1 Peter 4:10 ‘As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.’
The gifts from God that we receive, we need to employ to serve one another.
Romans 12:6 ‘Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;’
We all have received gifts from God. They differ according to the grace that we received.
Romans 12:1 ‘Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.’
As we are learning to serve God, as a living sacrifice, presenting our bodies, letting our minds to be renewed and to be transformed, we will learn to understand and know God’s will and do it. We will know God’s will, as we do it.
Verse 3, ‘For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. so, we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;’ Each of us have a gift, a part to be played, in the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:4-7, ‘Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.’
Jesus saying in, John 12:49, ‘“For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.’
Jesus telling to His disciples, about the Holy Spirit, John 16:13, “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.’
God has given us, His Holy Spirit to help us. Just as Jesus, did not speak of His own initiative, Holy Spirit is also prompting in us to not speak of our own initiative, He will help us. If there is any word of encouragement or any word of prophesy – we need to share as a part of the Body, and the Holy Spirit will tell us what to speak.
1 Peter 4:10, ‘As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.’ Manifold is, having several different aspects or dimensions to it. ‘Grace’ is granted or given by God.
1 Peter 2:5, ‘you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.’
We are being built together, a Spiritual house, for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. As in Romans 12, we present our bodies as living and holy sacrifice to God, eventually to understand His will. But, how do we do it? It says here, as living stones, we are built together. As He is building us together, we are offering sacrifices.
The Body of Christ is indeed, a mystery. Paul says this regarding with Christ and the Church. He actually wants us to understand a little bit of this mystery and to be part of this work of the Holy Spirit. As young people, we often think that mysteries are for the people who are mature. But God wants us to learn, step by step. It will take us some time to reach the level, where our Elders are right now. They themselves are trying to go forward. And, they also want us to learn more and go ahead in Christ.
Ephesians 1:18, ‘I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,’
Paul calling us saints, as part of the Body of Christ here, there is an inheritance that we can own, like riches. We need to gain this spiritual wealth, riches of the glory of His inheritance. And, this can happen only through the Body of Christ.
Ephesians 3:17-19, ‘so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.’
We see here, we may be able to understand/comprehend WITH all the saints, the love of God, the breadth, the length, the height and the depth. We need to try our best to have fellowship with every saint. Paul says, there are some parts of the body, which are less honorable, but they are of more value. God wants us to be a part of the fellowship. We may have differences at physical level, but what binds us is the Holy Spirit. If we all have same motive of following Jesus and we have the same Holy Spirit, He will help us in doing His will.
Let us offer ourselves as spiritual sacrifice to God. When we come into Fellowship, we need to understand that we have a part to play and we have spiritual gifts to exercise. We should also come with playfulness, when we come together – not just during the meetings but otherwise also. Let us practice to be mindful of what we say – ‘is there any encouragement, or any correction or a testimony, what we did or did not do’ – it can convict another person. Let the Holy Spirit guide us. He will help us and guide us, the more we obey the Holy Spirit, the more we will be able to recognize His voice and understand the next time when He speaks to us.
Hebrews 5:8, ‘Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.’ Jesus learned obedience through the things, which He suffered. Jesus was obeying to the voice of the Father, what to do, say and when to pray – during the nights, during the mornings, before anyone would get up, He would go to a mountain and pray. We see here, suffering and obedience goes together. Our responsibility as a saint is to suffer, so we can cease from sin and be a spiritual gift to others by serving them.
Romans 6:16, ‘Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?’
The choice for us is either of, sin or obedience. Every time we are tempted, we must remember this, not sinning is to obey. Ask God to help us to obey. Holy Spirit will lead us. Like we heard, ‘When we see ourselves attached to our new car, we can pray, Lord help me not to be attached to this car and God very quickly answers such prayers’. As we ask God for help, to be drawn away from the attractions of this world and the oppositions, God quickly answers our prayers. Praise God.
