Alliance Christian Church
January 19 2025

      • Acts 2:17–21NIV2011

  • I Thank God
  • Praise the Name of Jesus
  • There's Something About That Name

  • Gifts

    1 Corinthians 12 “With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led. So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all. For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another…”
    Main Text.
    1
    Exordium.
    Giving/Receiving a gift with strings attached.
    Transition: What if the one giving the gift is God?
    Narratio
    Re-cap sword series
    Holy Spirit, last few sermons we discussed how the HS is a source of life, and a source of Authority.
    Today we’re going to look at the concept of Spiritual Gifts. We’re going to talk about what the Bible has to say about spiritual gifts, who receives them, what do they look like, how do we get them.
    At the outset, we’re going to touch on some culturally relevant.
    The elephant in the room, here, when we’re talking about Spiritual gifts, the question I get more often than any other, is always about “speaking in tongues.”
    We’re going to talk about it, but I need us to all be on the same page.
    When we started this sword series we laid out rules for studying the Bible. And the very first rule that we had, if you don’t remember, that’s ok,
    The number 1 rule was, we get our information from the Bible, and the Bible alone.
    What that means for our study is that I’m not going to engage with modern denominational views on Spiritual gifts, and speaking in tongues.
    I’m not going to engage with “this church says this, and that church says that.”
    For one, I think it’s unfair. I don’t do denomination bashing. I don’t do arguments with other churches and other people, because they’re not here to defend themselves. They’re not here to have the conversation. There’s no growth that occurs when you just talk trash about other Christian traditions and how they view things if they’re not in the room.
    That’s just ego stroking.
    And the second reason is, we want to stay true to our rule. We engage with the Bible, and what the Bible has to day.
    Your job, then, you’re smart people, is to take the information that we find in theBible, and you can apply it. You can know what’s true and what’s false.
    Partitio
    So as we get into our study on spiritual gifts, we’re going to be looking a lot at 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, and 14. Because this is a massive section of scripture that’s relavent.
    But we’re also going to pull in data from the entire Bible.
    And the big idea I want you to walk away with, when we’re thinking about what the Bible says about spiritual gifts is this:
    Down, up, and out.
    Those three things, down up, and out.
    The purpose of spiritual gifts, and the only purpose of spiritual gifts.
    is to Bow down to God. Build up the church, and to branch out the kingdom.
    Confirmatio
    Bow down to God
    1 Corinthians 12:1–2 NET 2nd ed.
    With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were often led astray by speechless idols, however you were led.
    Paul is writing to a church who is doing a lot of things wrong.
    The entire letter, if you read through it, kind of makes you feel bad for them. They can’t seem to get anything right
    There’s division in the church, sexual immorality, they’re mistreating each other at the lord’s supper
    And in chapter 12, now we’re getting another correction on their view of Spiritual gifts
    We don’t know exactly what it is that they’re doing
    We’re just getting one side of a telephone call
    We can kind of guess from the context.
    it seems like they’re doing something related to their old pagan past
    whatever it is, they’re using their spiritual gifts wrong. and the first thing paul brings up to correct them is in verse 3
    1 Corinthians 12:3 NET 2nd ed.
    So I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
    If you are using your spiritual gifts, you are doing it in a way that bows down to god— that proclaims Christ as king. Full stop
    and these two categories, having gifts of the Holy spirit, and proclaiming Christ as Lord they are mutually inclusive.
    You’ve probably heard the phrase mutually exclusive. Two things that are polar opposites andthey can’t exist at the same time
    This is mutually inclusive. You can not have one without the other. You either have both, or neither
    Having gifts of the HOly spirit, and proclaiming Christ as Lord go hand in hand.
    The implication for us being, if we have been gifted by God in some way, we have an obligation to use that gift in such a way that glorifies god.
    And if we’re not. If we’re not glorifying God with our gifts, maybe it’s time for us to have a serious conversation.
    And the second part is, if you are proclaiming Christ as lord, that means you have the Holy Spirit. You have the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
    As we look through the bible, we find evidence of this basically everywhere the Holy spirit is mentioned.
    I don’t have time to bring up every single place where the Holy spirit is given in such a way that the person receiving it magnifies god. Bow’s down to God
    Because it’s in basically all of them.
    But I’ll give you a couple. This is from Exodus 31 .
    The context here, God is giving Moses instructions on how to build the tabernacle

