The Holy Spirit - Spiritual Gifts

Sunday Evening Bible Study

December 26, 1999

Introduction

We’re going to take our series on the Holy Spirit now and turn to look at the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Speaking of gifts …

Illustration

Twas the day after Christmas

Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house,

Every creature was hurtin' even the mouse.

The toys were all broken, their batteries dead;

Santa passed out, with some ice on his head.

Wrapping and ribbons just covered the floor, while

Upstairs the family continued to snore.

And I in my T-shirt, new Reeboks and jeans,

I went into the kitchen and started to clean.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the sink to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

tore open the curtains, and threw up the sash.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a little white truck, with an oversized mirror.

The driver was smiling, so lively and grand;

The patch on his jacket said "U.S. POSTMAN."

With a handful of bills, he grinned like a fox

Then quickly he stuffed them into our mailbox.

Bill after bill, after bill, they still came.

Whistling and shouting he called them by name:

"Now Dillard's, now Broadway's, now Penny's and Sears

Here's Robinson's, Levitz's and Target's and Mervyn's.

To the top of your limit, every store, every mall,

Now chargeaway--chargeaway--chargeaway all!"

He whooped and he whistled as he finished his work.

He filled up the box, and then turned with a jerk.

He sprang to his truck and he drove down the road,

Driving much faster with just half a load.

Then I heard him exclaim with great holiday cheer,

"ENJOY WHAT YOU GOT........

YOU'LL BE PAYING ALL YEAR!"

I’m glad that God’s gifts are free. They don’t affect your charge account at all!

:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

spiritual gifts – pneumatikos – pertaining to the wind or breath; windy, exposed to the wind, blowing; "relating to the spirit", whether the human spirit or the Holy Spirit.

ignorant – agnoeo – to be ignorant, not to know; not to understand, unknown

The Corinthian church knew of the gifts of the Spirit by experience.

(1 Cor 1:4-7 KJV) I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; {5} That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; {6} Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: {7} So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Yet despite their "giftedness" in spiritual things, they were also known as a "carnal" church:

(1 Cor 3:1-3 KJV) And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. {2} I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. {3} For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

Lesson:

Spiritual gifts don’t make a person more "spiritual".

Those that learn to operate the gifts of the spirit can sometimes come across as if they’ve achieved a "higher level" of spiritual maturity.

Not necessarily so.

Here in Corinth, the most spiritually gifted church was also the most carnal church.

What the Corinthian church lacked was maturity in handling the gifts. Paul is aiming at addressing some of their ignorance concerning spiritual gifts.

There would be three basic areas that Paul would be addressing about their lack in the gifts –

1) Lack of appreciation of their differences.

The Corinthians had a hard time understanding that each person was different with different gifts and different ways that those gifts were to be operated. They had fallen into the trap of thinking that everybody needed to be the same and act the same. This is the focus of 1Corinthians 12.

(1 Cor 12:17 KJV) If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

2) Lack of love.

Paul addresses this in 1Corinthians 13.

(1 Cor 13:1-3 KJV) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. {2} And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. {3} And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

3) Lack of order

It appears that when the Corinthians came together, there was general chaos in the church. Sometimes everyone spoke in tongues at the same time. Sometimes there were people trying to monopolize the service and not giving others a chance to speak. There was confusion.

This will be Paul’s focus in 1Corinthians 14.

(1 Cor 14:40 KJV) Let all things be done decently and in order.

:2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

dumb – aphonos – voiceless, dumb; without faculty of speech.

Before coming to the Lord, the Corinthians were a bunch of pagans. The people would offer up sacrifices and prayers to these idols, but they could never talk back.

In contrast, God is not silent when we talk to Him. These idols can’t compare with our Awesome God:

(Isa 40:18-22 KJV) To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto him? {19} The workman melteth a graven image, and the goldsmith spreadeth it over with gold, and casteth silver chains. {20} He that is so impoverished that he hath no oblation chooseth a tree that will not rot; he seeketh unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. {21} Have ye not known? have ye not heard? hath it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? {22} It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:

:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

Two things are being said:

1. A person operating under the ministry of the Holy Spirit, won’t be saying things like "Jesus is accursed".

For example, a person standing up and giving a prophesy.

A fear some folks have of speaking in tongues is that they might somehow be cursing Jesus without knowing it.

Not if they're in the Holy Spirit they aren't.

2. A person who is under some kind of spiritual influence and says that "Jesus is Lord", has to be under the influence of the Holy Spirit.

After all, that's one of the main works of the Holy Spirit, to testify of Jesus.

(John 15:26 KJV) But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

diversities – diairesis – division, distribution; distinction, difference; in particular, a distinction arising from a different distribution to different persons

gifts – charisma – a favour with which one receives without any merit of his own; the gift of divine grace; grace or gifts denoting extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating on their souls by the Holy Spirit

Whereas the word "gift" really isn’t in the first verse, it is here. Spiritual gifts are "workings of grace". They are gifts from the Spirit.

The point is that the Holy Spirit gives different gifts to different people. He distributes the gifts differently.

:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

differences – diairesis – division, distribution; distinction, difference; in particular, a distinction arising from a different distribution to different persons

administrations – diakonia – service, ministering, esp. of those who execute the commands of others. This is the word that is used of the "deacons".

There are different ministries that will use the same spiritual gift.

One person may use the gift of evangelism with their friends at work, one on one. Another may use the gift of evangelism and go out and witness to strangers on the streets. Another may use the gift of evangelism to preach to crowds. The same gift can be used in different ministries.

:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

diversities – diairesis – division, distribution; distinction, difference; in particular, a distinction arising from a different distribution to different persons

operations – energema – thing wrought; effect operation. NAS uses "effects".

Each gift in a particular ministry may have different results with different people.

One person with a gift of evangelism may go out street witnessing and lead a dozen people to the Lord every time they go out. Another person may go out street witnessing and only lead four or five people to the Lord every time they go out. Both are valid operations or "effects", but they’re just different.

Lesson:

Be careful of comparing yourself with others.

There is only one of you, one person with the exact combination of gifts, ministries, and effects that you have.

If we start comparing ourselves to others, we either become full of pride, or get an inferiority complex

God doesn't want you comparing yourself to others.

All He wants is for you to be faithful with what He's given (or wants to give) to you.

Illustration

How Many Kids?

Four expectant fathers were in a hospital waiting room while their wives were in labor. The nurse arrived and announced to the first man, "Congratulations sir! You’re the father of twins." "What a coincidence!" the man said with some obvious pride. "I work for the Minnesota Twins baseball team." The nurse returned in a little while and turned to the second man, "You, sir, are the father of triplets." "Wow! That’s really an incredible coincidence," he answered. "I work for 3M. My buddies will never let me live this one down." An hour later, while the other two men were passing cigars around, the nurse came back. This time she turned to the third man, who had been very quiet in the corner. She announced that his wife had just given birth to quadruplets. Stunned, he barely could reply. "Don’t tell me, another coincidence?" asked the nurse. After finally regaining his composure, he said, "I don’t believe it. I work for the Four Seasons Hotel." After hearing this, everybody’s attention turned to the fourth guy, who had just fainted, flat out on the floor. The nurse rushed to his side and after some time, he slowly gained consciousness. When he was finally able to speak, you could hear him whispering the same phrase over and over again: "I should have never taken that job at 7-Up. I should have never taken that job at 7-Up. I should have never taken that job at 7-Up..."

Don’t compare yourself with others. It’s only depressing.

:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

NAS - But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

manifestation – phanerosis – manifestation; from phaneroo, to make manifest or visible or known what has been hidden or unknown, to manifest, whether by words, or deeds, or in any other way, phaneroo comes from phaino which means "to bring forth into the light", cause to shine, shed light. I once heard someone describing this as the "dancing hand of God", but I’m not sure that idea is in this word. The idea is that the work of the Holy Spirit isn’t always so visible, but when a gift of the Spirit is working, it becomes a little more obvious that God is at work.

profit withal – sumphero – to bear or bring together; to bear together or at the same time; to collect or contribute in order to help; to help, be profitable, be expedient

Here's the whole purpose of spiritual gifts.

We are not given spiritual gifts so we...

might experience a cheap thrill, a warm flush, a tingling up and down your spine...

can have an opportunity to draw attention to ourselves, to have an audience, or to have people think we're really great.

can set up a tent ,start taking offerings, become rich, and set up a television ministry...

We are given spiritual gifts so that we might build up other people, so the Body of Christ might become stronger, so people might be reached for Jesus Christ.

We need to keep asking ourselves as we minister in the Holy Spirit, are we doing it for our sake, or for the sake of others?

Chuck –

In verse 7 Paul tells the Corinthians that "the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." God does not give the gifts of the Spirit to us so that we can retreat from others to enjoy the blessings of God. Instead, the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit are to benefit the whole Church. God does not give the gifts to exalt individuals, He gives them to exalt Jesus Christ.

The one exception to this rule about gifts is the gift of tongues. The gift of tongues is given to build up the believer. Paul spoke of the abundant use of tongues in his own prayer life but he said, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself."

Lesson

Come to give.

There are definitely times when we are in a great need of God’s help.

But I think a good, healthy attitude to come to church is, "What am I going to contribute?"

Do you take time to prepare your heart before you come to church?

I think there is great benefit to worship during the service as a way of preparing our hearts for God to work in us and on us.

We see it in the life of Elisha:

(2 Ki 3:15 KJV) But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

Sometimes we feel like we have to "pray ourselves up" for God to use us. And that’s not a bad concept. I think that it is important that we enter ministry to others with prayer.

But what if we were "prayed up" before we came to church?

We often think that certainly the pastor and the worship leader need to be prepared for each church service, but what if you came prepared?

Obviously, not everyone is going to have the opportunity to share something in front of the whole church. But you may have the opportunity before or after the service to share with someone who needs to hear what God is doing in your life.

God wants to use you. Are you ready?