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"THE HOLY SPIRIT EQUIPS!"
TEXT:
1 Cor. 12:1-31
Do
you believe in the providence of God?
" " " God will give us everything we need to do is work?
" " " if we are doing his work, his way, Satan cannot
destroy this church?
INTRO:
One of the great strengths of the church is the diversity of the gifts
or talents that God places in it.
It is never the intent
of the Holy Spirit to provide everyone in the church the same way ...
it is the intent of the Holy Spirit to gift
every believer in some way!
We need to learn to be open
to the Holy Spirit to be used as He sees fit, the ministry of the
"gifts of the Holy Spirit" through
various believers will build up the body of Christ.
We need to learn what our
gifts are and be ready to be used, we don't all have the same gift, but
we have the same Spirit!
ILLUS:
ONE LITTLE BOY DECIDED ONE DAY THAT HE WAS A GIFTED BASEBALL HITTER, SO
PUTTING ON HIS BASEBALL CAP HE GRABBED A BAT AND BALL AND OUT INTO THE
BACKYARD HE WENT TO PROVE HOW GIFTED HE WAS! HE STOOD READY WITH BAT
AND BALL IN HAND AND SHOUTED OUT LOUD, "I’M THE GREATEST HITTER IN THE
WORLD!" THEN HE TOSSED THE BALL INTO THE AIR AND SWUNG AT THE BALL ...
BUT HE MISSED! HE YELLED OUT LOUD, "STRIKE ONE!" THEN ONCE AGAIN HE
READIED HIMSELF AND SAID, "I'M THE GREATEST BASEBALL HITTER IN THE
WORLD!" AND WITH THIS HE ONCE AGAIN THREW THE BALL UP AND SWUNG ... AND
AGAIN HE MISSED! "STRIKE TWO" HE SHOUTED. STILL UNDAUNTED HE AGAIN
YELLED, "I'M THE GREATEST HITTER THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN!" NOW A THIRD
TIME HE THREW THE BALL UP INTO THE AIR AND SWUNG ... AND MISSED AGAIN!
HE CRIED OUT, “WOW ... THIRD STRIKE!” THEN … “WOW, WHAT A PITCHER, I'M
THE GREATEST PITCHER IN THE WORLD!” IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF DISCOVERING
WHAT HIS REAL GIFT WAS!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
Too often we want someone
else's gift when what we need to learn is what our own gifts are. The
more prominent gifts are not always the most important ones ... the best
gift is the one that is needed most at that particular time! Paul
encourages the believers to desire the
"best gift"… not necessarily the flashiest!
ILLUS:
A $50,000 VIOLIN HANGING SILENTLY AND DUSTY ON THE WALL IS NOT WORTH AS
MUCH AS A KITCHEN SPOON THAT IS USED!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
The Holy Spirit will equip
His church with everything needed to do the work that He calls us to do
and to build up the body of Christ!
We need to discover what
our gifts are, and to make ourselves available for whatever gifts He
desires us to have.
PROP.
SENT:
The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to His church for
the building up of the body of Christ and that all the gifts are needed
and is to be appreciated.
I. THE
NEED OF THE GIFTS 1 Cor. 12:1-11
A.
Corporate 1 Cor. 12:1-7
1. The purpose of the
gifts was to build up the body of Christ and to testify to the Lordship
of Christ.
a. It is in this sense
that Paul says that a gift of the Holy Spirit will never take away from
Christ's Lordship; if it does it is not from the Holy Spirit – they do
not lift up man, they build up the body of Christ!
b. The gifts of the
Holy Spirit therefore will not elevate any individual and make them
great, they will elevate Jesus and make Him great!
2. These
"gifts" are for the church and
they are varied, but they all come from the same Spirit.
a.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not given
for personal exaltation, they are for corporate edification!
b. While there are a
variety of gifts that may express themselves in the body of Christ they
all come from the same source, the Holy Spirit.
3. Weak churches are
usually weak because a small percentage of believers are attempting to
do all the work, only a few are usually using their gifts!
