This past Sunday we had technical difficulties and as a result we did not a get a video or audio recording of the service. However, here is a condensed transcript of this sermon  on how you may be neglecting your spiritual gifts, based on  1 Corinthians 12:1-11.

12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. ² You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. ³ Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. ⁷ To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. ⁸ To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

 

One month ago was Christmas. I suspect most people reading this got a variety of gifts. You may have gotten so many gifts that you can’t remember them all. Several leap to mind for me – a pair of shoes that I wear nearly every day, a picture my daughter took in Venice, Italy while we were on a summer family trip, a new flag for our front porch – and then I have to start scratching my head a little. I do not doubt that I am forgetting something though I loved every gift as I was getting it.

NEGLECTED GIFTS

I was shocked recently to discover statistics regarding one specific type of gift that often get unused, gift cards. Check this out. The Wall Street Journal and NPR reports that between 2005 and 2011 there were $41 billion dollar in unused gift cards. $41 billion! Can you believe that.

To put that in perspective consider this: If I gave you $1,000 a day, paying out that money would take me 2737 years, 10 months, and 7 days.

When gift card go unredeemed, their values are swallowed up by the retailers in question, or, in some instance the revenue goes to the states where the card was sold. For example, in 2008 New York state collected $9.6 million in unused gift cards, because they are considered unclaimed property in those states. Pennsylvannia claimed 2.7 million dollars.

The high-water mark occurred in 2007 during which $2.6 billion was lost to fees alon, and 3.5 billion vanished due to expiring.

Imagine the goo that could be done with a few billion dollars if people would just pick up hose cards and put them to work.

In the Corinthians 12, Paul talks about gifts of a different kind, spiritual gifts. We are told about people being given the gift of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, working miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. These are gifts freely given by God. They are gifts that come to us through the power of the Holy Spirit.

If we read on it appears that Paul was trying to address a problem with these gifts. Some people apparently felt their gifts were better than other gifts. Also, some people got honored more for their gifts than other gifts. People were abusing their gift to gain power or build themselves up. We must keep in mind ever gift comes with responsibility.

The new shoes I received I need to take care of if I want them to last. The picture book though it sets on my coffee table so I can admire it, I ought not use it as a coaster or treat it harshly, lest I ruin the beauty of the book. If I did neglect those gifts, I would be the one to mainly lose out. Also, I would likely hurt the givers feelings if I treated them poorly. Whereas, in the church if you misuse your gifts to steal power or build yourself up, you could severely damage the body of Christ.

In Paul’s case the misuse of gifts was causing division within the community. The body was divided. I suspect some people walked away and never came back.

In a single verse Paul tries to bring the Corinthians back to some truths that perhaps they do not want to hear. Verse 12:11 states, “All these things are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” That’s a loaded verse for anyone feeling overly prideful about their gifts. The verse is a not so gentle reminder that the power of what have or what you can do, doesn’t come from you. If your feeling all big about your gifts, you might want to reassess. You have little or nothing to do with you gifts. The come from the Spirit.

EVERYONE’S GIFTS ARE NEEDED AND VALUABLE

By the way, EVERYONE’s gifts come from that same Spirit at the discretion of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit gave each person exactly what God deemed best. He goes onto explain that each one of these is necessary. Paul uses the metaphor of a body. He explains that each part is necessary to the whole. The implication is clear each part needs to be viewed as invaluable. Each part needs to be understood and appreciate as completely necessary.

Furthermore, we each need to be responsible with the personal gifts God has given us. We can learn valuable lessons from those people who are carrying about unused gift cards. Specifically, we can learn three very clear ways we may fail to use our own gifts.

WHY PEOPLE DON’T USE GIFTS

Consumer Reports surveyed people about unused gift cards and revealed shocking statistics. Consider how these statistics might apply to your spiritual gifts:

1) FORGETTING: 34% of people just forgot about their card. In short, the card is “out of sight and out of mind.” What about your spiritual gifts? Do you know what your spiritual gifts are and are you mindful about using them. If you don’t know your gifts, then take time and list out what you are passionately good at. There will be some great clues to your giftedness in that list. You can also ask other people what they believe your gifts are. Chances are that other people can recognize gifts you have that cannot recognize. You are too close to them.

2) BEING TOO BUSY: 36% of people who were asked why they didn’t use their gift card answered, “I haven’t had the time to use the gift card.” Are you too busy to be using your God-given gifts? If so, then you are too busy. In fact, busyness may quite possibly be this socieiteis greatest threat to a deeper more faithful walk with God. Busyness keeps people from honoring God through worship. Busyness keeps people from connecting with God through prayer. Busyness keeps people from growing as discples through study. And, busyness keeps people from serving God with their gifts.

For example, I have a friend who was once asked to be an elder in my home church. She is an exceptionally godly woman who I believe truly has a gift of wisdom. Though exceptionally wise, she gave an all too common response when asked to serve as an elder in my home church. “I am too busy right now.” The nominating committee member replied, “I understand that, but this may be important enough that you need to give something up to do it.” This stopped her in her tracks and after prayerful consideration she did indeed re-order her priorities to make room for serving as an elder.

Do you need to give up other activities to use your gifts? Are you too busy, too serve and if so, what can you purge?

3) FOCUSING ON YOUR OWN WANTS AND NEEDS: 37% of people said, “I haven’t found anything I want to buy.” They haven’t figure out yet what they really want or need. But here is a question to consider, “Why not use those gifts then to help someone else?” I go back to a statement I made earlier, “Imagine the good that could be done with $41 billion dollars if people would have used their gift cards to help someone else.

How does this apply to spiritual gifts? Are you only considering your wants and needs? Paul told the Corinthians “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Our gifts aren’t about us. Our gifts are about us. Our gifts are about the common good.

Imagine if someone gave you a gift card at Christmas or your birthday and said, “Take this and help someone else. It’s not about you.” That’s what God does with spiritual gift. We are each given something wonderful, powerful, and amazing from God so that we can serve the needs of others.

So, what is something selfless you could do with your gifts? Forget all about your busyness, wants, and desires, excuses, fears, and procrastination. What is something you could do for the common good?

WHAT ABOUT THE GIVER?

Lastly, I want to mention something that is neither addressed in the text or the statistics and that is The Giver. I suspect that 95% or more of the givers are blissfully unaware that their thoughtful and generous gift was ignored. In fact, some of them were probably lied to and told how much the gift was appreciated and used.

I can well imagine the hurt and disappointment gift givers would feel if they discovered that for all practical purposes their gift was unceremoniously discarded. Unlike those 95%, God is unfortunately 100% aware when you do not use your gifts He has given you. You cannot hide the fact that like the first, 34% you just forgot and neglected what was given. Nor can you hide the fact that you allow yourself to be too busy to use your gifts. God is well aware of your misspent priorities. And lastly, you can’t hide the fact that sometimes you don’t use your gifts because you are just too caught up in your own wants and needs.

God is so good to us and give us so much. We are given spiritual gifts. We are given the Holy Spirit to guide us, lead us, comfort us, and empower us. We are given God’s Word so that we can come to know the truth. We are given this Son Jesus Christ, so that we can have life abundant and eternal.

I charge you given the generosity of God to strive to:

1) Be mindful of what God has given you. Do no neglect your gifts.
2) Be busy, but busy doing what God has given you as an assignment.
3) Be selfless and even lavish with sharing from the gifts God has given you.

A spiritual gift is one that has no hidden fees, or set limits. The more you give, the more you will receive. For that is the nature of our God. Our God is a God of abundance, generosity, and love. Praise be to God for entrusting us with precious gifts to honor Him.