1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:02,560 Turn in your Bibles tonight to Romans chapter 12. 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:10,160 So I didn't want to necessarily feel led to go off into 3 00:00:10,160 --> 00:00:13,000 a completely different direction, but rather I wanted to 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:19,720 try to support our pastor in his Sunday morning service as we 5 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:20,680 go through the gifts. 6 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:26,000 We're almost halfway through now throughout the spiritual gift. 7 00:00:26,870 --> 00:00:30,950 And I don't want to per se, repreach the same gifts that he's 8 00:00:30,950 --> 00:00:33,430 gone or even go forward into some other new gift. 9 00:00:33,750 --> 00:00:39,350 But I want to address the question of why. 10 00:00:39,910 --> 00:00:41,150 Have you ever wondered that? 11 00:00:41,150 --> 00:00:43,510 Why is the pastor preaching on this? 12 00:00:43,750 --> 00:00:44,150 Why? 13 00:00:44,630 --> 00:00:45,510 You know, if you're. 14 00:00:46,470 --> 00:00:48,790 If you're real spiritual, maybe you. 15 00:00:49,030 --> 00:00:51,510 You pick that up and say, well, this is exactly what God is. 16 00:00:52,320 --> 00:00:54,160 And we see that all throughout our lives. 17 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:57,680 You ever come to a sermon, you feel like pastor is preaching just 18 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,080 to me, God is leading him. 19 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:00,400 Right? 20 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:06,880 That is at the crux of this sermon here, and the title of it 21 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:10,400 is what's so Special about the Gift? 22 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:12,720 What's so Special about the Gift? 23 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:15,880 What's so special about the spiritual gifts that we would devote 24 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:16,720 so much time with? 25 00:01:17,290 --> 00:01:19,450 Now, I would agree with Pastor Josh. 26 00:01:21,770 --> 00:01:23,930 I had one pastor preach. 27 00:01:24,810 --> 00:01:26,250 It wasn't actually preaching. 28 00:01:26,250 --> 00:01:27,050 It was a class. 29 00:01:27,050 --> 00:01:29,450 It was like a Sunday school class that Brother Goforth actually 30 00:01:29,450 --> 00:01:29,930 went through. 31 00:01:30,330 --> 00:01:36,010 But I've never really had, to my recollection, a pastor preach 32 00:01:36,090 --> 00:01:39,930 individually on every single gift, one at a time. 33 00:01:40,410 --> 00:01:45,150 And as we go through this, we're making a big emphasis on the 34 00:01:45,150 --> 00:01:46,150 spiritual gifts. 35 00:01:46,150 --> 00:01:49,510 And it has to breed the question in your minds and in all 36 00:01:49,510 --> 00:01:50,590 of our minds, why? 37 00:01:51,150 --> 00:01:52,110 What's so special? 38 00:01:52,750 --> 00:01:55,790 What is pastor trying to get through to us? 39 00:01:55,950 --> 00:02:01,230 Nay, what is God trying to get through to us in Scripture? 40 00:02:01,230 --> 00:02:03,390 What's so special about the gift? 41 00:02:04,750 --> 00:02:07,590 And whenever we come here to Romans, chapter 12, we'll start here 42 00:02:07,590 --> 00:02:10,340 in verse number three, he says, for I say through the grace 43 00:02:10,340 --> 00:02:14,260 given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of 44 00:02:14,260 --> 00:02:18,180 himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly. 45 00:02:18,340 --> 00:02:22,660 According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 46 00:02:22,820 --> 00:02:27,540 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not 47 00:02:27,540 --> 00:02:33,380 the same office, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and 48 00:02:33,380 --> 00:02:36,060 every one members one, one of another. 49 00:02:36,860 --> 00:02:42,860 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given 50 00:02:43,340 --> 00:02:49,580 to us, we then exercise those gifts accordingly. 51 00:02:50,460 --> 00:02:53,980 So why are we going through the spiritual gifts here at Middletown? 52 00:02:54,380 --> 00:02:57,260 Why the emphasis on the subject? 53 00:02:57,260 --> 00:02:57,900 You know, to. 54 00:02:57,900 --> 00:02:59,260 To ask a few questions? 55 00:02:59,500 --> 00:03:02,700 That's what we're trying to do tonight, is we're trying to ask that 56 00:03:02,700 --> 00:03:03,100 question. 57 00:03:03,180 --> 00:03:04,940 What is so important about this. 58 00:03:05,340 --> 00:03:07,860 What is the purpose of learning about spiritual gifts? 59 00:03:07,860 --> 00:03:12,660 And then also, what is not the purpose of learning about the spiritual 60 00:03:12,660 --> 00:03:13,180 gifts? 61 00:03:13,420 --> 00:03:17,660 We study spiritual gifts not merely to learn something about ourselves, 62 00:03:18,059 --> 00:03:27,500 but to learn how God intends for us to function within the body 63 00:03:27,500 --> 00:03:28,330 of Christ, but as. 64 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:29,920 As the body of Christ. 65 00:03:30,160 --> 00:03:31,360 Let's pray and we'll start. 66 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:32,560 Our Heavenly Father. 67 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:39,040 Lord, we thank you that you have given gifts to the body of Christ, 68 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,880 to every single Christian. 69 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:46,120 You have given something that is so useful or to help the body 70 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,920 grow, to help it be healthy, Lord. 71 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:53,320 To minister to one another in this world of great need, in this 72 00:03:53,320 --> 00:03:54,600 life of great need, Lord. 73 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:56,560 In this church of great need, Lord. 74 00:03:56,880 --> 00:04:02,600 Every single church is in need of the body to be healthy, Lord. 75 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:04,000 And you've equipped us to do that. 76 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,920 And I thank you for that great grace, Lord. 77 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:11,480 I thank you for your wisdom in that and giving to us such gifts, 78 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:11,840 Lord. 79 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:12,960 Thank you. 80 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,920 Pray now that you would help us to understand these gifts a little 81 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:19,080 bit better in the context of our study tonight. 82 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:23,340 And I pray, Lord, that you would help us to walk away with an 83 00:04:23,340 --> 00:04:26,540 understanding of the importance of this subject and how 84 00:04:26,540 --> 00:04:30,780 it is to be used and how we are to glorify, pray and ask these 85 00:04:30,780 --> 00:04:30,980 things. 86 00:04:30,980 --> 00:04:31,860 In Jesus name. 87 00:04:32,020 --> 00:04:32,660 Amen. 88 00:04:33,620 --> 00:04:39,380 So, number one, we get the establishing call. 89 00:04:39,700 --> 00:04:41,540 What is the call? 90 00:04:42,180 --> 00:04:44,100 Every member a minister. 91 00:04:44,900 --> 00:04:47,140 Okay, so the why? 92 00:04:47,220 --> 00:04:52,640 Whenever we approach spiritual gifts, we have to approach them in 93 00:04:53,360 --> 00:04:56,400 somewhat of a systematic way as we begin to think about it. 94 00:04:56,400 --> 00:05:01,920 And number one, there is a call for every single member to first 95 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:08,320 and foremost understand the big concept of we are ministers, 96 00:05:08,480 --> 00:05:12,920 every single one of us, down to the littlest member, all the way 97 00:05:12,920 --> 00:05:13,600 to the biggest. 98 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:14,880 That's you, Dan. 99 00:05:16,170 --> 00:05:17,370 We are all members. 100 00:05:18,090 --> 00:05:18,730 All right? 101 00:05:19,130 --> 00:05:22,690 So we are all ministers in that membership. 