INTRODUCTION

“I am gifted, so are you!” – persons of a certain vintage will recognise this as a title of a popular book. This is also the message of this sermon in a nutshell.

Each of us has God-given gifts, but do you know what they are? Take a look at the seven spiritual gifts named in Romans 12:3-8 below.

If you already know that you are gifted in certain areas, how have you been exercising those gifts (if at all)?

Your answers to the above questions do not end with you. As John Donne poetically described – No man is an island. As one body of Christ, each body part that does not function well affects the entire community.

DISCUSSION

1. Many of us can rattle off our MBTI, Enneagram, or introvert/extrovert personality types, but do you know which biblical/spiritual gifts you have?
   
   a. Take a look at the seven spiritual gifts named in Romans 12:3-8, below, or conduct the Know Your Shape exercise as a group.
   
   b. Share the gifts that you have identified in yourself or through Know Your Shape, and invite each other to speak to affirm or shed light on your gifts that may be overlooked. Suggested activity: Using the Johari Window exercise with the list of spiritual gifts.
   
   
2. If you have already identified your gifts, how are you exercising them?
   
   a. The Greek word for “function” in Romans 12:4 is praxis, meaning to bring theory into real-world practical application or in short ‘to practice’. Share how you are putting your gifts into practice.
   
   b. If you are already putting your gifts into practice, consider Paul’s exhortation in Romans 12:5-8. Paul does not allude to doing the same thing repeatedly, but he is concerned with how we exercise our gifts.
   
   E.g. we can give, but are we giving cheerfully? We can teach, but are we speaking from dead words or a lived experience, etc
   
   How are you practising your gifts?
   
   
3. Last but not least, the Christian walk is a marathon, not a sprint; it is a pilgrim’s journey, but not to be walked alone.
   
   a. How can you encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ to fight the good fight and keep the faith? (2 Timothy 4:7)
   
   b. Is there a Timothy in your community who needs your faith to “fan into flame the gift of God” in love and honour (2 Timothy 1:5-7).

WHAT WILL YOU DO

Know your gifts.
Take a step.
Fan the flame.

MEMORY VERSE

… so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. – Romans 12:5-8 ESV