Empowered by Love: Using Spiritual Gifts Effectively
Devotional
Sermon Summary
Bible Study Guide
Sermon Clips
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "Everything we do as Christians, we do as ambassadors of Christ. People are watching. They're weighing our words. They're looking at our deeds. And when we exercise our spiritual gifts in healthy ways, those outside the church, unbelievers, are drawn into the church. They want to know more about Jesus. So, what are you waiting for now? And the word of some marketer at Nike, just do it. We've got to boldly follow." [53:25]
2. "When we step out into the world with a have to, like, I have to do this, I'm burnt out, I'm worn out, but this is what, this is the burden of being a Christian. That's not giving God any glory. That's not really having anybody feel like, wow, that really makes a lot of sense. That looks attractive, which is kind of coming to our next point. But, like, that doesn't, but when we step out with a passion and an understanding of like, how can I help you? It changes everything." [44:20]
3. "Spiritual gifts are never given so that we can try to please God or try to earn salvation, right? We're saved by grace, we know that. And spiritual gifts are here to bring glory and praise to God and build up the body of Christ. And so, as we were kind of like trying to do stuff for Jesus, what we were really doing at times was just like, you know, being worn out, resenting God for putting so much on our shoulders, being overwhelmed for, you know, stuff that we were doing for God and then even at times maybe being angry about ministry." [41:35]
4. "I think you will. It's fun to build each other up. It's fun to draw people in. It's fun to step into situations that you were made, to step into. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for the gifts that you give all of us. And as we walk through this life with you, Lord, would you continue to reveal to us the gifts you've given us. And as we mature and change and grow in faith, continue to reveal to us new gifts that you're developing and new ways that you're desiring to use us." [59:40]
5. "Take the pressure off. Just go out. Have fun with your Savior as He walks with you and you step into the world using these gifts. I don't know if it's an appropriate place to close, but it's where we're going to close the series. Go. Step out. Have fun." [59:08]
### Quotes for Members
1. "If our spiritual gifts don't build each other up, if they don't help lift each other up, our fellow believers up, there's something wrong. And perhaps this greatest gift that we can exercise, this gift of love that we kind of want to step into isn't actually being at the center. Last question for us today. Are your gifts, when you use them, a good witness to non-believers?" [50:07]
2. "One of the most common ways that spiritual gifts can be unhealthy in a church is just simply by ignoring them and not using them at all. I mean, turn to 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy, if you would. 1 Timothy chapter 4. 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 14. Right before chapter 5. It says, 1 Timothy chapter 4, 14. Paul's talking to Timothy, a younger brother, if you will, of faith, somebody he's mentoring and pouring into and preparing for ministry. He tells Timothy, and I believe it's a message not just for Timothy but for all of us, he says, I'm actually going to continue to read. Practice these things. Immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress. He says, do not neglect the gift you have. Practice them. Immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress." [35:25]
3. "Spiritual gifts when exercised rightly end up pointing to Jesus and not to ourselves. Spiritual gifts, then, should never be used in a way of kind of this look how holy I am, look at what gifts that I have, I'm better than you. We don't serve in being worn out and we don't serve to elevate ourselves. Either one of those things brings attention back to us and not to God." [45:26]
4. "When we are healthy, individually and as a body, our spiritual gifts always build up. They always work together for the greater good. This is really the point of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Paul's saying, if we have all these spiritual gifts but we don't have love, if we're not in a relationship with each other really trying to see what would benefit the other people around me the best, if love's not involved, it just ends up being noisy as we go through our actions." [49:03]
5. "Our time with Jesus fills us. These disciplines fill us, they prepare us. And then as we're filled with agape love, we can't help but be sent into the world. And when we're sent in the world, what's really helpful is to have gifts to be sent out with. And God says, guess what? I've given you these. Let me tell you about them. And so as we come and we stay connected to Jesus, we can step out as we're filled with love. And as we step out, we have gifts that we can specifically use in the ministry, in the churches for the edification of our church." [57:25]
6. "So assuming from that point that we are stepping out, we have three last questions to guide us as we use our gifts. And these questions will hopefully kind of be a question you can look on even as you live out your gifts to make sure that if we are going to use our gifts, like the first thing is like, we have to use them. We can't ignore our gifts. But now if we are going to immerse ourselves in them, we're going to exercise these gifts, we want to make sure as we do that, that we're doing it in a healthy way. And so we have three questions to kind of continue to ask yourself as you live out your spiritual gifts. The first one is this. Do they point to and bring glory to Jesus? Do your gifts point to God and bring glory to Jesus? That's question one. Question two, do your gifts encourage, help, and lift up fellow believers? Do your gifts, do they encourage, help, and lift up fellow believers? And then number three, are they a good witness for non-believers? As you use your spiritual gifts, is it a good witness to non-believers?" [38:02]
