Your life is a puzzle - Romans 12

Sunday, November 16, 2008 Romans 12 -- “How mature are you?” Your life is like a puzzle. The pieces fit together to make a whole. When you combine your spiritual gifts, you personality, your passions, and your experience you will discover a picture which shows you how you can best serve the Lord with maximum effectiveness. {explain members of one body - when one part is hurt, damaged - the whole body suffers and hurts...ei. the farmer who lost his limb in a tragic farming accident...God uses band aids, tensors, casts, stitches, etc. in order to repair and HEAL one part for the whole!!!} Spiritual gifts are a special divine empowerment to do what God wants each one of us to do. They point us in the direction of the ministry area(s) in which we should be involved. As I am talking, (you are reading) I encourage you to consider your passions, your personality, and your experience in combination with your spiritual gifts. To illustrate how spiritual gifts work in combination with all of who we are, let's think about the gift of teaching. Some people will say they have a gift to teach children. Their spiritual gift is teaching, not teaching children. No where in Scripture does God categorize gifts according to age levels, gender, or other distinctions within which they operate. Someone with the gift of teaching could teach any age if gifting was the only factor. So the second factor is our passion, and the third is our experience. The bent toward children comes from the person's passions and past experience. Certain personality temperaments do better with children than others. While other personality temperaments lead adult groups better. To find your best fit in ministry, we have already focused on our character – through the fruit of the spirit. Our character determines our personality, it can influence our passions and it can lead to new experiences as well – all in maturing us closer to God and what he would have us become – more Christ-like. Once we allow the Holy Spirit to control us, we grow and mature in our love for others, which directly roots us in Christ, and joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control begin to also take root and grow inside us. Then we begin to notice that we are becoming more mature. *** So, what is the purpose of Spiritual Gifts? Numerous passages show the purpose of spiritual gifts to be the effect they have on the Body of Christ: 1 Corinthians 12:7 - "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." Ephesians 4:12 - "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" 1 Peter 4:10 - "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others..." As you can begin to notice, spiritual gifts are not for personal benefit or selfish gain. Rather, they are for the benefit of the body of Christ. When properly exercised, spiritual gifts will contribute to the overall health and growth of the church. *** Spiritual Gifts are God's way of allowing and encouraging everyone to do their part. Written in the context of spiritual gifting, Ephesians 4:16 lets us know that every Christian has a part in the church that will be instrumental to the growth of the Body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." In other words, “Serving one another through the use of our spiritual gifts is not optional.” Since there is a limit on the time we can serve, we need to look for maximum effectiveness. Structuring our ministries around our giftedness will help us be effective. Knowing where we are spiritually gifted will help us know where to put our focus, energy, and time. It will show us where we should plug into ministry. But, we must follow: · God's design for the church · God's own character · God's principles in His Word And, the use of our spiritual gifts must be exercised: · in His power AND by His grace *** Since Christmas is fast approaching, I thought a question that each one of us can ask is: How can you use your gifts as Christmas approaches? IF EVERYBODY DID THEIR PART . . . Needs would be met. One of two things often happens in the church the closer we get to the holiday season. Those who are the "faithful few" in many churches and organizations will get even busier, stretched to almost breaking as they try to attend to normal routines in their lives and also plan special programs and events for the season. The "faithful few" lay aside some of the on-going work and routines in order to focus on the holidays. A handful can't do it all! If, however, we look at the church in particular - and everybody does their part, the church could offer quality holiday activities and still meet the regular, on-going needs. Here are some ideas that you might consider for people with various spiritual gifts – that you could do to help at the holidays. Administration: This person might help plan and coordinate various aspects of the Christmas programs or plays or other activities. Evangelism: This person might be thinking of ways to reach unchurched friends or family and invite them to come to church. Maybe you can talk with anyone who does not know who Jeus is or what we do in church. Exhortation: This person might encourage burnt out or stressed ministry workers to keep on as unto the Lord, to know they are appreciated. Faith: This person might pray faithfully for visitors by name who have come or will be coming to services and need the Lord. Giving: This person might give money and/or items for the toy drive, the food bank or a family in needin need. Helps: This person might work with me or the Sunday School Leaders to develop promotional materials, bulletins, visual presentations, etc. and/or order church supplies that are need for this special season. Hospitality: This person might greet people at a special welcome center or use a variety of means to let people know they are welcome now and always. Invite a few single people in for dinner or lunch. Leadership: This person might help everyone keep an eye on the big picture, so they don't develop tunnel vision and forget about all the other ministry needs. Mercy: This person might be concerned and look after the singles, widows, military spouses, international students, families of the imprisoned and others who might be alone or hurting over the holidays. Prophecy: This person might warn people about getting too commercialized at Christmas. This person might stress why we need Jesus' help at Christmas. Service: This person might Apostle: One sent by God with a holy mission to fulfill; and the supernatural power and spiritual gifts to fulfill the mission. Known by the fruit of the spirit overflowing. Apostolic ministry involves laying foundation. In the case of Paul and Barnabas, we see this expressed in 'church planting' by preaching the Gospel in new areas. Apostles in scripture worked in teams. An apostolic team shared a 'measure of rule' in churches started through their ministry in regions where they are the first to proclaim the Gospel of Christ. (II Corinthians 10.) Prophet: One who speaks, or communicates a message, authoratively, as moved by the Holy Spirit. Known by their good fruit. Evangelist: Someone who desires that all should come to know the truth that God loves everyone so much that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to die for their redemption, or someone who is gifted to proclaim this message. Pastor: A word that means 'shepherd.' Pastors are gifted to lead, guide, and set an example for other Christians. Teacher: Someone able to understand the more difficult things of God and explain them in a way that is easy to understand and live by in daily life. Service: Supernatural ability to do for others whatever needs to be done. Divine ability to carry another burden or task without notice or earthly reward. Exhortation: the ability to motivate Christians to do the works of Christ. Giving: being blessed by God with resources or time and being able to give them where and when they are needed with a cheerful heart. Leadership: God-given insight into when something needs to be done, who can do it, how it can be completed, and how to lead those people to get it accomplished. Mercy: A heart to care for and encourage those who are not able to care for themselves and whom no one else would care for. Knowing who to help and when to help. Word of wisdom: A message, concept, or bit of wisdom that God reveals supernaturally to the recipient. It may or may not be shared with others. Word of knowledge: A message, concept, or bit of knowledge that God reveals supernaturally to the recipient. It may or may not be shared with others. Tongues: First use is a supernatural ability to speak another language not known by the believer speaking it. Second use is a supernatural ability to speak another language not known by the believer speaking it; to build up the body of Christ when the message is interpreted. It is the language of the Holy Spirit. Interpretation of tongues: Supernatural ability to make tongues a clear message to all that are present to edify, exhort and comfort the body of Christ. Prophecy: Supernatural ability to receive a message from God to edify, exhort and comfort the body of Christ or a believer. To speak as moved by the Holy Spirit. Not all prophecies contain predictions about the future. Working of miracles: The ability to perform supernatural acts by the Spirit of God. Gifts of healing: Supernatural ability to bring or release healing to a person in their body or soul. Ability to distinguish between spirits: Supernatural ability to know what is from God and what is not from God. Divine ability to reveal a demonic spirit or influence and bring God's power (Jesus' blood) and God's love (Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection) in its place. Faith: Knowing what you hope for, having a conviction about things you cannot see, trusting God, believing God’s Word, and obeying God. (See Hebrews 11)volunteer to set up tables, chairs, sound equipment, decorations , etc. for the various programs. Teaching: This person might teach a series like May Jesus Help Our Christmas over the holiday season to help people learn how to re-focus. ***