102 00:05:22,690 --> 00:05:24,810 So we are all called to do that. 103 00:05:24,890 --> 00:05:25,530 Okay? 104 00:05:25,850 --> 00:05:29,290 Every believer is called to minister, not necessarily to be a 105 00:05:29,290 --> 00:05:32,570 pastor, but to serve and edify the body. 106 00:05:32,970 --> 00:05:37,010 There In Romans, chapter 12, it moves there from verse number 107 00:05:37,010 --> 00:05:41,560 four from many members to different functions to different 108 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:42,360 gifts. 109 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:49,640 The church was never designed to be that 20% doing 100% of all 110 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:50,040 the work. 111 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:52,680 Never was it ever designed for that. 112 00:05:53,000 --> 00:05:57,320 That is not the intention and the purpose that gives us that call 113 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:57,800 to action. 114 00:05:57,800 --> 00:06:00,920 That, okay, so I am supposed to be doing something. 115 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:05,000 Every single member is supposed to be serving, ministering 116 00:06:05,320 --> 00:06:06,280 in some way. 117 00:06:06,870 --> 00:06:11,590 The question is not simply, am I called to ministry as we so sometimes 118 00:06:11,590 --> 00:06:12,510 like to put it. 119 00:06:12,510 --> 00:06:14,390 I have that calling to ministry. 120 00:06:14,870 --> 00:06:17,230 That's not the question for Christians. 121 00:06:17,230 --> 00:06:22,630 The question is, how has God equipped me personally to minister 122 00:06:22,950 --> 00:06:24,790 if I am supposed to minister. 123 00:06:25,510 --> 00:06:28,710 Me and my wife were talking about this a few weeks ago. 124 00:06:29,270 --> 00:06:32,830 She ran across a person and told me we were serving in a church 125 00:06:32,830 --> 00:06:35,250 and her husband was pastor. 126 00:06:35,250 --> 00:06:38,210 And it's amazing how different conversation changes. 127 00:06:38,210 --> 00:06:40,730 All of a sudden, whenever you tell them you're a pastor or whenever 128 00:06:40,730 --> 00:06:43,530 you tell them you're a Christian, even, you know, the things 129 00:06:43,530 --> 00:06:47,410 that people will try to do to either sometimes prove their goodness 130 00:06:47,890 --> 00:06:51,010 or prove, I don't know, prove something. 131 00:06:51,010 --> 00:06:51,610 Well, this. 132 00:06:51,610 --> 00:06:55,130 This lady began speaking and she started talking about, yeah, 133 00:06:55,130 --> 00:06:55,890 you know, we. 134 00:06:55,890 --> 00:06:56,730 We go to church. 135 00:06:56,730 --> 00:06:57,410 We go to church. 136 00:06:57,410 --> 00:06:59,170 That's always the first thing we go to church. 137 00:06:59,440 --> 00:07:02,520 But she said, every single time we go to church, you know, we'll 138 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:08,200 start attending a place, and then before too long, someone asks 139 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:12,160 us to do something and we don't. 140 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:13,360 We don't want to do that. 141 00:07:13,520 --> 00:07:14,200 We want to. 142 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:15,359 We want to just go to church. 143 00:07:15,359 --> 00:07:19,000 So we'll pick somewhere else and we'll go to that church and we'll 144 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:21,080 attend there for a little while. 145 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:22,560 Maybe we'll get a year in it. 146 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,600 And then all of a sudden, they start asking us to do stuff. 147 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:28,360 And the. 148 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:37,280 The mindset is somewhat laughable with respect to it, but 149 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,600 at the same time, it's sad because that is sometimes the condition, 150 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,040 the mindset, and it's an unhealthy mindset. 151 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:44,880 Essentially. 152 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:48,120 They don't want to do anything but come and listen and then go home 153 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:50,200 with a good feeling that they went to church that day. 154 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,340 They approach church with that question of what does this place 155 00:07:54,340 --> 00:07:55,060 have for me? 156 00:07:55,620 --> 00:07:57,620 And that's the wrong question. 157 00:07:57,780 --> 00:07:58,260 Yeah. 158 00:07:58,660 --> 00:08:00,340 That is not why we come to church. 159 00:08:00,740 --> 00:08:02,820 That is not why we gather to be assembled. 160 00:08:02,900 --> 00:08:05,700 Christianity is not a spectator activity. 161 00:08:06,020 --> 00:08:09,380 Every Christian, every believer has been called to minister. 162 00:08:09,460 --> 00:08:12,740 We are called the Body of Christ for a reason. 163 00:08:12,740 --> 00:08:15,220 No one is excluded outside of the body. 164 00:08:15,220 --> 00:08:17,300 And we've all been called to a task. 165 00:08:17,540 --> 00:08:20,100 And that's what the Great Commission is there for in Matthew 166 00:08:20,100 --> 00:08:24,590 chapter 28, where Jesus commissions us to go into the world. 167 00:08:24,590 --> 00:08:27,150 In Matthew chapter 28, he says, Go ye therefore and teach all 168 00:08:27,150 --> 00:08:30,030 nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, Holy 169 00:08:30,030 --> 00:08:32,470 Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever. 170 00:08:32,470 --> 00:08:33,630 I've commanded you. 171 00:08:34,030 --> 00:08:40,470 That is a call, contrary to belief, not to win convert, not to 172 00:08:40,470 --> 00:08:43,630 win decision, but to win disciple. 173 00:08:44,510 --> 00:08:50,630 So we all have the Great Commission to go and disciple people. 174 00:08:51,590 --> 00:08:58,070 We have the Great Commission to minister to people, every single 175 00:08:58,070 --> 00:08:58,870 one of us. 176 00:08:59,190 --> 00:09:00,710 The gospel is presented. 177 00:09:00,790 --> 00:09:05,830 People do get saved, but it is to get them discipled in the local 178 00:09:05,830 --> 00:09:06,150 body. 179 00:09:06,150 --> 00:09:06,710 Of Christ. 180 00:09:07,670 --> 00:09:10,150 We are called to make disciples. 181 00:09:10,630 --> 00:09:14,740 And everyone in here should have someone who they are disciplined 182 00:09:14,970 --> 00:09:18,810 discipling who they are ministering to, who they are ministering 183 00:09:18,810 --> 00:09:20,010 their spiritual gifts to. 184 00:09:20,490 --> 00:09:24,490 Everyone in here should have someone who they are doing that discipleship 185 00:09:24,490 --> 00:09:24,810 with. 186 00:09:24,970 --> 00:09:28,970 And by the way, everyone in here should have someone who is discipling 187 00:09:28,970 --> 00:09:33,370 them open discipleship all around. 188 00:09:33,370 --> 00:09:36,410 Someone should be discipling me, I should be discipling someone 189 00:09:36,410 --> 00:09:36,810 else. 190 00:09:36,890 --> 00:09:40,330 That is the model of the New Testament church, and that's the 191 00:09:40,330 --> 00:09:45,190 model of our church that we want to to push and promote. 192 00:09:45,190 --> 00:09:49,430 The biblical model is a church that is full of discipleship. 193 00:09:49,430 --> 00:09:52,670 Everything that we should do revolves around discipleship. 194 00:09:52,910 --> 00:09:54,390 2 Timothy chapter 2. 195 00:09:54,390 --> 00:09:56,510 Paul said, these things thou warn from me. 196 00:09:56,590 --> 00:10:00,070 Among many witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall 197 00:10:00,070 --> 00:10:02,430 be able to teach others also. 198 00:10:03,070 --> 00:10:04,950 Go therefore and teach all nations. 199 00:10:04,950 --> 00:10:08,370 Jesus said in Titus chapter two, the age women likewise, that 200 00:10:08,370 --> 00:10:11,690 they be in behavior as becometh holiness teachers of good 201 00:10:11,690 --> 00:10:14,930 things, that they may teach the young women to be sober ladies. 202 00:10:14,930 --> 00:10:18,450 There is a call there for you to teach those who are younger. 203 00:10:18,450 --> 00:10:22,210 There's a call to discipleship for men, for women in Philippians 204 00:10:22,210 --> 00:10:22,770 chapter four. 205 00:10:22,770 --> 00:10:25,210 Those things which you have both learned and received and heard 206 00:10:25,210 --> 00:10:27,970 and seen in me do I have discipled you. 207 00:10:27,970 --> 00:10:30,850 Paul says, you've heard these things of me. 208 00:10:30,850 --> 00:10:33,330 You've seen me my work, you've seen what I do. 209 00:10:33,330 --> 00:10:34,850 Now do the same thing. 