ILLUS:
LIKE THE MOVIE YEARS AGO ABOUT A FORT WHERE THE LEGIONNAIRES WERE
ATTEMPTING TO HOLD ON. THE ARABS HAD ATTACKED THE FORT. THERE WERE
REALLY ONLY 4 LEGIONNAIRES ALIVE IN THE FORT HOWEVER, THE REST OF THEIR
COMRADES HAD BEEN KILLED IN THE EARLIER ATTACK. THESE 4 SOLDIERS WENT
THROUGHOUT THE FORT AND PROPPED UP THE BODIES OF THEIR FALLEN COMRADES
ON THE WALLS WITH RIFLES IN THEIR HANDS FACING TOWARD THE ENEMY. THEN
THEY RAN BACK AND FORTH ALONG THE WALL FIRING OFF THE GUNS OF THEIR DEAD
COMRADES TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION TO THE ENEMY THAT THERE WAS A MIGHTY
FORCE STILL CHALLENGING THEM. FOR SOME TIME THIS FOOLED THE ENEMY ABOUT
THE REAL WEAK CONDITION THEY WERE REALLY IN ... BUT IT WAS EXHAUSTING TO
THE FEW MEN WHO WERE REALLY STILL ALIVE. HOW LIKE MANY CHURCHES THIS IS
TODAY. THERE ARE A FEW WHO ARE RUNNING AROUND USING THEIR GIFTS WHILE
THE CHURCH HAS THE APPEARANCE OF BEING HEALTHY, WHEN IN FACT IT IS NOT.
GOD DESIRES TO EQUIP HIS CHURCH TO BUILD IT UP!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
4. The work of the HS
in the church is to set us up to minister in many ways, no matter the
gift they all benefit the church and build it up!
a. The focus of these
introductory verses is the plan of God for the corporate body.
b. The church
cannot do the work of God without these gifts of the Holy Spirit!
B.
Categories 1 Cor. 12:8-11
1. Here Paul
identifies several categories of giftedness:
a.
Gifts of REVELATION:
(1. Knowledge
(2. Wisdom
(3. Discernment of
spirits
b.
Gifts of POWER:
(1. Faith
c.
Gifts of WORSHIP:
(1. Evangelism
(2. Teaching
(3. Prayer, helping us
to pray when we can’t do it on our own
d.
Gifts of SERVICE:
(1. Helps (verse
28)
(2. Administrations (verse
28)
(3. Leadership -- See
also Rom. 12 &
Eph 4
2. While a few are
listed here it is not intended these are exhaustive lists, they are
representative of the kinds of gifts God's Holy Spirit may give!
The possibilities
are as unlimited as the Holy Spirit is!
a.
These are not the only categories therefore
... they are examples!
b. The Corinthians had
elevated certain categories above others and thereby created an
“upper class” of spiritual giftedness, they had elevated certain
gifts and people above others!
c. The truth about the
gifts is that they are all from the Holy Spirit and they are all
important!
3. The purpose of this
variety is to maximize the abilities of the church energized by the Holy
Spirit!
a. In other words, the
church would need all the gifts in order to do its work!
b. The more
variety, the more versatile the church's ability to minister to any
situation!
c. These gifts are not
static; we can receive a variety of them at different times
4. The church is
strengthened by the variety:
ILLUS:
WE ARE LIKE A JIGSAW PUZZLE, THE PROTRUSIONS ARE LIKE OUR STRENGTHS OR
GIFTS AND THE INDENTATIONS ARE LIKE OUR WEAKNESSES. AS SINGLE PIECES WE
DON'T LOOK TOO GOOD OR HAVE AN AWKWARD APPEARANCE, BUT WHEN PIECED
TOGETHER, A VERY GOOD PICTURE APPEARS. WE NEED EACH PIECE FOR THE
PUZZLE TO BE COMPLETE!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
II.
THE NATURE OF THE GIFTS 1 Cor. 12:12-31
A.
Complimentary 1 Cor. 12:12-26
1. Paul begins to
teach the absolute necessity of all the gifts, though not equal in type
they are equal in importance to the whole body!
a. He uses the image
of the body with its various parts, some which are more hidden or not
seen yet as important as other parts.
But yet, no body wants
to give up any part.
b. Each part does
something different but each needs the other to be a whole body, they
each compliment the other, the ear helps the eye and vice versa.
