The Christian church is composed of many different kinds of people with different gifts and different ministries. The manner in which these are combined is not like a melting pot but like a salad bowl. Within the church, there is no loss of individual identity, but rather the complementing of distinct elements to create a new, special, and united body.1301<\/p>\n
On Christmas morning, the children in a family do not usually all receive the same gifts. One gets a football, one a puzzle, another receives a dollhouse, and another a table game. Yet, although each child does not receive the same gifts as the others, the parents intend the gifts to be enjoyed by all the children as they use them together.<\/p>\n
The same is true of the gifts God gives his children. We do not all have the same gift, but we are all to use our gift for the good of all in God\u2019s family.1302<\/p>\n
A modern army is fitted with a strategic mix of various weapons to maximize its effectiveness in fulfilling its purpose. Some soldiers receive a rifle and some are given pistols or ride in a tank armed with a cannon and machine guns. Others operate missiles, jet fighters, bombers, or ships. To win the war, it takes the unified effects of all these weapons, operated by the shared efforts of all the variously equipped soldiers.<\/p>\n
God, as the wise Commander-in-Chief in our spiritual warfare, has likewise given to each of his children in the body of Christ spiritual gifts so that they can work together to be effective in fulfilling his will. And, as in a physical war, if Christian \u201csoldiers\u201d work together and use their gifts, the task of the church on earth will be accomplished.1303<\/p>\n
A young schoolboy was trying out for a part in the school play. His mother knew that he had set his heart on it, though she was afraid he would not be chosen. On the day the parts were awarded, she drove to school to pick him up. The young lad rushed up to her, eyes shining with pride and excitement. Then he said some words to her that should remain a lesson to us all: \u201cI have been chosen to clap and cheer!\u201d In the same way, God has lovingly chosen each of us for different and special tasks.1304<\/p>\n
When Niccolo Paganini willed his finely crafted and lovingly used violin to the city of Genoa, he demanded that it never be played again. It was a gift designated for preservation, but not destined for service.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, when the resurrected Christ willed his spiritual gifts to the children of God, he commanded that they be used. They were gifts not designated for preservation, but destined for service.1305<\/p>\n
Imagine how a parent would feel if on Christmas Day when the gifts for their children were handed out, the children just took them, said \u201cThank you,\u201d and laid them aside with no attempt to open the gifts, not even to find out what they were!<\/p>\n
Imagine how the Lord must feel when he has given gifts to us that he intends for us to use, and yet we never take the trouble to find out what they are, never put them to work, and then excuse ourselves from serving the church by saying that we can\u2019t do anything!1306<\/p>\n
The mountain does not speak ill of the river just because it is high and mighty. Nor does the river scorn the mountain just because it moves swiftly and gracefully. They both are great in their own way.1307<\/p>\n
When a speck of dust blows into an eye, instinctively the eye is rubbed with a finger. There is no debate with the finger about whether to help the eye. Later, after pulling down the lid, causing the eye to water, the speck is washed out. In a short time the eye is back to normal. But without the hand, including its specially functioning fingers, the irritant would have remained. Each member in the body of Christ is equally important. We all need each other.1308<\/p>\n
Imagine the Master Carpenter\u2019s tools holding a conference:<\/p>\n
Brother Hammer presides, but several suggest he leave the meeting because he is too noisy. Brother Hammer replies, \u201cIf I have to leave this shop, Brother Screw must go also. You have to turn him around again and again to get him to accomplish anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brother Screw then speaks up. \u201cIf you wish, I\u2019ll leave. But Brother Plane must leave, too. All his work is on the surface. His efforts have no depth.\u201d<\/p>\n
To this, Brother Plane responds, \u201cBrother Rule will also have to withdraw, for he is always measuring folks as though he were the only one who is right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brother Rule then complains about Brother Sandpaper: \u201cHe ought to leave, too, because he\u2019s so rough and always rubbing people the wrong way.\u201d And so goes the discord.<\/p>\n
