WEBVTT 00:00:03.020 --> 00:00:05.179 It's good to be back again with you here at Grace 00:00:05.179 --> 00:00:07.700 Church. We have missed you the last two weeks. 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:10.660 Thank you for praying for us. You were involved 00:00:10.660 --> 00:00:14.320 in opportunities of ministry, which God seemed 00:00:14.320 --> 00:00:17.140 to bless. But it's always good to get back with 00:00:17.140 --> 00:00:21.179 you. We feel comfortable here, and we love you. 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:28.359 And so this is where we want to be. We were in 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:33.630 Kansas for a few days of... I was going to say 00:00:33.630 --> 00:00:35.409 rest, but I think that would characterize it 00:00:35.409 --> 00:00:38.409 improperly. At least it was a relaxing time. 00:00:38.990 --> 00:00:41.369 And I understand that you were told how hot it 00:00:41.369 --> 00:00:43.530 was, and that was not exaggerated. It was very 00:00:43.530 --> 00:00:46.009 warm, although I think it was pretty warm here, 00:00:46.070 --> 00:00:49.250 too, as I was able to listen to the weather reports. 00:00:50.070 --> 00:00:52.829 So I guess I can't complain too much to you and 00:00:52.829 --> 00:00:57.179 get very much sympathy, so I'll just go on. Today 00:00:57.179 --> 00:00:59.840 we're going to continue our series regarding 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:02.799 the Church and what it's all about, and do that 00:01:02.799 --> 00:01:05.840 by looking again at this metaphor of the Church, 00:01:05.980 --> 00:01:10.280 the body. Today we're going to talk about the 00:01:10.280 --> 00:01:17.060 Church, a gifted body. I suppose most of us have 00:01:17.060 --> 00:01:22.780 heard or read about the man that was called the 00:01:22.780 --> 00:01:26.730 Elephant Man. who was afflicted with a disease 00:01:26.730 --> 00:01:32.489 which caused his body to be fashioned in a horrifying 00:01:32.489 --> 00:01:37.189 way. Several years ago, when we were living in 00:01:37.189 --> 00:01:44.049 Texas, I was in a drugstore one day when two 00:01:44.049 --> 00:01:47.209 ladies brought a little child in that was afflicted 00:01:47.209 --> 00:01:51.870 with that disease. I guess I admired them for 00:01:51.870 --> 00:01:54.920 their... courage and being willing to take her 00:01:54.920 --> 00:01:59.799 out into public. But I would not go into detail 00:01:59.799 --> 00:02:03.659 expressing to you the shock of seeing that child, 00:02:03.879 --> 00:02:09.039 for in addition to what was obviously severe 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:17.219 mental retardation, her body was formed in the 00:02:17.219 --> 00:02:23.099 most grotesque way. It broke my heart to see 00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:27.639 her because that wasn't what God had planned 00:02:27.639 --> 00:02:30.479 for a human body to be like. Those kinds of things 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:34.039 are present in the world because of the effects 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:40.060 of the sin of mankind. And to see her that way, 00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:45.219 it was not easy. I'm sure it wasn't easy for 00:02:45.219 --> 00:02:48.020 the two ladies with her. I'm sure it's not easy 00:02:48.020 --> 00:02:52.169 for that little girl. Sometimes I've wondered 00:02:52.169 --> 00:02:59.629 if a church could be somehow represented by a 00:02:59.629 --> 00:03:05.189 body, just what that body would look like. You 00:03:05.189 --> 00:03:08.689 understand what I'm saying? The Lord says that 00:03:08.689 --> 00:03:11.930 we are a body spiritually. We are an organism. 00:03:12.590 --> 00:03:17.229 And I just wonder what a body would look like 00:03:17.229 --> 00:03:22.240 which represented what we are. I wonder if we 00:03:22.240 --> 00:03:26.400 would be that well -developed athlete that is 00:03:26.400 --> 00:03:29.280 described in Ephesians chapter 4 as the mature 00:03:29.280 --> 00:03:33.319 man, or if there might be something more horrifying 00:03:33.319 --> 00:03:37.099 or grotesque that would represent what we are 00:03:37.099 --> 00:03:43.740 as a church. A healthy body's members are given 00:03:43.740 --> 00:03:46.960 the capacity to accomplish certain functions. 00:03:48.620 --> 00:03:52.780 Otherwise, the person is handicapped. In a healthy 00:03:52.780 --> 00:03:57.000 body, organs work with other organs, limbs interact, 00:03:57.460 --> 00:04:01.819 the brain coordinates the members, and it produces 00:04:01.819 --> 00:04:05.360 a marvel of unity out of all of this diversity 00:04:05.360 --> 00:04:09.599 in our bodies. And the same thing is true in 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:13.080 the church. The body of Christ is very similar 00:04:13.080 --> 00:04:17.259 to that. The purpose of the body, the church, 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:21.639 is that the life of Jesus Christ might be fully 00:04:21.639 --> 00:04:24.980 revealed to the world, showing what he is like, 00:04:25.139 --> 00:04:30.699 telling the truth about him. And God has designed 00:04:30.699 --> 00:04:36.560 the members of his body to interrelate, each 00:04:36.560 --> 00:04:39.959 having a ministry that results in the total body 00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:47.319 being built up and healthy and reproduced. Each 00:04:47.319 --> 00:04:53.959 of us realizing and acting upon this vital truth 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:59.579 will make our church what it ought to be. In 00:04:59.579 --> 00:05:01.839 a brief paragraph, John MacArthur has written, 00:05:02.019 --> 00:05:05.199 If the body is to be healthy and mature and thus 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:07.980 have a single dynamic testimony to the world, 00:05:08.139 --> 00:05:13.279 every believer must actively and intensely involve 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:18.339 himself in the function God has given him. His 00:05:18.339 --> 00:05:21.800 services and ministry make the body healthy because 00:05:21.800 --> 00:05:24.939 he carries strength to the other vital parts. 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:31.959 His failure to serve makes the body sick. To 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:34.720 function properly, we must understand something 00:05:34.720 --> 00:05:38.300 of the spiritual gifts which God has given us, 00:05:38.339 --> 00:05:42.740 thus the message this morning on the gifted body. 00:05:43.920 --> 00:05:46.379 There are three terms in the text that we're 00:05:46.379 --> 00:05:50.800 going to read in a moment which represent spiritual 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:54.800 gifts to us. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:59.180 12 as we read verses 1 through 11. I want you 00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:02.639 to notice verse 1, verse 4, and then verse 7. 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:06.120 For in each of these verses there is a word or 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:11.879 phrase which represents spiritual gifts. 