阅读经文 

很多年前，我母亲曾有一个用来储藏一分钱硬币的大瓶子。在过去的年日，她收集了数以千计的小硬币，但她却从来不去使用它们。这是一个独特和别致的瓶子，但它却丝毫不能改变钱币闲置无用、无所作为的事实。然而，教会绝对不应该像那个装满了一分钱币的瓶子。

耶稣受难、复活、升天之后，（参徒 1:4-11）祂的灵将属灵的恩赐给了祂的子民。《罗马书》12章、《哥林多前书》12章和《以弗所书》第4章，都分别列出这些恩赐。属灵的恩赐是为所有基督的门徒预备的，好叫我们每一个人都可以尽自己的本分，共建基督的身体——教会，拓展神的国度。属灵的恩赐与圣灵的果子二者的功用和目的是密切关连的。

在我们发掘圣灵的恩赐和培植圣灵的果子时，我们便会惊讶地看到神如何使用我们去拓展祂的国度，成为别人的祝福，而我们自己的基督徒生命旅程也因此满得祝福并倍受激励。

Years ago, my mother had a large jar for storing pennies. Over the years she accumulated thousands of these little coins but didn't do anything with them. It was a unique and fancy jar, but that never changed the fact that the pennies just lay there, never doing or accomplishing anything. The church, however, was never meant to be like that penny jar.

After Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven ,(Acts 1:4-11) he gave spiritual gifts to his people. These gifts are listed in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. Spiritual gifts are given to every believer in Christ so that each of us may do our part in building up the church, the body of Christ, and advancing God's kingdom. The spiritual gifts and the fruit of the Spirit are closely related in function and purpose.

As we discover which gifts we are given by the Spirit and we learn to bear the fruit of the Spirit, we may be amazed to see how God is using us to advance his kingdom and to be a blessing to others. This in turn blesses and encourages us in our Christian walk as well.