When I was a youngster, my father gave me this large toy semi-truck as a gift. It was quite a toy. It was constructed out of real metal, had a glossy white paint job, real rubber tires, a chrome bumper, a smokestack and tires, see-through windows, and a large, spacious trailer with an rolling door. Each night I kept my semi under my bed, which also served as a makeshift garage. My first order of business every morning was to make sure that semi was still there. For whatever reason, that toy was special to me. I became increasingly possessive of it, not wanting my brothers, sister, neighbor kids, or anyone else to touch it.
One Sunday our family was driving home from church. I had lugged the toy semi along with me, and was playing with it in the back of our station wagon. About that time my brother reached over and tried wrestling the semi away. I fought and fought with him, but to no avail. He kept insisting that I should share this toy. But I thought that this toy was given as a gift to me, not to him! There in the back seat, the conflict escalated. My temper flared as he kept tugging and pulling on my semi-tractor trailer. In a rage, I rolled down the window and chucked the trailer out as hard as I could!
As my brothers stared at me in disbelief, there I sat in the back seat, all indignant and selfish, consoling myself. If I could not have that gift all for myself, then nobody would have it. Not even my own brother! In retrospect, that was a pretty dark moment. I had totally lost sight of Christ’s words in Matthew 10:8 (NIV), "Freely you have received, freely give."
Freely Giving and Receiving?
Honestly, there are few things that cut against the grain of our sinful nature harder than the concept of freely giving. It isn’t just children that have a hard time freely giving. It is also adults. And it isn’t just non-Christians that have a problem. It is also many Christians. But of all people, why would a Christian have trouble freely giving?
In Matthew 10:8 Jesus is sending his disciples out with instructions to preach the good news of the kingdom, to heal the sick, to raise the dead, to cleanse those who have leprosy, and to drive out demons. But why should the disciples embrace this mission wholeheartedly? Why should they bother preaching? Why should they concern themselves with the needs of others? Why should they take the time to drive out evil and administer healing? Why should they give up anything in service to God?
Because Jesus says, "Freely you have received, freely give." They had freely and gladly received all sorts of good things from God. Why shouldn’t they feel just as free to share them with others? After all, isn’t it those who have received the most from God that should be the most willing to give generously? I mean, how much more do we need to freely receive from God before we feel like we can be in a position to freely give to others? Yet so many times we clutch the gifts God has graciously given us. We have completely lost sight of who provided those gifts, and for what purpose, and for whose glory.
The "Grace" of Spiritual Gifts
In Ephesians 4:7-16 (NIV) we get a primer, an elementary education, about freely giving. "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: 'When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.' (What does 'he ascended' mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
This morning I want to ask a number of questions that arise out of the study of this passage. I pray that these questions won’t be lost, but that you will write them down and think on them.
Will you see God’s grace in your life?
Ephesians 4:7-8 (NIV), "But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: 'When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.' "
The absolute most important thing we need to get right is God’s grace. This verse states that each one of us individually has been given grace. That is, each one of us individually has been shown favor, or kindness, by Jesus Christ. This is certainly true in a general sense. James 1:17 (NIV) tells us that, "Every good and perfect gift is from above." Each one of us has been given a measure of grace according to Christ’s pleasure. We don’t get to choose how much grace God shows to us, nor do we get to choose what form God’s grace will take. God graces us in so many ways.
But if you are a Christian, you have received an even greater measure of God’s grace. Back in Ephesians 2:6-10 (NIV) the scriptures say, "And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith— and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."
God has put the incomparable riches of his grace on display in the Christian’s life. Through faith in Jesus Christ, God has forgiven every single one of our hostile acts of sin. He has forgiven one flagrant act of rebellion after another. The Christian always measures God’s grace by the cross, the cross upon which Christ suffered for our sins and was put to death for our hostility. The magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice, when fully grasped, melts the coldest of hearts. Until you begin seeing the magnitude of God’s grace expressed in his kindness through Christ Jesus, freely giving will be the furthest thing removed from your mind.
In 2 Corinthians 5:14-15 (NIV) Paul writes, "For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again." Have you understood the magnitude of Christ’s sacrifice? Have you understood that his love now compels you to live differently and more generously? If not, will you see God’s grace? Will it become your primary frame of reference? Will God’s grace transform your heart?
Will Christ be exalted in your life?
Ephesians 4:9-10 (NIV), "(What does 'he ascended' mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.)"