1 Corinthians 00:06:11.879 --> 00:06:14.439 chapter 12, beginning in verse 1. Now concerning 00:06:14.439 --> 00:06:19.899 spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you 00:06:19.899 --> 00:06:24.019 to be unaware. You know that when you were pagans, 00:06:24.019 --> 00:06:27.819 you were led astray to the dumb idols, however 00:06:27.819 --> 00:06:31.300 you were led. Therefore I make known to you that 00:06:31.300 --> 00:06:35.019 no one speaking by the Spirit of God says Jesus 00:06:35.019 --> 00:06:39.540 is accursed. And no one can say Jesus is Lord. 00:06:40.199 --> 00:06:43.519 except by the Holy Spirit. Now apparently both 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:45.779 of those statements were being made in the worship 00:06:45.779 --> 00:06:50.120 services of the church. Their services had been 00:06:50.120 --> 00:06:53.920 infected by a carryover from the religion that 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:58.120 they were used to in their paganism. And it involved 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:03.899 a very emotional kind of release in which they 00:07:03.899 --> 00:07:08.100 would lose control of themselves, really. And 00:07:08.100 --> 00:07:10.920 at least in their paganism, they were wide open 00:07:10.920 --> 00:07:15.759 for demonic possession or demonization, a better 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:20.120 word. And apparently some of the people in the 00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:24.100 church now who professed to be saved were experiencing 00:07:24.100 --> 00:07:27.079 something like that which they had experienced 00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:30.199 before. It was a holdover, you see, from their 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:33.079 mystery religion that they had been involved 00:07:33.079 --> 00:07:39.689 in. And in their... orgy of emotions being expressed, 00:07:40.170 --> 00:07:43.230 they would make all kinds of statements, including 00:07:43.230 --> 00:07:48.550 one like, Jesus is cursed. And other people hearing 00:07:48.550 --> 00:07:50.329 that would say, well, you know, that doesn't 00:07:50.329 --> 00:07:53.110 sound right, but after all, they're having this 00:07:53.110 --> 00:07:55.930 experience, and therefore we have to accept what 00:07:55.930 --> 00:07:59.810 they say as being genuinely of God. But Paul 00:07:59.810 --> 00:08:03.329 writes to clarify that no one can say Jesus is 00:08:03.329 --> 00:08:07.279 cursed. By the Holy Spirit. He doesn't lead anyone 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:10.939 to say that. Because Jesus is not anathema. He 00:08:10.939 --> 00:08:15.720 is not cursed. He is God. And so he says, likewise, 00:08:15.800 --> 00:08:19.040 no one can truly, genuinely say from his heart, 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:23.759 Jesus is Lord. He is deity. Except the Spirit 00:08:23.759 --> 00:08:28.459 of God leads him to that understanding. Now he 00:08:28.459 --> 00:08:31.720 says in verse 4, there are varieties of gifts, 00:08:31.779 --> 00:08:36.460 but the same Spirit. And there are varieties 00:08:36.460 --> 00:08:40.559 of ministries, and the same Lord. And there are 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:44.039 varieties of effects, but the same God who works 00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:48.919 all things in all persons. But to each one is 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:51.419 given the manifestation of the Spirit for the 00:08:51.419 --> 00:08:54.159 common good. For to the one is given the word 00:08:54.159 --> 00:08:56.700 of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another 00:08:56.700 --> 00:08:59.340 the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit. 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:02.620 To another faith by the same Spirit, to another 00:09:02.620 --> 00:09:06.470 gifts of healing. by the one Spirit, and to another 00:09:06.470 --> 00:09:08.990 the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, 00:09:09.350 --> 00:09:11.850 and to another the distinguishing of spirits, 00:09:12.149 --> 00:09:15.669 to another various kinds of tongues, and to another 00:09:15.669 --> 00:09:19.309 the interpretation of tongues. But one and the 00:09:19.309 --> 00:09:22.889 same Spirit works all these things, distributing 00:09:22.889 --> 00:09:27.370 to each one individually just as he wills. Notice 00:09:27.370 --> 00:09:30.710 in verse 1 the word which is translated in the 00:09:30.710 --> 00:09:35.340 NASV, spiritual gifts. Gifts being in italics. 00:09:35.340 --> 00:09:37.440 I think it represents correctly what is said 00:09:37.440 --> 00:09:39.080 there, but literally it says, now concerning 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:43.399 the spirituals. And the idea seems to be that 00:09:43.399 --> 00:09:46.559 Paul is saying now about that which relates to 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:50.100 the realm of the spirit. And after all, that 00:09:50.100 --> 00:09:52.799 is where the gifts operate. Not in the natural 00:09:52.799 --> 00:09:58.059 realm, nor essentially in the realm of our senses, 00:09:58.220 --> 00:10:01.340 but they really are rooted in the realm of the 00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:05.889 spirit. And so he says now about the things of 00:10:05.889 --> 00:10:09.649 the Spirit or the spiritual gifts. Then in verse 00:10:09.649 --> 00:10:13.610 4, he talks about these variety of gifts, but 00:10:13.610 --> 00:10:15.950 he uses a different word here. It is the word 00:10:15.950 --> 00:10:20.909 charismata. And he says that all of us have these 00:10:20.909 --> 00:10:26.309 charismata, these grace gifts is the literal 00:10:26.309 --> 00:10:29.740 meaning of it. And thus he indicates to us that 00:10:29.740 --> 00:10:32.139 these gifts that we receive from God are given 00:10:32.139 --> 00:10:35.759 by grace. We do not receive them because we have 00:10:35.759 --> 00:10:38.980 some personal merit. They are undeserved and 00:10:38.980 --> 00:10:42.899 unearned. And the ability that God gives to you 00:10:42.899 --> 00:10:45.799 or to me to minister spiritually is purely by 00:10:45.799 --> 00:10:50.379 the grace that he exhibits. Purely by grace. 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:54.299 Thus they are charismata. Charismatan. They are 00:10:54.299 --> 00:10:59.629 grace gifts. That is obviously the root word 00:10:59.629 --> 00:11:02.269 for the word charismatic today, a word which 00:11:02.269 --> 00:11:05.289 takes on a certain meaning in our society because 00:11:05.289 --> 00:11:12.269 of certain elements of evangelicalism. I want 00:11:12.269 --> 00:11:14.409 you to know that all of us who are saved are 00:11:14.409 --> 00:11:16.710 charismatics in the biblical sense, though maybe 00:11:16.710 --> 00:11:19.330 not in the societal or religious sense of today. 