“Know Your Spiritual Gifts!”
1 Cor. 12 – pt 12
Opening Illustration: Chris Tomlin talking about making a difference for the Lord by using his gifts from Blue Fish TV.
Thesis: Paul tells us all to know our spiritual gifts and know how to use them for the common good of the church. We also need to know that we all have different gifts but this is God’s plan and it’s a good thing to have diversity. We also need to know that each one of us with our gifts is valuable to the spread of the Gospel in our society.
Scripture Text: 1 Cor. 12
1Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
14Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
21The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
27Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. 29Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
Introduction:
Paul tells the Corinthian church to not be ignorant of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. He tells the church then and now to make sure that they know about the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to make sure that they use them for the Kingdom of God. In my research on this subject I came across this article by Dr. Robbins which was very simple but clear in defining the gifts of the spirit and the proper use of them today; listen to his explanation of the, “The Spiritual Gifts:”
Understanding The Spiritual Gifts By Dr. Dale A. Robbins
The ministry of Spiritual Gifts originates in the New Testament, commissioned by our Lord Jesus Christ. After He established His church on the earth and ascended to Heaven, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to equip His church with power and spiritual gifts (Greek -- charismata) so that His disciples could continue to carry out His ministry objectives. While there are certain gifts of a spectacular nature that are often given greater attention, the New Testament mentions at least 21 that are provided to the church. These gifts are listed in Eph. 4:11, Rom. 12:3-7, and 1 Cor. 12:1-12, 28, and are generally assigned to one of three categories, as listed below:
• Ministry (office) gifts: Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher.
• Motivational (practical) gifts: Service, Exhortation, Giving, Leadership, Mercy, Helps and Administration.
• Charismatic (spiritual) gifts: Wisdom, Knowledge, Discernment, Prophecy, Tongues, Interpretation, Faith, Healing and Miracles.
Most churches and denominations accept some variation of the "motivational " and "ministry" gifts (perhaps with controversy over the office of apostle and prophet). However others completely reject the modern day operation of the 9 charismatic gifts listed in 1 Cor. 12:1-12. In brief, their view is taken from an interpretation of 1 Cor. 13:8-10, claiming that such spectacular gifts were only intended as a short-lived, supernatural lift to help the early church get started -- that they vanished after the last Apostles of Jesus died, when the scriptures took their place.
Charismatic Gifts in History
Church History clearly refutes any notion that charismatic gifts faded away after the apostolic era. Other than diminishing somewhat during the middle ages (probably due to the inaccessibility to scripture by the common people), it is obvious that spiritual gifts were never completely absent from the church. Scores of statements to this effect were recorded by church leaders such as Irenaeus, who wrote around A.D. 150 "...we hear many of the brethren in the church who have prophetic gifts, and who speak in tongues through the spirit, and who also bring to light the secret things of men for their benefit [word of knowledge]..." Elsewhere he said, "When God saw it necessary, and the church prayed and fasted much, they did miraculous things, even of bringing back the spirit to a dead man." (Refutation and Overthrow of False Doctrine, Pg. 174). Near the close of the second century, Tertullian cited similar incidents, describing the operation of prophecies, healings and tongues, and in 210, Origen reported many healings and other charismatic gifts, as did later writers such as Eusebius, Firmilian, Chrysostom and others throughout many centuries.
The Encyclopedia Britannica says that spiritual gifts such as glossalalia (speaking in tongues) has occurred in Christian revivals of every age. In the same vein, Souer’s History of the Christian Church (Vol 3, Page 406) cites a reference to the famed leader of the protestant reformation of the 16th century, stating, "Dr. Martin Luther was a prophet, evangelist, speaker in tongues, and interpreter, in one person, endowed with all the gifts of the Spirit."
In recent years, a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit brought about what was called the "Pentecostal movement" in the early 1900’s, where many churches experienced a revival of the Holy Spirit’s power and spiritual gifts. Later in the 1960’s, spiritual gifts began to emerge in all kinds of churches and mainline denominations throughout the world, in what was called the "charismatic renewal." Spiritual gifts were suddenly manifested wherever believers or congregations were receptive and opened themselves to the inner workings of the Holy Spirit.
