Gifted for Others/Being Needy - 1 Corinthians 12

Thank you guys, Corey for the reminder. activating our gifts The great gift God gives his Gods self. himself We've been singing a couple of weeks. I think we all sing the past 2 weeks that song of the Holy Spirit. You are welcome here come flood this place and fill the atmosphere. May that be our prayer this morning that the Holy Spirit Come and fill this place Lord. Would you flood this place pour out your Holy Spirit upon us? There are gifts might be activated. That we might be energized for Ministry and for experiencing the Abundant Life that you've called us to. Would you activate your word as it is red? And proclaimed today. We ask this in Jesus name and may all of God's children say amen. I am thankful for a week of rest Heather and I got to go on a marriage Retreat. I'm thankful to Chick-fil-A for sponsoring that for us and we got to go to the Berry College WinShape Retreat Center, which was the idea of trick Happy who is the founder and CEO of Chick-fil-A. And so go eat a chicken sandwich. I will be eternally grateful. I'm thankful also for the gift that can you walk a powerful message who's going to steal your face. And see a really challenged us. I think she challenged me machine I've been talking about this kind of thing for several weeks now is I've been getting to know her in Troy little better off being more free being more free to be a body to My Worship. And it really is we're going to be hearing about the body of Christ that we aren't just brains on a stick that God gave us bodies that he filled with himself. The Holy Spirit dwells in us. Our bodies are temples of the holy spirit's of all the stuff kind of rattling around in my head is I heard a preacher last Sunday. I went and visited the different church. He said, you know, I've got I've got a lot of stuff in here. I've got it here somewhere and I'm not quite sure how it's going to come out but God stirring something in me this morning. So I what one thing I want to do is that is we're talking about gifts in a series that we've been in invite Steve and Penny who's not here today. But Steve to come forward and Penny and Paul. And Miss Evelyn what y'all come up here? I want to get thanks for y'all.

Steve and Penny Penny's not here with us this morning. She's got a stomach upset stomach. But Steve is each of these individuals in a hurry this morning are coming off of positions of leadership today. Not today, but this year they say it has been serving is RSP receipts here and lay leader for more years than I've been here if your future for the past three years on a council Paul Simon on our nominations committee for the past three years and is really been a wonderful source of leadership and inspiration and Miss Evelyn has been serving as our Hostess offer more years than I've been here in the church, and we don't do this every year. I haven't done this every year, but just in my own practice of gratitude and our church expressing gratitude. Would y'all give them a hand just for their contribution service?

None of these folks like recognition. So I made them very uncomfortable inviting them up here. But Lord I give you thanks for each of these three souls in for all of the servants in our church the servant leaders that share their gifts for Ministry. So that others might know that you love them and that your your gospel would be shared and spread your kingdom would be spread through their Ministry. Would you continue to how are them energized them for ministry as they serve in new and different ways today and for all the days of their lives and we pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. Thank you so much.

Oh, I got a sticker on my goodness. That's wonderful. I love that. I'm so glad What's that? Say? Hope I don't know where this came from. So are you okay? So when you left me a gift in my office last Sunday after she priests and it was a bag full of stuff for the kids. And in this bag there was a a little like three different bags of sticker. She went to Dollar General and she bought this bag that has like each each little bag had probably 250 stickers in it, and it was just a dollar so, you know, she's the one I get three and so the kids found it last Sunday last week. And immediately those gifts that those stickers were everywhere. So they're still there still floating around. So if you find a Valentine's sticker on you somewhere that they think you can take my kids and thank Hannah for that. We really appreciate that but it just reminded me of how God has indiscriminate Lee poured out his holy spirit on the church. He is covered us with yes in until often. We don't even recognize or realize it. So this is what we're going to do this morning is going to be a little bit different. We're going to read the word together cuz we are the body of Christ we're going to do that. I'm so Dalton if you keep that up on the screen for us 1st Corinthians, we read the whole chapter cuz I'm a I'm a strange bird and I'm going to try to preach basically two sermons today. The one I would have priests last Sunday. And when I would appreciate you guys I'm going to try to keep it as concise and direct as possible. But we have a powerful promise and a powerful word from God this morning. So there will be a part where all of us free to be apart. We're just two women read will be apart. We just the men read and a part where the left or the right reads. So y'all are the left y'all are the right. We're going to embody God's word today. Can we handle that left? Right right yells right deals with okay.

