WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:00.560 All right. 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:02.560 It is great to see you guys this morning. 00:00:02.640 --> 00:00:03.919 And uh my name is Russ. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:06.000 I'm one of the pastors here at Church of the Groves. 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:13.279 And I always want to just acknowledge some of you might be here for the first time, second time, and we want to say a big welcome to you. 00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:16.399 Hopefully you're greeted warmly. 00:00:16.640 --> 00:00:20.239 We place a huge value just on hospitality and family. 00:00:20.719 --> 00:00:22.640 And so glad everybody's here. 00:00:22.800 --> 00:00:31.440 We're in this series on how the Holy Spirit, who the Holy Spirit is, how he works in our life. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:34.399 And I want to let me let me throw out this disclaimer. 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:35.920 There's been great conversations. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:37.200 There's been just a lot of people. 00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:46.960 I'm hearing conversations that are happening in groups, community groups, and Bible studies, and just even feedback directly to me. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:52.320 But let me tell you a couple of things that I heard that I want to make sure offer a bit of clarification. 00:00:52.560 --> 00:01:07.120 So, you know, I feel like our role, my role as a pastor-preacher, it is to offer direction, to preach truth, preach the gospel, and sometimes that includes a challenge. 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:17.359 And so part of the challenge I think that a pastor wants to issue a church is the challenge to step out in faith. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:25.439 And so we're always going to encourage you to step out in faith, trust God, obey, trust and obey. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:40.079 And that that's seen practically, tangibly, observably in the life of people as they step out, and God uses them as they lean into the Holy Spirit, but also lean in to the lives of other people. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:54.560 Here's something a couple of people have mentioned this, and I know there's always things going on in your life that are just almost automatic in causing you to interpret what is taught. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:05.599 So a couple of people said, you know, you're challenging us to have faith, to step out, to experience the power of the Spirit, but sometimes our faith is weak. 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:17.199 A couple people have gone through difficult times, and they feel like if they had had more faith, that somebody else in their family wouldn't have passed away. 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:20.400 And that's not what I'm trying to communicate. 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:27.599 Listen, God promises to heal, and he encourages us to ask, seek, and knock. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:30.719 And so we we know that God can heal. 00:02:31.039 --> 00:02:32.560 He will heal. 00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:36.560 It's either here or in eternity in heaven. 00:02:37.039 --> 00:02:40.240 Sometimes He will heal here. 00:02:41.280 --> 00:02:45.759 Sometimes He has purpose in our suffering. 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:49.599 Paul said he had a thorn in the flesh. 00:02:49.759 --> 00:02:53.520 We don't know what it is, but it could have been a physical illness. 00:02:54.560 --> 00:02:56.879 Could have been a struggle with sin. 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:58.560 We don't know. 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:11.759 But what I want you to know is if you pray for something and it doesn't happen exactly like you're praying, it doesn't necessarily mean that there's something wrong with your faith. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:16.960 It just means that we still trust God regardless of how he responds. 00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.680 He has our best interest in mind. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:24.639 And as we learn and seek him, we trust him. 00:03:25.039 --> 00:03:27.199 He will heal one day. 00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:29.360 He can heal right now. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:41.280 Sometimes there are purposes we may not understand completely in the moment, but we will see more clearly when the veil is removed and we step into that eternal relationship with Jesus. 00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:56.639 So as we just I want to throw that out there that sometimes you're gonna be challenged, and because something happens in your life that goes the other way than what you were praying, it doesn't mean you have a lack of faith. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:00.560 God's the one that is sovereign and in control. 00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:10.159 So this morning, so hey, so this morning we're jumping in and continue to move forward with um how the Holy Spirit empowers us. 00:04:10.240 --> 00:04:15.520 So this is a bit of a part two to last week's part one and how the Holy Spirit empowers us. 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:23.519 Today is more specifically about the spiritual gifts that come as we lean into the Holy Spirit. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:28.160 We learn about how the Holy Spirit works, how he operates. