1 Corinthians 12:1-8 - Part C

Maybe a good way to think of the body of Christ, the church, is Jesus is the head, the brain. The Holy Spirit is like the nervous system.

He's going to take the impulses from the brain and convey them to the different parts of the body so that there can be a smoothness of operation. We can all coordinate and work together and feed off the ministry that we each have together. When we give our lives to Jesus, it is the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live faithfully and to reach the world for Jesus. Today on Connect with Skip Heitziger, Skip shares about how the Holy Spirit equips you and all believers with spiritual gifts. But first, we want to share about a great resource that shares how you can wrap hold of a critical opportunity to represent Jesus even better to the world. The most recent U.S. Census revealed that our population is much more diverse than ever before. In fact, over the past 10 years, our multiracial population increased 276 percent, which presents new challenges.

Here's Skip Heitzig. To say that this nation is divided would be a gross understatement, but I am not going to take sides politically. I am going to take sides morally and spiritually and biblically. I'm going to raise the conversation to a different level, to a higher level, to a biblical level, because the issue as I see it is not a skin issue as much as it's a sin issue. We want to help you understand this divisive issue from a divine perspective. When you give twenty dollars or more today to this Bible teaching ministry, we'll send you Pastor Skip's booklet, The Church and Racism, plus his teaching featuring a conversation with Pastor Tony Clark.

Get these relevant resources today when you give online securely at connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888. Now we're in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 as we dive into our study with Skip Heitzig. When it comes to the speaking gifts, a Christian is never out of control. So if you're ever worried about, gosh, you know, I would just be afraid to open myself because I think that something might happen where I lose control and say weird stuff.

Not going to happen as I mentioned. You're always in control. Now I want to show that to you. I think you need to see it because, again, I don't want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning pneumatico and spirituals, right? So turn over, turn right to chapter 14 because I want you to see this. This is all sort of introductory.

I promise you in weeks ahead, we'll move a little faster, but I want you to see it. Important to get this under your spiritual belt. Chapter 14 verse 27, if anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.

All of those instructions imply control. You can count. Okay, there's been three.

Stop. Now we need an interpretation. So all of this implies control of the user of the gift. But if there is no interpretation, let him keep silent in the church and let him speak to himself and to God.

Now we'll explain that as we get to it. Let two or three prophets speak and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be encouraged. Now watch this, and the spirit of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

In other words, you never lose control. Any manifestation of God, supposed manifestation of God, where a person loses control is not of God. The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets, for God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

How do I know this to be true? I know this because not only of these verses and the others that we're studying, but I know this because Galatians tells me the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. That's a manifestation of the spirit in the fruit of the spirit. So the gifts of the spirit don't ever operate independently from the fruit of the spirit.

So I'm like, man, I just like lost control and fell backwards and hit somebody as I did, but I couldn't help it. Whatever. Now look at the second part of verse three. No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

That's also a very key idea that anybody who is under the influence of the Holy Spirit in any kind of manifestation is going to glorify Jesus Christ because that's what the Holy Spirit does. He's going to make a lot. He's going to make much of Jesus. It's going to all be about Jesus.

Not going to be about myself and exercising my gift. Do you know who I am? We don't care who you are because none of us are as important as Jesus is.

We make much of Him. And Jesus said, when the Holy Spirit comes, when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, He, the Holy Spirit, will testify of me. The Holy Spirit's going to make it all about me. So that's why Paul includes that. So three verses now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I don't want you ignorant.

You know you were Gentiles carried away to those dumb idols however you were led. 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. Now, now he gets into the gifts. Now there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit. There are differences of ministries but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities but it is the same God who works all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one that is each member of the body of Christ, each Christian individual, to each one for the prophet of all. We learn a few things about spiritual gifts. Before he even names them, he's summarizing their usage.

What do we learn? First of all, first of all, we learn they're varied. They're varied. There's not just one gift. There's only not just one manifestation.

There's several. So they're varied. They're not monotone.

They're not monolithic. And this is what I love about God. He loves variety.

He loves variety. I mean it's pretty obvious. Look around our country. Go in one direction. You'll go past mountains. You'll see just sort of flat prairie. Go the other direction.

Long enough you'll see a lot of water, ocean. It's just the world is filled with such variety and then people are different. We're all different. We're all unique. Our faces are unique. It's why you can have that security device on your little phone that looks at your face and says, oh that's you. Okay, I'll open up. You can get somebody that looks like you.

It won't open up because there's facial recognition software that's pretty accurate that can detect the subtleties. You are unique. And so there's variety not only in creation, not only in different people, but they're also in the church. There are diversities of gifts. There are differences of ministries. There's diversities of activities. How many gifts of the Spirit are there?

Sort of a trick question because you're supposed to answer that. Okay, so there's not just one list. We're about to read them. We'll read a partial list. But there are three lists of the gifts of the Spirit. First Corinthians 12, Romans chapter 12, Ephesians chapter 4. Some of them are mentioned in both places. Some of them are a few of them are included that are not included in another.

