Concerning Spiritual Things
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Tonight we will be primarily reading from 1 Corinthians 12 & Romans 12
Last year was a year of examining the foundation of our lives, families and the church. Together we took inventory and examined what we believed about salvation, water baptism, prayer, the bible, giving, the Holy Spirit, church membership, missions and miracles.
We sense that God is now building on the foundation we have laid and that He is readying the church for the second coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus.
The scriptures tell of a great power surge coming to the church just immediately prior to the return of Christ. Coinciding with this will be a great deception resulting in a great apostasy, or falling away. Although no one knows the day nor the hour, we are admonished to discern the season and to always be prepared for His coming.
It is in this vein that tonight we begin a brief series on “The Things Of The Spirit”, taken from the writings of the Apostle Paul, primarily written to the church in Corinth around the year AD 55 or 56 from Ephesus. Acts 19 tells us a little about what was happening with the Apostle and with the church during that season of time.
While at Ephesus, Paul experienced God doing special miracles through his ministry. The Holy Spirit was alive and well on planet earth. Although Paul embraced the power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit, he had also heard of how the church in Corinth had moved into some error concerning spiritual things.
It was reported that church members were a bit disorderly in using the gifts of the Holy Spirit in ways which did not strengthen or build up the local congregation. Some would give messages in tongues without the benefit of interpretation, while others would give prophecies without submitting to accountability. The church appeared to be very spiritual but was riddled with adultery, incest, divorce, arguments, division, pride, legal wrangling and philosophical discord.
This troubled the Apostle and he set forth to bring decency and order to the members and spiritual activities of the local church. It was not his goal to quench the moving of the Holy Spirit, but to curb the carnal and self serving ministries operating in the church, thereby, actually increasing the moving of the Spirit and works of God.
It is in this vein that the Apostle Paul speaks as we pick up in 1 Corinthians 12 (NKJV)
I. 1 ¶ Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
A. Notice that the word gifts is italicized. When one sees this in the KJV or the NKJV, it is an indication that the italicized word is not original to the text but was added by translators to aid understanding.
1. Correct reading: Now concerning spiritual brethren
2. Spiritual - Gk Pneumatikos (pynoo-mat-ik-os’) Belonging to or pertaining to the spirit. Things of the spirit.
B. I do not want you to be ignorant (err or sin because you do not understand)
1. 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.
2. Basically, you know you have been deceived before.
Note:
3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.
* We will leave this for another time and move on to verse 4.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
There are 4 Spiritual Things Paul is referring to here:
* The Diversities of Gifts from the Holy Spirit
* The Differences of Ministries of Jesus
* The Diversities of Activities of God
* The Manifestations of The Holy Spirit
These together represent the spiritual things the Apostle Paul did not want us to be ignorant of.
For tonight, let’s take the first one first:
II. 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit
A. Diversities - Gk: diairesis (dee-ah’-ee-res-is) To divide out and distribute differently to different persons.
B. Gifts - Gk: charisma (kaha’-is-mah) Gracious Joy Gift - The power of divine grace operating on the soul by the Holy Spirit enabling individuals to perform extraordinary acts of service to and for the church of Jesus Christ. These acts produce joy in the life of the server once having fulfilled the specific service.
1. 1Corinthians 1:7 Paul wanted the church to come behind in no gift. (charisma)
2. Romans 1:11 Paul longed to see Roman Christians so that He might impart some spiritual gift unto them (pneumatikos charisma)
3. 1 Timothy 4:14 neglect not the gift (charisma) given through the laying on of hands by the eldership
4. 2 Timothy 1:6 stir up the gift (charisma) which was given through laying on of my (Paul’s) hands
5. 1 Peter 4:10 As every man has received the gift (charisma) even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
In order to find where a list of these gifts/charismas are, let’s go to:
Romans 12
4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts (charismas) differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;
7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;
8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
III. CHARISMAS
A. Prophecy Prophetia Insight - To see into
* Luke 22:64 And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy! Who is the one who struck You?"
B. Ministry Diakonia To serve or wait on
* Acts 6
1 ¶ Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, "It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.
C. Teaching Didasko To share what you have learned
* 2 Timothy 2:2 And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
D. Exhortation Parakelo To call alongside and encourage
* Acts 14:22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, exhorting them to continue in the faith, and saying, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."
* Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
E. Gives Metadidomi To share with or give over to
* Luke 3:11 (John the Baptist speaking) He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise."
* Ephesians 4:28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need.
F. Leads Proistemi To stand for or stand over, rule or lead
* 1 Timothy 3:4 one who rules his own house well, having his children in submission with all reverence
G. Shows Mercy Eleeo To show compassion
* Matthew 18:33 ‘Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?’
IV. Conclusion On Charismas
Each and every person is given special grace gifts by God. These special abilities grant the recipient great joy when used properly for the kingdom of God. We are admonished to:
Not neglect the gift we have received
Stir up the gift we have been given
Minister from the grace of that gift to others
Once we have completed this brief series we will more fully understand the workings and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Next week we will endeavor to cover the differences of ministries.
Under that covering we will take an in-depth look at the individual callings and work of the Apostle, the Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and the Teacher. These are the ministries which come under the specific direction of our Lord, Jesus.
* Diversities of Gifts
* Differences of Ministries
