In the Service of the King Part 3: Equip and Edify

In the Service of the King  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented
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Introduction

The date was Thursday, June 2, 2005: 19-years ago today. I boarded my first plane in Rochester, NY. It would be the first of six flights that would take me halfway around the world to Papua New Guinea. I would be serving with SIL-PNG for two months with Bible translators on that island nation. Three years earlier I had heard of Papua New Guinea and learned about the need of Bible translation from Retired missionary, Grace Fabian. Spending two months in Papua New Guinea I was able to use some of my spiritual gifts and work with brothers and sisters in Christ with their spiritual gifts to equip and edify the Body of Christ in PNG. Seeing a different view of the Body of Christ working together to grow, equip, and edify. My time in Papua New Guinea would bring to my attention the beauty of the Body of Christ. To see a congregation hearing a portion of Scripture in their heart language for the first time from a pre-published copy of the New Testament. The small church in the Folopa speaking group was edified by the Word of God preached and taught by Pastor Paul. The church supported him and his family by giving food to the family and digging an outhouse. From this church they would travel to other villages to share the Word of God. The Body of Christ was equipped and edified through the people using their spiritual gifts throughout the Southern Highlands of PNG. When I think back to those events nearly two decades ago I think how my spiritual gifts were stretched and used along with seeing how the gifts of my teammates complemented and enhanced our time there.
So too here in Little Falls. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27
1 Corinthians 12:12–27 NKJV
For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
Just because you are not a pastor, deacon, trustee, Sunday school teacher are you less valuable? No. Just as the eye cannot say to hand, I have no need of you. Nor the head to the feet. We need one another. This local church here in Little Falls, NY in the year 2024 needs YOU to use what God given to you to be a part of the work God is doing here and now what He is preparing us for in the future.

Spiritual Gifts in Operation (Review)

Last week we looked through Spiritual Gifts we see in operation still today. I mentioned that some gifts we believe have gone out of operation, which we will look at in a moment. I just want to look briefly a way of review of the gifts we looked from Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4. Remember these are gifts of the Holy Spirit not personality traits, talents, or skills. Sometimes they can overlap, but it is not always the case.

Evangelism

All believers are called to evangelism, but there are some that have a gift of evangelism. Where they can share the Gospel easily.

Pastor / Pastor-Teacher

Gift to elder/shepherd to shepherd a flock entrusted to them and teach them. Jesus is the Good Shepherd and those who have the spiritual gift of pastor-teacher have a gift to shepherd part of God’s flock.

Exhortation

To admonish, encourage, comfort or cheer.

Teaching

A gift of teaching. Explaining God’s truth in clear manner.

Utterance of Wisdom

Putting knowledge into practice. Practical use of knowledge.

Utterance of Knowledge

refers to perceiving and understanding the truths of God’s Word

Administration

Leadership / Organization

Giving

Being used by God in material ways and lead to give.

Service/Ministry

Many times people like trustees and deacons have this gift 2 Timothy 1:18 “The Lord grant to him that he may find mercy from the Lord in that Day—and you know very well how many ways he ministered to me at Ephesus.”
Those who come along side and serve with others.

Helps

Once again someone who comes along side and helps and assists other believers. Sometimes it is in the background. Fixing things and serving (might be hand in hand with Service/ Ministry)

Mercy

Showing mercy and compassion like Jesus did. Many times in humanitarian ways.

Faith

We all have faith, but this a special faith granted by the Holy Spirit.
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This is a broad overview of what we looked at last week.
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Spiritual Gifts we believe are NOT in Operation

There are a few gifts that we believe stopped during the early part of the church. This is not a universal belief. Continuationists believe that all (with the exception of the first one on our list—in most cases) are still continuing on.
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Apostleship

The first gift we believe that is currently not in operation is the gift of Apostleship or Apostolic Authority. The word: Apostle is not a translation from Greek to English, but rather a transliteration. Taking Greek letters and replacing them with Latin letters. The Greek word means “sent ones” or a term for delegate, envoy, messenger, ambassador.
Ephesians 4:11 “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,”
1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”
We believe that this gift was just to the early church. Some believe to just the 12 Apostles plus the Apostle Paul. Others to many others like Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, the 70 that were sent out.
There were false Apostles in the early church (2 Corinthians 11) that Paul was fighting against. It appears that the term “Apostle” had a broader definition then.
The gift of Apostleship was to enable the growth of the early church and the finishing of the Canon of the New Testament which took place around AD 100.
Many of these gifts from a Cessationist viewpoint ended sometime around the close of Revelation or in century or so following.
However many believe that Apostle is just a term for what we are as believers being sent. Acts 1:7–8 “And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
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Prophecy

The second gift is that of prophecy or prophet. Once again, we believe that this ended with the canon of the New Testament. Before there was a finished New Testament God would speak through prophets and prophecy.
Romans 12:6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;”
1 Corinthians 12:28 “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.”
1 Peter 4:11 “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
This gift is believed to have been needed for the direction of the early church. Someone who is speaking with divine revelation.

The first spiritual gift in this list is prophecy. Some interpreters believe this was a special revelatory gift that belonged only to the apostles, and, like the sign gifts, ceased after those men died.

