Proper Gifts

Opening:

story

Let me illustrate how gifts work together in a church. At one of our Pot lucks, suppose someone drops a plate full of food on the floor. This is how people with different gifts would respond.

Gift of prophecy - That’s what happens when you’re not careful.

Gift of service - Oh, let me help you clean it up.

Gift of teaching - The reason that it fell was because it was too heavy on one side.

Gift of exhortation - Next time, maybe you should let someone else carry it.

Gift of giving - Here, you can have my plate.

Gift of mercy – Don’t feel too bad. It could have happened to anyone

Gift of administration - Bill, would you get the mop? , Jeff please help pick this up. Wendy, could you get him another plate.

We’ve all been gifted differently and so we act differently and we serve differently.

Intro

Proper Identification

The Imposter

False spirits (12:1–3)

Now about (Peri de)- Indicates previous discussion

he didn't want them to be ignorant

as Pagans they lead astray

Mute Idols

Great Irony

Mystery Religions

Spoke inspired languages

some intelligible, some unintelligible

The Real

The true Spirit (12:3)

Gifts of the spirit can not curse God

It can only proclaim Christ

The Holy spirit can only bring edification to the trinityProper Understanding

Proper Understanding

Multiple Gifts

There are many different gifts (12:4–6, 8–10)

Different Kinds - But same Lord

One Goal

One God determines and works all these gifts (12:4–6, 11)

Gifts

Service (ministries)

Working(Energema) (effects)

All 3 are the source of the one before it

All gifts are given for the common good (12:7)

Diversity in UnityOne Goal

Proper Usage

One For All

The church is a unit made up of many parts (12:12–13)

one body - different parts

All For One

No one should think too lowly of himself (12:14–20)

No one should think too highly of himself (12:21–26)

The church is the body of Christ (12:27–30)