Sunday 07/05/26 – Adams Village Baptist Church
Sermon Title: “Christ's Gifts to the Church” (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers equipping us) – “The Better Together: Building the Body” - Sermon Series – (Part 2 of 4) – 1 Corinthians 12:1-14, 1 Peter 4:10-11
(Cover
Picture – Using Your Spiritual Gifts)
Last week we began a new sermon series called “The Better
Together: Building the Body” sermon series. The hope of this sermon series is
that it brings us together more as the body of Christ, and in general. Last
Sunday, we discussed the idea of being “Called to Unity (Humility, gentleness,
patience)”. This was a very opportune time to give this sermon, as yesterday we
celebrated our 250th July 4th. A holiday where the
thirteen colonies decided to declare their independence from the British Empire.
After fighting the British for five-years, we won our freedom, we then had a
government for eight-years called the “Articles of Confederation” that was
decentralized and weak. In 1787 we had a constitution, then in 1791 the bill of
rights. We of course had our first president of the United States of America, George
Washington in 1789. “The Better Together: Building the Body” sermon series, as
we are called to grow, improve, and grow closer to Christ.
This morning, I want to talk about gifts. Not the gifts we
give each other for Christmas or for birthdays, but the gifts the Holy Spirit
has given us, through Christ. More specifically, this morning’s sermon is
called, “Christ's Gifts to the Church” (apostles, prophets, evangelists,
pastors, and teachers equipping us), but I will also expand upon this to discuss
a variety of gifts. While yesterday, we celebrated 250 years of the Declaration
of Independence that led to our country, the United State of America, our first
President George Washington wasn’t perfect. He certainly had gifts, but there
were other gifts that he did not have. Washington also owned slaves and had
other flaws and sins. Yet, we all have gifts from God. This church, as we look
around this morning, has many gifts and graces. We have people in this
congregation and in general that are capable and gifted to do a great variety of
things for Jesus.
For example, we have some amazing teachers in this church.
You will notice on the piano here up front, on one of the tables in the session
or fellowship room, and on one the big tables in the back of the sanctuary, we
have a “Spiritual Gifts Survey.” It is 80 things that you can respond to, 1
being very low, and 5 being very high. This will help you to learn, reaffirm,
or grow more deeply into your spiritual gifts. One such gift is the gift of teaching.
As far as other general gifts, we have people in the church, for example, skilled
in carpentry and electrical work. For example, I asked Jason Whalen this past
week if we can put a plug out in, in the back left corner of this church. Jason
reminded me though that it would probably help if electrical wires actually existed
back there to then put a plug outlet in. Meaning if there are no electric wires
in the wall under the picture of Rev. Burton, then how can we install a plug outlet.
It made perfect sense when he explained it to me, but clearly Jason is gifted
in areas like electrical and carpentry. While most of what we are talking about
this morning are spiritual gifts, I would argue that all the gifts that we have
individually, and as a church, allow us to better serve Christ, serve each
other, and to better carry out the mission of our church. We have some talented
people in this church on the way cooking, food preparation, and etc., and some
that are not gifted in this area. We have some people who are gifted musically,
and some people that are not. We are all gifted differently.
I have some spiritual gifts, and some gifts in general, and
so do you. Yet, I do not have all the gifts needed for this church to fully
fulfill our mission. Given this, the church needs you, and the world needs your
spiritual gifts and your general gifts. Together, the Holy Spirit gives us all
we need for the church to successfully fulfill its mission. Further, every
pastor has different gifts. I probably have some gifts that our two retired
pastors here have, and I know that they both have gifts that I do not. Yet together,
the Holy Spirit gives us as a church, as the Body of Christ what we need to
fulfill our mission.
Why is this important?
(Jesus Is Lord
– Venn Diagram Picture)
I found this great Venn
Diagram that explains this. The church, we as Christian, both individually and
together are called to bring people to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Yet we
are at the same time called to serve and love each other. When we have a
variety of spiritual gifts and general gifts, we are then able to carry out the
mission of the church much more effectively. In the bottom right of the inside
of our weekly church bulletins, we find our church mission, that is titled “Our
Mission”. The mission of the Adams Village Baptist Church is:
OUR
MISSION:
We are a
Christ-Like community where people are inspired to share their time and talent
to glorify God and experience His love as they grow in faith and
fellowship.
So, we are a “Christ-Like Community,” or as I like to call
it, “Jesus People,” where people are inspired to share their time and talent to
glorify God, experience God’s love, as we all grow in faith and fellowship. We
can only do this fully and effectively when have a variety of spiritual and
general gifts working together for the glory of God. This “Jesus Is Lord” Venn
Diagram then makes sense, because have the needs of the world, and then
spiritual and general gifts that we all have. When we then apply our spiritual
and general gifts to the work of the of gospel and needs of Adams and the
world, we better fulfill the mission of our church in Adams, and in the world.
(1 Corinthians
12:27- Body of Christ Picture)
In this way, as we hear in 1 Corinthians 12:27, beyond what
I read this morning, as to not read for an hour, we hear that we together, are
the “Body of Christ.” What part of this church, the “Body of Christ” are you
then? An ear? A nose? An elbow?
