You Were Made for This

Speaker A00:00:00

I want you to think about the last time someone in your church was recognized for their gifts. Maybe it was the pastor who preached a sermon that moved the whole room. Or was that worship leader whose voice seems to come from another world.Or that person who organized the entire Christmas outreach without even breaking a sweat. And I want you to be honest with me for a moment how you felt about that. Because for a lot of people, it wasn't just admiration.It was something quieter, something a little heavier. It was that thought, I don't have anything like that.And maybe you've been in church for years, you've been watching others use their gifts, and you convince yourself that God handed something special to certain people. And somewhere along the way, you just got missed. Friend, I need you to hear this before we go one step further today. That's a lie. It's a lie.And today we're going to tear it apart with scripture. Hello, and welcome to Truth Unveiled with Ralph. I'm Ralph Estep Jr. And I'm so glad you're here today.And today's topic sounds simple, but today's topic has the power to change how you see yourself and how you show up in church and how you understand your place in God's plan. Today we're going to talk about spiritual gifts, specifically the seven Paul names in Romans 12.And the single most important thing I want you to walk away with today is this. Every believer, every believer has been given at least one of these gifts, including you. Now, notice what I said there. I didn't say some believers.I didn't say the mature ones, not people who've been Christians for 30 years. I'm talking to you today. You've been given a gift. Well, let's get right into the word. I always want to found everything I do in the word of God.And we're going to go right to Romans, chapter 12, verses 6 to 8. And this is what it says. It says we have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us.If your gift is prophesizing, then prophecy in accordance with your faith. If it's serving, then serve. If it's teaching, then teach. If it's to encourage, then give encouragement. If it's giving, then give generously.If it's to lead, do it diligently. And if it's to show mercy, do it cheerfully. What a beautiful verse from Romans. But it goes further.Let's look at First Corinthians, chapter 12, verse 7. Again, First Corinthians 12:7. It says now to each one, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.That's a tough word, that manifestation there. But let's look at first Peter 4:10, because it goes even further.It says, each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of of God's grace in its various forms. And in Ephesians 4:7 tells us, but to each one of us, grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.Now, I want you to go back and think about what we just talked about. All those verses. Did you catch the pattern in every one of those? Every single one of those says, each one, each of you, each of us.Not some, not the special few. Every single person who belongs to Christ has been given something to work with. But then we have a problem, don't we? Why don't we see our own gifts?Because if Scripture is that clear, why do so many of us believers live as if we have nothing to offer? And I really think there's three reasons that most people miss their own gifts. The first reason is comparison.Because it's so easy for us to sit in church and we look at the preacher or we look at that worship leader and we think, well, that's what spiritual gifts look like. It's kind of like looking at a surgeon and saying, I'm not a doctor because I can't do heart surgery. The body needs surgeons. Of course it does.But the body of Christ also needs the person who shows up at 6am to clean the hospital. And it needs that nurse who sits in that frightened patient and says, I'm right here with you.And it needs that administrator who keeps the whole thing running back into the word. First Corinthians 12, 14, 18 says, Even so, the body is not made up of one part, but of many.Now, if the foot should say, because I'm not a hand, I do not belong to the body, what would it not for that reason stop being part of the body? And if the ear should say, because I'm not an eye, I do not belong to the body, it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?But in fact, God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. Think about that for a second. God placed the parts just as he wanted them to be, and that includes the part he placed in you.Well, here's the second reason so many of us have been told our gifts don't count. Now, maybe you've never heard those exact words. No one's ever said to you, well, Sally, your gifts don't count. But you see it through.Who gets celebrated and who gets overlooked. And that message is delivered loud and clear. See, preaching, leading, worship, those get the stage. Everybody sees those week in and week out.But that person who's sitting with that grieving widow in her pain, nobody knows about that. Or that person who shows up every week to serve without even being asked, they're not on the stage.Or that person who gives sacrificially when they don't have much to give. Friend, those are gifts, too, and they matter just as much. And here's another reason I think a lot of people miss out on these