Gifted to Serve

Theme: Spiritual Gifts

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Paul instructed the Corinthians that the Spirit gives each believer spiritual gifts to be used for God’s glory and the building of His kingdom.

Think: I have the great privilege of using the spiritual gifts God has given me to help build His kingdom.

Do: Use my spiritual gifts to serve the Lord and His church.

Notes and questions:

B1 Introductory questions

C1 What is the difference between a natural talent (gift) and a spiritual one?

C2 If someone has a natural talent, can that be used by God as a spiritual gift?

C3 Have you thought about what spiritual gift God has given you?

B2 1 Corinthians 12:1-11,

C1 What are spiritual things? The word gifts is added by the translators. Since the topic is gifts (verse 4), it is reasonable to consider gifts is the noun for the adjective.

C2 The gift is not what is important. What is important is the giver, the servant, the servant’s faith, and the servant’s fruit.

D1 The giver is the Holy Spirit.

D2 The servant is the church, that is, believers. We serve God. The gift is to serve the church (believers). Our gift is not for our benefit, for it is for the church.

D3 Faith is very important to God. We must believe. We must use the gift. God expects us to be good stewards.

D4 The fruit is the using, and whatever results come from it.

C3 The gifts themselves are broad categories. Under teaching, for example, this could happen in many different settings, countries, and topics.

C4 Are the gifts something we deserve, something we earn, or God’s grace?

C5 1 Corinthians 12:2-3 shows a contrast between false gods (idols) and the Spirit of God. They have left those false things and now they are new. Before conversion, they may have been in a trance and said and done things under the influence of a demon. Now, they are new. They are no longer in passivity but actively serving God.

C5 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 is best understood by various translations. Consider:

D1 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 GW  There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.  5  There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served.  6  There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person.

D2 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 GNB  There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them.  5  There are different ways of serving, but the same Lord is served.  6  There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to all for their particular service.

D3 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 NLT There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

D4 Who is the giver? Whom do we serve? Who is the one who produces the results?

C6 1 Corinthians 12:7,

D1 For whom do we use these gifts?

D2 Who has these gifts?

D3 So, do you have a gift?

C7 1 Corinthians 12:8-10,

D1 Wisdom

E1 Acts 6:10 NKJV And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke.

E2 Acts 7:10 NKJV And delivered him (Joseph) out of all his troubles, and gave him favor and wisdom in the presence of Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and he made him governor over Egypt and all his house.

E3 Discuss wisdom

D2 Knowledge

E1 Ephesians 3:3-4 NKJV  How that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,  4  by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ).

E2 1 Corinthians 13:8 NKJV  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.

E3 Discuss knowledge

D3 Faith

E1 Hebrews 11:11 NKJV  By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.

E2 Hebrews 11:29 NKJV  By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.

E3 Discuss faith

D4 Gifts of healing

E1 Acts 19:11-12 NKJV  Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,  12  so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

E2 Matthew 10:1 NKJV  And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

E3 Discuss gifts of healing

D5 Working of miracles

E1 Galatians 3:5 NKJV  Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

E2 Hebrews 2:4 NKJV  God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?

E3 Discuss working of miracles

D6 Prophecy

E1 Acts 11:28 NKJV  Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

E2 Acts 21:10-11 NKJV  And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea.  11  When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

E3 Ephesians 3:3-5 NKJV  How that by revelation He made known to me the mystery (as I have briefly written already,  4  by which, when you read, you may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ),  5  which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets.

E4 1 Corinthians 12:29 NKJV  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?

E5 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 GW  Now suppose you speak what God has revealed. When unbelievers or outsiders come in you will show them where they are wrong and convince them that they are sinners.  25  The secrets in their hearts will become known, and in this way they will quickly bow with their faces touching the ground, worship God, and confess that God is truly among you.

E6 Discuss prophecy

D7 Discerning of spirits

E1 1 John 4:1 NKJV  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

E2 1 Timothy 4:1 NKJV  Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.

E3 Discuss discerning of spirits

D8 Languages (tongues)

E1 Acts 2:4-6 GNB  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to talk in other languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.  5  There were Jews living in Jerusalem, religious people who had come from every country in the world.  6  When they heard this noise, a large crowd gathered. They were all excited, because all of them heard the believers talking in their own languages.

E2 1 Corinthians 14:22-23 GW  So the gift of speaking in other languages is a sign for unbelievers, not for believers. The gift of speaking what God had revealed is a sign for believers, not for unbelievers.  23  Suppose the whole congregation gathers in the same place and you speak in other languages. When outsiders or unbelievers come in, won't they say that you're out of your mind?

E3 Discuss (unknown) languages

C8 1 Corinthians 12:11 GNB  But it is one and the same Spirit who does all this; as he wishes, he gives a different gift to each person.

B3 1 Corinthians 12:12-31,

C1 1 Corinthians 12:12-13: Does God give these gifts based on a person’s status in society?

C2 1 Corinthians 12:14-27,

D1 Which is more important—the heart or the eye?

