Sermon 082497

1Co. 12:31a; Rom. 12:3-8    Faithfulness in Exercising Spiritual Gifts                           8/24/97

Series 23.16                                                                                                                       ABCC

I.     Review                                                                                                                             587

q      For the body of Christ to function properly, each member must function properly (v. 4-5)

q      Spiritual gifts are given ONLY to believers primarily for use in the body of Christ (v. 1-8)

q      Exercising your gift (s) requires action by you - “earnestly desire”, “present”, “prophesy”, “teach”…

q      You must give special attention to the gift(s) given to you individually (1Tim. 4:14)

q      Prophecy (v. 6b) = a member of the body of Christ is given immediate inspiration from the Holy Spirit to speak an utterance from God for the edification, exhortation & consolation of the Church; to be a mouth piece for God.  A believer can have the gift of prophecy & prophesy without being a prophet (Ac. 2:17).  Males & females may exercise this gift in the church (Ac. 21:19; 1Co. 11:4-5), but women are prohibited from preaching & teaching men in the church (1Tim. 2:12-13).  It is to be done with conviction & must be consistent with the scripture (the faith).

II.    Exercising Your Spiritual Gift (s)

A.      Service (v. 7a) = a supernatural concern & ability to meet the practical needs of others in a specific way (2Tim. 4:11; Ac. 6:1-2) = DEACON-TYPE ministry or work

[gleanings from life of Christ in Jn. 13:3-11] = sensitive to physical needs of people, uses available resources to meet needs (v. 4-5), will meet the needs personally, no service it too demeaning (v.5), saint of few words (v. 4-5).

B.      Teaching (v. 7b) = the supernatural ability to explain & make application of the scriptures – MIND!!!

[gleanings from life of Christ] = authority (Mk. 1:21-22), examples & analogies (Mk. 4:1ff), wisdom from the scriptures (Mk. 6:2), self-denial (Mk. 6:31-34), teaches plainly with many details (Mk. 8:31-32), teaches plainly on controversial matters (Mk. 10:1-12; 12:14), teaches systematically with great detail (Lk. 24:27);  OTHER TRAITS = teachable (2Tim. 2:2), studious (2Tim. 2:15).

Faithfulness in Exercising Spiritual Gifts, pg. 2

C.     Exhortation (v. 8a) = a supernatural ability to motivate people to obey God; to encourage, comfort, entreat, invite; to call someone to your side – HEART & EMOTIONS!!!

[gleanings from life of Christ in Jn. 4:7-24; 21:15-17] = takes the initiative (v. 7), listens for the content of the heart (v. 9), deals with people where they are spiritually (v. 10-14), desires to correct sin in people’s lives (v. 16-18), does not loose sight of objective (v. 19-24), seeks to comfort hurting people (21:15), appeals with people for Godly change & obedience (may be repetitious & persistent)  – “do you love Me”, “tend My sheep”, provides clear instruction for change  – “…living water”, “Go, call your husband”, “…worship the Father in spirit and truth”.

D.     Giving (v. 8b) =

E.      Leading (v. 8c) =

F.      Mercy (v. 8d) =

ENCOURAGEMENT FOR FAITHFULNESS:  Mt. 25:14-30

·        The wicked are not always lazy, but the lazy are surely wicked (v. 26

·        Persistent & habitual laziness toward work in the kingdom of God reveals the unsaved & worthless condition of your heart to God = ETERNAL PUNISHMENT

·        Christ rewards us for faithfulness with a few things (v. 21, 23)