Understanding and Embracing Spiritual Gifts in the Church

 

Summary

In our exploration of Romans 12:6, we delve into the profound nature of spiritual gifts, emphasizing that these gifts are not self-generated but are bestowed upon believers by the grace of God. These gifts, distinct from natural talents, are meant to edify the church, the body of Christ, and should be sought with a heart of love and a desire to serve the community rather than for personal ambition. The diversity of gifts among believers is a testament to the manifold grace of God, and it is crucial to recognize that not all are called to possess the same gift. The emphasis is on the variety and the unique role each gift plays within the church.

We also address the misconception that spiritual gifts ceased with the apostolic age. The presence of gifts such as teaching, exhortation, and mercy throughout church history suggests that these gifts continue to be relevant and active today. The lack of certain gifts in the modern church may reflect a low state of spirituality rather than the cessation of these gifts. It is vital to interpret our experiences in light of Scripture rather than the other way around, ensuring that we do not quench the Spirit by limiting His work based on our limited understanding.

The sovereignty of the Holy Spirit is paramount, as He alone decides when and how to distribute these gifts. This sovereignty means that at times, certain gifts may not be evident, not because they have ceased, but because the Spirit chooses to withhold them for His purposes. The history of the church, especially during times of revival, shows that both regular and unusual gifts can manifest, demonstrating the Spirit's dynamic work.

Finally, discerning one's spiritual gift involves both personal awareness and confirmation from the church community. Just as natural gifts manifest themselves, spiritual gifts will become evident as we submit to God and seek to serve Him. The church plays a crucial role in recognizing and affirming these gifts, ensuring that they are used for the edification of the body.

Key Takeaways:

- Spiritual gifts are divinely bestowed, not self-generated, and are meant to serve the church community. They should be sought with a heart of love and a desire to edify the body of Christ, avoiding personal ambition and jealousy. [02:40]

- The diversity of gifts among believers highlights the manifold grace of God. Not all are called to possess the same gift, and the emphasis is on the variety and unique role each gift plays within the church. [03:59]

- The misconception that spiritual gifts ceased with the apostolic age is challenged by the continued presence of gifts like teaching and mercy throughout church history. The absence of certain gifts may reflect a low state of spirituality rather than their cessation. [08:51]

- The sovereignty of the Holy Spirit is crucial in the distribution of gifts. He decides when and how to bestow these gifts, and at times, may choose to withhold them for His purposes. This sovereignty is evident in the history of the church, especially during revivals. [11:28]

- Discerning one's spiritual gift involves both personal awareness and confirmation from the church community. As we submit to God and seek to serve Him, our gifts will become evident, and the church plays a vital role in recognizing and affirming these gifts. [29:11]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:16] - Introduction to Spiritual Gifts
- [01:09] - Nature of Spiritual Gifts
- [02:02] - Purpose of Gifts in the Church
- [03:11] - Avoiding Jealousy and Ambition
- [04:19] - Relevance of Gifts Today
- [05:49] - Evidence of Gifts in Church History
- [07:51] - Spirituality and the Manifestation of Gifts
- [09:24] - Quenching the Spirit
- [10:54] - Sovereignty of the Holy Spirit
- [12:33] - Regular and Unusual Gifts
- [14:22] - Examples of Faith and Healing
- [19:09] - Revival and Manifestation of Gifts
- [22:46] - Spiritual Gifts and the Holy Spirit
- [26:11] - Discovering Your Spiritual Gift

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Understanding Spiritual Gifts

Bible Reading:
- Romans 12:6
- 1 Corinthians 12:4-11
- 1 Corinthians 14:1-3

---

Observation Questions:

1. According to Romans 12:6, how are spiritual gifts given to believers, and what is their purpose? [00:33]

2. What distinction does the sermon make between natural talents and spiritual gifts? [01:09]

3. How does the sermon address the misconception that spiritual gifts ceased with the apostolic age? [05:04]

4. What role does the church community play in recognizing and affirming spiritual gifts according to the sermon? [29:11]

---

Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the diversity of spiritual gifts among believers reflect the manifold grace of God, as discussed in the sermon? [03:43]

2. In what ways might the absence of certain spiritual gifts in the modern church reflect a low state of spirituality rather than their cessation? [08:51]