Ask a question about this sermon
1. "Everything we do as Christians, we do as ambassadors of Christ. People are watching. They're weighing our words. They're looking at our deeds. And when we exercise our spiritual gifts in healthy ways, those outside the church, unbelievers, are drawn into the church. They want to know more about Jesus. So, what are you waiting for now? And the word of some marketer at Nike, just do it. We've got to boldly follow." [53:25]
2. "When we step out into the world with a have to, like, I have to do this, I'm burnt out, I'm worn out, but this is what, this is the burden of being a Christian. That's not giving God any glory. That's not really having anybody feel like, wow, that really makes a lot of sense. That looks attractive, which is kind of coming to our next point. But, like, that doesn't, but when we step out with a passion and an understanding of like, how can I help you? It changes everything." [44:20]
3. "Spiritual gifts are never given so that we can try to please God or try to earn salvation, right? We're saved by grace, we know that. And spiritual gifts are here to bring glory and praise to God and build up the body of Christ. And so, as we were kind of like trying to do stuff for Jesus, what we were really doing at times was just like, you know, being worn out, resenting God for putting so much on our shoulders, being overwhelmed for, you know, stuff that we were doing for God and then even at times maybe being angry about ministry." [41:35]
4. "I think you will. It's fun to build each other up. It's fun to draw people in. It's fun to step into situations that you were made, to step into. Let's pray. Dear Jesus, thank you for the gifts that you give all of us. And as we walk through this life with you, Lord, would you continue to reveal to us the gifts you've given us. And as we mature and change and grow in faith, continue to reveal to us new gifts that you're developing and new ways that you're desiring to use us." [59:40]
5. "Take the pressure off. Just go out. Have fun with your Savior as He walks with you and you step into the world using these gifts. I don't know if it's an appropriate place to close, but it's where we're going to close the series. Go. Step out. Have fun." [59:08]
### Quotes for Members
1. "If our spiritual gifts don't build each other up, if they don't help lift each other up, our fellow believers up, there's something wrong. And perhaps this greatest gift that we can exercise, this gift of love that we kind of want to step into isn't actually being at the center. Last question for us today. Are your gifts, when you use them, a good witness to non-believers?" [50:07]
2. "One of the most common ways that spiritual gifts can be unhealthy in a church is just simply by ignoring them and not using them at all. I mean, turn to 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy, if you would. 1 Timothy chapter 4. 1 Timothy chapter 4, verse 14. Right before chapter 5. It says, 1 Timothy chapter 4, 14. Paul's talking to Timothy, a younger brother, if you will, of faith, somebody he's mentoring and pouring into and preparing for ministry. He tells Timothy, and I believe it's a message not just for Timothy but for all of us, he says, I'm actually going to continue to read. Practice these things. Immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress. He says, do not neglect the gift you have. Practice them. Immerse yourself in them so that all may see your progress." [35:25]
3. "Spiritual gifts when exercised rightly end up pointing to Jesus and not to ourselves. Spiritual gifts, then, should never be used in a way of kind of this look how holy I am, look at what gifts that I have, I'm better than you. We don't serve in being worn out and we don't serve to elevate ourselves. Either one of those things brings attention back to us and not to God." [45:26]
4. "When we are healthy, individually and as a body, our spiritual gifts always build up. They always work together for the greater good. This is really the point of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Paul's saying, if we have all these spiritual gifts but we don't have love, if we're not in a relationship with each other really trying to see what would benefit the other people around me the best, if love's not involved, it just ends up being noisy as we go through our actions." [49:03]
5. "Our time with Jesus fills us. These disciplines fill us, they prepare us. And then as we're filled with agape love, we can't help but be sent into the world. And when we're sent in the world, what's really helpful is to have gifts to be sent out with. And God says, guess what? I've given you these. Let me tell you about them. And so as we come and we stay connected to Jesus, we can step out as we're filled with love. And as we step out, we have gifts that we can specifically use in the ministry, in the churches for the edification of our church." [57:25]
6. "So assuming from that point that we are stepping out, we have three last questions to guide us as we use our gifts. And these questions will hopefully kind of be a question you can look on even as you live out your gifts to make sure that if we are going to use our gifts, like the first thing is like, we have to use them. We can't ignore our gifts. But now if we are going to immerse ourselves in them, we're going to exercise these gifts, we want to make sure as we do that, that we're doing it in a healthy way. And so we have three questions to kind of continue to ask yourself as you live out your spiritual gifts. The first one is this. Do they point to and bring glory to Jesus? Do your gifts point to God and bring glory to Jesus? That's question one. Question two, do your gifts encourage, help, and lift up fellow believers? Do your gifts, do they encourage, help, and lift up fellow believers? And then number three, are they a good witness for non-believers? As you use your spiritual gifts, is it a good witness to non-believers?" [38:02]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 20, 2024. Do you have any questions about it?