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No Such Thing As An Unimportant Calling Or Gift (Exodus 31:1-11)

I. They Were Called II. They Were Gifted III. They Served For God's Glory

00:00 Trailer

02:00 Introduction

2:42 Misconceptions about callings & differing ministries 06:47 I. THEY WERE CALLED 9:11 God’s specific calling for Bezaleel and Aholiab 12:05 God’s specific calling for individual Christians 15:28 II. THEY WERE GIFTED 16:06 The filling of the Holy Spirit 18:27 Exercising our spiritual gifts for God’s glory! 21:33 But how do we know what our gifts are? 23:57 How we can bless others through our gifts! 26:00 III. THEY SERVED FOR GOD’S GLORY 26:43 The meaning of their names: Bezaleel and Aholiab 32:01 Are we, as Christians, living up to His name? 35:56 What we must do: Honour God by obeying His call 39:08 Closing Prayer

42:00 Reflection Questions

Context and Hook for the Sermon

Context:

In the book of Exodus, God gives detailed instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle, a sacred space where His presence would dwell among His people. But who would carry out this monumental task? In Exodus 31:1-11, God calls two men—Bezaleel and Aholiab—and equips them with unique skills and spiritual gifts to lead this divine project. Their story is not just about craftsmanship; it’s a powerful reminder that every calling, no matter how visible or hidden, is significant in God’s eyes.

Hook:

Have you ever felt like your role in the church, at work, or in your family is unimportant? Do you struggle to see how your gifts and efforts matter in the grand scheme of things? What if I told you that God sees every act of service, no matter how small, as vital to His plan? In this sermon, we explore the lives of two ordinary men—Bezaleel and Aholiab—who were called by God for an extraordinary purpose. Their story challenges us to rethink how we view our own callings and gifts. What if the work you’re doing right now, even if it feels unnoticed, is part of God’s divine blueprint? Dive into this message and discover why there’s no such thing as an unimportant calling or gift in God’s kingdom.

This hook invites readers to reflect on their own lives while sparking curiosity about how Bezaleel and Aholiab’s story applies to them today.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
• Overview of Exodus 31:1-11
• The Importance of Different Ministries in the Church
• Misconceptions About Callings and Ministries
2. The Calling of Bezaleel and Aholiab
• Their Specific Roles in Building the Tabernacle
• The Significance of Being Called by God
• The Difference Between General and Specific Calls
3. They Were Called
• Bezaleel: Son of Uri, Tribe of Judah
• Aholiab: Son of Ahisamach, Tribe of Dan
• God’s Sovereign Choice and Recording of Their Names
4. They Were Gifted
• Filled with the Spirit, Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge
• The Importance of Spiritual Gifts for Believers
• The Danger of Storing Up Spiritual Gifts
5. They Served for God’s Glory
• The Meaning of Their Names: Bezaleel and Aholiab
• Living Up to Their Names and Callings
• The Sovereignty of God in Appointing Their Roles
6. Application for Believers
• Recognizing Our Own Callings and Gifts
• Faithfully Exercising Spiritual Gifts
• Leaving a Legacy for God’s Glory
7. Conclusion
• The Importance of Honoring God’s Name
• Being Remembered by God for Our Faithfulness
• Final Encouragement to Serve Faithfully
8. Closing Prayer
• A Prayer for Faithfulness and Obedience to God’s Call

[13:19]

In our study through the book of Exodus, we have come to Exodus 31:1-11. In every church and ministry, there are different works to be done, and God has called certain people to do the work. Every calling has its own unique trials and difficulties, and God, who has called that particular individual, will also equip him or her with the necessary gifts and abilities to accomplish the task.

2:42

Take a moment and consider the church and all the ministries. There are preachers and teachers, deacons to serve tables, ushers to welcome the members and visitors, administrators to prepare the necessary resources, people to serve in the PA system, refreshments, flower arrangements, etc.

There is this problem in many churches who try to distinguish or characterize the different ministries according to their level of importance. By that, I mean some people consider the preacher as more important than the usher, or the deacon as more essential than the administrator, and the list goes on and on.

There’s also this misconception amongst many people who do not consider some of these services as a calling. There are some people who have said to me, ‘You are different from me because you are called, and I’m not called.’ They are not referring to my call as a pastor, but they are referring to the call to serve God.

No doubt, some of the ministries are more visible than others, like the pastor and the chairperson standing before the congregation. But there are others who work quietly behind the scenes—formatting the bulletins, recording and hosting the live streaming, collecting and administering the tithes and offerings, preparing and coordinating the order of worship, and so forth.