3. How does the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit influence the distribution and manifestation of spiritual gifts within the church? [10:06]

4. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between personal awareness and community confirmation in discerning one's spiritual gift? [29:11]

---

Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own spiritual gifts. How can you ensure that you are seeking them with a heart of love and a desire to serve the church community rather than for personal ambition? [02:02]

2. Consider the diversity of gifts within your small group or church. How can you encourage and support others in using their unique gifts for the edification of the body of Christ? [03:59]

3. Have you ever felt that certain spiritual gifts are no longer relevant or active today? How does the sermon challenge that belief, and how might this change your perspective on spiritual gifts? [05:49]

4. In what ways can you be more open to the sovereignty of the Holy Spirit in your life, allowing Him to work through you in unexpected ways? [11:28]

5. How can you actively participate in helping others discern and affirm their spiritual gifts within your church community? What steps can you take to foster an environment where gifts are recognized and celebrated? [29:11]

6. Think about a time when you may have limited the work of the Holy Spirit due to your own understanding or experiences. How can you avoid quenching the Spirit in the future? [09:24]

7. Identify one spiritual gift you believe you possess. How can you use this gift more effectively in your church or community this week? [28:08]

Devotional

Day 1: Spiritual Gifts as Divine Endowments
Spiritual gifts are not self-generated but are divinely bestowed upon believers by the grace of God. These gifts are distinct from natural talents and are intended to edify the church, the body of Christ. They should be sought with a heart of love and a desire to serve the community, avoiding personal ambition and jealousy. The diversity of gifts among believers is a testament to the manifold grace of God, and it is crucial to recognize that not all are called to possess the same gift. The emphasis is on the variety and the unique role each gift plays within the church. [02:40]

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (ESV): "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone."

Reflection: Consider a spiritual gift you believe you have been given. How can you use this gift to serve your church community this week, focusing on love and service rather than personal gain?


Day 2: The Manifold Grace of God in Diversity
The diversity of spiritual gifts among believers highlights the manifold grace of God. Not all are called to possess the same gift, and the emphasis is on the variety and unique role each gift plays within the church. This diversity is a reflection of God's creativity and His desire for a harmonious and interdependent body of Christ. Each believer is called to embrace their unique gifts and contribute to the church's mission, recognizing that every gift is valuable and necessary for the church's growth and unity. [03:59]

1 Peter 4:10-11 (ESV): "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."

Reflection: Reflect on the diversity of gifts within your church. How can you encourage someone with a different gift than yours, affirming their role in the body of Christ?


Day 3: The Continuation of Spiritual Gifts
The misconception that spiritual gifts ceased with the apostolic age is challenged by the continued presence of gifts like teaching and mercy throughout church history. The absence of certain gifts in the modern church may reflect a low state of spirituality rather than their cessation. It is vital to interpret our experiences in light of Scripture rather than the other way around, ensuring that we do not quench the Spirit by limiting His work based on our limited understanding. [08:51]

1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 (ESV): "Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good."

Reflection: Think about a spiritual gift you have doubted or dismissed in the past. How can you open your heart to the possibility of its presence and relevance today?


Day 4: The Sovereignty of the Holy Spirit
The sovereignty of the Holy Spirit is crucial in the distribution of gifts. He decides when and how to bestow these gifts, and at times, may choose to withhold them for His purposes. This sovereignty is evident in the history of the church, especially during revivals, where both regular and unusual gifts can manifest, demonstrating the Spirit's dynamic work. Believers are called to trust in the Spirit's wisdom and timing, remaining open to His leading and guidance. [11:28]

1 Corinthians 12:11 (ESV): "All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt the Holy Spirit's guidance in your life. How can you remain open to His leading, even when it challenges your expectations?


Day 5: Discerning and Affirming Spiritual Gifts
Discerning one's spiritual gift involves both personal awareness and confirmation from the church community. As believers submit to God and seek to serve Him, their gifts will become evident. The church plays a vital role in recognizing and affirming these gifts, ensuring that they are used for the edification of the body. This process requires humility, openness, and a willingness to listen to both God and the community of believers. [29:11]

Romans 12:4-6 (ESV): "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them."

Reflection: Consider how you can seek feedback from your church community about your spiritual gifts. What steps can you take to ensure your gifts are being used for the edification of the body of Christ?

