24. The Epistle of 1Peter 4:10

Transcription

1 24. The Epistle of 1Peter 4:10 The Gifts of the Holy Spirit Pt.6 (6/5/18) If you re new with us, we are currently studying 1Peter on Wednesday nights here at Calvary. As we came to chapter 4, we got as far as verse 10 which reads, As each one has received a gift (of the Holy Spirit), minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. We have used that verse as a springboard to launch us into a study on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As we have already said, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are vital to the overall health and function of the local church which is why Paul in 1Cor.12:1 tells us we must not be ignorant as to what they are and how they work. When it comes to spiritual gifts the most comprehensive list of the gifts comes out of 1Corinthians 12:8-10. Here Paul lists the gifts of the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues and the interpretation of tongues. And then at the end of 1Corinthians 12 he adds the gift of helps and administrations. 1

2 In Romans 12 he talks about the gifts of ministry and teaching (Peter mentions these two in 1Peter 4:11), and then concludes with the gifts of exhortation, giving, leadership and mercy. Last time, we finished the list in 1Corinthians 12 and tonight we want to move over to Romans 12 and look at the gifts Paul mentions in that list before going back to 1Corinthians 14 to finish looking at the final three gifts. In 1Corinthians 14 Paul devotes almost the entire chapter to explaining the gifts of prophecy, tongues and the interpretation of tongues so we ll end our study there looking at those gifts. Romans 12:6-8 (NKJV) 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. As I said, we ll look at the gift of prophecy in 1Corinthians 14 so let s skip over that gift and start tonight by looking at the gift of ministry (v.7). The gift of ministry The word ministry is a very broad term meaning service for the Lord. It comes from the Greek word diakonia (feminine of diakonos) the word we get the word deacon from. A deacon is an office within the church like pastor is an office (1Tim.3), but whereas a pastor takes care of the spiritual matters of the local church a deacon takes care of the physical, nuts and bolts matters. 2

3 For example, the first deacons in the early church were chosen to take care of providing food for the widows in order to free the apostles to devote themselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the word (Acts 6:3 4). Usually, an office like deacon would be different from the gift of diakonia even as the office of a prophet is different from the gift of prophecy. However, in this case I think that Paul primarily has in mind the men that God has called to the office of deacon by giving them the gift of ministry. All Christians are called to serve and have been equipped by God with certain gifts of the Holy Spirit for whatever area of service He has called them to in the Body of Christ. However, the gift of ministry is a special gift of the Holy Spirit given to some who are more like official servants. Again, this would include deacons but also others in the church that seem to have a call to the ministry of service in more of a formal capacity. And when I say that I m thinking of the women who ministered to Jesus during His earthly ministry, and later on the women who served (ministered to) Christians in the local church like Tabitha (Dorcas) in the book of Acts. Acts 9:36-39 (NKJV) 36 At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did. 37 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 3

4 One author The person who has the gift of ministry has a servant-heart. He [or she] sees opportunities to be of service and seizes them. The gift of teaching The next spiritual gift Paul lists is the gift of teaching "he who teaches, in teaching (v.7). The Greek is didaskōn (teaches) and refers to the act of teaching (didaskalia). The Christian who has been given this gift has the ability to interpret and present the truths of God s Word in a way that is both understandable and applicable to the lives of other believers. Primarily, this would be a gift given to those who have been called by God to the office of a teacher Paul mentions these offices in Ephesians 4: Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV) 11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, Besides all of these, the gift of teaching could apply to a teacher in a Bible college, seminary, Christian college, Sunday school or any other place where God s truth is taught. Teaching God s Word is feeding God s children on the healthy spiritual food that enables them to grow and produce fruit for the glory of God and therefore it is absolutely essential to the life and health of the Body of Christ. It was the first thing listed in Acts 2:42 that characterized the simple practice or pattern for the life of the early church they continued steadfastly in the apostle s doctrine. 4

