Spiritual Gifts: What Do They Bring to the Church? - part 2

Spiritual Gifts: an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? (part 2) SATAN’S LIE: You don’t matter to God or to His Church. GOD’S TRUTH: Every believer is significant and plays a critical role in the work of the Church. What Do They Bring to the Church? 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 November 18, 2018 THE BIG IDEA: All Christians have been added to the Body of Christ through the baptism of the Spirit. God chooses for us our place in the functioning of His Church through the spiritual gifts He gives. We are designed for interdependent living. But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 18 SATAN’S LIE: The Church is just like the world – it plays favorites. GOD’S TRUTH: God’s wisdom is at work in choosing which Spiritual Gifts He gives and the roles He asks us to play – with every part being important. What is the purpose of spiritual gifts? Spiritual gifts are to glorify God and edify the Body. A Partial List of Spiritual Gifts: MIRACLES: An act of God that is contrary to the ordinary working and laws of nature. John 2:11; John 20:30-31 DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN SPIRITS: An ability to distinguish between truth and lies. Acts 5:4; 2 Corinthians 11:14-15; 1 John 4:1 HELPING: “to nourish” -- with the idea of being there when there is need and doing what is necessary to help the one in need. Acts 6 ADMINISTRATING: from a word that has its roots in the navigation of a ship through a dangerous channel. The ability to give clear guidance (a plan to get to a desired destination). It can be understood as the gift of leadership. 1 Timothy 3:4 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 21 SATAN’S LIE: You don’t need the Church. You should be happy to just have your own private understanding with God. GOD’S TRUTH: You are created spiritually for interdependence, not independence. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 (ESV) 12 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit. QUESTION: How do we become members of the Body of Christ? ANSWER: Through a work of the Holy Spirit – His baptism. For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were 14 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 26 SATAN’S LIE: It’s every man for himself. Pull up the drawbridge. GOD’S TRUTH: Life is meant to be lived in relationship to others. Open up the door. We are brought to Christ individually. However, we do not live in Christ individually but corporately.