5/20/18 – The Supremacy of Jesus in Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 ESV

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

I. DEFINING SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A. Gifts given to all followers of Jesus by God either from birth or at the second birth to be used in a specific way in His kingdom.
B. Whatever we have, be it natural or supernatural, it is a gift of God’s grace and not because of how awesome we are.
C. It is a gift either brought into your life by the Spirit or an old gift dramatically re-shaped around the cross of Christ by the Spirit.

II. DISTRIBUTION OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A. We all have a spiritual gift.
B. Our gifts are to be used for the glory of Jesus and the good of our church and community.

III. DIVERSITY OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A. When the diversity of spiritual gifts creates unity in the church, it pictures the Trinitarian nature of God.
B. Spiritual gifts are given by the same God for the common purpose of serving Jesus Christ, the Lord, through the work and indwelling of the same Holy Spirit in each of us.

IV. DETERMINING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT
A. We have examples of gifts not an exhaustive list of spiritual gifts in the New Testament.
B. Figure out what your gift is and get busyusing it for the good of this church.

NEXT STEPS
1. Your spiritual gift is not about what will glorify you, but what will be for others good.
2. Your spiritual gift is the ability to meet the need in front of you today.