hear the word of God brothers and sisters I don't want you to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. You know that when you were Gentiles you were often list misled by false gods they can't even speak. So I want to make it clear to you that no one says Jesus is cursed when speaking by God's spirit and no one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. There are different spiritual gifts, but the same spirit and they're a different Ministries in the same board and they are different activities. But the same God who produces all of them and everyone a demonstration of the spirit is given to each person. For the common good I should have given to each of y'all a sticker this morning. A word of wisdom is given by the spirit to one person a word of knowledge to another according to the Same Spirit Faith to still another by The Same Spirit Gifts of healing to another in the one spirit.

different kinds of tongues to another in the interpretation of the tongues to another All these things are produced by the one and Same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person. Let's all stand together as we finish reading this chapter about the body of Christ. We are in our bodies this morning. Christ is just like the human body a body as a unit and has many parts and all the parts of the body are one body even though there are many. We were all baptized by one Spirit into one body whether it's you or Greek or slave or free and we all were given one Spirit to drink certainly the body is one part. But many if the foot says I'm not part of the body because I'm not a hand does that mean it's not part of the body if the ear says I'm not part of the body because I'm not an eye does that it's not part of the body if the whole body were an eye what would happen to the hearing and if the whole body were an ear what would happen to the sense of smell but as it is God has placed each one of the parts of the body just like he wanted if all were one in the same body part, what would happen to the body? But as it is there are many parts but one body.

Instead the parts of the body that people think are the weakest are the most necessary. Art Council the parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we honor the most the private parts of our body that aren't presentable are the ones that are given the most dignity the parts of our body that are presentable don't need this. But God has put the body to get Destiny but God has put the body together giving greater honor to the part with less on her so that there won't be division in the body instead of Parts might have mutual concern for each other. If one part suffer all the parts suffer with it, if one part gets the glory all the parts celebrate with it, you are the body of Christ and parts of each other in the church. God has appointed first Apostle second prophets their teachers than miracles than Gifts of healing the ability to help others different leadership skills different kinds of tongues.

Are they?

All don't have gift of healing do they all don't speak in different tongues. Do they all don't interpret do they? Use your ambition to try to get the greater gifts. And Paul says I will show you an even better way. This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. You may be seated. Thank you for reading that with me. God's word is for the church.

And if you don't have a bible, let me know get one on your phone or get get a Bible in your hands. Cuz God's word has the power to transform your life. So it's good to actually put that in our bodies this morning as we speak it aloud today.

The guys giving it to church gifts. We have been gifted for others. We heard and verse I believe is verse 7 that the spirit. Is given to each person for the common good. So if you have been baptized you have received the spirit of God, and if you haven't been baptized then let me know or let someone in the streets know we would love to help you to begin that journey of discipleship. That is the beginning that the birth place for Christian. So all who have received got Spirit have been given gifts. for the common good so not for ourselves, but for others and if In other parts of scripture Paul hasn't he gives us these list. I'm not going to dive into Dalton if you just thrown up on the screen and Romans, I believe it's Romans 12. There's a passage where he lists several different kinds of gifts. According to the Gracie given to us some of which we heard this morning. We read prophesying I'm serving teaching. Go ahead to next slide encouragement giving generously leading diligently showing Mercy. These are a list of different kinds of gifts. Then in another part of scripture in Ephesians 4. I will check back in August if you if you feel like where you have a Deja Vu we talked about spiritual gifts back in August. He gave gifts to some Apostles some prophets evangelists pastors and teachers and its purpose of giving these gifts was to equip the church for Ministry. I'm not going to dive into the specifics of what these gift mean. I did bring a handful of inventories. If you're interested in Discerning your hips what unique gifts that God has given you a you can use one of these dumb as you may be familiar with this book rediscovering our spiritual gifts. I know a couple of you've read it. There are a ton of resources out there and actually just shared one on Facebook this morning on the church Facebook page the resources that I died share back in August about Discerning your spiritual gifts. So if you've been baptized what what gifts have you been given in? Are you sharing them for the common good? I love Corey's illustration this morning, but that it is get we reach created uniquely just like each one of these toys is unique, but without the Holy Spirit to activate those gifts without those batteries. We can't we can't we can't connect until we have to be connected the Holy Spirit. The holy spirit is like the Energizer Bunny the endless power of God and ice. It just keeps going and going and going the immense and measurable eternal power of God right here in me. And in you what an amazing what an amazing promise that is. I learned I heard a quote this week from a brother just a little greek for you. I want to share with you to enter Jo is that a Greek word for inverse 11 when he says all these things were produced by the one and Same Spirit who gives what he wants to eat person that that words produced in in different translations. It's activated or did the word literally means to work. Is that the Greek word energy out. Y'all say that with me and her Jo reminds you feel like the Energizer battery write the best one. So all these gifts are given by the spirit. We are activated by the holy spirit so that we might come alive with these gifts. I heard a quote from brother. If you put it on the screen Air Force Dalton Howard Thurman, how are Thurman? He was a mentor to doctor Reverend. Dr. Martin Luther King jr. Y'all heard of Martin Luther King. We celebrated his holiday. Just two weeks ago, right? This fella was a philosopher a theologian and a personal mentor to at Martin Luther King jr. And II read a quote that I love thick they ghosts so along with this idea of being activated into