210 00:10:35,170 --> 00:10:37,730 It should be this chain of I disciple you. 211 00:10:38,050 --> 00:10:41,210 Once you get discipled to a certain point, now you pick on someone 212 00:10:41,210 --> 00:10:43,810 else and you say, I'm going to disciple this individual. 213 00:10:44,050 --> 00:10:46,930 And that individual grows up in the relationship with the Lord 214 00:10:47,010 --> 00:10:49,930 through their discipleship and says, you know what, I need to be 215 00:10:49,930 --> 00:10:50,810 discipling as well. 216 00:10:50,810 --> 00:10:52,210 So they disciple a person. 217 00:10:52,370 --> 00:10:54,690 It is a chain of discipleship. 218 00:10:55,170 --> 00:10:58,290 We're familiar with proverbs, iron, sharpeneth iron. 219 00:10:58,450 --> 00:11:01,890 We are to sharpen one another that discipleship. 220 00:11:02,260 --> 00:11:05,780 This is called the edification of the body of Christ by Christians 221 00:11:05,780 --> 00:11:10,140 who make up that body, making it healthy, making it growing at 222 00:11:10,140 --> 00:11:10,900 all times. 223 00:11:11,300 --> 00:11:19,540 And so everyone in this room is called to make disciples, to minister 224 00:11:20,020 --> 00:11:20,900 to one another. 225 00:11:21,380 --> 00:11:23,300 So this is a call for everyone. 226 00:11:24,260 --> 00:11:24,900 There are. 227 00:11:25,220 --> 00:11:28,550 I love the way one of my former pastors would say, no one 228 00:11:28,550 --> 00:11:33,430 in this room is called to come in and sit down and warm. 229 00:11:33,430 --> 00:11:35,710 High density polyurethane foam. 230 00:11:36,350 --> 00:11:38,190 That's what you're sitting on right now. 231 00:11:38,510 --> 00:11:41,710 This is high density polyurethane foam. 232 00:11:41,950 --> 00:11:43,310 It's comfortable, isn't it? 233 00:11:43,549 --> 00:11:45,950 Maybe some of you are like, I couldn't use it more Comfortable 234 00:11:45,950 --> 00:11:46,270 chair. 235 00:11:46,590 --> 00:11:51,150 But that is what we are called to do. 236 00:11:51,310 --> 00:11:56,100 We are not called to just sit there, but called to Minister rather. 237 00:11:56,260 --> 00:11:58,500 Ephesians 4 walks us through some of this. 238 00:11:59,060 --> 00:12:02,340 He says, walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you have been 239 00:12:02,340 --> 00:12:05,820 called with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing 240 00:12:05,820 --> 00:12:06,740 one another in love. 241 00:12:06,900 --> 00:12:11,420 If that doesn't take the ministering mindset of working with 242 00:12:11,420 --> 00:12:13,060 one another, I don't know what else does. 243 00:12:13,140 --> 00:12:16,700 He says, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit. 244 00:12:16,700 --> 00:12:18,500 There's one body, one spirit. 245 00:12:19,230 --> 00:12:19,670 There it again. 246 00:12:19,670 --> 00:12:20,670 That is that language. 247 00:12:20,670 --> 00:12:24,950 We are a body says he has given to us grace according to the 248 00:12:24,950 --> 00:12:26,270 measure of the gift of Christ. 249 00:12:26,670 --> 00:12:28,270 He gave gifts unto men. 250 00:12:28,270 --> 00:12:28,870 Skip down. 251 00:12:28,870 --> 00:12:31,630 He says he gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, 252 00:12:31,630 --> 00:12:36,030 some pastors, teacher, why are all the gifts given? 253 00:12:36,110 --> 00:12:40,030 It is for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, 254 00:12:40,030 --> 00:12:41,870 for the edifying of the body of Christ. 255 00:12:42,190 --> 00:12:45,790 We are to speak the truth in love may grow up in him in all things. 256 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:47,240 Then verse 16. 257 00:12:47,240 --> 00:12:51,760 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by 258 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:57,120 that which every joint supply, according to the effectual working 259 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:02,199 in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto 260 00:13:02,199 --> 00:13:04,480 the edifying of itself and love. 261 00:13:05,120 --> 00:13:11,440 You know, I believe that this bone, this thigh bone in my leg is 262 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:11,920 pretty good. 263 00:13:12,950 --> 00:13:19,470 Okay, I walk on it all the time, but if my knee goes out, it's 264 00:13:19,470 --> 00:13:21,270 not gonna do me a whole lot of good. 265 00:13:21,750 --> 00:13:28,070 Every joint supply the needed strength to continue onward. 266 00:13:28,229 --> 00:13:34,390 The muscles themselves are being the the tool to move the body. 267 00:13:35,110 --> 00:13:38,950 The electricity that the brain computes to get the muscles to move. 268 00:13:40,150 --> 00:13:44,390 Everything about the body works in unison. 269 00:13:45,270 --> 00:13:47,990 It is a body of believers. 270 00:13:47,990 --> 00:13:51,470 The whole body is an action to work with one another to build it 271 00:13:51,470 --> 00:13:53,910 up, not to sit around and do nothing. 272 00:13:53,910 --> 00:13:57,470 And that brings us to the equipment, the equipment that you 273 00:13:57,470 --> 00:13:58,470 are equipped. 274 00:13:59,110 --> 00:14:00,710 This is your contribution. 275 00:14:01,110 --> 00:14:03,110 Every member has a contribution. 276 00:14:03,510 --> 00:14:07,040 We are as the body of Christ supposed to be, a functional, healthy 277 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:07,320 body. 278 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:13,000 How can this body at Middletown Baptist Church be a healthy 279 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:20,200 body growing if every member is not contribute in some way in 280 00:14:20,200 --> 00:14:23,240 its ministering and edifying the body? 281 00:14:24,040 --> 00:14:28,920 So we are establishing what God has done for every single believer. 282 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:35,570 God supernaturally equips us with with gifts to fulfill this call. 283 00:14:35,890 --> 00:14:38,050 Every member has a contribution. 284 00:14:38,370 --> 00:14:43,130 As we read here In Romans, chapter 12, a ministry gift, if you 285 00:14:43,130 --> 00:14:47,090 will, that the body needs. 286 00:14:47,330 --> 00:14:51,970 God has equipped us differently, but God has equipped 287 00:14:51,970 --> 00:14:55,170 us so that the body has everything that it needs. 288 00:14:55,650 --> 00:15:01,480 Our differences are intentional, not accidental. 289 00:15:01,800 --> 00:15:03,000 You have a ministry. 290 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:04,520 Every single one of us. 291 00:15:05,080 --> 00:15:10,200 And God has equipped you specifically for that ministry. 292 00:15:10,440 --> 00:15:14,200 And that is a very important concept that we have to understand 293 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:19,240 about the spiritual gifts as to not per se, get ourselves into 294 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:23,560 a place maybe where God has not exactly equipped it. 295 00:15:24,890 --> 00:15:27,050 Now, we'll talk a little bit more about that later. 296 00:15:27,370 --> 00:15:31,690 But your differences are intentional, not accidental. 297 00:15:32,490 --> 00:15:35,890 There's no wondering why sister so and so is the way that 298 00:15:35,890 --> 00:15:36,410 she is. 299 00:15:36,970 --> 00:15:41,330 God has made her that way, or why your, your. 300 00:15:41,330 --> 00:15:45,050 Your brother in Christ thinks differently than you. 301 00:15:45,930 --> 00:15:48,650 And sometimes we butt heads with some of that differences. 302 00:15:49,380 --> 00:15:51,780 But there is a reason for those. 303 00:15:52,660 --> 00:15:53,540 Those differences. 304 00:15:53,940 --> 00:15:55,060 You have a ministry. 305 00:15:55,060 --> 00:15:57,300 You're equipped for that ministry by God himself. 306 00:15:57,460 --> 00:16:00,900 And as Paul would say, I am what I am by the grace of God. 307 00:16:01,220 --> 00:16:06,300 It is by grace, by the grace of God that we do what we are, and 308 00:16:06,300 --> 00:16:09,460 we are the way that we are. 309 00:16:10,100 --> 00:16:13,140 Paul does not compare the church to an audience. 310 00:16:14,100 --> 00:16:17,240 It's not a business, it's not even an organization. 