The Gift Exchange Series
“Unexpected Gifts”
Introduction
This Advent series we are be putting a spiritual spin on some of the modern aspects of Christmas. We’ve entitled the series “The Gift Exchange” because we are attempting to exchange our modern mindset of Christmas for a spiritual perspective. Each week of Advent we’re looking at different aspect of modern day Christmas through the lens of God’s Word.
The first week we looked at Layaway and were challenged by God’s Word to store up treasures in heaven instead of treasures on earth. The last week we considered salvation through Christ as the best gift ever. This morning we are looking at “Unexpected Gifts.”
From personal gifts to contributions made to ministry I have received many unexpected gifts throughout my life. When I look back I remember one expected gift was when one of our members finished paying for the property adjacent to the parking lot property on 186 Avenue. Affectionately known as the Dome House property. Another was a $90k gift that came from a non-member that paid to complete the construction of this sanctuary. But one of the most memorable unexpected gifts I received was a white 1979 Ford LTD Station Wagon.
We called it “The Whale.” Barb and I had a young family with four boys, no money, and needed a big car to haul everybody around. My mother-in-law’s boss had just purchased his wife a new car and had given his old car the 1979 Ford LTD Station Wagon to my mother-in-law. My mother-in-law unexpectedly gave it to us. It was one of those station wagons where the very back seat was turned facing the rear. That feature was great when you could put the most annoying child back there on long road trips! Well, the Whale was ugly but it served its purpose and it was certainly an unexpected gift.
Unexpected Gifts
As I mentioned, last week we considered that salvation through Christ is “The Best Gift Ever.” And the Bible teaches that corresponding to the great gift of salvation is the unexpected gift of the Holy Spirit. Yes, Jesus had promised to send the Spirit to empower believers to be His witnesses to the uttermost parts of the world but the permanent indwelling of the Spirit equipping and empowering every believer was something that was quite unexpected. The permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit is the very essence of the New Covenant. You see, when you receive God’s gift of salvation through Christ the Father sends the Holy Spirit to dwell in us immediately. This is the unexpected gift. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit empowers the believer to live to the glory of God. The Apostle Paul asked, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (I Cor.3.16)
Forty days after His victory over death, Jesus ascended into the heavens to take His rightful place seated at the right hand of God the Father. From His exalted position on high, Jesus dispenses spiritual gifts to the believer through the indwelling of the Spirit. The Bible teaches us that when He ascended on high . . . He gave gifts to men.” (Eph.4.8) These gifts are given to every believer individually just as He will. (I Cor.12.11) Christ gives these gifts for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ. (Eph.4.12) And He continues to give these gifts until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Eph.4.13)
The Bible teaches that each one has received a {special} gift, to employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (1 Pet 4.10) Notice that the gift of the Holy Spirit isn’t just for a chosen few but for each one every believer. God’s special gift is not to be tucked away at the bottom of the junk drawer like an unwanted gift we received at Christmas. No, this special gift but is to be employed in serving one another. Employing our spiritual gifts is the way each believer builds up and edifies the body of Christ.
It is important at this point to distinguish between our talents, our natural abilities, and our personalities from spiritual gifts. Of course all that we are comes from God so in that sense our talents, natural abilities, and personalities are all gifts from God.
But our talents, natural abilities, and personalities are not the same as spiritual gifts. Scripture sets apart spiritual gifts as something different from talents or natural abilities. Our talents and natural abilities are gained through hereditary, learned through conditioning, or something we are just born with. Spiritual gifts, on the other hand, are an empowerment from a supernatural origin, not the result of genetics, training, or conditioning. Unbelievers, as well as believers, have talents or natural abilities but only believers in Christ have spiritual gifts.
There are five main passages that list spiritual gifts. (Rom.12.6-8; I Cor.12.4-11; I Cor.12.28; Eph.4.11; IPt.4.11) Some of these gifts are apostolic meaning that these gifts were active during the time of the Apostles. While other gifts are common to all believers regardless of what period of time they live and serve. Today, I want us to focus on the common gifts that are given to every believer. These common gifts include faith, helps, administration, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, and mercy.
The Bible not only identifies these common gifts but also issues the temperament and character that coincides with the execution of these gifts. The Bible tells us that since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them properly: . . . if service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness . . . so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (taken from Rom.12.6-8 and IPt.4.11)
Notice that the way we exercise our spiritual gifts is by taking action to employ them. If service, in the act of serving; or the one who teaches, in the act of teaching; or the one who exhorts, in the work of exhortation; the one who gives, with
generosity; the one who is in leadership, with diligence; the one who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Exercising our spiritual gifts requires action by every believer. Each one must act and work generosity, diligently, and cheerfully. We employ our spiritual gifts voluntary with eagerness proving to be examples to the flock. (IPt.5.2-3)
Examples of Unexpected Gifts
Let me give you some examples of Unexpected Gifts. A person who has never worked with children, has never been a schoolteacher, and has no training in education but there is a vacancy in the 4/5th grade Sunday School class and that person volunteers to teach the class. This was my Grandmother. She was never trained as a teacher but she taught the children’s Sunday School class my entire childhood and ladies Bible studies too. Another example is a person who wasn’t trained as a financial adviser or professional fundraiser exhorts others to give a considerable amount of money towards the construction of new educational wing at the church. Another example is a CEO of a large company, viewed as a top executive, and compensated very well financially. But at his church he sponsors a soup kitchen for the poor on Saturday mornings and he serves by washing the pots and pans back in the kitchen. Another example is a truck driver with only a high school education who serves on the mercy team at his church and is voted by his peers to be the treasurer and faithfully serves in that position for over a decade. The Sunday School teacher, the fundraiser, the CEO, and the truck driver are all unexpected gifts to Christ’s church.