gifts.Because what comes naturally doesn't feel special to us. And this one, I believe, cuts the deepest. If you're one of those people that's always encouraged, people that doesn't feel like a gift to you.It just feels like, oh, that's who I am. I'm always somebody who encourages.If you see a need and you quietly meet it, that doesn't feel supernatural to you, because that's just what decent people do. But that naturalness, that ease, that's often the fingerprint of God giving you that gift.The thing you do without even thinking is frequently the thing that God designed you to do. And that's why I think so many people miss out on those gifts. But let's get into the truth, what God actually said about your gifts.I want to walk through the seven gifts that Paul names in Roman 12. I don't want those to stay abstract. And as I go through each one, I want you to ask yourself, honestly, does this sound like me?So as I go through each of those, think along that, does this sound like who I am? The first gift is prophecy. Now, before you think this means standing up and giving a word to the congregation, I want you to stay with me.Because that's not what Paul's talking about here in Romans 12. Prophecy is speaking truth into people's lives with clarity and conviction. Doesn't mean you have to be up in front.That doesn't mean you have to be the pastor or the worship leader. It's that person who reads a situation and they know exactly what needs to be said. It's that friend.And we all have these friends who says the thing nobody else had the courage to say, but says it from a place of love. So if people come to you because they need Someone to tell them the truth. That may very well be the gift that you're carrying.Now here's the second gift he talked about serving. And this gets underestimated constantly. But Paul lists it right alongside prophecy, right at the top.If you're that person that sees what needs to be done and you do it without even being asked, you're that person that shows up early, you stay late, and you're never looking for recognition to keep going. You just do it. Because that's what decent people do. If this sounds like you, you're not just some helper. You're not some person just fills in.You're a gifted servant. And I'm going to tell you right now, the church can't function without you. Now here's the third gift. Teaching. And I love the teachers.If you're somebody that can take those complex truth and make it accessible. I'm not talking about the teacher that's in front standing at some podium like our Sunday school teachers or our Wednesday night teachers.The truth is, some of the most gifted teachers, the most gifted teachers I know, they work in those small groups or maybe put their family in the kitchens or maybe just that one on one conversation. If you're one of those folks that loves digging into the word and helping others understand it, this may very well be your gift. Here's another gift.He talks about encouragement. Now, I got into the Greek word. It's a Greek word called paraklesis. It's the same root as parakletos. You know what that means?I was amazed when I found this out. It means Holy Spirit, the comforter. So think about that. The gift of encouragement carries the same root as the name for the Holy Spirit.Now most people would say, well, Ralph, are you talking about somebody that's just cheerful? No, this gift isn't about being cheerful. It's about coming alongside someone in their struggle and just helping them take that next step.If you leave people with conversations and they feel stronger once they've talked to you, then you may very well have that gift of encouragement. Are you seeing some of your gifts right now? As I mentioned at the beginning, as I go through these, think about, are these some of my gifts?Let's move on to the fifth gift giving. Now it'd be real easy for me to say, well, these are folks who give a lot of money, but it goes way beyond money.This is that supernatural ability to see where resources are needed and just give. And not just give. I'm talking about sacrificially at a personal cost. With complete freedom from attachment.And these aren't the people that give to be seen. They give because they can't not give. I know that sounds like a double negative, but if you have the gift of giving, you just have to.You're compelled to do it. You can't not do it. Here's another gift. Leadership. And Paul says it bluntly. He says, if you lead, do it diligently.This gift isn't about having a title. It's that ability to see where things need to go and bring people along.Some of the most gifted leaders that I've encountered in my life actually had no formal position. They didn't have any title, they have any office. But they led by example, they led by consistency, and they led by faithfulness.And then there's the gift of mercy. And Paul says it eloquently. He says, show mercy cheerfully.Now, the Greek word cheerfully means bright and eager, almost joyful, readiness to move towards suffering. Which is kind of a weird thing if you think about like, wait a minute, that seems like we're going in the wrong direction here.So people with this gift don't avoid pain. They walk right into it. They're drawn to the people everyone else walks past.So if you find yourself drawn to the people that everyone else walks past, this might be your gift. Now, you notice what's true of every one of these seven gifts. Not one of these requires a stage. Not one of these requires a title.Every single one of these gifts can be practiced in ordinary life on an ordinary Tuesday. And I love what the book of Ephesians 4, verses 12 to 13 says.It says to equip his 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. Your gift that you have isn't just for you. It's not some random personality quirk. It's part of how the whole body of Christ reaches maturity.See what the Scripture is telling us? And when you withhold your gift, the body's incomplete.But when you use it and when you use it beautifully, something in the kingdom moves forward that wouldn't move it forward without you. Because God intended that for you. And I don't want you to feel. That's pressure, that's dignity. That's your purpose.Now, you've gone through those gifts, and maybe some of those popped out at you. Or maybe you're like, Ralph, I know the exact gift I have. But how do you actually figure out your gift?I want you to ask yourself three questions, and I want you to sit with them this week. Here's the first question. All of these are going to help you get to what? What are my gifts? I said to you, everybody has a gift.So the first question is, what do people consistently come to you for? Now, that's not what you're good at in your own estimation, but what do others seek you out for? Because here's the thing I've noticed.People around us can often see our gifts more clearly than we can see them. It's almost like we've got blinders on. But the people around us, they're like, oh, if you ask somebody, Abby's gift is this or Ralph's gift is this.If three different people came to you for the same thing in the last year, pay attention to that, because they're probably telling you what your gift is. Here's the second question to ask yourself. What do you do that doesn't feel like work, even if it's hard? Because serving is hard, isn't it teaching?I'm not a teacher. It's hard for me. Encouraging someone in grief, that's hard work. But here's the difference. It's hard because it costs you something.It's hard because it's not what you were made for. But when you're in your gift, even those hard parts have a quality of rightness. You might be tired, but you're not depleted.You might be spent, but you're not empty, because this is what you were made to do. That's your gift. Here's the third question. Where do you see needs that others walked right past?Because I actually believe that gifts often show up sort of as a kind of vision. The person with mercy sees the lonely person in the corner there by themselves.Somebody who's struggling that everybody else kind of walked past and everyone else missed. The person with serving notices that empty coffee pot or that broken chair before anyone even asks about fixing it.That person with encouragement hears the discouragement underneath what someone is saying, even when they're smiling on the outside. What do you notice that others don't notice? Look at First Peter, Chapter 4, Verse 10.It says each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. I want to break that down for a second because I want to just dwell on this for a second. What is it telling us? Faithful stewards.Not perfect, not polished. So you Might be saying, wait a second, Ralph, I've got these gifts, but man, I don't know that I'm that good at it.That's not what scripture is telling you. They just want you to be faithful in it. You don't have to be polished in it, but just faithful.You don't have to have it all figured out before you start. You just got to start. Now, before we move to our truth unveiled moment, I want to ask you something and I want it to sit with you right now.I don't want you to rush past it. Is it possible you've been waiting for permission for your gift?Are you waiting for someone to officially recognize your gift, sort of give you that role, put your name on the list, put you up front? And is it possible you've been comparing what you carry to what someone else carries and deciding yours isn't worth that much?Oh, I have the gift of service, but I can't speak, I can't sing, I can't do these other things. You're thinking it's not worth much.Is it possible that the thing you've always done naturally is actually that fingerprint of God who designed you on purpose to do those things? Because here's what I've come to know. God doesn't waste anything. He doesn't put gifts in people that he doesn't intend to use.He doesn't make parts of the body that the body doesn't need. He said it himself, all of these things work together for the body. Friend, God made you the way he made you for a reason.And our world, the church, the people in your life, they're waiting for you to put that into your practice. They're waiting for what he put into you to start using those gifts. So here's our truth that we unveil today.Every single believer has been given at least one spiritual gift. If you're hearing me or you're watching me, God has given you a gift.And it's not some grand reward for spiritual maturity, but it's actually an act of grace from the moment of new birth. Friend, your gift isn't an accident, and it's not optional. It's how God chose to show up through you in this world.But now I want to speak to someone who may be