If I were to name something equally as important as understanding God’s grace, it would be that Christ descended to earth as the servant before ascending higher than all the heavens to fill the universe. One reason we have so much difficulty freely giving is that we are so preoccupied with ourselves, with our universe, and with the tiny world we have created for ourselves.
In our culture especially, we have exalted self to divinity. In our culture, the consumer is sovereign. Our desires are enthroned and everything gets marketed to our most subtle whim. Our happiness and our satisfaction has become our number one priority. We're not interested in descending, but in ascending. We're not here to serve, but to be served! We want to be kings and queens. We want others to be subject to us.
Our instant gratification is the number one criteria by which we choose whether to obey God. We will serve if and only if we can identify some immediate benefit. We will give if and only if it feels good. For many, giving is mostly about serving self in the name of serving others or serving God. Our problem is not seeing anything beyond ourselves. So often it’s as if there isn’t anything or anyone above us or beyond us. So often we worship a God who exists to meet our needs, to fulfill our expectations, and to conform to our desires.
But remember the example that Jesus set for us. Jesus Christ descended before ascending. Matthew 20:28 (NIV) says that Christ descended unto earth not to, "...be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Philippians 2:7-11 (NIV) says Christ, "..made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in the appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave himthe name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." It's time that we stop worshiping our desires at the altar of consumerism. God calls us to a life beyond self. It is Christ who has been enthroned andwho should fill the universe.
Will you discover your unique gift(s)?
Ephesians 4:11 (NIV), "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers…"
There are always those Christians who sit on the sidelines, deactivated from service. This happens not because God has benched them, but because they have benched themselves. This next verse teaches us that every one of us has the capacity to freely give. We can all make a significant contribution in service to God.
Ephesians 4:8 (NIV) reminds us quite simply that Jesus, "...gave gifts to men." He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
1 Peter 4:8-11 (NIV) says, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and power for ever and ever. Amen."
God has given us the capacity to love deeply, to forgive sins, to offer hospitality, to administer his grace in a kaleidoscopic array of creative means, to speak, to serve, and to bring glory to his name. Can you love? Can you forgive? Can you open your home? Can you talk? Can you serve? God has given us special talents and abilities. He has gifted us uniquely so that everything he wants done in this church and in his kingdom gets done. Each one of us has something of value to contribute to one another. But you will never discover your unique gift when you are sitting on the sidelines. You need to get involved, and pray, and let God lead you to those things he has uniquely gifted you to do for his glory. So it takes a commitment to discover your unique gifts.
Will you serve God’s purpose?
Ephesians 4:12-13 (NIV), "...to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
These next verses are extremely important because they describe purpose of leadership. God gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to ready God's people to do works of service.
God’s purpose is for each one of us to do good works. We are to do good works that build unity in the Church, good works that build faith in Jesus Christ, good works that lead people deeper into a knowledge of the Son of God, and good works that help people become more mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Ephesians 2:10 (NIV) says, "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." It's not enough that we discover our unique gifts. We must then use those gifts and must ascend into servanthood. We must be of the mind and will that we're going to do the works that God has prepared for us to do.
Will you grow into Christ-likeness?
Ephesians 4:14-16 (NIV), "Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
These last verses describe God’s chief objective. The objective is that we would grow up into him who is the head, that is, Christ. Spiritual growth is becoming more like Christ, not less like Christ. It is about being compelled by God’s generosity to live for righteousness. It is about becoming a servant, freely giving, and making sacrifices. It is about discovering our unique giftedness and doing good works. It is about glorifying God by doing the work he has prepared in advance for us to do. It is about building up the body of Christ, for which Christ died.
Reflect on the questions we’ve touched on this morning.
- Will you see the grace of God in your life? God’s love compels us to freely give!
- Will Christ be exalted in your life? Jesus came to earth not to be served, but to serve and to give!
- Will you discover your unique gifts? God has uniquely gifted you to build up the body of Christ, to make a contribution, and to serve.
- Will you serve God’s purpose? Will you do the good works God has prepared for you?
- Will you grow into Christ-likeness? Will you grow up into him who is the head, the Lord of the Church? From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work!
The Misused Gift
The next Sunday after I threw my semi-truck out the window, our family stopped along the roadside on our way home from church. After a week of regret, I was eager to run out to the ditch to retrieve my misused gift. But it was all scratched up and dented. The once shiny chrome was tarnished, the rubber tires were full of water, the windows were cracked, rust was peeking through the paint, the semi and trailer were badly dented, and the door could not be opened. The gift my Father had given me had become utterly worthless because of my stubborn refusal to share it with my brother.