GIFT EMPOWERED MINISTRY
The Danger of Spiritual Gifts
1 Corinthians 12:1-3
INTRODUCTION: This morning, we find ourselves beginning to look at spiritual gifts and how they apply to public worship. Let me remind you that worship is all about God. Every part of worship is all about God. No part of worship is about us. Communion is al about God. Communion is not about us. Spiritual gifts are all about God. Spiritual gifts are not about us!
I THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS – 12:1
A Spiritual Gifts Are And Evidence Of Our Salvation
1 Biblically Salvation involves knowledge
a Heaven is a free gift
b Man has sinned
c God judges sin
d God loves man
e God solved the dilemma of loving us, yet judging our sinful actions through the person of Jesus Christ
f Jesus lived a perfect life, paid the penalty for my sin on the cross, died and rose again.
g Jesus offers me the gift of eternal life (heaven) as a gift
2 Biblically salvation involves a choice by faith
a Acknowledging the existence of God is not faith – its knowledge
b Crying out to God in times of struggle is not faith – its deliverance
c Trusting in what Jesus did for me on the cross instead of my own work to get into heaven is faith
3 Biblically, faith in Christ provides
a Payment for my sin
b Assurance of eternal life
c Possession of spiritual gift(s)
1 One only receives a spiritual gift as a result of salvation
2 Spiritual gifts are the result of the Spirit of God in our lives
3 Spiritual gifts are at the discretion of the Spirit of God in our lives
B Spiritual Gifts Are A Means Of Propagating Christianity
1 The passage we read this morning – Acts 1:8 declares
a That believers were to remain in one place and await the coming of the Holy Spirit
b The action of the Holy Spirit produced the power and unction to move the church forward
c What the Holy Spirit imparted was to help the early church be a witness in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the rest of the world
2 Spiritual Gifts mke it possible to evangelize the world
a Ephesians 2:8-10 declares that we have been saved and are God’s workmanship prepared to do the work He has for us to do
b Matt 28:19-20 says the work God has for us is the great commission
C Spiritual Gifts Are A Means Of Edifying The Church
1 Eph 4:11-16 tells us that spiritual gifts play a profound role in edification
a Spiritual gifts prepare us for service
b Spiritual gifts assist the building up of the body of Christ
c Spiritual gifts assist the unity of the Body of Christ
d Spiritual gifts assist in the maturing of the body of Christ
e Spiritual gifts assist in the integrity of the Body of Christ
2 The church in Phillipi – one of the poorest
a Effectively used their gifts to edify the church in Jerusalem
Just a little note that soon after the events of Hurricane Katrina there was a Hope for Kids conference in Cayes, Haiti. Dan Shoemaker and Billy Moses shared the effects of this hurricane on those coastal states. One of the Haitian pastors in attendance knew that his church was located in one of the affected areas. A few days after the conference, he came to Dan and Billy with a collection his church had raised for their sister church in the states. Talk about edification
b
II THE DANGERS OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A “Spiritual Gifts” Can Lead Us Into False Religion
1 Sometimes we counterfeit God’s gifts to us
a The gift of prophecy was an often-counterfeited gift in the early church.
b The gift of prophecy is an often-counterfeited gift today.
1 Prophecy is fore-telling the things of the Lord
2 Prophecy is also forth-telling the things of the Lord
a) When we do not study and speak from ignorance we are moving into false religion
b) When we do not take context into consideration we are moving into false religion
c) Scripture is meant to be read, understood, and studied in its literal, natural sense.
2 Sometimes we misuse God’s gifts to us
a Spiritual gifts are all about God.
b Spiritual Gifts were given by God and find their fullest practice in worship
c When we do not use our gifts fully for God’s service and worship, we are moving into false worship
1 Spiritual Gifts find their greatest significance when used to serve God
2 Spiritual gifts are meant to bring our spirits closer to God
3 Spiritual gifts are meant to draw others closer to God
4 When we use those gifts God has given us in non-spiritual ways we disrupt our relationship with God. We are worshipping in a meaningless way
a) Refusing to use our gifts
b) Partially using our gifts
Romans 8:16 (NIV) 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.
3 Sometimes we elevate our gifts
a Spiritual gifts all have the same function
b Spiritual Gifts perform the same function different ways
c We cannot allow ourselves to get so caught up in our giftedness, that we take attention was from God
Psalms 99:5 (NIV) 5 Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.
B “Spiritual Gifts” Can Lead Us Into False Truth
1 It is important, that even though we Spiritual Gifts that we follow divine truth, not gifted people
2 Their were some in the church that were twisting truth
a Their “spiritual gifts” gave them a level of reliability
b The Scripture says, Galatians 3:13 (NIV) 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."
c The Scripture does not say “Jesus is curse”
WHEN WE REMEMBER THAT SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE ALL ABOUT GOD, WE
• Avoid envy over gifts that may cause us to sin with “spiritual gifts”
• Avoid jealousy over gifts that may cause us to sin with “spiritual gifts””
• Avoid using our gifts without meaning
• Avoid elevating gifts over others and hence elevating people over people
GIFTS HAVE THEIR PROPER PLACE WHEN WE REMEMBER THAT SPIRITUAL GIFTS ARE ALL ABOUT GOD!
