1 Corinthians 12:3-7 – Open the Rest of Your Gifts – Bible study

1Corinthians 12:3-7 Open the Rest of Your Gifts We are close to Christmas. By now, I am sure the excitement of opening gifts has grabbed some of you. Are you a present shaker? I personally think that is acceptable Christmas behavior, but I hope you are not a present peeker or a present searcher! No, no! You should not go hunting for your presents neither should you peel back the paper to take a peek at your presents. But I do understand the temptation. We like presents but it is hard to know you have them and not to get at them. Sadly, many Christians have unopened presents still under Gods tree, the cross It is time to open your gifts. I. We all know about the Big Gift. A. The Big Gift is Jesus Christ and the salvation He offers. B. But Jesus is not our only gift. II. But there is another Big Gift under the tree! A. The Holy Ghost is the Other Big Gift. B. In our church, we mentioned the Holy Ghost fairly often. Why? 1. Because He is the One Jesus sent to take His place. John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. 2. It is the Holy Ghost who abides within us. 1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 3. It is the Holy Ghost who translates our prayers from our willful desires to Gods glorious desires. Ro 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. C. The first Gift we need to open after salvation is the Holy Ghost. 1. Christians, we cannot accomplish anything on this earth without the leadership and the empowering of the Holy Ghost. 2. I am not talking about worshipping a different God, but the same God manifested in a different Person. 3. Just as we seek to please and be used of God the Father and God the Son, so we need to seek a relationship with God the Holy Spirit. D. Christian, there is another large gift over there that needs to be opened! It is the gift of the Holy Ghost. III. This Bible passage teaches us that the Holy Ghost gives other gifts. A. So not only is there another Big Gift that needs to be opened, there are a lot of smaller gifts. 1. These are often called "spiritual gifts," meaning that they are spiritual in nature. 2. These gifts are abilitiesbeyond our owngiven to us so that we can serve God and serve Him effectively. B. All of these gifts are given by, empowered by, and directed by the Holy Ghost. 1. There are different gifts but they are all under the direction of the same Holy Ghost. 1Cor 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 2. There are different offices to serve within, but they are all under the same Lord. 1Cor 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 3. There are different methods of doing Gods service, but they are being used of the same Holy Ghost. 1Cor 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 4. Notice the one thing that all gifts have in common is the Holy Ghost. a. Again, you and I have no spiritual power or place to serve without the Holy Ghost of God. b. But with the GIFT of the Holy Ghost comes many gifts that He brings. C. What are some of Gods gifts? Paul gave a partial list here. 1Cor 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 1. wisdom – The ability to see things as God sees things. 2. knowledge – Possessing spirit truths and facts. 1Cor 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 3. faith – Steadfast and accurate certainly of what God desires to do. 4. healing – The ability to ask and receive healing from God. 1Cor 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 5. miracles – The ability to ask and receive most anything from God. 6. prophecy – The ability to speak with accuracy Gods Word and intentions. 7. discernment – The ability to sense Gods working. 8. tongues – The ability to speak in anothers language without having learned it. 9. interpretation of tongues – The ability to interpret in anothers language without having learned it. D. I have never met a Christian who has all of Gods gifts, but neither have I ever met a Christian who has none. 1Cor 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. E. It is Gods gifts, our recognition, development, and use of Gods gifts, and our satisfaction with them that gives us a place of service in the local assembly, the church. 1. Gods gifts give us the ability not only to serve in the church but to BE a church. a. This morning, the church was packed. (1) They did not come to hear me preach. (2) They came to hear some of your ring the bells. (3) Whether you have a "gift" to ring them or not, your willingness to try filled up Gods house. b. Without the Holy Ghost and His gift, the church is just another business. (1) You cant figure out Gods work with a slide rule. (2) There is planning and preparing and hard work involved but that is only the part of it. (3) Gods work is done by the Holy Ghost. c. Mans abilities are great. Ge 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. d. But all of the ingenuity in the world can move God. 2. We need to recognize our gifts (it is not mandatory, but it is helpful), then develop and use our gifts. a. The gift that I know more about than most others is the gift to preach. b. That gift had to be developed. (1) I have never claimed to be much of preacher, but I am what I am by the grace of God. (2) Some of what brought me to this place was our (Kathy and myself). Things like (a) Going to Bible college. (b) Preaching/teaching when few would show up. (c) Door knocking and witnessing. (d) Staying at it when nothing happened. (3) But the greater development has always been God. (a) The breaking that God has had to do. (If I had not been so stubborn, God might not have needed to knock me down so many times; but I was and He did and He still does.) (b) The teaching that God has done. (c) The revealing that God has given. (d) The understanding that God has granted. c. Whether it is you doing the work or God doing the work to you, it must be done so that you can be shaped and made into a vessel that will work where God wants you to be. Jer 18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Arise, and go down to the potters house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3 Then I went down to the potters house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6 O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potters hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. 3. And we need to use those gifts. a. I dont understand anybody who is saved and blessed with an ability or gift from God that wont use it for God. b. Some of you may be a little short on spiritual gifts, but you are heavily blessed with abilities. c. Any ability you have came from God automatically becomes a gift you can use for God. d. Use it. e. Whatever spiritual gift you have, use it. 2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (1) Preacher, preach. (2) Teacher, teach. (3) Helper, help. (4) Peacemaker, make peace. (5) Administrator, organize. (6) Giver, give. (7) Mercy giver, have mercy. (8) Wound binder, bind wounds. f. Together, we can be a CHURCH.