Service by my God in the spirit in a Cici's don't ask what the world needs ask what makes you come alive and go do it because what the world's need what the world needs is more people who have come alive.

You feel alive today.

Did your participation in the church make you feel alive or does it bore you to death?

Can you shared an inspiring message last Sunday? Don't let anybody steal your praise. I'm afraid that I have been guilty of of being on both ends of that. I'm having my prey stolen and stealing others praise because we get too afraid of being ourselves being our true authentic selves.

And as I'm growing and learning amount spiritual journey guy has made me uniquely with unique gifts and Passions.

Now I need to be I need to be in touch with those if you feel the church has become boring for you. If you feel stuck in in your role in Ministry. or in your role in life Perhaps you need to ask yourself some some some questions of God one of you. Created and called me to be. What gifts have you given me? What makes you come alive? What are you passionate about?

Because what the world needs is more people who have truly come alive.

I love this and it's truly an area of spiritual growth is I'm trying to consent to God bringing about my true self in my prayer time in my in my Bible reading in my service. I'm I'm a Discerning and asking God God would help me become who I'm truly called to be. Would you form Christ in me so that I would experience that Abundant Life?

You know, I got a couple of weeks ago. I I came back here and I sprinkled you all with this water from the baptismal font, but is the church has taught for thousands of years hot water.

And holy spirit are the two gifts of baptism. That when we come to these Waters we are made new. We are born Anew and we are activated in God's Kingdom. So what did that happen to you was a baby or is an adult or haven't you happen to you. The power of God is here for you. The power of God is here for you. Are you connected with God are you connected with God spirit?

So what I want to do is is really shift to the second part of the scripture that we read this morning about the body of Christ. The part that really grabbed my attention.

What's in first 22? I think we can put it on the screen.

The parts of the body that people think are the weakest are the most necessary. This just didn't seem to really make rational sense to me. Why would the parts that are the weakest? Be the most necessary. Maybe you're here this morning and you think you know, I'm not really sure I have anything to offer.

I know I felt that way. I think I shared with y'all back in August when I was talking about spiritual gifts at one of the classes. I took in seminary. They asked us to make a piece of art that represented our spiritual gifts and I was so uncreated. I made a box. It just was like up my gift and I said I haven't I don't know what's in this box have not opened it. I didn't really feel that I knew what I had to offer to God.

but it's it's those that maybe feel that they don't have anything to offer that Paula saying here are the most necessary those people that feel that they don't maybe even belong because if you got nothing to contribute Are the most necessary really?

And try again really praying on this end in contemplating it. Why might this be the case?

And it reminded me of a new entrepreneurial Endeavor that I have begun in my own life of worm farming. I I don't know if you only what a worm farmer looks like but you're looking at 1 I've got a farm and I'm raising some worms at home and in why would Matt be raising worms? Like what in the world are you talking about? It worms worms are squishy. Right and I thought about bringing some this morning, but honestly, I was afraid I'd kill him if I brought them and they're my precious worms, but they're there their humble, right? Worms worms are very vulnerable little insects little creatures of God, but they are so important. Are they not? worms burrow through the ground and they eat stuff dead stuff and then they poop. And I'm sorry you're not supposed to say that word and it's on the time I use the word compost. They they turn it into vermicompost.

So that the worms they they they they processed this dead stuff and they turn it into compost in this stuff is gold. I'm learning you can Sprout anything and worm compost. So I've got I've got about I don't know a gallon of gold at home that these guys are produced for me these vulnerable little things that you can just squish with your finger. The most useless, you know anytime you tell off the ground you going to see hundreds of them that you kill these are the most useless than the weakest and yet they are so important they burrow these tunnels to the ground and animal as I'm learning about agriculture Stephen. I went to a farming conference a couple of months ago. There's a movement of of of of of trying to preserve that the structure of this world because these worms that burrow holes into the ground and that's how the water gets the plant roots.

