Sermon Notes 1/22/23: Romans 12:3-8 Spiritual Gifts: Humble Service To The King
Many times in the body of Christ we may view spiritual gifts as those only listed in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11
We may think only those who prophesy or have a word of wisdom or speak in tongues are operating in spiritual gifts
But God has dispensed the gifts of the Spirit according to His will
All of the gifts of the Spirit are essential for the purposes of God’s kingdom being accomplished
Jesus demonstrated and manifested all the gifts of the Spirit
He set the model for how to live according to the Spirits leading and under the direction of The Holy Spirit
He truly lived and walked in The Spirit
The only way the gifts of the Spirit can be manifested in the life of a person is to be led, guided, and controlled by The Holy Spirit
Sadly there are some who have been given gifts by the Holy Spirit and don’t even know it
The criteria for being able to have a gift or gifts from The Holy Spirit is to have The Spirit of God living within us
Ephesians 5:18 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,
Galatians 5:16 16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Galatians 5:24-25 24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
For the gifts of the Spirit to be manifested I believe being filled with the Spirit, Walking in the Spirit, and Living in the Spirit are essential
We must be led, guided, and controlled by the person and work of The Holy Spirit
Romans 12:3-8
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
1. The gifts we have are given by The grace of God
a. We don’t own them
b. God has given us the measure of faith to use them
c. The right understanding of this will cause us to walk in humility
d. One of the greatest things the enemy uses to cause division and discord is pride and arrogance
2. We are one body with many members
a. Every person is unique in the body of Christ
i. Every snowflake is unique
b. Every person has a gift or gifts from The Holy Spirit
c. We are interconnected as The body of Christ
i. 1 Corinthians 12:15-20 15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
d. We need each other
i. Every person and the gifts they have are essential for the purposes of God to be accomplished
3. Gifts given by the grace of God
a. Not earned
b. It is God’s anointing and choice they qualifies
c. The gifts given are by the grace of God
d. The very design of our lives: our physical body, personality, emotional and spiritual make up align with gifts we have been given by the Holy Spirit
i. Psalm 139:13-18 3 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts,[a] God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I awake, I am still with you.
e. God doesn’t create junk
4. List of gifts
a. This is not an exhaustive list but it includes gifts that are speaking gifts and also involved with effective ministry in the body of Christ
b. Prophecy
i. 1 Corinthians 14:3 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
ii. When we prophesy we speak from the heart of God into the lives of His people
c. Serving
i. Greek word diakonia
ii. Means ministry, service. Refers to a ministry or service; either waiting on others or a ministry in the church.
iii. Examples Dave Raub, Tony Fisher, Jennifer Arbach, Sandy Myers
iv. Those who serve do so for the pleasure of Jesus alone, don’t desire recognition
v. Jesus washing the disciples feet
d. Teaching
i. Greek word didasko
ii. Means to teach. Denotes the activity of teaching; especially used for moral instruction.
iii. Those who are gifted to teach do so by the leading of The Holy Spirit
iv. The Holy Spirit enables them to bring forth the deep things of God’s word to instruct God’s people in sound doctrine
v. Those who possess this gift will also have a incredible appetite for God’s word and the desire to study it
vi. 2 Timothy 2:15 15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
e. Encourage
i. Means to urge, implore, exhort
ii. Those who are encouragers will see God’s hand and purpose in every situation
iii. They often will have purposely gone through things by God to shape and form them to have incredible compassion and insight
iv. They are essential in the body of Christ
v. Proverbs 25:11 (NASB) Like apples of gold in settings of silver Is a word spoken in [a]right circumstances.
f. Giving or generosity
i. Greek word Metadidomi
ii. Means share, give to give out as one’s portion or share.
iii. God intentionally blesses those with this gift with finances and resources
iv. God doesn’t bless us to spend what we have been given on our own selfish sinful desires
v. To truly be the hands and feet of Jesus to needs that come before us
g. Leading
i. Greek word proistemi
ii. Means lead, rule over, or manage
iii. We are called to lead with diligence and excellence
iv. Those who are gifted to lead are anointed and called by God to do so with kingdom authority
v. True authority comes from God alone
1. People don’t appoint themselves to leadership
vi. When we lead we influence others for the kingdom of Heaven
vii. We lead in the image and character of Christ
1. As a shepherd
2. John 10:11-14 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12 But a [b]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.
viii. This gift is essential in accomplishing the purposes of God’s kingdom
h. Mercy
i. Means to show mercy or have mercy on
ii. To show compassion toward someone and their situation
iii. Those who have the gift of mercy will be moved by compassion
1. The Lord calls us to do so with cheerfulness
2. Those who have this gift will supernaturally meet broken people where they are and the love of Christ will compel them