Unity in Outreach: Glorifying God Through Spiritual Gifts
Summary
In our gathering today, we celebrated the incredible outreach efforts in Plano, where many of us came together to share the gospel and invite people to our church. This initiative, led by Mike O'Dine and supported by volunteers, including our Spanish-speaking community, was a testament to the power of unity and purpose in spreading God's word. As we prepare for Easter, I encourage everyone to RSVP for our services to help us manage our resources effectively.
We continued our exploration of 1 Corinthians, focusing on the spiritual gifts discussed by the Apostle Paul. The church in Corinth faced challenges in using these gifts appropriately, and Paul's letter serves as a guide for us today. We categorized spiritual gifts into serving, speaking, and sign gifts, emphasizing that while serving and speaking gifts are still prevalent, the sign gifts, such as healing and tongues, are viewed differently within our church. We hold a cessationist view, believing that while God can perform miracles, the regular practice of sign gifts has ceased.
The core of our discussion was the importance of using spiritual gifts to build up the church. Paul highlights that prophecy, or the proclamation of truth, is preferred over tongues because it edifies the church and convicts unbelievers. Prophecy allows for clear communication of God's word, fostering growth and understanding among believers and leading unbelievers to conviction and worship.
We also discussed the balance between contextualization and being counter-cultural. While we adapt our methods to reach our culture effectively, we must remain distinct in our values and beliefs, standing firm in biblical truth. This balance ensures that our worship and outreach glorify God and not ourselves.
Ultimately, our worship is for God's glory. The Corinthian church struggled with pride, using spiritual gifts to elevate themselves. We are reminded that worship is not about us but about giving glory to God, who created us and redeemed us through Jesus Christ. As we gather, let us focus on exalting God, acknowledging His lordship in our lives, and committing to live for His glory.
Key Takeaways:
1. Unity in Outreach: Our recent outreach in Plano demonstrated the power of unity in sharing the gospel. When we come together with a common purpose, we can achieve remarkable things for God's kingdom. This unity is a reflection of the early church's mission and a reminder of our call to spread the gospel in our communities. [00:45]
2. Understanding Spiritual Gifts: Spiritual gifts are given to build up the church. While serving and speaking gifts are prevalent, the sign gifts are viewed differently. Our church holds a cessationist view, believing that while God can perform miracles, the regular practice of sign gifts has ceased. This understanding helps us focus on using our gifts to edify the church and glorify God. [08:37]
3. Prophecy Over Tongues: Paul emphasizes that prophecy, or the proclamation of truth, is preferred over tongues because it edifies the church and convicts unbelievers. Clear communication of God's word fosters growth and understanding among believers and leads unbelievers to conviction and worship. [14:59]
4. Balancing Contextualization and Counter-Cultural Living: While we adapt our methods to reach our culture effectively, we must remain distinct in our values and beliefs. This balance ensures that our worship and outreach glorify God and not ourselves. We must stand firm in biblical truth while engaging with the world around us. [22:45]
5. Worship for God's Glory: Worship is not about us but about giving glory to God. The Corinthian church struggled with pride, using spiritual gifts to elevate themselves. We are reminded that worship is for God's glory, acknowledging His lordship in our lives, and committing to live for His glory. [32:15]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Outreach in Plano
- [02:30] - Preparing for Easter
- [03:45] - Introduction to 1 Corinthians
- [05:00] - Spiritual Gifts Overview
- [08:37] - Cessationist View on Sign Gifts
- [11:15] - Prophecy vs. Tongues
- [14:59] - Building Up the Church
- [18:30] - Contextualization and Counter-Cultural Living
- [22:45] - Worship for God's Glory
- [26:00] - The Role of Prophecy
- [29:15] - The Importance of Clear Communication
- [32:15] - Conclusion and Call to Worship
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
- 1 Corinthians 14:1-25
- Romans 8:26
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Observation Questions:
1. What were the three categories of spiritual gifts mentioned in the sermon, and how are they defined? [08:37]
2. According to the sermon, why is prophecy preferred over speaking in tongues in the context of building up the church? [14:59]
3. How did the outreach event in Plano demonstrate the power of unity in sharing the gospel? [00:45]
4. What is the church's stance on the continuation of sign gifts, and how does this view affect the use of spiritual gifts today? [08:37]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the preference for prophecy over tongues reflect the importance of clear communication in the church? [14:59]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that spiritual gifts should be used to edify the church rather than elevate individuals? [32:15]
