The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Theme: The Holy Spirit
Theme Verse: "'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit', says the LORD of Hosts." Zechariah 4:6
Readings: 1 Corinthians12:1-14, 27-13:1; 1 Corinthians 13:8-9;
1 Corinthians 14:1
Optional: Romans 12:3-8; Ephesians 4:1-7,11-16
Memory Verse: "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." 1 Corinthians 12:7(Pre-K to grade 3)
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant." (12:1) Word received: There is great ignorance among My people about the gifts of My Spirit: some reject them, others regard them as irrelevant to the life of My church today. I want you to know about the gifts, desire them, receive them and use them to build up My Body. Word received: There are no secrets that I hold back from you. My way is to tell you the truth. I do not manipulate the relationship I have with My children. You can trust Me.
Paul is concerned to clarify the difference between the way the Holy Spirit works and the ways the evil spirits associated with pagan idols worked. Even today some in the church are saying that the Holy Spirit is doing something new and the Word of God in the Bible no longer reflects God's will, as in saying that homosexuality is part of God's created order and its practice good. In vs 3 Paul gives a test to discern whether something is from God's Holy Spirit or not. "No one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says "Jesus be cursed!" Word received: I AM the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow. Satan does try to imitate God's gifts and draw people away from God.
In verses 4-6 Paul refers to three categories of manifestations of the Holy Spirit: varieties of "gifts", "service", and "working" that God gives to his church for the common good. [Note the reference to the Trinity in vs.4-6 Spirit, Lord, God.] There is only one God working in his people in all these ways. God's basic purpose is for the common good by having the Holy Spirit reveal himself and work in each person in a different way (vs.7) and in that way to build up the church. "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:" (1 Corinthians 12:7) A word received: I want my people to be gifted -- not gifted in the worldly sense, but gifted by my Spirit. I want them to know the blessings I have for them. A word received: I want each of you to use the gifts I have given you for the building up of the body of my son Jesus.
The gifts are to be used for others, for the Body of Christ, the Church. Word received: I want to bring you all together. The gifts should point to Me and My love for all. The "gifts", "service", "working' are not "ours" to own. It is GOD'S power at work, not ours. They are for the building up of the Church, the Body of Christ. They all come from the one Spirit of God and HE decides who gets what. Paul used the imagery of the human body to explain how it works. Every part is needed.
Now look at 1 Corinthians 12: 4-6. "There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." (12:4) A word received: All the gifts of the Spirit are from my Holy Spirit. "There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord." (12:5) A word received: Each of you is called into ministry. [The ministries may differ, but the call is the same. The call is from God to us.] "And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all." (12:6) A word received: Diversity here does not mean diversity of sin and goodness. That is not my kind of diversity. I call my people to many forms of activity -- that is my kind of diversity.
"Now the body is not made up of one part but of many."(12:14) But in fact God has arranged the parts of the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be." (12:18) Word received: I want each of you to do your part. When you do not, others in the Body feel it. Each gift is important, they are just different. Every one is needed! But Paul does urge them to desire the "higher gifts", especially prophecy. However, everyone is to show love (agape love) in using their gifts and ministries.
Gifts:(vs.8-10) Word (logos) of wisdom: words or ideas from God that gives wisdom beyond ordinary wisdom.
Word of knowledge: often experienced as God giving a person a piece of knowledge they do not know in order to accomplish God's purposes , as when praying for healing, when it reveals the root cause of a problem.
Faith: we are all to have faith in God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) But there are occasions when God gives unusual levels of faith to accomplish his purposes
Gifts of healing: all Christians can pray for healing but God works with unusual power in some. If it happens regularly it would be a ministry of healing.
Works of power: Moses parting the Red Sea; Moses striking the rock and water gushed out.
Prophecy: speaking God's message for the present situation. The form of the message could include words, a picture, strong sense. (It is NOT fortune telling which is NOT of God. Satan is a great imitator.) As Paul says, it is imperfect and should be tested by others who have the same gift. Discernment is necessary.)
Discernment of Spirits: a gift of ability to test whether something is from God's Spirit, from the person who speaks or even from the devil. It may be something true but still not God's present word. Of course the first test is whether it is in harmony with scripture.
Different kinds of tongues: Basically it is speaking in a language unknown to the speaker. When it is given in public it must be interpreted and then it is a form of prophecy. It is usually a private prayer language. It can also be in a language unknown to the speaker but known by someone listening. This has happened twice at Christ Church, involving Akemi.
Interpretation of tongues: The ability to interpret/translate a public message in tongues.
One Holy Spirit operates in all of these, dividing each as he wills.
Ministries
Ministries are on-going functions in the Church in the power of the Spirit. Lists are given in 1 Corinthians 12:28-31 and Ephesians 4:11-16. It includes apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, helpers, administrators, healing, etc. whose ministries are to build up the church and prepare God's people for works of service and to help us all reach the goal of unity in the faith and maturity in likeness to Christ. They are to help us all to "grow up" in Christ and not be "tossed about" by every theological fad. Another ministry listed in Ephesians 4:16 refers to those whose ministry is like "supporting ligaments" that join together different parts and hold the Body together.
Another list is found in Romans 12: 3-8. There Paul talks about "each member" belonging to all the others, sharing each other's joys and pains. Paul urges the church in Rome to use the gifts and talks about how to use them as in "he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."
In each of these lists of gift and ministries Paul concludes by talking about the importance of love, agape love- the kind of love God has, not a feeling, but a choice to act for the good of the other person. Paul ends chapter 12 with urging the church to desire God's gifts but most of all to desire the way of love (agape). All the gifts and ministries are for this life, but faith, hope and love are even greater and love always remains. In 14:1 Paul calls them-and us- "to make love your goal" "pursue love" because the gifts and ministries are useless unless they are expressed in love. Love is more powerful and important than any gift or ministry. Example: if people go away from the Neighborhood Meal and don't experience love, we have largely failed.
Ephesians 4:1-7 Word received: You can only live this life by living in Me and relying on My Spirit. You can only be humble and patiently letting Me live through you. YOU cannot do it. Lean into Me, ask Me, come to Me, live in Me.
Ephesians 4:11-16 Word received: I don't want you to be infants tossed about. I want you to grow up and be adults. You can only do that as you continue to live in Me and My presence. Do not be afraid to take on the responsibility that I give to you. You are able if I give you the job. Don't give up--rely on Me.
The manifestations of the Spirit of God are related to our RELATIONSHIP to the Giver: Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit. Look at what happened when some non-Christian exorcists tried to use Jesus' Name in a magical way. The evil spirits beat them up and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are you?"
Word for teachers: Have the teachers share how they have seen the gifts of My Spirit used and how that has built up My Body.
(one example: Dave Dussault changed on Alpha Holy Spirit weekend.)
Teaching Ideas for Lesson 24
Please read the Study Guide first (after you have read the Scriptures). Go over Memory Verse to make sure the children understand it and then if they have memorized it.
Remind them their parents need to sign a report slip monthly if they have read the lessons, so they will get credit at the end of the year. Read the lesson aloud from the Bible in class.
Make sure they know what happened in the story. Get them to tell you.
Basic points of the lesson for little ones:
1.As we come to know Jesus, we find that there are gifts from the Holy Spirit that He wants each one of us to have.
2. These gifts are given for the common good of the Body of Christ, the Church, so there will be many kinds of gifts.
3. God wants us to ask for the gifts that He has for us. God uses children as well as adults.
4. God wants us to use the gifts He gives us. He wants the gifts to point to him, not us.
5. If God asks you to do something, He will give you what you need to do it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment