God wants to give you gifts.
Can you imagine a box sitting under the tree that you didn't open? Acts 1-8 talks about us having power to be a witness. I need power to be a witness.
You need power to be a witness. You should ask God, God, fill me with your Holy Spirit overflowing. Welcome to Cross the Bridge with David McGee. David is the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina as the body of Christ. It's good to know that God works in each of us in a different way. Learn how we can use those different ways for him today as Pastor David continues in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 12. But before we join Pastor David, do you ever feel like God is cutting away parts of you like a gardener pruning a tree?
Well, I hope you said yes to this question because it means God is shaping you so that you can bear even more fruit in your life. We want to help you embrace God's pruning in your life by sending you Pastor David McGee's three-part audio series, Abiding in Christ, Keys to a Fruitful Life. It's our way of saying thank you for your gift to help share the truth of Scripture with more people around the world through Cross the Bridge. So get your copy of Abiding in Christ when you give today at crossthebridge.com and discover how you can bear more fruit for God's kingdom. Now here's David McGee with his teaching, Thank God for Gifts. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 9.
Let's just back up to verse 8, kind of pivot verse. For 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 gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. Tongues.
Do we or don't we? That seems to be the big one. We'll get to that in a sec. Let's understand I do believe and the Bible clearly teaches that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today. I was raised in a church that did not teach that. They said the gifts of the Holy Spirit are no longer for today. God used to act like that.
He doesn't act like that anymore. God changed. Later on in life I said okay well that's your theology. Show me the Scriptures. Well then it got interesting because you may have heard a lot of people say that but let me say this very clearly. There is no scriptural proof text to say that God no longer heals or no longer gifts people with these gifts.
Nowhere. I'll show you the verses that people use but man is it a stretch. And I understand too that if you do not believe in the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit or you disagree with what I just said you don't have to leave. We can fellowship together. There's people probably listening right now don't even they don't believe in Jesus as their savior.
They're free to be here. But friend if God has something for you, if God has a gift for you, don't you want it? Don't you want to see what it is? And if this gift could be used for you to minister to other people or to bring other people to the Lord, don't we owe it to God and to the lost people and the people around us to explore this? And maybe you're sitting here go why I didn't know that we believed in the present day ministry of the Holy Spirit because I don't you know I don't really see a lot of stuff on Sunday morning. Well we believe in 1st Corinthians 14 too.
That chapter talks about how the gifts are to be used and how they're not to be used. And again we think well if we see the stuff that will build our faith. Now the people that saw more miracles than anybody else, they saw the parting of the red sea, they saw water come from a rock, they saw bread come from heaven, they were led around with a cloud by day and a fire by night where the children of Israel and they didn't go into the promised land because of what?
Unbelief. So while we do believe in the gifts we believe in the scriptural practice of the gifts according to 1st Corinthians 14. And this is why you know I want to encourage the small groups here to spend time waiting on the Lord and see if the Lord would lay scriptures or something on people's heart to share to pray for one another to exercise these gifts. Now in the New Living Translation this verse says he gives one person the power to perform miracles and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.
Well since everybody in here is thinking about tongues I probably ought to talk about that one because nobody's even listening to the other stuff. What we want to do is not take a printout from any denominational headquarters. We don't even want to take a book written by a man on what this concept is. We simply want to look at the Bible and friend if there's a difference between what the Bible teaches and what you think or what you believe guess which needs to change.
Your beliefs, your attitudes. As it's been said this Bible is the anvil that has worn out many hammers. First of all when we speak about unknown tongues we're not talking about a different earthly language.