In order for any church to function effectively, all these services are not only necessary but essential. The reality is that every spiritual work done in the church and for the glory of God is a calling, and it is necessary, essential, and vital.

At this point in time in the book of Exodus, the command was already given as to how the tabernacle and the furniture were to be constructed, how the priests were to be ordained, and how the worship of God ought to be conducted. But in order for the command to be executed, certain people had to be called and blessed with spiritual gifts to construct the tabernacle, the furniture, and make the holy anointing oil. Without them, it would not be possible.

This is what we want to learn from this passage, and we want to focus on the two men mentioned in Exodus 31:1-11—Bezaleel and Aholiab. The title of our message is: ‘No Such Thing as an Unimportant Calling or Gift.’

I. They were called

Our first point is: They were called. Bezaleel was the son (grandson) of Hur, and he was from the tribe of Judah. Aholiab was the son of Ahisamach, and he was from the tribe of Dan. Take note of the phrase in verse 2: “See, I have called.” Verse 1 tells us, “And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying.” So it was God speaking. In other words, these two men were specially called by God. They were not chosen by Moses, Aaron, or the children of Israel, but by the sovereign will of the Almighty God. Their calling was so important that God had recorded it for us in this passage for our encouragement and edification.

When we speak about the calling of God, there are two main areas: there is the general call and the specific call.

• The general call refers to God calling us to salvation—to believe in Him, to worship Him, to walk with Him, to obey Him.
• The specific call refers to the call of God for a particular individual. It applies to that person and not to anyone else.

For example, you are called to be the husband of a particular wife, or the wife of a particular husband, or the father and mother of a particular child, or to a particular career path, or to attend a particular school and university, or to serve in a particular area in the church. And what God has called you to do, He has not called someone else. That is His specific call for you.

9:11

Both Bezaleel and Aholiab were called for a specific work. They were craftsmen, and they were very skillful in the works of gold, silver, brass, stones, and timber. Most likely, they had learned those skills while living in Egypt as slaves. We all know that Egypt was known for their construction of monumental structures like the pyramids.

These two men were called to be responsible for the construction of the tabernacle itself and all the furniture that went inside and outside the tabernacle—the Ark of the Covenant in the Most Holy Place, the table of shewbread, the golden lampstand, the altar of incense in the Holy Place, the altar of sacrifice and the brass basin in the outer court, and also the holy garments of the priests, Aaron and his sons, and the holy anointing oil to anoint them to prepare them for their sacred duties.

Most certainly, there were other skillful craftsmen in the multitude of the children of Israel, but God had specially called these two persons. It was an extraordinary amount of work. They had to build the tabernacle, which was itself a massive structure. They had to melt and cast the gold and silver into the right shapes and sizes. They had to cut and engrave the stones. They had to sew the garments together, and so forth.

Most certainly, they could not have done all these things by themselves. Therefore, they had a team of faithful co-laborers. How do we know? Well, God said in verse 6: “and in the hearts of all that are wise hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded thee.” So there were others who were called to be engaged in this work as well.

Dear friend, have you ever considered your work in the church or in your workplace as a calling? Surely, there may be others who are just as talented or gifted as you are, if not more capable than you. But God has specially called you, and what He has called you to do, He has not called someone else. You must recognize it as a calling.

God may call you through His Word, through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, through the leaders and the people around you, through the circumstances of life, through much prayer. But it always begins with this irresistible desire in your heart to serve Him.

Most of the time, when something was done over the passage of time, people would forget who were the ones responsible for the work done. For 40 years, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. As they moved from place to place with the portable tabernacle, surely after four decades, the next generation might have forgotten about Bezaleel, Aholiab, and their team of co-laborers. But there is one who never forgets, and that is the Almighty God.

Have you ever been discouraged that people have forgotten about the work you have done, or they do not even know that you were the one who did it? Maybe you were the one who started the Sunday School, or established a particular ministry and fellowship group, or initiated and supported the mission works in Myanmar and the Philippines, or brought up your children in the fear of God, or ministered to your colleagues who were unbelievers in your workplace.

No one knows, and no one remembers, but God knows, and He never forgets. And He takes into account everything we have done in His precious name because that is His specific call for us.

