March 5, 2017
Morning Service

I Cor. 12.

            We have just finished with our study on the Lord’s Glorious Church.  We saw;

1.      The promise;  Matt. 16:18.

2.     What this Glorious Church would be built on;  Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Son of God. Matt.16:16.  And the foundation of the teachings of Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone, and His Apostles, and Prophets, a solid foundation.  Eph. 2:20.

3.     The one Jesus placed in authority with the keys;  Peter.

4.     We saw Peter use those keys of authority in chapters 2 and 10 of Acts.  Chapter two for the Jews, and chapter 10 for the Gentiles.  Entrance into the Lord’s church.

5.     We saw how the church grew, and what their early practices were. 

Act 2:46-47  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,  (47)  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

6.      We see by this scripture that people are not voted into the church, but are added to the church by God.

7.      We saw what one has to do to be added to this Glorious Church.  Acts 2; 10.  Explain.

8.     We saw in I Tim. The leadership of the church.  Bishops, or Pastors, and Deacons.  We saw the qualifications of these men, that were to fill the offices of Bishop, and Deacons.

9.      We saw that when someone is added to the Lord’s church, that God gives them certain gifts to help the church grow in numbers, and wisdom.  Eph. 4.

Eph 4:11-12  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;  (12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:    God given abilities to guide, teach, and lead the church.

10.  We recognized that there are other gifts that are given to individuals in the church, these are mentioned by Paul in chapters 12 of Romans, and I Corinthians.  NOTICE WHAT HE SAYS.

1Co 12:1-31  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.  (2)  Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.  (3)  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 

·         Our ways before Christ, were the ways of the world, serving dumb idols.  So we must deny these idols of the world, and confess Jesus as our Lord, and Savior.

·         And Paul says, “no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.  WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

·         It means that unless you turn your back on these idols of the world, and show forth the workings of God in your life, then Jesus is not the Lord of your life.  IT MUST SHOW.

·         Jesus said one time; “why do you call Me Lord, and do not the things that I say?”

·         Now if we are totally sold out to God, then He will give you a  gift, or gifts to edify the church.

·         Now Paul doesn’t want us to ignorant of God’s gifts to the church..

(4)  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  (5)  And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.  (6)  And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 

·         Now Spirit, Lord, and God, are all the same one, distributing these gifts to men, for the church.

(7)  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 

·         The manifestation is the outward showing, or working of the gift you possess.

·         And the gifts are given to edify, or build up each member of the church.

(8)  For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;  (9)  To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;  (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: 

·         These are some of the gifts mentioned here in I Cor.  Others are mentioned in Romans 12.

(11)  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 

·         Now as we can clearly see, the gifts are given by the Spirit, and He gives the gifts to whoever He wills.  These gifts are not carelessly given, but to responsible people who will lead, teach, and guide the church.

(12)  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 

·         Many members, but one church.  Many different congregations, but one church.  The Lord’s.

(13)  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

·         Now I want you to get this truth;  when you have received the gospel message, you have received a portion of God’s Spirit, and it is this Spirit that leads you on through the waters of baptism, and a life of Holy living.  We all drink, and get nourishment from this one Spirit.

·         Now the following teaching is an allegory for the gifts.

(14)  For the body is not one member, but many.  (15)  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  (16)  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  (17)  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  (18)  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

·         You are what you are in the body, because that is what God wanted you to be. So, praise Him.

(19)  And if they were all one member, where were the body?  (20)  But now are they many members, yet but one body.  (21)  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.  (22)  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:  (23)  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  (24)  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:  (25)  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  (26)  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.  (27)  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 

(28)  And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.  ( and then he asks the question) (29)  Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?  (30)  Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?  (31)  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.     AND OF COURSE THE ANSWER IS NO.

·         And we find out by reading the next chapter that LOVE is the more excellent way.

 

ALMIGHTY GOD, THANK YOU FOR NOT LEAVING US IGNORANT CONCERNING YOUR GIFTS TO THE CHURCH.  HELP US TO RECOGNIZE, AND USE THESE GIFTS FOR YOUR GLORY, AND THE EDIFICATION OF YOUR CHURCH