However, this gift MIGHT be still around in a different form. Paul tells the church in Corinth to pray for the gift of Prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1 “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.”) It is not new revelation. It is not adding onto the New Testament, but rather as MacArthur puts it: The gift of prophecy is simply the gift of preaching, of proclaiming the Word of God. It is taking the divine revelation we have already been given and speaking it to someone at the right moment and time. So while some believe this gift is gone, it is very possible that it is still around in this form.

The gift of prophecy is the gift of being God’s public spokesman, primarily to God’s own people—to instruct, admonish, warn, rebuke, correct, challenge, comfort, and encourage

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Discerning Spirits

1 Corinthians 12:10 “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”
Some believe that the gift of discerning of spirits is not in operation, but others believe it is still in operation as a gift of discernment. Those who believe it has ceased believe it was used to perceive if immediately whether a person who using the gift of prophecy or speaking the truth. Yet, others believe it is a gift from the Holy Spirit in the realm of protection.

Those to whom God has given the gift of discernment have a special ability to recognize lying spirits, and this gift is the Spirit’s watchdog.

When we know the Word of God and are in tune with the Holy Spirit those who have this gift of discernment can recognize lies or situations where the truth could be compromised.

Obviously, the gift of discernment is valuable to the church in assisting Christians to settle disputes among themselves

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Healings

1 Corinthians 12:9 “to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,”
1 Corinthians 12:28–30 “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”

The gifts of healing were the first temporary sign gifts Paul mentions in this passage. And since all these gifts were in operation then, the sign gifts are not placed in a separate category.

God may still heal directly and miraculously today; in response to the faithful prayers of His children. But no Christian today has the gifts of healings. This is apparent because no one today can heal as did Jesus and the apostles—who with a word or touch instantaneously and totally healed all who came to them, and who raised the dead. The Corinthian church may have seen God perform healings through Paul or others who had those abilities, and in that case Paul mentions them here simply to remind the Corinthians of the variety of ways in which God equips His people to do His work.

God still heals and He does heal through the prayers of believers, but we believe that this gift is no longer in use today. God is the God of healing and miracles as we will see with the next gift. To say otherwise would put God in a box.

The gifts of healings, like the other sign gifts, were temporary, given to the church for authenticating the apostolic message as the Word of God

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Miracles

1 Corinthians 12:10 “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”

The effecting of miracles also was a temporary sign gift. A miracle is a supernatural intrusion into the natural world and its natural laws, explainable only by divine intervention.

God is still in the business of miracles and He may use believers in this, but it does not mean that they have the gift of miracles that the early church had. When a person recognizes their need for Jesus Christ and comes to faith in Him, that is a miracle.

A miracle is a supernatural intrusion into the natural world and its natural laws, explainable only by divine intervention

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Speaking in Tongues / Interpreting Tongues

1 Corinthians 12:10 “to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” 1 Corinthians 12:30 “Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”
There are many who will talk about Speaking in Tongues and in our day. There are many brothers and sisters who believe that they still exist. One of the main things these gifts is that they were real languages. On the day of Pentecost God reversed what had happened at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 10.
Acts 2:4–8 NKJV
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
Literally in the Greek it was that the Disciples were speaking in Hebrew/Aramaic and everyone was hearing what they were saying in their own language, actually their own dialect of their language. The gift of tongues was a sign, but it something that Paul encouraged the church in Corinth to use with someone who interpreted the tongues. Whatever was being spoken was a real language that was not known to the person speaking, but someone hearing it could understand (whether a native speaker or someone with the gift of interpretation).

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Edification Requires Intelligibility / Pray for More Gifts

Tongues gets into the next area with Spiritual Gifts. The main purpose is to equip and edify. The biggest thing with spiritual gifts whether certain ones exist now or not is are they used for edification. All these gifts are for the equipping of the saints for the edification of the Body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 14:1–19 NKJV
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Paul told the church in Corinth to desire spiritual gifts! Paul says that they may prophesy. He is not talking about adding to the Canon of Scripture, but about building up the church.
He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
As a believer shared a verse or a prayer with you at the right moment? Maybe they discerned something by the Holy Spirit and spoke a word of prophesy to reproof or correct or instruct you. Paul is all about edification and exhortation to equip the saints.
Remember Spiritual Gifts are for Equipping and Edifying of the Church and Reaching the Lost for Christ!
1 Corinthians 14:12 NKJV
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
Paul does not ask the immature church of Corinth to STOP using spiritual gifts, he tells them to pursue them (verse 1), yet he also makes it clear once again it is for the edification of the church so that you as the Body of Christ, excel!
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1 Corinthians 14:9–11 NKJV
So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.
While addressing tongues these verses also go to Bible translation and teaching (as the King James translators would use in the preface in 1611). That is why Pastor Chris and I use the New King James Version when preaching. Language change. We don’t use the Latin Vulgate nor William Tyndale’s Bible or the Geneva Bible as the English language has changed. Thankfully we have very good English Bible translations that have been made from the Hebrew and Greek so that we can edify, instruct, grow together. If there is something you don’t understand from the Bible we are here to help with it. We can read, study, pray together. Just like the church in Berea did. Searching the Scriptures daily. So that we can build one another up in the faith.
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Use Gifts / Application

The biggest take away is that we need to be using the gifts that God has given to us. To build up the body. The church in Corinth was very immature, but they had many spiritual gifts. Paul told them to pray for more gifts. Those who are speaking in tongues pray that they might interpret those tongues. The purpose is to edify and build up the church.
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Conclusion / Challenge

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