Spiritual Gifts
Part 10
Service, Mercy, Giving
Old Testament Lesson: Micah 6:1-8
6 What must I bring to the Lord? Must I bow-down? Must I bring a one year old cow for a burnt offering?
7 Will the Lord be-happy with ten thousand sheep and a thousand rivers of OLIVE OIL?
Must I give to the Lord my first born son to pay for my sin?
8 The Lord finished informed you what is good, and what He wants from you.
The Lords wants you always to do correctly [right], show mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Epistle Lesson: Romans 12:6-17
6 Now, we must use our different gifts according to the grace God gave us. If God gives us the gift to preach HIS message, then we preach as our faith leads us.
7 If God gives you the gift of serving others, then serve them good. If you are a teacher, then do a good job of teaching.
8 If your job is to encourage others, then do that with eager understanding. If God gives you money, feel kind to help others. If God gives you skill for leading and managing other people, then work hard and work with responsibility. If God gives you the gift of showing mercy, then comfort people with Christian cheer.
9 You must have true love that is honest. Hate things that are evil. Hold things that are good.
10 Love one-another deeply. Honor other people more than you love yourselves.
11 Never let the fire in your heart go out. Stay excited serving the Lord.
12 When you hope, have joy. When you suffer, have patience. When you pray, have faith and continue praying.
13 Share with God's people who have needs. Welcome other people into your homes.
14 Bless people who hurt you. Bless them, and do not curse them.
15 When someone is happy, share their joy. When someone is sad, share their grief.
16 Have peace with one-another. Don't be proud. Be friends with people who have a low level. Don't think that you are better than other people.
17 Don't pay back evil with evil. Be-careful to do what everyone knows is right.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 10:25-37
25 Then a man skilled in the Jewish Laws came to test Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what must I do to get eternal life?"
26 Jesus asked the man, "What is-written in the Law? What do you read?"
27 The man answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your life and with all your strength and with all your mind, and love your neighbor the same-as you love yourself."
28 Jesus told the man, "You are correct. Do that and you will live forever."
29 But the man wanted to prove himself correct. The man asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 And Jesus told a story to the man, "A man traveled from JERUSALEM to JERICHO, and some robbers came and tore-off his clothes, punched the man, and began leaving. The man was-almost dead.
31 And it happened the same time that a Jewish priest traveled on that road, but happened the priest saw the man, the priest went across the road and passed-by.
32 Also on that road came a temple servant, and he saw the man lying on the road, and also he passed-by.
33 Then came a man from the country named SAMARIA, and he saw the man and felt sorry for him. That man came and wrapped-his-body and poured OIL and gave-him some wine and put the man on his donkey and lead the man to a house and took-care of that man.
34 The next day the man from SAMARIA took-out some money and gave the money to the house keeper.
35 'Please take-care-of my friend, and any more money you need I will pay you after I come again.'
36 Jesus asked the man, "Which of the three men do you think was a good neighbor to the man beaten-up by the robbers?"
37 The man said, "The one man that was kind enough to help." Jesus said, "You go now and do the same thing."
Continuing our study about skills that God gives to us for doing His work --
Today we look at three gifts from the Holy Spirit:
When God the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and change our attitudes and actions,
He helps us see other people through His eyes.
He wants us to understand and feel the things that other people need, as He does.
And He shows us ways that we can help them.
In some ways, every true Christian does those three things --
feeling mercy for other people,
helping them, and
giving as the Holy Spirit leads.
But the Bible says that the Holy Spirit chooses some Christians for doing these things as their special work.
Through them God leads us all, and teaches us how we can all become more sensitive, serve more, and give more.
Today we look at three gifts from the Holy Spirit:
- Serving or helping
- Mercy
- Giving
When God the Holy Spirit comes to live in us and change our attitudes and actions,
He helps us see other people through His eyes.
He wants us to understand and feel the things that other people need, as He does.
And He shows us ways that we can help them.
In some ways, every true Christian does those three things --
feeling mercy for other people,
helping them, and
giving as the Holy Spirit leads.
But the Bible says that the Holy Spirit chooses some Christians for doing these things as their special work.
Through them God leads us all, and teaches us how we can all become more sensitive, serve more, and give more.
