I. Introduction
A. The Most Important Employee You’ve Never Met
1. Jeff Haden wrote an article in 2021, often called “The Invisible Bob” article, about an employee who quietly does their job well. The article encourages employers to recognize employees who simply do their work well without seeking recognition.
a. We all know Invisible Bobs at our workplaces.
b. Our secretaries here do more work than you think. Too often, we only speak to them in their professional capacity when a detail in the bulletin isn’t quite right, or we call the office and no one answers right away.
c. There is also much work that you never see done by our elders, deacons, ministry leaders, etc.
2. In our theme passage for the year, we are reminded that everyone is expected to serve.
B. Service
1. The Christian’s life is not designed to be one of complacency; it is meant to be a life of purposeful action.
a. Paul makes this point in our theme passage for the year as he concludes this section.
b. It’s easy to miss, but part of what he challenges us to see is that service feeds growth in the Christian.
c. It’s not that Bible study, prayer, meditation, fasting, etc., are unimportant, but in our passage this morning, he stresses the part that serving in the body of Christ plays in our unity and growth in our passage.
2. This morning, I’ll share the first of our lessons on equipping ourselves to serve. Today, we’ll talk about defining and discerning our gifts.
II. Equipped to Serve-Defining and Discerning
A.
1. In the first century, some Christians were endowed with miraculous spiritual gifts (e.g., speaking in tongues, prophesying, etc.).
2. Served a specific (Mark 16:20; 2 Cor 12:12; Hebrews 2:3-4)
3. These gifts were not meant to be .
a. The way the miraculous spiritual gifts were conferred (with one exception for a specific reason in Acts 10) was through the apostles. There is no instance of a person, other than an appointed apostle, being able to instill miraculous gifts on others. (Acts 8:18-25)
b. Since there are no longer any apostles alive to pass on these miraculous gifts, how could we receive them?
c. In 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, Paul challenges the brethren to consider that some of the very things they were squabbling over wouldn’t last. Among those would be miraculous spiritual gifts.
d. In an interesting observation by Tom Pennington, he states, “There were only three primary periods in which God worked miracles through unique men. The first was with Moses (also Joshua); the second was during the ministries of Elijah and Elisha; the third was with Christ and his apostles. The primary purpose of miracles has always been to establish the credibility of one who speaks the word of God—not just any teacher, but those who had been given direct words by God.”
4. One last thing to consider is that even in the first century, not all gifts were (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Peter 4:10,11).
a. At the beginning of 1 Corinthians 12, Paul reminds the early Christians that it is the Spirit who has empowered them for the common good of the church (7,11).
b. When we are baptized, the Spirit works with our spirit to develop our God-given abilities in ways that help the church and glorify Him.
5. In today’s church, Spiritual Gifts are abilities, talents, and skills that are God-given for the purpose of building up the body of Christ to glorify God.
6. So, if our gifts today aren’t miraculous, how are we supposed to figure out what they are and how to use them?
B. Your Gift
1. Why is it important to identify your gift? Because it is a matter of your .
a. The measure of faith in Romans 12:3 is connected to verses 4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:7.
b. Roper observes that the Greek word metron can refer to “an instrument for measuring.” It can also mean “a portion measured off.”
c. Some prefer the first definition —that God has given us a standard by which to measure ourselves (i.e., Jesus); however, the second definition fits the context better, as seen in verses 4-8.
d. God has given each of us a portion of His to be used in service to Him and for His glory.
2. But here’s the connection we often don’t make: our (Romans 12:2) and spiritual are directly associated with our service in God’s Kingdom.
a. We are not meant to consume only; we are meant to .
b. Our education, experiences, and environments shape us in special ways that God can for service to Him.
3. Practical Ways to Find Your Gift
a.
i. What are you passionate about?
ii. Paul didn’t suddenly become a passionate person at his conversion. (Galatians 1:14)
iii. God wanted to hone Paul’s passion for the truth to serve Him.
b.
i. What do you notice that doesn’t seem to bother others?
ii. A group of people noticed that some widows were being left out, but not everyone. (Acts 6:1-7)
iii. The problems we see can become the ministries we impact.
c.
i. What are you good at? What have you been trained for as a career?
ii. Paul was trained as a tentmaker.
iii. He used that to his advantage in Corinth (Acts 18:3-4).
iv. How can your skillset be translated into helping the Kingdom?
d.
i. Ask God for wisdom.
ii. Ask God for opportunities (James 1:5)
e.
i. Listen for clues from others.
ii. 1 Timothy 4:14
4. Homework
a. When it comes to church, what am I passionate about?
b. What skills do I have?
c. Pray every day this week for God to help you discover or utilize your gift.
d. List areas in your life where your skills, talents, abilities, and passions can connect to serve the Lord.
III. Conclusion
A. Review
1. Service in the Kingdom is important for our spiritual growth.
2. Evaluate where you are and where God desires you to be.
3. Find a way to serve Him.
B. Invitation