II. They Were Gifted

Our second point is: They were gifted. Nobody would question that the work was tremendously difficult, massive, and comprehensive. But God will not call someone without equipping him or her with the necessary abilities or gifts to accomplish the work. That was why the Bible said ‘they were filled with the Spirit and with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge’. (Exodus 31:3)

Take note of the phrase: “the spirit of God.” (Exodus 31:3) This was a reference to the filling of the Holy Spirit. They could not be filled with the Spirit unless they were first indwelt with the Spirit. So, first and foremost, they were believers. And out of all the believers, God had filled these two persons, together with their co-laborers, with His Spirit and blessed them with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to do His work.

Many years ago, I was invited to preach in a small church in the eastern part of Malaysia. Just before the worship service, the chairperson said to me, ‘Today, we do not have a pianist, so we have to sing a capella.’ I replied, ‘Well, that’s all right. We can sing a capella.’ Then the chairperson said, ‘the saddest thing is that my daughter is attending the worship service, and she is a pianist. However, she is an unbeliever, so she cannot serve in playing the piano.’

Only the believers are called and gifted to do the Lord’s work. You can have the most gifted pianist in the whole world. If that person is an unbeliever, he or she cannot serve in the worship service or in the church of Jesus Christ. Every believer is blessed with at least one spiritual gift. Some have been blessed with multiple spiritual gifts.

It is called a spiritual gift because it is given to the believer for spiritual purposes. We all have differing gifts from the Holy Spirit, and we are obligated to exercise them. The person with one seemingly insignificant gift is equally responsible and obligated to use that gift faithfully and fully as the one who has multiple spiritual gifts.

No spiritual gift is of any value if it is not used. When I was young, I visited one of the homes of my friends. His father had a large collection of very expensive and valuable guitars. Apparently, some of those guitars were known to be used by top musicians.

If those guitars were to fall into the hands of accomplished musicians, they would be making beautiful music to touch the hearts of many. But those expensive instruments were always kept locked up in the showcase, protected, only to be admired but not to be used. And it is unlikely that anyone will ever get to play on them.

It is very tragic that many Christians keep their spiritual gifts stored up rather than use them to serve the Lord who has blessed them. Dear friend, if you have been blessed with a beautiful voice to sing for the glory of God, and you refuse to surrender that voice, soon you will grow old, and you can no longer hit the same high pitch that you were once able to. And then you will not be able to render your service in that area again.

If you have been gifted to preach, and you refuse to preach, soon your memory will fail you, and the faculties of your mind and speech will not enable you to articulate God’s truth in clarity. Please do not store up your spiritual gifts.

Some people may ask, ‘How do I know my spiritual gifts?’ God does not give His children gifts without letting them know what those gifts are. If we are unsure of our gifts from God, it is most likely because we have not totally surrendered ourselves to Him. When your life and my life are on the altar of sacrifice, we will have no problem recognizing our gifts and exercising them. Our spiritual gifts cannot be recognized except when we use them.

When a believer walks in obedience to the Lord, filled with the Holy Spirit, and serving God, it will become apparent to him and others what his gift is and how it can be used to bless the body of believers. When a believer has trouble understanding his spiritual gift, it is not because he cannot figure out what his gifts are. Rather, it is because he has not come to terms with the dedication.

On the other hand, when a believer is used mightily by the Almighty God, it is not because he has perfectly understood his gifts, but because his life is a living sacrifice unto the Lord, and he is always seeking for the opportunity to serve Him. As Romans 12:1 tells us: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”

If I may pause here for a moment and share with you the testimony of a particular brethren—I will not share his name because he may not want me to do so. Every time when we have our DHW Bible class, we will have a facilitators’ meeting. It is for the purpose of answering all the questions and perhaps anticipating any potential questions that the people may ask.

There is this particular brother who will always come prepared with a long list of answers. It is not easy for him to do that. It takes time, effort, dedication, and commitment. And most certainly, he is filled with the Spirit and blessed with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. He has faithfully exercised that spiritual gift so much so that all the facilitators are blessed each time we attend the meeting. You and I should likewise be faithful in exercising the spiritual gifts that God has given to us, whatever they may be.

III. They Served For God’s Glory

Our final point is: They served for God’s glory. Today, people do not put much emphasis on names. Often, it has little or no significance at all. Parents will name their children after famous celebrities, or they just love those names or the way those names are being pronounced. Even Christians who name their children after the biblical characters without taking into consideration what those names mean.

