil. Because we find, well, verse 16, I say then, walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh. These are contrary, the one to the other, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

But if you be led by the Spirit, you're not under the law, or under the penalty, the claim of the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts, of rafts, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresy, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelry, and the like, which I've told you before, just so I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. So notice, anyone who practices lives this way from being God's kingdom. But then it goes on to show that the fruit of the Spirit is, and we've already read that.

Now I think this helps to explain something that people have trouble with, that people can be good on a human level, human playing, can have human love, can cooperate, can, to a certain extent, have great measure of self-control over themselves, deny themselves, but that flows from their human nature. That flows from a nature that is influenced by Satan the Devil. They are a result of sitting under the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

Faith is an example, is a part of the fruit of God's Spirit. God gives us faith. Faithfulness, as it's described here. That is a gift from God. It is a spiritual gift.

Human beings cannot generate of themselves by good thinking, good thoughts, influenced by the Devil, by the world, by their own lusts, spiritual gifts or spiritual fruits. Anything spiritual comes from God. It doesn't come from ourselves.

So the spiritual has to come from God. Let's notice in Romans 12.

Romans 12, beginning in verse 1, we find that we don't all have the same gifts. We don't all have the same function or the same job, same work to do. God sometimes will give us each gifts according to where He wants us to be, what He wants us to do, and how He wants us to serve. Let's notice. I beseech you, Romans 12.1, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.

When we begin to think that we're somebody, we're really nobody. We begin to think that we are somebody because of the abilities or talents. We're not. But we're to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one of us a measure of faith. For as we have many members in the body, but all the members do not have the same function. We don't all have the same function. Look at your body. The eyes have a different function from the ears. The tongue has a different function from the hair. The arm has a different function from the legs. Feet have different functions than the hands. The liver, the heart, the lungs, the stomach, the digestive system. They all have different functions, do they not? And if you have a body and you don't have a stomach, you're in trouble. If you have a body and you don't have a heart, you're in trouble. If you have a body and you don't have a brain, you're in trouble. Each one is there and vital to the body, and each one performs a different function, job, duty. So it is in the Church. We have many members in the body. The Church is the body of Jesus Christ. We've got many members sitting here, around 90 or so of us today, but we don't all have the same function or same design, the same job or responsibility. Let me read again from the Living Bible, verse 4.

Just as there are many parts to our body, so it is with Christ's body.

We're all part of it, and it takes every one of us to make it complete. For we each have different work to do, but we belong to each other, and each needs all the others. You might say, well, I'm glad I'm an eye, and I'm not part of the digestive tract.

Well, without the digestive tract, the eye isn't going to live very long. Without the eye, you're not going to be able to get around very well. So you find that God places us all in the body as it pleases Him. And by all of us functioning and doing our job, and it seems like I heard that somewhere today, in the sermonette, we are able to accomplish the work that God wants us to accomplish. The principle is that the gifts that God gives will differ from one member to another. We don't all have the same gifts. Some of us have the same. Some don't. As verse 5 says, So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. The body of Christ is a spiritual body. We're all members one of another.

All the parts of my body belong to my body. I mean, this is me. And here we are as a spiritual body in all parts whom God has placed in this body, belong to this body, belong to the body of Christ, just as your body parts belong to you.

And then in verse 6, Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. It is by God's grace that these are given. Let us use them.

I'd like to emphasize the word, use them.

God, if he gives us a gift, he expects that gift to be used in his service. If prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith. Our ministry, let us use it in our ministry. He who teaches and teaching, he who exhorts, in exhortation, he who gives with liberality, he who leads with diligence, he who shows mercy with cheerfulness.

So, the gifts differ. They are different or vary in kind, but we have gifts that are imparted to us by the Holy Spirit, by God's will, and his desire.

He gives us spiritual gifts. And what we're talking about here are gifts that are not natural gifts, but spiritual.

Spiritual gifts are not given just to the ministry. I think over the years there have been those who thought, I can see the ministry might have some gifts, but you know those of us in the ministry do the same thing you do. We look at ourselves and say, what gifts? What talents? And you wonder what you have. But God does impart these to every member, and every member shares a responsibility in using those gifts properly. I read you verses 7 and 8. There are seven gifts mentioned here.

