The message, drawn primarily from 1 Corinthians 12:1, centers on Paul’s charge that believers must not be ignorant concerning spiritual gifts. The preacher underscores that while ignorance in many areas of life can be tolerated, this is the one area where ignorance is unacceptable because of its eternal consequences. Every believer, as God’s workmanship, is uniquely created, saved unto good works (Ephesians 2:10), and gifted by the Holy Spirit with spiritual gifts. These gifts are not optional talents but essential means through which the church is edified, God’s kingdom advances, and believers are ultimately judged for fruitfulness.

Salvation, Workmanship, and Good Works

The sermon first lays the foundation with Ephesians 2:8–10 and Titus 3: salvation is a gift of God by grace through faith, not of works. However, salvation leads to good works—believers are “created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” The word workmanship highlights God’s intentional design of each person with a specific role and purpose. Good works are not random activities but measured by fruitfulness versus unfruitfulness. Thus, after salvation, there is an expectation of labor for God that reflects the unique workmanship of each believer.

Spiritual Gifts: God’s Design for Every Believer

Returning to 1 Corinthians 12, the preacher stresses that every believer has been given a spiritual gift by the Spirit, not for personal profit but for the profit of all—for God’s glory. Paul states that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to “every man,” which removes any excuse of passivity in the Christian life. Biblical categories of gifts include teaching, prophecy (preaching), exhortation, mercy, helps, governance, and others. Each is vital to the functioning of the body of Christ, just as each part of the human body is necessary for health and movement.

The preacher challenges the congregation: Do you know your spiritual gift? And not merely in vague or self-defined terms, but by biblical words rooted in Scripture? Spiritual gifts are not meant to remain abstract or theoretical—they must be visibly exercised in the life of the church. Citing the Shunammite woman in 2 Kings 4 who prepared for the prophet’s arrival, he illustrates how spiritual gifts manifest in action, not merely in intention.

The Purpose of Gifts: Fruitfulness and Profit

Gifts are given with measurable expectations. Just as talents or investments yield returns, spiritual gifts must bear fruit. Believers are to ask themselves: Am I fruitful or unfruitful? Am I contributing to the church’s growth and to the expansion of God’s kingdom? The preacher highlights ministries such as Vacation Bible School as examples of how gifts, when exercised collectively, produce eternal profit by leading souls to salvation.

The Sobering Judgment: Christ the Austere Judge

To reinforce accountability, the sermon turns to Luke 19:11–27, the parable of the nobleman and his servants. The nobleman (Christ) journeys to a far country (earth), entrusts his servants with resources, and returns to establish his kingdom. Upon his return, he demands an accounting of their stewardship. Those who multiplied their gifts received commendation and authority, while the servant who hid his pound in a napkin was condemned as “wicked.”

The key word in the parable is austere, meaning strict, unbending, and exacting. Though Christ is often associated with mercy and grace, at the judgment seat He will evaluate believers with uncompromising strictness. This reveals an often-overlooked dimension of His character: while He came first as the Lamb to be sacrificed, He will return as King and Judge. Believers will be measured not merely on possession of gifts but on their investment and results.

Application: Knowing and Using Your Gift

The preacher warns that it is dangerous for a Christian to be ignorant of their gift or to fail to invest it. Just as the wicked servant’s gift was taken and given to another, so unused gifts may be stripped away. Gifts are not given for self-exaltation but to glorify the Giver and edify the body. True stewardship involves treating church life as a personal responsibility to give, not just to receive. Using vivid imagery, the preacher likens exercising gifts to children eagerly displaying Christmas presents—not hoarding them, but sharing them so others can rejoice in the Giver’s generosity.

Two Key Questions

The sermon concludes with two piercing questions every believer must answer:

1. Do you know your spiritual gift? Can you define it biblically and specifically?
2. Are you investing your gift? Are you actively exercising it for God’s profit, producing measurable fruit, or leaving it dormant?

The message ends with a sober reminder: one day, each believer will stand alone before Christ at the judgment seat. There will be no excuses, no grace for negligence, but a strict accounting from an austere Judge. To know one’s gift and to invest it faithfully is not optional—it is the very purpose of being God’s workmanship, saved unto good works.