2. Some parts may
seem more important, or be in use at times when other parts aren’t
being used, but no part is willingly discarded!
a. How would you feel
when watching TV one night if your eyes told your feet to get lost, they
weren't needed anymore since you are sitting down and watching TV! Your
brain would argue with the eyes and say that though the feet are not
being used at the moment you still want the parts to stay!!
b. It takes all the
parts to make the whole work!
ILLUS:
LIKE THE FOLLOWING POEM STATES:
“WHO FLIES THE KITE?” “I," SAID THE BOY; “IT IS MY JOY; I FLY THE
KITE.”
“WHO FLIES THE KITE?” “I,” SAID THE WIND; “IT IS MY WHIM; I FLY THE
KITE.”
“WHO FLIES THE KITE?” “I,” SAID THE STRING; “I AM THE THING THAT FLIES
THE KITE.”
“WHO FLIES THE KITE?” “I,” SAID THE TAIL; “I MAKE IT SAIL; I FLY THE
KITE.”
“WHO FLIES THE KITE?” ALL ARE WRONG; ALL ARE RIGHT; ALL FLY THE KITE!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
3. Too often we give
much attention to the more spectacular gifts ignore the less spectacular
ones that in some ways can be more important!
Ex the Best Preacher in
this congregation we agreed Wed night is Dorothy because of the sermon
she preaches by the life she leads
a. People like to be
used by God in great ways; few people are willing to be used by God in
small ways!
b. How often though it
is the small ways that keep things going!
Ex. It was a great
thing for the people who were around to start the congregation here, but
the real work was those who kept it going, being faithful to God's
authority for the 60 years since
ILLUS:
IN MARCH OF 1981 PRESIDENT REAGAN WAS SHOT BY JOHN HINKLEY JR. THE
PRESIDENT WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS AND YET THE COUNTRY MOVED
RIGHT ALONG QUITE WELL. YET, WHEN THE GARBAGE COLLECTORS WENT ON STRIKE
IN PHILADELPHIA FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THE ENTIRE CITY BECAME
PARALYZED. THE ROTTING GARBAGE CREATED A DANGEROUS HEALTH HAZARD. JUST
IMAGINE A 3 WEEK STRIKE ACROSS THE WHOLE COUNTRY! THIS SEEMINGLY
UNIMPRESSIVE JOB IF IGNORED WOULD HAVE A GREATER IMPACT ON THE NATION
THAN THE PRESIDENT BEING GONE FOR A FEW WEEKS! SO OFTEN WE ASPIRE TO
THE FLASHIER GIFTS IN THE CHURCH, BUT WITHOUT NURSERY WORKERS, OR GIFTS
OF HOSPITALITY OR HELPS, OR THE GIFT OF FRIENDLINESS, THE FLASHIER GIFTS
WOULD HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ... CERTAINLY WITHOUT LOVE NO GIFT WOULD HAVE
ANY MEANING!!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
4. The parts are meant
to compliment each other so that there is no division within the body
of Christ! 1 Cor. 12:25
a. The gift of
preaching or leadership will mean little to the life of the church if
there is no one willing to have the gift of cleaning, mowing, etc!
b. Every gift is
important!
c. No gift is
to be despised or treated with contempt!
d. All the gifts are
to be considered equal in importance and honor –
the one most needed at
any one moment is the most important one!
5. EACH gift is to be
held in honor as complimenting the whole body!
a. If any part
suffers, the whole body suffers!
b. If any part
rejoices, the whole body rejoices!
6. The very fact that
there would be variety would cause them to need each other, not to
separate them!
B.
Capable 1 Cor. 12:27-31
1. Paul's point here
emphasizes the fact that God puts order in the church,
these include not only
spectacular gifts like ministering overseas, and he puts at the top of
the list things like Apostles, teachers, etc., as though to balance
their excesses and create the importance of leadership gifts and their
priority which was presently lacking in the church at Corinth.
a. Paul's point was to
restore balance in this church.
b. These gifts of
leadership mentioned are given to maintain that balance.
Ex Dennis Rogers. In
face of tremendous complaints, you can’t fluster him
2. The point here is
to tell them that these gifts are all necessary for them to be a
capable, effective force as the church!