00:11:20.149 --> 00:11:23.190 For we all have these grace gifts that he's talking 00:11:23.190 --> 00:11:27.700 about, thus we are all charismatics. And then 00:11:27.700 --> 00:11:31.980 in verse 7, he speaks about these gifts as being 00:11:31.980 --> 00:11:35.799 the manifestation of the Spirit. In other words, 00:11:35.799 --> 00:11:40.080 the source of the gifts is the Holy Spirit. Their 00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:42.820 presence in the life of a person is evidence 00:11:42.820 --> 00:11:47.139 of his salvation and of the presence of the Holy 00:11:47.139 --> 00:11:51.220 Spirit within that life. They are a manifestation 00:11:51.220 --> 00:11:56.710 of the Holy Spirit himself, these gifts. Now, 00:11:56.730 --> 00:11:59.029 there are several key principles that are taught 00:11:59.029 --> 00:12:02.370 in the Word regarding spiritual gifts. Some of 00:12:02.370 --> 00:12:04.769 these are rooted in the text we have before us. 00:12:04.809 --> 00:12:07.889 Others are not. For time's sake, we're going 00:12:07.889 --> 00:12:11.230 to have to move quickly through these. I hope 00:12:11.230 --> 00:12:13.009 that you will take out a piece of paper if you 00:12:13.009 --> 00:12:15.230 have one and jot these down because they are 00:12:15.230 --> 00:12:18.870 important for us to know. Several key principles 00:12:18.870 --> 00:12:21.450 taught in the Word of God regarding spiritual 00:12:21.450 --> 00:12:26.769 gifts. We must know and practice these principles 00:12:26.769 --> 00:12:30.389 if we, as Grace Church Roosevelt, are going to 00:12:30.389 --> 00:12:33.769 be the gifted body that God intends for us to 00:12:33.769 --> 00:12:40.629 be. Principle number one. Spiritual gifts are 00:12:40.629 --> 00:12:45.049 given to every believer. We see that in verse 00:12:45.049 --> 00:12:49.070 7. We see it again in verse 11. It says, to each 00:12:49.070 --> 00:12:52.370 one is given the manifestation of the Spirit. 00:12:53.129 --> 00:12:55.750 And then again in verse 11 it says, the Spirit 00:12:55.750 --> 00:12:59.049 works all these things, distributing to each 00:12:59.049 --> 00:13:03.970 one individually just as He wills. You say, now 00:13:03.970 --> 00:13:06.450 Pastor Cole, we have been studying in Ephesians 00:13:06.450 --> 00:13:08.809 chapter 4, and you have emphasized this truth 00:13:08.809 --> 00:13:12.049 already. And I confess that I have at least four 00:13:12.049 --> 00:13:15.769 times. Said essentially this very same thing, 00:13:15.970 --> 00:13:19.169 that spiritual gifts are given to every believer. 00:13:19.269 --> 00:13:21.419 Now you say, why do you keep saying it? because 00:13:21.419 --> 00:13:25.320 I want every one of us to hear it. And I figure 00:13:25.320 --> 00:13:28.080 if I repeat it enough times, all of us will eventually 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:32.559 hear it, that we are all gifted by the Holy Spirit 00:13:32.559 --> 00:13:38.100 to minister in Christ's body. Each one of us 00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:40.840 is given the manifestation of the Spirit. There 00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:45.110 are no exceptions to that. You can go to 1 Peter 00:13:45.110 --> 00:13:48.909 4, verse 10. You can go to Romans 12, verse 6. 00:13:49.049 --> 00:13:52.970 You can go to Ephesians 4, verse 7. And those 00:13:52.970 --> 00:13:55.970 are the other three key passages in the New Testament 00:13:55.970 --> 00:13:59.830 dealing with spiritual gifts. And in each place 00:13:59.830 --> 00:14:02.889 you will find the same emphasis that to each 00:14:02.889 --> 00:14:06.429 one of us responsibility is given to function 00:14:06.429 --> 00:14:09.429 in the body of Christ as we are gifted by the 00:14:09.429 --> 00:14:12.830 Holy Spirit. These gifts, as it says clearly 00:14:12.830 --> 00:14:16.389 in verse 11, are given sovereignly by the Lord. 00:14:17.350 --> 00:14:20.230 I do not get to select the gifts that I want. 00:14:21.309 --> 00:14:25.850 It says that he gives to each man, each one individually, 00:14:25.870 --> 00:14:32.809 just as he wills. He chooses how I am to be gifted, 00:14:32.929 --> 00:14:37.909 how you are to be gifted. Gifts are not to be 00:14:37.909 --> 00:14:42.679 personally chosen and sought. You say, but how 00:14:42.679 --> 00:14:44.879 does that tie together with the end of chapter 00:14:44.879 --> 00:14:52.179 13, where it says that we are to, or the beginning 00:14:52.179 --> 00:14:56.720 of chapter 14, where it says, pursue love, yet 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:01.879 desire earnestly spiritual gifts. It says there 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:06.620 we're to desire spiritual gifts. And actually 00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:10.169 it says they're the better spiritual gifts. You 00:15:10.169 --> 00:15:12.889 say, Pastor, you're telling us on the one hand 00:15:12.889 --> 00:15:15.049 that they are chosen for us, but then it says 00:15:15.049 --> 00:15:17.549 in the Word that we are to seek them, to desire 00:15:17.549 --> 00:15:21.350 them, to pursue them. Well, the answer to that 00:15:21.350 --> 00:15:23.549 is, chapter 14 is written to the church as a 00:15:23.549 --> 00:15:25.710 whole, and as a whole, the body of believers 00:15:25.710 --> 00:15:28.190 were to emphasize to pursue the greater gifts 00:15:28.190 --> 00:15:30.889 and not the lesser. They had that in reverse. 00:15:32.289 --> 00:15:36.909 But to individual believers, We are never commanded 00:15:36.909 --> 00:15:41.269 that we are to personally seek the gifts. God 00:15:41.269 --> 00:15:46.029 sovereignly chooses which of us is gifted in 00:15:46.029 --> 00:15:50.129 a particular way. That's His choice. And it is 00:15:50.129 --> 00:15:53.269 simply our responsibility to exercise the gifts 00:15:53.269 --> 00:15:56.750 that are given to us. So principle number one 00:15:56.750 --> 00:15:59.690 is that spiritual gifts are given to every believer. 00:15:59.909 --> 00:16:05.059 No exceptions. Number two. Spiritual gifts are 00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:09.759 expressed in a variety. You will notice the word 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:13.480 varieties in our text, verse 4, verse 5, verse 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:19.419 6. There are four key passages, as I've already 00:16:19.419 --> 00:16:22.159 said, regarding the spiritual gifts, and there's 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:23.960 an interesting thing as you look at those four. 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.779 There is absolutely no consensus from the four 00:16:28.779 --> 00:16:31.200 as to what all the gifts are, for each list is 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:36.039 a little bit different. And as you try to sum 00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:38.740 them up and to list them, comparing passage with 00:16:38.740 --> 00:16:42.720 passage, you will probably have a different numbering 00:16:42.720 --> 00:16:47.120 than somebody else. I have one very fine book 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:50.960 in my library that talks about the 19 gifts of 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:54.179 the Holy Spirit. But there are some who number 00:16:54.179 --> 00:16:55.899 them as 20, and then there's another book that 00:16:55.899 --> 00:17:00.240 says there are 23. Now, why is that? I think 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:02.539 it's because the Holy Spirit has built into this 00:17:02.539 --> 00:17:04.980 whole matter a variety and a certain flexibility. 