The Gift of Serving / Helping
People that have this special gift from the Holy Spirit notice quickly physical needs that other people have. They quickly know what to do, and they do it.
They notice problems and they immediately act to fix those problems. Big problems or small problems -- it doesn't matter.
They don't criticize.
They don't seek praise for themselves.
They just feel uncomfortable when they see that someone needs help, so they go and help.
They don't wait for the leader to ask them.
That "someone who needs help" can be
a person,
or an organization,
or the church.
You won't find most Holy Spirit Helpers in front, leading the church. They prefer to work quietly, behind the leaders, while they support the church's work. They are the people that always show-up when we need work done.
We know people in our fellowship here who are like that... [You may want to name them.]
We find several people in the Bible who have this gift.
In Old Testament, the prophets ELIJAH and ELISHA both received support from women who loved God.
(1 Kings 17:7-16 and 2 Kings 4:8-10)
In the New Testament we see
People that have this special gift from the Holy Spirit notice quickly physical needs that other people have. They quickly know what to do, and they do it.
They notice problems and they immediately act to fix those problems. Big problems or small problems -- it doesn't matter.
They don't criticize.
They don't seek praise for themselves.
They just feel uncomfortable when they see that someone needs help, so they go and help.
They don't wait for the leader to ask them.
That "someone who needs help" can be
a person,
or an organization,
or the church.
You won't find most Holy Spirit Helpers in front, leading the church. They prefer to work quietly, behind the leaders, while they support the church's work. They are the people that always show-up when we need work done.
We know people in our fellowship here who are like that... [You may want to name them.]
We find several people in the Bible who have this gift.
In Old Testament, the prophets ELIJAH and ELISHA both received support from women who loved God.
(1 Kings 17:7-16 and 2 Kings 4:8-10)
In the New Testament we see
- Martha, Mary's sister, who served other people in her cooking (Luke 10:38-42 and John 12:1-8)
- a woman named TABITHA, who used her sewing skills to help poor people. (Acts 9:36-41)
- and seven men who were "filled with the Holy Spirit and with wisdom" who had the responsibility to manage the church's food service to poor widows. (Acts 6:1-8 We call them the first "deacons," even though the Bible doesn't call them that.)
The Gift of Mercy
People who have the Holy Spirit's gift of mercy are sensitive to way other people feel -- their emotions.
God gives them special ability to notice people who feel hurt.
They empathize [feel-same] with other Christians in the church family who are suffering.
They feel with people in their troubles and pain, and they give compassionate [kind] and cheerful support.
They especially feel concern for people that the rest of us overlook, or ignore.
When we see people who need help, but we feel overwhelmed and have no idea what do to, bothers and sisters who have God's gift of mercy connect with them anyway. First they connect with their heart, then they help with their actions.
Jesus said,
People who have the Holy Spirit's gift of mercy are sensitive to way other people feel -- their emotions.
God gives them special ability to notice people who feel hurt.
They empathize [feel-same] with other Christians in the church family who are suffering.
They feel with people in their troubles and pain, and they give compassionate [kind] and cheerful support.
They especially feel concern for people that the rest of us overlook, or ignore.
When we see people who need help, but we feel overwhelmed and have no idea what do to, bothers and sisters who have God's gift of mercy connect with them anyway. First they connect with their heart, then they help with their actions.
Jesus said,
"Those who give one of these little ones a cup of cold water because they are my followers will truly get their reward." (Matthew 10:41)
Remember the "Judgment Day" story.
Then the King will say to the people on his right, "Come, my Father has given you His blessing. Receive the kingdom God has prepared for you since the world was made. I was hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was alone and away from home, and you invited me into your house. I was without clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me."
Then the good people will answer, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and give you food, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you alone and away from home and invite you into our house? When did we see you without clothes and give you something to wear? When did we see you sick or in prison and care for you?"
Then the King will answer, "I tell you the truth, anything you did for even the least of my people here, you also did for me." (Matthew 25:34-40 NCV)
The Gift of Giving
The Bible teaches us all that we all should be givers. But Christians who have that special gift from the Holy Spirit are sensitive to the financial needs of other people.
God gives these people ability to earn money, not for themselves, but to support Christ's work.
They give generously and joyfully to the work of God's Kingdom.
