Spiritual Gifts (4)
A Sermon on Romans 12:7-8
Originally preached March 4, 1966
Scripture
7Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Sermon Description
How does God ensure that the church is equipped for its mission? In this passage of Scripture, the apostle Paul tells that it is by the Holy Spirit giving gifts to those in the church. Some are given the gift of teaching and others the gift of giving. In this sermon on Romans 12:7–8 titled “Spiritual Gifts (4),” the important thing is that every Christian only seek to use the gifts God has actually given them, not what they want. He says that there is great danger in Christians trying to do things for which they have not been gifted. Those who do not have the gift of teaching ought not to seek to be teachers because they are doomed to fail. Christians are to trust in Jesus that He has granted them the gifts that are best for them and for the church as a whole. God in His wisdom gives all Christians what they need to be faithful servants of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Breakdown
- The apostle Paul is dealing with the gifts of the Spirit and how they should be used in Romans 12:7-8.
- The first gift mentioned is prophecy. Those with the gift of prophecy should prophesy in proportion to their faith. Prophecy involves direct, immediate inspiration.
- The second gift is ministry or service. This refers to the general business and administration of the church. Those with this gift should serve.
- The third gift is teaching. This involves communicating instruction and is the result of study and preparation. Those with the gift of teaching should teach.
- The fourth gift is exhortation. This involves encouraging, rebuking, rousing, and stimulating others. It appeals to the heart and will. Those with the gift of exhortation should exhort.
- The fifth gift is giving. This refers to giving to meet the needs of others. Those with the gift of giving should give with simplicity, purity of motive, and without seeking publicity.
- The sixth gift is ruling or governing. This involves presiding over and taking care of the church. Those with the gift of ruling should rule with diligence.
- The seventh gift is showing mercy. This involves ministering to the suffering, distressed, and afflicted. Those with the gift of showing mercy should show mercy with cheerfulness.
- The overall point is that each person should exercise the particular gift they have been given and not covet other gifts. All gifts are equally from the Spirit.
Sermon Q&A
Questions and Answers from Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on Spiritual Gifts
What are the main spiritual gifts discussed in Romans 12:7-8 according to Dr. Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones' sermon on Romans 12:7-8, the main spiritual gifts discussed are: 1. Ministry (or serving) 2. Teaching 3. Exhortation 4. Giving 5. Ruling (or leadership) 6. Showing mercy
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that this is not a complete list of all spiritual gifts, but rather examples the Apostle Paul uses to illustrate how Christians should exercise their gifts properly.
What is the fundamental principle that Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes about spiritual gifts?
The fundamental principle Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes is that believers should concentrate on and exercise the particular gift God has given them rather than coveting or desiring other gifts. As he states: "Whatever the gift that has been given to you, exercise that gift. Let that be your concern. Let that be your desire and never desire to go outside it." He stresses that each person should "function according to the gift he's had, according to the particular member of the body that he happens to be," and not cast "coveting eyes or critical eyes" on others' gifts.
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones differentiate between teaching and prophecy?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones differentiates between teaching and prophecy in several important ways:
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Prophecy has an element of "direct and immediate inspiration" - it's unpremeditated and unprepared, coming as a direct revelation.
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Teaching, by contrast, results from preparation, study, and learning. The teacher teaches based on what he has been taught and studied rather than from direct inspiration.
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Teachers are exhorted to "study to show thyself approved unto God" (2 Timothy 2:15) and to meditate upon the things they've learned.
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The teacher has "the ability that is given in this particular gift to a man, to be able not only to read, but to understand and to assimilate what he reads" and most importantly, "the gift of imparting what he has thus gained and obtained to others."
What is the difference between teaching and exhortation according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the difference between teaching and exhortation is:
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"Teaching appeals primarily to the mind... It is the imparting of knowledge and information on instruction."
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"Exhortation deals more with the heart and with the will."
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"Exhortation, if you like, is that which drives it home." It often comes after teaching.
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The business of exhortation is "to encourage, to rebuke, to rouse, to stimulate, to call for application, to call to prayer."
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Exhortation is "concerned with the application of the truth that has been taught to the Christian life in its various ways and in its various aspects."
He illustrates this with examples of people who had the gift of exhortation but not teaching, and vice versa.
What does "he that giveth with simplicity" mean in Romans 12:8?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that "he that giveth with simplicity" refers to personal giving rather than official distribution of church funds. He describes it as a spiritual gift where a person "happens to be in a position that he can give to others" and "can help others who are in need."
The "simplicity" aspect means: 1. Giving with "singleness of eye, purity of motive" 2. Not doing it for self-promotion in any form 3. Doing it for the glory of the Lord and benefit of others 4. Not seeking publicity for one's generosity
Lloyd-Jones references Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6 about not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing, and not "sounding a trumpet" when giving. He warns against the subtle ways people might indirectly draw attention to their generosity.
How should those with the gift of showing mercy exercise it according to the sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, those with the gift of showing mercy should exercise it "with cheerfulness." This gift involves "attending to the suffering and to the distress" and "being able to minister to and to help those who are in trouble."
He explains that: 1. The original Greek word is related to "hilarity" but is better translated as "cheerfulness" 2. One should not show mercy in a "legalistic manner" or "mechanically" 3. The manner in which mercy is shown makes a significant difference to those receiving it 4. A cheerful disposition "helps us, it cheers us, it lessens pain, it makes us feel better" 5. When showing mercy with the right attitude, "you may do much more good than many sermons"
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that those with this gift should exercise it wholeheartedly and not be disappointed they weren't given a different gift like teaching.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.