What Part Do I Play?

Introduction:

The magnificence of an orchestra.

There are so many different kinds of players.

All with different gifting and abilities.

All excellent in their field. Playing together to produce a beautiful Symphony.

I see the church in the same way. We have all these ministries that are to come together and produce something amazing.

All with God-gifted talents and abilities.

All learning to work together to produce a Symphony composed by the Lord himself.

Today we are going to talk about Spiritual gifts.

There are all types of spiritual gifts in the Bible. God has gifted people to do everything for carpentry and woodworking to healing the sick.

So my intention in the next 35 minutes I have is not to try and explain each on of the gifts but to get you to understand how the function together to accomplish the work of God.

I want to begin a conversation between you and the Lord in which you ask the question, “What part do I play?”

Are you in the brass section or are you the harp lady. Both are just as important as the other, one is just more flashy than the other.

As we look at today we see that Paul has just cleared off a spot to talk about spiritual gifts for the next three chapters.

This morning I am going to start somewhat at the bottom of the chapter and we will work our way back up.

Bible Truth

As a great Composer God has orchestrated the Body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:24 ESV

24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it,

1 Cor 12:24

God’s orchestra is made up of many members but all preform together as one Body.

1 Corinthians 12:12 ESV

12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

1 Cor 12:27

1 Corinthians 12:27 ESV

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

We are only as strong as our smallest part.

When a band member plays a wrong note. The beauty is when all are playing in harmony. Not the same note but notes that complement each other.

God has so placed us together not to all play the same note but to play in harmony of one another.

1 Corinthians 12:26 ESV

If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

1 Cor 12:

1 Corinthians 12:25 ESV

25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.

God has gifted the body with Spiritual abilities to perform His masterpiece.

A Spiritual gift is God giving a little piece of Himself so that you can accomplish His will.

1 Cor 12:

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

There are 3 lists of Spiritual Gifts in the Bible that correspond to the Godhead.

Gifts of Service through Christ: “The Conductors”

Ephesians 4:7–8 ESV

7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”

Eph

Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Eph

Christ has gifted his Church with gifted men to hold the offices of the church.

Christ has gifted people to stand in his place during his absence.

These are “The conductors” of the body that orchestrate the masterpiece of God.

These gifts are the first in the order of importance.

1 Corinthians 12:28 ESV

And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.

1 Cor 12:

Gifts of Ministry through the Father: “The Players.”

Romans 12:6–8 ESV

Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Rom 12:

The Father has gifted his Church with the ability to do the work of the ministry.

Gifts to carry out the activities of the Body in it’s community and world.

Gifts of Instruction & Care through the Spirit

Gifts of Instruction & Care through the Spirit

Every believer should strive for these gifts.

Gifts of Instruction & Care through the Spirit: “The Teachers.”

1 Corinthians 12:8–10 ESV

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.

1 Cor 12:8

The gifts of the Spirit are temporary gifts that are given as the body needs them.

These gifts are for the common good of the entire body not any one individual.

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

We are an orchestra not a bunch of soloist.

Sometimes we play different parts as needed.

1 Corinthians 12:11 ESV

All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

God has assembled his orchestra and composed his masterpiece to proclaim the name of Jesus and perform his Symphony of love.

The Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece that reveals the hart.

1 Corinthians 12:3 ESV

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.

1 Cor 12

There is a spirit of antichrist.

denying the deity of Christ

Denying that Christ has come in the flesh.

The spirit of Christ

Jesus is God.

Jesus is Lord.

To join the orchestra of God takes no special talent, but simply a confession of whose orchestra it is.

1 John 4:2–3 ESV

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

1 John 4:3–4 ESV

and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Romans 10:

God’s orchestra plays His love song and reveals a more excellent way.

Chapter 13 is the lyrics to the song of love.

This is the way of Christ.

Closing Thought:

What part do you play? What song do you sing?

God wants to use you in his orchestra of life.

Christ is inviting you to be a part of His Body of Believers.

God wants to gift you with a little piece of himself so that you have a part to play.

The entrance is not talent but confession.

There is not greater expression of love and life than being a part of the orchestra of God.