As we wrapped up our sermon series on the Holy Spirit, we turned our attention to a critical but often misunderstood aspect of the Spirit’s work: spiritual gifts. These gifts are not about personal glory or talent showcases. They are the Holy Spirit’s way of working through us to build up the body of Christ.
The Apostle Paul’s language in 1 Corinthians 12 is striking. Over and over, he repeats the word same—the same Spirit, the same Lord, the same God who empowers all. The emphasis is unity, not uniformity. Each person is given a gift, not for their own benefit, but for the common good. And the gifts aren’t truly ours. As we said in the sermon, “It’s going to be ours… but we’re going to keep it at my house.” In other words, the gift is from God, belongs to God, and is kept with us so we can steward it well.
For us, In us, Through us
We explored salvation through the lens of three prepositions: for, in, and through.
- God has done things for us—He has forgiven our sins, adopted us, justified us. These are passive gifts, graciously given.
- But salvation doesn’t stop there. The Spirit begins to work in us—changing our hearts, forming virtues, bearing fruit like love, joy, and patience.
- And finally, He works through us. That’s where spiritual gifts come in. We are not saved just to be saved. We are saved to serve. We are saved to be sent.
You Can’t Mess It Up (If You’re Trusting the Spirit)
Many people hesitate to use their spiritual gifts because they’re afraid they’ll mess it up. “What if I say the wrong thing?” “What if I volunteer and end up making things worse?” That fear is not from God. If you’re operating in the flesh, yes—you can get it wrong. But if you’re operating in the Spirit, you can trust that He will make the work of your hands beautiful.
Even the most humble acts of obedience—like the janitor who once stood up at a college chapel and could only choke out the words, “I just want you to know I love you”—can become powerful moments of grace. That’s because it’s not about eloquence or perfection. It’s about Spirit-empowered obedience.
Discovering Your Gift
At the end of the message, we shared a Spiritual Gifts Assessment—both a digital version (via QR code) and a printed version for those who prefer paper. This isn’t a personality test. It’s a tool to help you reflect and pray over how God might be equipping you in this season.
We encouraged everyone to be careful: you might think you know your gift, but God often surprises us. Sometimes He gives gifts we never thought we had—or takes a gift we’ve clung to and replaces it with something new. The goal is not self-fulfillment, but surrender. His gifts are for His purposes.
A Word of Caution: Don’t Get Spiritually Arrogant
Paul also warns against spiritual pride. These are gifts, not trophies. You didn’t earn them. You didn’t manufacture them. And that means they should humble us, not inflate our egos. If someone applauds you for your gift, your first response should be awe—“Why would God entrust this to me?”
Final Encouragement
Christianity is not a spectator sport. It’s not “the clergy do everything while we watch.” God is calling you out of the stands and into the field. Maybe you’ve served in the past, maybe not. Maybe you know your gift, maybe not. Either way, now’s the time to ask:
“Holy Spirit, how do you want to work through me?”
And then trust that you can’t mess it up—because the gifts are His, and He’s going to use them for His glory.
