Gifts of the Spirit

Introduction:

Good morning church! Today we are kicking off a brand new series, “What does the Bible say about...”

We will be looking a common questions people have, including several questions that some of y’all posed, and then looking at what the Bible says about it.

Today we are going to look at what the Bible says about gifts of the spirit.

But first, let’s pray.

Prayer

Context/Intro:

Chances are… if you are a Christian, you’ve had questions about spiritual gifts. And if your like me, they can be a little confusing. Both in understanding and practice. Perhaps you’ve been to a church where there has been speaking in tongues or public prophesying. Maybe it made you feel uncomfortable. You weren’t sure if that’s ok or not. Maybe you know people who tend to “over-spiritualize” things and abuse the Biblical meaning and usage of spiritual gifts. Or maybe you’ve kind of just ignored spiritual gifts all together.

Well today… we are going to talk about what the Bible says. Not your experience, or what feels right or wrong… just, what does the Bible say. And as we do, there are two things I hope you leave with.

An understanding of what spiritual gifts are and why they are important to function God gave the local church

Some of your questions answered about the practical uses of spiritual gifts in the church today

We’re going to do this by asking some questions. The first question, which is foundational:

How does the Bible define spiritual gifts?

Then, we’re going to ask and answer 4 common questions that many people have about spiritual gifts:

Are all spiritual gifts in the Bible active today?

Are some spiritual gifts necessary for salvation?

Am I allowed to want certain spiritual gifts?

How do I know what my spiritual gifts are?

So… let’s start with our foundational questions, by first asking… How does the Bible define spiritual gifts? Or in other words, what are spiritual gifts? What have we even been talking about so far?

How does the Bible define spiritual gifts?

Now… unfortunately the Bible doesn’t say… “spiritual gifts are...” followed by a neatly worded, simple definition. So to give a definition, we have to dig a little. First, I want to briefly point out their place in the redemptive story of the Bible. Then, address where spiritual gifts come from. Then, look at all the spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible. Followed by, looking at the relation spiritual gifts have to one another. And lastly, looking at the purpose of spiritual gifts.

Place in the redemptive story of the Bible

The redemptive story of the Bible goes something like this...

God created everything, including man, to live in harmony with Himself.

Man rebelled and sinned against God and His purposes

God foretold the sending of Himself in the person of Jesus to offer redemption and restoration

Jesus comes, redeems, restores, and ascends back to His throne.

Those who accept this saving work and receive it with faith are made new, evidenced by the filling of the Holy Spirit (we’ll call them Christians)

Christians congregate together to form church, to utilize the giftings of the Holy Spirit to reach all peoples of all nations with the gospel

We wait for the second coming of Christ, where He will establish His throne once and for all

That was a lot… and that’s not solely historical, it’s also personal. But if you look at it historically, we are living between the foundation of the church and the awaiting of the second coming. So right now, in God’s redemptive work, the giftings of the Holy Spirit are used in active, eager expectation of Christ’s return.

Where do spiritual gifts come from? And who do they come to?

And so spiritual gifts come from the manifestation of the Holy Spirit that is alive in those who believe. So when you receive the redemptive work of Christ with faith, you are given His promised Holy Spirit. And that Holy Spirit both supplies and determines the spiritual gifts of each person.

Look at 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 “4 Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are different activities, but the same God works all of them in each person. 7 A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good: 8 to one is given a message of wisdom through the Spirit, to another, a message of knowledge by the same Spirit, 9 to another, faith by the same Spirit, to another, gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another, the performing of miracles, to another, prophecy, to another, distinguishing between spirits, to another, different kinds of tongues, to another, interpretation of tongues. 11 One and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills.”

So… spiritual gifts come from the Holy Spirit to all people as he wills.

Now… let’s turn to look at all the different spiritual gifts mentioned in Scripture.

All spiritual gifts mentioned in Scripture

I’m going to go ahead and put the comprehensive list on the screen. I’m not going to read every passage of Scripture, but they are included up there.

1 Corinthians 12 - apostles, prophets, teaching, miracles, kinds of healings, helps, administration, tongues, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, interpretation of tongues

Ephesians 4:11 - evangelism, pastor/shepherding, prophecy, teaching

Romans 12:6-8 - prophecy, teaching, serving, encouraging, contributing, leadership, mercy

Now… I hesitate to say that this is an exhaustive list of what Scripture considers spiritual gifts.. meaning there are few other places where the author may have given examples, just not as clearly mentioned as these three. But it also doesn’t seem to be Paul’s goal (the author of each letter listed) to give an exhaustive list.

Most obviously, the lists are all different. Some had overlap, others did not. It appears that Paul is suggesting that there are gifts beyond what he’s included here. And perhaps is even suggesting that their is no specific number of spiritual gifts. Well… if that’s the case, how can we know what’s a spiritual gift and what’s not? Obviously those he does include… and to broaden our definition, we must continue…

by looking at the relationship gifts have to one another.

Relation spiritual gifts have to one another

If we continue on from where we left off in 1 Corinthians 12, it says in verses 12-31, “12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. 14 Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable parts do not need.

Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.”

So… spiritual gifts are used in a way that is dependent on and intertwined with other spiritual gifts - expound.

And these gifts, when used in conjunction with one another, make up something bigger… namely the body of Christ - the church!

Which leads us then to our final point of definition, what is the purpose of spiritual gifts?

Purpose of spiritual gifts

First purpose - equips and empowers to share the gospel, to fulfill the great commission

Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.””

Expound

1 Corinthians 14:12 “12 So also you—since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.”

Expound

Second purpose - gives a foretaste of what’s to come

1 Corinthians 13:10 “10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.”

expound - gifts of knowledge and wisdom

So… so far we’ve looked at spiritual gifts and their place in the redemptive history of the Bible, where they come from/who they’re for, the specific gifts mentioned in Scripture, their relation to one anther, and their purpose - all according to Scripure

So… now we can give a Biblical definition

Spiritual gifts are… abilities given to all believers by the Holy Spirit as he wills, for the purpose of building the church and providing a glimpse of Christ’s coming.”

Now… we are going to transition to look at some common questions about spiritual gifts.

Common Questions about spiritual gifts:

Are all spiritual gifts in the Bible active today?

Expound

1 Corinthians 13:8-13 “8 Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put aside childish things. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, as I am fully known. 13 Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love.”

Expound

Are some spiritual gifts necessary fruit of salvation?

expound

1 Corinthians 12:27-30 “27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, next miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, leading, various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all do miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?”

expound

Am I allowed to want certain spiritual gifts?

Yes, expound

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 “1 Pursue love and desire spiritual gifts, and especially that you may prophesy. 2 For the person who speaks in a tongue is not speaking to people but to God, since no one understands him; he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the person who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation. 4 The person who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 I wish all of you spoke in tongues, but even more that you prophesied. The person who prophesies is greater than the person who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up.”

expound

How do I know what my spiritual gifts are?

expound

spiritual gifts test

Closing Thoughts/Invitation:

Holy Spirit Led