They secretly give to people who have financial emergencies.
They give to Christian mission projects that need support.
They manage their own money wisely so they can have more for giving away.
In the Bible we see several Spirit-filled givers.
Some were rich and some were poor.
Rich people gave much -- like BARNABAS. The Bible says that he owned land that he sold, and he gave all the money to the Apostles for poor people.
Poor people gave little, but for them that "little" felt like much -- like the widow that gave only two pennies.
The Bible teaches us all that we all should be givers. But Christians who have that special gift from the Holy Spirit are sensitive to the financial needs of other people.
God gives these people ability to earn money, not for themselves, but to support Christ's work.
They give generously and joyfully to the work of God's Kingdom.
They secretly give to people who have financial emergencies.
They give to Christian mission projects that need support.
They manage their own money wisely so they can have more for giving away.
In the Bible we see several Spirit-filled givers.
Some were rich and some were poor.
Rich people gave much -- like BARNABAS. The Bible says that he owned land that he sold, and he gave all the money to the Apostles for poor people.
Poor people gave little, but for them that "little" felt like much -- like the widow that gave only two pennies.
Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had; she gave all she had to live on." (Mark 12:41-44)
One more gift from the Holy Spirit that fits here the Bible does not include in any of the lists is the gift of HOSPITALITY -- welcoming people who need a place to live for a short time into your home.
The Bible encourages all Christians to do this (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9)
but clearly some Christians have a greater gift for doing this than most of us.
People have various ways for showing hospitality.
Several years ago a widow woman named Edna Lewis lived alone.
One cold winter day she found a teenage boy living in her backyard shed.
What did she do? Chase him away? Call the police? No.
She invited that boy into her house.
Was that a dangerous thing for her to do? Yes.
But for Mrs. Lewis, that was the right thing to do.
That boy had no place to live.
He had bad friends and bad behavior.
He played around with drugs.
So his parents kicked him out.
Mrs. Lewis made a strict rule -- no drugs in the house.
Over time, with Mrs. Lewis' encouragement, the boy got back in school, got a part time job, and went to the community college.
But that boy was not the only person Mrs. Lewis helped.
Several young people found their home with her.
Once a boy got mad and punched a hole through her wall.
But she was more concerned about the boy than about her wall.
Mrs. Lewis didn't have a lot of money. She only had her husband's pension. But she gave what she had. When other people learned about her service, they gave her help -- like fixing the holes in her walls.
One of those boys -- now a man -- wrote about his experience for Guidepost Magazine.
His article title was, "We will never forget you, Grandma Lewis!"
The Bible encourages all Christians to do this (Romans 12:13; Hebrews 13:2; 1 Peter 4:9)
but clearly some Christians have a greater gift for doing this than most of us.
People have various ways for showing hospitality.
Several years ago a widow woman named Edna Lewis lived alone.
One cold winter day she found a teenage boy living in her backyard shed.
What did she do? Chase him away? Call the police? No.
She invited that boy into her house.
Was that a dangerous thing for her to do? Yes.
But for Mrs. Lewis, that was the right thing to do.
That boy had no place to live.
He had bad friends and bad behavior.
He played around with drugs.
So his parents kicked him out.
Mrs. Lewis made a strict rule -- no drugs in the house.
Over time, with Mrs. Lewis' encouragement, the boy got back in school, got a part time job, and went to the community college.
But that boy was not the only person Mrs. Lewis helped.
Several young people found their home with her.
Once a boy got mad and punched a hole through her wall.
But she was more concerned about the boy than about her wall.
Mrs. Lewis didn't have a lot of money. She only had her husband's pension. But she gave what she had. When other people learned about her service, they gave her help -- like fixing the holes in her walls.
One of those boys -- now a man -- wrote about his experience for Guidepost Magazine.
His article title was, "We will never forget you, Grandma Lewis!"
HAZARD [warning] --
When the Holy Spirit gives us special ways for serving Christ and His people,
we must use those skills humbly and wisely.
Sometimes Christians use their gifts in wrong ways that cause problems. For example:
Christians who have the gift of SERVING and HELPING mistakenly take control of situations that are not their responsibility.
Sometimes they ask other people to get involved without proper authority.
Sometimes they start "helping" before they have full information.
