Spiritual Gifts
Part 1
Everyone has a job to do.
Old Testament Lesson: Numbers 11:16, 24-29
The situation: Israel complained against Moses, and Moses told God, "I can't take care of all these people!"
The situation: Israel complained against Moses, and Moses told God, "I can't take care of all these people!"
16 The Lord told MOSES, "Bring me seventy leaders of ISRAEL, good men that you know, and bring them into the meeting tent to stand there with you."
24 MOSES went out of the meeting tent and told the words of the Lord to the people. MOSES chose the seventy leaders and they entered the tent.
25 Then the Lord came-down in the cloud and spoke to MOSES. The Lord took some of the Holy Spirit in MOSES, and the Lord gave that Spirit to the seventy leaders. After the Spirit touched the seventy leaders, then they began preaching and teaching the people.
26 Two of the leaders, named ELDAD and MEDAD, stayed with the people and didn't enter the meeting tent. The Spirit also touched them and they began preaching and teaching.
27 A few young men ran and told MOSES the things ELDAD and MEDAD were-doing.
28 Then JOSHUA, the son of NUN, MOSES' helper, said to MOSES, "Please make them stop!"
29 MOSES answered, "Are you worried for me? I wish that the Lord would touch HIS Spirit to all HIS people and make all HIS people preach and teach!"
Epistle Lesson: 1 Corinthians 12:1, 27-31
Now, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand about spiritual gifts...
Together you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of His body.
God chose different people in the church to do HIS work.
The first people are APOSTLES, people God sent to tell His word.
2nd: prophets, people that announce messages from God.
3rd: teachers.
4th: people doing miracles.
5th: people that have God's gift for healing sick people.
6th: serving helpers.
7th: managers.
8th: people able to speak various languages.
Are all Christian people APOSTLES? No.
Can all become prophets? No.
Call all Christians teach? No.
Can all do miracles?
Can all heal sick people?
Can all talk different languages?
Can all interpret languages? No!
Each one has a different gift from the Holy Spirit.
But you should desire God's best gifts. And His best gift is what? Love.
Gospel Lesson: Luke 10:1-12, 16-20
1 After that the Lord chose seventy-two other men and sent the men out, two men together, to go to every town and place that Jesus planned to visit.
2 Jesus said, "There is much work to do, but only a few workers. Now pray to the Lord to help send workers out to the world.
3 Go now. I am-sending you same-as a lamb among wolves.
4 Don't bring any money or food or shoes, and don't stop to speak to anyone.
5 When you enter a house, first say, 'Let peace be in this house.'
6 If a man of peace lives there, your peace will stay with him; but if not, you will know that quickly.
7 Stay in that house and eat and drink the things they give you, because the worker earns his pay. Don't go from house to another house.
8 When you go into a town and people welcome you, eat the things they serve.
9 Heal the sick people, and tell the people 'God's kingdom is near to you.'
10 But when you go into a town and the people don't welcome you, then go to the streets of that city and say,
11 'The dirt from your town on our feet we wipe-off against you. But remember that the kingdom of God is coming soon.'
12 I tell you, on the judgment day will happen worse for the people of that town, than for the people of the city named SODOM.
16 Anyone listening to you, also listens to ME, and anyone refusing to listen to you, also they refuse to listen to ME, and anyone refusing to listen to ME, also refuses to listen to God the Father; HE sent ME.
17 When the seventy-two came back, they were very happy and said, "Lord, the demons obeyed us when we used your name!"
18 Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.
19 Listen, I have given you power to walk on snakes and scorpions, power that is greater than the enemy has. So nothing will hurt you.
20 But you should not be happy because the spirits obey you but because your names are written in heaven."
Remember what "spiritual gifts" means:
Spiritual gifts are skills
for doing jobs
that God gives,
for us doing His work,
with His power and skill,
that He leads us,
for serving in Christ's Body, the Church
while Christ does His work on earth
through us.
Also we learned that God gives EVERY Christian spiritual gifts.
So the really big question is: What is your spiritual gift?
The Bible names many different kinds of skills that the Holy Spirit gives for His service....
Spiritual gifts are skills
for doing jobs
that God gives,
for us doing His work,
with His power and skill,
that He leads us,
for serving in Christ's Body, the Church
while Christ does His work on earth
through us.
Also we learned that God gives EVERY Christian spiritual gifts.
