The Building Plan: The Gifting
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Lent...
REVIEW THE LAST TEXT:
Family
God is building a family and He uses several metaphors to describe it.
Household - Physical family
Temple / Body - Church family - both local and universal
Palace / Citizens - Spiritual family - Heavenly Kingdom
Foundation
Apostles and Prophets (Old and New Testaments)
Jesus as the Cornerstone.
Calling
We have a Holy, High, Heavenly Calling.
We are to walk in a manner worthy of that calling.
**A Holy Calling** - 2 Timothy 1.9; 1 Cor. 1.26-29
1. A Calling through the Gospel - 2 Thess 2:14;
2. Called out of darkness into the light - I Peter 2.9
3. A Calling into fellowship with Jesus - I Cor 1:9
4. A Call to holiness and purity - I Peter 1:15; 1 Thess 4:7
**A High Calling**. Important, Privileged, Honored
1. A call to proclaim the excellencies of God - I Peter 2.9
2. A call to eternal glory - 2 Thess 2.14; I Pet 5:10
3. A call to freedom - Gal 5:13
4. A call to blamelessness - I Thess 5.23-24
**A Heavenly Calling** - Heb 3:1;
1. A Call to Hope - Eph 1:18; 4:4
2. A Call to Eternal Life - I Tim 6.12
3. Upward in Focus - Phil 3:14
INTRODUCE THE NEW TEXT:
Today we’ll focus on the Gifting:
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us to fulfill God’s calling, ministry on our lives.
This is a very big topic, so we’ll take the next 3 weeks covering it.
We’ll take a short break for Palm Sunday and Resurrection Sunday. Then we’ll wrap up this series with
Rewarding:
Battle and Build Recap:
How That All Applies to Lighthouse Fellowship
GIVE THE CONTEXT:
This is one of Paul’s prison letters. Probably written in Rome in the early 60’s along with Colossians and Philemon.
It appears that this letter was intended to be a cyclical letter.
We do not see the same personal notes mentioned in it as in other letters by Paul.
It is very generally applied in its content. He is not addressing a specific issue like to the church in Corinth or Thessalonica.
It was supposed to be passed around to all the churches and as such, our earliest copies of this letter do not contain the words “who are at Ephesus”. in 1:1.
Check your footnotes or introduction to the letter in your Bibles.
Which if read without that identifier would read: To the Saints who are Faithful in Christ Jesus. Clearly making it a general epistle.
However, from the content, we know that Paul was addressing the Gentile believers as a whole.
Since Paul was in prison, this letter was delivered to the churches by Tychicus.
But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts.
Many believe that Ephesus was the first church that this letter was sent to, and as such, Paul had them in the forefront of his mind when he wrote it, but then it went out from there, which is why Ephesus was later added in the introduction.
Why I share all that is because the significance of this is that Paul was writing something that was going to apply to all the churches which would make it a universal teaching applicable to any church anywhere at anytime.
So when we look at it this morning, we can know that what Paul writes to us is not culturally bound (Middle Eastern), nor is it chronologically bound (1st Century). We can literally take this teaching and plug and play.
That being said, there are a few terms within the letter that do need defining and clarification for proper application. But I will touch more on that next week.
READ THE TEXT:
Ephesians 2:7—16; I Corinthians 12:4-7, 11
Today we’re going to look at the Nature of the Gifts, Spend most of our time with the Purpose of the Gifts, and then close with a few Cautions regarding the gifts. Next week we’ll start looking at the gifts themselves.
EXPOUND THE TEXT:
Nature of the Gifts: I Cor 12:4-7, 11
Nature of the Gifts: I Cor 12:4-7, 11
Gifts of Grace: I Cor. 12:4-6
But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;
Just like salvation, we can’t earn them and we don’t deserve them.
We freely receive them graciously, by faith, and we submit to God’s plan for the use of them.
