The Gift and the Giver
Gifts of the Spirit • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 9 viewsSpiritual gifts are not earned—they are inherited. They flow from our identity as sons and daughters of God.Spiritual gifts are not random abilities. They are part of your inheritance in Christ. You were: • Chosen before the foundation of the world • Predestined to adoption • Brought into the household of God And in that household—you receive what belongs to the Father. The Holy Spirit is not just a helper. He is the guarantee of your inheritance. Eph 1:13-14 What does He do? He distributes the inheritance. You don’t earn spiritual gifts. You inherit them.
Notes
Transcript
Good morning and welcome to Living Faith Church. I am so excited to be able to worship Jesus Christ with you on this amazing Sunday. If we have never met before, my name is Aaron. My wife Stella and I are honored to be able to serve on the Pastoral team at LFC. Today we are beginning a brand new teaching series that I think is timely and inspired by God for this time in our church life. We are going to spend some time digging into the topic of Spiritual Gifts. What are they, whats their purpose, and how can you be gifted by the spirit — and not be weird. Hows that?
When we say ‘spiritual gifts,’ a lot of different things hit the room at once.
Some of you think, ‘That’s not for me.’
Some of you think, ‘That’s a little weird.’
Some of you think, ‘That just means tongues.’
Some of you think, ‘I don’t even know what mine is.’
And some of you… if you’re honest… you’ve seen it done wrong, and you’re not sure you trust it. But what if everything we’ve reduced this to… is smaller than what God actually intended? What if spiritual gifts are not about hype, not about personalities and not about pressure.
The Inheritance
The Inheritance
13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
The author here is writing using illustrations that these readers would well understand. The Greek word Paul uses for inheritance is arrabōn, [ ara-von] and in the ancient world that word meant “a first installment”, or a guarantee of full payment, a binding promise with more coming.
The Apostle Paul says that the Holy Spirit is the guarantee of a future full payment. Now, to see this through the eyes of the writer is critical to understanding the true meaning of this passage. From most of us in the western world, when we think of inheritance, we think of what WE will receive.
How much money will I get?
How much land will I get?
But, this was not the mindset. If we were to look at the oldest of New Testament writings, Paul speaks on this topic from the covenant promise of Abraham. First, in Galatians 3 Paul speaks of the Holy Spirit:
14 in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Then four verses later Paul speaks on this inheritance and relates in to Abrahams covenant promise.
18 For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.
What was Abrahams covenant promise? It wasn’t money — it was something much greater.
13 For the promise to Abraham or to his descendants that he would be heir of the world was not through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith.
Abraham would, in time, understood that when He entered in to this covenant relationship with God, that this was not just a personal benefit. Rather, he was participating with the God of the universe to bring the whole world into a right relationship with their Father.
Now, Paul tells us this because he wants to ensure that straight out of the gate we pursue the infilling of the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit with a right mindset. Too many believers are approaching this topic with personal interest.
I don’t need it?
What’s in it for me?
What gift will I get?
What ministry can I do?
What Paul clarifies about the covenant promise that relates to Abraham as well as us today, is that it was never about us.
Isaac was A son of promise, but not THE Son of promise.
Israel was A holy nation, but not THE holy nation
Canaan was A promised land, but not THE promised land.
16 Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.
Abraham thought initially that it was about having a son. So, of his own will he had a son through his servant Hagar after Sarah could not conceive. But this only produced trouble in the world, because it was not just about a son, it was about a much bigger picture. The promise to Abraham was related to:
The coming of the Son — Jesus and His sacrifice - Isaiah 9:6
The creation of a new nation — a Holy nation - Psalm 2:8, 1 Peter 2:9
A new land — a new heaven and a new earth - Revelation 21:1-3, Daniel 7:14
If we approach the topic of the Holy Spirit from the wrong perspective, meaning we are only thinking about
what WE need
how WE feel about it
what WE can get
We will miss the point entirely. My friend, this is not about what you can get from heaven, this is about what Heaven desires to do through you according to the Fathers eternal plan for the whole of humanity.
The Holy Spirit is not just a promise of what’s coming— He is a preview of it. And the gifts that flow through us from His Spirit dwelling within us are a preview of what this heavenly life will be like.