So the really big question is: What is your spiritual gift?
The Bible names many different kinds of skills that the Holy Spirit gives for His service....
|
Proclamation Gifts
Apostle Prophet Evangelist Pastor Teacher Exhortation Wisdom Knowledge Discernment Tongues Interpretation |
Service Gifts
Administration Service (helping) Mercy Giving Miracles Healing Hospitality Craftsmanship Faith |
If we look through the Bible verses that explain about spiritual gifts, we find 20 different gifts, 20 different skills that God gives to His people.
The Bible names most of them in
1st Corinthians chapter 12
Romans chapter 12
and Ephesians chapter 4
That is not a full list. We can add many more.
Example...
Some Christians have skills for art
that God uses for blessing other people.
Some Christians have a cheerful expression
that inspires and helps other people.
God gives some hearing Christians skills for music.
...and many more.
We can divide the gifts from the Holy Spirit into two groups:
The first group is "Proclamation" [announcing] gifts.
Maybe a better name for that group is
"communication gifts."
We use those gifts for telling people God's message.
The second group is serving.
If you can't communicate well,
you still can do things for helping people.
Notice number 19 on our list -- skills for doing crafts.
Yes, that is a gift from the Holy Spirit.
We will study that interesting Old Testament story later.
Today we will focus on the first three gifts.
Gift #1. Apostle
What does word mean?
What is an Apostle?
[Invite answers from the congregation.]
That really is a Greek word that means
a person that someone sends.
So, who sends the Apostles in the Bible?
Yes... Jesus.
In the Bible, who are "Apostles?"
That title can mean two different things.
Most times, when the Bible discusses Apostles, that means:
those people that Jesus chose
for representing Him during His time on earth,
and for becoming eye-witnesses
about His death and resurrection.
His 12 Disciples. And Paul.
Also it is interesting that Paul names
Jesus' half brothers as Apostles.
James became chief pastor in Jerusalem.
Those Apostles are really important,
because they are eye-witnesses for Jesus.
They saw Him. They heard Him.
We follow their authority for all of our church doctrine
and our Christian activities.
Who today has that spiritual gift called "Apostle?"
No one.
Because no one alive today saw
Jesus preach, teach, die, and rise again.
Their spiritual gift is finished.
That is the specific meaning for "Apostle."
But a few times in the Bible, the word has a general meaning:
Missionary.
Jesus Christ sends people to places,
to people who don't know Jesus.
Often missionaries go to places that have
a different language and
a different culture.
The missionary lives with those people, and travels among them,
learning their language, learning their culture,
and then teaching them about Jesus.
But a missionary does not stay and become their pastor.
He trains their leaders, and then he leaves.
One good missionary example is Andrew Foster.
He was a deaf Christian man who went to Africa
to teach deaf people there about Jesus.
But Andrew Foster did not become their pastor.
In every group, Foster chose leaders,
and he taught them how to teach,
how to preach,
how to tell other people about Jesus.
Then he left to do the same in another place.
Often Foster came back to visit
and encourage those new Christians,
the same as Paul often did.
Those Bible verses that names various spiritual gifts --
which kind of "apostle" do they mean?
Clearly, they mean the first one --
eye witnesses for Jesus and His resurrection,
because they name Apostle first.
But we understand that missionary work
also is a gift from the Holy Spirit.
What does word mean?
What is an Apostle?
[Invite answers from the congregation.]
That really is a Greek word that means
a person that someone sends.
So, who sends the Apostles in the Bible?
Yes... Jesus.
In the Bible, who are "Apostles?"
That title can mean two different things.
Most times, when the Bible discusses Apostles, that means:
those people that Jesus chose
for representing Him during His time on earth,
and for becoming eye-witnesses
about His death and resurrection.
His 12 Disciples. And Paul.
Also it is interesting that Paul names
Jesus' half brothers as Apostles.
James became chief pastor in Jerusalem.
Those Apostles are really important,
because they are eye-witnesses for Jesus.
They saw Him. They heard Him.
We follow their authority for all of our church doctrine
and our Christian activities.
Who today has that spiritual gift called "Apostle?"
No one.
Because no one alive today saw
Jesus preach, teach, die, and rise again.
Their spiritual gift is finished.
That is the specific meaning for "Apostle."
But a few times in the Bible, the word has a general meaning:
Missionary.