Specifically, the Holy Spirit gives us the gifts - vs. 4
Jesus gives us our assignment, our ministry - vs. 5
The effect of the Father’s power within us brings about different results - vs. 6
and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,
Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,
For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
To Be Used - I Cor 12:7
As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Given By The Holy Spirit: 1 Cor 12:11
Day of Pentecost: the inauguration
“Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit - Spiritual Gifts: charismatic
The Purpose of the Gifts: Ephesians 4:11-13
The Purpose of the Gifts: Ephesians 4:11-13
To Fulfill the Great Commission
“Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
To Equip the Saints for Service (vs. 12)
equip - train - outfit - supply the tackle box.
Can mean to repair or refit that which is broken, like mending a net
So can mean to restore a person who was in error.
diakonia - deacon
ministry
Equipping everyone to be a deacon of the church
clergy/laity split
To Build Up the Body of Christ. The Church. (vs 12)
Oikodome - Encouragement / Edification
The Greek word literally means to construct a house.
A house is a building to shelter people.
How can we contribute to the process of sheltering people? (Eph 4:25-32)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Until...
Accountability
Diligence
Constant
Perseverance
For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.
To Promote Unity: (vs. 13)
Eph. 4:3-6; I Cor 12:12-13
Peace is the glue of unity
Given by God
Maintained by us.
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
the qualities mentioned earlier will help us live in peace with each other and bring about unity
Disunity - each of the opposites promotes disunity
Unity not Uniformity.
diversity is beautiful.
fitted and built together - Eph 2:21-22
in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
A unity of (faith) what we believe, not how we believe it.
We don’t all come to faith in the same way.
Even RC Sproul said, “I don’t care if the came to believe in Jesus Christ through Arminian teaching, at least they came to believe.”
The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.
Not Unity at all cost.
Paul helps define his thoughts on unity of faith in the next section.
This is why church creeds were developed.
The Unity Paul describes is 7-fold and based on the Trinity. Some think this was an early church creed he gave.
The five solas of the Reformation are embodied in this.
One Spirit - The Holy Spirit,
not some new spirit.
Not “New Age” spirituality
One Body - All believers are organically related to each other.
The Universal Church - be careful of wrong ecumenism.
Are we unified in the right points and for the right purposes?
There are no Lutherans in Heaven, nor are there Presbyterians, Methodists, or for that matter Baptists.
All that will be in Heaven are the blood bought, redeemed from every tribe, tongue, people and nation. Rev. 5.9
One Hope - Heaven,
Glorified Bodies,
Heavenly rewards.
One Lord - Jesus is the only way.
Christ alone.
One Faith.
Faith Alone
(Subjective) Exercised by belief.
Salvation is through faith alone.
Not by works.
Based on Scripture alone.
(Objective) - Body of truth to be believed.
One Baptism - Grace alone
Our personal identification with Christ.
One God and Father
over, through, and in all
3 Big O’s - Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omni-Present
Transcendent, Eternal, Immanent
Sovereign, Providential, Personal
To the Glory of God alone.
Unity in our understanding of Jesus
epignosis - A knowledge that is actively gained through personal involvement and powerfully influences one’s life and religious practice.
It is experiential at its core. The type of knowledge the disciples got ministering with Jesus and following him for 3 years.
Active learning through participation. This is not osmosis from the sidelines.
It is a personal and intimate knowledge.
This ties into a Christ centered worldview.
To Bring About Maturity (vs. 13-15)
We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
so that we don’t stay immature.
The word means complete or fully equipped and connects with the earlier term of equipping.
It does not mean sinless perfection.
Discipleship
The measuring bar / standard - the stature of Jesus Christ in totality.
so that in difficult storms we stay the course.
Stability of doctrine - understanding 1st, 2nd, and 3rd level doctrines.
God’s people are tricked, manipulated, and deceived because they have not matured in Christ
helps avoid fads and pop theology that can cause a church to steer off course
in order to thwart the church’s mission
Growth in all aspects
The fullness of Christ...