Quotes

"All these gifts are given; they're not self-generated, self-produced. Indeed, we can do nothing about that at all, and there is nothing more dangerous than to attempt to do so. They're not natural gifts. These are spiritual gifts. I believe it's possible that sometimes the spiritual gift, as it were, is superimposed upon a natural gift, but that still means that it isn't the natural gift; it is what is superimposed upon the natural that really constitutes the essence of these spiritual gifts." [00:56:56]

"We must always be satisfied with the gift that is given to us. We must avoid the terrible trouble they had got into in Corinth, in people with the weaker gifts being jealous of those with the better gifts, and the people with the better gifts despising those with the lesser gifts. Once we see this truth in terms of the body and that it is all given us by grace, well then, I say it excludes this personal ambition and selfishness." [00:164:72]

"I cannot find any teaching in the New Testament that all Christians must have some particular gift, one particular gift. I mean, we all do receive some particular gift, but I cannot see any teaching which tells us that we are all to have and must have one particular gift. No, no, the emphasis is on the differing gifts, differing. There is a variety of gifts, and the important thing for us is to make sure that we possess one or more of these gifts." [00:223:84]

"If any of these gifts, for that matter, have been in evidence throughout the history of the church and still are, well then, why not all? It's a fair question to put. The Apostle doesn't seem to draw any distinction. He puts them all into the same category, and if these others, therefore, are in evidence, then I say, why not all of them? That's therefore another part of the answer to these people who say that all this finished with the apostles." [00:426:72]

"One of the greatest dangers, it's always seemed to me, is this: that we interpret the scriptures in the light of our experience instead of testing our experience by the teaching of the scripture. And that is what is happening, I think, very often at the present time. People lay down as the norm what they have and what they are familiar with, and they test everything by that." [00:480:19]

"The sovereignty of the spirit is taught as here, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. It is God who has dealt it. We emphasized that when we were doing the third verse. Here it is again in the sixth verse, having them gifts. The very fact that they call gifts should remind us always that it is his prerogative and in his sovereignty, gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us." [00:611:39]

"It may be the will of the spirit, therefore, at times that none of these gifts should be given or are in striking manifestation. It is for him to decide, and we must be very careful as we approach this. There are certainly evidences, many of them in the scriptures, that God, for his own great purposes, at times seems to withhold certain influences from the church and from the individual." [00:648:80]

"Whenever you do get a true revival like that, you always get a manifestation of some of these gifts. Sometimes some and sometimes other. One gift that is given always at such a time in an exceptional way to certain people is this gift of preaching and of teaching, unusual manifestation of that particular gift. But you'll often find also that at such a time, the gift of discerning of spirits is given." [01:216:72]

"Discerning one's spiritual gift involves both personal awareness and confirmation from the church community. As we submit to God and seek to serve Him, our gifts will become evident, and the church plays a vital role in recognizing and affirming these gifts. The church has been able to do two things: she has been able, on the one hand, to question and to query claims which are made by people as to certain gifts which they think they have." [01:778:91]

"The church is involved in all this, and it is the business of all of us to listen to the church and the voice of the church on these matters. And it was, as I say, on both sides because, thank God, we've had other men who were humble, modest, and perhaps guilty of fearfulness and timidity, who were not aware of their gifts, and the church has often had to show to such men that they possess gifts and has had to open their eyes to it and convince them." [01:997:76]

"Some of the greatest preachers the church has ever known have trembled at the thought of preaching, have done their utmost not to, almost had to be pushed into the pulpit. You can read their biographies. That was, in a sense and in a measure, true of the great George Whitfield, and it has been true of many others. The church, in those cases, you see, has to do the exact opposite and to show in that he's been given this gift and that it is his business and his duty to put it into exercise and into operation." [02:033:76]

"Now, here you see is a great help, therefore, to aid us in this matter of discovering what our particular gift is. Not only will you find that it's manifesting itself, but the church will be able to help you. People sometimes think they've got a gift, but the church doesn't always agree, and it's important, as we've already seen, that the man who claims the gift should be ready to listen to the church." [02:053:96]

Chatbot

  • I'm an AI bot trained specifically on the sermon from May 24, 2017. Do you have any questions about it?

Transcript
What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?
Were there any personal stories shared?