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:45.199 We step out in faith, trusting that the Holy Spirit will work, and he gives, he promises in 1 Corinthians 12, in Romans chapter 12, and we're also going to look at the letter to the Ephesian church, the church at Ephesus, and we see these lists of gifts. 00:04:45.279 --> 00:04:48.720 And the Bible says you all have a spiritual gift. 00:04:48.959 --> 00:04:52.800 And then there's other, some of your other gifts will surface. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:59.199 Spiritual gifts, at least one, probably more than one, that operates in some capacity through you. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:06.879 And so one of the things we're going to talk about today is that is distinguishing between the types of gifts. 00:05:11.199 --> 00:05:17.519 We tend to be drawn often to the power gifts, what we would call the charismatic gifts. 00:05:17.600 --> 00:05:24.720 And that that word is a bit scary as it as it looks at some of the differences in the in the church and how they view the spiritual gifts. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:31.759 But really, all charismatic means is the word charis is a word that is, it comes from the word grace. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:39.519 So charis and matic form the this understanding, grace-given gifts. 00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:46.319 More specifically, it is it alludes to what we consider the power gifts that we're drawn to. 00:05:46.560 --> 00:05:52.959 The gift of healing, the gift of miracles, uh the speaking in tongues, some of these, what we call the power gifts. 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:58.160 But here's what I want you to know we we all need to be a bit charismatic. 00:05:58.639 --> 00:06:01.279 Because all it means is grace-given gifts. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:16.720 And I want to tap into the grace that God has provided for me, not just for my salvation, but for how I can live, how I can be a witness, and how I can see the gifts work in me and through me. 00:06:16.959 --> 00:06:21.519 There's a lot broken with the church today. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:27.600 Uh it seems if there's so much contention. 00:06:28.319 --> 00:06:30.639 There's a lot that seems broken in the church. 00:06:30.720 --> 00:06:37.759 But I don't think it's a, you know, we we we sometimes want to focus on programs or platforms. 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:39.279 And it's not that. 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:47.839 It's that we've tried to substitute personality for power and production and for presence. 00:06:48.800 --> 00:06:52.000 We've seen what happens when gifts outrun character. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:55.680 Ministries rise fast and they fall hard. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:04.879 The world picks up on that and they'll look at pointed situations and they'll say, Yeah, look how how fallible, how broken the church is messed up. 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:06.000 And it is. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:09.120 But we're people that need God's grace. 00:07:09.279 --> 00:07:10.879 We need his forgiveness. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:19.199 God has not designed his church to revolve around a few special gifts or a few special personalities or leaders. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:21.839 Listen, gifts are not for special people. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:25.680 Gifts are distributed to everyone in the church. 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:27.519 Everyone, every one of you. 00:07:27.680 --> 00:07:53.759 And I'm gonna say this: this is what breaks my heart is when I see and read what God makes available to all of us, the gifts that he gives us, but then I look at a congregation, at a church family where probably I don't know the exact numbers, but but a lot of people throw out these numbers that 20% of the people do all the ministry, do 80% of the ministry in the church. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:58.480 I don't know if that's completely accurate, but it's probably at least a point to start with. 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:05.759 That a lot of times there's only about 20% of people that understand their gifts and then seek to use their gifts. 00:08:05.920 --> 00:08:13.920 Some gifts are used in the church, some gifts are used in the workplace or out on the street or into the community at school, in your neighborhood. 00:08:14.160 --> 00:08:18.160 Some gifts are meant to be used outside the walls of the church. 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:22.000 Some are used as people engage and serve. 00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:44.399 So it's not about status, it's not about a platform, it's about Jesus' church functioning the way Jesus intended, filled with the Spirit, serving one another in love so that a world can see the reality of God as they observe us, wrestle with how to use the gifts He's given us. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:46.240 And here's what I want you to walk away with. 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:47.440 Big idea for this morning. 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:54.080 Supernatural power is dispersed when spiritual gifts are deployed. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.759 So supernatural power is dispersed. 00:08:58.480 --> 00:08:59.919 This power is evident. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:11.679 This the presence of God, the person of Jesus, is it can't be mistaken when we deploy the spiritual gifts that God gives us. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:16.080 In week one, we said this the Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. 00:09:16.799 --> 00:09:19.200 It's not Star Wars, it's not Darth Vader. 00:09:19.360 --> 00:09:20.639 May the force be with you. 