It can be but it doesn't have to be. In first Corinthians 14 14 it says for if I pray in a tongue my spirit prays but my understanding is unfruitful. So the speaker doesn't understand what it is he's saying. So it takes a step of faith to do that and it takes your yielding you know the book of James has a lot to say about the tongue that it's one of the things that gets us in the most trouble which I think we could all identify with and to yield the tongue to God is a powerful thing. And we look at the life of Paul incredible man of God incredibly used by the Lord and the Holy Spirit. When we consider this aspect of tongues we need to consider what Paul said. Paul in first Corinthians 14 and let me encourage you to read the whole chapter verse 14 but verse chapter 14 verse 18 Paul says I thank my God that I speak with tongues more than you all yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding that I may teach others also than ten thousand words on a tongue. Keep that verse up let's understand he's saying he speaks in an unknown tongue that he doesn't understand. I've heard people say well he's saying he speaks in more languages that you can't get that from those verses because he says right there I'm speaking without my understanding he says yet in the church I'd rather speak five words with my understanding than ten thousand words without. In first Corinthians 14 verse 39 it says therefore brother decide earnest desire earnestly to prophesy and do not forbid to speak with tongues let all things be done decently in order. This is a very and I know I'm kind of skipping ahead here but these verses are so important because it plainly says do not forbid to speak in tongues. I wonder what that means.
Well if you take every seventh letter and you walk backwards on Tuesday what that means? No I would rather take the main and plain intent of the scripture that's called exegesis. I'm getting the meaning from the scripture. I don't want to take my meaning and put it into the scripture.
Well this wasn't what I was taught. Well this is the bible you make your decision. Well yeah but I've seen some really whacked out stuff yeah I have to. As a matter of fact there's movies out there and they show demon-possessed people speaking in tongues and all kinds of nonsense but that same media has shown us movies where Christians were just inane, inept, insane people. I've seen really horrible examples of Christianity.
So do I throw out Christianity? No. I have seen abuses with the gifts of the Spirit. More specifically I've seen abuses in the area of tongues. Does that mean the gifts aren't for today?
No. Because I want you to look at verse 40 let all things be done decently and in order. Now if you read first Corinthians 14 you know it talks about the fact that in the church at Corinth they weren't doing things decently in order. And I have friends and I love them and I know they love God but their services are just very interesting. And Paul in the same passage says hey let these things be done.
Don't forbid but let them be done decently and in order. See if things in the service somehow or next week or a month from now or whatever you know things got weird in the service you know what would happen? I would pastor and I would lead and I would share with that person what it is we believe and why we believe it. I would sit them down and explain first Corinthians for myself or one of the assisting pastors or an elder. Interesting enough Paul kind of foresaw that this could be a difficulty because in first Corinthians 14 23 it says therefore if the whole church comes together in one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers they will they not say that you are out of your mind.
I've been in those services. I've attended churches that were like that and it was hard to invite people because you just never knew when it was going to get interesting and it seemed to be the thing that no matter what anybody did it was all okay and the pastor was never going to say anything. That's not the way that I see my role and I would sit and I would invite unbelievers and friends and be sitting there and you know you know the one woman would do what she does every Sunday morning you know and I'd be oh please let her not do that this Sunday. Sure enough not feel the nudge. What?
What is that? I don't know and I sure can't give you a verse for it and I'm sure at that point the unbeliever thought what that we were out of our mind just like Paul said in first Corinthians 14 but it also says gang let's remember it says let these things be done let them be done forbid not so again what we need is balance we can't say for no you can't do that forbid that but decently in order and some people out and in the far extreme but they even say hey if you're you're not saved if you don't speak in tongues there's no scripture for that if some of you've been taught that I'm sorry that's not biblical if some of you've been taught that the tongues are not for today again I'm sorry that's not biblical either. You're listening to Pastor David McGee on Cross the Bridge. He'll be back with more powerful insight from God's Word in just a moment but first what does it mean when God prunes away at parts of your life? Is he angry at you? Have you done something wrong?
Far from it. Jesus teaches in John 15 that God lovingly removes things from your life so that you can grow into the person he created you to be and bear more fruit for Christ. We want to help you do that by sending you Abiding in Christ Keys to a Fruitful Life, a three-part audio series from Pastor David McGee on what it means to be pruned by God and how you can embrace the process. This encouraging resource is our way of thanking you for your gift to help reach more people with the powerful truth of the gospel through Cross the Bridge. So go to crossthebridge.com today and request your copy of this series.
Now back to today's message. It's interesting there's seven times where people are filled with the Spirit in the book of Acts. Do you know all seven times are different?
That's very interesting. Why didn't God just simply give us a formula? Because He's God. And sometimes gifts were apparent, sometimes they weren't.