Jesus Christ sends people to places,
to people who don't know Jesus.
Often missionaries go to places that have
a different language and
a different culture.
The missionary lives with those people, and travels among them,
learning their language, learning their culture,
and then teaching them about Jesus.
But a missionary does not stay and become their pastor.
He trains their leaders, and then he leaves.
One good missionary example is Andrew Foster.
He was a deaf Christian man who went to Africa
to teach deaf people there about Jesus.
But Andrew Foster did not become their pastor.
In every group, Foster chose leaders,
and he taught them how to teach,
how to preach,
how to tell other people about Jesus.
Then he left to do the same in another place.
Often Foster came back to visit
and encourage those new Christians,
the same as Paul often did.
Those Bible verses that names various spiritual gifts --
which kind of "apostle" do they mean?
Clearly, they mean the first one --
eye witnesses for Jesus and His resurrection,
because they name Apostle first.
But we understand that missionary work
also is a gift from the Holy Spirit.
Gift #2. Prophet
What does that word mean?
What does a prophet do?
[invite answers from the congregation]
Prophets in the Bible did three things:
First, they announcing to the community
and to community leaders
specific messages that God told the prophet.
We see that when we read prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah.
"The Word [message] of the Lord came to Isaiah.."
and that message the prophet told the people.
Often during Old Testament times,
God spoke directly to the prophets.
Today, God speaks to us how?
The Bible.
The Bible is God's love letter to us,
better than email.
better than Facebook.
Imagine that you and your sweetheart
are separated for a long time.
The two of you send each other letters (or emails),
but you never read the letters and emails from your sweetheart.
What does that show about your love? ... not good.
So why don't we read God's love letter to us?
Why do we depend on the pastor to read God's letter for us?
No. God wrote His Letter to you.
That's how He communicates with us now.
Sometimes we see people say, "God told me..."
Really? We must ask, "Does your message from God
fully agree with the Bible?"
If not, that means your message came from a different spirit,
not the Holy Spirit."
Prophets today still preach God's message...
that God already communicated in the Bible.
So we can sign the word "prophet" as "preacher,"
because they both do the same thing --
announce God's message.
The second thing a prophet does is warn,
and challenge the community
and community leaders
about wrong things that they do
or wrong things that they permit.
The prophet encourages them to stop, and change.
We see that the Old Testament prophets did that --
warning leaders about abusing poor people.
warning people about worshiping idols.
begging them to stop and change.
Preachers today should still be doing the same.
Often in the Old Testament,
that warning message told about future happenings.
If people don't change, God will punish them.
We call that LAW.
Prophets also promised future blessings.
We call that GOSPEL.
For example...
The prophet Isaiah
has many predictions about Jesus,
His birth
His suffering and death
His resurrection
all 700 years BEFORE Jesus' birth.
That's the third job prophets had --
telling about future happenings
as God showed them.
Can preachers today do the same?
Yes, because the Bible has many future promises --
Christ will come again.
What does that word mean?
What does a prophet do?
[invite answers from the congregation]
Prophets in the Bible did three things:
First, they announcing to the community
and to community leaders
specific messages that God told the prophet.
We see that when we read prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah.
"The Word [message] of the Lord came to Isaiah.."
and that message the prophet told the people.
Often during Old Testament times,
God spoke directly to the prophets.
Today, God speaks to us how?
The Bible.
The Bible is God's love letter to us,
better than email.
better than Facebook.
Imagine that you and your sweetheart
are separated for a long time.
The two of you send each other letters (or emails),
but you never read the letters and emails from your sweetheart.
What does that show about your love? ... not good.
So why don't we read God's love letter to us?
Why do we depend on the pastor to read God's letter for us?
No. God wrote His Letter to you.
That's how He communicates with us now.
Sometimes we see people say, "God told me..."
Really? We must ask, "Does your message from God
fully agree with the Bible?"
If not, that means your message came from a different spirit,
not the Holy Spirit."
Prophets today still preach God's message...
that God already communicated in the Bible.
So we can sign the word "prophet" as "preacher,"
because they both do the same thing --
announce God's message.
The second thing a prophet does is warn,
and challenge the community
and community leaders
about wrong things that they do
or wrong things that they permit.
The prophet encourages them to stop, and change.
We see that the Old Testament prophets did that --
warning leaders about abusing poor people.
warning people about worshiping idols.
begging them to stop and change.