3. How does the balance between contextualization and counter-cultural living help the church remain true to biblical values while engaging with the world? [22:45]
4. What does the sermon imply about the role of worship in acknowledging God's lordship and glory? [32:15]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you participated in a unified effort to share the gospel. How did it impact your faith and the community? [00:45]
2. Identify your spiritual gifts. How can you use them more effectively to build up the church and glorify God? [08:37]
3. How can you ensure that your use of spiritual gifts is focused on edifying others rather than seeking personal recognition? [32:15]
4. In what ways can you adapt your methods of sharing the gospel to better reach your cultural context while maintaining biblical truth? [22:45]
5. Consider a situation where you might have prioritized personal preferences over God's glory in worship. How can you shift your focus back to glorifying God? [32:15]
6. How can you practice clear communication of God's word in your daily interactions to foster growth and understanding among believers and unbelievers? [14:59]
7. Think of a specific area in your life where you struggle to balance being in the world but not of it. What steps can you take to maintain this balance? [22:45]
Devotional
Day 1: Unity in Outreach
In the recent outreach efforts in Plano, the congregation experienced the power of unity in sharing the gospel. This initiative, led by Mike O'Dine and supported by volunteers, including the Spanish-speaking community, demonstrated how coming together with a common purpose can achieve remarkable things for God's kingdom. This unity reflects the mission of the early church and serves as a reminder of the call to spread the gospel in our communities. The outreach was not just about inviting people to church but about embodying the love and message of Christ in a tangible way. [00:45]
"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ." (1 Corinthians 12:12, ESV)
Reflection: Who in your community can you partner with this week to share the love of Christ in a practical way?
Day 2: Understanding Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts are given to build up the church, and understanding their purpose is crucial for effective ministry. The church in Corinth faced challenges in using these gifts appropriately, and Paul's letter serves as a guide for believers today. Spiritual gifts are categorized into serving, speaking, and sign gifts. While serving and speaking gifts are prevalent, the sign gifts, such as healing and tongues, are viewed differently within the church. Holding a cessationist view, the belief is that while God can perform miracles, the regular practice of sign gifts has ceased. This understanding helps focus on using gifts to edify the church and glorify God. [08:37]
"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV)
Reflection: What spiritual gift do you believe God has given you, and how can you use it this week to serve and build up your church community?
Day 3: Prophecy Over Tongues
The Apostle Paul emphasizes that prophecy, or the proclamation of truth, is preferred over tongues because it edifies the church and convicts unbelievers. Prophecy allows for clear communication of God's word, fostering growth and understanding among believers and leading unbelievers to conviction and worship. In a world where communication can often be unclear or misunderstood, the clarity of prophecy is vital for the church's mission. This focus on clear communication ensures that the message of the gospel is accessible and transformative for all who hear it. [14:59]
"But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all." (1 Corinthians 14:24, ESV)
Reflection: How can you practice clear and truthful communication in your interactions today, ensuring that your words reflect the love and truth of the gospel?
Day 4: Balancing Contextualization and Counter-Cultural Living
While adapting methods to reach culture effectively, it is essential to remain distinct in values and beliefs. This balance ensures that worship and outreach glorify God and not ourselves. Engaging with the world around us requires standing firm in biblical truth while being relevant and relatable. This approach allows believers to connect with others without compromising their faith, ensuring that their lives are a testament to God's transformative power. [22:45]
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
Reflection: In what ways can you engage with your community today while maintaining your distinct Christian values and beliefs?
Day 5: Worship for God's Glory
Worship is not about elevating ourselves but about giving glory to God. The Corinthian church struggled with pride, using spiritual gifts to elevate themselves. Believers are reminded that worship is for God's glory, acknowledging His lordship in their lives, and committing to live for His glory. This focus on God's glory ensures that worship remains centered on Him, fostering a community that seeks to honor and exalt God in all aspects of life. [32:15]
"Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." (1 Corinthians 1:31, ESV)
Reflection: How can you intentionally shift your focus from self to God in your worship and daily life today, ensuring that He receives all the glory?
