Christmas season- invokes- many thoughts/emotions-
as well as advertisements …
(show picture- American Humanist Association)
No God? … No Problem!
Be good for goodness’ sake.
Humanism is the idea that you can be good without a belief in God.
This ad poses an interesting question- can people truly be good without God?
Christians do not generally subscribe to this type of philosophy, but practically we can …
go through Christmas w/little thought about God
At Christmas we get busy w/many activities …
decorating,
planning/attending parties,
making up gift lists,
buying gifts.
Hopefully in the middle of it, we will take time to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas.
Gifts are a big part of the Christmas holidays …
what do I buy my husband/wife for Christmas,
my children, the gift exchange at work,
what do I want for Christmas?
Christmas is about giving- God giving to mankind the greatest gift of all- the Christ child.
Jesus died for mankind so we can enjoy eternal life.
I want to look at an aspect of this gift from God.
Community
When we are born-again, God places us into the Body of Christ, the Church.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
When the Bible talks about church,
it is not talking about an organization but
a community of people, united together
by the indwelling presence of God.
Because we all share in God’s life, we also have a shared life together.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
We are called by God, as members of His Body, to …
worship together,
pray for one another,
take meals together,
build God’s Kingdom together.
The early church was focused a great deal on mission.
They saw themselves as missionaries to the world.
Unlike today, where many Christians see themselves as consumers who view church as a vendor of religious services and goods.
If the church does not deliver the product I want I move onto another church.
The viewed the church as an army of believers on a mission instead of an organization to serve them.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
The church was a community of believers that lived their lives every day with a mission focus.
They had the idea of giving themselves to the work of the Kingdom and going out into the mission field.
They understood that God had equipped them so they could give and bless others.
Not only has God given us His Son …
He has given us His Holy Spirit, and
through His Spirit He has given gifts,
that we can share with others/bless others.
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit (empowerment of HS)
1 Cor 12:1
Unaware- ignorant of, lack of information, be uninformed, to disregard- sin of ignorance.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
Sometimes ignorance is not an excuse because we were given the opportunity to know, but ignored it.
1 Cor 12:4-6
(IN YOUR NOTES):
Spiritual Gift is God’s influence on the human heart in a specific way that enables you to give/bless others
Ministries- serving, to walk in God’s call for me.
Effects- speaks of activity or energy (supernatural).
1 Cor 12:7
Why does God give us spiritual gifts? …
for the common good NASU
so we can help each other NLT
for the good of all GNT
as a means of helping the entire church TLB
for the profit of all NKJV
God has given us gifts so we can give and bless others.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
The gifts are given to be given away.
1 Cor 12:8-10
Here Paul lists nine gifts of the HS.
Who are these gifts given to …
V 7- each one- any believer, all believers!
Rom 12:4-8
The body contains many members, each member having a different function-
Rom 12:6a
Francis Frangipane …
Grace is receiving what we do not deserve; mercy is not receiving what we do deserve.
Gifts are given w/o regard to whether we deserve it.
We serve a very generous God and He has called us to be a generous people.
1 Cor 12:11, 18
Who decides …
who gets what gifts? God, not man!
your place in the Body of Christ? God, not man!
Reasons for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
(IN YOUR NOTES):
1. To build up
Eph 4:15-16
We are gifted/enabled/empowered- to build up others.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
2. To establish
Rom 1:11-12
Establish- to fix or make fast, to turn resolutely in a certain direction, confirm.
We are called to help establish people in the direction and calling that God has on their life.
Discovering your Spiritual Gifts
Three ideas to help identify your gifting …
(from an article written by Shirley Arnold)
(IN YOUR NOTES):
1. Natural Talents
What we consider natural talents may actually be spiritual gifts.
Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." NASU
Jeremiah had God’s call, God’s divine influence on his life, before he was born.
He did not know it until God actually spoke to him and released it, but it shaped his life from the beginning
Perhaps there is some interest or bent you have had since you were a child.
This could be a area of spiritual gifting in your life.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
2. Passion
Passion is not just feelings or what you like/dislike.
Passion- something that stirs you to the point of doing something about it (a call to action or activity).
God gave me three words to prophetically pray over COTRM- Excitement, Expectation, Enthusiasm.
Excitement- to be energized, called into divine activity
(IN YOUR NOTES):
3. God’s Grace
What are you able to do that seems to work for you?
Perhaps there is an area which seems foreign to your personality, but you can do it
because you are operating in God’s grace.
This might point to an area of spiritual gifting.
God’s grace enables us to function in our unique gifts.
i.e. We are all called to give, but some have an extraordinary grace in the area of giving.
(IN YOUR NOTES):
4. Other’s Words
Where have others said that they see in you?
As you work together with people in the church, others may see in you what you do not see in yourself …
this may be an area of spiritual gifting.
Perhaps there are areas where you function but there always seems to be a spiritual battle.
The enemy often works harder in these areas to thwart God expressing Himself to others through us …
i.e. people called with the gift of healing often fight personal health issues.
i.e. people called to provide marriage counseling might face attacks on their own marriage.
Take a look at your battle field, it could indicate an area of spiritual gifting.
Conclusion
What I hope this word has done is stirred our hearts to
examine what God has given us,
help us identify His gifts in our lives,
learn how to use/express those gifts,
in such a way as to bless others.
God has given to us and He wants us to give to others.
Two verses I want to leave us with …
1 cor 12:24-26
We are to be so connected with one another that …
when one hurts, we hurt with them,
when one rejoices, we rejoice with them.
Not only can I empathize with what others in the church are going through,
I may have a spiritual gift that will allow me to minister to them.
I have a responsibility to give/exercise that gift.
1 Pet 4:10
We understand being good stewards for our money or our time, but what about our spiritual gifts?
Ministry/Altar Call