311 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:19,480 He compares it to a body. 312 00:16:19,720 --> 00:16:23,560 A healthy body has different parts performing the different functions. 313 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:29,240 Likewise, as we say, the hand works wonderfully, but disconnected, 314 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:30,000 it's no good. 315 00:16:30,000 --> 00:16:34,160 Or the eye says, well, you know, I could see so well, so I don't 316 00:16:34,160 --> 00:16:35,000 need the feet. 317 00:16:35,800 --> 00:16:40,040 Likewise, the purpose of gifts isn't necessarily merely to make 318 00:16:40,040 --> 00:16:42,380 individual Christians effective. 319 00:16:42,780 --> 00:16:46,620 The spiritual gifts are God's design for making the whole body 320 00:16:46,780 --> 00:16:48,780 perform and function well. 321 00:16:49,260 --> 00:16:53,700 You need every part of that body in order for the body to perform 322 00:16:53,700 --> 00:16:54,460 the way it is. 323 00:16:55,340 --> 00:17:01,140 These gifts are often closely connected with how God has created 324 00:17:01,140 --> 00:17:05,220 us to operate as individuals, especially here in Romans chapter 325 00:17:05,220 --> 00:17:05,500 12. 326 00:17:05,740 --> 00:17:10,060 There's some comparisons that we can look at, but however, we also 327 00:17:10,140 --> 00:17:15,700 have to understand that they should not be confused with mere 328 00:17:15,700 --> 00:17:18,940 personality or natural temperament. 329 00:17:20,460 --> 00:17:21,940 Because there are similarities. 330 00:17:21,940 --> 00:17:24,859 It's easy for us to say, well, that's their personality. 331 00:17:25,900 --> 00:17:27,780 That's not the case with these gifts. 332 00:17:27,780 --> 00:17:30,940 It is closely linked and connected with how God has made us. 333 00:17:30,940 --> 00:17:34,060 But it is not a gift of your personality that God has given to 334 00:17:34,060 --> 00:17:34,460 the church. 335 00:17:35,030 --> 00:17:36,150 Sorry to let some of you down. 336 00:17:37,110 --> 00:17:43,350 It is God's grace working in your life that produces such a wonderful 337 00:17:43,350 --> 00:17:44,070 creation. 338 00:17:44,550 --> 00:17:46,870 At the redemption of a person. 339 00:17:47,350 --> 00:17:51,910 God providentially creates each person with a certain personality. 340 00:17:51,910 --> 00:17:55,270 We know that your temperament, your abilities, your experiences, 341 00:17:55,270 --> 00:17:56,950 strength and tendencies. 342 00:17:57,110 --> 00:18:01,510 An unbeliever may even display characteristics that look very similar 343 00:18:01,750 --> 00:18:05,530 to, to how we may describe some of these gifts in Romans chapter 344 00:18:05,530 --> 00:18:05,850 12. 345 00:18:06,410 --> 00:18:10,010 A person by that may be very naturally compassionate. 346 00:18:10,490 --> 00:18:13,690 A person may be very analytical, very generous. 347 00:18:14,330 --> 00:18:20,050 I've met very generous people who are not saved, who whenever we 348 00:18:20,050 --> 00:18:20,890 would look at them. 349 00:18:21,210 --> 00:18:25,690 We would say, man, that person is a giver, or that person has a 350 00:18:25,690 --> 00:18:29,850 heart of compassion, or they are very organized, or they are very 351 00:18:29,850 --> 00:18:31,690 quick to recognize right and wrong. 352 00:18:31,930 --> 00:18:36,330 But a spiritual gift, make no mistake, is more than a natural personality 353 00:18:36,330 --> 00:18:36,810 trait. 354 00:18:36,810 --> 00:18:40,210 And that's possibly some of the confusion that I want to make 355 00:18:40,210 --> 00:18:43,930 sure that we have a clear understanding of this. 356 00:18:44,010 --> 00:18:50,290 Equipping is not just your personality that God is equipping 357 00:18:50,290 --> 00:18:50,650 you with. 358 00:18:50,650 --> 00:18:52,570 It is a grace of God. 359 00:18:52,650 --> 00:18:56,990 It is a work of sanctification in your life that God begins to work 360 00:18:56,990 --> 00:19:00,390 at you at the moment of salvation, when the Holy Spirit comes 361 00:19:00,390 --> 00:19:05,030 inside of you and empowers you to work in the body of Christ. 362 00:19:06,230 --> 00:19:11,110 Paul says in Romans chapter 12:12, verse 6, that we have gifts 363 00:19:11,429 --> 00:19:16,950 differing according to the grace that is given to us. 364 00:19:17,510 --> 00:19:24,260 We have gifts that are differing no matter what we may think 365 00:19:24,260 --> 00:19:25,780 the important gifts are. 366 00:19:25,780 --> 00:19:27,700 You remember the first Corinthian Church. 367 00:19:27,700 --> 00:19:31,020 They got caught up on what are the important gifts, what are the 368 00:19:31,020 --> 00:19:33,140 gifts that you really want to have? 369 00:19:33,460 --> 00:19:34,820 And we can do the same thing. 370 00:19:35,220 --> 00:19:39,540 But all of us are given a gift that is serving a purpose. 371 00:19:39,780 --> 00:19:44,180 Whatever spiritual usefulness we have in the body of Christ comes 372 00:19:44,660 --> 00:19:46,260 by the grace of God. 373 00:19:47,150 --> 00:19:51,430 So God does not use, does not ignore personality, temperament and 374 00:19:51,430 --> 00:19:51,670 abilities. 375 00:19:51,670 --> 00:19:53,310 I was talking to someone about this the other day. 376 00:19:53,630 --> 00:19:58,790 You know, God has brought you through your life in such a way as 377 00:19:58,790 --> 00:20:03,229 to redeem that and use it for his glory. 378 00:20:03,870 --> 00:20:08,430 You know, there are many singers that go on like American 379 00:20:08,430 --> 00:20:13,190 Idol, and a lot of them will say, you know, the first time I ever 380 00:20:13,190 --> 00:20:14,350 started singing was in church. 381 00:20:15,140 --> 00:20:18,100 And you know, we'll bemoan that and we'll say, oh, well, that 382 00:20:18,100 --> 00:20:20,860 that person, they could have used, you know, their gift for God. 383 00:20:20,860 --> 00:20:22,260 Instead they're using it for themselves. 384 00:20:23,380 --> 00:20:29,220 Or maybe we will see someone come through their life running businesses 385 00:20:29,220 --> 00:20:33,660 or running and operation, organizing different things and living 386 00:20:33,660 --> 00:20:34,820 their life for themselves. 387 00:20:34,980 --> 00:20:36,500 And then they get saved. 388 00:20:37,220 --> 00:20:40,260 And now they wonder what God wants them to do. 389 00:20:40,670 --> 00:20:44,110 And God has already equipped them with what he wants them to do. 390 00:20:44,510 --> 00:20:46,590 He has molded their life. 391 00:20:46,990 --> 00:20:49,870 You have to understand that we are in some in. 392 00:20:49,870 --> 00:20:52,390 In this way, we are born a certain way. 393 00:20:52,390 --> 00:20:54,030 Psalm 139 says that. 394 00:20:54,030 --> 00:20:56,030 It says, for thou hast possessed my reins, thou hast covered 395 00:20:56,030 --> 00:20:57,110 me my mother's womb. 396 00:20:57,110 --> 00:21:00,190 I will praise thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. 397 00:21:00,270 --> 00:21:03,550 God, you knew me, you know me, you know my down setting. 398 00:21:03,550 --> 00:21:09,070 You know what I am, and you are responsible for that were used 399 00:21:09,070 --> 00:21:10,110 for God's purpose. 400 00:21:10,190 --> 00:21:13,830 In Galatians, chapter one, Paul said that whenever it pleased 401 00:21:13,830 --> 00:21:16,630 God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his 402 00:21:16,630 --> 00:21:20,750 grace to reveal his son in me that I might preach him. 403 00:21:21,150 --> 00:21:27,790 Among the heathen, Paul was living a life that before the moment 404 00:21:27,790 --> 00:21:30,710 of conversion, Paul had said, well, this is exactly how my life 405 00:21:30,710 --> 00:21:31,390 is going to go. 406 00:21:31,550 --> 00:21:34,750 And God said, no, I've actually done that. 407 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:37,080 I have brought you to a certain point. 408 00:21:37,640 --> 00:21:41,880 I have made you the way that I want you to be made, and now you're 409 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:43,560 going to use that for me. 410 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,320 Apollos was a man who was a teacher. 411 00:21:47,640 --> 00:21:53,160 He was a diligent study or researcher of scripture. 412 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:58,200 The Bible says that after he got saved, he led the Jews that he 413 00:21:58,200 --> 00:22:02,050 was influencing and preaching to in a mighty way. 414 00:22:03,170 --> 00:22:07,490 He used what God had given him. 415 00:22:08,050 --> 00:22:10,930 That gift of teaching and research and study. 416 00:22:11,170 --> 00:22:16,610 The brain that Apollos had was used for the gift of God, for the 417 00:22:16,610 --> 00:22:17,330 use of God. 418 00:22:18,050 --> 00:22:20,770 So he uses it in sanctification. 419 00:22:21,330 --> 00:22:25,730 It includes God redeeming the past pain, the trials, experiences. 420 00:22:26,140 --> 00:22:29,980 He reshapes your unique life story and a tool to comfort and save 421 00:22:30,140 --> 00:22:30,540 others. 422 00:22:31,580 --> 00:22:34,540 You remember the story of Joseph and Genesis. 423 00:22:35,340 --> 00:22:40,380 You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. 424 00:22:41,260 --> 00:22:44,620 I can't tell you how many times that's been the case that that 425 00:22:44,700 --> 00:22:49,180 sin would act as if it is reigning and in control in a person's 426 00:22:49,180 --> 00:22:49,500 life. 427 00:22:50,060 --> 00:22:54,100 That the devil seems to have won every single battle in this person's 428 00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:54,380 life. 429 00:22:54,710 --> 00:23:00,310 And then God turns that into his glory and takes that person and 430 00:23:00,390 --> 00:23:06,110 makes them into an object of his glory and says, look what I can 431 00:23:06,110 --> 00:23:09,910 do with this marred vessel. 432 00:23:10,310 --> 00:23:12,630 In the hands of the potter, it is remade. 433 00:23:13,190 --> 00:23:17,110 And so we see purpose in what God does. 434 00:23:17,750 --> 00:23:21,350 That is why as we look at these gifts and we say, well, this 435 00:23:21,350 --> 00:23:24,310 person really shows this type of characteristic. 436 00:23:24,820 --> 00:23:29,300 That's why these gifts appear so closely connected with our personalities. 437 00:23:29,460 --> 00:23:31,820 And that's the reason why we need to be careful not to turn them 438 00:23:31,820 --> 00:23:34,020 into a glorified personality test. 439 00:23:34,660 --> 00:23:36,500 We've printed out new spiritual gifts. 440 00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:38,660 Test for you to take at your leisure. 441 00:23:39,140 --> 00:23:42,260 That's not a glorified personality test. 442 00:23:42,980 --> 00:23:49,300 It is to identify the way God has used spiritually wired, okay? 443 00:23:49,780 --> 00:23:54,800 Those we read in those different spiritual and then also 444 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:58,440 fleshly ways that our natural tendencies are expressed. 445 00:23:58,680 --> 00:24:02,640 A perceiver may have that strong desire for truth, but in the 446 00:24:02,640 --> 00:24:06,040 flesh, that can become harshness and criticism. 447 00:24:06,760 --> 00:24:09,280 We see that in the life of people in the. 448 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:10,040 In the world. 449 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:10,840 They. 450 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:14,520 We see them, they're harsh, they're blunt, they're highly criticized. 451 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,640 And Christians, you can be that same way. 452 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:20,120 You can fall back into that fleshly motive, that fleshly attitude. 453 00:24:20,940 --> 00:24:24,060 These fleshly expressions are not the gift of God. 454 00:24:24,300 --> 00:24:28,220 They are the areas in which believers still need to be sanctified 455 00:24:28,220 --> 00:24:28,620 in. 456 00:24:28,700 --> 00:24:32,620 And Romans chapter six six tells us that our old man is crucified. 457 00:24:33,100 --> 00:24:35,940 That is what those fleshly things are, the stuff that needs 458 00:24:35,940 --> 00:24:36,780 to be crucified. 459 00:24:37,740 --> 00:24:41,740 So God uses how he has created us in his redeeming and sanctifying 460 00:24:41,740 --> 00:24:42,060 work. 461 00:24:42,300 --> 00:24:46,020 He created the person, he redeems the person, he gives grace 462 00:24:46,020 --> 00:24:50,790 to the person, he sanctifies the person, and he uses that person 463 00:24:51,350 --> 00:24:54,070 to edify the body of Christ. 464 00:24:54,950 --> 00:24:58,550 And as we study these seven gifts and as we go through them, 465 00:24:58,630 --> 00:25:01,430 most of us will probably recognize that one of these areas 466 00:25:02,230 --> 00:25:07,990 especially characterizes the way that we most naturally bend towards 467 00:25:08,550 --> 00:25:10,870 that we most naturally tend to minister. 468 00:25:11,590 --> 00:25:17,200 We typically might call that our priority gift, our primary gift. 469 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:20,480 It is an area in which God is particularly equipped and inclined 470 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,480 us to contribute to the body. 471 00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:27,240 That's what is determining whenever we fill out those spiritual 472 00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:28,000 gifts tests. 473 00:25:28,080 --> 00:25:32,880 And on a side note, the spiritual gifts test are not a complete 474 00:25:33,600 --> 00:25:36,880 foolproof way for us to understand our spiritual gift. 475 00:25:37,200 --> 00:25:42,850 That is just a very small introduction for you to get the conversation 476 00:25:43,170 --> 00:25:44,770 started with one another. 477 00:25:46,130 --> 00:25:50,010 That test is meant for us to get just a little bit of a taste 478 00:25:50,010 --> 00:25:54,530 of the interest to understand the direction that we may be going. 479 00:25:55,169 --> 00:25:58,810 But the point then is not simply just to discover, this is 480 00:25:58,810 --> 00:25:59,810 the kind of person I am. 481 00:25:59,810 --> 00:26:04,450 The point is to discover how has God taken the person he created, 482 00:26:05,100 --> 00:26:09,020 redeemed that person by his grace, and then equipped that person 483 00:26:09,020 --> 00:26:10,220 to serve in the body. 484 00:26:10,540 --> 00:26:12,140 Which brings us to our third point. 485 00:26:12,140 --> 00:26:15,340 Your gift is an emphasis, not an exemption. 486 00:26:15,580 --> 00:26:18,060 It is the guardrail, okay? 487 00:26:18,380 --> 00:26:22,820 The guardrail tells us that you're a gift identifies an area 488 00:26:22,820 --> 00:26:28,940 of special contribution, but not an area of exclusive responsibility. 489 00:26:29,900 --> 00:26:33,830 Someone might discover that mercy is not their primary gift and 490 00:26:33,830 --> 00:26:37,230 might be tempted to say, well, I don't have to be merciful at all. 491 00:26:37,710 --> 00:26:38,750 That's not the case. 492 00:26:38,750 --> 00:26:40,270 Or, I'm not a giver. 493 00:26:40,430 --> 00:26:42,230 I don't have to give anything to God. 494 00:26:42,230 --> 00:26:43,950 I get to keep all the money for myself. 495 00:26:45,070 --> 00:26:47,390 But every Christian is called to give. 496 00:26:47,790 --> 00:26:49,669 Every Christian is called to serve. 497 00:26:49,669 --> 00:26:51,790 You may say, I don't have the gift of service. 498 00:26:52,270 --> 00:26:55,550 It doesn't neglect your responsibility to serve. 499 00:26:56,190 --> 00:26:58,350 The Christian may say, I'm not an exhorter. 500 00:26:58,670 --> 00:27:00,190 We're still supposed to encourage. 501 00:27:00,470 --> 00:27:01,830 Teaching isn't my gift. 502 00:27:02,550 --> 00:27:05,110 That doesn't mean that we are not to teach one another. 503 00:27:05,910 --> 00:27:09,190 A spiritual gift gives emphasis to our ministry. 504 00:27:09,590 --> 00:27:12,870 It does not place limits around our obedience. 505 00:27:13,750 --> 00:27:17,950 The gift identifies that area of special contribution, not an area 506 00:27:17,950 --> 00:27:19,910 of that exclusive responsibility. 507 00:27:21,110 --> 00:27:25,990 Okay, so in giving, In Romans, chapter 12, here it says, he that 508 00:27:25,990 --> 00:27:27,640 giveth, let him do it with simplicity. 509 00:27:28,510 --> 00:27:30,830 But also in Second Corinthians, chapter nine, it says, 510 00:27:30,830 --> 00:27:34,750 every man, according as he has purposed in his heart, so let him 511 00:27:34,750 --> 00:27:35,070 give. 512 00:27:35,710 --> 00:27:39,550 Every person is to give faith. 513 00:27:39,950 --> 00:27:41,390 Oh, this is a real good one. 514 00:27:42,190 --> 00:27:44,670 You know, there's a gift of faith in First Corinthians, chapter 515 00:27:44,670 --> 00:27:49,070 12, those that have the gift of faith by the same spirit of giving 516 00:27:49,070 --> 00:27:49,630 that gift. 517 00:27:50,030 --> 00:27:52,830 Well, I don't have the gift of faith, so I'm not supposed to show 518 00:27:52,830 --> 00:27:53,550 any faith. 