Spiritual Gifts: The PURPOSE of gifts

How do we win the game?

Again we are not playing a solo sport but a team sport. We win, not by entering into our own glory by kicking goals but by getting the team across the line. Some people play our game as though it were a solo sport. They think that winning the game means being popular, being influential, being authentic, being noticed, and beating others. But we play our game for the purpose of building up the body of Christ and getting each player over the finished line.

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 the power for ever and ever. Amen.  (1 Pet 4:10–11)

[This series on Spiritual Gifts belongs to the sermon titled 'Charisma (1 Peter 4:10)' which I preached at St Philips, York Street on Sunday night. You can downloaded it here or on the resource page.]

Spiritual Gifts: The STEWARDSHIP of gifts

How do we play the game?

We play the game with the recognition that there is really only one person of importance in the stands watching us play. We play for an audience of one. God is watching us, and it doesn’t matter if other people don’t recognise how well we kick the ball, or stopped the enemy, or set up the play, our praise comes from our Father who loves to watch us play. There will be times when we will intentionally do something the other players will get angry at you for, like admitting you kicked the ball out, or by being gracious to your enemy, or by passing the ball to one of the inexperienced players, or by not cheating. But that’s ok because our praise comes from our Father.

[This series on Spiritual Gifts belongs to the sermon titled 'Charisma (1 Peter 4:10)' which I preached at St Philips, York Street on Sunday night. You can downloaded it here or on the resource page.]

Spiritual Gifts: The SOURCE of gifts

Who is picked for the game?

God chooses us for his team, we don’t earn our position. In 1 Peter 1:1-2, Peter refers to God’s people as ‘God’s elect… who have been chosen’. In 1 Peter 4:10, Peter says that our gifts are given by God, and received by us. Hence, we are chosen for his team and we don’t even have the abilities we need to play on this team until he gives the ability to help the team. This means there can be no boasting about our gifts, they are given and received. I am on the winning team not because I play so well, but because God picked and equipped the right team. This also means that no one is indispensible. If your minister were to die or be sent out for mission do you really think the gates of hell are going to overcome our church? If this happened at St Philips church, where I serve, there are at least 5 guys who could step up and preach the gospel and lead us. Sure we might need more training, but we could do it. No one is indispensable (but remember everyone is needed).

Last week I was running with my mate Chris Thompson. He grew up in Bathurst and he was telling me about the church that he grew up in which was started in 1994. I asked how it started and he said that a bunch of families just got together and formed a little community around the gospel and that’s how it started. No minister, no one getting paid, no one with formal training. Just a bunch of people who loved one another and who spoke the story of Christ into one another’s lives. So why bother have a minister? Because his job is to equip us to do what we do better. That little community in Bathurst was good enough, but they realised in a couple of years that they needed someone to coach them as they played the game. The point: no one is indispensible, but everyone is needed. God equips his church. Should we loose someone to death or we send them out for mission, the gates of hell are not going to overcome us.

God has chosen us to be on his team, and given us talents to play the game. Sadly some people sit on the bench fearing getting hurt or injured or being too tired or getting too close to people or getting dirty. Others stay in the stands thinking they have no gifts and never chat to the coach to find out what position they are built for. Sadly sometimes coaches are so busy that they forget to go and find those players which are urgently needed but who think they are useless. Others are just lazy: they sit in the stands with their beer and meat pie watching the game. Still others have been incredibly gifted yet hang back on the sideline. Once in a while they will move forward and score a goal, and everyone thinks they are a hero, because no one expected them to come and score a goal. But as soon as things get risky, they slip back to the sidelines where they are safe and go unnoticed and don’t risk getting injured or looking bad, but they are poised ready to identify their next moment of glory. This is sad. What we need are courageous players and inspiring coaches.

[This series on Spiritual Gifts belongs to the sermon titled 'Charisma (1 Peter 4:10)' which I preached at St Philips, York Street on Sunday night. You can downloaded it here or on the resource page.]

Spiritual Gifts: The VARIETY of gifts

What position am I playing?

We are involved in a solo sport like running or snowboarding. We are playing a game of team sport and there are lots and lots of different positions in this game. There are positions for all types of people: extroverted-introverted, weak-strong, smart-simple, funny-serious, relaxed-urgent, rational-relational, on task-with people, artistic-rational, aesthetic-practical, optimistic-realistic, organised-flexible… Everyone is needed.

[This series on Spiritual Gifts belongs to the sermon titled 'Charisma (1 Peter 4:10)' which I preached at St Philips, York Street on Sunday night. You can downloaded it here or on the resource page.]

Spiritual Gifts

JI Packer writes ‘For centuries the churches assumed that only a minority of Christians (good clergy and some few others) had gifts for ministry, and they gave the whole subject of gifts small attention. Prior to the twentieth century, only one full-scale study of the gifts of the Spirit had been written in English, penned by the Puritan John Owen in 1679, 1680.’[1]

This week I will be writing a series of short pieces about our use of spiritual gifts in communities of faith. This series on Spiritual Gifts belongs to the sermon titled ‘Charisma (1 Peter 4:10)’ which I preached at St Philips, York Street on Sunday night. You can downloaded it here or on the resource page.

New Sermon: Charisma (1 Peter 4.10)

Last night I preached at St Philips on Spiritual Gifts (Charisma) from 1 Peter 4:10. You can find it on the resources page or below.

Charisma (1 Peter 4.10)
MP3 | St Philips, York Street (6PM) | 14 March 2010

Philippian Partnership

While sitting in a Roman prison, the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians,

It was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. (Philippians 4:14-16)

The Philippians were faithful and generous friends who repeatedly supported Paul in his rescue work of preaching and planting churches. Though poor themselves, they gave “beyond their means” and “overflowed in a wealth of generosity” (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). And when Paul landed in prison, they kept on supporting him. “Once and again” meant a lot to Paul. The Philippians loved Paul and believed in his mission, so through their faithful support they partnered with him to rescue others.

It is this kind of partnership I would like to invite you to join as I lead a team on mission between the City and Bondi. If you would like more information about our thinking and planning you can read more here. Otherwise I hope these monthly emails will enable you to prayerfully support us in mission.

A venue for our meetings

So far we have gathered a team of roughly 6 marrieds, 6 singles and 6 children who are excited to be on mission between the city and Bondi. Our plan for this year is to begin by planning, praying and studying culture and scripture. We will meet monthly until July, fortnightly until October, weekly until December, and then biweekly in 2011.

At present we have been meeting at the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre. The centre is located on Crown Street amidst designer stores, cafes, restaurants and pubs. The centre itself was designed by FJMT architects and City of Sydney, and “is a lavish architectural exercise in modernist eco-thinking, exotic materials and intricate detailing.” The venue reflects the kinds of people we hope to reach with the story of Jesus: ecologically sensitive and aesthetically attentive. It contains a function room which can accommodate 100 people seated theatre style, or 48 seated around 8 tables. Additionally there is also a separate meeting room in which we expect to run kids church, and a commercial kitchen.

During our meetings this year we will spend time planning, praying and dreaming of being the kind of church we see in Acts 2:42-47.

Please pray for us and let me know especially if your would like to be more involved in planting this church.

Living in Christ’s story

Toby Neal

(If you would like to sign up to join the Philippian Partnership click here and signup for the monthly emails.)