The the gifts of the Spirit are the expression of a coming inheritance breaking forth into our present world.
The Flow of the Spirit
The Flow of the Spirit
Now, just as with any inheritance, there is a prerequisite and there are guidelines.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
5 so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
The Father Initiates - Galatians 4:4
The Father Initiates - Galatians 4:4
This passage outlines three important things for us as we close this thought today.
We cannot separate the triune God from the work of the Spirit. Yet, often, Christians do just that.
One of the errors that has been prevalent amongst the church since the first century is mentally putting the trinity at war against itself under the name of the Holy Spirit.
The minimizing of the preached Word in the name of “Spirit Lead” ministry
The elevation of the gifts, namely healing, prophecy, signs and wonders above sound doctrine.
4 But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,
God is the executor of the trinitarian Godhead. No part of the trinity operates independently, they work in perfect unity. To understand the Spirit, one must fall in love with God as a Father.
Sadly, many Christians have little knowledge of God as a Father and more of a relationship with the Spirit in realms of a Grandparent — giving them permission to do everything Father never let them do.
Let me be clear — that is neither a relationship with the Spirit, nor is it Biblical, this is witchcraft disguised in the name of God. John 14:17 calls the Holy Spirit the “…Spirit of truth whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him nor know Him…”
Acts 8:18-20 is a great reference for this — Simon the Sorcerer wanted to buy the Holy Spirit. This is a heart full of wickedness that says, if I can buy it, I can have the power without the submission. I have had people say —
God told me so…
This is a prophetic word…
The Bible says…
But when what you “feel” the Spirit is saying contradicts Scripture,
you are in error
your spirit is deceived
To cure this
Get in your Word daily
Submit to your churches doctrine
Become held accountable to a Life Group leader
The Spirits Whiteness to the Father Galatians 4:16
The Spirits Whiteness to the Father Galatians 4:16
6 Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!”
Another error that I have noticed among believers has to do with the Father and son relationship. One cannot know the Spirit apart from the Father.
16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
That word Helper is Parakletos — translated as “helper” or “advocate” and called the Spirit in John 14, John 16 and 1 John 2.
7 “But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
The Spirit
Proceeds from the Father
Is sent By Jesus
And IS the spirit of love that binds the trinitarian Godhead.
This is why the Spirit within us cries Abba, Father — because it is the spirit of the Love union.
Because our generation has such broken homes, I believe at times we struggle to relate to God as a Father. But the very thing many believers eschew is the very thing we need the most.
5 A father of the fatherless and a judge for the widows, Is God in His holy habitation.
The Son Secures
The Son Secures
If you are in this room today and have not grown up with a healthy Father figure — including being fatherless, I want to tell you today, the indwelling and baptism of the Spirit will not leave you the same as you are.
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,
Again, Paul affirms:
5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will,
The Father initiates, The Spirit witnesses, and the Son Secures.
God the Father sent Jesus to redeem you because He loves you and longs to live in relationship with you. But what we see now on earth is just a shadow of our true eternity. Ephesians calls this redeemed life on earth “a view…” There is so much more.
14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory.
Our God — the Father, is building
A World Wide covenant community to rule with Him, and worship Him!
And today, He is welcoming you in that family. If you will confess your sinful nature toward Him, and declare out loud He is your living Lord — He will give you this beautiful gift.
KEEP YOUR HANDS RAISED HIGH - I HAVE A PRAYER PARTNER COMING TO PRAY WITH YOU
“Heavenly Father, I trust You to save me through Your Son, Jesus. Forgive me for all of my sins. Make me brand new. Because You died for me, I want to live for You. Fill me with Your Spirit, so I could follow You. Jesus, You’re now my Lord and the Savior of my life. Take my life. It is Yours. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen”
Celebrate - Cheer For New Covenant Family
This life with the Spirit of God is the seal of His covenant with us, and it gives us authority to exercise the will of heaven on earth.
Adoption → gives you status
Inheritance → gives you access
The Spirit → gives you Authority
Over these next few weeks we are going to look deeper at the gifts and authority we have as believers — but right now, I want to invite you to participate with me in a response to this Word.
Have Them Come Forward For Fresh Spirit Infilling
