Lately I have been watching a series on archeology. One of the things I notice is that buildings laid upon a solid foundation then built with tightly fitting stones can stand for centuries and even thousands of years. The stones are carefully shaped based on their own characteristics. There are stones of various sizes and shapes, some having one purpose while others do something else. The stones vary greatly yet together they make up a long lasting beautiful building.
Paul instructed Timothy to fulfill his ministry. We may think, “but I haven’t been called to be a minister, what does that have to do with me?” We are all disciples of Christ. Jesus commands all of His disciples to “go and make disciples.” That doesn’t mean we should all be full time ministers but we are called to fulfill our ministry.
Paul teaches us that the Spirit gives different gifts to different people. This allows a lot more things to be done efficiently and expertly for the Lord. Very few people can be a “Renaissance man” but each of us can be used in a few things very well. We can become a great resource for others and they can be a great resource for us. As we allow the Spirit to shape us into the stone He desires for the building, the Church becomes strong, resilient, and able to win the world for Christ.
Gifts of the Spirit are varied with no one comprehensive list. When one looks at 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 some will say there are only 9 gifts of the Spirit. But further down the chapter we see other gifts God has given the church including the rather vague gift of helping. Paul in Ephesians lists a slightly different shorter version of the main leaders in the Church and even then it doesn’t list deacons. Peter has the shortest and most vague list yet he is emphatic about us using the gifts God has given us to build one another up. The Holy Spirit will provide whatever gift is needed for the church at that time. Paul and Peter could only be vague because they never could guess what God might do next.
We need to ask the Holy Spirit to pour out His gifts upon the church and each of us seek out what we are tasked to do within the church. We are the resources God will use to build up His kingdom. We have to be willing to be used by God and then act.
As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him—you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house a to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. -1 Peter 2:4-5