And at the end of this chapter, we'll get more into it then, but let me read it. First Corinthians 12 29 says, Are all apostles? Are all prophets?
Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
But earnestly desire the best gifts and yet I show you a more excellent way. So apparently from this passage, are all people apostles? No. Are all people prophets? No. Are all teachers? No. Do all speak in tongues?
No. Yet I show you a more excellent way. When we talk about the gifts, do you understand the thing, when somebody says I've been filled with the Spirit, do you know what I look for in their life? It's not any of these gifts. It's love. Love of God and love for people. I've sat and talked to people and said, Oh, I've got all the spiritual gifts.
Yeah, you got one that's not listed. What's that? Pride. But I've seen these people that they didn't have love. They didn't have love. I don't mean they had a bad moment.
We all have bad moments. I mean, I just didn't see that love in their life for people and for God. And it's interesting that here we are in 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Corinthians 14 talks about the use of the gifts and right in the middle is what? 1 Corinthians 13. Oh, what a coincidence.
No. That's the way God designed it because 1 Corinthians 13, 1 says what? Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I've become sounding brass or clanging cymbal. So the real question, be open to the gifts. Allow God to bestow the gifts upon you. But the big question is not, do you have this gift or that gift?
Do you have love? Because if you don't have love, whatever gift you have, I'm sorry, it's useless. Now I've heard people say, well, these gifts passed away with the apostles.
Interesting. People who say that the Holy Spirit no longer gives gifts, that God no longer heals, that these gifts aren't for today. Let me, I will share the sole scripture that uses the proof text. 1 Corinthians 13, verse 8 says, love never fails, but whether there are prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they will cease.
Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. Now some of you are probably sitting there going, well, you read the wrong verse. No, seriously, that is the verse. This is the entire scriptural proof text that the case that the gifts aren't for today rest on.
It's flimsy at best. Now I could go into a lot of Greek stuff on why there's big problems in these verses, but what they're saying is that when, well, it depends on who you talk to. Some people say, well, when the apostles passed away, that's when the gift stopped being in operation. There's absolutely no verse. But then people say, well, what this verse is saying, friend, when somebody has to explain what a verse means to show the hitting meeting to you, be careful.
If you can't get it by reading it, be careful. What they say is that what this means is that when the Bible was finally completed that the gifts were no longer in existence. Now I've met with people who love God, and some of them are great expositors, really know the word.
And they always take the word and boom, boom, boom. And then they get to this verse and they're just like, and it breaks my heart because you know, it's like, you can always, the saying is you can always torture the data until it confesses. This is obviously talking about when that which is perfect has come. That's not the Bible, that's Jesus. And when Jesus comes, we won't have a need for any spiritual supernatural gifts. But that which is perfect, that's not the compilation of the Bible.
That word in the Greek is more personal than an item. And let me ask you a question. It says where there is knowledge, it will vanish away. So we're all walking around stupid? Knowledge no longer exists?
Maybe you could prove that in some circles, but you know, that's not, I don't think you could wholesale say that. And God no longer prophesies? No, God still prophesies. God still speaks through people. I believe the scriptural subject of tongues is pretty plain. And I think it's a very weak argument to say that God no longer does that.
Are there bad examples and overindulgences? Obviously. Let's talk about prophecy here. What is prophecy? Prophecy is God speaking to someone to share with other people what he wants to share with them. I believe that every time I get up here to teach, I am walking in the gift of prophecy.
I'm speaking to you on behalf of God. That's not to say I'm sitting here telling you the future. We often think prophecy in that way, and it can be, but not necessarily.
And maybe you're sitting there going, oh, would that be cool? I have to give to prophecy, be able to speak to other people on behalf of God? Now, depending on your church upbringing, maybe you're used to the gift of prophecy occurring when somebody stands up in the middle of a service and says, yeah, thus says the Lord. Okay. We don't in our large meeting, we don't do that.
Why? Because I'm up here walking in the gift of prophecy. God does not interrupt himself. There's somebody to stand up during the teaching and, oh, that says, you know, the ushers say, hey, not your turn. But I believe that we should and can walk in this, and can walk in this. But let's understand now, according to the Hebrew scriptures, Deuteronomy 18, 20, it says, but the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.