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:10.299 What it really seems to indicate is this, that 00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:12.900 the lists that are given to us are intended by 00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:16.240 the Lord to be suggestive and not exhaustive, 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:23.460 dynamic and not static. The gifts are various 00:17:23.460 --> 00:17:27.259 and flexible. I'm not even sure they all may 00:17:27.259 --> 00:17:32.450 be listed. in the New Testament. Perhaps those 00:17:32.450 --> 00:17:34.869 are the general gifts, and they can be broken 00:17:34.869 --> 00:17:38.670 down in various ways. My point is this, that 00:17:38.670 --> 00:17:41.009 I think we need to be careful of being too rigid 00:17:41.009 --> 00:17:45.009 regarding exactly what the spiritual gifts are. 00:17:45.970 --> 00:17:49.710 They are various. I have come out of a background 00:17:49.710 --> 00:17:52.390 where I have been rather rigid about this matter, 00:17:52.470 --> 00:17:55.529 but I'm in my study learning that perhaps that 00:17:55.529 --> 00:17:59.279 rigidity is not correct. It does seem, however, 00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:01.720 that there are two broad categories of gifts. 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:04.579 There are gifts that are speaking gifts, and 00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:08.119 there are gifts that are serving gifts. The speaking 00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:11.259 gifts, as they are listed at least in the New 00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:13.900 Testament, would include prophecy, teaching, 00:18:14.160 --> 00:18:18.579 exhortation, knowledge, and wisdom. It's the 00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:21.000 use of the tongue in communicating, speaking 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:25.200 the Word of God. The serving gifts would include 00:18:26.029 --> 00:18:29.750 but may not be limited to, leading, helping, 00:18:30.089 --> 00:18:35.069 giving, showing mercy, faith, and discernment. 00:18:35.390 --> 00:18:39.670 Those are serving gifts. They are not speaking, 00:18:39.730 --> 00:18:45.309 but serving in various ways. I believe that each 00:18:45.309 --> 00:18:52.309 of us who is saved possesses a custom blend of 00:18:52.309 --> 00:18:57.680 several gifts. with one or two perhaps dominating 00:18:57.680 --> 00:19:02.480 the others. There are some who teach that each 00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:07.759 of us possesses but one gift. I don't think that 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:10.299 that correctly interprets what the New Testament 00:19:10.299 --> 00:19:13.980 teaches regarding spiritual gifts. Rather, I 00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:18.160 see us, as I have said, as a custom blend of 00:19:18.160 --> 00:19:23.269 the gifts, so that each of us is unique. Unique 00:19:23.269 --> 00:19:25.890 because of the composition of our personality, 00:19:26.349 --> 00:19:29.630 our natural abilities, and the spiritual gifts 00:19:29.630 --> 00:19:33.509 that God has given to us. We are unique because 00:19:33.509 --> 00:19:36.430 God has designed each of us to minister in the 00:19:36.430 --> 00:19:39.670 body in a particular way so that no one else 00:19:39.670 --> 00:19:45.470 can exactly duplicate what you do or what I do. 00:19:46.589 --> 00:19:52.819 Each of us... is designed by God to fit in in 00:19:52.819 --> 00:19:58.099 a special way. And that's why it's so important 00:19:58.099 --> 00:20:02.220 that we do, that we not hang back and be on the 00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:06.259 fringe, simply be a spectator, because God has 00:20:06.259 --> 00:20:09.720 made us to be an active, functioning part of 00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:15.299 the body and a vital part of that. We painted 00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:20.230 our house this summer. One of my responsibilities 00:20:20.230 --> 00:20:22.990 in preparation for that was to get the paint. 00:20:23.869 --> 00:20:27.109 I went down to the paint store and selected the 00:20:27.109 --> 00:20:32.049 color that I wanted. He brought out some cans 00:20:32.049 --> 00:20:34.109 and opened them up, and it wasn't the color I 00:20:34.109 --> 00:20:38.529 wanted at all. But, don't get too concerned, 00:20:38.589 --> 00:20:41.789 Galen, just wait. He picked up the gallons of 00:20:41.789 --> 00:20:44.869 paint, took them over to this little gadget that 00:20:44.869 --> 00:20:47.640 he had, and he began to... but little squirts 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:51.180 of pigment into that base paint that I had seen 00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:54.900 first. And then he put the paint on a machine, 00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:59.059 and it began to shake. The machine began to shake 00:20:59.059 --> 00:21:01.920 rather than the paint. Fortunately, it had the 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:06.980 lid on tight. I was at someplace else this summer 00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:09.279 shaking paint where the lid wasn't on tight, 00:21:09.359 --> 00:21:10.940 so I know how important it is that they get on 00:21:10.940 --> 00:21:14.640 tight. And the paint then was the color that 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:17.289 I expected it to be. What happened? Well, there 00:21:17.289 --> 00:21:22.210 was a custom color that was chosen. They had 00:21:22.210 --> 00:21:25.009 to make it. Each of us is custom made by God. 00:21:25.450 --> 00:21:28.849 Each of us. You say, but wait a minute. Doesn't 00:21:28.849 --> 00:21:31.029 talking Timothy somewhere about the gift stir 00:21:31.029 --> 00:21:33.289 up the gift of God that is in you? Isn't that 00:21:33.289 --> 00:21:36.869 singular? Yes. And there's another place in Timothy, 00:21:37.009 --> 00:21:41.089 1 Timothy 4, 14, where it's singular. But if 00:21:41.089 --> 00:21:46.039 you examine Timothy, the man Timothy, You begin 00:21:46.039 --> 00:21:49.539 to wonder what the gift is. After all, Paul tells 00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:51.839 him to preach the word, so you would think he 00:21:51.839 --> 00:21:55.000 has the gift of preaching. But in another place, 00:21:55.059 --> 00:21:57.279 he's commanded to exhort, so he must have the 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:01.960 gift of exhortation. Elsewhere, he is told to 00:22:01.960 --> 00:22:03.980 do the work of an evangelist, so he must have 00:22:03.980 --> 00:22:07.039 the gift of evangelism. But then he is told also 00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:09.039 to teach the word to others, that they can teach 00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:10.799 others, so he must have the gift of teaching. 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:13.960 So you see, if Timothy had but one gift, which 00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:18.730 gift did he have? Then what does Paul mean when 00:22:18.730 --> 00:22:21.490 he writes to Timothy about the gift? I think 00:22:21.490 --> 00:22:25.849 he's talking about the package of enablements 00:22:25.849 --> 00:22:31.170 that God had given to Timothy. And so it is singular 00:22:31.170 --> 00:22:35.650 in that sense. It comes to us as a package. It's 00:22:35.650 --> 00:22:37.549 sort of like a birthday gift. You get the one 00:22:37.549 --> 00:22:40.150 gift, but as you take the wrapping off and look 00:22:40.150 --> 00:22:43.849 inside, there are lots of contents. And so God 00:22:43.849 --> 00:22:47.900 has given us a spiritual gift. But that gift 00:22:47.900 --> 00:22:53.099 really is a blend of gifts, of spiritual enablements, 00:22:53.140 --> 00:22:56.099 so that we can serve the Lord in the church. 