As far as “Spiritual Gifts” as described in the Bible, there
are many. Here is a picture that discussed many of them:
(Spiritual
Gifts- Words/Descriptions Picture)
You probably have some
gifts I do not have, and vice versa. This is what makes the body of Chris so
amazing! We do this thing called faith and church together, because no person
can do this alone! Further, Jesus never wanted us to do faith or church alone.
While there are different lists of spiritual gifts, this 80-statement survey
that I discussed, which are up front on the piano, on the back table on the
sanctuary, and in the session of fellowship room, will help us all to once again,
discover, or grow in our spiritual gifts. What are the fifteen spiritual gifts
in this “Spiritual Gifts Survey?”
Here is a chart of spiritual gifts:
(Spiritual
Gifts- Chart Picture)
What are your spiritual gifts? Take the survey, and can you
even chart out your results? For the needs of the world and the needs of the ministry
of the church are always there, especially as our church is growing. We could
use more Sunday School teachers. Do you have the spiritual gift of teaching?
Even though we only read 1 Corinthians 12:1-14 this
morning, 1 Corinthians 12-14 is wealth of scripture on spiritual gifts, unity,
and many other things. As I showed us all the picture of a human body representing
1 Corinthians 12:25, here is a picture of 1 Corinthians 12:25-27:
(1
Corinthians 12:25-27- Trees and Mountains Picture)
What the takeaway is in this
picture is that: “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part
of it” While this message is called, once again: “Christ's Gifts to the Church”
(apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers equipping us), not all
of us are called to create new ministries and churches, be missionaries, preach,
speak prophetically or through the Holy Spirit, be an evangelist preacher like Rev.
Billy Graham, or be a pastor, and or a teacher. We are not all called to be up
here, or teaching, but all our spiritual gifts and general gifts are important.
“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is part of it”.
(1 Peter
4:10- Man with a Bible Picture)
In this picture, we hear what is says in 1 Peter 4:10, once again, which is “As each has received a gift, use it to serve on another (1 Pet. 4:10).
(1 Peter
4:10-11- Be the Gift Picture)
I found another great picture
of our 1 Peter 4:10-11 reading for this morning. This picture summarizes 1
Peter 4:10-11, that says, “Be the Gift”. Whatever your spiritual gifts and
general gifts are, use them for God’s glory. Jesus wants all of us to “Be the
Gift”. Again, please feel free to take the “Spiritual Gifts Survey” to learn,
rediscover or grow in your spiritual gifts.
When I first planned
this four week “The Better Together: Building the Body” sermon series, I did
not know that I would be off this next Sunday July 12th, or that our
New York State American Baptist Church Executive Ministry Rev. Jerrod Hugenot
would be preaching here on Sunday July 19th. So, on Sunday July 26th,
I will give a sermon to pull this whole sermon series together, as we make
plans, and God laughs.
As we make plans, as we discover, rediscover, and or strengthen our spiritual gifts and general gifts, I have something funny to show you all. You see one the of spiritual gifts in our “Spiritual Gifts Survey” is “Pastor/Shepherd.” The question to ask then is this, does everybody have the spiritual gift of being a “Pastor/Shepherd?” The answer is no and how would someone know this is the case? Let me introduce you to my friend “Duncan”:
(Pastor
Joke - Picture)
Pastors/Shepherds are set apart by God but not set above.
Set apart, for a specific calling, and God has gifted us different for this calling.
At the same time all of God’s gifts and general gifts are needed, and none are
any better or worse than the others. For brothers and sisters, we are “Better
Together: Building the Body” of Christ together.
To have this sermon walk out the church doors with us this
morning and into our week ahead, here are some application points for us to
consider:
Spiritual gifts are divine
abilities given by the Holy Spirit to believers for the common good and to
build up the church. The primary scriptures detailing these gifts are located
in the New Testament, predominantly in the writings of the Apostle Paul.
The
three main chapters outlining these gifts include:
1.
1 Corinthians 12
This
is the most comprehensive chapter detailing the diversity of gifts, emphasizing
that they all come from the same Spirit but have different functions.
·
The Gifts: Wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing,
miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in
tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
2.
Romans 12:6-8
This
passage highlights practical and operational gifts used in service and
community life.
·
The Gifts: Prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging,
giving, leadership, and mercy.
3.
Ephesians 4:11
This
passage focuses on leadership and equipping gifts given to individuals to
prepare the church for ministry.
·
The Gifts: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors,
and teachers.
4.
1 Peter 4:10-11
This
serves as a great summarizing scripture, reminding believers that gifts are
meant to be actively used to serve others as stewards of God’s grace.
(https://www.google.com/search?q=scriptures+that+contain+spiritual+gifts)
Brothers and sisters in Christ, not only
do we have spiritual gifts and general gifts, we are all also called to be a gift
to each other. For when we do this, we become the fullness of the body of Christ,
we best fulfill the mission of the church, for we “Better Together: Building
the Body” of Christ together. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment