Eight reasons to be gift-oriented

1. To offer oneself up as a living and holy sacrifice
   We are called to present our lives as a sacrifice unto God. This is metaphorically referring to the burnt offering of Leviticus 1. The fact that we are "living" sacrifices confirms this is an ongoing thing, not temporary. Eph 4:1 "I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called..." Since we are in this walk with Christ for the long haul, why not enjoy it?

   Did you know when we fail to use our gift the way God planned for it to be used; we lose the joy of service to the Lord? Many times it is not that we don’t want to serve God, but that we starve the gift that is in us. This robs us of the joy of service. Yes, we are all called to serve God fully, but what happens when we fail to use the primary gift of God? We become a spiritual cadaver rather than saying "Take me Lord for Your service!"

2. To not be conformed to this world
   To appreciate what Paul is saying, it is necessary to look closely at a couple of the key words that he uses. The first word is "conformed" suschmatizesye and means to shape one thing like another. It is middle action, meaning it is something that one does to self. We are the one that has the power to shape ourselves to fit the pattern of the world, no one else. I Jn 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

   The word that Paul uses for "transformed" is metamorfousye and means to go through a metamorphosis. It is passive action, which means refers to something that we allow to occur to us. A couple of other places this word is used are in the following examples.

   • Mark 9:2-3 And six days later, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John, and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; ³ and His garments became radiant and exceedingly white, as no launderer on earth can whiten them.
   • 2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

   When we passively submit to our gift, we surrender ourselves to be clay in the hands of God. Will we take the gift that God has given us and allow Him to "transfigure" us into the image of His Son? If we refuse to use our gift as intended, then we may be conforming to the world, something we do not want to do.

3. To teach personal humility
   The number one problem that has plagued the harmony of the church more than anything else is our inability to have and maintain humility among her members. When we fail to see that God has put us all together for the working of His glory, we glory in ourselves. We are to be as it states in Eph 4:2 "...with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love..." The gifts allow us to see the personal value of others in the church. When we observe that God has invested in others in the congregation just like He has us, then humility occurs.

   We are told in Phil 2:3-4 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not {merely} look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. This becomes reality when utilizing the gifts.

4. To add value to personal ministry
   These are the facts; the blood of Christ saves all Christians, all Christians are to walk with Christ, all Christians share the hope of eternal life, but all Christians are not the same in their giftedness. It is this knowledge that adds value to personal ministry. People like to know what they do for ministry is important.

   1 Cor 12:14-18 For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not {a part} of the body," it is not for this reason any the less {a part} of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not {a part} of the body," it is not for this reason any the less {a part} of the body. ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? ¹⁸ But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

   I would like you to imagine an eldership made up of three prophets. Can you envision what the attitude of the meetings would be? There must be a mercy giver to balance them out. What about a mission team made up of only teachers? Would they not tend to sit around and teach each other all day? They would need a missionary and evangelists to better balance the team. What would happen if planning committees had no administrators, but instead was loaded with servants? This can result in very little getting done.

5. To teach us the Oneness of the Body of Christ
   Eph 4:3-5 "...being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ {There is} one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

   There are seven points of unity for the Christian, one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God. We must get this through our thick Christian skulls; God gave us gifts so we would be unified.

6. To better understand He who gives
   Christ has been graceful to each member of His church based on who He is. What does it mean when it is said that One gives a gift? In order to give a gift, One must first possess the gift in which One is to give. Jesus could give gifts unto men because He did possess them all. To see the gifts is to see the personality and passion of the One who gives them.

   Jesus possessed all these gifts

   • Prophet: Matt 7:29 for He was teaching them as {one} having authority, and not as their scribes.
   • Service: Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."
   • Teacher: Matt 19:16 And behold, one came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?"
   • Exhort: 1 Cor 1:10 "I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ..."
   • Giver: Acts 20:35 "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
   • Mercy Giver: 1 Tim 1:2 "...Grace, mercy {and} peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord."
   • Leader: Matt 23:10 "And do not be called leaders; for One is your Leader, {that is,} Christ.
   • Shepherd: 1 Pet 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.
   • Evangelist: Luke 3:18 So with many other exhortations also he preached the gospel to the people.
   • Missionary: Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
7. To bring the Church to her fullness

   The gifts that God gives help the Church function as a well-oiled machine. The congregations that use their gifts accordingly are fully equipped for service. Those congregations are building one another up in Christ. They are united in faith, knowledge and maturity, striving to reach the measure of the stature of Christ. The ultimate end is the fullness of Christ existing in the lives of the congregation. The bride is made complete in service by striving for the fullness of Christ day by day.

8. To bring glory to God

   We can say "Amen" to this for glorifying God is the job description of the Christian. It is through these gifts that God has provided that causes the world to see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Our entire mission as the saved, sanctified, set apart people of God is to bring to the throne of grace offerings of glory and honor. God gave us the gifts, therefore we have an obligation to use them for His glory.