D2 Which is more important—the nose or the kidneys?

D3 Are all our body parts important?

D4 Are any not needed?

D5 If I smash my finger with a hammer, is that less pain than a migraine?

D6 Do all have importance?

D7 Do all Christians have importance?

D8 Someone with the gift of teaching may be world renown, while another may be known only to a few. Which one is more important to God?

D9 All of us have a gift from the Holy Spirit to serve the church (believers). Each of us is needed.

D10 You are important to the church.

C3 1 Corinthians 12:28-31,

D1 1 Corinthians 12:28-31 GNB  In the church God has put all in place: in the first place apostles, in the second place prophets, and in the third place teachers; then those who perform miracles, followed by those who are given the power to heal or to help others or to direct them or to speak in strange tongues.  29  They are not all apostles or prophets or teachers. Not everyone has the power to work miracles  30  or to heal diseases or to speak in strange tongues or to explain what is said.  31  Set your hearts, then, on the more important gifts. Best of all, however, is the following way.

D2 Who has more authority in the church?

D3 Who is more important to God?

B4 What happens to the church, if you do not use your gift?

B5 How can we glorify God this week?

B6 Next week:

C1 Love: The Greatest of All

C2 Theme: The excellence of love

C3 Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13

Doctrine Short: Truth

From time to time, I'll publish a short post on doctrine from my book. Sometimes the formating is not perfect, but I cannot correct it. Cheers.

B1 Truth

C1 Define

D1 Theories

E1 Correspondence = reality

F1 Facts = a thing that exists or happened

F2 Belief = acceptance of facts

E2 Coherence = agrees with a set of beliefs or concepts

E3 Pragmatic = truth is what works

E4 Narcissistic = what I believe is truth

D2 “I am lying”

E1 Is this true or false?

E2 We need:

F1 Context. The three words have no meaning with context as, “What are you talking about?”

F2 A standard to judge and know

D3 Some thoughts

E1 Eyewitness: as in testimony

E2 Repeatable: as in math

E3 Consistent

E4 Legal: based on law, as in speed limit

E5 Faithfulness: as in being true to a person or cause

E6 Fact vs. Opinion. This would be the difference of subjectively/objectively.

E7 Comment from IVPBBC:

The Greek concept of truth emphasized reality; the Old Testament word translated "truth" had more to do with integrity or faithfulness to one's word or character. Jewish thought characterized God as the Truth, so Jesus' hearers should realize that he refers specifically to God's truth in the Jewish sense. [Comment on John 8:32—The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament Copyright © 1993 by Craig S. Keener]

E8 The Hebrew, 'emeth, has to do with stability.

E9 If there is no consistent, eternal standard, we cannot not know truth. If there was no standard like this, truth would be relative.

C2 For the Christian, truth is reality based on the perfect, untainted, standard of facts as revealed in the Bible. This is affirmed by the attributes of God as omniscience, omnisapience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.

C3 Verses

D1 God of truth: Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have redeemed me, O LORD God of truth. (Psalms 31:5, NKJV)

D2 Truth in the core of our being: Indeed, you are pleased with truth in the inner person, and you will teach me wisdom in my innermost parts. (Psalms 51:6, ISV)

D3 To practice always: Let not mercy and truth forsake you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart, (Proverbs 3:3, NKJV)

Putting Others First

Theme: Body of Christ

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

               

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Divisions in the church in Corinth were demonstrated by the way they celebrated communion. Paul instructed the believers to unite around the sacrifice of Christ represented by the bread and cup.

Think: Let a constant awareness of Christ’s sacrificial love drive my interaction with all of my church family.

Do: Do my part to build unity in my local body of Christ.

Notes and questions

B1 The Corinthian believers had questions about Communion, the Lord’s Supper.

B2 Their remembrance of the Lord was badly flawed: 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 NKJV  Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse.  18  For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it.  19  For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you.  20  Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper.  21  For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.  22  What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and shame those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this? I do not praise you. They

C1 Had divisions. These are splits (schisms) maybe due to socio-economic reasons.

C2 Had factions. This is believing and teaching false doctrine.

C3 Had the Lord’s Supper for the wrong reasons. Utley, in his commentary on this passage, writes: It is possible to understand this phrase in several ways.

1. The wealthy/educated/influential/high-born came early and ate their meal quickly so that when the poor arrived there was nothing, or hardly anything, left to eat.

2. Each person was to bring his own meal. The elite believers ate theirs quickly in the presence of the poor, or slave members of the church, who brought little or nothing.

C4 Had selfish motives and actions

C5 Had despise for the church of God (the people)

C6 Were shaming those who are poor. Utley gives further comment: The problem was selfishness and gluttony based on social distinctions instead of self-giving love, as Jesus' actions and precedent clearly taught. The Corinthian church did not believe that they were one in Christ. There was a radical dichotomy between

1. social haves vs.  have nots

2. wealthy vs. poor

3. men vs. women

4. freedmen vs. slaves

5. Romans vs. all others

6. spiritual elite vs. common believer

C7 The word drunk in 1 Corinthians 11:21 means intoxication.