So there's a little bit of overlap, but new ones are introduced. So for example, verse 8, to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit. To another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit. To another faith by the same Spirit. To another the gifts of healings by the same Spirit. To another the working of miracles.

To another prophecy. To another the discerning of spirits. To another different kinds of tongues. To another the interpretation of tongues. So that adds up to what, nine gifts?

But that's not the only list. Go down a few verses. Go down to verse 28 and he says God has appointed these in the church first. Apostles. First apostles. Second prophets.

Third teachers. After that miracles. Then gifts of healings.

Helps administrations. Varieties of tongues. So you see there's overlap, but he's adding a few new ones. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues?

Do all interpret? He's expanding on the point. There's diversity. There's variety. There's diversity. There's variety.

But earnestly desire the best gifts and yet I will show you a more excellent way. So that's that's one of the lists. Another list is in Romans chapter 12. I'll turn to it. You can turn to it. I have it marked but it says verse 4 of chapter 12. We have many members of one body but all the members do not have the same function having been gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us let us use them if prophecy let us prophesy in proportion to our faith or ministry that is service serving let us use it in our ministering he who teaches in teaching he who exhorts in exhortation he who gives that's a spiritual gift with liberality he who leads with diligent gift of diligent the gift of special leadership he who shows mercy with cheerfulness so you see there is some overlap but he's introducing others that aren't listed in the 12th chapter of 1st Corinthians then in Ephesians chapter 4 Ephesians 4 verse 10 he who descended is also the one who ascended far above all the heavens that he might fill all things and he himself gave some to be apostles some prophets some evangelists some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the full measure of the statue of the fullness of Christ so it would seem to total up to about 18 gifts I'm going to go with 18 it depends some some see some of these as gifts others see some of them as offices I'm not going to argue the point with that or get to you get into that kind of minutia but I think suffice it to say there's variety okay we've established that effect there's a lot of differences by the way even two people that have exactly the same gift have different styles of the exercise of that gift so that's I think what it means when it says there's differences of activities but it's the same God who works on all in all so if you think about different styles activities same gifts but different activities different personalities there's an infinite combination that's what makes the body of Christ so awesome just to see how uniquely God is working in each individual person the unique mix and blend of gifts that are different from everybody else and the way they exercise them so different and when everybody is involved doing something it's so awesome because you get the full orb full rounded Christian experience life of Christ to the different variety of manifestation so the gifts are varied not monolithic number two gifts are given not earned they're given not earned verse seven of first corinthians 12 I told you this is the bible from three feet I hope you forgive me for this I hope you don't mind but I do think it's good and I think that you'll walk away with well you're probably going to have more understanding of this than most seminarians do that's okay with you I hope so it says the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for the prophet of all for to one is given the word of wisdom so that's the idea they're not earned it's not like well if I'm really good at the gift of helps do will he give me the gift of teaching there's you don't work your way up a ladder that'd be like the kneecap saying if I'm a good kneecap could I eventually become an elbow just to be closer up no you you want to find out who you are how god made you what gifts and talents and capacities you have and go with that so variety they're given and not earned you see it is the body of christ jesus is the head of the body the bible tells us and maybe a good way to think of the body of christ the church is jesus is the head the brain the holy spirit is like the nervous system he's going to take the impulses from the brain and convey them to the different parts of the body so that there can be a smoothness of operation we can all coordinate and and and work together and feed off the ministry that we each have together and that's why and we're gonna we're gonna get to it when we get to it but he says therefore does you know covet or desire earnestly the best gifts what's the best what's the best gift which is the best gift whichever gift god has given you is the best gift for you you see if you think well you know what a ministry seems awfully exciting i think i want to be one of them pastors or singers because people see them they get a lot of attention well if you try to step into this role and you haven't been equipped by god to do it it is the most frustrating experience on earth any gift any calling is you have to be called to it you have to be gifted for it and so you want to let god lead you into it be led by the spirit so they're varied they're given and not earned here's the third gifts are not the goal they're the gateway gifts are not the goal they're the gateway oh i want to have an exercise gift that's not the goal the goal is to have the gift but or or the goal is to once you have the gift let it be a gateway of service of helping others you see in verse seven the manifestation is of the spirit is given to each one for the prophet of all that's the real goal the gifts aren't the goal the gifts are the gateway to the goal the goal is the building up of the body of christ the prophet of all it's not like man i want the gift so i can just really feel good because it's all about me having a feel-good experience well actually no it's not and actually it's for you to discover your gift so that you can be a fountain of living water blessing other people helping other people in their parchness in their loneliness get get helped in and get brought closer to christ by the use of your gift so they're not the goal they're the gateway which takes us to our first gift on the list and that's in verse 8 4 to 1 is given the word is given the word of wisdom through the spirit to another the word of knowledge through the same spirit we're going to