519 00:27:54,630 --> 00:27:56,310 You got to show faith to get saved. 520 00:27:56,630 --> 00:27:59,830 Second Corinthians says, for we walk by faith, not by sight. 521 00:28:00,310 --> 00:28:04,870 This is an area of exclusive responsibility that we are to do. 522 00:28:04,870 --> 00:28:06,870 We are supposed to show faith teaching. 523 00:28:06,870 --> 00:28:08,710 He that teacheth on his teaching. 524 00:28:08,950 --> 00:28:12,710 The Bible says in Romans chapter 12 that we do it according 525 00:28:12,710 --> 00:28:14,110 to the proportion of our faith. 526 00:28:14,110 --> 00:28:17,230 Well, I don't have a whole lot of faith in teaching, so that's not 527 00:28:17,230 --> 00:28:17,750 my gift. 528 00:28:18,150 --> 00:28:22,150 But in Colossians, chapter three, Paul admonishes us that we 529 00:28:22,150 --> 00:28:27,390 are to be teaching and admonishing one another in psalms 530 00:28:27,390 --> 00:28:28,190 and hymn. 531 00:28:29,150 --> 00:28:31,310 That's that discipleship of one another. 532 00:28:31,870 --> 00:28:33,550 That is that discipleship of. 533 00:28:33,630 --> 00:28:38,070 Of going to another person and teaching them what you know about 534 00:28:38,070 --> 00:28:41,390 your walk and your relationship with God and then singing 535 00:28:41,390 --> 00:28:43,190 and spiritual songs and hymns. 536 00:28:43,190 --> 00:28:45,790 The Bible says showing mercy. 537 00:28:46,190 --> 00:28:49,630 He that showeth mercy with cheerfulness, does that exclude everyone 538 00:28:49,630 --> 00:28:52,550 else and just say, hey, you don't have that gift of mercy, so 539 00:28:52,550 --> 00:28:54,910 you don't have to show mercy first. 540 00:28:55,310 --> 00:28:57,110 Luke, chapter 6, verse 36. 541 00:28:57,110 --> 00:29:02,270 Be there merciful as your Father is merciful, with what mercy 542 00:29:02,430 --> 00:29:07,870 that you show, you will be given the same mercy in return. 543 00:29:08,590 --> 00:29:11,950 And mercy rejoices against judgment. 544 00:29:12,110 --> 00:29:18,120 The Bible says being merciful is a command for all Christians. 545 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:23,440 The spiritual gifts means that we are able to identify and emphasize 546 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:27,800 what God has called us to do naturally and make up a healthy church. 547 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:32,360 Now, in this emphasis, that brings us to an important step. 548 00:29:32,680 --> 00:29:37,720 You and I can become energized by us acting on how God has made 549 00:29:37,720 --> 00:29:38,440 us to be. 550 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:40,460 And that is that energy. 551 00:29:40,460 --> 00:29:43,540 That enjoyment can be useful clues to gifting. 552 00:29:43,860 --> 00:29:47,420 However, there is a warning even with that they shouldn't become 553 00:29:47,420 --> 00:29:50,420 necessarily the test of the calling. 554 00:29:51,060 --> 00:29:51,740 Biblically. 555 00:29:51,740 --> 00:29:55,700 God calls us to do things that are exhausting, uncomfortable, difficult 556 00:29:56,340 --> 00:29:59,220 outside of our preferred way of operating. 557 00:29:59,860 --> 00:30:04,260 But the key is what consistently burdens our heart comes 558 00:30:04,260 --> 00:30:05,700 naturally in your service. 559 00:30:06,380 --> 00:30:09,180 What bears Fruit what is affirmed by the body. 560 00:30:09,500 --> 00:30:13,980 That is what helps reveal what God has particularly equipped us 561 00:30:14,220 --> 00:30:14,860 to do. 562 00:30:15,980 --> 00:30:21,180 And that brings us to the impact the body works together in 563 00:30:21,180 --> 00:30:21,500 action. 564 00:30:22,139 --> 00:30:27,420 It's important that we figure out that path that God is calling 565 00:30:27,420 --> 00:30:28,140 us to. 566 00:30:28,300 --> 00:30:30,860 Because some people in here may be doing something that they're 567 00:30:30,860 --> 00:30:34,370 not necessarily equipped and to do in a full time basis. 568 00:30:34,610 --> 00:30:37,970 Some of you are a hand and you're wearing yourself out because 569 00:30:37,970 --> 00:30:41,090 you're trying to use your gift like it's a foot. 570 00:30:42,290 --> 00:30:47,250 This happens whenever someone who is not a giver is trying to act 571 00:30:47,250 --> 00:30:48,369 like they are a giver. 572 00:30:48,369 --> 00:30:51,210 And God hasn't necessarily called them to do that, but they 573 00:30:51,210 --> 00:30:55,570 feel bad and so they're giving begrudgingly, not in a cheerful way. 574 00:30:56,530 --> 00:31:01,620 This happens whenever someone is a server and someone looks at 575 00:31:01,620 --> 00:31:03,980 them and they say, you know what that person really likes to 576 00:31:03,980 --> 00:31:04,340 serve. 577 00:31:04,340 --> 00:31:06,380 They, they need to be in charge of some stuff. 578 00:31:06,380 --> 00:31:08,300 They need to be in charge of some projects. 579 00:31:08,380 --> 00:31:09,900 We need to put them in lead. 580 00:31:09,900 --> 00:31:12,780 And the server doesn't want anything to do most of the time with 581 00:31:12,780 --> 00:31:13,500 administration. 582 00:31:13,820 --> 00:31:15,180 They just want to serve. 583 00:31:15,580 --> 00:31:18,540 We, we had a principal like that down at Providence. 584 00:31:18,620 --> 00:31:22,020 He wanted to be a teacher and he got put in the position of principal. 585 00:31:22,020 --> 00:31:24,540 He eventually gave that up because he loved teaching. 586 00:31:24,990 --> 00:31:27,270 He didn't want to be a principal, he didn't want to be in 587 00:31:27,270 --> 00:31:27,710 charge. 588 00:31:28,430 --> 00:31:29,710 It was wearing him out. 589 00:31:30,030 --> 00:31:35,830 He was facing burnout because he was using his using something 590 00:31:35,830 --> 00:31:38,190 that he was not necessarily called to do. 591 00:31:38,750 --> 00:31:43,990 Now again, that does neglect your call to use every single area 592 00:31:43,990 --> 00:31:45,950 that God has called us to. 593 00:31:46,510 --> 00:31:50,750 But we come to the impact the body works together in action. 594 00:31:51,430 --> 00:31:54,870 Every member makes a difference from whom the whole body 595 00:31:54,950 --> 00:31:58,470 fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint 596 00:31:58,470 --> 00:32:01,350 supplieth according to the working, the effectual working in 597 00:32:01,350 --> 00:32:04,750 the measure of every part maketh increase of the body unto 598 00:32:04,750 --> 00:32:06,950 the edifying of itself and love. 599 00:32:07,670 --> 00:32:14,150 Knowing your gift is without using it is missing the entire point. 600 00:32:15,430 --> 00:32:21,250 We wonder why certain parts of the body act the way that they act. 601 00:32:21,570 --> 00:32:27,650 But just because one part of the body acts in such a way doesn't 602 00:32:27,650 --> 00:32:32,530 necessarily mean that that part is useless. 603 00:32:32,610 --> 00:32:35,010 Now let me say what I mean by that. 604 00:32:35,490 --> 00:32:37,810 Sometimes we wonder, well, why are they doing that? 605 00:32:38,530 --> 00:32:40,290 Do they really think that they're helpful? 606 00:32:40,690 --> 00:32:44,000 That's a fleshly thought that goes through my Is that only me? 607 00:32:44,080 --> 00:32:45,800 Is that the only thought they just did wrong? 608 00:32:45,800 --> 00:32:50,080 You know, the perceiver, he looks at a person who is being merciful 609 00:32:50,080 --> 00:32:53,120 and crying with an individual. 610 00:32:53,120 --> 00:32:56,160 And the perceiver in their blunt thinking Is thinking this? 611 00:32:56,400 --> 00:32:57,240 What's wrong with them? 612 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:58,000 Why are they crying? 613 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:00,000 It's a right and wrong situation. 614 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:02,440 Why don't he just get it right and move on? 615 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:03,760 Why are we crying about it? 616 00:33:04,320 --> 00:33:09,420 And a mercy may look at a perceiver who says that and says, 617 00:33:09,420 --> 00:33:10,980 why are they so hard on truth? 618 00:33:11,140 --> 00:33:14,660 Don't they need to know that this person needs their emotional 619 00:33:14,660 --> 00:33:15,500 needs meth? 620 00:33:15,500 --> 00:33:17,220 They need someone to cry with them. 621 00:33:17,540 --> 00:33:19,540 Why do we even need to perceive her? 622 00:33:19,780 --> 00:33:20,660 They're harsh. 