SERMON NOTES

Diversity In Christ

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

​

Diversity In Christ: Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31

1. Intro

   1. Last Week: We are UNITED IN CHRIST

      1. We have a responsibility to serve

      2. HOLD THE ROPE

      3. Don’t grow complacent

      4. Serve together as you are gifted

   2. This Week: We are all GIFTED to SERVE

      1. Gifted by the God who made us

      2. Different personalities, same purpose

      3. Different gifts, same vision!

   3. What is the purpose of our church: Do the work of ministry

   4. What is the VISION?: Go into our community and our world

   5. Just getting saved and not using your gifts is like going to the circus but just watching the parade.

   6. Definition: Spiritual Gifts:

      1. Illustration: measuring things by heart

         1. Some items in a recipe need to be precise

         2. Other items you can measure by heart!

         3. Chocolate chips in a cookie...heart

         4. Pecans in a cinnamon roll...heart

         5. I’ve cream in a bowl...heart

      2. What Spiritual Gifts ARE:

         1. The word normally translated "gift" in the New Testament is the Greek word charismata. The word means "gifts of grace" and refers to the gifts or special abilities God has given believers through the Holy Spirit. 

         2. Verse 7: To each is given a MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT FOR THE COMMON GOOD.

      3. What Spiritual Gifts ARE NOT:

         1. Not the indwelling OF the Spirit

         2. Not natural human TALENT

         3. Not the FRUIT of the Spirit

         4. Not an office: The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not the same as the various offices mentioned in the New Testament: the office of apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher, elder, and deacon. Those who occupy such offices should possess the spiritual gift that goes with it. Yet a person can have the gift - of prophecy or teaching, for example - without occupying the office of a prophet or teacher.

   7. Scripture concerning Gifts:

      1. Romans 12:6-8 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

      2. Ephesians 4:11-12 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

      3. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11

      4. 1 Corinthians 12:28

   8. Categories:

      1. Ministering Gifts: The gifts of an apostle, evangelist, pastor, teacher, exhorter, and discerner of spirits; the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. 

      2. Serving Gifts: The gifts of ministering, giving, ruling, showing mercy, and displaying faith. 

      3. Sign Gifts: The gifts of prophecy, healing, miracles, tongues, and interpreting tongues.

2. Text

   1. 1 Corinthians 12:1: It’s time to get informed

   2. 1 Corinthians 12:2-3: What you were, and what you are, should be very different.

   3. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6: the heart of the matter

   4. 1 Corinthians 12:7-10: examples

   5. 1 Corinthians 12:11: gifted individually as HE wills

   6. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31: variety in the body

3. Points

   1. Diversity

      1. Different Gifts for the full scope of ministry

      2. Different people, different perspectives, different experiences, differences!

      3. My best example from nature: a Honey Bee Colony

         1. Queens, Drones, Workers make up the colony

         2. Queen cannot function without workers, and cannot reproduce workers without drones

         3. Drones do no work, they serve one purpose, and then they die

         4. Workers: lots of different jobs, but without a queen they are lost and will die, without drones they cannot exist.

         5. A colony is called a macro-organism, a group of different entities that are dependent on one another. 

   2. Deduction:

      1. I cannot assume everyone should serve like me.

      2. I cannot impose my conviction our responsibility on another believer…its mine, theirs is theirs.

      3. I cannot assume all the responsibility for the success of Christianity/Church

      4. I can deduce that many are called to serve in their different roles making up a beautiful team: The Body

      5. I can deduce that I have a role to serve, and if that is true, the effectiveness of the BODY is dependent upon me serving as I’m gifted.

      6. Using the powers of deductive reasoning and logic…

         1. You are gifted (by the HOLY SPIRIT)

         2. You are important (Because GOD LIVES IN YOU)

         3. You are just one person (but meant to serve in community with many)

   3. Deity:

      1. GOD DOES THE GIFTING FOR HIS PURPOSES

      2. Truth:

         1. God has gifted you to serve

         2. God will equip you to serve

         3. God can adapt and modify your gift as he sees fit.

         4. A spiritual gift is a supernatural ability given by God to the believer for the purpose of serving.

         5. A spiritual gift may be a God-given talent that is directed by the Holy Spirit. It is not a mere human talent.

         6. The Bible lists about twenty spiritual gifts but there may be many more. Every believer has a spiritual gift.

      3. We are here to serve the purposes of God

      4. We have been chosen for a beautiful task!

4. Close