Gifts of the Spirit

WELCOME!

We continue in our series on the Holy Spirit. And Last week we talked about how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Many followers want all of the Holy Spirit, but does the Spirit have all of you?

You can’t fill something that’s not open

You can’t fill something that’s not empty

Today’s topic can be controversial in the church. There can be and has been much debate in the church over this topic, but I’m not really sure why. Scripture seems to be pretty clear on it. But like most things, when we get in the way, and when we focus more on ourselves than on what the world says, things can get squirly!

But Paul prefaces his talk on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 by saying...

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.

There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.

God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us

Within the body of Christ (Church) there should be UNITY in DIVERSITY

So let’s answer some questions this morning...

WHAT are the gifts of the Spirit?

Romans 12:6–8

6In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.

7If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.

8If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

1 Corinthians 12:8–11

8To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge.

9The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing.

10He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.

Ephesians 4:11 (NLT)

11Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

- Around 20ish

We must be the body of Christ...

He has no hands but our hands to do his work today;

He has no feet but our feet to lead men in his way;

He has no voice but our voice to tell men how he died;

He has no help but our help to lead them to his side.

“The Church needs you!” You are an integral part of the church. If we are to accomplish our mission, then The Church needs you to be on mission.

WHO receives these gifts?

Everyone has at least one gift - 1 Corinthians 12:7 "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”

HOW do we get them?

First of all it begins with a relationship with Jesus. Without Jesus means no Holy Spirit. No Holy Spirit means no spiritual gifts. Good question… The Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:11 “It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.”

WHAT is the purpose of these gifts?

1. Glorify God; 2. Edify the church

1 Peter 4:10–11 (NLT)

10God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

NOW WHAT?

1 Corinthians 12:12… “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.

Verse 27 says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it… Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers?… Of course not!

Hitting golf ball illustration...

HOW do we know what our gifts are?

Be filled with the Spirit

Thoughtful prayer

Willingness to say Yes

Growing in Biblical understanding

Understanding our SHAPE & PASSION

3 CAMPS...

#1. You don’t know your spiritual gifting (Man, we want to help)

We have someone who has been teaching on spiritual gifts for about 15 years

She’s taught this at Grace College; Done mini-seminars for churches in the area

She’s passionate about the work of the Spirit & loves helping people realize their gifting

Saturday morning June 20th @ 9am via Zoom

#2. You know your gifting and you’re not using it to give God glory or edify the church (Man, we want to challenge you!)

The Church needs you. People are dying without Jesus and the Kingdom needs you. The Spirit wouldn’t give them to you if you couldn’t do it.

#3. You know your gifting and you’re serving our of your wheel-house (Man, we want to encourage you!)

God is smiling over you

Keep it up; I know it can be draining, but you do it because you love Him & others

Offertory

Dismissal