    Exodus 31:2-11

    Exodus 31:2–11 NET 2nd ed.
    “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God in skill, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work with gold, with silver, and with bronze, and with cutting and setting stone, and with cutting wood, to work in all kinds of craftsmanship. Moreover, I have also given him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, and I have given ability to all the specially skilled, that they may make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the testimony, the atonement lid that is on it, all the furnishings of the tent, the table with its utensils, the pure lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar for the burnt offering with all its utensils, the large basin with its base, the woven garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons, to minister as priests, the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the Holy Place. They will make all these things just as I have commanded you.”
    God didn’t just randomly give these people the ability to do craftsmanship so that they could go and open up a shop somewhere and sell furniture
    I would assume, at some point, that Bezalel, and ohaliab probably used their gifts and abilities at other times and other places.
    Maybe while they were staying in egypt Bezalel was the guy you went to if you wanted something fancy made, I don’t know. maybe.
    But God gave them these gifts so that they could build the tabernacle. So that they could Glorify God in the camp.
    Bowing Down to God
    And it comes up all over the place
    Anytime someone is given the gift of prophecy, the words taht come out of their mouth glorifies god
    Anytime someone in the book of Judges is given extra strength and leadership abilities it’s for the purpose of glorifying God
    In the New Testament, in the Book of Acts
    We see a special event on the day of Pentecost.

    Acts 2:1-11

    Acts 2:1–4 NET 2nd ed.
    Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them.
    Your bible translation might say speaking in “tongues” as the spirit enabled them.
    The english word “tongues” , and the greek word behind it means “languages”
    We use the phrase “tongues” as a hold over from the Old king james. And what it means is “language”
    We use the phrase “my native tongue is english”
    That’s important. Again, not engaging with denominational squabbles, just telling you what the bible actually says . We see in the next verse
    Acts 2:5–8 NET 2nd ed.
    Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven residing in Jerusalem. When this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was in confusion, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Completely baffled, they said, “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that each one of us hears them in our own native language?
    Again, when you see the word tongues in the bible, you need to picture “languages”
    Acts 2:9–11 NET 2nd ed.
    Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and the province of Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own languages about the great deeds God has done!”
    Bowing down to God.
    They didn’t start speaking egyptian as a cool party trick.
    They did it to proclaim the great deeds god has done.
    Three directions: Down, up, and out. First one is bowing Down to God. SEcond one
    Building Up the church.
    1 Corinthians 12:4–7 NET 2nd ed.
    Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different results, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each person the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.
    If your Spiritual gift—whatever it is—if it’s not building up the church. Something has gone horribly wrong.
    1 Corinthians 12:8–11 NET 2nd ed.
    For one person is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, and another the message of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another performance of miracles, to another prophecy, and to another discernment of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.
    1 Corinthians 12:12–14 NET 2nd ed.
    For just as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body—though many—are one body, so too is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. Whether Jews or Greeks or slaves or free, we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. For in fact the body is not a single member, but many.
    And he goes on to use this metaphor of the church being like parts of the body
    We all have hands and feet and eyes, and they all work together for the benefit of the body
    And the point is, that you are a part of the body. you have been spiritual gifts, for the purpose of building up the church.
    Ephesians 4:11–13 NET 2nd ed.
    And he himself gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature.
    And here’s the thing, the church in corinth was doing it wrong.
    In chapter 13, paul makes the point about spiritual gifts
    1 Corinthians 13:1–3 NET 2nd ed.
    If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but I do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.
    If you’re not using your gifts to build up the church in love, something has gone horribly wrong.
    Chapter 14 we get to the crux of it
    1 Corinthians 14:1–2 NET 2nd ed.
    Pursue love and be eager for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit.
    In other words, apparently there were people in corinth claiming to have the gift of speaking in languages. But nobody could understand it
    Carl shows up to church, and is like, hey i can speak latin now.
    And paul’s like that’s great and all, but nobody here speaks latin. So it’s not really building up the church. So it’s kind of pointless.
    1 Corinthians 14:3 NET 2nd ed.
    But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.
    Again, we have to understand the biblical view of prophesey is less about “fortune telling” and more about “speaking God’s word”
    1 Corinthians 14:4 NET 2nd ed.
    The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
    Let me phrase that another way. Because our modern conceptions of the words “tongues” and the words “prophesy” I think cloud the way that we view this concept
    The one who miraculously speaks another spiritual langauge builds himself up—and the connotation here is not a positive one. He’s saying if you show up and you display the ability to speak french in church, and nobody else speaks french—you’re kind of just being a show offf.
    But the one who speaks God’s word. The one who speaks a word from God in order to strenghten, encourage, console—look back at verse 3—builds up the church.
    1 Corinthians 14:5 NET 2nd ed.
    I wish you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be strengthened.
    Again, i think this chapter gets missapplied so much.
    But the gist of it is actually really simple.
    If God gives you the miraculous gift to speak latin or coptic, or aramaic, or whatever language it is…it’s only helpful if everyone else also speaks latin or coptic or aramaic.
    Or if someone is given the miraculous gift of understaing coptic or aramaic or latin or whatever.
    And he just goes on and on about this point that if you have the gift of languages it’s not helpful if nobody speaks that langauges. This argument goes on from verse 6 all the way through the end of chapter 14. For the sake of time, I think we get the point.
    I want to draw out for you the principle here.
    We can argue about languages and tongues. I personally have never witnessed someone displaying the ability to speak spanish when they couldn’t do it before.
    We could argue about whether or not it’s possible
    Look if God wants it to be possible he’ll make it possible.
    I don’t believe God can’t give people the gift of speaking other languages, I just haven’t seen it in my lifetime.
    Our whole point from chapter 12, God gives gifts for the purpose of building up the church.
    1 Corinthians 12:11 NET 2nd ed.
    It is one and the same Spirit, distributing as he decides to each person, who produces all these things.
    if god wanted to bring back the gift of speaking in foreign languages, he can do it because he’s god and god can do whatever god darn well wants to do.
    Instead of having that argument, I want to get to the heart of it
    Spiritual gifts are for the purpose of building up the church
    Any manifestation of a spiritual gift that doesn’t build up the church is kind of pointless
    If you’re a gifted speaker and you use it to puff up yourself
    If you’re a talented musician and you use it to boost your own ego
    If your a great teacher, and you don’t teach others
    If you’re a strong leader and you just sit back passively and don’t lead
    Something has gone horribly wrong.
    The purposes of spiritual gifts:
    Bow Down to God. Build up the church. And branch out the kingdom.
    1 Cor 14, the end of the argument that paul is making about the gift of languages, he says this. And again this is a passage that we might tend to missapply, but I think if we just read it in context, and we’re paying attention, it’s not that difficult of a passage