00:22:58.579 --> 00:23:02.200 Now because of this, we are not designed to serve 00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:07.579 in a narrow, small way within the body, but really 00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:12.660 in several areas, probably. The only question 00:23:12.660 --> 00:23:15.259 may be which area I will serve in with the greatest 00:23:15.259 --> 00:23:20.650 emphasis. My point is this, that I wonder if 00:23:20.650 --> 00:23:23.609 I can really say I have no responsibility for 00:23:23.609 --> 00:23:27.509 that area because I'm not gifted for that. And 00:23:27.509 --> 00:23:29.849 perhaps we've all used that excuse from time 00:23:29.849 --> 00:23:33.609 to time. If there is a need in that area, perhaps 00:23:33.609 --> 00:23:36.250 I need to see if in fact I am gifted in that 00:23:36.250 --> 00:23:39.529 area to help out. I may not think so now. Maybe 00:23:39.529 --> 00:23:41.930 there's a gift that is undeveloped at this point. 00:23:43.529 --> 00:23:45.430 You know, we need to remember that the Lord has 00:23:45.430 --> 00:23:47.650 given us commands in the New Testament relating 00:23:47.650 --> 00:23:51.950 to all the gifts. In other words, though I may 00:23:51.950 --> 00:23:54.089 not have the gift of giving, I am commanded to 00:23:54.089 --> 00:23:56.670 lay up in store as God has prospered, being to 00:23:56.670 --> 00:24:02.430 give. And I may not have the gift of exhortation 00:24:02.430 --> 00:24:04.890 or encouragement, but I am commanded in the Word 00:24:04.890 --> 00:24:09.740 of God to exhort others. Now, in those areas 00:24:09.740 --> 00:24:12.440 where I am especially gifted, I will be especially 00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:17.819 fruitful and fulfilled in what I do. But I have 00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:21.220 commands given to me that relate to all the gifts. 00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:28.259 Actually, it's a case of emphasis in the finality 00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:31.640 of it, according to the spiritual enablement 00:24:31.640 --> 00:24:34.900 that God has given me. And so the gifts are given 00:24:34.900 --> 00:24:40.880 in variety. Each of us is a custom blend of gifts. 00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:45.079 Not meant to function in the body in a narrow, 00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:47.839 restricted sense, but perhaps in several ways 00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:53.000 in the body, with a special emphasis in the areas 00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:56.599 where we have the greater enablements. Principle 00:24:56.599 --> 00:25:00.480 number three. Some gifts are temporary by nature. 00:25:01.460 --> 00:25:03.519 Now, of course, that is a controversial statement 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:07.000 among some people. There are those who would 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:09.420 respond to that principle by saying, well, that 00:25:09.420 --> 00:25:14.180 is just your narrow dispensational view. Yet 00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:16.640 actually, I think it is a conclusion that one 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:20.259 must come to as the Scripture is examined and 00:25:20.259 --> 00:25:23.259 as he uses the logic that God has given to him. 00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:26.799 You say, well, what gifts are in fact then temporary? 00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:31.539 Well, I believe that there are two categories 00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:34.480 that are temporary. One, the revelational gifts. 00:25:36.329 --> 00:25:39.430 That is, those gifts that enabled revelation 00:25:39.430 --> 00:25:44.509 to come directly to men to be spoken. And I think 00:25:44.509 --> 00:25:49.730 particularly of the gift of prophecy. In a technical, 00:25:49.809 --> 00:25:52.650 specific sense, the gift of prophecy is not given 00:25:52.650 --> 00:25:56.609 today. Why is that? Because those who had that 00:25:56.609 --> 00:25:59.589 gift in the early church received a revelation 00:25:59.589 --> 00:26:02.430 directly from God which they spoke to the church. 00:26:04.730 --> 00:26:07.230 That's why the prophets and the apostles are 00:26:07.230 --> 00:26:09.630 said to be a part of the foundation of the church. 00:26:12.470 --> 00:26:14.609 The apostles, of course, had to be those who 00:26:14.609 --> 00:26:17.890 saw the Lord Jesus Christ in his resurrection 00:26:17.890 --> 00:26:21.130 glory. They had to be personally commissioned 00:26:21.130 --> 00:26:24.589 by him as apostles, and so obviously they were 00:26:24.589 --> 00:26:26.930 limited to the first generation, those who were 00:26:26.930 --> 00:26:29.250 alive when he was alive, when Jesus was here 00:26:29.250 --> 00:26:33.619 on the earth, that is. That's the apostles. And 00:26:33.619 --> 00:26:36.559 they were the channels by which God gave some 00:26:36.559 --> 00:26:39.339 revelation. But they were channels to the church 00:26:39.339 --> 00:26:43.220 as a whole. What about those local assemblies 00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:45.380 stuck out there in the villages or the cities 00:26:45.380 --> 00:26:48.220 of Asia Minor or across the Roman Empire who 00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:50.779 didn't have a New Testament? How were they going 00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:53.720 to get a word from God regarding something? They 00:26:53.720 --> 00:26:58.109 had prophets in their church. those who would 00:26:58.109 --> 00:27:00.809 be given a specific utterance from God regarding 00:27:00.809 --> 00:27:03.690 a situation or a doctrine or a matter, and they 00:27:03.690 --> 00:27:07.170 spoke that. Now, there was always the possibility 00:27:07.170 --> 00:27:09.549 a prophet could somehow get the message messed 00:27:09.549 --> 00:27:13.369 up, as happened in Corinth. And so Paul told 00:27:13.369 --> 00:27:16.009 the church in Corinth, let the prophets check 00:27:16.009 --> 00:27:17.650 on one another and make sure that they're saying 00:27:17.650 --> 00:27:21.109 what's right. But you see, in that technical 00:27:21.109 --> 00:27:23.609 sense of receiving direct revelation from God, 00:27:23.650 --> 00:27:25.809 the gift of prophecy is not given today. It was 00:27:25.809 --> 00:27:28.369 temporary. It's not needed today either because 00:27:28.369 --> 00:27:32.009 God's revelation has been completed and is written 00:27:32.009 --> 00:27:34.450 down for us so that we have it in our possession. 00:27:35.869 --> 00:27:39.470 God is no longer today giving revelation. That 00:27:39.470 --> 00:27:41.369 will be a disappointment to some people who are 00:27:41.369 --> 00:27:42.869 still getting what they think is revelation. 