5 It was the last thing that Jesus commanded His church to do when He gave us the Great Commission Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations teaching them to observe all that I commanded you (Matt. 28:19 20). Paul the apostle was a faithful preacher and teacher of God s truth declaring to the Ephesian elders I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel [Word] of God. (Acts 20:27) Later, he laid this down as a command for all future pastors when he charged Timothy And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also (2 Tim. 2:2). One pastor had this to say on the subject Regular, systematic teaching of the Word of God is the primary function of the pastorteacher. As an elder, he is required to teach (1 Tim. 3:2) and to hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict (Titus 1:9). Above all, Paul entreated Timothy, pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching (1 Tim. 4:16). Pastors are not the only ones the Lord calls and empowers to teach. But if a pastor s ministry is to be judged, among other things, on the soundness of his teaching then it seems reasonable to assume that, in some measure, he should have the gift of teaching. I can always tell when a person has been given the gift of teaching from the Holy Spirit no matter how old in the Lord they are. (Explain) The gift of exhortation In verse 8 of Romans 12 Paul mentions the gift of exhortation. The Greek word is parakaleō which combines the word para (with or alongside) and kaleo (to call). 5

6 Parakaleo (to call alongside for the purpose of helping) is closely related to another Greek word paraklētos (advocate, comforter, helper) a title Jesus used for both Himself ( Helper, John 14:16) and of the Holy Spirit ( another Helper ; John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7). Exhortation is something that every Christian should engage in from time to time with on behalf of other believers in Christ. The idea behind exhorting one another is basically urging, encouraging, warning, advising or even pleading with them to either continue in their current course for God (which is good and godly) or to turn from sin, rebellion or some bad habit that is corrupting their walk, destroying their witness and hindering their usefulness for God. Paul and Barnabas were exercising the ministry of exhortation when we read in Acts 14 Acts 14:21-22 (NKJV) 21 they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." This ministry is reflected in Paul s charge to Timothy to always preach and teach God s Word in season and out of season. [using it to] Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. (2 Tim. 4:2) However, the spiritual gift of exhortation differs from general exhortation that all Christians should engage in and usually goes hand in hand with the gift of teaching. I have been present many times when the Word of God was being taught and the gift of exhortation was also in operation how did I know? I knew because I wanted to jump out of my chair, and run out and do whatever I was being exhorted to do. 6

7 Look, I have been exhorted by many Christians over the years some of it was constructive, some of it was corrective but all of it was general exhortation that I took to heart. But that is different from being present when the gift of exhortation is being exercised which is powerful and unmistakable in its ability to move you into a course of action. (Talk about a nun I had years ago in Catholic school who had this gift) The gift of giving The next gift that Paul lists in Romans 12 is the gift of giving. This gift is simply what its name implies. The usual Greek verb for giving is didōmi, but the word here is the intensified metadidōmi which carries the additional meanings of sharing and imparting that which is one s own. When we think of this gift we often think of a person who generously and consistently gives money to the work of God. And certainly, that s true but the word really indicates a person who gives of themselves their time, talent, service or money to help others and build the kingdom of God on the earth. When asked by the multitudes what they should do to bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance, John the Baptist replied, Let the man who has two tunics give [metadidōi] to him who has none; and let him who has food do likewise. (Luke 3:8, 11) 7

8 Paul the apostle in Ephesians 4:28 said that all Christians should labor, performing with his own hands what is good, in order that he [or she] may have something to share [metadidōi] with him who has need (Eph. 4:28). So, we are all commanded in Scripture to be giving people. However, when God gives the gift of giving to a person that s all they think about is using whatever money and talents God has given them to help others and build His kingdom. Years ago, I read a biography on the life of D.L. Moody and how many ministries he started or got involved with that helped people practically and spiritually. One of Moody s biggest supporters was John Farwell. Farwell was a devout Christian, who was also a wealthy American merchant and philanthropist who partnered with men like Marshall Field. He heavily supported the work of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA), the United States Christian Commission during the American Civil War, and, as I just said, was a big financial supporter of the evangelical works of Dwight L. Moody. As I have said in previous studies, when the new YMCA building in Chicago (that Farwell financed) was being dedicated, they wanted to call it Moody Hall but Moody insisted that it be named Farwell Hall because of the generosity of the man whom the Holy Spirit had given the gift of giving to. In Romans 12, Paul went on to admonish those with this gift to give with liberality. 8