    1 Corinthians 14:22-25

    1 Corinthians 14:22–25 NET 2nd ed.
    So then, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and unbelievers or uninformed people enter, will they not say that you have lost your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or uninformed person enters, he will be convicted by all, he will be called to account by all. The secrets of his heart are disclosed, and in this way he will fall down with his face to the ground and worship God, declaring, “God is really among you.”
    Again side note, the purpose: bowing down to god
    But the confusion in this verse, the thing that trips people up, is Paul’s like
    The gift of speaking in different languages is for unbelievers, not believers.
    Prophesy is for believers
    But then he goes, if an unbeliever walks in and he sees you guys all speaking in different langauges, he’s going to think you’re crazy
    But if you’re prophesying, if you’re speaking the word of God for the purpose of strenghtening, consoling, and encouraging— 14:3 Then it’s a good thing.
    and we get tripped up because we’re like aah, so is the gift of languages for unbelievers or not for unbelievers? Is prophesy for beleivers or not for beleivers, I don’t understand.
    Acts chapter 2.
    The disciples receive the holy spirit. And they are given the ability to speak the language of the parthians, the medes, the elamites, the phrygians, the egyptians, the romans.
    And all of these unbelivers here the gospel in their own languages, and they come to believe.
    the gift of speaking in languages if for unbelivers. Specifically, unbelievers who happen to speak that language
    so that they might believe.
    To branch out the kingdom.
    Which is why in 1 corinthians he says, no, languages is not helpful for unbelievers
    the implication there, is that if an unbeliever comes in and he can’t understand what’s being said in church, he’s going to think you’re crazy.
    but if everyone is prophesying, speaking the word of god, in a way they can understand.
    That’s when you’re branching out the kingdom.
    That’s what’s going to make them believe.
    Refutatio (Optional)
    Peroratio
    God gives each and every christian a gift. an ability. Something that we can use to bow down, build up, and branch out.
    It might be one of the gifts mentioned in 1 corinthians. It might not be
    Paul neversays the spirit grants gifts and only these gifts
    You might be a great cook. And you can use your gift to cook to bow down, build up and branch out
    You might be great with kids. God has gifted you in that way
    Bow down, build up, and branch out
    Whatever it is, that’s the expectation
    Whatever it is that god has granted us. Our talents, our gifts, our financial blessings, our abilities
    We are expected to use them to bow down to god, build up the church, and branch out his kingdom.

      • 1 Corinthians 12:1–2GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 12:3GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 12:4–7GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 12:8–11GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 12:12–14GS-NETBIBLE

      • Ephesians 4:11–13GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 13:1–3GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 14:1–2GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 14:3GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 14:4GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 14:5GS-NETBIBLE

      • 1 Corinthians 12:11GS-NETBIBLE

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