00:27:44.670 --> 00:27:46.849 But what they are getting is not from God. It 00:27:46.849 --> 00:27:49.250 is not revelation from God. God is not giving 00:27:49.250 --> 00:27:53.410 that today. Now, if in fact God is giving revelation 00:27:53.410 --> 00:28:01.109 today, then this Bible has no authority. If God 00:28:01.109 --> 00:28:03.730 is still giving revelation today, the Bible has 00:28:03.730 --> 00:28:07.930 no authority. It means that something else can 00:28:07.930 --> 00:28:09.829 come down the pike and is said to be from God. 00:28:09.869 --> 00:28:11.650 How do we know whether it is or whether it isn't 00:28:11.650 --> 00:28:14.869 if God is still giving revelation today? You 00:28:14.869 --> 00:28:17.750 see, we lose any kind of a standard, a measurement, 00:28:17.970 --> 00:28:21.490 an authority to depend upon. That's why it's 00:28:21.490 --> 00:28:24.769 so critical that we uphold this truth that revelation 00:28:24.769 --> 00:28:29.599 is not being given today. God has given us the 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:32.880 revelation, and what we do now is to study it, 00:28:32.900 --> 00:28:37.000 to come to an understanding of it. And so the 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:39.640 revelational gifts are temporary, and then the 00:28:39.640 --> 00:28:42.759 sign gifts, the second category, that were temporary. 00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:51.079 The sign gifts would include the gift of tongues. 00:28:53.840 --> 00:28:56.380 interpretation of tongues, that is languages, 00:28:56.539 --> 00:29:01.700 literally is the word, not some gibberish, but 00:29:01.700 --> 00:29:05.779 a language that had not been learned, the gift 00:29:05.779 --> 00:29:10.420 of miracles, the gift of healings. And again, 00:29:10.460 --> 00:29:11.960 there are those who would disagree with that. 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:16.160 But if you examine the New Testament, you find 00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:18.519 out that these things are what were called the 00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:22.519 signs of the apostles. 2 Corinthians 12, 12. 00:29:23.980 --> 00:29:27.980 The wonders, the miracles, the powers that were 00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:32.539 displayed, those were signs of the apostles that 00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:36.839 what they were teaching was truly from God. It 00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:40.960 authenticated their ministry. And so when the 00:29:40.960 --> 00:29:43.240 apostles passed off the scenes, they took their 00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:47.380 signs with them. So that by the time the book 00:29:47.380 --> 00:29:50.019 of Hebrews is written, Hebrews 2, verses 3 and 00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:53.220 4, The writer of that book who is in the third 00:29:53.220 --> 00:29:56.119 generation from the Lord says that the Lord confirmed 00:29:56.119 --> 00:29:59.640 his testimony to the apostles and through the 00:29:59.640 --> 00:30:02.079 apostles by their signs, but the implication 00:30:02.079 --> 00:30:04.200 is that they didn't exist at that time, shortly 00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:08.420 before 70 A .D. And you can see in the book of 00:30:08.420 --> 00:30:11.420 Acts that the miracles and the signs quickly 00:30:11.420 --> 00:30:17.099 petered out as the church grew and matured. So 00:30:17.099 --> 00:30:20.400 there are temporary gifts that were given. which 00:30:20.400 --> 00:30:23.039 are not given today. It doesn't mean that there 00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:25.279 are not miracles that take place today. That's 00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:27.460 different than talking about the gift of miracles. 00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:31.519 It doesn't mean that God doesn't heal today. 00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:35.059 God does heal today. And there are some people 00:30:35.059 --> 00:30:36.920 in our church who have experienced that touch 00:30:36.920 --> 00:30:39.279 of God. But it's talking here about the gift 00:30:39.279 --> 00:30:42.779 of healings. And it includes the idea of resurrection 00:30:42.779 --> 00:30:47.140 from the dead. There are not people today who 00:30:47.140 --> 00:30:49.880 genuinely can raise other people from the dead 00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:53.579 or who can command a person to be healed, and 00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:56.119 that person will undoubtedly for certain be healed 00:30:56.119 --> 00:30:58.720 by the power of God. The apostles could do that, 00:30:58.779 --> 00:31:01.960 but even today those who call themselves faith 00:31:01.960 --> 00:31:05.180 healers have to depend upon what they call the 00:31:05.180 --> 00:31:07.099 faith of the other person for them to get healed. 00:31:07.259 --> 00:31:10.180 It's not their responsibility. That's not the 00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:12.680 gift of healing or healings as it was in the 00:31:12.680 --> 00:31:15.920 New Testament. It was a sure word spoken by the 00:31:15.920 --> 00:31:18.680 person and the individual spoken to was healed. 00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:23.259 I don't really feel too much pressure, frankly, 00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:26.539 to give answer regarding what is commonly called 00:31:26.539 --> 00:31:29.819 the charismatic movement. Because from my perspective, 00:31:29.859 --> 00:31:32.079 it is that movement that must explain itself 00:31:32.079 --> 00:31:36.859 in the light of the Word of God. Now, if you're 00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:38.940 more interested in that topic, I want to go on. 00:31:39.000 --> 00:31:40.599 But if you're more interested, there's a tape 00:31:40.599 --> 00:31:43.380 or two that you can... order it at our book table 00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:46.140 out here, in which we talk about some of the 00:31:46.140 --> 00:31:50.859 charismatic gifts in more detail. Principle number 00:31:50.859 --> 00:31:53.839 four, spiritual gifts are for the common good. 00:31:55.440 --> 00:32:00.180 You see that, verse seven? Who are the commoners? 00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:04.279 We are. We're the ones for whom the gifts are 00:32:04.279 --> 00:32:07.599 given. What that is saying is that the gifts 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:11.150 are not given for private use. or for personal 00:32:11.150 --> 00:32:15.210 edification. Now, I've heard people say to me, 00:32:15.269 --> 00:32:17.369 well, I have this gift, but I don't exercise 00:32:17.369 --> 00:32:20.950 in public. I just use it in my closet. Stop fooling 00:32:20.950 --> 00:32:26.210 yourself then. That gift must not be from God 00:32:26.210 --> 00:32:28.769 because the gifts are intended to be used in 00:32:28.769 --> 00:32:31.170 public in the church, in the ministry of the 00:32:31.170 --> 00:32:35.769 church. Gifts are given for the good of everyone, 00:32:35.950 --> 00:32:40.019 not just for one person to use. They are given 00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:41.960 for the functioning of the body, serving the 00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:44.900 Lord, and for the sake of ministry to others. 