But in those days, in biblical times, the names of the people meant something significant, and it would always relate to God and their lives. For example, the name Abraham means ‘the chief of a multitude,’ and he truly became the father of a great nation. The name Isaac means ‘he laughs,’ a reminder of how he was born to Abraham and Sarah, who did not believe that they could have a son in their late evening years. The name David means ‘the beloved,’ a reminder of how he was chosen to be the beloved one, of whom ultimately the greater Beloved, the greater Son of David, would come. So, the biblical names were very significant.

But it is one thing to give a child a meaningful name; it is another thing altogether to live up to that name. Bezaleel means ‘in the shadow of God’ or ‘under the shadow of God.’ A shadow is an image that follows an object. What a wonderful description of this particular individual.

The significance of his name was that he was a man who walked in the shadow of God. Wherever God leads, he follows. Whenever God calls, he obeys. God had called him, filled him with the Spirit, blessed him with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, and he faithfully followed God’s call and did as he was told. Bezaleel—in the shadow of God.

Aholiab means ‘my tent or my tabernacle is my father.’ Interestingly, his parents gave him this name when he was born without knowing what would happen in the future. But it was not by chance nor coincidence, but by God’s appointment and by God’s design. He was the one called to build God’s tent—His tabernacle, His dwelling place. Now, that tells us a lot about the sovereignty of God.

Dear friend, thousands of years before we were born, even before the foundation of the world, God already knew us, and He has a sovereign purpose for our existence on this earth. He has a specific call for you and me, and He has gifted us differently to serve His sovereign purpose.

Needless to say, both of them lived up to their names. They faithfully followed God’s call and did as they were told. They lived their lives to serve the one sole purpose—for the glory of God. How do we know? Because the tabernacle was built with all the furniture and the holy ointment. The tabernacle stood as a testimony of their faithfulness. Just as the church that we are serving, may it also be the instrument to stand as a testimony of our faithfulness.

Recently, one of my sons asked me this question: ‘People call you Paul Cheng, but your full name is Cheng Heng Fook. In heaven, what will your name be? Will it be Paul, or Paul Cheng, or Cheng Heng Fook?’ I thought that was a very interesting question, and I answered, ‘I do not know.’ But whatever name I have in heaven, it is important that that name is recorded in the Book of Life. (Revelation 3:5, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27) It is important that my name—Christian—I am known as a Christian, for I am a child of God because of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am named after my Savior. (Exodus 32:32-33; Psalm 69:28; Luke 10:20; Phillipians 4:3; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 2:17)

A story was told of Alexander the Great, who was the king of Greece. He was considered one of the world’s greatest conquerors, and his empire stretched all the way from Greece to the northwestern part of India. In the ancient world, his name struck fear in the hearts of many nations, and he took his name very seriously.

One day, a soldier in his army had committed a crime, and he was brought before Alexander the Great for court-martial. The king listened to the charges and evidence, and then he turned to the soldier and asked, ‘What is your name?’ The soldier replied, ‘Alexander.’ Again, the king questioned, ‘What is your name?’ He answered the second time, ‘Alexander.’ Then, with a cry of rage, the king said, ‘I say, what is your name?’

And when the soldier answered for the third time, ‘Alexander,’ the king angrily replied, ‘You say your name is Alexander, and you are found guilty of this crime. Now, you must face the penalty. Either you change your conduct, or you change your name. For no man can bear my name, Alexander, and do the things that you do.’

Dear friend, if Alexander, a mere human being, took his name so seriously, how much more do you think the One who is the living and true God—and we bear His name as Christians? His name is Jesus Christ. How can we bring dishonor to His precious name?

Rather than dishonoring His name, we must honor His name, and we do that by obeying His call. We recognize wherever He leads, we go, and we will faithfully follow His call. And we must exercise the spiritual gifts that He has given to us, whatever they may be. Even if it is just one spiritual gift, we must be found faithful, and we must glorify Him in the things we do, like Bezaleel and Aholiab.

One day, you and I will have to leave this world. The question is: What legacies have we left behind? In the final analysis, have we obeyed God’s call? Have we exercised our spiritual gifts? Have we glorified His precious name?

Perhaps we have, by the grace of God, in the church, in the fellowship groups and ministries, in our families, in our workplaces, in our schools. We have served the One who purposed to glorify Him wherever He leads us. But no one remembers us. It doesn’t matter because there’s one who never forgets.

Just as He remembered Bezaleel and Aholiab and recorded their names in the Holy Scriptures, God remembers everything we have done in His name. So, whatever we do, say, or think, we always consider how we can glorify our Almighty God. We want Him to remember us for the things we have done. Men may forget—it doesn’t matter—but God remembers. Let us pray.

