Gifts for everyone
I think it is safe to say most people like gifts. I know there are some people who find receiving gifts deeply uncomfortable but they are a small minority. But if I’m aware of people who find gifts uncomfortable why might I think it is okay to title and then preach a sermon called “Gifts for everyone”?
There are gifts and there are gifts. The gifts I am talking about today are the gifts given by the Holy Spirit to everyone who has a relationship with God through Jesus the Christ empowered by the same Holy Spirit. These are the spiritual gifts that St. Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians, Romans, and Ephesians, and St. Peter talks about in his first letter. Spiritual gifts are given to each of us for the good of the community, both spiritual and non-spiritual, and are more than talents or natural abilities.
The lists of spiritual gifts in the passages mentioned above, which when put together do not make an exhaustive list by the way, have things like, helping, faith, teaching, prophecy, wisdom, discernment, and more. These are what people do in faith communities all the time. Some people get a spiritual gift and exercise it all their life. Some people get more than one spiritual gift. Some people get a spiritual gift for a particular time or situation and then, when the gift is no longer needed, it’s gone.
I have preached and talked about spiritual gifts a lot, there are at least a dozen sermons in the back catalogue with “gift” or some such in the title. Today’s sermon is my latest take on the subject and I hope it is of use to you. As always, please feel free to comment as you are able and inclined.
Warmly,