take these one at a time we're not going to take all 18 gifts we're not going to look at all the gifts and all the lists but we're going to take the list is given to us by paul and first quintheon's chapter 13 we've already looked at the book of romans we'll get to ephesians so we're going to take these gifts i want to stay in the text and in the context but i want to talk about this first gift in the six minutes and 27 seconds we have remaining and of course i'm only going to touch on this and that is the word of wisdom the word of wisdom let me lay the foundation and we'll build on it next week every one of you has a certain amount of wisdom wouldn't you agree i'm looking at some married couples i see a lovely couple right here her hands are on his shoulders and and they have wisdom you know they chose each other that was a smart choice you have but you have wisdom in the lord too god has given you a certain amount of wisdom and wisdom is promised to every single christian foundationally all christians can have a certain amount of wisdom the wisdom to live the wisdom to orchestrate and make decisions in your life based upon scripture that's wise living and if you get hung up and you need wisdom the bible says if any man lacks wisdom let him ask of god who gives liberally to all and does not upgrade or chide or reproach but let him ask in faith nothing wavering nothing wavering and it will be given to him so you're given wisdom and you are promised wisdom when you specifically ask for it but in the bible there were people that were given special gifts of wisdom right i mean let's begin with the most obvious who's the guy in the old testament you think of wisdom who do you think of solomon wise to some degree but pretty lame and others pretty unwise in how he orchestrated his personal life but that aside let's begin with the first part he was wise because god gave him wisdom god gave him it says understanding and wisdom and largeness of heart isn't that beautiful god gave him wisdom and understanding and largeness of heart so that there was no one on the earth as wise as solomon god gave him unique wisdom and it was he was so wise that the queen of sheba heard about his wisdom and wanted to just test him with questions and and was amazed and she came back and said wow you're so smart you're so understanding you have such a large heart you're so wise the half wasn't told me the thing that launched the wisdom of solomon was two women that came to him you know the story it's the most famous story it's become a proverb in our language cutting the baby in half these two women both of them harlots came to solomon they each had babies one baby had died a baby had been born they were roommates as harlots i don't know how that works out but they were roommates so one gal had her baby three days later the other gal had her baby the gal that had the that baby the second that baby the second one at night because they in those days slept with their infants rolled over and suffocated her child the baby was dead the next morning well the mother of the dead baby who went to nurse it woke up first saw her her baby was dead so she switched the dead baby with the live baby so that when the first mother woke up and saw the dead baby but then examiner said hey that's not my baby you stole my baby no man it's my baby so they went to king solomon and solomon said what's up no he didn't say that but i'm just picturing it so he what's up and so uh they told him the story and and she said this lady stole my baby said no that's my baby so solomon heard them arguing and said bring me a sword he took a sword and he's what are you gonna do i'm gonna cut the baby in half and half goes to one woman half goes to the other well the first woman um the real mother said no no no no give it to that woman that's her baby i was really not the mother i was just saying that but give it to her to let her live the second one said no he's right cut it in half solomon immediately knew who was the real mother the compassion welled up and she was lying for her roommate so that her baby could live and the second one was so callous that she thought if i lost my baby then you should lose your baby and that's how callous and so so that launched his reputation of being wisest man in the world but did you know so that's foundational all people can have wisdom all christians can have wisdom if you need it you ask for it but there are special gifts of wisdom but did you know there are special wisdom manifestations different from that one-off that one-off of solomon and different than the foundational you can ask for wisdom in your life there are special manifestations of wisdom in christian history and you have to wait for next week for you to get that explained to you and i'll show you and i'll explain to you both the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge and who knows we may make it into the next verse and look at the gift of faith as well but i'll guarantee you by the end of these studies you'll know what these gifts are you'll know what they're not you'll know when they're used you'll know when they're abused so if you ever travel and go to an assembly and you hear things that you go wait a minute something else is wrong that has to happen first and you'll you'll have that and you should have that it's it's it's standard operating procedure it's 2000 years old so we should we should at least find out what it says that wraps up Skip heitzig's message from the series expound first corinthians now here's Skip to share how you can keep this broadcast going strong connecting you and many others to the lord it's a great comfort to me that no matter where we go or what we do god is ever present in our lives our whole ministry is based on the desire to connect friends like you with god and with his word but we need your help to keep these teachings going out to you and to others we'd be so grateful if you shared a gift today to keep this radio ministry going strong here's how you can do that right now visit connect with Skip dot com slash donate to give a gift that's connect with Skip dot com slash donate or call 800-922-1888 800-922-1888 thank you for your generosity and come back tomorrow as Skip heitzig shares vital insight with you to help you discover your spiritual gifts natural talents are what you are born with they're a result of the natural birth spiritual gifts are a result of the new birth when you are born again god might work with your talents but give you spiritual supernatural capabilities that you should learn what they are and let them interface with your natural talents the cross connect with Skip heiter is a presentation of connection communications connecting you to god's never changing truth in ever-changing times