And many times we don't look at these as gifts. We go over to 1 Corinthians 12. We know that that talks about gifts that God gives, but we don't necessarily look on these as gifts.

Notice the seven again, prophecy. That's divine inspiration in speaking, and it can include foretelling the future. Service. There are those who seem to have an unusual knack or capacity for serving others, giving to others. And so, I mean, anybody can serve, but some just seem to have a spirit of service. Teaching is to impart instruction, impart information, to teach. To exhort is to comfort, encourage, or strengthen. You know, exhortation is a gift, and there are people that you're just around them, and they just lift you up. They encourage you. They build you up. Well, that's what this is talking about. Gives. To give is to impart. And there are those who have the ability to give. Maybe God has blessed them physically, and they're able to give physically in ways that others are not able. Leads means to rule, set before or over to give aid, to be a guardian or protector. So sometimes God gives the ability to lead and direct. And finally, it mentions here, to show mercy. If you ever realize that showing mercy is a gift from God, to be able to show mercy to others. I mean, we can all come down hard on people, but to be merciful and loving is a gift. Why has God put these gifts in the church? Well, collectively, these gifts strengthen the church. They build the church. They help the church to work together. And so God gives them to us individually, but they're there to aid the church. Let's notice that in 1 Corinthians 12.

This is the chapter you normally think about when it comes to gifts. Chapter 12, 1 Corinthians 12, beginning in verse 1, says, Now concerning spiritual gifts. Now the word gifts is in italics here, and basically just saying, these are the spirituals. Gifts, I think, is implied. Concerning the spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant. So again, we find that these come from God, if they're spiritual. You know that you were Gentiles carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore, I made known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus Christ a curse, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

There are diversities of gifts, so various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.

The word diversity here means a distinction arising from different distribution of different to different persons. So whose responsibility is it to give gifts? It's God's.

Now, it doesn't mean that you can't pray and ask God, you know, please give me a gift.

In fact, we were told that, you know, that's okay. But what you find is God is the one who gives, and many times God will give gifts because he wants to use a person in a certain way, in a certain capacity for certain responsibilities and duties. The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible has a good translation of this section, especially here in verse 4. So the New Revised Standard Version says, now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

Now, there are three things that are mentioned that the Holy Spirit gives to the Church.

One, there are various gifts that God gives to us. Secondarily, there are various ministries or services that God gives.

King James Version translates this as administration in the Bible.

The meaning is service. It can refer to an office like a deacon or an elder. A deacon is in an office of service, an elder is in the office of service. Minister means exactly that, one who serves, one who ministers, one who gives. Minister does it in spiritual matters, a deacon in physical matters.

I just mentioned there are various churches, and we've all heard this, to talk about different ministries. They talk about having a women's ministry, a youth ministry, a music ministry, and they're always talking about that. A lot of these give people a wrong impression.

The reason why it gives a wrong impression is that they equate ministries with the ordained ministry or eldership. In other words, if you say, well, somebody has a music ministry, I'm not quite sure what that means. They may have music talent and ability, and they can serve in that capacity. But in the world, among the Protestants especially, they put that on the level equal to the job of an ordained minister or an elder.

So, you know, here would be a woman over here, and she's got a women's ministry, and somebody else has a music ministry, and they use the term in that way. Now, there's nothing wrong with us having gifts, abilities, talents, and we use them in serving in certain areas.

The elders and deacons are not the only one who serves in the church. There are various activities and various works and operations. Let's notice in verse 5, it says, You'll revise standard version again, says there are varieties of services, but it's the same Lord. It's God who does them all through us. In verse 6, you'll revise standard version, says there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them and everybody. So, there are diversities of activities. God is the one who helps us. There are a lot of activities within a church, a congregation, that are done, and a lot of services, a lot of ability to serve and to help. Then, going on to verse 7, Notice, For the profit of all. Any gift that is given is not something that aggrandizes the person, but is given to profit the whole church, not just the individual. Again, you'll revise standard version, says, To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good, for the good of the church, to build the church. I can look out over this audience, and there are people here who have gifts, talents, and the ability of doing all kinds of things. Music, singing, arranging flowers. You just stop and think about the gifts that different people have. We have a church full of people who have gifts and abilities and talents.

