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Jesus Christ is Our Peace

20 Mar
Jesus Christ is Our Peace

We’re continuing through the book of Ephesians. I’ve said that this letter starts the section of Scripture dealing with the church as the body of Christ. At this point Paul begins to dive into this subject.

Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men) – remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:11-13 NIV

Here the apostle starts by pointing out the wall that existed between Jew and Gentile. He tells us that it wasn’t just a matter of semantics. There were physical differences.

It wasn’t just the labels of Jew and Gentile. You were either circumcised or you were not. That can translate into our world as well.

People have placed these invisible walls between blacks and whites, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, as well as a host of other “opposites”. This section of Scripture speaks to all of these issues.

Paul makes it clear that without Christ there was no hope of reconciliation. The gap between the two groups was too great for us to bridge in our humanity.

But now…everything changes in Christ. Because of the blood of the Lord, shed on the cross, we can come together. We have been brought closer to each other in Christ.

For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations.

Ephesians 2:14-15a NIV

This passage of Scripture is rich in meaning. It should be one that we memorize and apply daily. The truth is that Jesus Christ is our peace.

Now that’s a word we really need to understand. Too often when we read the word, peace in the Bible, we give it our modern definition. We think, peaceful, calm and quiet. That’s not what the Greek word means in this verse.

The main definition for this word, peace means that you’re not participating in a war. The secondary meaning is that there is harmony between individuals. It’s all about getting along with others.

This tells me that my ability to live harmoniously with others rests securely in my relationship with Christ. He is the peace between me and others. That’s especially true in regard to those who are very different than me.

That’s what being a part of Christ’s body means. I am in Christ. You are in Christ. Therefore, we are one. The color of our skin, our ethnicity, our experiences and our backgrounds don’t matter. God has made us one new person in Christ Jesus.

The fact is that in our humanity we were raised with many different biases. This verse calls them the dividing walls of hostility. Throughout my life, I’ve been taught to mistrust and look down on certain types of people. This is the baggage we all carry.

This needs to be laid aside at the cross. In Christ this “old man” needs to die. I now live as a new person. I am one with anybody who calls Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior.

Jesus took all the hatred and mistrust to the cross with Him. It was nailed there and now we can take on His peace. We can walk in unity with anyone who He brings across our path.

This is the true path to peace. It’s only found in Christ Jesus.

Question: How has your treatment of others changed since coming to Christ?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 20, 2023 in Fellowship, Power of God, Relationships, The Church

 

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Cells in the Body

06 Mar
Cells in the Body

We’re continuing to go through the letter to the Ephesians. My last post talked about opening the eyes of our mind to see what God was doing in us. We need the understanding that only comes from the Holy Spirit.

Now Paul continues with the blessings of a mature walk with the Lord.

…and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:19-21 NIV

This is what happens when we’re seeking and walking in God’s plan for our lives. We begin to see His power at work in us.

I’m not talking about a little glimpse of something now and then. This passage talks about the all-surpassing power of God. It’s the same power that was manifest in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

He was dead and buried for three days. And, yet, by the power of God, Christ was raised back up to life again. That’s the power available to each one of us.

Not only did it bring the Lord up from the dead, but it seated Him in His original place on the throne of Heaven. Christ has the highest authority over the entire universe.

Paul makes that abundantly clear. He mentions pretty much every office of authority you can think of. He includes any name you can come up with. There’s no authority above that of Christ Jesus. That’s true not only right now, but forever into the eternal future.

The important thing is to understand what the Lord uses this great power and authority for.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Ephesians 1:22-23 NIV

Here we see the reason for this victory. We have to realize that it wasn’t for Himself. He didn’t need it.

Before all things, Christ was the Creator and Owner of Heaven and earth. Everything was under His rulership. He didn’t have to do anything to be made the highest authority – He was all in all.

The reason Christ had to go to the cross was for us. Humanity was given authority when Adam was created. Then, in a grand act of foolishness, Adam surrendered that authority to Satan. Jesus Christ, in His love and mercy, went to the cross to buy it back for us.

Now, the Lord is not just Lord of all. He is Head over everything FOR THE CHURCH. That’s the important point which we cannot lose sight of. His whole purpose in redemption was to restore us to our rightful place in Him.

That’s why Christ calls the church His body on earth. This is what Paul is emphasizing in this letter. It’s about what God wants to do on this planet through the church. It’s not about what I am personally.