3. In this sense Paul
then concludes this section by letting them know that no one will have
all the gifts, the gifts will be distributed throughout the body of
Christ!
a. Thus, anyone
attempting to do it all will find themselves and the church becoming
very frustrated!
ILLUS:
YEARS AGO A MAN WANTED TO BE A CONDUCTOR. HIS CONDUCTING STYLE HOWEVER
WAS IDIOSYNCRATIC. DURING SOFT PARTS HE'D CROUCH EXTREMELY LOW, AND FOR
LOUD PARTS HE'D OFTEN JUMP INTO THE AIR, SOMETIMES EVEN SHOUTING TO THE
ORCHESTRA! HIS MEMORY WAS POOR, ONCE HE FORGOT THAT HE HAD INSTRUCTED
THE ORCHESTRA NOT TO REPEAT A SECTION OF MUSIC BUT DURING THE
PERFORMANCE HE WENT BACK TO THAT POINT, BUT THE ORCHESTRA DID NOT. HE
STOPPED THE MUSIC HOLLERING AT THEM "STOP, WRONG ... THAT WILL NOT DO,
AGAIN! AGAIN!" ONCE HE TRIED CONDUCTING FROM THE PIANO, AT ONE POINT
JUMPING FROM THE BENCH AND KNOCKING THE CANDLES OFF, AT ANOTHER TIME HE
KNOCKED OVER A CHOIR BOY! AT ANOTHER PIECE HE JUMPED HIGH TO CUE IN THE
ORCHESTRA BUT HE HAD LOST COUNT AND IT WAS THE WRONG POINT SO THEY
DIDN'T PLAY! AS HIS HEARING WORSENED THE ORCHESTRA QUIT PAYING
ATTENTION TO HIM AND FOLLOWED THE FIRST VIOLINIST ... FINALLY THE
MUSICIANS PLED HIM TO GO HOME AND GIVE UP CONDUCTING, WHICH HE DID! WHO
WAS HE? HE WAS LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN, ONE OF THE GREATEST COMPOSERS OF
ALL TIME ... AND ONE OF THE WORST CONDUCTORS! HE WASN'T GIFTED IN
EVERYTHING!
– SOURCE UNKNOWN
b. It is very clear
from these verses that not ALL will have ALL the gifts!
c. It is also clear
however, that ALL will have some gift!
4. The very nature of
the gifts will make the church diverse ... and strong!
a. Diversity is a
strength; not a weakness!
b. Diversity
strengthens the ability of the body.
c. Diversity is not a
divisive force but a force that brings unity!
d. This variety of
giftedness gives greater capability to the body of Christ!
5. Therefore, all
gifts are to be appreciated ... though they have different functions!
a. The flashier gifts
can also be good.
b. And the not so
flashy gifts are good too!
c. The body of Christ
is diverse and thus capable of handling a variety of things that come
its way.
6. Paul ends this
chapter with an important statement:
"EAGERLY DESIRE THE GREATER GIFTS!"
a. But I thought he
just said that no one gift is greater than the others!??
b. So what does this
mean then?
c. Simply this:
THE BEST GIFT IS THE ONE THAT IS NEEDED AT
THAT MOMENT ... AND THIS MIGHT MEAN A DIFFERENT GIFT AT DIFFERENT TIMES
FOR DIFFERENT NEEDS!
If an important
decision needed to be made by the church the “Gift of wisdom” would be
the best gift, not teaching!
d. In this sense the
gifts are all equal ... but not equally needed at the same time for
different situations!
e. It is important
not to look for what we want but for what is needed!
7. The Holy Spirit
will truly equip the church for everything it needs!
We must be available
however to be used!
CONCLUSION:
The Holy Spirit equips us with gifts to benefit the entire church.
The
gifts are not given for personal exaltation but for corporate
edification!
The
gifts are not badges of spiritual superiority; they are practical ways
God's Spirit builds up the body of Christ!
The
entire purpose of the gifts is to edify or build up the church, not just
to tickle our fancy!
There is great diversity within the body of Christ, yet one body!
Thank God He equips us to grow together!
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