Our Father in heaven, indeed, as we consider this portion of Scripture, even as we consider these two men whom Thou hast recorded for us in this passage—names that people do not know or even have not heard of, but yet Thou hast recorded for us what they have done. They were called by Thee, specially chosen by Thee for a specific work, and they faithfully obeyed Thy call. They were gifted by Thee, filled with Thy Spirit, and blessed with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge. And they served for Thy glory and Thy glory alone.

Oh Lord, may this be our example. May these two persons be set before us as examples for us to follow. We know that nothing happens by chance nor coincidence, but by Thy appointment. Thou hast a specific call for each and every one of us. Thou hast placed us in a particular place, whether it be in the church, in the family, in the workplace, or in the society. Thou hast given to us certain gifts that we may serve for Thy glory. May each and every one of us be a testimony that will stand for Thee.

We call ourselves Christians. We bear the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We want to bring honor to His name. So, help us to live such a life—not for ourselves, but for Thy glory and Thy glory alone. We give Thee thanks, and we pray all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

[51:16]

在我们对《出埃及记》的研究中，我们来到了《出埃及记》31:1-11。在每一个教会和事工中，都有不同的工作需要完成，而神已经呼召了特定的人来完成这些工作。每一个呼召都有其独特的考验和困难，而神既然呼召了那个人，也必会装备他或她，赐予必要的恩赐和能力来完成这项任务。

花点时间想一想教会和所有的事工。有传道人和教师，有执事来服侍餐桌，有招待员来欢迎成员和访客，有管理员来准备必要的资源，有人在音响系统中服侍，有人负责茶点、花卉布置等等。

在许多教会中，存在一个问题，就是试图根据事工的重要性来区分或描述不同的服侍。我的意思是，有些人认为传道人比招待员更重要，或者执事比管理员更必不可少，这样的例子不胜枚举。

还有一种误解存在于许多人中，他们认为其中一些服侍并不是呼召。有些人曾对我说：“你和我不一样，因为你是被呼召的，而我没有被呼召。”他们不是指我作为牧师的呼召，而是指服侍神的呼召。

毫无疑问，有些事工比其他事工更显眼，比如牧师和主席站在会众面前。但也有其他人默默地在幕后工作——排版公告、录制和主持直播、收集和管理奉献、准备和协调敬拜秩序等等。

为了使任何教会有效地运作，所有这些服侍不仅是必要的，而且是必不可少的。现实是，在教会中为神的荣耀所做的每一项属灵工作都是呼召，它是必要的、必不可少的，也是至关重要的。

在《出埃及记》的这个时间点，关于如何建造帐幕和家具、如何按立祭司、以及如何敬拜神的命令已经下达。但为了使这些命令得以执行，必须呼召某些人，并赐予他们属灵的恩赐来建造帐幕、家具和制作圣膏油。没有他们，这是不可能的。

这就是我们想从这段经文中学习的，我们想聚焦于《出埃及记》31:1-11中提到的两个人——比撒列和亚何利亚伯。我们信息的标题是：“没有不重要的呼召或恩赐”。

我们的第一点是：他们被呼召。

比撒列是乌利的儿子，来自犹大支派；亚何利亚伯是亚希撒抹的儿子，来自但支派。注意第二节中的短语：“看哪，我已呼召。”第一节告诉我们：“耶和华晓谕摩西说。”所以这是神在说话。换句话说，这两个人是被神特别呼召的。他们不是被摩西、亚伦或以色列人选中的，而是被全能神的主权旨意选中的。

他们的呼召如此重要，以至于神将这段经文记录下来，为要鼓励和造就我们。当我们谈到神的呼召时，有两个主要方面：普遍呼召和特定呼召。

普遍呼召是指神呼召我们得救——相信祂、敬拜祂、与祂同行、顺服祂。特定呼召是指神对某个特定个人的呼召。这适用于那个人，而不是其他人。

例如，你被呼召成为某个特定妻子的丈夫，或某个特定丈夫的妻子，或某个特定孩子的父亲或母亲，或某个特定的职业道路，或某个特定的学校和大学，或在教会中某个特定的领域服侍。神呼召你去做的事，祂并没有呼召别人去做。这是祂对你的特定呼召。

