What can I bring? - 1 Cor 14:26-39

What can I bring?

August 21, 2011
1 Cor 14:26-39

Introduction

• We all sometimes are invited to dinner or to a party or similar event
• Good manners say that we should bring something along, to contribute to the meal, or for the lady of the house
• At church we are invited to a large family gathering
• What can we bring to the table?
• What can we contribute to what happens at church?
• This morning we are going to examine certain spiritual gifts and their role in the church service
• Let's read 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Gifts are given to the church by the Holy Spirit

• Verse 26
• Each of these is a spiritual gift, to be used in the church service
• When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit gives that person certain spiritual gifts
• 1 Cor 12:7-11
• Each person receives these gifts - verse 7, 11
• These are not the only spiritual gifts mentioned
• Other lists of gifts are in Romans 12 and Ephesians 4
• Further gifts are mentioned in the Old Testament, particularly when connected with the building of the Tabernacle, and worship at the Temple
• The lists of gifts are not exhaustive, just as the Holy Spirit is limitless in His power and capabilities
• Very quickly, let's run through these gifts in 1 Cor 12
• "The message of wisdom" - where God supernaturally reveals the way to deal with a particular situation
• "The message of knowledge" - where God supernaturally shows a bit of information which is needed for breakthrough
• "Faith" - faith is needed with all the gifts
• "Gifts of healing" - here we are speaking of God's supernatural intervention
• "Miraculous powers" - this includes being used by God to do miracles, and generally, deliverance is seen as part of this broad classification
• "Prophecy" - expressing a word from the Lord - this may be prophetic preaching, a word for the church, or a word for an individual
• "Distinguishing between spirits" - the KJV translates this as discernment - being able to discern good from evil, right from wrong, the godly or demonic
• "Speaking in different kinds of tongues" - this is speaking about the public expression of tongues, as a word from the Lord, as opposed to our personal private prayer language
• "The interpretation of tongues" - when a message is given in tongues, it should be interpreted

Gifts are given to strengthen the church

• Spiritual gifts in the church setting are not given for our personal benefit, but rather for the benefit of the church
• Spiritual gifts can be misused by mixing them with the flesh
• For example, a person with the gift of discernment, may have a fleshly tendency to criticize, because they are continually evaluating things
• This is where people sometimes go wrong with spiritual gifts
• What is more frequent though, is that people don't exercise the faith to use their gifting, and as a result, the church misses out
• Eph 2:20-22
• So we are being built up into a spiritual temple, as a church, and as an individual

Gifts are to be used in the service, in an orderly manner

• 1 Cor 14:27-33
• Paul is here focusing on the gift of prophecy
• He is saying that things should be done in an orderly manner
• So prophetic words are given separately, not at the same time
• Sometimes we may feel that God has laid a word on our heart and we have to express it
• Verse 32 says that we have power to control when the word is given
• The enemy tries to control us, God does not
• The church service should be a peaceful expression of the Holy Spirit working through different gifts, and these gifts should flow together smoothly so that God is glorified

So, what do I bring to church?

• The answer is, absolutely nothing!
• God does it all!
• What it does take is people who are humble, teachable and ready to step out in faith as the Holy Spirit guides and empowers them
• But ultimately, it is God who is doing everything
• Eph 2:8-9
• Rom 2:4 - it is even God who gives us the desire to repent!

Conclusion

• Be open to the Holy Spirit
• Allow Him to use you
• As we start off, we may have some inaccurate words,
• But as we become more experienced, we will become more in tune with the Holy Spirit
• I want to encourage all of you to seek the Lord's face, more and more
• This church is going to grow in its availability to the Holy Spirit
• We will be making changes in worship to give more freedom to the Holy Spirit to do as He wills in our services
• And life in the Spirit is exciting!