How The Holy Spirit Gifts Us - Part 13 Series

What We Believe Series

o How the Holy Spirit Gifts Us – Part 13 Read 1st Co. 12:4-11; Acts 2:3-8

April 27, 2008

Message

o I don’t know about you but I think a $1,000 is quite a bit to pay for a parking spot. That’s what a lady paid for a parking meter in South Africa. She reached into her purse and she took out an 1890 gold Kruger and she stuck it in the parking meter. She didn’t get any extra time. She just lost $1,000.

I thought how in the world you would ever be in a position that you would have, in your pocket, among your other change, a $1,000 coin. Well, she had more than one of these and rather than put them in a safe place, she just tossed them in her coin drawer with all of her other coins and she reached in and grabbed a handful, stuck them in her purse, reached in her purse, stuck the gold coin into the parking meter and paid a $1,000 to park her car.

That’s what happens when you treat the sacred as common. When you allow that which is really important, the spiritual gift the Holy Spirit has given you, to be last over every other thing in our life.

o That is what happens when we allow God’s word and Jesus church to become second place in our lives

o It’s so easy to allow that which is really significant to become so common to us that we stop remembering just how significant it really is.

o The next thing you know were not praying, were not serving, there is no fire for Jesus, no passion for the ministry

o Then when that happens instead of serving were complaining

o We have every reason not to be involved and passionate for Jesus, but are any of them supported by the Bible?

o We have been in a series about What Christians believe

o What do Christians believe about God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit

o We have learned that when we become a Christian we immediately receive at least one spiritual gift to fulfill God’s purpose for our life and ministry

o The health of the church is measured by whether Christians are serving in their area of spiritual giftedness

o Are you? Will you?

o Currently we are in the last and the most controversial; prophecy and speaking in tongues

o As I indicated this has been the center of abuse and misuse for two thousand years

o Great irony is that the church is built on the unity of the Spirit, and for some strange reason this seems to divide Christians

o We should all study the scripture and take these messages to heart

o But if at the end of this message we still do not agree I implore you not to allow our differences to damage the unity that we have in Christ

o Do you agree?

o Before I begin teaching I want to speak to those of you who are guests here today

o Before I talk about the tongues and interpretation I want to address a question that often comes up

o It is a question pastors normally get

o The question is ‘are these sign manifestation gifts, like speaking in tongues and prophecy for today’s church?

o Today, evangelicals seem to have made peace with the charismatic movement, embracing many of its practices and agreeing to disagree on others.

o Today people lift their hands even in the most conservative of evangelical churches.

o Despite this evolution, many questions remain about the meaning of speaking in tongues and prophecy.

o Some in the 1960-1970 period advocated that these sign gifts ceased when the New Testament scrolls came out, or by the death of the last apostle – a view called Cessationism

o These gifts were only given to authenticate Jesus and the Apostles teaching and ministry

o So they say now that the Bible is complete tongues, prophecy, healing and miracles are silent and not necessary

o They point to 1 Co. 13:8-10 to support their point

o “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. Now we know so little, even with our special gifts, and the preaching of those most gifted is still so poor. But when we have been made perfect and complete, then the need for these inadequate special gifts will come to an end, and they will disappear.”

o Cessationists say the say the word perfect in 1 Co. 13:8 refers to the completed scriptures

o Yet if that is true then why did Paul in these perfect scriptures say ‘be eager to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues’