Gifts Of The Spirit 6: Healings And Miracles Series

Gifts of the Spirit 6: Harvest, healings and miracles

WBC 26/09/04am 1 Cor 12:9,10

A Baptist preacher and his wife decided to get a new dog. Ever mindful of the congregation, they knew the dog must also be a Baptist. They visited kennel after kennel and explained their needs. Finally, they found a kennel whose owner assured them he had just the dog they wanted. The owner brought the dog to meet the pastor and his wife.

"Fetch the Bible," he commanded. The dog bounded to the bookshelf, scrutinised the books, located the Bible, and brought it to the owner.

"Now find Psalm 23," he commanded. The dog dropped the Bible to the floor, and showing marvellous dexterity with his paws, leafed through and finding the correct passage, pointed to it with his paw. The pastor and his wife were very impressed and purchased the dog.

That evening, a group of church members came to visit. The pastor and his wife began to show off the dog, having him locate several Bible verses. The visitors were very impressed. One man asked, "Can he do regular dog tricks, too?"

"I haven’t tried yet," the pastor replied. He pointed his finger at the dog. "HEEL!" the pastor commanded. The dog immediately jumped on a chair, placed one paw on the pastor’s forehead and began to howl. The pastor looked at his wife in shock and said, "OH no... ! He’s Charismatic !"

God is the giver of all good gifts

- harvest = taking time to thank

- (strange that in days when we¡¦ve never had so much, Harvest and thanking is going out of fashion)

And, as we¡¦re in a series about God¡¦s gifts, this (as in preparation for Harvest) is a time to:

HOS 10:12 Sow for yourselves righteousness,

reap the fruit of unfailing love,

and break up your unplowed ground;

for it is time to seek the LORD,

until he comes

and showers righteousness on you.

The seed that God sows and the gifts that He gives are good and generous. Our part is to prepare soil and hearts in which the seed planted can grow. The gifts given can germinate

- please Jesus: may we see a harvest

- (I sense we may well do so!)

God is so indiscriminately good and generous in his giving of gifts

- and this is seen in our passage on Gifts of the Spirit (6)- on healings and miracles

GIFTS OF HEALINGS

In the context of ¡¥manifestations¡¦ (thanerosis, ¡¥appearings, showings¡¦- sermon 4)

- these are not gifts as such. Talking about spontaneous manifestations of

o God¡¦s presence, the KOG, the HS, God¡¦s power

- So- it¡¦s not so much the person having a gift as the manifestation having the person, situation

o Later it goes on to gifts, ministries and offices (v27ff)

„X (will cover next time I preach)

Here- it¡¦s just the sheer dynamic of what happens when God is around

- = v exciting. Profound (right down to the very letter)

It says that sometimes what will be manifested is giftS of healingS

- that¡¦s what God will ¡¥show¡¦

But- right down to the letter! : why are both pleural? Why not say ¡¥gift of healing¡¦

- because this is about manifestations, not gifts (remember)

- because this would imply the INDIVIDUAL

o is the focus

o is the one on whom it depends. Who might ¡¥have the gift¡¦

„X (ie focus becomes one with a ¡¥healing ministry¡¦)

This wording Implies this stuff, healings etc, depends on God. He gives giftS of healing

- and He is the source. He is the healer. (not any power in the individual). The gift is the HEALING, not the ABILITY- and the giver is God.

- It¡¦s like He¡¦s scattering these gifts abroad¡Kout¡K (Harvest like)

- = like one of Luke¡¦s catchphrases ¡¥and the power of the Lord was present to heal the sick¡¦

o gifts, presents everywhere!. Get in and get healed

- maybe like that strange bit in Jn 5, Bethesda, and the water being stirred

- It¡¦s a whole lot more spontaneous than we think (we¡¦re used to ¡¥programmes¡¦ and ¡¥healers¡¦)

- It¡¦s a whole lot more sovereign than we think

o = ¡¥as He determines¡¦ (v11)

o plenty of mystery in this. Lots we don¡¦t understand

o that¡¦s because it¡¦s God who¡¦s behind it (and we¡¦re not God!)

= truer to my experience, as well. I¡¦ve seen as much spontaneous, unexpected stuff as I have ¡¥planned¡¦ stuff

- Illustr: doctor and Beeches healed in alpha worship. Ethel + shoulder. Pam & picture re psoriasis. Jennifer Rees-Larcombe just feeling ¡¥today¡¦s your day¡¦

- You: just get a sense ¡¥today¡¦s the day¡¦. Or God just does it

Now- I¡¦m not negating the ¡¥healing ministry¡¦ at all¡Kbut HERE it¡¦s on about spontaneous manifestations