I am one cell in the body. It’s not all about me. It’s about us. It’s who we are supposed to be in the world. We are the body of Christ.

More than that, He has made the church full and complete in Him. I have to realize that truth. I can’t be complete in and of myself. I need to be connected to the body. Any cell that cuts itself off from the body will eventually dry up and die.

I want to be complete in Christ. That means there are two things I need to look at. First and foremost, how is my relationship with Christ? That’s what saves me and places me in His kingdom.

Then, almost as important, I need to check on my relationship to the church – the body of Christ on earth. That’s where I receive the power, authority, and life I need to be victorious.

Don’t ever lose sight of those two basic truths.

Question: What’s the strength of these two relationships in your life right now?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on March 6, 2023 in Ministry, Power of God, Relationships, Revival, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Sealed

24 Feb
Sealed

As we continue studying Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church, we see more and more of what the Lord has done for us. So far we’ve talked about God’s plan…

…to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Ephesians 1:10b NIV

That’s what I meant when I introduced Ephesians. With this letter, the Holy Spirit is beginning to reveal to the church how we are to work together as the body of Christ on earth. We are one organism.

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:11-12 NIV

In this verse, Paul is talking about his own calling and that of the other apostles. They were the first to hope in Christ. This sentence is full of truth concerning the ministry. Let me give you my take on what this says after reading it in the original Greek.

Paul says that, in Christ, they were given an allotment. There’s a portion of the work that was set aside for them to do.

That word, predestined, literally means to mark out beforehand. This means that before Paul was even born, God had marked out the path that He wanted the apostle to follow. Of course, if you know Paul’s story, you know what the Lord had to do to get him on that path.

But the simple fact is that God has a plan. He will accomplish it, with or without my participation. And even beyond that, God will get the glory for what He works out.

So now Paul turns his attention to the Ephesian church.

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession — to the praise of his glory.

Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV

He makes it clear that this is not some exclusive club for the spiritually elite. All those who believe on Christ for their salvation are a part of this body. Here we see a detailed description of what happens when we receive Christ.

First, we have to hear the Word of truth – the Good News of salvation. Then, once we hear it, we respond to the faith that arises in our heart. At that point we’ve obtained this great salvation.

But, there’s more to it than that. Something else takes place on a spiritual level. This verse says that we were marked in Him with a seal. That’s actually all one word in the Greek language.

This is because we don’t do much with seals anymore. Back in those days, important people and government officials had special rings called signet rings.

When there was an important paper to release, a signature wasn’t enough. Anybody could pretend to sign something. So, what they would do to make it official, is to let molten wax drip near their signature. Then they would press their unique ring into the wax, leaving a mark that authenticated the letter as theirs.

That’s what the Holy Spirit is to us. He’s the One who makes the salvation official in us. The Holy Spirit in me is a sign to all of heaven and hell that I belong to the kingdom of God. I’m God’s property.

The rest of the passage says that the Holy Spirit is the down payment of the inheritance. Then, in the future, the full result of the purchase will be made manifest. That will happen when Christ returns to claim the full rights to His kingdom.

I can’t think of any place else I’d rather be than in God’s kingdom. I look forward in hope, to the day the Lord returns to claim His own. My desire is that you have that same motivation, driving you to serve Him with your very best.

Question: How important do you see your relationship with the Holy Spirit?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 24, 2023 in Anointing, Faith, Ministry, Return of Christ, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel, Word of God

 

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Ephesians Begins

10 Feb
Ephesians Begins

I recently finished my series on the Gospel of Luke. I have been systematically going through the New Testament in the order that the Holy Spirit revealed it to the church.

I started with the four foundational books – James, First Thessalonians, Galatians and Mark. The next thing on the Holy Spirit’s agenda was to inspire books that dealt with our personal walk with the Lord. These books include Second Thessalonians, First and Second Corinthians, Romans, and Luke.

After that, the Lord gave us books dealing with our corporate walk. We need to understand life as a church. These epistles are Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon.

The end of the book of Acts finds the Apostle Paul standing trial at Rome. This was his first Roman imprisonment. It seems that he had his own apartment while under house arrest.

It was during this time that these books were written. They are also called the prison epistles. It probably gave Paul a lot of time reflect on what it means for the body of Christ to be a living organism. We are not just a social organization.

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 1:1-2 NIV

It’s always important to see how these writings begin. It tells us what to expect and who it’s written to. So often we don’t apply Scripture correctly because we lack this knowledge.