This is the best way for the church to grow into my image.
restore my image
reflect my image
to be me to the world.
For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
We are continuing the mission of Jesus. Back to the Great Commission and...
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him.
We are to speak the truth in love.
counters schemes of error
teaching orthodoxy
under the constraints of love
“in love” used 6 times in the letter
To Do Ministry (vs. 16)
All verbs are in the present tense indicating ongoing work, it is not a static body.
So that the church can fulfill its calling, its mission.
functioning in its proper way
Fitted together (2:21) - God does the fitting. He brings in the people the gift mix.
Held together - didasko and katecheo are synonymns of this word, which mean to teach.
the body is also held together by teaching.
Not teaching that just informs, but teaching that transforms.
Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
share from Bible Study about how this verse is impacting me at the present.
What every joint supplies
joints, points of contact.
the forearm does nothing without the elbow and wrist.
the shin bone does nothing without the knee and ankle.
ligaments, tendons, and cartilage may not seem like much compared to the bone and muscle, but they play a crucial role in the proper functioning.
Just ask Courtney Menning ACL surgery.
My knee surgery.
You may feel like a ligament or tendon, but you have a role that is absolutely crucial and necessary.
in measure - proper working of each individual part
Don’t compare your work to another’s work. You do your part in the measure God gives you.
growth is caused - by God - because we are doing it as He designed.
oikodome again, build itself up in love.
Cautions: I Cor 12
Cautions: I Cor 12
I already mentioned 2 cautions from vs 16, but I want to quickly expand on that from I Cor 12
Don’t go beyond what you’ve been given - I Cor 12:4
Don’t worry about someone else’s ministry or lack thereof - I Cor 12:5
Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them; the one who also had leaned back on His bosom at the supper and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?” So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?” Jesus said to him, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow Me!”
Don’t worry about the results - I Cor 12:6
Just be faithful to your call
Your gift is not for your edification or individual actualization - I Cor 12:7
The focus is not on the individual, but on the body.
Spiritual gifts are servant towels, not merit badges.
Gifted for the common good, not for individual acclaim.
As you minister you will be ministered to.
No Room for Gift Envy - I Cor 12:14-17;
Not for your glory - I Cor 12:18
It’s for His glory
It’s His plan
No Place for Gift Superiority - I Cor 12:19-21
No Gift Deprecation - I Cor 12:22-24a
No Motivation for Division - I Corinthians 12:24b-27
schism - a clique, a slightly divergent group theologically,
we are in this together, all for one, one for all.
APPLY THE TEXT:
APPLY THE TEXT:
A Gift of Grace, Given to you by the Holy Spirit, to be Used in the ministry assigned to you by Jesus, empowered by the omnipotent God.
What Does That Mean?
We can march forward without fear
We can have confidence to do what God is calling us to do.
We can step out of our comfort zone in faith.
Embrace God’s call on your life. Don’t sit on the sidelines and waste your life!
Rachel Jones - Zoe Care
Ponder The Purposes of the Gifts:
Your Call will fall in one of these categories.
There are subsets to these categories, but we’ll see some of those in the weeks ahead.
Pray and ask God which one it is.
To Fulfill the Great Commission: Matt 28:19-20
missionaries
evangelists
pastors
To Equip the Saints for Service. (vs. 12)
training others to go and be and do.
discipleship
leadership
To Build Up the Body of Christ. (vs. 12)
encouragers
prayer warriors
exhorters
To Promote Unity. (vs. 13)
mercy
service
hospitality
giving
To Bring About Maturity. (vs. 13-15)
teachers
preachers
Bible study leaders
Sunday School
AWANA
To Do Ministry. (vs. 16)
waiting on tables
clean up, set up,
photocopying
helping in any way that frees others up
Heed The Cautions:
Pray for the right heart and attitude
Trust God - He knows what He is doing
Closing Songs: We Believe (communion); If The Lord Builds The House