Thoughts about Spiritual Gifts
Let me share some thoughts about spiritual gifts in the life of the believer. First, being used by God in an unexpected way, in a way that doesn’t come naturally, guarantees that God will get the glory. Imperfect vessels guarantee that God gets the glory. Killing the feeling of being adequate and qualified leads to true spirituality because then your dependence is on the Holy Spirit and not yourself. Often when I ask someone if they would be willing to serve in a particular way in the church or when someone is nominated as an elder or deacon they often respond saying, “I don’t feel qualified.” And I respond saying, “That makes you the perfect candidate.”
Secondly, the sacrifice of self and self-reliance is the essence of Christianity. We need to rid ourselves of self and engage wholeheartedly in exercising our spiritual gifts by the power of the Spirit. Like the prophet Isaiah was acknowledged his flaws and failures saying, “I am a man with unclean lips and live among a people with unclean lips,” when the Lord asked, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Isaiah immediately responded, “Here am I send me!” (Is.6.5, 8) We need to say to the Lord “Here am I send me” regardless of our flaws and imperfections.
Third, the employment of spiritual gifts brings an unexpected joy to the believer because it benefits others. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20.35b) We often hear people say after they served, “I got more out of this than those who received.” This is an unexpected joy. There is a spiritual equation that goes like this: Giving = receiving. Brothers and sisters it depends what you want to experience in your Christian life. You have to decide if you want the benefit of receiving or the blessing of giving. Do you want the benefit of receiving or the blessing of giving?
Lastly, the exercise of spiritual gifts brings an unexpected blessing of building up the body of Christ. When you exercise your spiritual gifts you receive the unexpected blessing that you are advancing the Kingdom of God. When you employ your spiritual gifts you receive the unexpected blessing that you are having a spiritual impact in people’s lives. So, don’t be a spiritual scrooge saying “bah-humbug” to the opportunities you have to serve others. Get out of yourself and trust the Holy Spirit to show up!
Exhortations to Exercise your Spiritual Gift
Let’s consider some exhortations to exercise your spiritual gift from God’s Word. The first exhortation comes from I Timothy where the Apostle Paul exhorts young Timothy to not neglect the spiritual gift within you. (I Tim.4.14a) Neglect is the great enemy of spiritual growth. Brothers and sisters don’t be overly concerned about the Devil but be on guard against neglecting to exercise your spiritual gift. People say, “I don’t know what my spiritual gift is,” and my response is, “Just keep serving until you find it.”
The second exhortation comes from I Corinthians where the Apostle Paul is exhorting the Corinthian Church saying, “So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.” (I Cor.14.2) It’s this last phrase that I want to focus on – seek to abound for the edification of the church. Christians should to seek to excel in edifying the church. The local church is the means that God has appointed to reach your family, friends, neighbors, and the world. You can never go wrong in seeking to use your spiritual gift to edify and build up the local church.
And the last exhortation comes from 2 Timothy where the Apostle Paul exhorts us to kindle afresh the gift of God. (2 Tim.1.6a) Timothy had every reason to allow the flame of his spiritual gift to simmer down into cold coals. He was handicapped by frequent ailments. (I Tim.5.23) He was naturally timid. (I Cor.6.10; 2 Tim.1.7) He was a young. (I Tim.4.12; 2 Tim.2.22) He had strong opposition. (I Tim.1.3-7) But Paul exhorts Timothy to fan the flame of his passion for Christ and His church and kindle afresh the gift of God. There is the possibility that the flame of our passion for Christ and His Church can fade if we are not diligent to keep the fire going.
Some of you might be like Timothy having frequent ailments, being naturally timid, young in the faith, and facing opposition. These types of issues are common but the damage is to allow these things to put out the flame of the gift that God has given you. Brothers and sisters we cannot allow COVID to extinguish the exercising of our spiritual gifts. The way we keep the flame of God’s gift burning hot is by kindling afresh the gift of God by being active in serving others through the unexpected gifts that Christ gives us.
Closing Thoughts
The challenge this morning is for each of us to utilize the spiritual gift that God has given us in serving one another for the common good. I can confidently say today that God has given you at least one of these gifts. Faith, helps, administration, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, or mercy. Which one has God given you to serve one another for the common good? The challenge is to not neglect the spiritual gift within you. The challenge is for you to seek to abound for the edification of the church. The challenge is for you to kindle afresh the gift of God.
Let us use God’s unexpected gifts in unexpected ways.
Call to Prayer
As each one has received a {special} gift, to employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (IPet.4.10)
Benediction
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think,
according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. (Eph.3.20-21)