Paul makes it clear who he’s writing to. He addresses this letter to the holy and faithful in Ephesus. We need to understand this.

At this point, the Holy Spirit inspired books that gave a foundation for the faith. He then gave books that taught us how to live out our personal walk with Christ. Paul is assuming that the readers are applying these principles.

So often we read Ephesians and simply try to “confess and claim” all of the wonderful promises it contains. The sad thing is, we don’t realize that there needs to be a foundation of faithfulness before we can walk in the truths of this book.

I need to know how to walk faithfully before God as an individual before I can begin to walk faithfully with others. I think that’s where many problems originate in the church. I don’t know how to walk rightly before God, so it breaks down my relationships with fellow believers.

The next thing I see is Paul pronouncing a blessing over them. He prays grace and peace upon them in the Lord.

Grace is the Lord’s favor upon us in response to our faith. We trust Him, and even though we don’t deserve it, God blesses our lives.

Peace is another important concept. The Greek word used here comes from a root that means to join. It’s the word we use as the opposite of war. You need at least two people in order to have peace. Paul will explain this to us further on in his letter.

As we go through this letter, we’ll learn a lot about God’s grace and peace to us. Of course, we’ll also learn about the spiritual war that we’re a part of. Hopefully you’ll come along with me on this journey.

Question: How does your personal walk with God affect your relationship with others?

© 2023 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on February 10, 2023 in Faith, Fellowship, Relationships, The Church

 

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Our Body Freed from the Flesh

16 Dec
Our Body Freed from the Flesh

Do you know the difference between your body and your flesh? Scripturally speaking, they’re not the same thing. Knowing what those two Biblical words mean will help you in living for Christ.

We’re looking at the Last Supper as recorded in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus is revealing a new concept to the disciples as they celebrate the Passover meal.

When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

Luke 22:14-19 NIV

First, we have to understand that the cup mentioned here is the drink that started the Passover meal. It’s not the cup of the covenant we share in Communion. I’ll talk about that one in my next post.

In this post, I’ll talk about the bread. This is the foundation for the Communion observances in our churches. It was a small but important part of the Passover meal. The bread, which was a hard, dry, matzo cracker, was broken and passed to each one around the table.

It’s important to know what the Lord was speaking about. In the Greek language there are two different words that we sometimes take for granted. In English, they’re translated as flesh and body.

In the natural, they seem to be speaking about the same thing – our physical body. But when you look at how they’re used in Scripture, you get a new perspective.

The word, body, refers to our outward, physical vessel that holds who we are. It can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. The body is what we use to interact in the natural world.

The flesh, on the other hand, speaks of the old sin nature that’s been passed down to us from our ancestor, Adam. It’s the desire within us to make the experience of our body the center of our life. It wants our body to have everything it needs to feel good.

So usually, when we see the body spoken of in Scripture, we’re referring to the deeds that are being done and the outward appearance. In this verse, Christ is speaking of imparting His body into us. Paul talked about the importance of this.

So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God.

Romans 7:4 NIV

This is an incredible truth. By taking on Christ’s body, our physical bodies are now counted as dead to the Law. Not only is that true, but now the resurrection of Christ is credited to my account.

This means that my body is no longer bound to do what my flesh (my sin nature) wants it to do. The control of the flesh is broken. This is the foundation of our freedom in Christ.

Look at what Paul goes on to say.

But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.

Romans 7:6 NIV

Not only have we been released from slavery to our flesh and the Law; now our bodies can come under the direct influence of our spirit. We don’t have to serve God by obeying a list of dos and don’ts. I can follow the lead of the Holy Spirit who’s taken up residence in me.

In the future, when you receive the Communion elements, meditate on this truth. Because you’re receiving His body, you’re receiving the whole work that was done on the cross. All the power that was released for your life and godliness is available to you right now.

Question: How does knowing that we died and rose with Christ affect our daily walk with God?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on December 16, 2022 in Faith, Healing, Legalism, Spiritual Walk, The Gospel

 

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Spiritually Selfish

01 Jun
Spiritually Selfish

We’re continuing our walk through the Gospel of Luke. For the last few posts, I’ve been talking about the Lord’s Prayer.

At one point, I talked about our daily bread, and I related it to receiving God’s Word on a daily basis. As we continue in this chapter, Christ now gives a parable concerning bread. I want to continue that discussion.

