Where God Lives pt3 — The Living One among the living ones
Establishing a supernatural Kingdom in the world will require supernatural materials and methods. Thankfully, God has given us such help in the gifts He gives to His people. Neglecting the practice of those gifts means the world is missing out on a huge part of what Christ in Us has to offer!
Why do you seek the living among the dead?
Two purposes for gathering as a church (ecclesia)
1. Meeting with Jesus: engaging with His living presence; discerning His will and word to us
2. Getting equipped for the ministry which will be required to act upon what Jesus has said.
1 Cor 14:1-4 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual [pneumatikos], but especially that you may prophesy.
Ø Spiritual = [pneumatikos] – God breathed “spiritual realities”
There is no Christian faith without the Supernatural reality of God in the midst of His people. Building a Supernatural Kingdom requires supernatural building materials and methods.
1 Cor 12:1…4-11 Now concerning spiritual [pneumatikos], brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.
4-6 Varieties of gifts (charisma — expressions of the Grace of God)
… Ministries (diakona – ways of serving up the gifts)
… and effects (energema – the results of the gifts operations)
7 But to each oneis given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
11 …distributing to each oneindividually just as He wills.
Everyone in the body of Christ has been given at least one manifestation of the Spirit. whether they are seen or used depends on the doctrine, faith and courage of the carrier of that gift.
Spiritual gifts are like any other gifts: you won’t know you have it unless you use it, and you won’t get any better at it if you don’t practice.
12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members…
Summarize (12-31– the parts of the body)
When any of us fails to grow in our gifts, the body is missing a manifestation of Jesus which may be essential for the lives of any number of people
31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.
Every gift of God is an expression of His love for someone in need. When we minister, we are asking God to show His love to that person through us.
1 Cor 14:12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to aboundfor the edification of the church.
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