The Culture of Grace 5

To be Graced is to Be Gifted

• Greet the people - welcome them to our online service

• I am enjoying teaching this series on The Culture of Grace - Grace is AMAZING!

If it wasn’t for the Grace of God — where would we be!

We have been taking a deep dive into the Grace of God and the Culture of Grace that He has ordained for His church!

• 1 Corinthians (Chapter 12) 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

• God sets - appoints - fixes in place - deposits in place the church - ecclesia (called out assembly - universal and local)

• YOU HAVE BEEN TETHERED TO GRACE!

• You are joined to GRACE

• Your success and accomplishments in the life and in the Kingdom of God will be by GRACE!

• So Now lets refresh ourselves with our 4 GRACE CULTURES

• At the PLACE OF GRACE WE EXIST FOR THESE THINGS

“SAY IT TOGETHER”

• 1. WE ARE GRACED TO EMBRACE THE SINNER

• We have received grace therefore we should also GIVE Grace

• GRACE LITERALLY FOUND US WHILE WE WHERE YET DEAD IN OUR SINS

• DON’T BE UNGRACEFUL – TO THE WEAK, TO THE POOR, TO THE UNPOPULAR – EVERYBODY NEEDS GRACE, EVERY BODY NEEDED GRACE!!

• BE GRACEFUL -GIVE GRACE - I KNOW ITS HARD - I KNOW SOMETIMES YOU WANT A CLAP BACK - BUT UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF GRACE!

Gods goodness/Gods grace leads men to repentance

As believers our words are supposed to be seasoned with GRACE! (Christians Event… “Darth Vader”)

MINISTER GRACE TO THE HEARERS- SHARE THE GRACE YOU HAVE RECEIVED!

• 2. WE ARE GRACED TO BREAK THE SPIRIT OF RELIGION”

• THE BARRIERS AND LIMITATIONS THAT MEN IMPOSE THAT KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM A VITAL THRIVING RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS!

• USELESS AND LIMITING TRADITIONS THAT KEEP PEOPLE AWAY FROM JESUS

• These traditions are expressed through religion and become almost binding

• Religion is when TRADITIONS BECOME HOLY & SACRED...

Disciples can become GATEKEEPERS OF JESUS - stop people from coming unto HIM

• TRADITION NULLIFIES THE POWER OF GODS WORD AND THE MOVE OF THE SPIRIT - MY GOD WE NEED THE MOVE OF THE SPIRIT AND I GET A SENSE THAT THIS MOVE IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE INSTITUTIONS OF RELIGIONS - IT MIGHT BE THE OUTLIERS, THE FRINGES, THE OUTCASTS AND THE OUTSIDERS!!

THOSE THAT ARE TIRED OF THE STATUS QUO - AND ARE PUSHING AGAINST THE BEAURARACY OF OUR FAITH THAT IS PUSHING GENERATIONS AWAY, RATHER THAN INVITING THEM IN!

• 3. GRACED TO Empower the CALLED

• This Grace culture deals with the empowering nature of Grace - THAT GOD does not just save us and that’s it - wait for heaven, wait for the sweet by and by ---NO HE EMPOWERS US TO LIVE BY HIS GRACE! HE EMPOWERS US TO DOMINATE BY HIS GRACE, TO OVERCOME BY HIS GRACE!

• Someone said Grace doesnt give us the freedom to sin - it enables us NOT to sin!

• Grace enables us in every area of our lives!

• THERE IS A TANGIBLE EMPOWERMENT OF GRACE TO DO WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO DO AND BE WHAT GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO BE!

• Paul said - “I am what I am---BY THE GRACE OF GOD

I did what I did and what I will do by His Grace

· 1. GRACE WILL FIND YOU FIRST

· 2. ANOTHER THING ABOUT GRACE IS THAT IT REMEMBERS YOU

· 3. THE GRACE OF GOD WILL CARRY YOU –MEPHIOBOSHETH WAS UNABLE TO WALK HIMSELF – SO DAVID SENT MEN TO CARRY HIM

· 4. GRACE IS WHERE WE LEARN TO ABANDON OUR CRIPPLED PAST

• THE GRACE OF GOD COMES TO REVIVE OUR SPIRIT

• WE MUST EMBRACE WHAT GRACE HAS ACCOMPLISHED ON OUR BEHALF – DEATH IS NO LONGER OUR PORTION, DEFEAT IS NO LONGER OUR PORTION, ALWAYS BEING A VICTIM IN LIFE, THINGS NEVER WORKING OUT FOR US, THAT’S NOT OUR PORTION, POVERTY AND SECOND BEST IS NOT OUR PORTION ONCE GRACE HAS FOUND YOU! – GRACE EMPOWERS YOU TO CAST OFF LODEBAR!

