Spiritual Gifts

A brief glance at the headlines, and it’s clear, brokenness and pain abound in this world. The normal and natural response to the pain we experience and observe is to wonder what God is doing about it. Much can be said to this question, and essential to Scripture’s response is teaching about the body of Christ. When Jesus was physically present, he informed and demonstrated to his followers that he came to bring healing, restoration, freedom, and hope (Luke 4:14-30). Or put another way, the very reason he came was to address the brokenness we all experience. When preparing to return to the Father, he made known his intentions to his followers : “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”
(John 20:21). He would be sending them—and ultimately us—out to continue the work he had started. We would be his extension—his body—in a world in need of his healing touch. When writing to the church in Corinth, Paul made clear their unified purpose: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27). The “you” in this statement is plural. He is telling the church that collectively we make up the body of Christ in this world. By working together, we re-present Christ to each other and to the broken world that surrounds us. We are Christ’s hands and feet, and we are called and exhorted to continue the good work Christ started when he was here physically. This calls for wisdom and discernment in Christ’s followers. Scripture describes spiritual gifts given by the Spirit that signify the unique contribution we are each empowered to make. No one is asked or expected to be the entire body of Christ. We each have a part to play, and those who follow Christ will seek these gifts from God so they can maximize their impact in a world that desperately needs healing and reconciliation. As is seen throughout Scripture, the practice of uniquely gifting individuals is not entirely new at the time of Christ. Scripture records unique giftings given to God’s people throughout history. What is unique, though, is the clarity we now have about God’s mission and purpose in this world, and the invitation and expectation we have to fully participate in the hope and restoration God is bringing in and through his people.