"How To Unwrap Your Spiritual Gift"
1 of 3
1 Corinthians 7:7 September 14, 2003
Chester’s First Baptist Church, Chester, Illinois Mike Fogerson, Speaker
Introduction:
Sundial works only when they are brought into the light.
Spiritual gifts work only when they are brought into the light.
Probably never heard of Hetty Green. She died in 1916 and left an estate with an estimated value of $100 Million Dollars(not pesos and not 1960 but 1916).
Hetty regularly ate cold oatmeal because it cost too much to heat it.
Her son had his leg amputated because she took so long to get him adequate care because she was looking for a free clinic.
Hetty died in the midst of an argument over milk, she argued that skim was best because it was the cheapest.
She was wealthy but she lived like a PAUPER. She never enjoyed nor benefited from the riches that were hers.
A second person I heard about lived on the West Coast of America living in poverty until one day he found out that he was the only living heir to a British Nobleman. What do you think this guy did when he found out? Went to the clothing store and bought the best suit he could find, bought a 1st class ticket to London and returned to England in style!
HE BELIEVED WHAT HE HAD BEEN TOLD WAS TRUE AND HE BEGAN TO ACT UPON IT!!!
Which illustration best describes your spiritual life?
B We will begin a three week series entitled "How To Unwrap Your Spiritual Gift."
[7] I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 1 Cor. 7:7
a God gave every single believer in the early church just the right gift. (ETS)
b God has the perfect gift for every believer. (ESS)
C I hope you will decided to use your discovered spiritual gift at the church you are being fed at. (Objective)
a What are you doing with your spiritual gifts? (Probing Question)
T.S.: Let’s look at two truths about spiritual gifts that can help you unwrap yours.
I The first truth about spiritual gifts is. . .EVERY CHRISTIAN HAS SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
1 But each man has his own gift from God;...1 Cor. 7:7
[10] Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10
A There are 3 separate lists in the New Testament that compile the list of Spiritual Gifts.
I Cor. 12:4-11, 28-30
*1CO 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
Romans 12:3-8
RO 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: . . .
RO 12:6 We have different gifts. . .
Eph. 4:7-12
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
a Each lists supports the truth that "each" and "every" believer has been given a spiritual gift.
b Some people falsely believe that God skipped them when he was passing out spiritual gifts, but the bible clearly teaches that each and every believer has spiritual gifts.
B (IL.) When I was in high school I got a unique gift from a friend after she had came back from Chicago with her family. Chrome seal! (Actually a bottle opener!) Thanks, what is it? Thank you very much God for the spiritual gift. What is it? What it isn’t:
Not a natural talent. (If you could sing before you got saved, not a spiritual gift.)
Not a fruit of the spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23) 2 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. (We grow into the fruits of the spirit. Process. Spiritual gifts are instantaneous and immediate)
Not a title. You can be a Sunday School teacher and not have the gift of teaching. You can take up offering and not have the gift of giving.
Not to be mistaken with a "Counterfeit" gift. (i.e.; ESP, Channeling, Reading Tea Leafs, Interpreting omens, etc.)
C Spiritual Gift defined: "The moment you are born again God instantaneously and graciously gives you a perfect present, or spiritual gift, that gives you the power to do or say anything beyond your own natural ability so you can fulfill a specific purpose of God at a specific time."
a Oojie’s (Discussion with 3 other pastor’s in town on the gay issue. Their’s was liberal. Mine was conservative. I talked with authority and power that was not mine. (Spiritual gift for that very day, very discussion, God’s purpose!) Everybody has a gift!
b If everyone has a spiritual gift, what so unique about them?
II The second truth about spiritual gifts is. . .YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT FITS YOU PERFECTLY.
1 Cor. 7:7 "Every man hath his PROPER gift from God." KJV
A "Proper" means "fitted"
a If I want a hunting boot that will enable me to hunt my stand all day long even in 10 degree weather, I go to Bass Pro or "Dun’s" and tell them what I want.
They measure my foot, and then say, "We’ve got the perfect boot to perfectly fit your size and will perfectly suit your lifestyle."
b God has given you a spiritual gift that "fits" you perfectly! Perfect for your life stage, life style.
DANGER IN THIS ILLUSTRATION: I got to chose my boots, I don’t get to chose my gifts!
B God gives you the perfect spiritual gift that is just right for you!
a Those gifts are not earned by us or our hard work. Not chosen by us.
Gift is Charasmatia: from Charis=Grace.. . .Grace Gift! 100% result of God’s grace that we receive our spiritual gifts!
b You can get other gifts.
[31] But eagerly desire the greater gifts. I Cor. 12:31
Paul told the Romans that he wanted to come and help them get some spiritual gifts they didn’t have already in Romans 1:11 (RO 1:11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong–)
C While we may pursue and desire other gifts, we must be perfecting our present gift.
a If you don’t use what you have been given, you will not receive any more!
(IL.) A grandmother knit her grandson a pair of gloves. The boy didn’t think much of the gift and threw it in the pile with the other clothes and then he directed his attention to the Play Station 2 and Game Cube. Three years go by, and he happens upon grandmother’s gloves. He tries them on for the very first time. Inside each finger was a $100 bill.
MT 25:23 "His master replied, `Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
b God has given you the spiritual gift that fits you perfectly! You won’t know it fits you perfectly unless you try it on. Use it.
*God has given unique you unique gifts to use that are just yours!
*He is not going to ask you (or me), "Why weren’t you Joseph, Moses, Joshua.." He is going to ask you (& me), "Why weren’t you Mike? Bob? Donna?"
Conclusion:
God gave every single believer in the early church just the right gift. (ETS) God has the perfect gift for every believer. (ESS)
We’ve looked at two truths about spiritual gifts that can help you unwrap yours.
God has given spiritual gifts to all believers.
Your spiritual gifts fit you perfectly.
I hope you will decide to use your discovered spiritual gift at the church you are being fed at. (Objective)
Accept that God has given you a spiritual gift.
Only you can use your gift that God has given you.
What are you doing with your spiritual gifts? (Probing Question)
During the depression this field was a sheep ranch owned by a man named Yates. Mr. Yates wasn’t able to make enough on his ranching operation to pay the principal and interest on the mortgage, so he was in danger of losing his ranch.
With little money for clothes or food, his family (like many others) had to live on government subsidy.
Day after day, as he grazed his sheep over those rolling West Texas hills, he was no doubt greatly troubled about how he would pay his bills. Then a seismographic crew from an oil company came into the area and told him there might be oil on his land. They asked permission to drill a wildcat well, and he signed a lease contract.
At 1,115 feet they struck a huge oil reserve. The first well came in at 80,000 barrels a day. Many subsequent wells were more than twice as large. In fact, 30 years after the discovery, a government test of one of the wells showed it still had the potential flow of 125,000 barrels of oil a day.
And Mr. Yates owned it all. The day he purchased the land he had received the oil and mineral rights. Yet, he’d been living on relief.
A multimillionaire living in poverty.
The problem? He didn’t know the oil was there even though he owned it.
Many Christians live in spiritual poverty.
They are entitled to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and his energizing power, but they are not aware of their birthright.