In the midst of all this discussion, in walks the Carpenter of Nazareth. He has arrived to start his day\u2019s work. Putting on his apron, he goes to the bench to make a pulpit from which to proclaim the gospel. He uses Brothers Hammer, Screw, Plane, Rule, Sandpaper, and all the other tools. After the day\u2019s work, when the pulpit is finished, Brother Saw arises and remarks, \u201cBrethren, I observe that all of us are workers together with the Lord.\u201d1309<\/p>\n
A man broke his left arm. One night when he couldn\u2019t sleep, he imagined a dialogue between his right and left hands. Right Hand said, \u201cLeft Hand, you are not missed. Everybody\u2019s glad it was you that was broken and not me. You are not very important.\u201d<\/p>\n
Left Hand asked, \u201cHow are you superior?\u201d<\/p>\n
Right Hand replied, \u201cWhy, my owner cannot write a letter without me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Left Hand: \u201cBut who holds the paper on which he writes?\u201d<\/p>\n
Right Hand: \u201cWho swings the hammer?\u201d<\/p>\n
Left Hand: \u201cWho holds the nail?\u201d<\/p>\n
Right Hand: \u201cWho guides the plane when the carpenter smooths a board?\u201d<\/p>\n
Left Hand: \u201cWho steadies the board?\u201d<\/p>\n
Right Hand: \u201cWhen our owner walks down the street and lifts his hat to greet someone, which of us does it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Left Hand: \u201cWho holds the briefcase while he does it?\u201d Then he continued, \u201cLet me ask you a question. When our owner shaved yesterday, you held the razor, but his face is cut because I wasn\u2019t there to help. Also, our owner\u2019s watch has stopped. Why? You may do the winding, but if I\u2019m not there to hold it, the watch won\u2019t get wound. You can\u2019t take money out of his wallet to pay for something because I\u2019m not there to hold it. The master can do very few things without me.\u201d<\/p>\n
So, too, does each of us have a place of service for the Lord. None is greater\u2014just different.1310<\/p>\n
One snowy morning at 5:00 a.m., a missionary candidate rang the bell at a missionary examiner\u2019s home. Ushered into the office, he sat three hours past his appointment time waiting for his interview. At 8:00 a.m. a retired missionary appeared and began his questioning. \u201cCan you spell?\u201d<\/p>\n
Rather mystified, the candidate answered, \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n
All right, spell\u2018baker.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cB-A-K-E-R.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFine. Now, do you know anything about numbers?\u201d the examiner continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, sir, something.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease add two plus two.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFour,\u201d replied the candidate.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s fine,\u201d said the examiner. \u201cI believe you have passed. I\u2019ll tell the board tomorrow.<\/p>\n
At the board meeting, the examiner reported on the interview. \u201cHe has all the qualifications for a fine missionary. First, I tested him on self-denial, making him arrive at my home at five in the morning. He left a warm bed on a snowy morning without any complaint. Second, I tested him on promptness. He arrived on time. Third, I examined him on patience. I made him wait three hours to see me. Fourth, I tested him on temper. He failed to show any anger or aggravation. Fifth, I tried his humility by asking him questions that a seven-year-old child could answer, and he showed no indignation. So you see, I believe the candidate meets the requirements. He will make the fine missionary we need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spirit-given abilities are needed, but Spirit-produced fruit is more significant.1311<\/p>\n
Dr. H. A. Ironside often spoke of the pathetic situation of those who felt they had the gift of preaching but complained that no one had the gift of listening.1312<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Christian church is composed of many different kinds of people with different gifts and different ministries. The manner in which these are combined is not like a melting pot but like a salad bowl. Within the church, there is no loss of individual identity, but rather the complementing of distinct elements to create a … Continue reading “SPIRITUAL GIFTS”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13833","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13833","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13833"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13833\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13833"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13833"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13833"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}