Today, the charismatic gifts remain available as a part of God’s plan for His church, and are increasingly being manifested within fellowships and believers around the world. They are sometimes called God’s "power tools," given to the body of Christ as valuable helps to accomplish works of ministry.
The 9 Charismatic Gifts
1 Cor. 12:7 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
These gifts might be well defined as "A temporary, supernatural intervention of natural laws, bestowed by the Holy Spirit where His presence is invited and accommodated." Individually, each gift is defined as follows:
(1) Word of Wisdom -- A Word refers to "a supernaturally imparted fragment," while wisdom, which generally means prudence, decision making.
(2) Word of Knowledge -- A supernaturally inspired utterance of facts.
(3) Faith -- A supernatural impartation of assurance in God.
(4) Gifts of Healings -- Supernaturally ministering health to the sick.
(5) Working of Miracles -- A supernatural intervention of natural laws. The Greek describes it as "works of power" and implies instantaneous results.
(6) Prophecy -- A supernaturally inspired utterance from God. A genuine prophetic utterance never contradicts, neither is equal to, the written Word of God. To forthtell or foretell. To speak from the mind of God. Prophecies are to be judged (1 Cor. 14:29, 1 Thes. 5:20-21).
(7) Discerning of Spirits -- This is a supernatural ability to discern a person’s spiritual character and the source of his actions and messages, such as from the Holy Spirit, demon spirits, the human spirit or from the flesh.
(8) Different Kinds of Tongues -- A supernaturally imparted utterance in an unlearned language which is interpreted as a prophecy to the body for their edification. (This is distinguished from "praying" in tongues, which is intended to edify one’s own spirit -- 1 Cor. 14:14.) A message in tongues to the body is always to be interpreted (by another gift), and is limited to three within a gathering (1 Cor. 14:27).
(9) Interpretation of Tongues -- This is the supernatural interpretation of a message in tongues into the understandable language of the hearers. It is not a "translation" but an interpretation.
The Application of the 9 Gifts
It should always be remembered that the purpose of all the gifts are to edify the church, and their distribution within the body is completely dependent upon the discretion of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:11). The scriptures imply that it’s appropriate to seek specific gifts, however, one’s motive must be for the building up of the church, not for self gratification. "...since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel" (1 Cor. 14:12).
There is a difference between spiritual gifts and fruit. Gifts are the Spirit’s manifestation through a vessel, but fruit is the offspring of one’s spiritual character. Spirituality cannot be measured by gifts, but by fruit (Gal. 5:22-24). Love is the predominate feature of spirituality (1 Cor. 13:13), without which, charismatic gifts cannot function effectively (1 Cor. 13:1-2). Paul expressed that the church should have a desire for spiritual gifts, but it should follow the foremost pursuit of love. "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts," (1 Cor. 14:1).
The service where spiritual gifts function may likely take on a less structured, more spontaneous environment that may seem peculiar to some. But in 1 Corinthians 14, the Apostle Paul established specific guidelines for their use so to remove the potential for confusion and disorder. Rather than banishing the operation of these gifts entirely as some churches have done in fear of mayhem, they should seek to understand and implement the prescribed order, as the Apostle admonished: "Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Cor. 14:39-40).
Sources:
Victor Bible Sourcebook
Gifts of the Spirit, Gordon Linsey
Souer’s History of the Christian Church
Deeper Experiences of Famous Christians, Lawson
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This article (VL-164) is copyrighted © by Dale A. Robbins, 1995, and is a publication of Victorious Publications, Grass Valley, CA 95949. Unless otherwise stated, all scripture references were taken from The New King James Bible, © Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982. You may download this article for personal use as long as you retain credit to the author. Obtain permission before reproducing copies for any reason, by filling out our simple permission form. This writing is also available as an attractive tri-fold pamphlet, which can be downloaded for reproduction from our Online Catalog. For media reproduction rights, or to obtain quantities of this title in other formats, email us.
T.S. - Let’s look at 1 Corinthians 12 and learn about these wonderful assets to the church of Jesus Christ and Paul’s instruction about them to the Corinthians.
