~ Spiritual Gifts – Role Players ~
Opening Comment ~ “Do
not be deceived, my beloved brethren. 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” (James 1:16-18).
Introduction ~ In our previous
post in this series we pointed out the need for, and God’s intention, that all
members of the local church act together to achieve the common goal. Just like in other arenas of life, such as
sports, there are various roles to perform.
The role of quarterback of an American football team is quite different
from the role of a defensive lineman.
A well-run business
needs excellent performance in engineering and design, in manufacturing, in
marketing and sales, as well as finance and accounting.
A well-functioning
local church requires excellence in their public image (pastors, teachers,
etc.), their leadership (elders and other leaders), as well as service (from
their deacons and members).
It is critical in any organization that all participants perform their
roles well if the common goal is to be achieved. One key is that each role player understands
their role and why it is critical to accomplishing the overall purpose and
mission of the organization.
Well-known secular motivator Zig Ziglar put it this way: “Although I am a positive thinker, at
least at times, if you needed surgery, I would not recommend that I be one to
do it.”
Comments ~ (1)
All persons have multiple natural talents. (2) All believers have multiple spiritual
gifts. (3) You have the right to ask God
to strengthen your existing gifts or even add additional gifts – 2 Corinthians
9:8. (4) You should strive to build up
other believers by using the gifts you have – 1 Corinthians 14:12.
A Story (unknown source)
~
“The children worked long and hard on their own little cardboard
shack. It was to be a special spot – a
clubhouse – where they could meet in solemn assembly or just laugh, play games,
and fool around. As they thought long
and hard about their rules, they came up with three rather perceptive
ones: 1. Nobody act big. 2. Nobody act small. 3. Everybody act medium."
Scripture ~ “Let
another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips”
(Proverbs 27:2).
“Though
I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become
sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And
though I have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so
that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me
nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).
Closing Comments ~ “Let
no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in
conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to
exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you,
which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the
eldership. Meditate on these things;
give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the
doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing
this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12-16).
“Therefore
I remind you to stir up the gift of God
which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear,
but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).
“As each one has received a gift, minister it
to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter
4:10).
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog.
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