We’re going to do that by looking at a parable which few ever teach about. We need to see how the bread of the Word applies to our daily lives.

Then he said to them, “Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’

Luke 11:5-6 NIV

This parable brings to light an incredible truth. Listen carefully to what the man is asking for. He’s seeking bread. But the important fact is the reason he wants it.

Is he hungry? Does he have no money to buy bread? Absolutely not! These are not the reasons he needs bread so desperately.

According to the man, a friend of his was on a journey and has come near to him. He opened his home to the friend, but has no bread to place before the friend.

According to Scripture, every human is on a journey. We’re all traveling from total spiritual darkness to maturity in Christ. We’re all at different places along this path.

What this man was saying is, “My friend’s path brought him into my sphere of influence. I need to help him become what God wants him to be.”

The man was not seeking the bread of the Word for himself. He was seeking a Word that would meet the need of someone else. This is something the church needs to hear. It seems that much of the time we’re self-absorbed.

Many times we find that we’re seeking things for ourselves. We seem to think it’s all about my healing, my prosperity, and my blessing. What we really need to do is to follow the example of Christ. Most of what He sought the Father for was bread that He could give to others.

Notice the humility. My friend has come to me and I have nothing of my own that could meet his needs. This is an admittance of our total dependency on God.

I’m trusting God to meet someone else’s need. But I want Him to send the supply through me. This requires us to admit our inability apart from the work of the Holy Spirit in us.

I believe this is what James was talking about in his book.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

James 5:16 NIV

James gives us this exhortation in the context of healing. We need to admit the areas for which we need prayer. But then, we also need to be in prayer for one another.

In the context of the above parable, James is saying that we should be constantly seeking bread for others. Praying for other people is a way of asking God the Father to supply us with the Word needed to bring healing into someone else’s life.

If all I ever pray about is my own needs, then I’m being very spiritually selfish. God wants us to be more than just a Christian organization. He wants us to be an organism – the body of Christ. In that way every part can be a help to all the other parts.

When you spend time in the presence of the Lord, remember to think of others. Listen for a Word that could be a help to them as well as yourself.

Question: How have you helped others along their road to maturity in Christ?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on June 1, 2022 in Faith, Healing, Ministry, Prayer, The Church

 

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Asking the Right Questions

12 Jan
Asking the Right Questions

We’re continuing our study through the Gospel of Luke. The following will be taken from the Scriptural passage found in Luke 4:16-40. You’ll want to read that first to understand what I share in this post.

We live in an age of hero worship. It seems that people are more inclined to follow those with the most glitz and showmanship. In many areas, unfortunately, it’s carried over into the body of Christ.

How do you choose a church to attend or a ministry to follow? Some people look for the latest technology. They want great music with smoke and lights. But, is that always an indicator of a solid church in the Biblical sense?

When it comes to the teachings we accept, how do we decide who to listen to? We need to be asking the right questions. This was something that was clearly portrayed in the ministry of Christ.

In the section of Scripture I referenced above, Jesus preaches at two different synagogues. One was in His hometown of Nazareth, and the other in a nearby town called Capernaum. In both cases He preached the same message. Knowing that it was the Lord, I’m assuming that both messages had the same level of anointing.

In spite of these similarities, only one of the towns, Capernaum, received a blessing from the Lord’s visit. It’s clear to see from the narrative, that the reason was found in the questions that they asked themselves as Jesus was ministering.

This is important to us because, many times, we’re guilty of the same type of attitudes that these people had. I believe that we may have missed out on countless blessings because our attitudes got in the way. What makes the difference?

All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

Luke 4:22

This verse shows what they were focused on in Nazareth. It says that they spoke well of Him. They were amazed at the words from His lips. But, they asked, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

The problem was, they were concentrating on who was speaking – was He all that they were expecting? What was His background? Their focus was on the person.

Capernaum was a different case altogether.

They were amazed at his teaching, because his message had authority…

All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What is this teaching? With authority and power he gives orders to evil spirits and they come out!”

Luke 4:32, 36

These verses make it clear that they were amazed at His teaching. It was about what the Lord said and did. They recognized that His Word had power and authority. Who He was and what He looked like didn’t figure into their acceptance of the Word.

As a result, revival fell in Capernaum that day. Demons were cast out and all the sick that lived in that area were healed (Verse 33-40).

