Audio - The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Play Audio
MP3 Download (24.5mb)
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The Tenth Sunday after Trinity
August 12, 2007
TEXT: NKJ 1 Corinthians 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I
do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away
to these dumb idols, however you were led. 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. 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: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another
the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same
Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the
working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to
another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11
But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one
individually as He wills.
As we continue our examination of Paul’s teachings about the Holy Spirit—and
today we consider the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to God’s people—as we
approach the lesson of God’s Word—we need to understand that these gifts are
provided for the Church—not for the individual to whom the gift is given—Paul
taught us that in his letter to the Philippians—and Jesus set the example of
living for others
NKJ Philippians 2:3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but
in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of
you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of
others. 5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being
in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made
Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the
likeness of men.
Paul gives the example of Jesus coming from heaven yet He ministers without
regard to His own interests—Christ submitted Himself to the work of God the
Father—Jesus was indeed the Good Shepherd of the one Church on earth—He was not
a hireling who would put his own interests above the interests and needs of the
flock—when the going becomes difficult the hireling will run away—the shepherd
stands fast willing to offer their lives for the sheep—Jesus explains this in
John’s Gospel
NKJ John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the
sheep. 12 "But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the
sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches
the sheep and scatters them. 13 "The hireling flees because he is a hireling and
does not care about the sheep. 14 "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep,
and am known by My own. 15 "As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father;
and I lay down My life for the sheep.
Jesus is talking about the shepherds He has in this world to nourish the
children of God until our Lord calls them home or until Judgment Day—there are
shepherds who love the sheep and make personal sacrifices for the flock—and
there are hirelings who are doing the job of a preacher, but will flee when
trouble comes and will not be there when the flock is attacked by Satan and his
workers—God calls shepherds to watch His flocks—to teach and preach His Word—and
to do this work, God gives the gifts of the Holy Spirit—that’s what Paul is
saying
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was written to correct the Church and remind
them that there is One God and one doctrine—and there is to be one church built
upon the foundation of our Savior, Jesus Christ—men, no matter how smart or
learned in Scripture cannot teach any other doctrine and be true to God’s Word
NKJ 1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is
laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Chapter 11 of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians chastised those in the church who
misunderstood the Lord’s Supper—they participated without regard for the other
members of the congregation—if a small piece of consecrated bread was the Body
of Christ, and a small sip of wine was the Blood of Christ, they wanted the
whole loaf and the entire bottle—they ate as glutens and they drank until they
were intoxicated—Paul wrote chapter 11 of his letter to correct their thinking
and their behavior as members of the church
Paul begins chapter 12—our text—that those without Christ tend to create idols
to worship—crops—animals—fish—and just about any type of image he can come up
with—Luther said before he had sufficient knowledge in Christ he prayed to
saints and relics of the so-called church of his day—but as he came to
understand the things of the Holy Spirit and the truth of the Word, he realized
the folly of his ways—to please God we need to worship the one true God—and we
need to worship in unity the one true doctrine of God’s Word
NKJ Ephesians 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in
one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and
Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7 But to each
one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
Therefore, we must consider the first gift of the Holy Spirit—the gift of faith
and knowledge of our salvation—this is given to us in verse three of our text
TEXT: NKJ 1 Corinthians 12:3 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.
Paul tells the Corinthians that there are many individuals, many members of the
one body of Christ—therefore there are different gifts for each—for use toward
unity of the one Church
NKJ 1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things,
distributing to each one individually as He wills. 12 For as the body is one and
has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body, so also is Christ.
Paul knew that there were some that boasted about their great preaching or
teaching skills—and some began to offer their own message of human understanding
of the things of God—they perverted God’s message—and they confused God’s
people—there is one Spirit—giving spiritual gifts in accordance with the needs
of the Church—and there were some who invented a different message to attract
the attention of believers and distract God’s people from the real message of
God—Jesus knew these things would happen—and Paul is warning the church at
Corinth of false preachers and teachers—Paul gave the same warning to the
Galatians
Consider the truth of Jesus’ teaching
NKJ John 15:26 " But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the
Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
NKJ John 16:13 "However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide
you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He
hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 "He will glorify
Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
Paul’s message is this—each called worker will receive the gifts necessary to do
the things God calls them to do—but not everyone who works is called—many false
preachers and teachers are working for the devil in our churches—it has been
that way from the beginning—Jesus warned us about this
NKJ Matthew 7:21 " Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the
kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 "Many
will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 "And then
I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!'
That is why our Lord sent each of us the Holy Spirit to help us discern the Word
from the man-made nonsense that some preachers preach—a true preacher called by
God will be given the gift of truth and understanding and the gift to deliver
the message
NKJ 1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as
good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak
as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability
which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus
Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Not all gifts of the Holy Spirit are gifts for the preacher—each of us receives
our own gifts—and it is our responsibility to administer those gifts for the
good of the Church—the list of gifts identified in our text
include—WISDOM—KNOWLEDGE—FAITH—HEALINGS—MIRACLES—PROPHECY—DISCERNING OF
SPIRITS—TONGUES—INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES
All of these gifts have one thing in common—they are not gifts for the
individual they are given to—they are gifts to be shared with others—these gifts
are entrusted to us as Christians to share with everyone we can share them
with—consider your gifts—and determine whether you are using them to the fullest
extent for the Church
ALL GLORY BE TO GOD!