9 Liberality translates haplotēs, which has the root meaning of singleness and came to connote simplicity (as in the KJV), singlemindedness, openheartedness, and then generosity. It carries the idea of sincere, heartfelt giving that is untainted by selfish ambition or ulterior motive in other words, giving with no strings attached. One pastor The Christian who gives with liberality gives of himself, not for himself. He does not give for thanks or recognition, but for the sake of the one who receives his help and for the glory of the Lord. Those who give with liberality are the opposite of those who sound a trumpet before [themselves], as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be honored by men (Matt. 6:2). We see in the N.T. that many believers in Macedonia (modern Greece) were given the gift of giving by the Holy Spirit who gave with great liberality. Of these, Paul wrote in 2Corinthians 8:2-5 2 Corinthians 8:2-5 (NLT) 2 They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity. 3 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 4 For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. 5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NLT) 6 Remember this a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully. When someone who is called and gifted to be a giver stops giving liberally they will often see their resources dry up. 9

10 This happens when a person stops realizing that God is blessing their life financially for the purpose of giving to others and building the kingdom of God here on earth. When that happens, they begin to think their ingenuity and hard work have prospered their life, so they begin to spend it on themselves instead of spreading it around to others as the Holy Spirit directs. And then you have the false teachers and preachers who target these people preying on their good nature and generous hearts as a way to make merchandise off of them. I just read the other day that prosperity teacher and charlatan Jessie Duplantis is asking his followers to help him raise 54 million dollars so that his ministry can buy a fourth jet plane so he can fly anywhere in the world non-stop. (Elaborate) It was said of D.L. Moody that millions of dollars (when a million dollars was a huge amount of money) passed thru his hands that had been donated to his ministry. His close friend and associate, R.A. Torrey, said that the reason God kept allowing millions of dollars to pass thru Moody s hands was because the money never stuck to his fingers he never spent it on himself, but he always made sure that all of it went to the legitimate work of God. Moody himself had the gift of giving and exercised it with liberality. The gift of leadership In Romans 12:8 Paul then mentions another gift, the gift of leadership he who leads with diligence. 10

11 Leads is from proistēmi, which has the basic meaning of standing before others hence, the idea of leadership. In the New Testament this word is never used of governmental rulers but of the leadership in the family (1 Tim. 3:4, 5, 12) and in the church (1 Tim. 5:17). In Acts 27:11 and Revelation 18:17, it is used of a pilot or helmsman the person who steers, or leads, a ship. The gift of leading is no doubt given to pastors and deacons in a local church who are charged by God with leading the flock of God with care and diligence. However, the gift is not limited to those offices and is given by the Holy Spirit to leaders of families, but also to those who direct such activities in the local church such as: Sunday school, women s ministry, the youth group, the nursery, or a building program. The gift of leadership is to be exercised with diligence or in other words with carefulness, earnestness, responsibility, and consistency. The Greek word diligence (spoudē) also carries with it the idea of haste speaking of a Christian who leads with eagerness, doing things promptly and in a timely manner implying a measure of enthusiasm. This would be in contrast to those who lead with procrastination and laziness. One pastor adds an interesting footnote It is significant that Paul makes no mention of leaders in his first letter to Corinth. Lack of a functioning leadership would help explain its serious moral and spiritual problems, which certainly would have been exacerbated by that deficiency. Free-for-all democracy amounts to anarchy and is disastrous in any society, including the church. The absence of leaders results in 11

