Disciplined for the Goal, Part 3

Welcome to Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. Christians, we have a race to run, a mission and calling for today. God calls us to a disciplined life. For some of us, that word discipline may have connotations of striving in our own strength to follow rules, as if God saves us by grace, then sends us off to the exhausting and impossible task of being worthy of that salvation. But no, God's beautiful grace follows us in its transforming work. We must discipline our hearts to abide in Christ, to live with the end in view, to surrender to His work, to His heart. But God does not send us out alone. He gives us the Spirit to walk with us and Christ's example to empower us. Today, Rich unpacks 1 Peter 4 7-11 in this message titled, Disciplined for the Goal. You're listening to the third part of this sermon.

It was first preached on December 4, 2022. What brings happiness? I'm going to give you a clue. GSR, and it doesn't mean gunshot residue, okay? I know some of you would like it to, and I know some of you, that's where you find your happiness.

But a GSR does not stand for gunshot residue, alright? But the three pillars of happiness tonight. What is the transcendent truth that God gives us for our happiness versus where the world says this is how you're going to find happiness?

Tonight at six o'clock. Alright, we've talked three things, about three things in disciplined attitude. And now let's look at disciplined aptitude. Disciplined aptitude, verse 10. As each has received a gift, stop.

Look at me. How many of you have received a gift? You have. I know there's varying floating philosophies out there about spiritual gifts.

Peter makes it very clear. As each has received a gift. If you are in Christ, you have received a gift. We're talking a spiritual gift. Okay? As each has received a gift, use it.

We could stop there too. What is the point of having a gift if you're not using it? You've been called, and you've been equipped with a gift. Each has received a gift. This is in the aorist indicative, so that means it's a snapshot.

But because it's in the indicative, it's kind of in the past, right? Which meaning, it is a state of possession that you have. You received a gift, you have that gift. Are you a steward of that gift? We need to go to the next slide, please. So here's a question you've heard me ask it before. Are you ready to answer this?

Are you ready? How many of you are in ministry? Thank you. Because you know how it goes with so many churches today. It's the pastors who are in ministry. They do the ministry. What is your ministry? Well, but you are in ministry. You've been gifted for ministry.

You've been called to ministry. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Each has a gift. You've been entrusted and equipped with a gift.

What do you have? Do you know what your gift is? You may be more than one. And I would encourage you to discover that. I would encourage you to engage in conversation with other believers and spiritual leaders to discern your spiritual gift. Two things that Paul said to Timothy. First Timothy four, verse 14, do not neglect the gift that you have. Okay, so hear this, Christians, do not neglect it. As each has received a gift, use it. Do not neglect the gift you have. Secondly, second Timothy one, six, he says fan into flame the gift of God which is in you. Fan into flame.

You know, it's like blowing on a fire to get the flames broiling. So we are called to be disciplined and active in our faith with the equipment that God's Spirit has given to us to serve. And that's the second point, disciplined and aptitude. Number one, each has received a gift. Number two, use it to serve one another. Use it to serve one another. This is the measure of your stewardship that you are serving others, not yourself. You have not been gifted for your self-actualization. Listen to me, the way Christians talk about gifts today would bring so much stress into the apostles' lives because we talk about gifts in terms of what I can do or how God is using me for his mission.

God did not give you your gift for self-actualization or self-personal experience. He gave you a gift to serve others, to help others. Part of following Jesus is what? Helping others follow Jesus. That's how you're in ministry. Part of following Jesus, if you say you are a follower of Christ, inherent in that description is the fact that you are helping others follow Christ.

Either you're inviting them to Christ or you're walking with them in Christ, or both. But that's the whole reason for the gift and you have a gift. And so use it to serve one another because there is responsibility and there will be accountability with it. Grace is given in various forms and that grace is the gift. There's a necessary diversity for a full function in the body.

This is what Paul bears out very clearly. We don't all have the same gift. We all have varying gifts.

Why? So that the full function of the body can happen, right? We've got feet, got legs, arms, hands, ears, nose, all of that. We were in staff meeting this past Monday morning and somebody was trying to talk and we're goofing off. There's a lot of levity in the staff. We do get some things accomplished, you know, but in staff meeting and somebody was trying to get Dwight's attention and Dwight says, I'm all ears, and I piped up, right? It says 1 Corinthians 12 says different.

You get the point. Yeah, clearly Dwight can do a lot of things. If he was just an ear, he couldn't do all the things he does.

He's got very capable hands and a mind. There's a necessary diversity. There should be, listen to me, there should be no expectation that everyone else has the same gift you do. There are whole theological systems that are built on that error, and it is an error. It is falsehood that everyone else should have the same gift I do. There is nothing in Scripture that teaches that.

In fact, it teaches exactly the opposite. Go read 1 Corinthians 12 again. A little extra for that, no extra charge. All right, use it to serve one another. Number three, this is disciplined in aptitude.

Each has received a gift. Number two, use it to serve one another. Number three, you are equipped as God's instruments. Verse 11, whoever speaks as one who speaks the oracles of God. Whoever serves as one who serves by the strength that God supplies. You see, Paul, Peter just gives two categories for gifts here. They're speaking gifts and they're serving gifts.

Two broad categories. That is helpful, and there is nothing in Scripture that implies that all the spiritual gifts have been completely listed in the canon of Scripture. There's nothing that implies that.

In fact, it implies that it's open. But you are equipped as instruments in God's hands because it's his mission. It's his mission. What is his mission?

Let's define his mission very quickly here. 2 Corinthians chapter 5. This is God's mission. In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself and has, what does it say? Entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ be reconciled to God. Listen, follower of Christ, let that be the message of your life. Be reconciled to God. He is the point to our existence and you need to be reconciled to him. Because when this life is done, if you are not reconciled to him, you will be abandoned and alienated from him forever.

And it's not pretty. Let your life carry that message. And do so with the equipment that God has given you.

The spiritual gift that God has given you. And it is by God's grace, because it is his truth. If you have a speaking gift, it's his truth. If you have a serving gift, it's his strength. It is his grace.

It is not your grit or your genius. God's gift to you is not about you. It's about him. About your life carrying this message.

That whoever you encounter, they receive the message full and clear. They need to be reconciled to God. So the word serve here is the word diakoneo, interestingly enough. As Jesus says, the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve. To deacon.

Diakoneo. Luke 22 verse 27, I am among you as the one who serves. Who said that? The Messiah, your Creator, your Redeemer said that.

Who am I to think I should say any different? So serve. Disciplined in aptitude, each has received a gift. Use it to serve one another, because you are equipped as an instrument in God's hands. And then lastly, number four, so that God is glorified in everything. So that God is glorified in everything.

Why? Because he is your end. He is your end, therefore he is the point to your existence. The point of being disciplined in aptitude is to point people to him.

The point of being disciplined in aptitude is to point people to him. We're so glad you've joined us for Delight in Grace, the teaching ministry of Rich Powell, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Winston-Salem. You can hear this message and others anytime by visiting our website, www.delightingrace.com. You can also check out Pastor Rich's book, Seven Words That Can Change Your Life, where he unpacks from God's word, the very purpose for which you were designed. Seven Words That Can Change Your Life is available wherever books are sold. As always, tune in to Delight in Grace, weekdays at 10 a.m.