623 00:33:21,300 --> 00:33:22,180 How dare they? 624 00:33:22,740 --> 00:33:23,340 And it. 625 00:33:23,340 --> 00:33:27,500 What it can do is sometimes is breed a bit of pride in our hearts. 626 00:33:27,500 --> 00:33:31,580 And before Paul even begins thinking about the gifts, you'll 627 00:33:31,580 --> 00:33:35,860 notice there in verse number three, he says that we are to work 628 00:33:36,310 --> 00:33:39,910 with humility to every man that is among you not to think of 629 00:33:39,910 --> 00:33:42,550 himself more highly than he ought to think. 630 00:33:43,510 --> 00:33:44,790 It's not accidental. 631 00:33:45,270 --> 00:33:50,870 Pride breeds whenever we think our role is the most important. 632 00:33:51,670 --> 00:33:56,950 So the impact, the perceiver needs the mercy, the administrator 633 00:33:56,950 --> 00:33:57,950 needs the mercy. 634 00:33:57,950 --> 00:34:01,390 The teacher needs the server, the server needs the administrator, 635 00:34:01,390 --> 00:34:03,030 the perceiver needs the exhorter. 636 00:34:03,030 --> 00:34:04,070 And on and on it goes. 637 00:34:04,470 --> 00:34:07,190 So what we get out of this is, number one, the value of every member, 638 00:34:07,430 --> 00:34:12,510 the necessity of different gifts, the interdependence of the 639 00:34:12,510 --> 00:34:17,070 body, of Christ, of the church, and why we as believers should 640 00:34:17,070 --> 00:34:19,750 not compare ourselves with others. 641 00:34:20,309 --> 00:34:22,630 And so this brings us to our illustration, which we're going to 642 00:34:22,630 --> 00:34:23,590 close with tonight. 643 00:34:23,990 --> 00:34:28,670 The illustration of the young boy who spilled his lunch and how 644 00:34:28,670 --> 00:34:30,550 the body of Christ goes into action. 645 00:34:31,470 --> 00:34:32,990 All right, so this is what you got. 646 00:34:33,710 --> 00:34:37,270 And we're all sitting around the table in a fellowship, and we're 647 00:34:37,270 --> 00:34:37,950 eating our food. 648 00:34:38,190 --> 00:34:42,870 And here comes a little boy and he's got a lovely piece of cake. 649 00:34:42,870 --> 00:34:44,590 And I mean, you know how like kids do. 650 00:34:44,750 --> 00:34:46,350 They like stack it like really high. 651 00:34:46,350 --> 00:34:49,310 And you're just thinking to yourself, all that sugar that kid 652 00:34:49,310 --> 00:34:50,110 is going to eat. 653 00:34:50,190 --> 00:34:52,110 And then he's good. 654 00:34:52,110 --> 00:34:54,590 Not, I don't want to be that kid's parents at all. 655 00:34:54,830 --> 00:34:57,710 He's never going to sleep again after that piece of cake. 656 00:34:58,400 --> 00:35:03,560 All right, so that boy, he runs to his chair with glee to eat 657 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:05,200 his delicious piece of cake. 658 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:09,760 And on that running, he trips and falls. 659 00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:15,520 It's at this moment the body of Christ goes into action. 660 00:35:16,080 --> 00:35:16,720 Okay? 661 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:20,400 Now, on that Sunday afternoon fellowship, he falls. 662 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:25,210 And immediately that person steps up to the plate. 663 00:35:25,210 --> 00:35:29,330 And this person has the gift of prophecy, or the perceiver, as 664 00:35:29,330 --> 00:35:30,570 our test describes it. 665 00:35:30,890 --> 00:35:32,650 They are that black and white person. 666 00:35:33,050 --> 00:35:36,810 They arrive first on the scene, corresponding in this framework 667 00:35:36,810 --> 00:35:39,930 in Romans chapter 12, immediately focusing on the truth 668 00:35:39,930 --> 00:35:40,690 of the situation. 669 00:35:40,690 --> 00:35:42,810 Because remember, this is what they are called to do. 670 00:35:43,290 --> 00:35:43,930 Buddy. 671 00:35:44,730 --> 00:35:47,850 This happened because you were running when you shouldn't have been. 672 00:35:48,250 --> 00:35:49,890 Don't you know what's right or wrong? 673 00:35:49,890 --> 00:35:50,110 He. 674 00:35:50,180 --> 00:35:53,660 He or she immediately is instructing that boy that he has 675 00:35:53,660 --> 00:35:54,740 done wrong. 676 00:35:55,140 --> 00:36:00,300 Truth is told, the next person who arrived is maybe, perhaps those 677 00:36:00,300 --> 00:36:02,660 who have the gift of ministry of service. 678 00:36:03,300 --> 00:36:04,180 What are they doing? 679 00:36:05,220 --> 00:36:07,380 Well, they brought the broom in the dustpan. 680 00:36:07,380 --> 00:36:08,580 It's practical, right? 681 00:36:08,580 --> 00:36:10,420 They're helping to clean the mess up. 682 00:36:10,500 --> 00:36:14,460 The server serves in the most practical ways necessary. 683 00:36:14,460 --> 00:36:18,270 Perhaps behind the scenes where you do not even see it, another 684 00:36:18,670 --> 00:36:23,110 person, the gift of teaching, takes this opportunity to instruct 685 00:36:23,110 --> 00:36:27,470 this child on how they should hold their plate and walk rather 686 00:36:27,470 --> 00:36:29,910 than running through the fellowship hall so they are able 687 00:36:29,910 --> 00:36:32,110 to get to their seat without making such a mess. 688 00:36:32,510 --> 00:36:33,949 Truth was already told. 689 00:36:34,030 --> 00:36:37,390 This kid needs to be taught on what's right and what's wrong. 690 00:36:37,550 --> 00:36:39,550 What is the proper way of doing this? 691 00:36:39,950 --> 00:36:44,590 As Acts chapter 1618 says, they took him and expounded to him 692 00:36:44,590 --> 00:36:47,440 the way of God more perfectly with a policy. 693 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:50,000 He needed to be taught and he accepted that teaching. 694 00:36:50,160 --> 00:36:52,000 This little boy needs to be taught. 695 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:56,320 How can I teach them the right way so this does not happen again? 696 00:36:57,440 --> 00:37:00,000 What is teaching, though, without encouragement? 697 00:37:00,320 --> 00:37:03,440 And this is where your combo gifts really come in good effect. 698 00:37:03,760 --> 00:37:07,000 Whenever someone has the gift of teaching and exhortation, they 699 00:37:07,000 --> 00:37:08,880 can really teach with encouragement. 700 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:11,760 But perhaps we only have a teacher here. 701 00:37:11,760 --> 00:37:15,520 And so the exhorter begins walking up to this little boy. 702 00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:17,520 The boy's cry. 703 00:37:18,240 --> 00:37:21,600 He clearly needs to be cheered up and encouraged that his life will 704 00:37:21,600 --> 00:37:22,280 continue on. 705 00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:25,480 I remember my PE coach after I got in trouble for something, I was 706 00:37:25,480 --> 00:37:27,040 crying my eyes out. 707 00:37:27,280 --> 00:37:29,120 It's not the end of the world, buddy. 708 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:32,320 That's what needs to be said to many Christians. 709 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:37,240 Every single one of us needs someone to come alongside of us and 710 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:39,200 say, it's not the end of the world, buddy. 711 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:41,480 It's not the end of the world. 712 00:37:41,480 --> 00:37:43,960 Encouraging us to continue on. 713 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:49,520 And he clearly needs to be cheered up so that he'll stop crying. 714 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:52,760 He can get a new plate with the same delicious treats to enjoy. 715 00:37:52,920 --> 00:37:57,960 And oh, look, look who's walking up next with a plate. 716 00:37:58,360 --> 00:38:01,400 Who do you think it is, huh? 717 00:38:02,520 --> 00:38:03,640 The giver. 718 00:38:04,930 --> 00:38:05,730 The giver. 719 00:38:06,610 --> 00:38:08,050 The giver walks up. 720 00:38:08,450 --> 00:38:10,170 They have seen a need. 721 00:38:10,170 --> 00:38:11,410 They're sensitive to the needs. 722 00:38:11,890 --> 00:38:12,850 They had a piece of. 723 00:38:13,970 --> 00:38:15,250 They hadn't even touched it. 724 00:38:15,250 --> 00:38:17,970 They haven't finished their peens, rice and beans and tomatoes 725 00:38:17,970 --> 00:38:18,610 on their own plate. 