C8 Questions

D1 What is their main problem?

D2 What happened to the oneness of the group? Oneness as

E1 John 13:34 NKJV  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

E2 John 17:11 NKJV  Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

E3 Oneness is understood to be one in beliefs, gospel, doctrine, goals, etc. as in being one team.

B3 Paul set about to correct this.

B4 Basics of Communion

C1 In remembrance of what Jesus has done for us: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NRSV  For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread,  (24)  and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me."  (25)  In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."  (26)  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

D1 In remembrance of Me.

E1 Remembering the prophecies about Him, His birth, His baptism, His ministry, His teaching, His attributes, His warnings, His death, His resurrection, His ascension, His present ministry, His promises, His coming for us soon, His reign as King of Kings, etc.

E2 His suffering for our sins, the penalty paid, His offer of salvation, and His call to us.

E3 His love, His compassion, and His seeking us who were lost.

D2 Old and New Covenant

Comparing Old and New Covenant
Old Covenant	New Covenant
Was given to Israel Exodus 19:1-5	Was given to Abraham and cannot be annulled: Galatians 3:13-18
Given at Mt. Sinai Exodus 19:1-5	Given at the Last Supper as a memorial to remember the sacrificial gift of the Lord Jesus for the sins of the world
Conditional Exodus 19:5	Unconditional
Given to the nation of Israel	Promised to the nation of Israel: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Failed and is fading away Hebrews 8:3	Successful and everlasting Jeremiah 32:40 with Is everlasting and perfect: Hebrews 13:20
	Promised and guaranteed by Jesus Christ: Hebrews 7:21-22
Inaugurated with blood of animals Hebrews 9:18	Inaugurated with blood of Christ 1 Corinthians 11:25
Must keep the whole law perfectly in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds Galatians 5:3	Jesus Christ kept the whole law perfectly in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds John 19:28 and Hebrews 4:15
Perfect obedience is required in thoughts, desires, words, and deeds Exodus 19:5	Faith is required Romans 4:5 and Romans 5:1
Was given to convict people of their sinful condition: Galatians 3:19-24
Moses was the mediator: Galatians 3:19	Jesus is the mediator: Hebrews 8:6
The covenant with Israel had problems: Hebrews 8	The Old Covenant has been replaced: Hebrews 8:13

D3 If you want to read more about the New Covenant, read Jeremiah 31 and Hebrews 8-10.

D4 You proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

E1 We do not see Him today.

E2 We have this reminder from when He ate with His Apostles until He returns for us.

E3 It is for all believers until He returns.

E4 There is a promise that He will return.

B6 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 NKJV  For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;  24  and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."  25  In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."  26  For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

C1 The word received has the idea that Paul learned this from the Lord Jesus.

C2 John 6:51-56 NKJV  I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world."  52  The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, "How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?"  53  Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.  54  Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.  55  For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.  56  He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.

D1 This is somewhat related to the passage we are studying.

D2 The idea is that we eat food and drink fluids to live physically. It is a source of life for us.

D3 Jesus Christ is our food and fluid to live spiritually. He is our source of life.

D4 Jesus created Adam and Eve (and us). Jesus recreates us in the New Birth. Without Jesus, there is no spiritual life. Spiritual life is only in Jesus. There is no other way. We cannot do this ourselves. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

C3 From our passage what night was this supper?

C4 Jesus took the bread. What did He do next? How can we apply that for us today?

C5 How was Jesus’s body broken?

C6 Is blood necessary for salvation? Hebrews 9:22-28 NKJV  And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.  23  Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.  24  For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us;  25  not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another—  26  He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.  27  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,  28  so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

C7 The idea of remembrance is recollection. Why do we need to be reminded?

C8 What are we proclaiming?

C9 How long is the church to do this?

B7 1 Corinthians 11:27-32 NKJV  Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.  28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.  29  For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.  30  For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.  31  For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged.  32  But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world.

C1 How do we eat unworthily?

C2 With what do we examine ourselves? What is this standard?

C3 What is happening to the people in 1 Corinthians 11:30?

D1 Chastening

D2 Psalm 38 is one passage that answers the question. Here is Psalms 38:3 NKJV  There is no soundness in my flesh Because of Your anger, Nor any health in my bones Because of my sin.

C4 What is the solution, the healing of the problem?

C5 According to 1 Corinthians 11:32, what is a purpose of chastening?

B8 1 Corinthians 11:33-34 NKJV  Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another.  34  But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come.

C1 What is the importance of waiting for one another?

C2 What judgment might one experience if we do not the right thing?

C3 Do we do the Lord’s Supper as a family or as individuals? The family is referring to the whole congregation.

C4 Is the Lord’s Supper a necessary ritual, a rule for salvation?

C5 How does loving our neighbor as ourself apply to this passage?

C6 How are we to do this principle this week?

B9 Next week:

C1 Gifted to serve

C2 Theme: Spiritual Gifts

C3 Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12