Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The word “simplicity” is a moral trait describing purity of motive. It is an openness and sincerity in sharing with others. It means “generosity, liberality”. The infant church in Jerusalem after Pentecost demonstrated such a spirit – Acts 2:44-45 “And all that believed were together, and had all things common; 45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.”
The word “exhort” in the original comes from a preposition which means “to come alongside” and the verb “to call”. Placed together, the word literally means “to call someone to come alongside”. It means “to comfort” or “to help”. Plumer observed well, “Exhortation, cognate to the verb “beseech in”. It is a very general term and embraces almost every variety of comfort, of encouragement and urgency to duty. This is a great gift.” It involves comforting someone who is suffering from some affliction physically, emotionally or spiritually. It involves helping someone who is in some trouble with words of comfort, encouragement, and advice through prayer and God’s Word. It strengthens the faith of the recipient.
If one is a teacher, let him exercise his gift in teaching, be actively instructing. The word “teaching” is rendered “doctrine”[Plumer]. The source of instruction is God’s Word, the Bible. It is from the Bible that the teacher derives his teaching. He exercises faith in believing God’s Word and hence finds his theology or doctrine which in turn determines his practice.
Our Lord Jesus sets the example of service when he says in Mark 10:43-45 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
The word “ministry” means literally a “deacon” or “servant”. Barnes observed well concerning the word “ministry”, “This word properly means service of any kind, Lu 10:40. It is used in religion to denote the service which is rendered to Christ as the Master. It is applied to all classes of ministers in the New Testament, as denoting their being the servants of Christ; and it is used particularly to denote that class who, from this word, were called deacons, i.e. those who had the care of the poor, who provided for the sick, and who watched over the external matters of the church.”
This first gift involves the declaration the Word of God. The New Testament church began when the Apostle Peter first prophesied, he preached the word of God to the men in Jerusalem at Pentecost Three thousand souls were saved. God continues to save souls through the preaching of His Word. Indeed, faith comes by hearing, and hearing the Word of God. Amen.
The Apostle Paul exhorts the believers to discover their gifts and exercise their gifts for the blessing of the body of Christ. Each has a contribution to make. As a whole, the body of Christ is strengthened as individual believers are mindful of their gifts and exercise and develop their gifts. Indeed, as the saying goes, “Every person has talent; the secret is discovering what it is and learning the best way to put it into action.”
There is diversity and yet unity in the body of Christ. The functioning of individual parts of the body makes for the unity of the entire body. Every part of the body contributes to the overall functioning of the body. Indeed, the human body is a tribute to its Creator God. And the body of Christ is a tribute to its Enabler Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour!
The Apostle Paul exhorts Christians to be humble. To think more highly literally means to over think or think above and so to be proud and haughty. The spiritual gifts bestowed by God must not cause spiritual pride. He encourages them to use their spiritual gifts for the blessing of the body of Christ. He acknowledges that it is by God’s grace or unmerited favour that he could serve God. It is the same for them. To think soberly is to exercise sound judgment. Christians are to live humbly before God because all they are and have comes from Him. Christians are endowed with faith by God to exercise their gifts to edify, build up and bless other Christians.
We are to continually abstain from being conformed to the world and be continually transformed to imbibe God’s will in our lives. Realize that it is not by our own strength that can be transformed to do the will of God. We are to pray continually for God’s grace to help us to have the strength to obey His will.