Questions, Questions, Questions
What is a spiritual gift? Is it for real?
Who has a spiritual gift? All of us? Or just the spiritual people only?
What are gifts of the Spirit?
What is the purpose of spiritual gifts?
Does everyone get a spiritual gift?
How do you use your spiritual gift?
How do I identify my spiritual gift?
Can my spiritual gift be used outside the body of Christ?
Spiritual Gift defined….
– A special gift from God designed to be used as part of the body of Christ and for the purpose of assisting others.
– A special attribute given by the Holy Spirit to every member of the Body of Christ, according to God’s grace, for use within the context of the Body.
– A God-given ability to serve God and other Christians in such a way that Christ is glorified and believers are edified. Each believer has at least one spiritual gift, no matter what his or her natural abilities.
What qualifies YOU to Receive a Spiritual Gift?
Who is the gift giver?
What kind of gifts are there?
Who qualifies to receive one?
What does the Bible say about it?
The TWO Categories of Spiritual Gifts: Speaking and Serving (Ministering)
 | Speaking (Preaching and Teaching) - spoken accurately as though God was speaking through them Serving (Ministering) - kindness and mercy abilities given by God under His strength 1 Peter 4:10-11 10) As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11) If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever, Amen. |
Early Church Experience: Serving vs Speaking
| Acts 6:1-6 1) Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2) Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3) Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4) but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5) And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6) whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. | Who was serving and speaking in the church? What kind of gifts did they have? What was happening in the growth of the church? What was the complaint about? How was it resolved? What type of gifts were needed to resolve the problem? ...Many people today believe that pastoral staff should take care of all the work related to the life of the church. From this passage, is this true? |
Unity in the Body of Christ
How to live in community of believers
Ephesians 4:1-6
1) I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2) with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, 3) endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4) There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6) one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Unity of the Spirit
Diverse Gifts in the Body of Christ
| Ephesians 4:7-8 7) But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8) Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.” | Spiritual Gifts are not all the same! Who gave the gifts? When were the gifts given? |
Unity of the Spirit
Diverse Gifts in the Body of Christ
Ephesians 4:11-13
11) And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12) for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13) till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Spiritual Gifts
- Apostle – one sent fort with a message
- Prophet – one with the God-given ability to speak forth a message from God’s word that edifies, exhorts, and/or comforts the body
- Evangelist – a messenger of the good news; one who shares the gospel clearly that others may come to faith in Jesus
- Pastors and teachers are to care for and teach local congregations
- Pastor – a shepherd; one who feeds, tends, protects the flock
- Teacher – an instructor who teaches the truth of the word in a clear and understandable way
Unity of the Spirit
Diverse Gifts in the Body of Christ
Ephesians 4:14-16
14) that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15) but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16) from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Key Practical Points
– Each person who accepts and believes in Jesus Christ has received a spiritual gift to be used in the body of Christ, the church
– Spiritual gifts fall into two categories: serving and speaking. Neither category is more important than the other…all gifts are intended to equip the Saints and build up the Body. Every gift is important.
– If you don’t know what your spiritual gift is, spend time reflecting on ways you’re already involved in to meet the needs of others or fulfilling a particular need of the church.
– If you are a follower of Christ, He has equipped you and called you to take an active role in His work.