Everyday Power

Bible Passage: 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4, Romans 12

Summary: This sermon explores the diverse gifts of the Holy Spirit as outlined in various epistles, emphasizing that every believer is endowed with unique abilities meant for the edification of the church and effective ministry.

Application: Understanding your spiritual gifts empowers you to actively participate in your community and church, fostering unity and diversity. Teens will learn that their contributions matter, reducing feelings of inadequacy and encouraging them to serve where they are called.

Teaching: This sermon teaches that every believer has been given spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit, not only for personal development but for the collective growth of the Body of Christ. It highlights the importance of recognizing, accepting, and using these gifts with love and humility.

How this passage could point to Christ: In Christ, the fullness of the Spirit is manifested. Through Jesus, believers receive their gifts, which demonstrate His love and power within the church. Every gift reflects an aspect of Christ's life and ministry, encouraging us to embody His character in our service.

Big Idea: Empowered by the Spirit, every believer has a unique gift to contribute for the common good—a powerful reminder that in Christ, we all have a vital role in God’s mission.

Recommended Study: As you prepare, consider exploring the specific functions and implications of spiritual gifts discussed in these passages using your Logos library. Pay attention to the historical context of each letter to better understand the audience's challenges. Investigate how these gifts apply to today's teen culture and how they can be actively engaged in the church community.

Introduction

Thank William for the opportunity to teach this evening

The topic of Spiritual Gifts is something that I’m deeply passionate about

Not because they’re cool or make me look cool

Not because they’re flashy or exciting

But because of the benefit they can bring to both the believer and the body of christ as a whole (when done rightly)

Let’s establish some baselines about this topic before jumping in:

What is “spiritual gift”? — A spiritual gift is a gift of grace—a sovereign, God-given, Holy Spirit-energized ability given for service within the ministry and outreach of the local church. A spiritual gift is not a personal possession or achievement, but rather a manifestation of the Holy Spirit through an individual in an event or enabling for the service of God and/or His people.

What are spiritual gifts? Let’s run through them quickly:

Paul’s first letter to Corinth mentions wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12:4–10). In another passage, he adds apostles, prophets, teachers, and administration to this catalog (1 Cor 12:28). Romans presents a different angle, emphasizing prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, and mercy (Rom 12:6–8). Ephesians highlights apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers (Eph 4:11) as gifts Christ distributed to the church.

Though we do have a few “lists” of spiritual gifts in scripture, these various lists are best understood as representative compilations rather than exhaustive catalogs of how the Lord empowers His people for ministry.

Who has spiritual gifts? According to 1 Peter 4:10 “each” has received a gift from the Lord. We know this letter that Peter wrote was written to Christians in Rome - so by Peter saying “each has received a gift” he’s saying each of us christians has received a spiritual gift from God by accepting salvation in Christ Jesus.

We also see this in 1 Corinthians 12:7 “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” Paul is talking to Christians in Corinth - so the “each” here is referring to each Christian.

The gifts of the Spirit are not given just to special christians, super important christians, or just old christians — by accepting Christ as your saviour, YOU have been empowered with at least one spiritual gift!

Finally why do we even need them? What’s their purpose and why does God give them to us? We are given spiritual gifts, not only for personal growth and development in our relationship with God, but for the collective growth of the Body of Christ.

The thing with the Gifts of the Spirit is that they don’t do anything if we don’t use them; and that’s what I want to spend some time talking about this evening

How can we use the spiritual gift (or gifts) that God has given us in our daily lives or daily power? Can we get more spiritual gifts?

1. Manifest in Many Ways

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”

In this section, you could discuss how the Holy Spirit diversely equips each believer with gifts to serve the church. Emphasize that these gifts are manifestations of the Spirit's power and grace, given not for personal glory but for the common good. By illustrating how each teen possesses a unique, divinely given ability, you encourage them to discover and embrace their gifts actively.

2. Unity in Diversity

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

You could focus on the metaphor of the body, illustrating how every part—no matter how small—plays a crucial role. Relate this to teens, showing that their contributions are indispensable in the church. Perhaps explore how recognizing diverse gifts fosters unity and prevents division, promoting a sense of belonging and purpose.

3. Growing in Grace

Ephesians 4:1-16

Here, suggest how spiritual gifts promote maturity in Christ when used in love and unity. Emphasize that teens are called to grow into Christ-like maturity by engaging their gifts. Maybe highlight how this passage encourages building each other up in authentic community, turning their gifts into acts of service reflecting Jesus.

4. Serving with Stewardship

1 Peter 4:7-11

Address the call to use gifts faithfully in service to others, emphasizing stewardship and love. Perhaps explore how teens can practice hospitality and manage their gifts to honor God, demonstrating their faith practically in daily interactions. This reminds them that each small act contributes to God’s grand purpose.

5. Harmony through Humility

Romans 12:3-8

In this point, stress the importance of humility in recognizing and using one's gifts, encouraging teens to evaluate themselves soberly. Discuss how different gifts bring harmony when exercised with humility, reinforcing the idea that each teen's contribution, no matter how modest, is vital to the church's mission.