I. Know your spiritual gifts and do not ignore them!
a. Paul makes it clear to this church that they must know their spiritual gifts and they must put them into use in their everyday life.
i. C Peter Wagner in his book “Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow.” States on page 23, “Who needs to know about spiritual gifts? You need to know about spiritual gifts if: 1. You are a Christian; 2. You believe that Jesus is your Lord and you want to love Him and follow Him in the best way possible. 3. You want your church to be healthy, attractive, growing group of people showing forth God’s love in your community.”
1. I have made copies of his Spiritual Gifts test found in the back of his book and I encourage everyone here to take the test and learn what your gifts are today!
a. Explain how to take the test – highlight definitions.
i. Wagner goes on to say in his book on page 24, “Ignorance of spiritual gifts may be a chief cause of retarded church growth today. It also may be at the root of much of the discouragement, insecurity, frustration and guilt that plagues many Christians and curtails their total effectiveness for God.”
b. We today need to be educated on the spiritual gifts if we want to create a healing New Testament church at New Life.
i. Romans 12:1, 2 states: “1Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. 2Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him” (CEV).
1. Did you catch the last phrase of this verse “…do everything that is good and pleasing to him.”
ii. I wonder if we are really serious about serving Jesus in the American church today? I wonder if we are really committed to doing everything that is good and pleasing to our Heavenly Father?
1. I look around at the majority of the churches in America and they want to wash away the gifts of the Holy Spirit – deny that these wonderful gifts are for today and for every one of us!
2. I do not feel that the churches and Christians of today realize their full potential! They walk around -- no limp around -- like wounded saints with no power from God – no ability to drive back the forces of evil. The reason for this defeated demeanor is that they left their gifts lying in the dust of their attics!
iii. When I read my Bible I see a victorious church – a church a flame with the Holy Spirit – His power flowing through His gift’s and they are blazing across the then known world of the Bible spreading the Word of God.
1. But Jesus designed the Body of Christ with His own blood and sacrifice. He gave it the tools to do the job of winning this world to Him!
2. He designed the church to flow in the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit!
iv. Wagner asks the question “Who has spiritual gifts?” He answers, “Not everybody has spiritual gifts. Unbelievers do not. But every Christian person who is committed to Jesus and truly a member of His Body has at least one gift, or quite possible more!
1. The reality is “God has given us all gifts – we need to discover them and start using them in the context of the Kingdom of God.”
T.S. – Paul describes the gifts to us in this chapter and then reminds us all that no one gift is better than another person’s gift.
II. The gifts are for everyone and they are to be used to bring unity and edification to the Body of Christ.
a. The gifts are to be used by all believers for the building up of the church. "...since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel" (1 Cor. 14:12).
i. We are all to pick up these gifts and assist in building up the church – this is not just the clergy’s job.
ii. Gifts are not just given to the clergy but to everyone – God is no respecter of persons:
1. Wagner states page 19: “Martin Luther permanently changed Christendom when he rediscovered the priesthood of all believers. Still, Lutheranism retained much of the clericalism of the Roman Catholic Church. One wonders why it took more than 400 years for the churches born of the Reformation to rediscover the biblical teaching of the ministry of all believers.
a. Scripture Text: I Peter 2:9: “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
b. The gifts are not to bring division and dissension to a church body because they are given to unite the church.
i. So pride is not a gift of the Holy Spirit – it’s an enemy of the gifts and will fight against them.
ii. So dissension is not a gift of the Holy Spirit – it’s an enemy of the gifts of the Spirit and will seek to divide the church rather unite it.
iii. So criticism is not a gift of the Holy Spirit –it’s an enemy of the gifts of the Spirit and it will seek to snuff them out.
iv. So division is not a gift of the Holy Spirit –it’s an enemy of the gifts of the Spirit and it will seek to divide those who use them so as to hinder their exercise.
1. Video Illustration: You Tube clips of Florida:
a. Show one of these clips
c. Paul uses the analogy that the church is a body many times in the New Testament.
i. Paul is communicating how important the church is to eternal life and to service to the Kingdom of God.