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:21.759 It is a person. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:25.919 It's the person we know, love, and follow, a divine person. 00:09:26.639 --> 00:09:30.159 And so the Spirit can relate to us. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:34.159 He leads us and He unifies us, despite some of our differences. 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:38.879 Week two, we say the Spirit's present is our constant companion. 00:09:39.200 --> 00:09:49.440 Salvation is when we are introduced to the Spirit, but as we walk in the fullness of the Spirit and life and mission, we have the Comforter with us. 00:09:49.600 --> 00:09:50.639 He is our companion. 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:52.000 There is a relationship. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:58.399 Week three, we're led by the Spirit by hearing God's voice, following God's voice. 00:09:58.559 --> 00:10:00.639 The Spirit speaks what Jesus says. 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.120 The Spirit guides us into truth. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:07.120 In week four, last week, we're empowered by the Spirit. 00:10:07.440 --> 00:10:17.600 He empowers everyone, not just certain special leaders or those that have titles or those that speak to large groups. 00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:22.480 It is all of us, not just those who sing us, not just those who lead, everybody. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:31.519 It includes a bold witness, understanding gifts, cultivating a heart of desperation and expectation. 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:36.960 And so this morning is a continuation of last week on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:41.919 And so Paul addresses this in his letter to the Corinthian church. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:45.440 He wrote two letters, probably, actually, we we know he probably wrote three letters. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:52.159 There's a third one out there somewhere, and we haven't found it, but but we've got two letters to the Corinthian church. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:59.039 Corinth was a gifted but messy church, unlike all of us that have it together. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:11.840 They existed in a wealthy metropolitan port city full of sin, full of pagan worship, and it was hard. 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:32.240 It was hard for Christians to be able to pull away from the world, pull away from sinful patterns in their life, and to resist the pull of the flesh, sinful flesh, and to walk in the truth and the spirit of God is tough. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:41.600 And so Paul teaches us as he teaches the Corinth church at Corinth that listen, he didn't want the church to be misinformed. 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:43.039 He wanted clarity. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.320 And so we need clarity. 00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:57.840 Couple things I think that are foundational is this spiritual gifts are spirit-given, not self-made. 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:01.919 Spiritual gifts are spirit-given, not self-made. 00:12:02.159 --> 00:12:08.320 So we we're focused on the Holy Spirit, and these are the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:12.080 It's not your personality, it can involve your personality. 00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:15.759 It's not necessarily what you like, it can involve your passions. 00:12:16.159 --> 00:12:22.720 It's not just, you know, you know, natural gifting is supernatural gifting. 00:12:23.600 --> 00:12:25.679 What's the definition of a spiritual gift? 00:12:25.840 --> 00:12:26.879 Listen to this. 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:35.120 Spiritual gifts are divine enablers given and distributed by the Holy Spirit as He wills. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:43.759 Listen, for two things, for the good of the body, for us to minister to one another, but also for the glory of Jesus. 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:47.279 How many of you would like to glorify Jesus with your life? 00:12:48.559 --> 00:12:51.120 You can't glorify Jesus. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:13:00.559 And you we don't seek the good of the body if we're not exercising and walking in our spiritual gifts. 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:07.919 And so the Holy Spirit, He gives them as He wills for the good of the body and the glory of Jesus. 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:18.080 Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12, 11, he says, one and the same Spirit is active in all these, distributing to each person as he wills. 00:13:18.320 --> 00:13:22.639 So Paul's telling us clearly the spiritual gifts are truly gifts. 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:26.240 You don't have to achieve to receive. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:31.519 You are given those based on grace, not on merit. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:33.840 It's not how spiritual are. 00:13:57.039 --> 00:14:04.960 Over two billion believers all over the world that identify Jesus as their Savior. 00:14:05.519 --> 00:14:09.519 One body, many members, unity and diversity. 00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.519 Unity and diversity. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:20.559 And so diversity means we we come from different backgrounds, ecumenically or or uh you know, just culturally. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:26.080 And so one body, many members, unity and diversity. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:39.919 And so the church is not meant to be a group of isolated believers or followers of Jesus, but a spirit-formed body where every part, every individual is needed. 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:44.399 See, we we think of the head and the hands. 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:53.120 Your hands seem to, that's where the action is, getting get our hands dirty in ministry, but without your lungs, you're not making it very far. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:58.000 Your eyes may help you navigate, but trying to walk without your knees would be a problem. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:01.200 So the body, all of us are needed. 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:06.720 Listen how Paul goes on to frame it in 1 Corinthians verses 12 and 13. 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:18.480 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all of the parts of that body, though many are one body, so also is Christ. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:26.320 For we were all baptized by one spirit into one body, and we were all given one spirit to drink. 00:15:27.200 --> 00:15:28.159 Here's what he's saying. 00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:31.840 The church is not like a body, it is the body of Christ. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:35.279 We say this all the time, especially at our membership dinner. 00:15:35.679 --> 00:15:38.799 We're not like a family, the church is a family. 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:43.679 And so it means that everyone, everyone matters. 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:45.840 There's no one that is unnecessary. 00:15:46.080 --> 00:15:50.480 Everyone has a gift, and we all need each other's gifts. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:53.360 Listen, your difference is not an accident. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:59.120 When you have a different gift or a different ministry, it's not an accident, it's an assignment from God. 00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:01.039 It's something to be celebrated. 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:03.120 The Spirit distributes the gifts. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:06.639 He's not just thinking about you, he's thinking about us. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:16.799 Paul writes in Romans 12, that other chapter that we said that speaks about the spiritual gifts, verses 4 through the first part of 6. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:28.879 He says, Now as we have many parts in one body, and all the parts do not have the same function, in the same way, we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.879 According to the grace given to us, we have different gifts. 00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:34.879 We have different gifts. 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:39.039 Your gift doesn't just belong to you, God gives it to you. 00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.919 Jesus died so you could have a gift. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:45.279 The Holy Spirit is sent to distribute the gifts. 00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:46.960 It belongs to the body. 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:48.799 My gift belongs to you. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:50.639 Your gift belongs to me. 00:16:50.960 --> 00:16:54.080 See, the church was never meant to be a spectator sport. 00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:57.519 It was never meant to be bleachers and a field. 00:16:58.240 --> 00:17:04.799 We're all, we're all in this together, and we do it for the audience of one. 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:06.960 Jesus. 00:17:08.640 --> 00:17:10.319 So we don't sit on the sidelines. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:11.680 We get in the game. 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:13.279 So what are the gifts? 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:14.480 What are the gifts? 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:27.200 We're gonna look at the gifts categorized in three three three categorizations, three, three aspects, three big categories: power, word, and love. 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:30.720 So so here's the three, and I'm gonna come back and explain them. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:33.839 Number one, power gifts clarify God's reality. 00:17:34.640 --> 00:17:37.920 Think of the early church, think of today. 00:17:38.160 --> 00:18:01.599 There are places where the gospel has not been preached, and so power gifts authenticate the word where people do not have or have not had a gospel-centered um preacher or or church family that is that is doing ministry. 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:05.920 Number two, word gifts, word gifts clarify God's will. 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:10.799 They offer us clarity in how we are gifted and how we serve. 00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:14.880 And then thirdly, love gifts embody the heart of God. 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:19.359 And we see these in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:20.640 Let's take them one at a time. 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:21.920 Power gifts. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:24.559 Power gifts clarify God's reality. 00:18:24.799 --> 00:18:26.720 Power gifts clarify God's reality. 00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:30.559 These gifts make God's presence and power tangible. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:34.880 They awaken holy expectation, they authenticate the work of the gospel. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:49.440 These are gifts that that our stream of church, when I say that, my background, the background of our leadership, the background of many of you, and I and listen, and I know there's some of you that grew up in church. 00:18:49.759 --> 00:19:15.599 So this is not necessarily new, but there are some of us that have never been taught in a healthy way how the gifts are given by grace, how all the gifts can still be manifest and be active in the church today, but we shouldn't, we shouldn't glorify some gifts over the others in any of these categories. 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:28.880 And so these power gifts that authenticate the reality of God, they awaken us to the reality that there is a God he calls us into relationship. 00:19:29.119 --> 00:19:37.599 And these power gifts sometimes are needed, especially in places in the world that they don't have access to the word. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:45.839 And so they need something to clarify that God is, he does exist, and that he is working among them. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.039 What are these gifts? 00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:52.400 They're listed in these passages: 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4. 00:19:52.480 --> 00:20:04.240 And here's the power gifts: faith, the gift of faith, the gift of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, tongues, interpretation of tongues, discernment, words of knowledge, and wisdom. 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:13.759 These gifts, listen, there are segments of the church that would tell you, and they they refer to themselves, or we would call them, cessationists. 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:25.119 And they believed that the power gifts ceased to operate once the Bible had been put in place, the canon of Scripture. 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:36.880 And I and I listen, I can understand how someone might see that as a possibility, but what's my problem with that premise? 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:38.640 Huh? 00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:39.759 It limits his power. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:41.440 It limits his power. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:45.039 And one other, what's one other? 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:47.039 What is the scripture? 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:50.319 Like when we need clarity on some of this, we go back to scripture. 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:59.680 There is not a verse or not a passage that explicitly black and white states that these gifts have ceased to operate. 00:20:59.920 --> 00:21:03.599 So we will move forward as if they are still active in the church. 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:14.160 I do think there's a distinct difference in how sometimes the Spirit operates in a society like ours that has been so blessed. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:18.559 To have access to the Word, to see God's Spirit at work. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:25.359 And sometimes it becomes it's stuff that we think of that's what God does in certain settings. 00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:33.359 I wish he would do it here, and so we we immediately close it off when God says, Hey, I still want you to pray with faith. 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:36.720 I want you to pray for miracles, I want you to pray for healing. 00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:38.799 And then go back to what I said earlier. 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:50.240 Sometimes God heals here, sometimes he'll heal there, but we know he'll heal, and sometimes he has purpose and meaning in the midst of our difficulty. 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:59.759 Here's what Andrew Wilson says about the early church, because that's really we need to look at the early church, and that's where I see the power of God at work, and I wish we could explain. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.160 Experience that same power today. 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:05.039 Here's what Andrew Wilson says about the early church. 00:22:05.119 --> 00:22:08.240 He said, The early church was a charismatic community. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:18.000 Now, not charismatic in how you think, but they were operating with all the grace gifts, being active. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:20.559 He says, of that there can be no doubt. 00:22:20.720 --> 00:22:52.559 From the day of Pentecost onward, the book of Acts is a story of Holy Spirit breakthrough, speaking in other languages, prophesying, healing, casting out demons, angelic encounters, miraculous prison breaks, visions, dreams, evangelistic preaching, buildings shaking, the dead being supernaturally brought to life, and on occasion, the living being supernaturally brought to death, boldness in the face of persecution and joy, even one story of teleportation. 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:59.920 Now, some of us, man, we hear something like that, we're like, yeah, I want that. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:01.920 But I'm gonna be honest. 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:07.039 Some of you, you thought, yeah, that'd be nice, but that scares me. 00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:09.359 It scares me. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:09.920 Why? 00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:11.440 Because we don't have control. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:14.880 We gotta, man, we gotta trust the Lord. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:22.160 I want to, hey, I'm gonna, I'll give up control if I think that, if I know and trust that God's gonna work. 00:23:22.640 --> 00:23:28.559 So these signs and wonders didn't stop with the stories that were written in the Bible all throughout history. 00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:32.799 You want to take just a quick journey through a few steps in church history? 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:36.799 Augustine, now if you don't know who Augustine is, some people say he's Augustine. 00:23:36.880 --> 00:23:39.119 Augustine's a city in Florida. 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:49.440 Um Augustine was an early church theologian and a man who went through a miraculous conversion experience. 00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:52.640 I mean, you could look this up online and read that. 00:23:52.880 --> 00:24:00.559 I would even encourage you, if you if you don't want to go back and read everything Augustine wrote, maybe, maybe search for highlights of his teachings. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:05.039 So he lived 354 to 430 A.D. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:09.759 So this is very close, very close to the early church in the book of Acts. 00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:14.880 And so here's what Augustine, he initially advised Christians not to expect miracles. 00:24:15.839 --> 00:24:30.960 But after several undeniable wonders that occurred in and around his churches, he was a bishop, he revised his position, concluding that it wasn't that miracles had ceased, but the church had stopped talking about them. 00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:41.039 Probably could insert there, stopped expecting them, stopped desperate, having a spirit of desperation. 00:24:41.680 --> 00:25:01.759 Eastern churches, this is this is in the East, and whether it's the Near East or Far East, Middle East, Eastern churches have historical records through the Middle Ages of people testifying and speaking in unknown languages that they didn't know, experiencing feelings of the Holy Spirit, receiving gifts by the laying on of hands. 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:08.799 There are stories from the Middle Ages, 1100s, where King Edward I blessed people. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:13.680 And as he blessed them, many were healed. 00:25:13.920 --> 00:25:15.039 These are documented. 00:25:15.119 --> 00:25:35.839 In more modern times, we hear stories about John and Charles Wesley and stories about the great awakenings that our country has experienced, where the word was preached in power, and the the evidence of that was authenticated through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, supernatural experiences. 00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:50.480 And then even in the past uh hundred or 125-50 years, there have been isolated uh things, isolated experiences where the Holy Spirit has been poured out in power. 00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:53.759 And some people don't agree with it. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:26:03.680 I've done extensive reading, talked to people, um, and I don't know that I understand it, but but I know that God works in ways that I can't understand. 00:26:05.119 --> 00:26:10.000 The Asusa Street Revival, which was in California in the early 1900s. 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:21.039 And listen, every major denomination, every major denomination has experienced an outpouring in the past probably 125 years. 00:26:21.599 --> 00:26:23.039 To some extent. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:32.960 Even the Catholic Church, there's a there's a university in Steubenville, I believe, Steubenville, Ohio, it's a Catholic university, and and they have they had an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:36.960 They've had multiple situations where God has worked in a powerful way. 00:26:37.200 --> 00:26:48.640 In the early seven, in the 1970s, we we see that every major denomination had a renewed focus on Scripture, Jesus, and the activity of the Holy Spirit. 00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:57.200 Listen, I believe that we are in the midst of seeing the sparks of revival. 00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:58.880 We're seeing that. 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:08.160 You see, college campuses are packed with students wanting to hear people talk and discuss and debate what's going on. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:13.119 We are seeing where God is bringing revival in other places in the country. 00:27:13.359 --> 00:27:15.440 Now, how many of you ever heard of Bill Mayer? 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:26.079 He is the most outspoken atheist, outspoken against the church, but something's happening in his life. 00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:36.480 Because in the last couple of weeks, he has come out speaking on behalf of the persecuted Christians in Nigeria. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:40.160 This is a man who says there is no God. 00:27:40.640 --> 00:27:49.039 He is very hostile, often polite in some ways, but he he he he seems like a guy you can't move him. 00:27:49.599 --> 00:27:58.160 But he comes out, he says, I have a problem because the media is not covering the persecution of Christians, specifically in Nigeria. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:05.440 Listen, you got lost people, unchurched people, atheists who are speaking on behalf of Christians. 00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:08.000 I think that's a seed of revival. 00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:09.519 I think God's working. 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:12.319 I'm interested in his story. 