00:32:46.940 --> 00:32:49.740 Look over in chapter 14, verse 12, just to pick 00:32:49.740 --> 00:32:53.200 out one verse where it says, So also you, since 00:32:53.200 --> 00:32:57.480 you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound 00:32:57.480 --> 00:33:01.339 for the edification of the church. That's his 00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:05.279 point. That's the reason the gifts are given. 00:33:06.380 --> 00:33:09.000 Their purpose is the extension and the building 00:33:09.000 --> 00:33:12.200 up of the body. Spiritual gifts are given for 00:33:12.200 --> 00:33:14.940 the common good, the good of all, not for private 00:33:14.940 --> 00:33:18.180 use, not for the closet, not for self -edification, 00:33:18.619 --> 00:33:23.640 but for the common good. Number five, spiritual 00:33:23.640 --> 00:33:26.140 gifts are not the same as natural abilities. 00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:31.519 What are the distinctions between the two? Well, 00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:34.119 in the first place, natural abilities are present 00:33:34.730 --> 00:33:39.829 with our natural birth. Whereas spiritual gifts 00:33:39.829 --> 00:33:44.170 are given to us at the moment of our new birth, 00:33:44.390 --> 00:33:47.329 our supernatural birth. We don't have them before 00:33:47.329 --> 00:33:52.609 that. So obviously that means that natural abilities 00:33:52.609 --> 00:33:56.430 are possessed by everyone in the world, even 00:33:56.430 --> 00:34:00.450 the unregenerate, and that is true. Whereas spiritual 00:34:00.450 --> 00:34:04.099 gifts... are possessed only by God's people, 00:34:04.240 --> 00:34:10.039 by the saints. Another distinction, natural abilities 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:16.840 are purposed and given by God in His grace to 00:34:16.840 --> 00:34:25.099 instruct, to entertain, and to inspire. And unsaved 00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:28.019 or unregenerate people are able to do that. And 00:34:28.019 --> 00:34:29.760 some of them do it quite well. They're quite 00:34:29.760 --> 00:34:33.019 professional and skilled. because of the natural 00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:37.199 ability which they have honed and exercised and 00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:40.579 practiced. On the other hand, spiritual gifts 00:34:40.579 --> 00:34:44.320 are purposed to edify the body of Christ and 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:50.239 to minister spiritually. And so singing, writing, 00:34:50.500 --> 00:34:56.079 intellect, mechanic ability, all of the things 00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:58.900 we think of as natural abilities are not spiritual 00:34:58.900 --> 00:35:07.760 gifts. Spiritual gifts, however, may be coordinated 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:11.219 with our natural abilities. You hang on to that. 00:35:12.539 --> 00:35:15.900 In other words, God may choose to give me spiritual 00:35:15.900 --> 00:35:18.480 gifts that will fit together with the natural 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:21.699 abilities he's also given me. For example, I 00:35:21.699 --> 00:35:25.960 may have the gift of teaching, the spiritual 00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:29.940 gift of teaching. That can coordinate beautifully 00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:34.860 with a natural ability. Ability to speak or to 00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:39.719 write or to sing. People teach with singing. 00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:43.800 I may have a spiritual gift of showing mercy. 00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:47.739 That can tie together beautifully with the natural 00:35:47.739 --> 00:35:51.119 ability to write. There are some people who can 00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:53.079 write in such a comforting and marvelous way. 00:35:53.639 --> 00:35:56.699 Or it can tie together with a mechanical ability. 00:35:58.340 --> 00:36:03.809 I think of... A church choir of young people 00:36:03.809 --> 00:36:07.489 that was traveling in June through the state 00:36:07.489 --> 00:36:12.570 of Indiana when they had a blowout in one of 00:36:12.570 --> 00:36:15.590 their tires. And they pulled to the side of the 00:36:15.590 --> 00:36:18.550 road, and they weren't going any further. And 00:36:18.550 --> 00:36:20.989 they were on a section of interstate where there 00:36:20.989 --> 00:36:25.070 is nothing but nothing in Indiana, southern Indiana. 00:36:26.190 --> 00:36:28.789 And along the road came this fellow in a truck, 00:36:28.809 --> 00:36:34.739 and he stopped. And he asked if he could be of 00:36:34.739 --> 00:36:36.340 help to them. And they explained what the problem 00:36:36.340 --> 00:36:38.659 was. He says, well, go up here to the next exit. 00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:41.539 They had two tires on each axle in the back. 00:36:41.639 --> 00:36:43.159 So he said, just drive up here slowly to the 00:36:43.159 --> 00:36:45.800 next exit. Turn right. Go down this way so far. 00:36:46.079 --> 00:36:51.099 Right there is a tire store. I own it. I'm a 00:36:51.099 --> 00:36:53.139 born -again Christian, too. I want you to stop 00:36:53.139 --> 00:36:55.840 in there. Tell them that you need a tire, and 00:36:55.840 --> 00:36:58.219 they'll put it on. So he did that. The driver 00:36:58.219 --> 00:37:01.239 did. Got the bus fixed. In fact, I think they 00:37:01.239 --> 00:37:03.639 even put another new tire on the bus because 00:37:03.639 --> 00:37:05.599 they had tires that weren't what they should 00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:10.820 be. And so here's a man who has perhaps not great 00:37:10.820 --> 00:37:13.619 upfront ability, but he has mechanical ability. 00:37:13.619 --> 00:37:17.059 He had a store, and he said to that church, put 00:37:17.059 --> 00:37:20.519 a new tire on your bus. What is he exercising? 00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:23.099 Well, perhaps it's the gift of giving. Perhaps 00:37:23.099 --> 00:37:27.179 it's the gift of showing mercy. So you see, our 00:37:27.179 --> 00:37:30.559 spiritual gifts can be coordinated with the natural 00:37:30.559 --> 00:37:33.840 abilities that God gives to us. And we should 00:37:33.840 --> 00:37:36.239 develop all of the natural abilities that God 00:37:36.239 --> 00:37:39.579 gives because they can be channels for spiritual 00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:43.239 gifts. If you have a gift for singing, develop 00:37:43.239 --> 00:37:46.880 that. If you can write, develop that. If God 00:37:46.880 --> 00:37:49.059 has given you an especially keen mind, develop 00:37:49.059 --> 00:37:53.400 it to its furthest extent that you can. Whatever 00:37:53.400 --> 00:37:55.880 your natural abilities are, develop them, because 00:37:55.880 --> 00:37:58.760 those can be channels then for the spiritual 00:37:58.760 --> 00:38:01.780 abilities or gifts which God would give you. 00:38:02.360 --> 00:38:06.719 Number six, the possession of spiritual gifts 00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:11.760 does not presume spirituality or maturity. In 00:38:11.760 --> 00:38:14.380 other words, the fact that I have spiritual gifts 00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:16.960 does not automatically mean that I am either 00:38:16.960 --> 00:38:21.630 spiritual or mature. Because I get those gifts 00:38:21.630 --> 00:38:23.969 the moment of my new birth, when the Holy Spirit 00:38:23.969 --> 00:38:29.250 enters me and indwells me. Let's talk about spirituality 00:38:29.250 --> 00:38:32.889 as to its meaning. What does it mean? Well, in 00:38:32.889 --> 00:38:37.449 a very simple sense, one who is spiritual is 00:38:37.449 --> 00:38:41.590 one who is dominated by the Holy Spirit. He is 00:38:41.590 --> 00:38:46.369 not dominated by his flesh or by the world. He 00:38:46.369 --> 00:38:49.780 is dominated... controlled by the Holy Spirit. 00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:53.420 That's what a spiritual person is. He is not 00:38:53.420 --> 00:38:56.579 holier than thou. He is not pious. He is not 00:38:56.579 --> 00:39:00.480 perfect. But a spiritual person is one who is 00:39:00.480 --> 00:39:04.260 dominated by the Holy Spirit. Are you a spiritual 00:39:04.260 --> 00:39:08.380 person? You say, oh, well, I would never claim 00:39:08.380 --> 00:39:12.079 to be a spiritual person. Why not? You're not 00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:16.199 bragging about anything. Whatever you have is 00:39:16.199 --> 00:39:21.050 from God anyway. A spiritual person is one who 00:39:21.050 --> 00:39:23.369 is simply confessing, the Holy Spirit is in charge 00:39:23.369 --> 00:39:25.369 in my life, and we should all be able to say 00:39:25.369 --> 00:39:31.670 that and say it with a great deal of joy. A mature 00:39:31.670 --> 00:39:35.190 person is one who has reached a state of stability 00:39:35.190 --> 00:39:38.949 in his life and is able to reproduce himself. 00:39:40.429 --> 00:39:43.389 And so it is spiritually. And it takes time for 00:39:43.389 --> 00:39:48.130 that. Even one who is a newborn Christian. can 00:39:48.130 --> 00:39:51.230 be a spiritual Christian because he is under 00:39:51.230 --> 00:39:53.489 the control and the domination of the Holy Spirit, 00:39:53.550 --> 00:39:58.190 but he's not mature. Maturity takes time. It 00:39:58.190 --> 00:40:03.289 takes experience. The possession of spiritual 00:40:03.289 --> 00:40:05.449 gifts doesn't mean that one is either spiritual 00:40:05.449 --> 00:40:08.349 or mature. The Corinthians actually were neither. 00:40:10.409 --> 00:40:12.929 In 1 Corinthians 3 .1, the apostle calls him 00:40:12.929 --> 00:40:14.949 in the first place carnal, not spiritual, and 00:40:14.949 --> 00:40:17.809 he says, you're babes, not mature. But he had 00:40:17.809 --> 00:40:19.829 written to them just two chapters before telling 00:40:19.829 --> 00:40:24.389 them they did not lack in any gift. However, 00:40:24.449 --> 00:40:31.389 having said that, the gifts are related to both 00:40:31.389 --> 00:40:34.570 maturity and spirituality. Let me explain how. 00:40:35.329 --> 00:40:38.989 In the first place, our spiritual gifts can only 00:40:38.989 --> 00:40:42.230 properly be used when they are energized by the 00:40:42.230 --> 00:40:44.710 Holy Spirit or when he is dominating us, when 00:40:44.710 --> 00:40:48.190 we are spiritual. Otherwise, there is the awful 00:40:48.190 --> 00:40:53.610 possibility for the flesh to take control of 00:40:53.610 --> 00:40:56.130 our spiritual gifts and for our gifts then to 00:40:56.130 --> 00:41:01.550 be abused, and they can hurt people. That's why 00:41:01.550 --> 00:41:04.710 it's important that we be spirit -dominated people, 00:41:04.949 --> 00:41:08.789 so that as our gifts are exercised, they help 00:41:08.789 --> 00:41:15.010 people, not hurt them. And then likewise... The 00:41:15.010 --> 00:41:17.530 development and exercise of spiritual gifts is 00:41:17.530 --> 00:41:21.929 a part of our process to maturity. I want you 00:41:21.929 --> 00:41:26.010 to listen to that. Because what I'm saying is 00:41:26.010 --> 00:41:30.670 that unless we develop and exercise our spiritual 00:41:30.670 --> 00:41:35.170 gifts, we will not mature. I don't care if we 00:41:35.170 --> 00:41:37.329 were saved 20 years ago. We're not spiritually 00:41:37.329 --> 00:41:41.030 mature. until we are functioning and exercising 00:41:41.030 --> 00:41:43.570 our spiritual gifts, because that is part of 00:41:43.570 --> 00:41:48.869 the process that leads us to maturity. I must 00:41:48.869 --> 00:41:51.949 hurry on to the final principle, and that is, 00:41:52.070 --> 00:41:54.989 spiritual gifts are not the same as the fruit 00:41:54.989 --> 00:41:58.349 of the Spirit. What are the distinctions between 00:41:58.349 --> 00:42:05.469 the two? Spiritual gifts are what I do. The fruit 00:42:05.469 --> 00:42:11.170 of the Spirit is what I am. Spiritual gifts have 00:42:11.170 --> 00:42:15.030 to do with my ministry. The fruit of the Spirit 00:42:15.030 --> 00:42:19.309 has to do with my character. Spiritual gifts 00:42:19.309 --> 00:42:22.829 are the means that God has given me to minister. 00:42:25.349 --> 00:42:28.429 But the fruit of the Spirit is the purpose or 00:42:28.429 --> 00:42:30.989 the end that he has in mind through that ministry. 00:42:31.210 --> 00:42:35.170 Do you see the difference? Love is not a spiritual 00:42:35.170 --> 00:42:41.679 gift, nor is joy. or patience or peace or gentleness 00:42:41.679 --> 00:42:44.639 or goodness or faithfulness or kindness or self 00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:48.659 -control. They are not spiritual gifts. What 00:42:48.659 --> 00:42:52.579 they are are characteristics or qualities of 00:42:52.579 --> 00:42:57.239 Jesus Christ. And as I walk in the Spirit and 00:42:57.239 --> 00:43:00.059 not in the flesh, those qualities of character 00:43:00.059 --> 00:43:04.199 are built into me and you. And as we walk in 00:43:04.199 --> 00:43:06.739 the Spirit and not in the flesh, we become more 00:43:06.739 --> 00:43:09.340 and more like Him in the way that we live. so 00:43:09.340 --> 00:43:12.300 that his character qualities are seen in us and 00:43:12.300 --> 00:43:19.840 we become like him. Regarding spiritual gifts, 00:43:19.940 --> 00:43:23.239 I want to warn you not to hibernate while seeking 00:43:23.239 --> 00:43:28.539 to define how you are gifted. I believe that 00:43:28.539 --> 00:43:32.380 one of the ways to find out what our gifts are 00:43:32.380 --> 00:43:37.769 and how we can function is to get involved. Gifts 00:43:37.769 --> 00:43:42.809 are revealed in us by the fruit of whatever ministry 00:43:42.809 --> 00:43:46.070 we are involved in, by the satisfaction that 00:43:46.070 --> 00:43:48.869 we have within, and by the counsel of others 00:43:48.869 --> 00:43:53.650 as they watch us. Example, how do I know if I 00:43:53.650 --> 00:43:59.969 am gifted to teach children? That is a specific 00:43:59.969 --> 00:44:03.849 gift. I know, first of all, by the fruit I see 00:44:03.849 --> 00:44:08.360 in the lives of the children. The fruit should 00:44:08.360 --> 00:44:13.019 be there. Secondly, I receive a great deal of 00:44:13.019 --> 00:44:17.539 satisfaction from teaching children. Evidence 00:44:17.539 --> 00:44:18.480 of the gift being there.