And they act without permission.
Sometimes they "help" by giving free advice:
"You are doing it wrong; I will show you the right way."
Helpers need to learn when it is a good time to help,
and when it is a good time to "mind their own business."
Christians who have the gift of MERCY often want to rescue [save] people
from the consequences of their own foolish or sinful actions.
They need to learn tough love.
Christians who have the gift of GIVING must learn when it is wise not to give.
They need to see when giving only encourages a person to stay depending on support,
instead of becoming independent.
You know the old proverb:
If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.
If you teach a man how to fish,
you feed him for the rest of his life.
Another danger we see in all three gifts is that Christians who have one gift are tempted to criticize other Christians who don't have that same gift -- God gave them a different gift.
They can't understand why all believers don't see
what they can clearly see.
They can't understand why all believers don't do
what they clearly know we should do.
MARRIED COUPLES --
When both husband and wife have the same gift, wow!
Together they have a powerful service to God.
When husband and wife each have different gifts,
that can lead to conflict,
Or...
they can make their gifts match and balance each other.
If your husband or wife has a skill and interest for serving God that is different than yours, that means the two of you have different strengths. You can use your mate's strength and skill for you own weak area. Don't compete against each other, but appreciate each other's way of serving.
FOR THE REST OF US
In many times and in many ways the Bible commands us to do these things --
feel mercy for other people,
help them, and
give as the Holy Spirit leads.
… even if we don't do that naturally,
even when we don't want to do it.
Picture this:
A builder wants to make a PATIO with CONCRETE.
How?
Does he pour out the wet concrete on the ground and try to make it the right shape? No, that will never work.
The builder first makes a wood frame, that sets the shape for the patio.
Then he pours the wet concrete inside the frame.
When the concrete becomes hard, then the builder removes the wood frame.
The same is true about our actions and our feelings for Christian love and service.
If we DO the right thing first, and not wait for inspired feelings for doing it, we will get the holy feelings later.
If we do loving things for people, no matter that we don't feel love for them, our actions are like the frame for the concrete -- feelings of love that later become our inspiration for serving.
Doing loving things is right, no matter how it feels.
Is that hypocrisy? No.
When we obey Christ because we love Him,
that is never hypocritical.
We don’t obey because that will save us and make us better people in God’s sight, but because He already saved us, and now we do it because we love Him, and it is the right thing to do.
When the Holy Spirit gives us special ways for serving Christ and His people,
we must use those skills humbly and wisely.
Sometimes Christians use their gifts in wrong ways that cause problems. For example:
Christians who have the gift of SERVING and HELPING mistakenly take control of situations that are not their responsibility.
Sometimes they ask other people to get involved without proper authority.
Sometimes they start "helping" before they have full information.
And they act without permission.
Sometimes they "help" by giving free advice:
"You are doing it wrong; I will show you the right way."
Helpers need to learn when it is a good time to help,
and when it is a good time to "mind their own business."
Christians who have the gift of MERCY often want to rescue [save] people
from the consequences of their own foolish or sinful actions.
They need to learn tough love.
Christians who have the gift of GIVING must learn when it is wise not to give.
They need to see when giving only encourages a person to stay depending on support,
instead of becoming independent.
You know the old proverb:
If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day.
If you teach a man how to fish,
you feed him for the rest of his life.
Another danger we see in all three gifts is that Christians who have one gift are tempted to criticize other Christians who don't have that same gift -- God gave them a different gift.
They can't understand why all believers don't see
what they can clearly see.
They can't understand why all believers don't do
what they clearly know we should do.
MARRIED COUPLES --
When both husband and wife have the same gift, wow!
Together they have a powerful service to God.
When husband and wife each have different gifts,
that can lead to conflict,
Or...
they can make their gifts match and balance each other.
If your husband or wife has a skill and interest for serving God that is different than yours, that means the two of you have different strengths. You can use your mate's strength and skill for you own weak area. Don't compete against each other, but appreciate each other's way of serving.
FOR THE REST OF US
In many times and in many ways the Bible commands us to do these things --
feel mercy for other people,
help them, and
give as the Holy Spirit leads.
… even if we don't do that naturally,
even when we don't want to do it.
Picture this:
A builder wants to make a PATIO with CONCRETE.
How?
Does he pour out the wet concrete on the ground and try to make it the right shape? No, that will never work.
The builder first makes a wood frame, that sets the shape for the patio.
Then he pours the wet concrete inside the frame.
When the concrete becomes hard, then the builder removes the wood frame.
The same is true about our actions and our feelings for Christian love and service.
If we DO the right thing first, and not wait for inspired feelings for doing it, we will get the holy feelings later.
If we do loving things for people, no matter that we don't feel love for them, our actions are like the frame for the concrete -- feelings of love that later become our inspiration for serving.
Doing loving things is right, no matter how it feels.
Is that hypocrisy? No.
When we obey Christ because we love Him,
that is never hypocritical.
We don’t obey because that will save us and make us better people in God’s sight, but because He already saved us, and now we do it because we love Him, and it is the right thing to do.
Christ helps us, so we now help other people.
Christ had mercy on us, so now we have mercy for others.
Christ gives generously to us, so now we give to others.
Christ had mercy on us, so now we have mercy for others.
Christ gives generously to us, so now we give to others.
People in the Bible who are examples of Serving (Helping), Mercy, Giving
- The Widow of Zaraphath (1 Kings 17:7-16)
- The Shunemite (2 Kings 4:8-10)
- The Widow’s mite (Mark 12:41-44)
- The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37)
- Martha (Luke 10:38-42, John 12:1-8)
- Lesson about foot washing (John 13:1-17)
- Barnabas (Acts 4:36-37)
- Tabitha/Dorcus (Acts 9:36-41)
- Macedonian Christians (2 Cor. 8:1-5; Phil. 4:10-20)
- Judgment Day (Matthew 25:34-40)
NOTES
Serving
The Bible has two Greek words for describing the Holy Spirit's gift of serving or helping.
Romans 12:7 uses the word diakonis. We get our word "deacon" from that word, that means "serving."
1 Corinthians 12:28 uses a longer, more complicated Greek word antilepseis which comes from the verb antilambano. This word has various translations in the Bible:
"Take place of"
or "Come to the aid of"
This word is a combination of two words
(1) lambano = "bring" or "carry",
plus (2) anti = "for the benefit of" or "in the place of"
The picture of diakonis is: Person "A" does something for person "B".
The picture of antilepseis is: Person "A" coming alongside person "B" for "B's" benefit.
Hospitality
"Grandma Lewis" lived in Garland, Texas, a few miles from our home. When we read about her ministry in Guidepost magazine, we found where she lived and went to meet her. We got her permission to recruit young people from church to help with her necessities. Mrs. Lewis had a little pet dog named Peewee -- an appropriate name. You learn quickly not to stand in one place too long because her dog would try to "mark" you.
The story about Mrs. Lewis is too old to be included in the Guidepost website. But they have another story which well illustrates the gifts of mercy, giving, and hospitality:
http://www.guideposts.org/inspirational-stories/stolen-christmas-gifts-teach-one-woman-lesson
Serving
The Bible has two Greek words for describing the Holy Spirit's gift of serving or helping.
Romans 12:7 uses the word diakonis. We get our word "deacon" from that word, that means "serving."
1 Corinthians 12:28 uses a longer, more complicated Greek word antilepseis which comes from the verb antilambano. This word has various translations in the Bible:
"Take place of"
or "Come to the aid of"
This word is a combination of two words
(1) lambano = "bring" or "carry",
plus (2) anti = "for the benefit of" or "in the place of"
The picture of diakonis is: Person "A" does something for person "B".
The picture of antilepseis is: Person "A" coming alongside person "B" for "B's" benefit.
Hospitality
"Grandma Lewis" lived in Garland, Texas, a few miles from our home. When we read about her ministry in Guidepost magazine, we found where she lived and went to meet her. We got her permission to recruit young people from church to help with her necessities. Mrs. Lewis had a little pet dog named Peewee -- an appropriate name. You learn quickly not to stand in one place too long because her dog would try to "mark" you.
The story about Mrs. Lewis is too old to be included in the Guidepost website. But they have another story which well illustrates the gifts of mercy, giving, and hospitality:
http://www.guideposts.org/inspirational-stories/stolen-christmas-gifts-teach-one-woman-lesson