00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:13.920 Yeah. 00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:22.240 Listen, God's power offers proof that God is indeed alive and active among us. 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:28.960 So power gifts bring the reality of God to the front. 00:28:29.359 --> 00:28:31.599 The second category is word gifts. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:34.319 Word gifts clarify God's will. 00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:36.480 Word gifts clarify God's will. 00:28:36.640 --> 00:28:39.279 Word gifts illuminate God's mind and purpose. 00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:44.960 It provides for the formation of disciples, equipping the church for mission. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:58.480 It comes through teaching, exhortation, leadership, pastoring, evangelism, apostleship, not the office of an apostle, but an apostolic gifting, starting churches, starting ministries. 00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:04.880 And so bringing clarity, clarity God's purposes, clarity the way of Jesus. 00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:14.000 These gifts don't always seem as powerful and dramatic as the signs and wonder gifts, the power gifts, but they're just as important. 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:21.039 At our church, probably most would come from the background where we, hey, we we like these word gifts. 00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:23.119 They don't scare us as much. 00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:37.440 But those gifts, just as much as any miraculous gift, are just as spirit-empowered as any of the other gifts. 00:29:37.759 --> 00:29:46.240 A gifted communicator, a spirit-empowered teacher can open up scriptures more than a motivational speaker. 00:29:46.480 --> 00:29:56.559 Motivational speakers will move you to maybe think about something you want to do, but it's the spirit that powers you to follow through. 00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:07.440 So every time someone teaches, every time someone gives clarity over something in Scripture, they're using the gifts. 00:30:07.680 --> 00:30:09.039 And they're so important. 00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:11.119 They're vital to the church. 00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:16.000 So you got power gifts, you got word gifts, and then we have love gifts. 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:18.400 Love gifts embody God's heart. 00:30:18.640 --> 00:30:22.720 Love gifts are the hands and feet of Jesus. 00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:28.160 Power gifts show God's reality, word gifts clarify God's will. 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:31.440 Love gifts make God's heart visible. 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:38.640 These are the gifts of serving, mercy, generosity, hospitality, helps. 00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:46.240 They may not draw a crowd, they may not trend on social media, but they're the lifeblood of the church. 00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:50.319 And the danger here is similar to the word gifts. 00:30:50.480 --> 00:30:54.799 We mistake these gifts for personality traits or natural kindness. 00:30:54.880 --> 00:30:56.319 She's just a really caring person. 00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:59.039 He's just a, you know, a good leader. 00:30:59.359 --> 00:31:11.839 But Romans 12 says this if service, use it in service, if teaching in teaching, if exhorting, inner exhortation, giving with generosity, leading with diligence, showing mercy with cheerfulness. 00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:13.920 And so you see that? 00:31:14.319 --> 00:31:18.880 The gift of mercy is used right alongside these other power gifts. 00:31:20.480 --> 00:31:23.440 And so here's the truth. 00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:27.920 The church cannot survive on power and word gifts alone. 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:33.440 We need people that are operating in these love gifts. 00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:35.279 Imagine a stool. 00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:44.000 You had a stool with three legs, and each leg represents one category of gifts: power gifts, word gifts, love gifts. 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:49.599 Now, could could I sit on a stool with one leg safely? 00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:52.319 Not me. 00:31:52.480 --> 00:31:53.200 Not me. 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:56.319 Maybe 10 years ago I might could have done that. 00:31:57.200 --> 00:32:00.799 Can you really sit on a stool with two legs safely? 00:32:02.000 --> 00:32:04.160 Secure securely? 00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:08.640 No, you need all three to provide that foundation. 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:12.240 And so we need to understand our gifts. 00:32:12.480 --> 00:32:14.160 Here's how we understand them. 00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:16.319 Start using them. 00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:21.519 Start looking, reading, searching, praying. 00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:25.200 God, I know you promised a gift. 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:28.559 Could you clarify what it is? 00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:38.640 You read the word, you talk in conjunction with people that give you wise counsel, and you say, Hey, do you see a gift in my life? 00:32:38.720 --> 00:32:43.920 And so there's there's the body that comes together identifying gifts, and you deploy it. 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.200 So you serve. 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:47.920 Just start serving, start doing something. 