Gifts to the Church

“And He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto Him whom He would: and they came unto Him.” (Mark 3:13)

This verse tells how Jesus called His twelve apostles who would preach and to whom He would give power to heal diseases and cast out devils. (Mark 3:14,15) Both Matthew and Luke write about the same event. Matthew lists the names of the twelve apostles. Luke tells the spirituality of the event and writes how Jesus prayed all night before calling the ones He would choose to be apostles. (Matthew 10:1-4, Luke 6:12,13)

The important thing here is that Jesus is the One who chooses those who will preach. It’s a calling from Him for the church, the body of believers. “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;” (Ephesians 4:11) The word that was translated gave means bestowed or granted. It’s a gift to the church and for the church. It's Jesus Who chooses the gift and gives it to the church as a help. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1Peter 4:10) With the gift comes an anointing to function in that gift. It’s the ability to function effectively in that gift.

Mark writes about their obedience. They go to Jesus, not holding back, but willingly. There is no question of their willingness to go to Jesus and to receive the gift. They are singled out from among the hundreds of disciples that followed Jesus. They go to Him and receive the gift. How many of us have been called by Jesus and for various reasons or excuses, we hold back and refuse to use the gift He has for the church? It may not be in the fivefold ministry, but what gift Jesus has to give us, it’s needed in the church. “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:” (1Corinthians 12:7-10) These gifts should be functioning in the church, but in many churches, they are not evident. The gift is silent, and the church is not helped. It’s floundering. The church buildings are empty. I’m speaking from my experience in American churches and generally. There are others that are flourishing. In it will be servants of every kind giving of themselves to the service of the Lord in the church in every capacity. All are important. All are needed. All serve Jesus. All serve the church. And all are getting served. “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” (1Peter 4:10)

Another thing we see in our Scripture of study is that Jesus went up to the mountain. He set Himself apart from the preaching, teaching, healing and deliverance to commune with the Father. (Luke 6:12) Again and again we see how Jesus is one with the Father. He keeps in touch with the Father and discusses what is to be done. Jesus said He did nothing on His own, but only what the Father said. “Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He seeth the Father do: for what things soever He doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.” (John 5:19) How imperative is it to have communion with the Lord on how to use the gift? We cannot use the gift at our discretion but should see how the Lord wants us to use the gift. Communion with the Holy Spirit is necessary. He is our teacher. He is the one Who leads us. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit are One. The Holy Spirit is the One Who will tell us when, where and how to use the gift so that it profits the church. (1 Corinthians 12:7)

In different studies of the gifts, there’s information about how the gift can be abused and used wrongly. If we are in communion with the Lord, in our closet in that spiritual mountain with Him and allow ourselves to follow the Holy Spirit, we will not abuse the gift. This is a must. It was necessary for Jesus. It was necessary for the apostles. It is necessary for us.