These are given to serve the good of all. Gifts, services, and activities are works or opportunities to profit the whole body. They were given not for personal enrichment, but for the good of the church. Beginning in verse 8, there are nine gifts mentioned here.

And let's notice these gifts. For to one is given the word of wisdom.

So God gives wisdom through the Spirit to another the word of knowledge. See, these are gifts of wisdom. Gifts of knowledge. We all have a certain measure of wisdom, a certain measure of knowledge, but these go beyond what is normal that God might give to another faith by the same Spirit. Now, we all have faith, but this is a person who would be given an unusual amount of faith to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit. You notice that's plural. There can be outward healings, such as Peter walking down the street in his shadow, falling on somebody, and they're healed. And there can be healings where you come to somebody's home and anoint them, and they're healed. To another the working of miracles. To another prophecy. To another discerning of spirits. To another different kinds of tongues. To another the interpretation of tongues. But the one and same Spirit works in all these things, distributing to everyone individually as he or it wills. So the gifts are divided and distributed to each one individually. Verse 11 again, you revise standard version. All these are activated by one in the same spirit who at lots to each one individually, just as the spirit chooses.

I think that word activate is an interesting word. You activate something. That means you put it into motion. And you and I find that God gives us his gifts, and he activates those. He stirs them up. God is the one who determines which gifts you may have.

God has the overall scope on all things. What you need to realize is that the church, the body of Christ, receives gifts. God possesses all of these gifts, all of these talents, all of these skills, all of these abilities. And he distributes his gifts, talents, and abilities among the church as a whole, his body. So that if you put us together collectively, there should be a picture of God and of the gifts that he has. Now we find beginning in verse 12 here that God is in complete charge.

He places us in the bodies that pleases him. For as the body is one and has many members, and all of the members of that one body being many are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. So we're all put into the body through the Spirit of God. Now, verse 15, if the foot shall say, because I'm not a hand, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the ear says, because I'm not an eye, I'm not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? The whole were the hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them in the body, just as he pleased. Not as we pleased, but as he pleased.

And if they were all one member, where would the body be? So if we all wanted to be the mouth, or we all wanted to be an eye, can you imagine this big eye up here on stage, bloodshot, looking at you? You can see a lot, but couldn't speak, doesn't have any feet or legs, doesn't have arms. It's just there, he sees. Wouldn't be much of a body, would it? In order to have a body, you have to have all the parts put together in the body. So God puts the body together.

Again, his new Revised Standard Version says, but as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as He chose.

Now, every part of the body is indispensable, as we find going on here in verse 20. It says, now indeed there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, I have no need of you, nor again the hand of the feet, I have no need of you. They're all important. Not much, rather, those members of the body, which seem to be weak, are necessary. Those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, these we bestow greater honor. But our presentable parts have no need, but God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacked, that there should be no schism in the body, but that member should have the same care, one for another, or for another. And if one member suffers, every member suffers. I can guarantee you, if I hit my thumb with a hammer, my whole body is sympathetic. I've stumped my toe at night, being dumb, not turning the light on, and you hit a dresser or something, that hurts. Whole body hurts as a result of it. And so the Bible shows that you and I are to have care. If one of our members is suffering, is sick, out of a job, going through a trial, the whole body suffers. It's not just that one person. All of us are to have care and concern for that individual. Now, we don't all have the same office, as verse 28 says. God has appointed or placed these in the church. First, they're apostles, second prophets, then teachers. After that, miracles and gifts of healings, helps, administration, various tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? And the answer is no. Then He goes on to show a more excellent way, and that's the way of love. Now, let's go over to Ephesians 4, and I won't read all of this.

Ephesians 4, beginning in verse 7, right in the sermon, referred to this.

I'll just sort of summarize it, but there is a point I want to point out. Verse 7, to each one of us, grace was given. God extended His grace, His mercy, His love to us. According to the measure of Christ's gift, therefore, He said, when He ascended on high, He led captivity captive and gave gifts to men. So, God has given through His Spirit gifts. Now, verse 11 tells us one of those gifts that God has given to the church.