Quotes
"How about that? There we go. Good morning, everybody. And yes, thanks, Ben, for that awkward start to the sermon time, but great worship time together. You know, it was awesome yesterday to go out on the town of Plano with so many of you all and invite people to our church to share the gospel with people, to pray for people. Mike O'Dine, one of our shepherding elders, he led it. And I didn't say this to him, but I was very doubtful that we'd be able to cover the whole town of Plano, every household. And I think we did it in about three or four hours, right? It was amazing. A amount of volunteers that showed up. Our Spanish speakers were there. El Camino from Aurora came and helped us as well. And it was a great day. In the first service, we had a couple different families here because they got the handout yesterday, which was so good." [00:01:47] (52 seconds)
"And now we're ready to go back to our series in 1 Corinthians. We've been in this series in 1 Corinthians, a letter that the Apostle Paul wrote to a church that he started. He was there for 18 months preaching and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. People were being saved. People were coming together and the church was started. And this church needed help. This church had issues. This church had problems. And the Apostle Paul really cared for these people. And so he writes this letter to address the issues in the church, the problems in the church. They needed help. Now, we all need help. We all need help. And so we've been seeking to look at this letter that he wrote in the first century and look at the problems that they faced and the issues that they struggled with." [00:04:27] (46 seconds)
"Now the last third group is what I call sign gifts. Sign gifts. So you got the serving, you got the speaking, then you got the sign gifts. The sign gifts are miraculous gifts. Being able to heal somebody. Speaking in tongues. Speaking in a different language, even though I don't know that language. Or the gift of prophecy as it relates to speaking about the future or what God is going to do in the days to come. And these are the sign gifts. So the question that we all ask and that all Christians ask are, are the sign gifts still operating in the church today?" [00:05:17] (38 seconds)
"We believe that there are gifts of healing. There are gifts of healing. I've seen it in my own life, in my family's life. Somebody has been healed in a miraculous way. By a show of hands, how many people know somebody or yourself or your family who's been miraculously healed by God? Raise your hand. And so there are gifts of healing, but I don't know anybody who has the gift of healing. I don't know anybody like the Apostle Paul who could heal somebody and raise somebody back to life." [00:07:55] (28 seconds)
"Now, we say soft cessationist, meaning cessation of the gifts, stopping of the miraculous gifts. We say soft because we don't think that the scriptures teach that God's hands are tied in terms of what he wants to do in miraculous ways in areas where unevangelized people are receiving the gospel and hearing the gospel for the first time. We don't think the scriptures teach that God is bound by that. So, the normative practice of the church that we believe at Village is that these gifts have ceased, and we have the word of God, and the word of God reveals Jesus Christ the Son. We have everything that we need." [00:09:31] (40 seconds)
"Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray also with my mind. I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say amen to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you're saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person, underline this, is not being built up." [00:13:41] (35 seconds)
"So spiritual gifts are given to the church for a purpose, and when we use them the way that God created them to be used, we experience as the people of God some wins. And I want to give you three wins from this text today as we look at the word together. The first win, win number one, believers are built up. Believers are built up. That's what you underlined. That's what you highlighted in the text over and over again. The point, the purpose of all spiritual gifts is that the believer be built up. See, at Village Bible Church, we proclaim the gospel for people to be saved, absolutely, that they would come and be saved by Jesus Christ. That's our discover disciples. But our second step in our mission is to develop disciples." [00:15:17] (46 seconds)
"We all live in a sinful place. We all live in a difficult world of sin, death, and suffering. And you come to church to be gathered together, to be built up in your faith, to know that life is bigger than the problems that you're going through, that God loves you and cares for you, and he sees right where you're at, to be listening to the word of God and applying it to your life so that you might be built up. This life is difficult. Life is hard. I like to think of the church, especially Sunday morning services, as the place where we all come like at halftime to gather as a team to be encouraged, to hear that we can do it, to hear that we can go out there and we can keep fighting, we can hang in there, and to be built up together on this Sunday, because then you're going to go back out to your neighborhoods and your job and your life." [00:16:51] (47 seconds)
"so believers are built up prophecy is preferred number two win win number two when we use these spiritual gifts the way that god intended is that unbelievers are convicted not confused look at verse 22 thus tongues are assigned not for believers but for unbelievers while prophecy not for unbelievers for believers so he says originally tongues were was the way the means by which god spoke the people's language to them in the gospel so it was for unbelievers remember in acts chapter two the people saw the disciples speaking in tongues and at first they thought they were drunk and uh the disciples were like well it's nine o 'clock in the morning usually people you know they wait till it's five o 'clock somewhere i guess but they weren't drunk they were speaking in tongues and and they were preaching the gospel it was a sign to unbelievers but prophecy preaching the truth is for believers that's what he says" [00:27:25] (65 seconds)
"now how do we do this at village let me give you two um two words well it's actually the second one's two words so it's three words but it's two categories okay here's how we do this here's how we do this for unbelievers the first word is this shot this down contextualization contextualization contextualization as it applies to the the gospel is this adopting the expression and practice of biblical truth adapting sorry adapting the expression and practice of biblical truth to our culture okay it's why we speak english right now i'm speaking english we're adapting we're contextualizing to our culture to speak english that's why we started the third spanish service because we realize that there are people all around us that only speak spanish so we want to contextualize we want to speak the gospel in spanish to reach our culture" [00:29:52] (63 seconds)
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