比撒列和亚何利亚伯被呼召去做一项特定的工作。他们是工匠，非常擅长金、银、铜、石头和木头的工艺。很可能他们在埃及为奴时学会了这些技能。我们都知道，埃及以建造金字塔等纪念性建筑而闻名。

这两个人被呼召负责建造帐幕本身，以及帐幕内外所有的家具——至圣所里的约柜、圣所里的陈设饼桌、金灯台、香坛、外院的燔祭坛和铜盆，以及祭司亚伦和他儿子的圣衣，以及圣膏油，用来膏抹他们，预备他们执行神圣的职责。

当然，以色列人中还有其他有技能的工匠，但神特别呼召了这两个人。这是一项巨大的工作。他们必须建造帐幕，这本身就是一个庞大的结构。他们必须将金银熔化并铸造成正确的形状和尺寸，必须切割和雕刻石头，必须缝制衣服等等。

当然，他们不可能独自完成所有这些工作。因此，他们有一群忠心的同工。我们怎么知道呢？神在第六节说：“凡心里有智慧的，我更使他们有智慧，能作我一切所吩咐的。”所以还有其他人也被呼召参与这项工作。

亲爱的朋友，你有没有想过你在教会或职场中的工作是呼召？当然，可能还有其他人和你一样有才华或恩赐，甚至比你更有能力。但神特别呼召了你，祂呼召你去做的事，祂并没有呼召别人去做。你必须认识到这是一个呼召。

神可能通过祂的话语、圣灵的感动、周围的领袖和人们、生活的环境、大量的祷告来呼召你。但它总是始于你心中那种不可抗拒的渴望——渴望服侍祂。

大多数时候，当某件事随着时间的推移完成时，人们会忘记是谁负责了这项工作。以色列人在旷野漂流了40年，随着他们从一个地方搬到另一个地方，带着可移动的帐幕，四十年后，下一代人可能已经忘记了比撒列、亚何利亚伯和他们的同工团队。

但有一位永远不会忘记，那就是全能的神。你有没有因为人们忘记了你所做的工作而感到沮丧？或者他们甚至不知道是你做的？也许你是那个创办了主日学、建立了某个事工和团契小组、支持了缅甸和菲律宾的宣教工作、在敬畏神中养育了你的孩子、或在职场中向未信主的同事传福音的人。

没有人知道，也没有人记得，但神知道，祂永远不会忘记。祂会记念我们在祂宝贵名中所做的一切，因为这是祂对我们的特定呼召。

我们的第二点是：他们有恩赐。

没有人会质疑这项工作是极其困难、庞大而复杂的。但神不会呼召一个人而不装备他或她完成这项工作所需的能力或恩赐。这就是为什么圣经说他们被圣灵充满，并有智慧、聪明和知识。

注意这个短语：“神的灵”。这是指圣灵的充满。除非他们首先被圣灵内住，否则他们不可能被圣灵充满。所以，首先，他们是信徒。在所有信徒中，神充满了这两个人，以及他们的同工，赐给他们智慧、聪明和知识来完成祂的工作。

许多年前，我被邀请到马来西亚东部的一个小教会讲道。就在敬拜开始前，主席对我说：“今天我们没有钢琴师，所以我们只能清唱。”我回答说：“没关系，我们可以清唱。”

然后主席说了最令人难过的话：“我女儿今天参加敬拜，她是一名钢琴师。然而，她是一个未信主的人，所以她不能在敬拜中弹钢琴。只有信徒才能被呼召并有恩赐来服侍主。”

你可以拥有世界上最有天赋的钢琴师，但如果那个人是未信主的人，他或她不能在敬拜中或在耶稣基督的教会中服侍。每一个信徒都至少被赐予一种属灵恩赐，有些人被赐予多种属灵恩赐。

它被称为属灵恩赐，因为它是赐给信徒用于属灵目的的。我们都有来自圣灵的不同恩赐，我们有责任去运用它们。那个看似微不足道的恩赐的人，与拥有多种属灵恩赐的人一样，都有责任忠实地、充分地使用那个恩赐。

如果不使用，任何属灵恩赐都没有价值。我年轻时曾拜访一位朋友的家。他的父亲收藏了许多非常昂贵且有价值的吉他。显然，其中一些吉他是顶级音乐家使用过的。

如果这些吉他落入有才华的音乐家手中，他们会演奏出美妙的音乐，触动许多人的心。但这些昂贵的乐器总是锁在展示柜里，只能被欣赏而不能被使用。而且，很可能没有人有机会弹奏它们。