He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry. So, you find that God has given the ordained ministry or eldership as a gift to the church for a purpose. And that purpose is outlined here in verses 12 down to verse 16 to help the church become perfect, to serve the church, to teach and to guide. And so, you'll find that the ministry truly is a gift, a gift that God has given. It's not to be some type of an office of people parade around in, thinking that they're the hotshot. It is an office of service to be able to help God's people. Now, in Matthew 25 and verse 14, let's branch out a little bit here. Matthew 25 verse 14. We find a parable given, the parable of the talents.

For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. So, he divides his wealth, his possessions, his property among his servants. To one, he gave five talents, to another two, to another one. Notice, to each one, according to his own ability. So, God gives spiritual talents and gifts according to our natural abilities that we have. Immediately, he went on a journey. He who had received the five talents went and traded for them, made another five. He who had the two gained two more. He who received the one dug a hole and hid his Lord's money.

Now, each was given a certain sum of money or wealth. I want you to notice the wealth of the money was not something that the individual had. It was given to him. So, it was a gift, something that was given to him. It came from the wealthy man. He gave gifts, grace to his servants or members of the church. Now, he gave this money or gift according to the natural abilities or strengths that each one had. The word ability in the Greek means strength or power, inherent power, power residing in a thing by its nature, by which a person or thing exerts and puts forth. We all have strengths and weaknesses.

And God knows that. You know that. We all know that. The lesson is that everybody has been given gifts according to his ability to use those gifts. What if God gave you 20 talents?

You didn't have the ability to use those talents. And maybe use one or two of them. The rest of them go by the wayside. They're wasted. They're not being applied. They're not actuated so that they're put into use. God expects us to use his spirit to grow personally, to help others towards his kingdom, to carry out our responsibilities or work that he wants us to do.

You'll notice in verse 16 that the first servant doubled what he was given. The second servant doubled what he was given. Apparently, they received the same reward.

God judges us by what we do with what we have been given. You don't have to worry about how many talents somebody else has. I mean, I can look around me all the time. And there are people who are more gifted, who have the ability to think, reason, plan, wisdom, understanding, knowledge, just natural abilities than we have. I mean, all of us know people around us who are much greater than we are. God is not judging us by them. Now, maybe you wish you had some of their talents and their abilities, but God is not judging us by that. He is judging us by what we do with what we have. If we have one talent, do we double it? If we have two, do we double it? If we have five, do we double it? You see, whatever you have, God expects us to use it. So God judges us by what we do with what we've been given, our own natural abilities, the gifts and opportunities for service that He has given us. If we don't use what God has given us to profit the church, then we might not be in the Kingdom. God has given those to us to help others. So the lesson we learn from the parable of the talents is that God gave to them each one. Each one, He said, well done, good and faithful servant.

But I want you to notice each one had different amounts of talents.

Five, two, and one. Let's go over to Luke 19. Different parable here. Luke chapter 19 in verse 11. He says, Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem, because they thought the kingdom of God would immediately appear.

And He said, therefore a certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return. He called His ten servants and delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, do business till I come. Now I want you to notice, every one of these servants has the same amount. He starts with the same gifts, same talents, same ability. So that would be like saying, okay, everybody has two talents, everybody has five.

And these individuals will be rewarded according to how much they grow and overcome and use what God gives to them. And so, going on in verse 15, so it was when He returned, having received the kingdom, He commanded them to come to Him. The first said, Master, your minas earned ten minas. And He said, well done, good servant, because you were faithful and very little, have authority over ten cities. Second said, well, yours has gained five. He said, okay, you have authority over five cities. The other one came and said, well, I hid your talent, and you find He won't be in the kingdom. God expects us to be doers, to be doing, to use what He's given us to serve, to comfort, to encourage. Our position, or reward, in the kingdom is tied in with how productive we are with what God has given us now.

If we don't use the gifts, the opportunities, the abilities that God has given us, we could be like this one servant who took His and hid it. We could end up in the lake of fire.

So what we have to realize is that God is not judging us by one another, but we will be rewarded. See, our reward is something we earn. Eternal life is a gift that God gives to us. In 1 Corinthians 4, 7 is a very valuable principle that sometimes we forget.

