Written by Joel Deacon - Lead Pastor of City on a Hill Wollongong

LOVE - PART 2

SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND LOVE

In this series on spiritual gifts, it is critical that we do not separate the spiritual gifts from the missional purpose of the church. The gifts are given to help the church be on mission. In Acts 8, Simon the magician tried to buy the power of the Holy Spirit and was strongly rebuked by Peter, because the Holy Spirit and spiritual gifts are not given for personal gain. And so as we look at these gifts, we need to think about the missional activities of the church. In the last devotion we learnt how one missional activity of the church is to demonstrate the radical, beautiful, incredible love of Jesus to the world.

There are four passages in the New Testament that explain Spiritual gifts (Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12–14, Ephesians 4:1–16, 1 Peter 4:1–11). And some of these gifts express the love of God in a tangible way.

For example:

• The gift of serving shows the love of God in practical action.
• The gift of mercy shows the love of God to the hurting and broken.
• The gift of administration shows the love of God through order.
• The gift of giving shows the love of God through generosity and sacrifice.
• The gift of helps shows the love of God in quiet, unnoticed faithfulness.
• The gift of celibacy shows the love of God through undivided devotion.
• The gift of martyrdom shows the love of God in radical faithfulness and courage.

Now to be clear, all believers are called to pursue love and obey Jesus’s command to love one another. But the Holy Spirit empowers some believers with unique gifts so they can lead, train and model to the church how to love. For example:

• Someone with the gift of serving is equipped to model and train the church how to meet practical needs with joy.
• Someone with the gift of mercy is equipped to model and train the church how to show compassion to the hurting.
• Someone with the gift of administration is equipped to model and train the church how to organise its mission with clarity and care.

All believers are commanded to love like Jesus, but some believers are uniquely gifted by the Spirit to help the church do this. If you have one of these love gifts, we encourage you to steward it well. Persevere even when others do not share your passion for this ministry. And ask the Holy Spirit for more power, more wisdom and more Christlike character so that your ministry will bear fruit and help the church reveal the love of Jesus to the world.

QUESTIONS:

1. "Pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts". Which of these gifts do you desire?

2. Who in your life has one of these gifts and how can you learn from them to be more loving like Jesus to the church and your community?

CHALLENGE:

Serve and help someone today without asking.