许多基督徒将他们的属灵恩赐储存起来，而不是用它们来服侍赐恩的主，这是非常可悲的。亲爱的朋友，如果你被赐予了美妙的声音来为神的荣耀歌唱，而你拒绝献上这个声音，很快你会变老，再也无法唱出你曾经能唱的高音。然后你将无法再在那个领域服侍。

如果你被赐予了讲道的恩赐，而你拒绝讲道，很快你的记忆力会衰退，你的思维和言语能力将无法清晰地表达神的真理。请不要储存你的属灵恩赐。

有些人可能会问：“我怎么知道我的属灵恩赐？”神不会赐给祂的孩子恩赐而不让他们知道这些恩赐是什么。如果我们不确定神赐给我们的恩赐，很可能是因为我们没有完全将自己献给祂。

当你的生命和我的生命都在祭坛上时，我们将毫无问题地认出我们的恩赐并运用它们。除非我们使用它们，否则我们的属灵恩赐无法被认出。

当一个信徒顺服主，被圣灵充满，并服侍神时，他和别人都会清楚地知道他的恩赐是什么，以及如何用它来祝福信徒群体。

当一个信徒难以理解他的属灵恩赐时，不是因为他无法弄清楚他的恩赐是什么，而是因为他没有完全献身。另一方面，当一个信徒被全能神大大使用时，不是因为他完全理解了他的恩赐，而是因为他的生命是献给主的活祭，并且他总是寻找机会服侍祂。

正如《罗马书》12:1告诉我们的：

“所以弟兄们，我以神的慈悲劝你们，将身体献上，当作活祭，是圣洁的，是神所喜悦的，你们如此事奉乃是理所当然的。”

如果我可以在这里暂停一下，分享一位弟兄的见证——我不会说出他的名字，因为他可能不希望我这样做。每当我们有查经班时，我们会有一个同工会议。目的是回答所有问题，并可能预见到人们可能会提出的任何潜在问题。

有一位弟兄总是带着一长串答案来参加会议。这对他来说并不容易。这需要时间、精力、奉献和承诺。当然，他被圣灵充满，并被赐予智慧、聪明和知识。

他忠实地运用了这种属灵恩赐，以至于每次我们参加会议时，所有同工都得到了祝福。你和我同样应该忠实地运用神赐给我们的属灵恩赐，无论它们是什么。

我们的最后一点是：他们为神的荣耀服侍。

今天，人们不太重视名字。通常，它几乎没有意义。父母会以名人的名字给孩子取名，或者只是因为他们喜欢那些名字或发音方式。

即使是基督徒，也会以圣经人物的名字给孩子取名，而不考虑这些名字的含义。但在圣经时代，人们的名字有着重要的意义，并且总是与神和他们的生活有关。

例如，亚伯拉罕的意思是“多国之父”，他确实成为了一个大国的父亲。以撒的意思是“他笑了”，提醒他是如何出生在亚伯拉罕和撒拉的晚年，他们不相信自己能在晚年得子。

大卫的意思是“蒙爱的”，提醒他是如何被选为蒙爱的那一位，最终那位更大的蒙爱者——大卫的子孙——将会到来。所以，圣经中的名字非常有意义。

但给孩子取一个有意义的名字是一回事，活出这个名字的意义是另一回事。比撒列的意思是“在神的荫下”或“在神的庇护下”。影子是跟随物体的图像。对这个特定个体的描述是多么美好。

他的名字的意义在于，他是一个行走在神荫下的人。无论神带领到哪里，他都跟随。每当神呼召，他都顺服。神呼召了他，用圣灵充满了他，赐给他智慧、聪明和知识，他忠实地跟随神的呼召，并按吩咐去做。

比撒列——在神的荫下。亚何利亚伯的意思是“我的帐幕”或“我的帐幕是我的父亲”。有趣的是，他的父母在他出生时给他取了这个名字，却不知道未来会发生什么。但这并非偶然或巧合，而是神的任命和设计。

他是被呼召建造神帐幕的那个人——祂的居所。现在，这告诉我们很多关于神的主权。

亲爱的朋友，早在我们出生之前的几千年，甚至在创世之前，神就已经认识我们，并且祂对我们在地上的存在有一个主权目的。祂对你和我有一个特定的呼召，并且祂赐给我们不同的恩赐来服侍祂的主权旨意。