1 Corinthians 4, verse 7 says, Who makes you differ from another? What do you have that you did not receive? What do we possess that we did not receive? Now, if you did indeed receive it, why do you glory as though you did not receive it? Everything we have in the spiritual realm we have received from God. Any fruit, any growth that is produced comes from God. God gets the credit. Our problem is getting out of the way and letting God work in us and through us. We're the roadblock. All natural abilities, all talents, all spiritual abilities and gifts come from God. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. In 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 5, we read, Who is Paul, who is Apollos, the ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to everyone? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the increase. So God is the one who causes the growth.

There's our effort. We have to water. We have to work. We have to plant. But God is the one who gives the ultimate increase. Matthew 16, 27, I'll just mention that. You can jot it down.

Matthew 16 verse 27 says, We are rewarded according to our works.

Our reward is according to our works. What does that mean?

Well, it's not as simple as you might think. You think, well, rewarded according to our works. So all you've got to do is go out here and work. A person can do all kinds of works, serve a lot, help many people, give the shirt off of your back, and not be in the kingdom of God.

If you'll remember, over here in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, 1 Corinthians chapter 13, we are told, God has not loved, it profits me nothing. And love suffers long. Then it goes on talking about what love is. Good works covers doing good to others. But it also encompasses how we use our abilities and gifts and opportunities and positions of service that God gives to us.

So it's more than just, well, you know, I'm out here doing good to other people.

Works for the sake of works is not what God is looking for. We know that salvation is a free gift. We've been accused of believing in salvation by works, and we don't do that. That's not true.

Our accusers see that the Bible talks about good works. Consequently, many times they'll go out and do good deeds because the Bible says they should. So they'll pick up litter along the highway, they'll have soup kitchens, you know, they'll do these things. And, you know, that's good works. I'm not saying they're not. The good works that God is looking for, though, flows from His grace, His Spirit, and the gifts and opportunities that He gives to us. They flow from Him. They're not just works for works' sakes. They are a manifestation of God in us, the love of God flowing in us and out of us in service and giving to other people. In Matthew 7, verse 21, you might remember the example that Christ gives here. Matthew 7, beginning in verse 21, Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? In other words, we preached, held revivals, did all of that. We've even cast out demons in Your name, done many wonders in Your name. Then shall I declare to them, I never knew You. Depart from me You who practice lawlessness. Then He gives the example of building our house on a rock so that it will stand. We build it on the sand. It won't. So if a person, a person can do work, signs, and wonders, and still not be in God's kingdom. Jesus Christ, when He was on the earth in John 14, verse 10, said, the Father does the works. Jesus Christ said, I can do nothing of myself.

Now today, Jesus Christ and the Father live in us. They supply the motivation, the desire, the strength, the ability, the power, the gifts, the opportunities for us to serve and to grow in grace and in knowledge. We have to realize there are different gifts that God gives. There are gifts that are called demonstrable gifts. There are gifts that are manifestations. They're things like speaking in tongues, public healings. Those are all public type of things. There are many gifts that are what we might call the quiet gifts, the silence. They're not the public demonstration. They're just serving, giving, helping in those different ways. Now it is possible that God can give us gifts, and we can begin to neglect those gifts. Paul, back in 1 Timothy 4, had to remind Timothy in verse 14 not to do that. 1 Timothy 4, 14, do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on the hands of the presbytery. Metatate on these things. Give yourself entirely to them that your progress may be evident to all. And then in 2 Timothy 1, verse 6, therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on my hands. That's the Holy Spirit, all probability. But whatever gift God gives to us, we need to stir it up. The word stir here means to kindle up, to inflame one's mind, to strengthen with zeal. If you ever had a fire and that fire is about to go out and you're wanting the fire to catch on and add some logs to it, what do you do? You try to inflame it. You try to build it up, kindle it. Well, that's what God wants us to do. There may be a little flame burning there, but God wants a roaring fire. He wants to see the zeal in us.

So, brethren, the church is the body of Christ. We're all members of that body. God supplies all that the body needs to grow and to mature because there's going to come one day when God is going to look at the church and He's going to say, My bride, well done, and that she has prepared herself. She is ready. We need to examine ourselves and see what gifts and what abilities we have. Actually, this is something that I think we need to probably discuss more thoroughly, to be able to recognize the gifts that God gives to us. So, let's make sure that we kindle up those gifts and use them as they are intended to serve, to comfort, and to build the church.