Divine Gifts

Introduction.  Read: Ephesians 4:7-10.  Notice some specific elements of this passage:

•  “Grace was given” (vs. 4). This is not the grace of God given unto salvation (cf. Titus 2:11), but God’s gifts in general.  This is evident because they are… “given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”   God’s grace which leads unto salvation is not given in measure but “has appeared to all men” (Titus 2:10).

•  “Now this ‘He ascended’” (vs. 9).  In vss. 9,10 Paul offers some Messianic interpretation of the text quoted in vs. 8, pointing out that “to ascend” one must first be below.  Which is to point out that God in Christ came down to earth. 

•  “Gave gifts to men.”  “Gifts” Gr. doma “that which is given” From didomi “to give.” This is a rather generic word for gift. 

            This is a quote from Psalm 68:18.  There the Hebrew text and the LXX read “You have received gifts among men” (NKJV).  This is what could be called a Targum.  Some time after the New Testament was written, and the temple was destroyed the Jews began to write down oral interpretations of Scripture.  These works called Targums meaning “interpretations” of Scripture represented interpretations of Scripture which had been passed down for generations.  In Eph. 4:8 Paul either quotes from some lost version of the Greek OT or he gives an oral Targum.  In this phrase his quote isimilar to the written Targum.

            This prophecy, that God would give gifts to men in connection with the coming of Jesus, is the focus of our study this morning.  We are going to look at the nature of these gifts, whether or not there were some given in New Testament times and not today, and finally How we can utilize those gifts that Christians are given today.

I.  Universal Gifts – To All Men.

A.  Sun and Rain (Matthew 5:44,45).

B.  Seasons (Genesis 8:22).

C.  Good Enjoyment from Labor (Ecclesiastes 3:12).

D.  Power to Eat (Ecclesiastes 5:18,19).

E.  Happiness (Acts 14:15-17).

II.  Spiritual Gifts – To the First Christians.

A.  The Promise of the Holy Spirit in Power (Acts 1:6-8).

B.  The Promise fulfilled (Acts 2:1-4).

C.  The Nature of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.  

1.  Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 “spiritual gifts” pneumatikos “pertaining to the spirit” i.e. from the Holy Spirit, influencing the spirit of man.  

 •  “There are diversities” (vs. 4)   1.  “of gifts” Gr. charisma > from the word charis “grace, favor” i.e. “a gift of grace” Not the same word as in Eph. 4:8. 

“ministries” (vs. 5). Gr. diakonia service cf. word deacon.

“activities” (vs. 6) Gr. energema  KJV - operation 1, working (2). Note: “the same God who works all in all.”

Types of Spiritual Gifts.  1. “word of wisdom,”  2. “word of knowledge,”  3. “faith,”  4.  “gifts of healings,”  5.  “working of miracles,”  6.  “prophecy,”  7. “discerning of spirits,”  8.  “kinds of tongues,”  9.  “interpretation of tongues” 

“the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”  (vs. 11)  Note: Spirits works all these things.

2.  Read: 1 Corinthians 12:27-30 Note: Priority and Sequence:

1. “first apostles,”  i.e. those “sent forth”  Paul & the 12.

2.  “ second prophets,” i.e. those who receive the gift of prophecy.

3.  “third teachers,” i.e. miraculous or not.

4.  “after that” epeita (“then, thereupon” either of chronological sequence, or sequence alone - see BAG)  “miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”  i.e.  miraculous gifts are second in priority to gifts that involve the communication of the gospel itself. 

D.  The Purpose of the Gifts (Hebrews 2:1-4).  Note: 1st by the Lord.  2nd. Confirmed by those who heard him.  3rd. Divine Witness through “signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit”  (cf. Mark 16:17-20).

E.  Miraculous Gifts were Temporary in Nature (1 Corinthians 13:8-10).  Note:  “Prophecies …will fail”  “fail” = Grk. katargeo “1. to render idle, unemployed, inactivate, inoperative.  a) to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency, b.  to deprive of force, influence, power; 2. to cause to cease, put an end to, do away with, annul, abolish, a. to cease, to pass away, be done away, b. to be severed from, separated from, discharged from…” (Thayer)  KJV - destroy 5, do away 3, abolish… cease 1 (27).  “Tongues…will cease, Knowledge …will vanish away”  i.e. when the message had been confirmed the need of a miraculous witness no longer existed.

III.  Divine Gifts – To All Christians.

A.  Not all Gifts (Charisma) are Miraculous (Romans 12:6-8). Note: e.g. 1. prophecy, 2. ministry, 3. teaching, 4. exhortation, 5. giving, 6. leadership,  7. mercy. [only prophesy is miraculous in nature].  We noted from Eph. 4:8 doma (i.e. things given in general) and here these charisma gifts are not all miraculous.  We can conclude then that not all divine gifts have to be charisma gifts, not all charisma gifts have to be miraculous.

B.  God Gives us Good and Perfect Gifts (James 1:17).

C.  God Gives us Different Strengths (1 Corinthians 7:7-9).

D.  God Gives us Different Talents and Opportunities which he expects us to use.  (Matthew 25:14-30). Note: vs. 15 “to each according to his ability” (cf. I Peter 4:10-11). 

1.  What gifts do you have?

2.  How Are you using them?

E.  God Gives Eternal Life to His Children (Acts 2:37-38).  The “Gift of the Holy Spirit” deals with tongues and healings and miracles only to a small extent - that was accomplished long ago.  The Gift of the Holy Spirit has much more to do with the changed relationship to God that one can attain through obedience to the gospel.

1.  Holy Spirit to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32).

2.  Gift of God is Eternal Life (Romans 6:23).

3.  Salvation by Grace is the Gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).