• 5. GRACE IS WHERE YOU DISCOVER WHO YOU WERE BORN TO BE.

Now last week we looked at the last Grace Culture

• WE ARE GRACED TO DISPLAY (DEMONSTRATE) THE KINGDOM OF GOD!

• TO BE GRACED - IS TO BE GIFTED!!

• We are Graced to demonstrate the Kingdom of God

• THROUGH SPIRITUAL GIFTS,

THROUGH THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT WORKING IN YOUR LIFE, THROUGH GOOD WORKS, THROUGH GENEROSITY and GRACE GIVING!

1 Peter 4 (Chapter 4) 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God

1 Peter 4:10 AMPC

As each of you has received a gift (a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment), employ it for one another as [befits] good trustees of God's many-sided grace [faithful stewards of the extremely diverse powers and gifts granted to Christians by unmerited favor].

• You are literally a superhero!

• But the scripture says this GRACE MUST BE STEWARDED! Our gifts must be stewarded

Charisma - A gift of grace or a gift that involves grace - Given by a donor

Since spiritual gifts are rooted in grace: they are not earned, they are not deserved, they are not only given to “special people.”

• If there is no stewardship there will be no DISPLAY!

• IN EVERY ACCOUNT OF STEWARDSHIP OF THE SCRIPTURE - POOR STEWARDSHIP LEADS TO SOMETHING BEING BURIED - WHILST GOOD STEWARDSHIP LEADS exponential multiplication!

• Dont bury your GRACE!

• Ours grace is how we fulfill the great comissions and make disciples within His body!

The Holy Spirit enables us to do this --Through the precious Holy Spirit who is ALSO called the Spirit of Grace!

• You shall receive Power after the Spirit is has come upon you

• You shall receive the ABILITY of the Spirit - Grace is the ABILITY, The strength of the Spirit

• In Acts 2 the HOLY SPIRIT IS POURED OUT ON ALL FLESH- AND HE BRINGS GIFTS!

• And peter quotes the Prophet Joel -

The New King James Version 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God,That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh;Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,Your young men shall see visions,Your old men shall dream dreams.18 And on My menservants and on My maidservantsI will pour out My Spirit in those days;And they shall prophesy.

• He uses these sweeping term - OLD YOUNG, MALE FEMALKE, SERVANTS, SONS AND DAUGHTERS - The point being is that EVERYONE ENGRAFTED INTO THE KINGDOM WILL RECEIVE GIFTS, GRACES FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD

• The importance of prophesy --- Next week Altars ---IS ALL ABOUT PROPHECY AND THE PROPHETIC…its going to be a fun interactive and powerful time!

• Go back to 1st Peter 4

The New King James Version (Chapter 4) 10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

• SOME OF YOU ARE GRACED TO SPEAK ---

• IF ANYONE SERVES --- DO YOU SERVE? DO you serve God, His church, His people - There is an ABILITY by the Spirit to do it in a way that BRINGS GOD GLORY!

• TThen we looked at the list in Romans 12

Romans 12 3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

• Everyone has a measure of Faith - Metron - what we do with that faith is a part of our stewardship! It can grow…it can decrease---You can lose total confidence in your graces---

or you can grow in such supernatural faith that this ability becomes like second nature…

• DIFFERENT GIFTS - ACCORDING TO GRACE

• Prophecy - PROPHECY IS A HUGE PART OF THE NEW TESTAMENT IN TERMS OIF AN EXPRESSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• Paul then writes about these Gifts or Graces -

Prophecy - The Eyes of the Body

Server - The Hands of the Body

The teacher - The Mind of the Body

Exhorter/Encourager - The Mouth of the Body

The Giver - The Arms of the Body - They support through the GRACE of giving and receiving!

The Leader/Administrator - The Head of the Body— They set the direction and help facilitate the journey!

The Compassion/Mercy Gift - The heart of the Body!

Jesus operated in every functionality that we see in this particular list - He walked in the Spirit without measure

His Grace and His metron were without measure!

Steward the Grace

2nd Timothy 1:6-7

6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

You have to stir up the GIFT/STIR UP THE GRACE

STIR- TO SUMMON TO ACTION - TO AWAKEN

SUMMON TO ACTION THE GIFTS THAT ARE WITHIN YOU ---

AWAKEN THEM - DONT LET THEM SLEEP

The WORLD NEEDS THEM - THE BODY NEEDS THEM — every list of gifts is spoken about in a BODY or community context - THE GIFTS OF GRACE - SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE NOT FOR THE SELFISH - They are for ISOLATIONIST OR LONE RANGERS - THE GIFTS ARE SO WE CAN BE A CONDUIT OF HIS GRACE TO THE BODY AND THE WORLD

NOW notice as Paul write Timothy ---

6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Use your gifts - God has not given you a SPIRIT of fear

Fear can hinder how effective we are in OUR GRACE

TODAY I WANT quickly talk about 7 hinderances to spiritual gifts

1. Pride/Fear of Looking Proud

Many Christians assume recognizing they have a spiritual gift is the same as being proud. It is incorrect to label having an accurate awareness of our strengths and weaknesses as pride. Remember spiritual gifts are “bestowed” by God. You are a steward. Spiritual gifts do not refer to “giftedness” in the sense of some people are “special” while others are not. Pride is self-exaltation; spiritual gifts are not about us so we should not be exalting ourselves!

