THE DIVERSITY OF GIFTS (5 OF 6)
Scripture: I CORINTHIANS 12:28
This content is part of a series.
God's Gifts of Grace (5 of 6)
The Diversity of Gifts
Dr. Ernest L. Easley
1 Corinthians 12:28
2/6/2000
This morning we're continuing our series of messages on God's Gifts of Grace. God has given every one of His children a gift of grace! You ask, "Are you sure?" Oh .. I'm sure all right! 1 Peter 4.10, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another ..." 1 Corinthians 12.11, "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
Now the good news is that the Holy Spirit as assigned you a spiritual gift. The bad news is that some of you have never unwrapped your gift! In fact .. the word translated "gifts" in 1 Corinthians 12 comes from the same root word translated "joy." You see .. real joy comes when you discover your gift and begin using it! I read this week about a Father who drove straight from work to the baseball field to see his son play baseball. When he arrived .. he sat behind the bench on the first base line. He got his son's attention and asked him, "What's the score?" His son said, "Dad, we're behind fourteen to nothing." His Father said, "Well son, you don't seem very discouraged about that." The son said, "Discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet."
That boy wasn't discouraged because he hadn't done his part yet! Yet, today there are people in churches that are discouraged because they've not done their part.
That's why God gave you a spiritual gift! Not as a toy to play with but a tool to build with! You ask, "Build what?" The Kingdom of God! That gift of yours was given to you for the benefit of others! 1 Corinthians 12.7, "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." Your grace gift was given by God to build up the body of Christ! To edify the people of God. And not necessarily to make it bigger .. but to make it healthier!
Now before we beg ...
The Diversity of Gifts
Dr. Ernest L. Easley
1 Corinthians 12:28
2/6/2000
This morning we're continuing our series of messages on God's Gifts of Grace. God has given every one of His children a gift of grace! You ask, "Are you sure?" Oh .. I'm sure all right! 1 Peter 4.10, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another ..." 1 Corinthians 12.11, "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."
Now the good news is that the Holy Spirit as assigned you a spiritual gift. The bad news is that some of you have never unwrapped your gift! In fact .. the word translated "gifts" in 1 Corinthians 12 comes from the same root word translated "joy." You see .. real joy comes when you discover your gift and begin using it! I read this week about a Father who drove straight from work to the baseball field to see his son play baseball. When he arrived .. he sat behind the bench on the first base line. He got his son's attention and asked him, "What's the score?" His son said, "Dad, we're behind fourteen to nothing." His Father said, "Well son, you don't seem very discouraged about that." The son said, "Discouraged? We haven't been up to bat yet."
That boy wasn't discouraged because he hadn't done his part yet! Yet, today there are people in churches that are discouraged because they've not done their part.
That's why God gave you a spiritual gift! Not as a toy to play with but a tool to build with! You ask, "Build what?" The Kingdom of God! That gift of yours was given to you for the benefit of others! 1 Corinthians 12.7, "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." Your grace gift was given by God to build up the body of Christ! To edify the people of God. And not necessarily to make it bigger .. but to make it healthier!
Now before we beg ...
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