Spiritual Gifts and the Holy Spirit: Part 5 - Serving Gifts, Service

TBC Glassboro Sermons and More · Spiritual Gifts and the Holy Spirit: Part 5 - Serving Gifts, Service

There are six serving gifts that are permanent or have not ceased — serving, helping, administration, giving, mercy, and leading.  The term serving (diakonía) means to render help, support, or provision.  The gift of serving is displaying compassionate love to those in need, specifically within the fellowship of believers.  Every task or service done sacrificially to benefit others is an expression of the gift of serving.  The New Testament is filled with examples of believers using this gift to minister to others.

• And having sent into Macedonia two of those who ministered (diakoneō) to him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while. - Acts 19:22
• the Lord grant to [Onesiphorus] to find mercy from the Lord on that day—and you know very well what services (diakoneō) he rendered at Ephesus. - 2 Timothy 1:18
• whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister (diakoneō) to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; - Philemon 13
• For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, in having ministered (diakoneō) and in still ministering (diakoneō) to the saints. - Hebrews 6:10

The gift of service is given to all believers though its application or deployment may differ from person to person.

• And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. - 1 Corinthians 12:5

  
According to Ephesians 4:11-12, Christ gifted apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers to the Church to equip believers to do the work of service (diakonía).  The work of service is not relegated to those in leadership.  It is the job of every disciple.  When disciples are involved in service then the Church will grow.