726 00:38:18,610 --> 00:38:19,250 And they're like, you know what? 727 00:38:19,250 --> 00:38:22,290 I can give this Just in case there's no more left, I have a piece 728 00:38:22,290 --> 00:38:24,370 of cake for this boy and I'm going to go get. 729 00:38:25,250 --> 00:38:27,490 And so they give out of what they have. 730 00:38:28,210 --> 00:38:31,650 Now standing off to the side of all this happening is one person 731 00:38:33,180 --> 00:38:37,180 who is making all of this happen so fast and organized. 732 00:38:37,660 --> 00:38:38,780 You know who that is? 733 00:38:39,020 --> 00:38:40,540 That's the administrator. 734 00:38:40,940 --> 00:38:42,700 They are in command. 735 00:38:42,940 --> 00:38:46,140 This is the person who said, first we need people to go to get 736 00:38:46,140 --> 00:38:48,540 some rooms, brooms, dust pans. 737 00:38:48,540 --> 00:38:49,500 We got to clean this up. 738 00:38:49,500 --> 00:38:51,580 Can someone get him another plate of food? 739 00:38:51,660 --> 00:38:54,860 To my exhorter, can you please go encourage and lift him up? 740 00:38:54,860 --> 00:38:55,500 He's crying. 741 00:38:55,980 --> 00:38:57,340 That's the administrator. 742 00:38:57,590 --> 00:38:59,510 He that rules with diligence. 743 00:38:59,670 --> 00:39:03,270 He's the one organized in the body of Christ in action, not serving 744 00:39:03,270 --> 00:39:06,310 directly, but getting others to act in an orderly fashion. 745 00:39:07,510 --> 00:39:12,190 And then lastly, we come to the one individual, perhaps that 746 00:39:12,190 --> 00:39:16,870 has been there the entire time, not doing anything, seemingly 747 00:39:16,870 --> 00:39:21,230 from the eyes of the server, but the person's crying with that 748 00:39:21,230 --> 00:39:21,830 little boy. 749 00:39:22,230 --> 00:39:23,430 Who do you think that is? 750 00:39:24,240 --> 00:39:25,120 That's the mercy. 751 00:39:26,080 --> 00:39:27,120 That's the mercy. 752 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:32,280 Because the mercy believes in crying with the individual and not 753 00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:33,080 trying to fix them. 754 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:37,760 At this very moment, they understand the heart has been hurt 755 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:40,240 and that needs to be touched first. 756 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:46,880 Now, what if we were a body of all mercies? 757 00:39:48,640 --> 00:39:50,990 Would truth be stated? 758 00:39:52,750 --> 00:39:54,510 Where would the teaching be? 759 00:39:54,510 --> 00:39:58,630 If we were all teachers, I'm sure we would all have really big 760 00:39:58,630 --> 00:39:59,230 heads. 761 00:40:00,110 --> 00:40:02,750 But where would the encouragement come from? 762 00:40:03,630 --> 00:40:09,030 And if we were all encouragers, exhorters can get in 763 00:40:09,030 --> 00:40:11,790 trouble because they're so concerned with exhorting. 764 00:40:11,870 --> 00:40:16,350 They start using the Bible out of context just so they could encourage 765 00:40:16,350 --> 00:40:16,750 one another. 766 00:40:16,750 --> 00:40:17,470 We'd be a. 767 00:40:17,680 --> 00:40:20,160 A church that was illiterate in some ways. 768 00:40:20,320 --> 00:40:22,240 But we'd be encouraged, right? 769 00:40:23,200 --> 00:40:26,520 We'd be a happy church, perhaps, but we would be spiritually 770 00:40:26,520 --> 00:40:27,200 way off. 771 00:40:28,080 --> 00:40:31,880 Our theology wouldn't match up without the perceiver coming in and 772 00:40:31,880 --> 00:40:36,000 saying, no, no, no, this is what's right, this is what's wrong. 773 00:40:36,160 --> 00:40:37,280 There is no in between. 774 00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:42,200 And if we were all perceivers, we probably might all be mad at each 775 00:40:42,200 --> 00:40:42,480 other. 776 00:40:43,530 --> 00:40:48,490 We'd be way too blunt, way too critical, way too harmless at times. 777 00:40:50,730 --> 00:40:53,050 The body needs one another. 778 00:40:54,410 --> 00:40:57,450 No one is to be left out. 779 00:40:58,090 --> 00:41:04,530 And if one part of the body is lacking, we as a church here at Middletown 780 00:41:04,530 --> 00:41:06,890 Baptist cannot be a healthy body. 781 00:41:07,770 --> 00:41:12,560 That's where you come in, and that's where you come in to fill 782 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:13,800 in the gap. 783 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:16,600 That's why it's so important that we know what our spiritual gifts 784 00:41:16,600 --> 00:41:21,400 are and to be exercising the spiritual gifts in the body of Christ 785 00:41:22,200 --> 00:41:28,280 not for our own benefit, but to edify, to supply the need that 786 00:41:28,280 --> 00:41:31,560 is so prevalent in our church. 787 00:41:31,640 --> 00:41:33,000 Because we have needs here. 788 00:41:33,480 --> 00:41:37,040 We have those that need to be encouraged. 789 00:41:37,520 --> 00:41:39,760 Exhorters see that need to encourage. 790 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:44,480 We have those who have their hearts broken and we need mercies 791 00:41:45,040 --> 00:41:47,680 to see the broken heart and stay. 792 00:41:48,160 --> 00:41:51,840 We have those that are in error and they need the perceivers 793 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:58,840 to come alongside and to see the sin in that person's life and 794 00:41:58,840 --> 00:42:00,240 say, look, this is what it is. 795 00:42:00,670 --> 00:42:01,470 This is the truth. 796 00:42:01,870 --> 00:42:07,390 How can I pray with you so that you are helped in the Lord? 797 00:42:07,950 --> 00:42:12,550 We need teachers to teach and every single one of us cannot be 798 00:42:12,550 --> 00:42:13,390 left without the other. 799 00:42:13,390 --> 00:42:16,190 There's not one of these gifts that is not needed in this situation, 800 00:42:16,589 --> 00:42:20,110 of this little boy or in any situation for that matter, in the 801 00:42:20,110 --> 00:42:20,830 body of Christ. 802 00:42:21,070 --> 00:42:22,710 We need to know how we are equipped. 803 00:42:22,710 --> 00:42:24,430 We need to know what God has called us to do. 804 00:42:24,510 --> 00:42:27,710 We need to be ministering, to edify one another so that the body 805 00:42:27,710 --> 00:42:30,810 of Christ can be healthy or growing. 806 00:42:31,050 --> 00:42:35,210 Every member is called, every member is equipped. 807 00:42:35,530 --> 00:42:40,570 Every member is needed, and every member should be servant. 808 00:42:40,970 --> 00:42:41,410 Pray. 809 00:42:41,410 --> 00:42:46,650 Father, thank you so much for in your wisdom, giving to us the 810 00:42:46,650 --> 00:42:49,450 gifts that you have equipped us with. 811 00:42:50,330 --> 00:42:55,880 Lord, you have given us these gifts not to serve ourselves, not 812 00:42:55,880 --> 00:42:57,280 to gain influence. 813 00:42:57,600 --> 00:43:02,120 But Lord, you have given these gifts so that we would be able to 814 00:43:02,120 --> 00:43:08,000 make a healthy body, so that we would be a growing body of Christ, 815 00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:13,920 so that we would be able to effectively equip and disciple one 816 00:43:13,920 --> 00:43:14,240 another. 817 00:43:14,960 --> 00:43:20,040 So, Lord, I pray for your grace in our church here that you 818 00:43:20,040 --> 00:43:25,170 would, number one, reveal to us our gift and how you want us to 819 00:43:25,170 --> 00:43:25,530 serve. 820 00:43:25,850 --> 00:43:28,890 What is the will of the Lord for our lives individually? 821 00:43:29,050 --> 00:43:32,970 And how do you want us to use the resource that you have given 822 00:43:32,970 --> 00:43:35,810 to us to steward God? 823 00:43:35,810 --> 00:43:39,930 How do you want us individually to work in this body 824 00:43:40,090 --> 00:43:40,490 together? 825 00:43:41,210 --> 00:43:45,930 But then, Lord, as a body, I pray that you would give us the grace 826 00:43:46,890 --> 00:43:52,480 to grow in those gifts in our service, Lord, that you would help 827 00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:57,880 us to become discipled more and more by one another so that we 828 00:43:57,880 --> 00:44:02,600 are exhibiting the spiritual side, our sanctified side of these 829 00:44:02,600 --> 00:44:05,400 gifts, and not working in the flesh. 830 00:44:06,200 --> 00:44:09,920 Lord, I pray for these things, that you would help us today, Lord, 831 00:44:09,920 --> 00:44:11,640 pray and say Jesus name. 832 00:44:11,640 --> 00:44:12,200 Amen.