listening today who doesn't yet know Christ personally. Because honestly, until you have that relationship with Christ, I don't know that you understand what your gifts are.You may not even been given them yet. And today you've been hearing about spiritual gifts. You've been hearing about belonging to the body and having a place of purpose.And maybe something in you is hungry for that right now. Maybe you've spent years on the outside looking in for a long time. And there's something real on the other side of that door. You just know it.And that door is not complicated. If you're ready to say yes to Jesus today, it's really actually pretty simple. You can pray this prayer with me right now.If you're ready to go into a personal relationship with Christ, how about you pray with me? Lord Jesus, I know I'm a sinner. And I know I can't fix that on my own. No matter what I do, no matter what I say, I can't fix this on my own.And Lord, I believe you died for me. And I believe you rose again. So right now, right at this moment, I'm turning away from my old life and I'm choosing you intentionally.I just ask right now that you would come into my heart, Lord, make me new and help me find my place and my gifts in this family, in this body. I ask this in Jesus name. Amen. Listen, friend, if you prayed that prayer, or maybe you've prayed it many times, you just reaffirm that today.I'd love to hear from you. I want you to reach out and send a message. You can actually go to our website. It's truthunveiledwithralph.com/decision I want to pray with you.I want to share this moment with you. Again, that's ttruthunveiledwithralph.com/decisionbecause you just became part of the body.And friend, the body needs what God has already put inside of you. I want you today to make a decision. I want you to stop waiting to feel gifted enough. You've already got the gifts.Stop waiting until you have it all figured out or until someone gives you that title or that role. Start where you are right now.Start with what comes naturally, what you've already noticed, the things we talked about today, with what people are coming to you for. Because what is Romans 12:6 tells us is we have different gifts according to the grace given to each of us, according to the grace.Not some performance, not how long you've been a Christian. You didn't earn this. You can't lose it by being imperfect. Listen, we're all imperfect. We're all broken. It was given to you and it's yours.Ephesians 4:7 tells us. But to each one of us, grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. Listen to me, friend. Christ himself decided what you carry just for you.And that's not a small thing. Lean into that. How about we close in prayer today? Father God, I want to pray over everyone who just listened to this episode.This was a mighty powerful episode about gifts. And I want to pray for that person who's been showing up faithfully and they're quietly wondering if they matter matter to the mission.Lord, I just want you to show them today that they do matter. Help them to see the gift they've been carrying all along, Lord.And for those people that compare themselves to someone with more visible gifts and they feel like they came up short, Lord, I want you to heal that comparison and help them understand your design never makes mistakes. And for that person right now who's waiting for permission, they're waiting for that title.They're waiting for that grand recognition that never came. Lord, give them courage right at this moment to step forward without it. Because we know the body needs what you've already put inside of them.And for that person who knows their gift, who's already using their gift, Lord, but they feel unseen or they feel unappreciated. Remind them that you hear that, you see every act of service, you see every word of encouragement and every quiet gift given in faithfulness.And Lord, for those people who are new to faith, who doesn't know what they carry, Lord, walk with them in this discovery. Make it clear to them, make it unmistakable to them.And for all of us, please give us the grace today to use what you gave us with that same generosity, that same which you gave it. And I ask this in Jesus name, Amen. I just want to thank you for being here today.I think we covered a lot and it was really self looking inside of myself and thinking about what gifts do I have. So go back and maybe re listen to this today and go back and think through each of those gifts because those things were intentional.Those seven gifts that Paul talked about are needed for our world. They're needed for the body of Christ.And if this episode helped you see yourself a little differently, there's someone else right now that needs to hear it. I want to encourage you right now. Share it with people. Share it with 10 people. Send them a link to say, then listen, we've all got gifts.What's your gift? Maybe you share with them what you found out, what your discovery was, and maybe that will lead to more people understanding this.But remember, you weren't overlooked. You were equipped by a God who designed you just the way you are designed to be. So today I want to just encourage you. Go use what God put in you.Use it for his glory, because that's what he designed you to do. God bless you, and I'll see you next time on Truth Unveiled with Ralph.