12 everyone doing what is right in his own eyes, as the Israelites did under the judges (Judg. 17:6; 21:25; cf. Deut. 12:8). And finally, we come to the last gift Paul lists in Romans 12 The gift of mercy The Greek word is eleeō and carries the joint idea of actively demonstrating sympathy for someone else and of having the necessary resources to successfully comfort and strengthen that person. Those resources don t have to be financial in nature they could simply refer to a person who is able to speak words of comfort into the heart of someone going thru a difficult time. One writer put it this way This is a Christian who has been divinely gifted with a special sensitivity to suffering and sorrow, with the ability to notice misery and distress that may go unnoticed by others, and with the desire and means to help alleviate such afflictions. This gift involves much more than sympathetic feeling. It is feeling put into action. The Christian with this gift always finds a way to express his feelings of concern in practical help. He shows his mercy by what he says to and what he does for the one in need. This is a gift that can be exercised in many different ways, in many different places and to many different kinds of people. For example, this gift is used quite often in hospital visitation, jail ministry, or in service to the homeless, the poor, the handicapped, the suffering, and the sorrowing. Again, all Christians are commanded to be merciful even with a warning for those who fail to be merciful to others: 12

13 Matthew 5:7 (NKJV) 7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy. James 2:13 (NKJV) 13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. James 3:17 (NKJV) 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. But again, the gift of mercy seems to be a concentration of mercy upon a person s life it s a mercy that saturates and characterizes their whole life. Those who have this gift should exercise it with cheerfulness. Why do you think Paul makes a point to say this? Because, the gift of mercy can be a very draining gift that can tax your energy and rob you of your joy if you don t stay close to the Lord and constantly draw from His energy, strength and love for those you re ministering to. And the reason for that is those that need mercy are usually those who are hurting the most, suffering the most those who require the most time and therefore are the most draining. If you re not careful they will take your time away from the Lord time you need to recharge your spiritual batteries. When that happens, what used to be done with joy will become a joyless burden that you will come to resent. 13

14 This little story to illustrate my point A Christian lady once said, When my mother became old and needed someone to care for her, my husband and I invited her to come and live with us. I did all I could to make her comfortable. I cooked for her, did her washing, took her out in the car, and generally cared for all her needs. But while I was going through the motions outwardly, I was unhappy inside. Subconsciously I resented the interruption of our usual schedule. Sometimes my mother would say to me, You never smile anymore. Why don t you ever smile? You see, I was showing mercy, but I wasn t doing it with cheerfulness. Jesus routinely withdrew from ministry to hurting people to get alone with His Heavenly Father to get recharged. I ll end this study with the words of one of our Calvary pastors who had this to say about spiritual gifts I believe the Lord is looking for an army of sharpshooters who will zero in on their target and say, This is where I function, as they make the development and exercise of their spiritual gift their priority and passion. How can you know which gift is yours? I believe the answer is amazingly simple: If you suddenly became pastor of Christian Fellowship, what changes would you make? If you would grab the microphone and call the fellowship to activism, if you would try to get folks fired up to share the gospel, if you have a burden to speak forth God s Word to a hurting society, chances are yours is the gift of prophecy. If, on the other hand, you would divide the fellowship into small groups in order that members of the body might serve one another and meet one another s spiritual needs, yours is most likely the gift of ministry. If, given the opportunity, you would lead the fellowship in a study of Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic, of homiletics and hermeneutics, of eschatology and ecclesiology, yours is probably the gift of teaching. If your primary concern would be funding worthy causes for needy people, if your energy would be spent organizing bake sales and car washes, yours is the gift of giving. If your heart would go out to hurting people, if your passion lies in hospice ministry, jail evangelism, or crisis hotlines, yours is the gift of mercy. If, however, the first thing you would do would be to head for the church office and straighten things out in order that the fellowship would operate more smoothly and effectively, yours is the gift of leadership. 14

15 What would you change, what would you do if you were in charge? Your answer will give you a good clue as to what your spiritual gift is. The problem is, I have a tendency to analyze others in light of my gift, wondering why they re not functioning as I do. Great is the day and mature will be the church family who will simply say, She s different, or, He s different and that s as it should be because they re functioning the way God made them. That s the point Paul is making here. Find your gift, develop it, and let others function in theirs. 15