We need to learn this lesson. Sometimes the biggest, most impressive looking show has the least anointing. On the other hand – there are times God wants to perform great miracles through His “unknown servants”.

I believe that in these last days before the return of Christ, God is going to be moving in “grass roots” ways. We will see Him working outside of the churches – in homes, schools, workplaces, and anywhere people look for Him.

We need to be asking, “What is the anointing, authority, and power upon this Word.” How big a following someone has shouldn’t figure into it. It’s all about the spirit behind the message, not the person God is using.

If we keep this in mind, then we’ll find the blessing of God in some of the most unlikely places. We’ll also open ourselves up to the miraculous.

Question: Have you ever received a blessing from God’s unknown servants?

© 2022 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on January 12, 2022 in Anointing, Ministry, Power of God, Revival, Spiritual Walk

 

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Building Up the Body of Christ

18 Oct
Building Up the Body of Christ

We’re continuing to go through the book of Romans. Paul is dealing with how we treat one another, especially those who are weaker in the faith. We must be careful not to bring hurt into their lives.

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Romans 14:19

This should be the goal of all that we do and say. The word, peace, in this verse is one of the Fruit of the Spirit. It comes from a root which means to join. We need to concentrate on things which bring us together.

Paul also tells us to strive for mutual edification. This word speaks of things that build up one-another. Too often we’re guilty of tearing down God’s work over minor, insignificant issues.

Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a man to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother to fall.

Romans 14:20-21

This is the other side of the coin. The verse tells us not to destroy, or literally, don’t loosen the joints, in God’s temple. That’s especially true for the sake of temporary things.

It’s important to note here that Paul makes a very broad statement. “All food is clean.” For a former Pharisee to say this is monumental.

At one point, recorded in the book of Acts, there was a controversy. They were questioning if Gentiles should become Jews in order to be saved. They had a huge meeting in Jerusalem, with all the apostles present, including Paul and Peter.

After hearing all the arguments, James stands up and gives his judgment. It’s important to see what he says and why. Remember, he was surrounded by some apostles and Christian Pharisees who believed you must become a Jew to be saved.

“It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood. For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Acts 15:19-21

First, we see that it was his judgment, but, based on what? The fact that Moses has been preached all over the Jewish world. The fact is that James didn’t want to cause a split.

Look at the letter that was sent around after the meeting.

It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.

Acts 15:28-29

I think it’s interesting that they blamed the Holy Spirit for this, even though there’s no mention of prayer, prophecy, or the Word of God. They did, however, admit that this decision was a burden to the churches.

By saying that all food is clean, in Romans, Paul is totally rejecting this “judgment” of James. He did that under the actual inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

After all this, we realize that the issue is not whether something is right or wrong. There’s a higher principle involved. It’s about the effect our actions have on fellow believers. There’s also the issue of how we’ll be looked at by the world.

The bottom line – it’s sinful to knowingly cause someone to stumble.

Question: How do you handle questionable things that aren’t specifically mentioned in Scripture?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on October 18, 2021 in Fellowship, Ministry, Relationships, Spiritual Walk, The Church

 

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Gifts of Grace

18 Aug
Gifts of Grace

Now that I’m back from my vacation, we can continue our walk through the book of Romans. Paul is now using the illustration of a physical body to show our placement in the body of Christ.

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Romans 12:4-5

In this section of Scripture, he’s talking about placement in the body. Every part does something different, and that’s by design.

It’s all about grace. It’s about what we’ve received from God, according to our faith by the Word. That’s how God places us where we were designed to be.

Please understand that we’re all members of the same body. There’s not a Baptist body and a Presbyterian body. We’re all one in Christ Jesus. That’s why it’s so important to keep receiving and growing in the Word.

But as I said previously, we’re all designed by God to be different. We all have unique functions in the Body of Christ.

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

Romans 12:6a

This verse tells us that we receive gifts according to the grace given us. But, to get the full impact, you really need to see it in the original Greek. Paul tells us that we receive charismata (gifts) according to the charis (grace) given us.

Now it’s easy to see that the words gift and grace both come from the same root. These are not gifts in the sense of Christmas presents that you can do whatever you want with them.

These are gifts that flow from God’s grace to you. That means God still retains control over how you use these gifts. It’s like the Lord is telling you, “I’m giving you this to use according to my wishes.”

The apostle now goes through and lists these “Grace Gifts”. They’re all different and everybody has one. The Grace Gift you possess defines how you distribute God’s grace to those around you.

