Coming Together as the Body of Christ
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: This morning I’m gonna do something that may surprise all of you. I am giving all of you a gift. Well that may not surprise you too much, but this will. This morning I want to ask all of you to give me a gift. Not only me but I’m asking you to give everyone in here a gift and everyone you meet a gift.
I hope that you’re thinking right now, “I’m not sure if I can do that.” Well I’ll answer that, you can’t but God can through you if you are willing to abide in Him.
This morning I want to talk to you about something that is powerful if grasped and exercised in power of the Spirit and within the community of faith. It is powerfully unifying if understood, appreciated, and embraced.
But, it can be divisive if misused, misunderstood, and exercised in the power of the flesh.
I am talking about your gift. Not your natural ability or talent although it may be associated with it. I mean your spiritual gift given to you by the Spirit of God when you were born again.
It’s possible that you or others have viewed it as a weakness.
It’s possible that you have thought something was wrong with you.
You may be timid about talking about it or exercising it.
Today we will talk about source and nature of Spiritual Gifts. I will say that we don’t have time to get into everything about Spiritual Gifts, but we will have a class available soon that dives in deeper. Turn with me this morning to 1 Corinthians 12:1-7 We will read 1-7 but look on through verse 18.
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
These Gifts are Spiritual.
These Gifts are Spiritual.
If you notice in your translation of scripture, some may have “gifts” italicized in verse 1, to show that it is added for clarification. The Greek word is pneumatikon, which is simply spirituals.
He adds the phrase that “he does not want us to be ignorant of these spirituals. Why?
Because of the obvious misuse and abuse of them within the Corinthian church.
Now, I want you to notice that he did not forbid the use of the spirituals within the church, but advised of there proper use.
These gifts are spiritual not natural talents or learned skills.
They are Supernatural Gifts.
They are Supernatural Gifts.
Listen to 1 Corinthians 12:4
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
Paul states that these gifts vary, everyone doesn’t have the same gift, but the same Spirit works to impart the gifts.
I want you to notice the reoccurring “same” throughout chapter 12. v. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 11.
2. These gifts are an ability that is given by the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
To the physical eye some of these gifts can be viewed with contempt.
A word of wisdom viewed in the flesh may seem like a know it all or a unwanted critique.
These gifts are given by the Spirit and must be operated and appreciated in the Spirit.
The Gifts are for Service.
The Gifts are for Service.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
These gifts are for the profit of all, not the exaltation of the employer.
The gifts are to be exercised in the service of others.
Now, this is where I believe Paul is correcting the Corinthians.
Some of those who had the flashy gifts were exalting themselves rather than serving others.
I had mentioned earlier the necessity of abiding in Christ. The only way we can exercise these gifts in the service of others is through humility.
The less visible gifts are just as necessary as the more apparent gifts.
I think he mentions words of wisdom and faith first because they will go almost unnoticed but they are exercised solely in the service of others or unseen.
Adrian Rogers states that these gifts are for employment not enjoyment.
The Gifts are Sovereign Gifts.
The Gifts are Sovereign Gifts.
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The spiritual gifts are not on a buffet. We cannot chose the gift that we want to have.
Much the same way as we receive a personality when we are naturally born, God gives us the gift He choses when we are born again.
What does that mean for us? We must discover it, embrace it, be thankful for it, and exercise it.
The thought occured to me that we must exercise this gift therefore in faith.
It may run counter of our personality, preference, or comfort.
I have seen God give an introvert the gift of prophecy.
It seems that Timothy was a timid young man who had the gift of evangelism.
Sovereignty must not obliterate free will, and free will must never dilute sovereignty.
Charles Caldwell Ryrie
God picks by His own will the gift that you receive and employ.
Spiritual Gifts are Salvation Gifts.
Spiritual Gifts are Salvation Gifts.
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
When do we get Spiritual Gifts? At the new birth!
We cannot get Christ’s gifts without himself.
Alexander Maclaren
I believe every born again believer has at lease one primary spiritual gift.
We have the grace to function in others, but everyone at least has one.
I’m not convince however that everyone has discovered that gift, employed it, or appreciated it.
I have seen people that exercise their gifts just as naturally as they breath but have yet to name it. Some of us however must do the work of discovery.
If you have been born again you have been given a gift.
The Gifts are Supportive Gifts.
The Gifts are Supportive Gifts.
Listen to 1 Corinthians 12:14-18
For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
God has gifted us differently so that we can be one body.
3 Unity and diversity must work together or one will destroy the other. Unity without diversity is uniformity, but diversity without unity is anarchy.
Warren Wiersbe
A Gallery of Grace (2002)
Warren W. Wiersbe
We must not forget that division is what Paul is correcting at Corinth.
In a band or ensemble you must have variety to have harmony. When everyone does their part it is a beautiful sound, but when everyone wants their instrument or voice to be heard over everyone else it is a horrid sound.
The church is the body of Christ. When everyone knows their gifts, exercises it in the spirit, serving others, and supporting the body, we reflect the Glory of God. When we don’t — Well!
I want to leave you with these thoughts:
Discover your gift.
Exercise it in humility.
Recognize God’s gifting in others and appreciate it.
Be strengthened and sharpened by other peoples gifts.
Lets pray!