What happens when you disrupt that school? It it compresses the soil in the water can't get down what happens when a plant doesn't have water. Where have y'all here two Sundays ago? Did you see how pitiful and pathetic thing look?

Without water we dry up.

The worms are those lowly servants.

If we don't have the humble if we don't have the homeless if we don't have the poor if we don't have a hungry if we don't welcome the oppressed. Then we don't get the water. We don't get this Holy Spirit. Activated in us we dry up spiritually friends. But but as this as His Banner over here that one sister painted for us. It's kind of become a model for our church. If you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry and the oppressed you will become like a well-watered what Garden? If scripture says if you spend yourself on the week is the most vulnerable among us if you empty ourselves for those that are weak then you will flourish then. God's light will shine on you. Then. You will become a flourishing Garden. And you will live and you experience Abundant Life the god Spirit can bring but we have to have the weakest Among Us.

The weakest ones are the most necessary if we exclude the week if we only think about those that are stable either mentally or economically or or physically. If we only spend our our our time and our energy on those folks. Then we'll dry up.

And I was right as I was reading I'm doing this read the Bible thing this morning. I'm catching up cuz I confess I fell behind already reading through the Bible in a year. If you're interested in doing that. There's there's a schedule let me know and I can get it to you, but I'm catching up in the songs in this morning. I read Psalm 22 put it up there on Spring Forest. Thank you. I'm just a worm less than human. insulted by one person despised by another the psalmist said All who see me make fun of me. They gave up shaking their heads looking at homeless person. He committed himself to the Lord. So let God rescue and let God delivering because God likes him so much. Does this sound familiar?

The high and mighty Elders the priests the Pharisees were saying these things to Christ if he was hanging on the cross.

He committed himself to the Lord let God rescue and they mocked him. They despised him Christ became the worm.

Christ became the week 1 Christ was the one that was spat upon.

And yes, God did like him so much he said so it is baptism. He said this is my son whom I am very pleased with and yet he hung on the cross and died.

He was the week one among us. He was the one that was humble and vulnerable. He was the worm that was crushed. and so we need The week we need the vulnerable because we need Jesus. We need humility. We need each other.

This truly experience life we have to Humble ourselves we have to get on their knees and we have to say God I can't do this. I can't do this life. I can't do I can't bring about my own salvation. I can't bring about my own healing. I can't save myself. I can't fix my life, but you can And you promised me. God that I am your child and so Lord fix me. Lord Heal Me I got your prayer today than that. That is the prayer that Paul is inviting us to to be reminded it. We need each other. Especially the weakest among us if you feel weak this morning, if you feel needy then you're in the right place cuz I'm needy y'all. I need Jesus. I need healing. and each of us 2 Each of Us 2

I don't invite her musician to come they're going to leave us in a song and response. We're going to pray and in a few moments for our leaders, but Really this morning. I want invite if if you need anyting come to the Altar and pray. Attempt attempt to make that embodied action. I'm going to Maki ology beginning to appreciate that the significance of the altar call. If you need to stand up in the move your body to Mark a moment to say Jesus. I Need You and come to the Altar and pray. Maybe you need to be baptized. Maybe you need to join this church. Maybe you just need healing.

Maybe you're not the one that's needing something. But maybe you have a neighbor or friend that dies and you need to make that that embodied commitment.

for their sake would you come if y'all would play for us for a moment? I'm going to pray.

Lord I need you. Lord we all need you. We are needy we are weak, but you are strong.

It's when you come for those that are feeling weak this morning. Would you humble those there feeling proud?

Would you fill us with your spirit fill us with your joy fill us with the Abundant Life that you promised help us to reconnect with our baptism. With her identity is your children dearly beloved by you. brothers and sisters of Jesus

Got there someone here this morning that. the needs to experience A moment of of Salvation a moment of healing would you send them to this altar? Got if there's someone here this morning that that needs

Jesus in the end anyway, would you send them today?

Antennas all Lord to the foot of the cross. So that we might experience your power your immeasurable immense amazing power in our lives. Humblest guy so that we might be exalted.

Thank you for the example of Jesus. Who did that very thing for us.

Who emptied himself? Thank you for Jesus who emptied himself of all power.

all entitlement all integrity

It was a shame to his feet and so that he might be exalted.

Thank you for that promise that we two can share in his glory.

Thank you for sharing your glory with us this morning. Thank you for the good news. Thank you for your spirit.

You are awesome.

I am weak, but you are strong.

We love you Lord. And it's in your Holy Name the body of Christ praise together this morning and they all of God's children. Say Amen.