00:32:48.160 --> 00:32:51.519 When you step into service, God brings clarity. 00:32:52.480 --> 00:33:10.000 You serve with students for a period of time, and God confirms that's your gift, and maybe maybe maybe your gift is not geared specifically to an age group, but but you keep continue to try different areas to serve. 00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:12.240 Ask other people for their input. 00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:14.480 Seek the Spirit's direction. 00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:22.640 And here's what we know love is the operating system for every gift. 00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:26.000 Paul says this in 1 Corinthians 13, 1 through 3. 00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:32.960 He says, if I speak with human or angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clinging symbol. 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:41.680 And if all I have is, if all I have, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:46.480 If I give away all my possessions but do not have love, I gain nothing. 00:33:48.480 --> 00:33:50.319 So what does this mean for us? 00:33:50.559 --> 00:34:00.799 It means you search, it means you pursue, it means you read scripture, you can go online and find spiritual gift surveys and tests that help you. 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:03.119 But the best way is for you to jump in. 00:34:03.279 --> 00:34:08.320 You try this, you say that's not my area, then try something else. 00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:11.440 Seek counsel, seek the Lord. 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:14.400 But where do you start? 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:20.079 What's the first step toward discovering your spiritual gift? 00:34:20.239 --> 00:34:23.599 It's to put your faith in Jesus. 00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:31.920 It's to know him, not know about him, but to know him and invite him into your life and to repent and believe. 00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:37.599 So some of us this morning, that may be your first step, is for you to hear the gospel. 00:34:37.760 --> 00:34:44.559 The good news that Jesus loves you, he died for you, he rose, he was bodily resurrected for you. 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:51.039 And if you don't know Jesus this morning, I want to encourage you to respond and put your faith in Jesus. 00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:56.000 For others, you need clarity. 00:34:56.239 --> 00:34:57.519 You need clarity. 00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:59.840 Seek clarity. 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:06.559 And as our team comes, I'm gonna, they're gonna close this time and we're gonna we're gonna sing this prayer to the Lord. 00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:07.920 Come, Holy Spirit. 00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:13.199 And the prayer is more than just come, Holy Spirit, but come and illuminate. 00:35:13.360 --> 00:35:14.800 Come and give me clarity. 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:16.559 Come and give me power. 00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:23.679 Come and put your love in my heart and and and out of my heart, my hands and my feet. 00:35:24.719 --> 00:35:27.360 And so, would you pray with me this morning? 00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:30.719 Let's pray together for a second. 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:39.519 And while your heads are bowed and your eyes are closed, let me just encourage you if you need to respond to Jesus for the first time today, this is the day. 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:41.760 So we sing this song. 00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:52.880 If you need Christ, I want you to put your faith in him, repent and believe, and I want you to tell somebody that you made that decision today, that you responded to Jesus. 00:35:53.199 --> 00:36:06.400 For others of you, you might need clarity, you might need illumination, you might need God to work in a way to move you to action. 00:36:06.639 --> 00:36:09.679 And so I want to encourage you to come and to pray. 00:36:09.840 --> 00:36:10.639 Pray at the altar. 00:36:10.719 --> 00:36:11.440 I want to encourage you. 00:36:11.519 --> 00:36:12.880 Jonah's right here. 00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:15.039 Uh Brandon is right here. 00:36:15.280 --> 00:36:18.800 Brandon, I'm just gonna ask you to be available, pray for people. 00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:22.000 I'd love for one or two of our ladies to be available. 00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:24.159 Maybe come stand right over here. 00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:28.559 And if you want somebody just to pray with you, it's it's not scary. 00:36:29.119 --> 00:36:30.159 It's just simple. 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:33.280 Hey, Lord, have somebody pray over you. 00:36:33.519 --> 00:36:36.079 God, give this person clarity. 00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:44.480 Work in their heart, move them, encourage them, exhort them to step out with faith. 00:36:44.719 --> 00:36:46.079 Father, we love you. 00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:47.039 We thank you. 00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:54.480 We pray that you would use these next few minutes to work in a powerful way in the lives of people in our church family. 00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:55.840 Jesus, we love you. 00:36:56.000 --> 00:36:56.880 We thank you. 00:36:57.199 --> 00:36:59.840 Move in this time, it's in Christ's name we pray. 00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:00.719 Amen.