1. We here the reference that the church is like our body:
a. Take a moment and look at your body – now look at someone else’s body (careful now) – they come in all shapes and sizes- but the point is every one of us has different parts to these earthly vessels. Each part of our body performs a primary function so that we can exist, live, and function in this world. If we lose one of these items it becomes more difficult to survive and to do the daily tasks of life.
i. In the TV series Survivor I have seen people removed from the game when a part of their body became ill and threatened their lives. Tough men have been taken off the show because their body is injured and not functioning – they could not survive even this game because their one part of the body was injured and not functioning properly.
ii. This is what happens in the church when a person quits functioning in their gift – it hurts the ability of the church to complete its job – its divine task – churches have actually been destroyed because people quit using their gifts for the Kingdom of God.
b. Dunn Guptill states this about the concept of Paul’s term the Body of Christ:
i. William Barclay sates “There is an “I” a personality which gives unity to the many and varying parts of the body” This is a hand and this is a hand and that’s a foot and there’s another foot and here’s a head and they’re all separate, but “I” Denn brings unity to make all of those things part of my body.
Barclay goes on to say that what “I” is to the body, what Christ is to the church, it is in Him that all the diverse parts find their unity. Alone you are just a Mike, a Sajonna, a Paul, a Greg , a Heather, a Raya. But add Jesus Christ and you become a body. Christ is no longer in the world, he no longer has a physical body and so if he wants a child taught in Junior Church then he needs someone to teach. If He wants someone touched in compassion then He needs to use our compassion and if he needs to cry then He needs our tears … We are all different. The diversity of the body is something beyond debate. No two parts of the body are identical, not only are your hands and feet different but your left hand and right hand are different. I have a cousin who has one blue eye and one brown eye. And we look at our bodies and we marvel at the God who has created this phenomenal piece of equipment. We have ears that hear, eyes that see and feet that walk. And none of us object to that. When was the last time you said, “Boy I wish I could see with my toes, or smell with my ears” Nor do we say, “I wish I was a big foot or a very large eye.” Diversity isn’t just an accidental attribute of the body it’s all part of the divine nature that designed you. And yet all too often we try to make every member of the body of Christ identical (From Sermon central.com sermon “What part are you?”).
T.S. – The Lord has blessed the Body of Christ with Gifts and we need to understand that the edification-the building up of the church is all of our responsibility. No gift is greater than another and we must work in unison to see the Kingdom of God grow. We also need to understand that we are a piece of the puzzle here at New Life and without our piece inserted in the church then there is a hole in the church and it is incomplete.
III. We all need to know that our gifts are essential to the church and we must pick them up and use them for God’s glory (1 Corinthians 12:15-30).
a. When you came in today each of you was handed a puzzle piece.
i. I want you to hold onto this puzzle piece and remember that God has given you a specific gift that needs to be operating here at New Life – that puzzle piece is your reminder of the importance of you to this church and to the Body of Christ.
b. We must all comprehend that we do matter to the Kingdom of God and the use of our gifts will make a difference within a church and within our society.
i. We need all the gifts of the Holy Spirit functioning in the church if we want to create a church that facilitates healing to one another and to the world.
1. We are all essential to the function of the Body!
a. You are essential to New Life!
2. Denn states, “Paul is very adamant that each of us in our diversity plays a vital part in the body of Christ. After all if you were just like me, we wouldn’t need one of us, would we?”
c. Illustration: We are all part of the puzzle piece here at New Life – put a picture of the church on the screen and break it up into different puzzle pieces. Take some out what do you have? An incomplete puzzle.
i. You are critical to that part of the puzzle – God designed you to fit that slot and function in that part.
Conclusion:
We have discovered the following today about the spiritual gifts:
1. We must not be ignorant of our spiritual gifts and we must- know what they are and how they function within the Body of Christ.
2. We discovered that each gift is of equal value and no gift is better than another. We also learned that our gifts are to build up the Body of Christ not tear it down.
3. We also should have realized that I am a central part of the spread of the Gospel in my society and my gift is an important piece of the puzzle at New Life Community church therefore I have to put my gift into action.
Romans 12:1, 2 states: “1Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That’s the most sensible way to serve God. 2Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him” (CEV).
