Lesson

2/24/2008
Using Gifts to Serve Romans 12: 1-21 and 13:1-14

Take a test: Put a check mark next to the things that you feel you do well
1. Explaining things to people
2. Telling others about the faith
3. Tending to people’s needs
4. Helping people understand each other
5. Communicating in dramatic ways
6. Taking charge when needed
7. Understanding the meaning of things
8. Making people feel cared for
9. Giving graciously
10. Speaking before groups
11. Making unusual things happen
12. Identifying religious frauds
13. Encouraging and supporting others
14. Gathering and using information
15. Listening and/or acting sympathetically
16. Helping people toward health
17. Arranging meeting and programs

Match the above numbers with the following list:
1. Teaching
2. Evangelism
3. Serving
4. Interpretation
5. Tongues
6. Leadership
7. Wisdom
8. Pasturing
9. Giving
10. Preaching/prophecy
11. Miracles
12. Discernment
13. Encouragement
14. Knowledge
15. Kindness
16. Healing
17. Faith
18. Managing

Take another test: Using the numbers 1-5, prioritize the gifts you feel are the most important to share.

1 Corinthians 12: 1-31 Charis = meaning “grace” in Greek; Charismata meaning “ gifts of grace” or “gifts in grace”

Why does Paul in Romans associate he gifts of ministry with grace: God gave freely so we can give back or to others freely using our gifts.

Romans 12: 1-16 “Present your bodies as a living sacrifice….” Consider the meaning of sacrifice and talk about the “body”. All gifts are from God and the purpose of the gifts is to build discipleship and unity.

Pitfalls of giving gifts (Ephesians 2:8-10) We can forget the purpose of our gifts. We cannot boost of our gifts or our “works”.

We are to use our gifts in the spirit of love, mutual affection, devotion, honor, and joy. God’s gifts to us cannot be used as self-serving , for attention seeking, with arrogance, with a lack of humility, or with jealousy. The gifts that we are given are diverse/different but all are equal in God’s sight.


Jo Anne Robinson