Please understand that this is NOT talking about our ministry. These gifts actually have no relation to what our ministry gifts are. These gifts deal with the “how” of what we do for the Lord.

These gifts explain how grace flows from your heart to the lives of others. They are the different ways that we relate, respond and react to others. That’s why sometimes people will refer to these gifts as “hearts”. (Like prophet’s heart or giver’s heart)

One of the problems we sometimes face is when we think that someone else’s way is better, so we try to copy them. Or, sometimes we think that our way is the best. The truth is that we’re all different and unique in our own way.

As I said before, these “hearts” don’t define or determine our ministry. Ministry is based upon God’s calling. For example, I can have a giver’s heart, and yet be called to the ministry of teaching.

These Grace Gifts also explain what motivates us to fulfill God’s calling in us. That’s why in some circles they’re also called the Motivational Gifts.

But, whatever you call them, these gifts deal with how you administer God’s grace to those around you. Depending on your heart, you fulfill your ministry in a different way.

I believe that an understanding of these gifts are important to our spiritual growth. It brings greater awareness of who we are as unique individuals. They also help us to understand and accept the differences in others.

Over the next few posts, I’ll explain each one in more detail. My hope is that it will be a blessing to you as you see God’s hand upon your life and ministry.

Question: What is your motivation for serving Christ?

© 2021 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on August 18, 2021 in Ministry, Spiritual Walk

 

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Church Ministry (Part 1)

01 Jul

In my last post, we saw the list of ministry functions needed for a healthy church.  In today’s article, I want to begin looking at them in more detail.

And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.  Are all apostles?  Are all prophets?  Are all teachers?  Do all work miracles?  Do all have gifts of healing?  Do all speak in tongues?  Do all interpret?
1 Corinthians 12:28-30

As I said in my last post, even though some of these may sound similar to the manifestations of the Spirit, it’s not the same list.

Apostle.  Over the years, we’ve Christianized this word to the point where the meaning is almost lost to us.  We get the idea that it’s a “holy man” so high in the ranks that it’s all but unreachable.  Some teach that after the first 12 apostles, there were never any more.

We need to understand that Paul is talking about ministry in the local church here.  That means this apostolic ministry should be found within each local congregation.

This word means to be set apart as a messenger or delegate.  It’s someone who is under orders to go to a certain place and represent the one who sent them.  I believe this is talking about the pastoral ministry in the local church.  It’s the person or people who oversee all the other ministries of the church.

Prophet.  These are people who hear God’s voice and speak what He wants to be said.  We need to be aware of what God is saying to the church.

I think that sometimes we get the idea that prophecy is always about the future.  That’s not the case.  A prophet will reveal truth that we need to hear.

There are times when a prophet will bring hidden sins to the surface so they can be dealt with.  Sometimes it’s a word of encouragement or insight into a challenge we’re going through.  And, yes, there are times when they will reveal something that’s about to happen in the future.

Teacher.  This is the one that we’re the most familiar with.  It’s the person who helps others by explaining truth that has already been revealed in Scripture.

However, that’s not as easy as it sounds.  In the church, we’re not just dealing with facts and figures.  We’re to train people in how to apply the truth of Scripture to their daily walk.

This requires us to spend time in the presence of the Great Teacher – the Holy Spirit.  He alone will give us the insight we need to speak life to those who will listen.  A godly teacher will make deep truths accessible to those who want to learn.

Workers of Miracles.  Now we’re getting into an area we don’t see very often.  Maybe it’s because nobody thinks of this as a ministry of the church.  In most churches, miracles aren’t common anymore.

Simply put, the word miracle in this verse is actually the Greek word for power.  It’s talking about people who consistently walk in the power of God.  They’re the ones you go to when you have a pressing need.

These people should definitely be a part of the church prayer team.  They spend time in the Lord’s presence developing their faith and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

Like I said, this isn’t seen very much in the church of our generation.  My hope is that as I teach it, many will feel the call to walk in this great ministry.  Then, they’ll spend the time needed to develop intimacy with God.

In my next post, I’ll continue explaining these important local church ministries.  If you don’t already know your calling in the body of Christ, read them prayerfully.  Be open to what the Holy Spirit wants to do through you.

Question: Why does the church of our generation seem to downplay the more powerful ministries?

© 2019 Nick Zaccardi

 
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Posted by on July 1, 2019 in Leadership, Ministry, Power of God, The Church

 

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