Gospel Gifts

30 Apr

Susan Merritt, PhD Christian Living, Weekly Devotional 0

Acts 1:8 records the final words of Jesus to His apostles: “But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, in all Judaea, in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” The Matthew 28:18-20 passage describing Jesus’ last words adds the follow-up of discipleship: “…All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and, behold, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”

When we think about Jesus’ mandate to share the gospel and to disciple believers, we often think of it as the job of pastors, church leaders, or fully commended missionaries in foreign countries, those whose stated giftedness, vocation, and career is in preaching the Word here or abroad. The mandate was indeed given to the disciples, but Paul’s exhortation to “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine” in 2 Timothy 4:2 extends the mandate, to spread the gospel, to all who came after and by whatever gift God has given us. So what does the preaching of the Gospel look like for those of us who are not specifically called and gifted to preach?

First, it entails whatever gift of the Holy Spirit God has imparted to you (Eph. 4:4-13). The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for the express purpose of maintaining the health of the Church. Preaching and teaching are obvious gifts related to evangelism, but if you are not gifted in these ways, then God uses you in other ways to help enable the advancement of the Gospel. Prayer, for instance, is the most important aspect of our lives as Christians because it involves personal contact and two-way communication with God. If you are particularly gifted in prayer, then a large part of your evangelism takes place on your knees, so to speak, calling on God for boldness and the protection of believers, especially from spiritual warfare. Acts 16:13 describes Paul’s encounter with a group of women who were praying: “…on the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made. We sat down and spoke unto the women who resorted there.” The prayers of those women were important to the spread of the Gospel because of their behind-the-scenes interaction with their Commander-in-Chief in behalf of all God’s people.

Out of that encounter came both new believers and the exercise of the gift of hospitality (Romans 12:13): “And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshiped God, heard us. The Lord opened her heart that she attended unto the things which were spoken by Paul. And when she and her household were baptized, she besought us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house and abide there.’ And she constrained us” (Acts 16:14-15).

This is not the first time in the Bible that a woman was honored for her exercise of the gift of hospitality towards a preacher sent by God. 2 Kings 4:8-10 tells the story of an unnamed woman of Shunem who not only invited Elisha for dinner, but also built a small room for him to stay in on his frequent trips through town. Helping those who are gifted as pastors, church leaders, and missionaries with the money and goods God has given us, is an exercise of the gift of ministry (Romans 12:7).

Second, we, ourselves, are called to share the gospel as we go about our daily business, sometimes even using words: “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15b). When missionaries talk about their field of service, they frequently talk about the “coincidental” nature of many of their contacts with whom they share the gospel. These contact points are the same as for us: in line at the grocery store, with other parents from pre-school or school activities like PTA and fund-raisers, dealing with local authorities and civil servants, showing God’s love to neighbors, etc.

Romans 10:13-15 and 17 explains the necessity for us to seek every opportunity to share the Gospel with whomever God places in our way: “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!…faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”