Humbly using spiritual gifts does not involve the extremes of pride or inferiority. Romans 12:3, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

The use of giftings should involve us in a total reliance of His Grace

2. Overvaluing or Devaluing different GIFTS - Paul said having differing gifts according to GRACE —Whatever God has graced you with is PERFECT for you!

It is easy for us to value some gifts over others. Our goal should be to have a biblical view of spiritual gifts and recognize God can use them in whatever manner He sees fit to use them in the Body.

It is important to acknowledge the role of each of the gifts. They are God’s! (I Co. 12). Some ethnic and church cultures tend to value some gifts to the exclusion of others.

Sometimes believers are using their spiritual gifts and don’t know it! When this happens, they tend to devalue the gifts because they don’t seem “special.”

Tunnel Vision:  when someone feels strongly about a particular role, mission, or ministry, sometimes they accidentally start to view other opportunities as less important or less spiritual. This can lead people to devalue other roles and ministries…sometimes to the point of becoming judgmental.

“When you have a hammer, everything else becomes a nail.”

Prophets and those prophetic have exalted this above other gifts

Gifts of healings exalted above other gifts --- we do not devalue what God has called valuable!

3. Comparison

Comparison keeps many Believers from using their spiritual gifts: “She does that so much better than me.” “I can’t do much; so why try?”

Satan wins when Believers compare themselves to each other.

2nd Corinthians 10:

12 For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. 13 We, however, will not boast beyond measure, but within the limits of the sphere which God appointed us

God never intended for us to have to be “the best” at something in order for us to use our gifts! 

There will always be someone better than you (e.g., looks, intelligence, money, strength, social skills, humor, etc.).

The sooner you accept this, the sooner you can stop trying to perform up to impossible standards or be someone you’re not and start serving God the way He created you to be.

4. Fear(s) of Failure or What Others Think

These fears can take our focus off of God’s ability and lead us to the following: not trying, avoidance, missing opportunities, worry, and procrastination.

Again one of my favourite stories from my friend Chris Palmer--- Fear can paralyse the gift within you! God has not given us the spirit of fear!

5. Unwilling to Stretch

Spiritual gifts were never meant to bring limitations on our willingness to be helpful the body of Christ

Just because you have a spiritual gift in one area doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t help with opportunities in other areas. For example: “I’m sorry, I can’t help you with church cleaning, I only have the gift of teaching.”

Obviously you weant to flow in and develop in your grace - but sometimes grace is discovered outside of your comfort zone - in service - in faithfulnes - in obedience!

6. Lack of Submission

Sometimes when people feel called to a certain role or opportunity, they assume other people should either “agree or get out of the way.”

Identifying a spiritual gift does not give someone license to become high-minded or be unwilling to seek and accept counsel, etc. Be cautious in the use of the phrase, “God told me.” This can be used as a way to avoid accountability.

Remember the Bible repeatedly affirms spiritual gifts are to be used in the context of the body of believers.

I believe spiritual gifts flourish under the right leadership and the right community!

7. Expectation of Maturity

The process of growing and maturing spiritually is part of every aspect of the Christian walk, including spiritual gifts.

Your spiritual gifts will move from “milk to meat” as you grow from “milk to meat.” It needs to be said “It’s OK TO START AT MILK”

We need to help each other grow through support, accountability, mentoring, and discipleship.

Do not fall into the trap of believing someone who has a spiritual gift will find tasks in their area to be easy.

How spiritual gifts are expressed in your life will likely change or shift across your lifespan.

YOU WILL BECOME MORE PROFICIENT - BUT ALSO YOU MAY HAVE DISCOVER AREAS WHERE YOU ARE BRAND NEW

Do not let anything HINDER YOU from growing in your grace and stewarding your grace well! YOU are needed and you are necessary to the CHURCH AND THE HARVEST!

Pray for opportunities. Remember you do not have to be “the best” at something to use a spiritual gift. As God gives you opportunity to use the spiritual gift(s) He has given you, it will allow you to grow in your ability to express that gift. Do not be afraid to try. Be aware of hindrances. Learn from what works and what doesn’t work. Look for small ways to grow and improve.