不用说，他们两个都活出了他们的名字。他们忠实地跟随神的呼召，并按吩咐去做。他们活着是为了服侍那位为神的荣耀而设立的主。

我们怎么知道？因为帐幕被建造了，所有的家具和圣膏油都准备好了。帐幕作为他们忠心的见证屹立不倒。正如我们所服侍的教会，愿它也成为我们忠心的见证。

最近，我的一个儿子问我这个问题：“人们叫你Ping，但你的全名是Chang Heng Fook。在天堂，你的名字会是什么？会是Paul，还是Paul Chang，还是Chang Heng Fook？”

我认为这是一个非常有趣的问题，我回答说：“我不知道。但无论我在天堂的名字是什么，重要的是那个名字被记录在生命册上。重要的是我的名字——基督徒——我被认识为基督徒，因为我是神的孩子，因为我的主和救主耶稣基督。我是以我的救主命名的。”

有一个关于亚历山大大帝的故事，他是希腊的国王。他被认为是世界上最伟大的征服者之一，他的帝国从希腊一直延伸到印度的西北部。在古代世界，他的名字让许多国家闻风丧胆，他非常重视自己的名字。

有一天，他军队中的一名士兵犯了罪，被带到亚历山大大帝面前受审。国王听了指控和证据，然后转向士兵问道：“你叫什么名字？”

士兵回答说：“亚历山大。”

国王再次问道：“你叫什么名字？”

他第二次回答：“亚历山大。”

然后，国王愤怒地喊道：“我问你，你叫什么名字？”

当士兵第三次回答“亚历山大”时，国王愤怒地说：“你说你的名字是亚历山大，而你被判定犯有此罪。现在，你必须面对惩罚。要么你改变你的行为，要么你改变你的名字。因为没有人能背负我的名字——亚历山大——却做你所做的事。”

亲爱的朋友，如果亚历山大，一个凡人，如此重视他的名字，那么那位永活的真神——我们作为基督徒背负祂的名字——祂会多么重视呢？祂的名字是耶稣基督。我们怎么能给祂宝贵的名带来羞辱呢？

与其羞辱祂的名，我们必须尊荣祂的名，我们通过顺服祂的呼召来做到这一点。我们认识到无论祂带领到哪里，我们都去，并且我们将忠实地跟随祂的呼召。我们必须运用祂赐给我们的属灵恩赐，无论它们是什么。即使只有一种属灵恩赐，我们也必须忠实地使用它，并且我们必须在我们所做的事上荣耀祂，就像比撒列和亚何利亚伯一样。

有一天，你和我将离开这个世界。问题是：我们留下了什么遗产？最终，我们是否顺服了神的呼召？我们是否运用了我们的属灵恩赐？我们是否荣耀了祂宝贵的名？

也许我们有，靠着神的恩典，在教会、团契和事工中，在我们的家庭、职场、学校中。我们服侍了那位为荣耀祂而设立的主，无论祂带领我们去哪里。但没有人记得我们。这没关系，因为有一位永远不会忘记。

正如祂记念比撒列和亚何利亚伯，并将他们的名字记录在圣经中，神也记念我们在祂名中所做的一切。所以，无论我们做什么、说什么或想什么，我们总是要考虑如何荣耀我们的全能神。我们希望祂因我们所做的事而记念我们。

人们可能会忘记——这没关系——但神记得。

让我们祷告：

我们在天上的父，确实，当我们思考这段经文时，当我们思考祢在这段经文中为我们记录的这两个人——人们不知道甚至没有听说过的名字，但祢却为我们记录了他们的所作所为。

他们被祢呼召，被祢特别选中去做一项特定的工作，他们忠实地顺服了祢的呼召。他们被祢赐予恩赐，被圣灵充满，并被赐予智慧、聪明和知识。他们为祢的荣耀和祢的荣耀而服侍。

哦，主啊，愿这成为我们的榜样。愿这两个人成为我们效法的榜样。我们知道，没有什么是偶然或巧合发生的，而是出于祢的任命。祢对我们每个人都有特定的呼召。

祢将我们放在一个特定的地方，无论是在教会、家庭、职场还是社会中。祢赐给我们某些恩赐，使我们能为祢的荣耀服侍。愿我们每个人都成为为祢作见证的人。

我们称自己为基督徒。我们背负我们主和救主耶稣基督的名。我们想要尊荣祂的名。所以，帮助我们过这样的生活——不是为我们自己，而是为祢的荣耀和祢的荣耀。

我们感谢祢，我们奉耶稣的名祷告。阿们。