Live out your gifts!
Activity/caring question
Give the group an opportunity to tell every member in the group what positive character traits they have. Give the group a chance to think about it before you start.
Brainteaser
Live out your gifts!
Our faith journey doesn’t end the day we realise our sins have been forgiven … That’s actually the start of so much more!
One of the wonderful things of being a child of God, is that He blesses each of us with gifts. These abilities are not there because we’re clever or good. The Holy Spirit gives it to us.
He doesn’t give it to us to put away for “one day when we’re all grown up”. He gives it to you now, to use it to serve others. When we allow Him to work through us, we bear fruit and that brings honour to God.
Don’t be shy or stingy with your gifts!
Make sure you know what you’ve received from God, and use it to His honour!
What does the Word say?
Romans 12:4-8
“In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we’re talking about is Christ’s body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn’t amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ’s body, let’s just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren’t.
If you preach, just preach God’s Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don’t take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don’t get bossy; if you’re put in charge, don’t manipulate; if you’re called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don’t let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
“God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:
wise counsel
clear understanding
simple trust
healing the sick
miraculous acts
proclamation
distinguishing between spirits
tongues
interpretation of tongues.
All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.”
1 Peter 4:10
“Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God’s words; if help, let it be God’s hearty help. That way, God’s bright presence will be evident in everything through Jesus, and he’ll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything—encores to the end of time. Oh, yes!”
Questionnaire: Discover your gifts
What are spiritual gifts and how do they work?
Gifts ... who, me?
I Thank God
Prayer
Lord, thank You that You want to work through me! Help me to focus less on myself and be more available to You to be used in other people’s lives. In Jesus’ Name, amen.