Pick me, pick me, please. That puts a whole new slant on people who go into ministry that aren't called into it, isn't it? In James chapter three, verse one says, my brother, and let not many of you become teachers knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.
Or in the New Living Translation, it says, dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Those are scary verses. I'm very excited about what the Lord is doing here. Very excited about all the people that God is bringing. Very excited about 400 plus radio stations, and yet these verses keep me on my knees. Because biblically speaking, I'm accountable for everybody that comes here. You look around this room, you think about that. Please remember to pray for me.
Stricter judgment. Now again, some of you were told, well, when I got saved, I was told I was filled with the Spirit. That's, you were given a portion of the Spirit, is what I understand Scripture to say. And we have another scriptural example, because when Jesus came back from the dead, he was with the disciples. And an interesting thing happened in John chapter 20, verse 21.
It says, so Jesus said to them, peace to you, as the Father has sent me, I also send you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. Now, we believe theologically that that is actually when the disciples, the apostles became born again.
Why? Because they couldn't before then. Jesus had not died for their sins. So they became born again. When they became born again, then they were able to receive a portion of the Holy Spirit. Now, Jesus said, receive the Holy Spirit. Do you think they received the Holy Spirit? Absolutely.
No doubt about it. That was their salvation experience, and they received the Holy Spirit. Well, then why, in the book of Acts, does Jesus turn to the same group and says, being assembled together with them, he commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you have heard from me. For John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit, not many days from now.
Filled overflowing, immersed in the Holy Spirit. And I believe they received the Holy Spirit before, but they were not filled to overflowing. Acts chapter 1, verse 8, Jesus said to them, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria to the end of the earth. But pastor, I was told that that was just for the apostles. What does the Bible say?
Acts chapter 2, verse 38, then Peter said to them, repent and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call. Just for the apostles.
I don't see it. Again, you can fellowship here, you can be here, we can agree to disagree on this. But this is this section of scripture. And with verse 1, as Paul said to them, I say to you, I don't want you ignorant concerning the spiritual gifts.
And if you disagree, you're really disagreeing with the Bible and more to the point, friend, you're being ripped off. God wants to give you gifts. Acts 1, 8 talks about us having power to be a witness. I need power to be a witness.
You need power to be a witness. You should ask God, God, fill me with your Holy Spirit to overflowing. And that's not a prayer you pray once, that's a prayer you pray often.
But here's the life lesson. The Bible clearly teaches that the gifts of the Spirit are for today. The reality is that we need God.
This whole academic theological discussion about the Holy Spirit and about the gifts of the Spirit comes down to this. We need God and we need more of Him. I need more of Him in my life.
You need more of Him in your life. The question is, are you willing to ask Him? Power to be witnesses. In other words, walking in this Holy Spirit power enables us to be more of a witness to those who are lost and dying and don't know Jesus as their Savior. Friend, do you know for sure that your sins have been forgiven?
You can know right now. I want to lead you in a short, simple prayer, simply telling God you're sorry and asking Him to help you to live for Him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life and I've done wrong things. I have sinned and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you all of my days. In Jesus' name.
Amen. Friend, if you prayed that prayer according to the Bible, you've been forgiven. You've been born again. So congratulations, friend.
You just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you. Thank you for joining us on this series, Abiding in Christ, Keys to a Fruitful Life.
This encouraging resource shares from Jesus' own words as found in John 15, where He teaches that God's pruning is a sign that He is pleased with you and wants to prepare you to bear even more fruit for His Kingdom. This series is our way of thanking you for your gift today to help share the Gospel with thousands around the world who need to hear God's Word in clear, straightforward language. So visit CrossTheBridge.com today to request your copy of Abiding in Christ when you give.
You know each day comes with its share of stresses. So what better way to wake up than with an encouraging word from the Lord? Visit CrossTheBridge.com and sign up now for David McGee's email devotionals. Each devotion includes scripture and a message from the heart of David McGee. It's easy and it's free. Sign up today at CrossTheBridge.com. And be sure to join us next time on Cross the Bridge with David McGee to hear more from the book of 1 Corinthians. We'll see you then.
