The Gifts of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Introduction: Spiritual Gifts - THE hot topic.

How we’ve gotten it wrong.

We mystify the gifts, something that only certain people have; we don’t see them as essential to the Christian life.

We talk about the gifts, but fail to use them. People take inventories to find out what their gifts might be, they pursue the gifts they want to have, and neglect the gifts they’ve been given.

We talk more about the gifts than the giver.

The series on the Holy Spirit.

Who the Holy Spirit is and how the Spirit brings us to life, fills us in life, leads us through life, and makes our life an act of worship before God.

I planned the message on Gifts last, so we could see how much more the Holy Spirit does for us.

Today - turning our attention to the Gift of the Spirit, the Gifts of the Spirit, and how to Grow in the Spirit’s gifts.

The Gift of the Holy Spirit

Remember Who You Were

You were Pagans, being led astray to mute idols

Gentiles = Pagans = not Jews. They were a part of the world cut off from the Word of God and His kingdom.

Led astray - by the elemental spirits, the culture, the spirit of the world

Eph 2:2 following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience.

To mute idols -

Isaiah 44 Man takes wood, burns some for fire, the rest he makes an idol and prays to it

This is the idolatry of the world: false gods with a false gospel, unable to actually save.

Why does Paul remind them of this?

Corinth was a gifted church, but they were fighting over which gift was more important.

Miracles, prophecies, speaking in tongues, read Chapter 14, the worship was chaotic.

They were using their gifts as ends in themselves, to gain authority and influence, while dismissing the gifts of others.

Imagine on Christmas, the kids all open the presents the parents lovingly gave, and all the kids can do is brag about the gift they got, get jealous of each other’s gifts, or even leave the gift unwanted under the tree.

The Corinthians so emphasized their spiritual gifts that they lost their spiritual graces! They had the gifts of the Spirit but were lacking in the fruit of the spirit—love, joy, peace, etc.

Remembering we were Gentiles too keeps us humble and dependent upon the Lord.

We brought nothing to the Lord but our sin.

I cannot do anything for my own salvation, I need a savior.

Unless the Spirit leads us, we will wander…

Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love, here’s my heart, Lord take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above.

Who seals our hearts, keeps us? The Spirit.

The Grace of the Gospel

The Spirit brings you to confess Christ as Lord

No one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says, “Jesus is Accursed” This would be blasphemy, and the Spirit so preserves us, that he keeps us from uttering a curse against Christ.

No one can say, “Jesus is Lord” except in the Spirit. Some may say it without believing it, but no one can truly confess Christ unless by the power of the Spirit

This is the gift of God’s Grace, the Holy Spirit!

Salvation is the gift of God’s Spirit, applying the work of Christ to your life. The Spirit brings us to life, brings us to Christ, and keeps us in Christ to bring us to glory.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

A Variety of Gifts, One Giver

The variety of gifts mentioned in Scripture

1 Cor 12:8-11 -

utterance of wisdom, utterance of knowledge -

faith,

healing, miracles,

prophecy,

discerning the spirits,

various kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues -

Later in 1 Cor 12:28ff. helps and administration

Romans 12 - prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy-ministry

Office Gifts - Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers

Is this a comprehensive list? Not at all. Paul wasn’t sitting down trying to exhaust al the ways that the Spirit could gift God’s people. The lists aren’t meant to be exhaustive, but descriptive of the various ways that the Spirit equips God’s people.

What do all the gifts have in common? The Word

All are meant to express or signify what is said in the word - it is the word that holds them all together, and gives power to the sign

To Each is Given

Every member of the body of Christ is gifted in the Spirit

No ungifted member

Every member has a ministry

Growing in the Holy Spirit

Discerning Your Giftedness - How can I know what my Spiritual gift is?

Not a test, not your aptitude

Serve, and you will discover where you are gifted by the Spirit. Serve, and you will find the Spirit’s gifting enabling you to serve well

The Purpose of Your Gift

To build up the body of Christ

Don’t despise your gift

Don’t envy other’s gifts

Gratefully receive your gift and put it to use

Gifts are never self-serving, but always for the Church

The Heart of the Gift

Love - Spiritual gifts, no matter how exciting and wonderful, are useless and even destructive if they are not ministered in love.