Preachers today should still be doing the same.
Often in the Old Testament,
that warning message told about future happenings.
If people don't change, God will punish them.
We call that LAW.
Prophets also promised future blessings.
We call that GOSPEL.
For example...
The prophet Isaiah
has many predictions about Jesus,
His birth
His suffering and death
His resurrection
all 700 years BEFORE Jesus' birth.
That's the third job prophets had --
telling about future happenings
as God showed them.
Can preachers today do the same?
Yes, because the Bible has many future promises --
Christ will come again.
Gift #3. Evangelist
What does that mean?
[invite answers from the congregation]
In our culture today,
"evangelist" means a traveling preacher
that speaks emotionally to public meetings
trying to convert people to Christ.
But that is not the Bible's picture for an evangelist.
That word EV-ANGEL-IST is a Greek word:
EV = good
ANGEL = messenger
That is really is an army word.
Long ago, armies didn't have radios, cell phones, text-pagers.
When they wanted to send a message,
a person must run and carry that message.
The most famous army runner was a man named PHEIDIPPIDES.
In one day he ran 240 miles
trying to get help for his small Greek army.
Help didn't come.
But no matter -- his small army won.
So Pheidippides ran again
26 miles from the battle field named MARATHON
to his home city name ATHENS.
And he announced, "We won!"
and then he died.
The evangelist tells Good News.
Jesus Christ did war against the devil and won!
God forgives all of our sins and He opens heaven for us.
That is wonderful news!
The Holy Spirit's gift to an evangelist
is a special skill for introducing people to Jesus Christ,
-- talking with individual people,
asking them questions,
and showing them the Bible's answers,
-- or preaching to groups of people who don't yet believe,
-- or writing the story about Jesus,
as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John did.
Not everyone has that special gift from the Holy Spirit
for becoming an evangelist.
But every Christian is a witness for Christ.
We show the world who Jesus is
in our actions,
in our attitudes,
in our words,
in our service,
that show His love.
Most people -- the only way they will see Jesus is how?
They see Jesus in us.
You know that in the law court,
they have two kinds of witnesses:
(1) Expert witnesses.
(2) Eye-witnesses.
Expert witnesses are professional people that have special skills.
Eye-witnesses don't have special skills.
They only tell what they saw.
In a law court, which is most important?
Expert witnesses?
or Eye-witnesses?
Yes: (2) Eye-witnesses.
We all can tell what Jesus did for us.
What does that mean?
[invite answers from the congregation]
In our culture today,
"evangelist" means a traveling preacher
that speaks emotionally to public meetings
trying to convert people to Christ.
But that is not the Bible's picture for an evangelist.
That word EV-ANGEL-IST is a Greek word:
EV = good
ANGEL = messenger
That is really is an army word.
Long ago, armies didn't have radios, cell phones, text-pagers.
When they wanted to send a message,
a person must run and carry that message.
The most famous army runner was a man named PHEIDIPPIDES.
In one day he ran 240 miles
trying to get help for his small Greek army.
Help didn't come.
But no matter -- his small army won.
So Pheidippides ran again
26 miles from the battle field named MARATHON
to his home city name ATHENS.
And he announced, "We won!"
and then he died.
The evangelist tells Good News.
Jesus Christ did war against the devil and won!
God forgives all of our sins and He opens heaven for us.
That is wonderful news!
The Holy Spirit's gift to an evangelist
is a special skill for introducing people to Jesus Christ,
-- talking with individual people,
asking them questions,
and showing them the Bible's answers,
-- or preaching to groups of people who don't yet believe,
-- or writing the story about Jesus,
as Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John did.
Not everyone has that special gift from the Holy Spirit
for becoming an evangelist.
But every Christian is a witness for Christ.
We show the world who Jesus is
in our actions,
in our attitudes,
in our words,
in our service,
that show His love.
Most people -- the only way they will see Jesus is how?
They see Jesus in us.
You know that in the law court,
they have two kinds of witnesses:
(1) Expert witnesses.
(2) Eye-witnesses.
Expert witnesses are professional people that have special skills.
Eye-witnesses don't have special skills.
They only tell what they saw.
In a law court, which is most important?
Expert witnesses?
or Eye-witnesses?
Yes: (2) Eye-witnesses.
We all can tell what Jesus did for us.
Watch the story about Pheidipides here: