The Spirit gives gifts to every Christian
Have you ever watched young children attend a birthday party of a sibling or friend? There can be tears of frustration as they realise the pile of gifts is not for them, but only for the special birthday boy or girl. As a father, I’ve seen this many times!
The good news about Pentecost is that the gifts the Holy Spirit brings are for everyone. Everyone gets a gift. ‘Each one of us has received a gift of grace’ (Ephesians 4:7). Everyone is a winner. No-one misses out. There are no “special” Christians or “super” Christians who have something more than others. This is why we have the list of places from which everyone came in Acts 2: ‘Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs.’ Everyone is there, from Crete in the West to Arabia in the East, from West to East. All Christians have freely received God’s spiritual gifts.
The Spirit gives many and varying gifts
The first gift that every Christian receives is life itself. The creation story in Genesis says, ‘Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath (spirit) of life, and the man became a living being.’ (Genesis 2:7). God breathed, and continues to breathe, his Holy Spirit into you to animate you and bring you life. This gift is freely given to all.
The second gift is the gift of saving faith. The Holy Spirit opens your eyes and ears to receive the good news that Jesus is God’s Son who has come to save you. Martin Luther writes about the third article of the Creed: ‘I believe that on my own I can never come to Jesus Christ my Lord, or believe in him, no matter how hard I try. But the Holy Spirit has called me to Jesus by the good news about him. The Spirit has led me to know and trust Jesus, made me holy, and kept me in the Christian faith.’ We are given God’s Spirit at birth and in our baptism, and it continues to be freely poured out on us throughout our lives.
If that’s not enough, the Holy Spirit gives additional gifts to each person. These gifts are varying. They are different for each person, they can even differ at different times in history or different geographic locations. For example, there was something different happening on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. Likewise, today we might see gifts of healing given to people in third world countries without access to hospital care, but here in Australia God might choose to work through the gifts and talents of nurses and doctors.
There are multiple lists of spiritual gifts given in Scripture. None of the lists are the same. All of them stress the differences of the gifts. ‘There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.’ (1 Corinthians 12:4). ‘In Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.’ (Romans 12:5–6). ‘There is one body and one Spirit. … But to each one of us grace has been given.’ (Ephesians 4:4–7).
Some churches speak about “the seven gifts of the spirit” or “the nine gifts of the spirit.” I think they’ve missed the point of these lists of spiritual gifts. Like a shopping list that says: eggs, milk, cheese, yoghurt, something for dinner, these lists are open ended. The lists are what is called indicative — they indicate possible gifts. The lists are not exhaustive, listing every possible gift. The gifts differ depending on who St Paul is writing to. They range from the ordinary to the spectacular, from single events to ongoing roles/offices. Special abilities in individuals (e.g. speaking or interpreting tongues) to enhanced characteristics of every Christian (e.g. giving).
Some of the gifts are special skills or supernatural abilities: wisdom, knowledge, faith (to move mountains), healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, giving, martyrdom (1 Corinthians 12:4–11; 13:1–3); prophesy, service, encouragement, giving, leading, showing mercy/compassion (Romans 12:4–8).
Some of the gifts are described as roles or offices that people take up: apostle/messenger, prophet, evangelist, pastor/leader, teacher (Ephesians 4:11–12).
Related to the gifts are the fruit of the Spirit. These are more like characteristics that the Spirit grows in people: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).
I think what’s important is to be open for the Spirit to move in varying, intricate, amazing ways in the lives of all Jesus’ followers.
The Spirit gives gifts for the benefit of God’s people
Gifts are given to all. They are variable and different. But why? Why does the Holy Spirit give them? In Ephesians chapter 4, St Paul gives a few reasons.
First, ‘to equip his people for works of service’ (Ephesians 4:12). If you were able to join us last week we heard something very similar: we have been made alive to do good things. Likewise we have been given spiritual gifts to do good things, to equip God’s people for service. The picture St Paul uses is a medical term used in the Roman army. ‘To equip’ means ‘to bind up a broken bone.’ We are all soldiers on the frontline of God’s mission. We are serving in his army, doing his work. But it can be hard. We’re broken people. We’re hurting. So we gather together to be patched up. All the spiritual gifts that we have been given are at work to set our broken bones, to equip us to walk out those doors, to work and serve another week.
Second, ‘so that the body of Christ may be built up’ (Ephesians 4:12). The picture here is of a house being constructed. God is building a house, and he needs different tradies to do the job: plumber, a carpenter, a tiler, a carpet layer, cabinetmaker, locksmith. God needs apostles to carry his message, prophets to speak his Word to others, evangelists to convince others of the truth, pastors and leaders to guide, teachers to teach the faith. But this house being built isn’t a grand mansion for the members to lounge around in. Again, this house is a shelter for the broken and hurting. A hospital for the sick. A treatment clinic to patch us up in order to be sent out to continue witnessing and complete God’s work.
Last, ‘then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching’ (Ephesians 4:14). The picture here is of a boat with a firm anchor. Without the anchor it’s tossed around. Our spiritual gifts are to be used in love to build each other up, to support each other, so that we won’t be tossed around by the world and false teaching. Love draws the individual away from personal spiritual experiences to building up the collective.
The Spirit has gifted you
So when we ask the question “Who am I?” we can answer “I am gifted.” The Holy Spirit has given you gifts. These gifts are many and varied. They’ve been given to you to be used in love to equip, build up, and support each other as God’s people.
Challenge: What are your Spirit given gifts? Spend some time this week praying for the Holy Spirit to reveal his gifts in you. Maybe even ask other people what they think your Spirit given gifts are. Imagine how God might use the gifts he has given to you to for the benefit of his people.
Let us pray: Heavenly Father, thank you for freely giving us the gift of grace through Jesus. By your Spirit, give us your gifts to build up your people. Amen.
